Ever since 2020 I've logged every single video game I've beaten. It's to incentivize me into finishing the games I buy and to see what types of games are the type to actually make me want to finish them. Here's every single game I've beaten in 2022 in order and my thoughts on each. Feel free to share yours too! Off Peak (PC): This was a short, surreal free indie game that was entertaining from start to finish. I bought the sequel and quickly refunded it because it was not great. Awkward Dimensions (PC): The worst game I actually finished this year. It's just a series of the developer's dreams with nothing tying them together. Once I finished the game I felt very unsatisfied. Hypnagogia Boundless Dreams (PC): This is what Awkward Dimensions should have been. Each dream is carefully organized so that the further you go into the game the creepier it gets. Replaying dreams was actually worthwhile because it meant finding secret dreams that rewarded exploration. Tying it together is a PS1 inspired artstyle that manages to convey a lot despite the limitations. Dream Ending (PC): This is a low priced visual novel by a Chinese studio that had an unusually high amount of positive reviews. I could see why. The art is lovely, the voice acting sounds natural, and the translation is mostly quite solid. The ending caught me off guard, but in hindsight I think it captures the nature of a young romance better than many stories in the genre. Yakuza Kiwami (PS4): This remake is visually stunning, has an excellent story, and offers tons of content. Sadly, the developers did little to address the game's core problem and introduced a new one. Most of the boss fights in this game are awful. Many of them are just hordes of enemies that attack constantly. One fight has a guy who just dodges constantly and the second to last fight made me viscerally upset by the attacks that leave you stunned for way too long. The only fight I enjoyed was the last one and that was mostly for narrative reasons. I honestly don't feel guilty for overusing healing items. Without them I would've had to endure those fights even longer. The new problem is the Majima Everywhere system. Locking parts of the skill tree behind fighting the same character dozens of times is not what I would call fun. I only fought him a handful of times just to unlock a few things and that's it. Sanctuarium DS (PC): A short nostalgic callback to the Nintendo DS that manages to be genuinely unnerving. There wasn't a single jump-scare and I still managed to feel nothing but dread throughout the entire thing. The truth of the plot was surprisingly sad too. Atelier Ryza (PS4): Dated graphics and overly long intro aside, this was a good time. For an Atelier game the story was decent and the crafting system was very satisfying. I love how gaining exploration items led to new sections of areas to open up. I still prefer the sequel though. Sephonie (PC): My second favorite game from my all time favorite indie game team. The story is creative and full of cultural commentary and platforming is mostly enjoyable. The only thing holding this game back is how rough the physics are. There were many times where I died just because I couldn't get the wall climbing to work. I still think this game is well worth playing though. It's definitely their most ambitious game. Anodyne 2 (PS4): I replayed this game and 100% completed it a second time. It's in my top 10 favorite games ever. The surreal world, the mix of light 3D platforming and top down Zelda gameplay, and philosophical story really tie everything together. It's truly a hidden gem. Necrobarista Final Pour (Switch): I've heard people avoid this game because they think it's too hipster, but I think that's what makes the game work. It takes inspiration from the Zero Escape series of visual novels while doing its own thing. The world building is extremely interesting and the characters are very likable. The way the game's written also feels deeply Australian, which makes sense given where it was developed. For a game made by a team of college students, I think they did a great job. Coffee Talk Chapter 1 (Switch): The game is clearly based on Va-ll Hall-A and like many have said, it doesn't hit the same highs. Regardless, I think it's a good game. The conversations the characters have are very naturally written and feel authentic to Pacific Northwest culture. That, mixed with the calming music leads to a truly serene atmosphere that persists throughout the entire game. The writer of this game died sadly, so I hope the person filling in his place can do his story justice in the upcoming chapter 2. Code:Realize (Switch): One of my online friends suggested this game and what a great introduction to the otome subgenre it was. Every major character is well developed and nuanced. Unlike many romance visual novels, every route leads to a relationship with actual chemistry. There's no one single romance in the game that doesn't feel right. While a little on the short side, the soundtrack is excellent. Each background, CG, and character pose is beautifully drawn. It's a sight to behold. The whole game was so good in fact that I worry my standards for visual novel of this sort will be too high. I eagerly await seeing the rest of the first fan disc this year. AI: The Somnium Files Nirvana Initiative (PS4): As far as modern Kotaro Uchikoshi games go, this one is quite solid. As usual, I was enthralled and on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I also appreciate that most of the puzzles in this game were less obtuse than the previous game. I hope the third entry in this trilogy goes off just as strong. Tales of Arise (PS4): I'm conflicted on this one. The gameplay and graphics are among the best I've ever seen in an anime JRPG. There were times I had to stop just to admire the scenery. My problems are the soundtrack and story. The climax and big reveal felt underwhelming and none of the antagonists were particularly interesting. They felt rather flat. The same can be said for the protagonists. I kept hoping for a seventh or eighth party member because I wasn't engaged by any of them. They just have so little chemistry with each other, to the point where the inevitable romances felt forced. Outside of one song, the soundtrack was completely forgettable, although that's an issue I have with every Tales of game. If you want to play this game avoid the PS4 version. The pop-in was so bad that I had to stare at only the player character to not get distracted. Pokémon Colosseum (GameCube): The atmosphere was the game's strongest aspect. I really felt like I was in a fictional version of Arizona. Having the entire game be double battles was a refreshing choice too. My issue is how slow the game was. Healing up the team or saving was a nightmare since you could only do it in a handful of places. The level curve was quite steep too, which led to me having to grind for hours on end. Both of these issues led to a ton of backtracking. The ending also felt rather underwhelming. Tales of Berseria (PS4): The best Tales of game I've played. The story kept me engaged from start to finish, the battle system was snappy and rewarding, and the world was fun to explore. Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition (Switch): The story and world building are some of the best I've seen in the medium. I had issues with the combat though. Selecting artes requires constant mashing of the d-pad and tougher fights are constantly interrupted by cutscenes that show what the enemy will do next. I just changed the difficulty to casual and went from there. Pokémon Violet (Switch): Poor graphics, performance, and inability to enter NPC homes aside, this game was a great time. Exploring the open world felt rewarding. The climax is also my favorite of any game in the series. Music-wise I'm conflicted. The wild battle themes and overworld music with a few exceptions were quite forgettable. The best music in the game was put during the final few hours. I love the final battle theme, the Team Star leader theme, among others. Overall it was a great game that was ultimately released too soon.
What have you done. *Inhales* Xenoblade Chronicles X, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r], Chibi-Robo!, Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Kirby's Dream Land 3, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, Amazing Island, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Samurai Warriors 5, Shinsekai Into the Depths, Nano Assault Neo, The King of Fighters XV, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, The House of the Dead: Remake, Mother 3, OlliOlli, KuruKuruKuruin, Guilty Gear Strive, Skies of Arcadia: Legends, Revolver 360 Re:Actor, Pokémon HeartGold, Mighty Switch Force! 2, Dead or Alive 3, Typoman, A Boy and His Blob, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, Mario Party Superstars, Cruis'n Blase, Mario Golf: Super Rush, Wargroove, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, Neon White, Red Earth, Super Gem Fighter Minimix, Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors, Mario Strikers Battle League, Vampior Savior: The Lord of Vampire, Super Mario Land, LOVE 2: Kuso, The Henry Stickmin Collection, Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak, PokePark 2: Wonders Beyond, Vampire Savior 2: The Lord of Vampire, No More Heroes III, Getsu Fuma Den, Kirby's Dream Buffet, Tales of the Abyss, Getsu Fuma Den: Undying Moon, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Champions of Norrath, Streets of Rage 4, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble, Radiant Silvergun, Art of Balance, Tengami, Blaster Master Zero 2, Sigma Star Saga, Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, Pokémon Black 2, Bayonetta 3, Dragon Quest XI Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition S, Pocky and Rocky Reshrined, Wario Land 4, Hades, and Into the Breach *Dies*
Prepare for impressions from all 42 games I played last year: Bioshock: I can fathom why so many people worship this game, but it doesn't do enough for me on any front for it to be a timeless, engaging experience in my mind. Still pretty neat! Pokémon Legends: Arceus: This game is a blast! The gameplay has a particular rhythm to it that makes it very addicting. I'm getting to the point where I don't even want to give the caviat of "but the visuals stink" or "the narrative isn't great." I just really liked this game's gameplay, world, and content, and that's as simple as it needs to be for now. Red Dead Redemption II: Roger Clark's performance as Arthur Morgan was show-stealing and is still the most memorable part of the game for me. The island section sure sucked, but I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the game, especially the narrative. I spent about 10 hours last year just lassoing random civilians and dragging them around. 10/10 gameplay mechanic. Kingdom Hearts III: Fun game. Fun movement. Cool spectacle. Stilted cutscenes. Fun though. Star Wars Episode I: Racer: There is nothing quite as gratifying in gaming as playing a childhood favorite for the first time in a long while and finding the game to be better than I remembered. This game is awesome! This is like if F-Zero was good. It only took me 20 years to beat this game. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations: Peak fiction. I'd rank this in my top 5 if the game didn't have a case that's a bit of a stinker. Also, I really don't like the investigating phases in this series. Oh well. Donkey Kong Country Returns: I don't think I was ever going to like this game. It maybe would have stood a better chance if it didn't shamelessly wear the Donkey Kong Country name. Still, I have a ton of issues with this game, and it wasn't fun for most of my playthrough. Sonic Mania: I finally beat Mania, though I'm still not overly fond of it. I liked a ton of the stages, particularly the new ones, but the bad parts just drag this game through the mud. I found the checkpoints to be extraordinarily arbitrary and archaic. Overall, it's fine. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney: I consider this one to be the most consistently quality game in the Ace Attorney franchise. This comes at the cost of having the weakest final case of the four games I've played (though the case is still really good). Still, I think Apollo is a great protagonist, and the cases he covers are very, very interesting. I don't know why this game doesn't get more love. Instant classic! Kirby and the Forgotten Land: Have you ever played a game and just thought: Wow, this game is actually finished! Kirbo in Detroit was insanely polished, fun, and filled with tons of quality content. The best part? I got to do it all in co-op with one of my best friends. This would have been my Game of the Year for 2021 had it come out last year. I'm now pretty interested in the Kirby series thanks to this game. Cash Banooca 2: Gringotts Steak House: I somehow never beat this game as a kid despite beating Crash 3 many times. I find this game to be pleasurable and fun, though it's nothing worth writing home about in my opinion. It's a solid game and a massive step away from a lot of the awful parts of the original Crash game. I sometimes wish I liked this one a little more. Hitman III: I often have to remind myself that I played this one. Hitman II blew me away with its level design and variety. I replayed every level in that game at least 3 or 4 times minimum. On the other hand, I only replayed one level in Hitman III (the mansion). It's a fine enough game, though I wish it would have left a little bit more of an impact on me gameplay-wise. I still don't know the story of these games though. Elden Ring: This is a masterpiece every bit deserving of all of the Game of the Year Awards it is returning. I put about 100 hours in this game and still left a ton of stones unturned. The content is quality, varied, and tough. I've been unable to get really into other FromSoftware games, but Elden Ring captivated me. The story, the characters, the world, the combat, and especially the exploration are all so deeply embedded into my mind now. This is a true classic and one of the finest game I've ever played. Super Mario 3D World: I was one world away from beating this game with my siblings in 2021, but we never finished for some reason. I found the opportunity to beat this on my own and found it to be quite enjoyable! I'm not often impressed by platformers these days, but this game had a number of levels that really surprised me in good ways. Mario games are almost always quality, and I expected nothing less from 3D World. Bowser's Fury: This was a really exciting little game. The way the world was designed was really just fascinating. I'd love to see if the Mario series can build on the ideas introduced here in a much bigger, fleshed-out game. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes: This game simultaneously fixed a lot of my problems with Three Houses and introduced some new ones. The standout to me here is the gameplay. This was the first Warriors game to hook me past the 20-hour mark - and it took me all the way to the end of my 35-hour playthrough. I'd consider revisiting this game at a future day in order to play the other two routes. Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment: This game was really cool. The movement was great, the level design fit the character movement well, and Specter Knight was generally a pleasure to play as - even if he did feel a little OP. If I had anything to criticize, I'd say that I would've loved a world map more similar to the original Shovel Knight or even King of Cards. Overall, this is a worthwhile experience. Stray: This was a cute little distraction - albeit a little tedious. Playing as a cat that purrs, meows, and does cat thing will always have some sense of novelty. Hold on, kiddos, this might get ugly for a second. I think this game isn't fun at all though tbh. I found a lot of the game to be tedious, and there was nothing that ever really stretched or innovated the gameplay throughout. However, the visuals and audio design are both top notch, especially given that this is a debut indie title. I just feel the need to poop on the party since this game has been getting insane reviews just for having a cat protagonist. I'm glad I got this through PS Plus since I would've felt ripped off by the original price point. Shovel Knight: King of Cards: This was the weakest of the three Shovel Knight games I completed, but it was still pretty fun. I honestly don't remember too much from this game - which might be a bad sign. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: This was one of the big surprises of the year for me. The gameplay starts out a little dull, but it really gets into a groove by the middle of the game. The best parts here are definitely the narrative and the soundtrack. By the end of the game, I was fully invested in every aspect of it. Maybe the biggest surprise here is just how long the game is here. There is a lot of meat on its bones. Guardians is one of those games that has no right being as good as it is. This is a big recommend from me if you want to experience something Marvel done well! The Messenger: This is the funniest game I played all year! The writing and humor is all right down my alley. After playing Ninja Gaiden last year, I've been in search of good games inspired by Gaiden. Between this and Cyber Shadow, I have to say I vastly prefer The Messenger. It's a really solid title, and I'd recommend it highly. Spyro the Dragon: I left off at the final boss from when I played this game in 2020. I beat the final boss. It only took me 20 years to beat this game too! Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!: This was my first ever playthrough of Spyro 2 somehow. I found this game to be a significant improvement over the original game in nearly every regard - nostalgia aside. The power-ups, level design, music, and especially boss fights felt like they were on a completely new level. This game rocks. Spyro: Year of the Dragon: My thoughts on this game are identical to Ripto's Rage, essentially. I'll just add that I liked the new characters in these games. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga: I joke about regretting doing the Platinum Trophy for this game, but I really don't regret it. This game was really fun, and the writing was exceptional. I could tell that the developers truly cared about the original LEGO Star Wars games and Star Wars. That went a long way. DOOM (2016): I love a good game that gets my adrenaline pumping and flowing. I only died about 4 or 5 times in this game, and I found it to be just the right amount of difficult on the game mode I played on. I love a game with good character feel and movement, and DOOM delivered. It strikes a smart balance between making me, as the player, feel unsafe and powerful simultaneously. DOOM (1993): This game once again reiterated that every FPS boss fight isn't fun. I spent maybe 90% of my time here being lost. It's overall a pretty cool game with smooth character movement. Mario Kart 7: I maybe would've liked this game if I had played it closer to its release. It's a fine enough MK title, but it does nothing special for me at this point. The Legend of Zegend: A Link Between Worlds: I'm a noted disliker of top-down Zelda games. Boy, I wasn't prepared for ALBW. The world and level design is among the best I've played in Zelda. It's important to note here that I've never cared for A Link to the Past. I feel that A Link Between Worlds is a really powerful product of that world. Everything here just works really well, and I loved it. Super Mario 3D Land: This game is really solid. It's probably the weakest of the 3D Mario games, but that's not a bad thing at all. There's some solid level design here. I honestly don't remember much of it though. Mario Hoops 3-on-3: Any game that lets me play as Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, and Dixie Kong is alright in my book, even if it is a weird DS basketball game. New Super Mario Bros. 2: This sure is a Mario game. It's fine, if not good. That's the review. Pokémon Ranger: Oh boy, here I go: This was the worst game I played all year. Have you seen me complain about Hollow Knight? I'm mostly joking there. I don't really hate Hollow Knight. I hate Pokémon Ranger. I'm not joking here. Pokémon Ranger is bursting at the seams with problematic design choices, arbitrary gameplay restrictions, lackluster writing, deeply forgettable characters, and weak execution on a somewhat interesting premise. I consider this to be in my bottom 3-5 games of all time. Yuck. Yakuza Kiwami: Yakuza 0 is among my favorite games, so I was looking forward to playing Kiwami. The game was decent, but nowhere near as memorable or exciting as 0. This is the remake of a PS2 game though, and for what it is, it's pretty decent. I have to take a second to complain about how awful the boss fights are. They are bad. The bosses have too much health, and this game has zero challenge if you have healing items - just tedium. Rayman Legends: This is a superb platformer with great design, music, innovation, and execution. I don't have anything negative to say here. I just wanted to mention that Rayman was one of my first video games, and this game is barely like it at all - and I mean that in the best way possible. This game is so fluid and fun. It's a shame that Rayman is currently in limbo. Somehow, this game hasn't climbed its way onto my favorite games list. I'm still trying to figure out that one. Sin and Punishment: Yet, this game did make it onto my favorite games list. S&P required me to learn a little before it got fun. After I learned how the game works, I had a complete blast. Putrid character models aside, this game is incredibly cinematic and action-packed for an N64 game. It contains setpiece after setpiece, resulting in a pretty spectacular final level. I'm a big fan of this one. Mega Man X: I may still need to catch the vision on this one. My love for Donkey Kong Country wasn't built in a day, after all. This game probably needs at least one more playthrough from me. It's solid enough, but it doesn't stick out all that much in mind right now. I can see the potential, and I bet I'd like it a lot more once I memorize all the secrets. Pokémon Scarlet: I love this game. It's my 7th most played Switch game of all time. I'm playing it right now, actually. I wish the performance was better since that's most of what I hear about it from the casual side of gaming Twitter. A game needs to be enjoyable, and this is a very, very fun Pokémon game for me. Sonic Frontiers: I ended up liking this game quite a bit. The standout here is quite easily the boss fights. The music goes all-in during these moments, and it's cool. I honestly don't care about anything else from this game, but the boss fights were spectacular, and the soundtrack for these fights is insane. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: This was a lot better than Returns, but it still wasn't the game I was hoping for. A lot of the problems I had with Returns are just inherent to how these games control and function, so that was inevitable. Still, the music was good, the level designs were more creative, and the minecart and rocket barrel levels were finally decent. It's a good game. My Friend Pedro: This game is only a few hours long, but man is it fun. It isn't particularly hard on the easier difficulties (shocking, I know), but it is fun. There is a lot of potential here for replays. Sometimes, games just need to be like this: good, fun, and short. Have fun!
While I did not complete as many games as some of my peers, I did manage to get through a good chunk of them in the past year, and I would like to share my thoughts on them. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (Wii U): Amongst the many, many Zelda games that I have heard of, one of the few that I most wanted to play was Wind Waker. And having now completed it, yes, the hype was well worth it. The graphics are stunning, the gameplay and controls are smooth and intuitive, and the story is honestly one of the better in the franchise. And the fact that many of the problems I could have had was fixed in this HD port, yeah, this was a great time. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (Switch): One of the many games that were saved from the sinking ship that was the Wii U, the base game was pure platforming bliss. Way too much to do for completion, which is why I didn't bother with that noise, but at least getting all the way through Champion's Road was worth the journey. Now, what I did decide to complete was Bowser's Fury, which perfectly served as a side mode of the whole package because boy there was not enough content for a separate game. What was there was packed full of fun platforming and kitty-themed charm that was well-worth the several hours put into the experience. A good bundle, overall! Very happy with this! Portal (Switch): To repeat a quote that has been constantly repeated about this game ad infinitum, this truly was a triumph! This game is really short and could potentially be seen as kind of barebones. However, its simplicity is truly its greatest strength. There is only one mission, use the power of placing portals to play through the game's various puzzle chambers, and it hones this aspect to a fine point. And the solid voice work of the game's primary antagonist (and only other character), GLaDOS, kept me extremely entertained all the while. Even if there are signs of age in various nicks and higgles within the design, that doesn't change how much of a groundbreaking this game is, and I am looking forward to playing through the second game very soon. Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Switch): Excuse me, I must have forgotten that this was, in fact, Kirby's first ever fully-fledged 3D experience, because they knocked this one clear out of the park! The gameplay, visuals, and story all feel revolutionary while still keeping that patented Kirby charm. The road to completion was very smooth, and the payoff for doing everything in this game was absolutely worth it. This is a must-play for anyone and everyone, and it really makes me sad that it makes Star Allies look really lame in comparison. Sayonara Wild Hearts (Switch): I was basically done with this one anyway, and just finished off the last couple of missions this year, but let me tell you, this game is the definition of satisfying. I'm not the kind of guy who goes out of my way for rhythm games, but the controls, visuals, and most importantly the music, all made this game stand out to me and gave me a wonderful experience. Oh, and if you all are wondering, my favorite song was easily Begin Again. Sheepo (PC): This was not the greatest Metroidvania I have played, but it was very charming. The fact that it was a "pacifist" experience where you had to ensure the survival of the local species by gathering the eggs of the planet's bosses was interesting, made even more so by the fact that each egg you gather gave you a new ability made the whole thing pretty fun. Plus, in a very Undertale sort of way, the pacifism aspect of the game caused me to interact with the world and enjoy the various aspects of the local ecology and civilization even more. I liked this one. To The Moon (PC): Again, another leftover from last year where I only had a little bit left to go. And boy, am I glad I finished this game up. The rather basic RPGMaker format of the game was more than made up for by the story, which was a very tragic but beautiful look at how even the smallest of things can leave the biggest of impacts on your life. I was moved, and I'm glad I was practically ordered to play this game. Definitely worth it. Skul the Hero Slayer (Switch): It is very hard to determine if a roguelike can be considered finished, so I just placed the goalpost at finishing the main story and beating the final boss, which I managed to do with a stupidly optimized magic-centric run which decimated the endgame challenges. While I don't usually end up playing many roguelikes, this one stood out purely due to the sheer variety of gameplay via the skull system, which made every run feel unique and fun to play despite the sheer difficulty of the game continuously kicking my teeth in. While some people may not be that into it Dawn, I really enjoyed my time with it, and I'll be coming back constantly for more runs as the game continues to be updated. Monument Valley (Mobile): Yet another game that was basically done, but I only got back to it this year. Very clever use of geometry to make very cool puzzles that worked splendidly for the format I played it on. I don't have much more to say, it was very stylistic and soothing to go through, and if I can cough up the couple of bones to play the DLC levels, then I'll be back to this one soon. Japanese Escape Games: The Hospital (Switch): I wasted five dollars on a half-hour's worth of gameplay, if you can even call it that. It's boring and did nothing to expand on being an escape room visual novel. I have nothing else to say. Will Glow The Wisp (PC): A simple arcade-style "get to the end of the level as fast as possible" type of game. Visually, it's pretty with a ton of particle effects everywhere, and the controls were very fluid, but I don't think this was the greatest thing I've ever played. Also, it was formatted in a level system akin to mobile games like Angry Birds. Overall, this one is definitely fine. Not great, just...fine. Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (3DS): Out of all of the M&L games that have been released, I did not expect this one to be the first I would actually finish and see the credits for. Now, considering I have at least touched both Superstar Saga and Bowser's Inside Story, I know this is a noticeable downgrade in both storytelling and overall creativity. However, I'm not about to sit here and say this was the worst game ever made, because it's really not. The tried and true battle system still works, and the quirks of Paper Mario did make it interesting, particularly with the Trio Attacks, the writing did get a chuckle out of me every now and then, and the Papercraft battles were...fine enough distractions. It was a pretty mixed experience in a franchise where I know it can do better, but at least I now know where the lowest point of this series is, and can remain confident that it should only go up from here. Bloody Bunny: The Game (Switch): I had absolutely no clue that this was based on a YouTube animated series when I got this game. I just thought the visuals looked interesting, and to be fair on that front, the unique art style really carries this game for me, enhanced even more by the game using scenes from the actual series to carry the story, making this and that practically one in the same. Aside from that, however, this is a pretty by-the-numbers hack-n-slash which honestly felt kind of mindless as time went on. The bosses were okay, but they were each annoying in their own way, and overall this game was good but not great. I probably would suggest taking a look at this one if the YouTube series wasn't available online for free, but it is, so...yeah. Mega Man 1 (The Wily Wars) (Switch): I save-state scummed my way through this game, sorry. And I am kind of glad I did, because while the signs of greatness that Mega Man has was in here, the archaic level design of being the first game in the franchise was here as well, with a pointless scoring system, cheap enemy placement, and just an overall lack of polish that would be fixed with later entries. I'm also glad I played through this version as well, since it did fix up a couple of big issues from the original NES Mega Man, such as making Yellow Devil way easier. At the end of the day, it was okay, but I wanna get to playing Mega Man 2 now, if you don't mind. There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension (Switch): I had high hopes for this game, being familiar with the original iteration via watching Markiplier play through it years ago, and this did not disappoint. Although the overall story felt a bit cheesy for my taste, it was still chock full of the dry humor I expected, and it was a joy to play through for that alone. And figuring out how I'm supposed to play the game wrong was intriguing as well, since it made for some very creative puzzles that made playing it a real hoot. This one was fun, pure and unadulterated fun, and I am very happy I spent my time on this. Lego The Lord of the Ring (3DS): One of the many Lego games published in the wake of Lego Star Wars that some would call uninspired, but standing on its own, I was pretty satisfied with this abridged version of the events of the three Peter Jackson masterpieces. Despite not knowing the original source material, I was handily able to follow the events of the plot, from the Shire all the way to Mount Doom, and the Lego aspects of the game served to ease me into the narrative quite well. The gameplay is as you expect, but the surprising amount of depth in this handheld game was very surprising, considering my experiences with handheld Lego games prior like Star Wars or Indiana Jones. I enjoyed 100% completing this one, and it definitely inspired me to give the original books and films a shot. Beacon Pines (Switch): Taking the best aspects of the choose your own adventure books we all probably had one of in our youth and crafting it into a hefty narrative for the short time it had, it was absolutely worth exploring every single possible ending to find the best one you can. There is a notable lack of gameplay, but that only allowed the characters and setting of this Stranger Things-esque tale to truly shine, and as a game that's more reading than playing, it's a damn good one. Good show! Here Comes Niko! (Switch): This game is the definition of cozy. Soft pastel colors layered on adorable characters with very witty things to say every time I turn around, all with a very smooth feeling of movement that feels rife for speedrunning. And it all comes together with a story about fraying familial bonds that hit way too close to home for me, and this game is just fun. What a wonderful ride it was. Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course (Switch): Why yes, I am counting DLC if it was expansive enough on the main game, and this definitely qualifies for that. Everything that worked in the original Cuphead works here, and the new gameplay additions, particularly Miss Chalice, made it worth the price of admission. Absolutely necessary if you like the main game, in my opinion. Maneater (Switch): My biggest complaint is that the Switch version of this game seems to be the only one without the Truth Seeker DLC expansion, and I am very upset about that. Aside from that, being able to essentially play as Jaws in this action RPG is viscerally satisfying. The controls are a little sloppy, but they work well enough and the overall carnage potential quickly makes up for this. And the story being framed similar to a Discovery show, complete with the campy "main character" serving as your primary antagonist just made it that much more fun. I liked this one a lot, and I hope that I'll be able to play that Truth Seeker DLC in one form or another at some point. Dragalia Lost (Mobile): It really hurts that I'm putting this here, but as the End of Service came and went at the end of November, I really don't have a choice as this game is, by definition, finished for me. The story was wonderfully well-built, every character was fleshed out, and the gameplay was very satisfying, with the inherent gacha mechanics being one of the more fair that I have seen in any of these games. I will miss it, by my memories with Euden and the residents of the Halidom will live on with me for the rest of my life. Vio Rhyse Alberia! Niko and the Cubic Curse (Switch): This game is a pretty decent adventure platforming game...that also basically a Flash game. Whack hitboxes, extremely simplistic platforming, and a plot that gets the job done and nothing more, this was a pretty blah experience which thankfully didn't take too long to push through. It was fine, nothing more, nothing less. Thor: God of Thunder (NDS): Easily the most random game I took time out of my day to do, but I believe this one was definitely worth it. Pulling a lot from the Marvel comics it was based on, the side-scrolling beat 'em up format really worked for this game. It's not perfect, as there were several late-game segments involving falling rocks that really tested my patience, and I kinda spammed my way through everything by stun-locking my opponents to death, but overall, this is a really good licensed game, and I appreciated my time with it. Friday Night Funkin' (PC): One of the latest indie darlings to sweep the internet that isn't primarily a horror game. And...it's good. As a rhythm game, controls are easily simple enough to handle, and the song selection is pretty nice. (MILF, Roses/Thorns and Ugh are the stand-out tracks for me.) I don't think I'll ever come back to this version of the game, but now that I've tried it for myself, I don't think checking out some of the mods is out of the question at this point. If I end up doing so, however, pray for me. Pokémon Violet (Switch): One of the glitchiest and broken games I have ever played, and yet it is still a true highlight of the year! The freedom given by this game is astounding, the characters were surprisingly fun and memorable, and the new Terastalization gimmick was a fantastic twist to the standard Pokémon gameplay. I love the Paldea region, I love the new Pokémon, and the Titan storyline was the best one, and anyone who played this game knows exactly why. I will never look at a sandwich the same way again, and I thank it for this. With the post-game still left to do, and more content with potential DLC down the pipeline, I'm looking forward to seeing where this game can continue to go! Pokémon Sword: Isle of Armor & The Crown Tundra (Switch): Managing to squeak both of these out just before the new year started, these two mini-experiences were legitimately more fulfilling than the entirety of Sword. The Wild Areas in both expansions are brimming with life, and the unique aspects of each shine through brightly. I personally love the Crown Tundra more, despite Kubfu and Mustard being standouts, but good golly gee is the Legendary quests on point. The Regis were fun, and the Birds were shocking in their own way, but the truest highlight was Calyrex, who I personally believe is the best character in all of Gen 8, bar none. To clarify, I don't mean the best Pokémon, I mean he has the most fleshed out character of any single NPC in the entire game, and that is just a testament to how strong of a character he is. What a way to make up for the truly awful post-game of base Sword, GF! Excellent work!
