I feel I’ve played a lot this year, but then its been mostly old stuff, so the list won’t be particularly big. In order of Awesomeness:
1. Forza Horizon 5
The Perfect Forza Experience, I put so many hours into the game in the opening weeks it was crazy. Though the music was not as good as prior games, the feel, look and fun of driving is the best its ever been. I really enjoyed making rainbow cars this time too…
5 Pinatas out of 5!
2. Hitman 3
Once again the perfect example of a series. Hitman 3 was so much (“fun” is the wrong word for a murder simulator :P) but just a perfect sandbox to explore. some nice gentle handholding if you wish it to introduce you to a level and help excite that imagination and some hints from challenges to really give you an idea of how best to Inhume your targets.
5 Clumsily dropped Banana peels out of 5!
3. Unpacking
A wonderful narrative and gorgeous looking (and sounding, so much individual foley work) game. As someone who has moved a great deal, and actually enjoys the introspective and retrospective nature or sorting and displaying your past belongings this really moved me. Add to that the natural and unobtrusive touches of femeninity made me identify with the protaganist and her life, and made me cry for the person I am now and always dreamed to be. Just a wonderful, simple, touching experience told with a soft hand.
5 Parcel tapes out of 5
4. The Artful Escape
A wailing joyous 2 hour long prog rock solo of a game. Colourful, funny and charming in equal measure and so gratifying to play as you run through various backdrops feeling every inch the rockstar you are in the bathroom singing into a hairbrush. Johnny B Good!
5 Jethro Tull’s out of 5
5. Genesis Noir
Part Noir murder mystery and part Brief History of time, as a lover of both I was intriuged, the developer manages to merge both perfectly and with wonderful visuals and audio cues to progress the experience with minimal handholding. A wonderful and different experience, if a little buggy here and there. You don’t have to save everyone.
4 divergent timelines out of 5.
6. Last Stop
A last minute entry. A tightly scripted story following three people all touched by the same supernatural forces in a particularly nicely understated and authentic representation of London and the UK. John and Jacks humerous Twilight Zone Story, Donna and her family, and Meena’s marriage and workplace woes are all compelling in various ways. In particular Meena is a breath of fresh air in the medium where its not often we see such a flawed, selfish, woman as a protaganist, I found her arc in particular fantastic. Let down a little by unexciting gameplay elements and the ending of the overlapping story feeling a touch “rushed” this is nevertheless an excellent narrative game told with snappy dialogue and great voice acting.
4 Oyster cards out of 5.
7. The Wild At Heart
A wonderful little Puzzle/Pikmin like, Joining Wake and Kirby explore the woods behind their houses as they are pulled into a world filled with magic, Guardians, an ancient evil and cute little spritelings. Gorgeous art is the backdrop to a touching story about childhood trauma which is told with a light touch and nuance in an almost Gaimanesque style. Hampered only slighty by the occasional mild bug, this is an excellent example of a Fairy tale in game form and well worth the 15 or so hours of investment it needs to complete.
4 Painful childhood memories out of 5
Ongoing Games:
1. No Man’s Sky
Game of the millenium gets better with every update and expedition
My god, its full of 5 stars.
2. Fallout 76
Good lord this was rough at launch, and was not so much fun to get to lvl 28 opening month. Since then though, NPC’s have appeared, questlines with decent rewards and more than “Ha! it was all a robot/computer you have been talking to all this time” twists/conclusions. At the same time has retained the same friendly community it had in the beginning. A perfect MMO Lite/Survival/crafting game for the long winter nights.
10 @outrigued 's out of @Knottian 's
And what were YOU supposed to be doing at work this afternoon…?
