Posts tagged "game of the year"

31
Dec
2023
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It’s game over for 2023. Time to talk about the best games I played during the year. I finished many enjoyable titles on various platforms, crossing genres and time to visit even decades old games. I finished a total of 38 games this past year.
And because I apparently didn’t have enough choice for devices to play all these games on, we got an Xbox Series X to our household on Christmas week.

Anyhow, here are the winners of my personal Game of the Year 2023 awards. *drumroll*

1st place: Vampire Survivors (PC)

My addictive substance of choice. Doesn’t shine in the graphics department with modern tech. Doesn’t try to impress with thought-provoking narrative. The incredibly simple yet satisfying gameplay however is engineered to perfection. A true masterclass of game design.

+ Infectiously fun, action-filled reverse bullet hell roguelike gameplay. Just one more run!
+ Bold artistic identity.
+ Humorous touch in character/enemy design and fun nods to other videogames.
+ Superb soundtrack.
+ Tons of quality content for an incredibly cheap price. Free updates and paid DLC with even more content.
- The flashing effects can go a little overboard and cause discomfort.
- Later stages of game can lag even decently powerful hardware.

See my posts about Vampire Survivors

2nd place: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (Wii U Virtual Console, originally on Game Boy Advance)

A classic Castlevania that holds up nicely even 20 years from release and on a big screen. With a bit more memorable music and a small quality of life improvement, Aria of Sorrow would have earned the coveted 5/5 stars in my book.

+ Balanced and fun gameplay with a good sense of progression.
+ Top tier level design with a concise map.
+ Nice art style in environments, sprites and character portraits. Great animation and enemy design.
+ Fitting music and audio.
+ Good story.
- Lacks item to warp to last save room or outside castle.

See my posts about Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

3rd place: Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya (PC)

Chill vibes managing your restaurant, gathering ingredients and talking to characters by day turn into frantic cooking and serving action by night. This game got its recipe right.

+ Fun, rewarding gameplay loop mixing leisurely action and challenges testing your attention.
+ Enjoyable story with funny events.
+ Wonderfully cute pixel art.
+ Catchy music.
+ Lots of content for a low price.
- Starts slow, even a bit boring in the beginning before you get special customers and unlock more recipes.
- Final battle had annoying RNG.
- English translation could use a little polish.

See my posts about Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya

Honorable mention: Crimson Shroud (Nintendo 3DS)

This surprisingly challenging table-top RPG inspired game impressed me with its quality and satisfying gameplay. This is a hidden gem worth visiting.

+ Challenging gameplay with long and brutal battles make for a rewarding experience.
+ Good, well-written story with two endings.
+ Cool art direction with 3D models mimicking table-top RPG figurines, pretty illustrations.
+ Great music.
+ Game’s length is just right to keep player invested.
- Overall difficulty is higher than usual for JRPGs and Game Over wasn’t a rare occurrence on my playthroughs. Slight frustration ensued due to having to retry the long battle from the beginning.
- Confusing equipment UI (comparison of current vs new gear).

See my posts about Crimson Shroud

Honorable mention: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (Nintendo DS, played on 3DS)

Unique experience with tricky chain reaction puzzles and fantastic characters. Prominently fluid and amazing animations - I can’t believe it’s a Nintendo DS game! This is no trick - it’s a treat.

+ Inventive gameplay and mechanics, perfect fit for touch screen.
+ Interesting story that definitely doesn’t forget humor despite the grim subject.
+ Memorable characters (Cabanela and Missile were my favorites).
+ Awesome art style and marvelous animation quality.
+ Great music throughout the game.
- I almost lost interest at some point and got impatient to finish the game.
- I guessed one of the key plot twists but luckily that didn’t put a dent on the ending.

See my posts about Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Honorable mention: Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360, played on Xbox Series X)

Entertaining cover shooter with varying missions. The game never had a boring moment and the length of the single player campaign was just right. I’m looking forward to playing Gears of War 3 next!

+ Fun gameplay that sets expectations for other shooters.
+ Interesting setting and story with some cool events.
+ Fun dialogue that made me chuckle many times.
+ Good music and great English voice acting.
+ The challenge on Normal difficulty was just right for me.
- AI controlled companions got stuck occasionally, leaving you alone in dangerous enemy territory.
- I didn’t always understand the mission objectives in the hectic situations.
- Cutscenes can’t be skipped (thankfully this is not a Kojima game).

Honorable mention: Signalis (PC)

Atmospheric sci-fi survival horror paying homage to older games. Puzzles are different from usual and require attentive skill and logical thinking to solve. This game deserves a sequel.

+ Intriquing sci-fi story with an impactful ending (there are multiple endings too).
+ Great art direction, appealing PS1 era inspired retro graphics with skillfully crafted pixel art. I very much enjoyed the nod to Ghost in the Shell.
+ Unique, well-designed puzzles and good level design.
+ Great atmosphere.
- A bit clunky combat.
- Tiny inventory space forced me to backtrack more than I would have liked.
- Annoying design choice to not include a map in a couple of areas.

See my posts about Signalis

Nominees for my personal Game of the Year 2023

Only games I have finished in 2023 have been included (looks like I played a lot of games starting with the letter T).

An Arcade Full of Cats (PC)
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (3DS)
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (PS3)
Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea DX (Switch)
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (Wii U Virtual Console - GBA)
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (3DS)
Crimson Shroud (3DS)
Detective Pikachu Returns (Switch)
Dordogne (PC)
Fitness Boxing (Switch)
Gears of War 2 (Xbox Series X - Xbox 360)
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (3DS)
Immortality (PC)
Kuru Kuru Kururin (Wii U Virtual Console - GBA)
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk (PC)
Liberation Maiden (3DS)
Need for Speed: Most Wanted U (Wii U)
Piofiore: Fated Memories (Switch)
Pokémon Art Academy (3DS)
Pokémon Rumble World (3DS)
Scorn (PC)
Shadows Over Loathing (PC)
Signalis (PC)
Sticky Business (PC)
Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Switch)
Tekken 7 - Definitive Edition (PC)
Toem (PC)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction (PC)
Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya (PC)
Toukiden 2 (PS Vita)
Trinity Trigger (Switch)
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (PC)
Umurangi Generation Special Edition (PC)
Unpacking (PC)
Vampire Survivors (PC)
Volcano Princess (PC)
We Love Katamari REROLL+ Royal Reverie (PC)
Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PC)

Wishing you all a fabulous New Year 2024 with happiness, health, success and cool gaming experiences!

31
Dec
2022

Time for my yearly tradition: the reveal of the best games I played during the year. I finished 37 games, some from two decades ago and some brand new releases, in a variety of genres and on many platforms. 
My year of backlog wrestling included beating Resistance 2, a game that came bundled with our PlayStation 3 back in 2008. I only briefly tried it back then and proceeded to throw it aside to play other more interesting titles. I also restarted and finished Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood on PS3, a game that I had last played and retired in 2011. This year I also found out about pikkards. 
Selecting my favorites wasn’t easy as I played so many great games and I didn’t want to bloat the Honorable mentions list. Here are my very JRPG-centric gaming highlights of 2022. 

1st place: Pokémon Violet (Nintendo Switch)

Familiar Pokémon recipe in a new package and with tasty new condiments. Exploring the Paldea region is a bliss. Pokémon Violet may very well be my favorite game in the series after Black/White and Black 2/White 2.

+ Interesting story, world is lively and immersive. 
+ Great new game mechanic additions and superb quality of life features, very captivating gameplay. 
+ Fun and rewarding exploration, seamless open world. The wonder of discovering new Pokémon never gets old. 
+ Excellent character and creature designs. 
+ Nicely designed locations, beautiful 3D models for the Pokémon and characters, pleasing color palette. 
+ Great soundtrack with familiar audio signature and tunes plus completely new melodies. 
- Inconsistent UI: Some functions available only via Pokémon Box and some not, no display for currently active meal buffs. 
- Technical issues: A few crashes during my 125 hour play time, Pokémon Box loading delay was a bit irritating. 
- Photo mode would need plenty of improvement to be actually useful. 

See my posts about Pokémon Violet

2nd place: Chrono Trigger (Nintendo DS, played on 3DS)

Quality classic from the SNES era, well-preserved through time. Not an exaggeration or nostalgia when they say this is one of the greatest JRPGs of all time.

+ Well-paced and well-written story, memorable events, world that feels alive. 
+ Good game mechanics and entertaining battle system. 
+ Likeable and memorable cast of characters. 
+ Beautiful environments, wonderful sprite work and expressive animations. 
+ Great soundtrack. 
- To nitpick about something: Slight difficulties moving on the overworld map (getting stuck or “oversteering” to miss chosen destination). 
- Annoying and frustratingly designed section near the end of the game forced me to look up a guide. 

See my posts about Chrono Trigger

3rd place: Atelier Escha & Logy Plus: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky (PS Vita)

A successful mix of crafting, battling and comfy slice-of-life feel. I was completely enamored with the game! On many mornings the first thought on my mind was that I want to continue playing Escha & Logy. The game left a very positive impression and a good mood.

+ Down-to-earth setting that branches into an interesting story. 
+ Fun and easy to grasp alchemy system for beginners that offers depth for more advanced players, satisfying battle system. 
+ Fantastic characters, fun dialogue, plenty of humorous events. 
+ Gorgeous art style and fixed camera make for a pleasant experience. 
+ Catchy music, skillful voice acting in Japanese. 
- Time limits were a bit stressful (but thankfully lenient). 

See my posts about Atelier Escha & Logy Plus

Honorable mention: Yomawari: Lost in the Dark (PC, also available on other platforms)

One of my most anticipated games of 2022 didn’t disappoint. I got the familiar dark Yomawari feel spruced up with new game mechanics and even character creation.

+ Continues the great style of storytelling the series is known for. 
+ Good characters and beautifully designed environments. 
+ Super creepy atmosphere and audio design. 
+ Surprising and clever use of game mechanics. 
- Too limited exploration in the beginning. 
- Events were not quite as impactful as in Yomawari: Midnight Shadows. 

See my posts about Yomawari: Lost in the Dark

Honorable mention: Variable Barricade (Nintendo Switch)

I was so eager to play this otome game that I didn’t even wait for a sale. It was well worth its full price as it offered plenty of laughs and entertainment. 

+ Fun slice-of-life story with plenty of humorous events and 19 different endings, quality localization, plenty of illustrations to unlock. 
+ Great cast of characters with good character development and chemistry. 
+ Gorgeous (when I say gorgeous I mean GORGEOUS) art, beautiful color scheme. 
+ Superb Japanese voice acting, includes a voiced protagonist. 
- Music could have been more memorable. 

See my posts about Variable Barricade

Honorable mention: Golden Sun (Wii U Virtual Console, originally on Game Boy Advance)

I understand now why Golden Sun is so loved among its fans. There’s something uniquely charming in this classic. I wish they still made games like this.

+ Interesting premise and story, nice atmosphere and unique feel. 
+ Sublime soundtrack. 
+ Charming graphics and characters, still looks good 21 years from release. 
+ Unique Djinn/class/skill system, cool side quests that were executed well. 
- The end of the story can be accessed only in the sequel. 
- Too frequent random encounters, no quick travel option. 

See my posts about Golden Sun

Honorable mention: Cyber Shadow (PC, also available on other platforms)

It was a tough choice between this and another indie masterpiece Sable. In the end I decided to pick Cyber Shadow because it’s quite different from my other selections. Cyber Shadow’s quality impressed me. It evokes a genuine retro feel and offers a rewarding game experience.

+ Fascinating setting and story. 
+ Tight controls and good gameplay with the right amount of challenge, good level design for the most part. 
+ Awesome retro visuals. 
+ Incredible soundtrack rivaling the likes of Mega Man 2 - this belongs in hall of fame. 
- Heavy emphasis on tricky, frustrating platforming for long stretches was displeasing. I actually had a small rage fit in the last part before the final boss. 

See my posts about Cyber Shadow

Nominees for my personal Game of the Year 2022

Only games I have finished in 2022 have been included.

8-bit ADV Steins;Gate (Switch) 
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (3DS) 
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (PS3) 
Atelier Escha & Logy Plus: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky (PS Vita) 
Chrono Trigger (Nintendo DS, played on 3DS) 
Cyber Shadow (PC) 
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition (PC) 
Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County (PC) 
Golden Sun (Wii U Virtual Console - GBA) 
Golden Sun: The Lost Age (Wii U Virtual Console - GBA) 
Grand Kingdom (PS Vita) 
Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn (3DS) 
Little Noah: Scion of Paradise (PC) 
Little Witch Nobeta (PC) 
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr.’s Journey (3DS) 
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PC) 
Paper Mario (Wii U Virtual Console - Nintendo 64) 
Picross e8 (3DS) 
Pokémon Picross (3DS) 
Pokémon Violet (Switch) 
Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World (3DS) 
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (3DS) 
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 (Switch) 
Resistance 2 (PS3) 
Sable (PC) 
Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse (Switch) 
Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation - The Endless Seven-Day Journey - (Switch) 
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux (3DS) 
Star Ocean: First Departure R (Switch) 
Steins;Gate Elite (Switch) 
StreetPass Mansion (3DS) 
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call (3DS) 
Triangle Strategy (Switch) 
Variable Barricade (Switch) 
Yomawari: Lost in the Dark (PC) 
Ys Origin (PC) 
Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim (PC)

Let’s raise a toast to a happy new year 2023 with plenty of memorable gaming moments!

31
Dec
2021

The year is almost over and it’s once again the time to pick my favorite games. I didn’t really manage to trim down my backlog this year - got 52 new games and only finished 46. I’m proud of finishing some games I’ve had in my backlog for 10+ years though! I revisited LittleBigPlanet 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4 on PS3 and was able to cross them off my list of unfinished games. 
One of the highlights this year was when I realized Project Zero 2 (Fatal Frame 2) is available on Wii U eShop. I own the original game on PS2 but never finished it, so for Halloween I got Project Zero 2 Wii Edition and finally saw how the game ends. 
My “now playing” list didn’t lack quality games, so choosing the top titles was difficult. But enough meaningless chatter and onto the best games I played in 2021! 

1st place: HITMAN 3 (PS4, also available on other consoles and PC)

Agent 47, gaming’s best-dressed bald guy is here to sweep the board again. Intricate assassination master plans can be cooked up while strolling through Argentinian vineyard or in the middle of a rave party in Berlin. 

+ Adds great new ideas to the tried and true mission formula 
+ Highly inventive ways to get rid of your targets 
+ Gorgeously designed levels and wealth of in-game challenges offer high replayability 
+ Dramatic and impactful story moments balance out the silly tone of the game 
+ The whole World of Assassination trilogy is playable within the game if you own the prior games 
- Some glitches and bugs at least near launch 

See my posts about Hitman 3

2nd place: Titanfall 2 (PC, also available on PS4 and Xbox One)

Unexpectedly great experience. This first-person shooter took me by surprise even after hearing a lot of praise and going in with high expectations. I only played the single player campaign and even just that was enough to rank Titanfall 2 this high on my list. 

+ Interesting setting and great characters, good story 
+ Fun and varying gameplay with fluid controls and good combat 
+ Piloting a mech is such a cool experience 
+ Beautiful, immersive environments and impressive level design 
+ Good audio with cinematic soundtrack 
- No Ansel support breaks my heart 

See my posts about Titanfall 2

3rd place: AI: The Somnium Files (Nintendo Switch, also available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One)

Brilliant murder mystery visual novel with a sci-fi flair. Story so unpredictable even Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes together couldn’t have seen it coming. 

+ Pleasing presentation with clean visual style, animations, skillful voice acting and fitting music 
+ Fleshed out characters made me invested in the game 
+ Well-written dialogue and a grim story that kept me guessing to the end 
+ A good amount of gameplay sections with unique mechanics in addition to visual novel content 
- Some timed gameplay sequences required trial and error for me to figure out how to proceed 

See my posts about AI: The Somnium Files

Honorable mention: Watch Dogs: Legion (PC, also available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series)

I almost couldn’t stop playing all the side content to progress the main story. It was so much fun to just pester around in near future London with my team of hacker grannies. Spent over 60 hours in the game and also got the story DLC. 

+ Appealing setting and story with memorable villains 
+ A lot of freedom to customize your team of operatives and gameplay style 
+ Impressively beautiful open world, seriously good work on this front 
+ Good soundtrack and voice acting 
- No Ansel support, photo mode could have been better 
- Some crashes to desktop and occasional glitches 
- Recycled base character models made operatives less distinct in the long run, though recycling is understandable with the whole London population being available for recruitment 

See my posts about Watch Dogs: Legion

Honorable mention: Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale (Nintendo 3DS eShop)

It was a tough choice between this slice-of-life adventure and Bravely Second: End Layer but ultimately I thought Attack of the Friday Monsters deserves a mention thanks to the unique feeling it evokes. 

+ Heartwarming story and curious perspective to storytelling 
+ Beautiful art style and graphics 
+ Environments and characters bring out an unprecedented feeling of coziness 
+ Short and sweet experience 
- Card collecting gets a bit tedious if you want to complete everything in the game 

Honorable mention: Project Zero 2: Wii Edition (Wii U, also available on Wii)

A remake of a classic Japanese survival horror game initially released on PS2. The atmosphere of this game is to die for (heh). 

+ Beautifully remade character models and textures 
+ Superbly chilling audio design 
+ Terrifying atmosphere and tension throughout the game, a master class of horror game design 
+ Interesting story and lore 
- Not as interesting rituals as in the first game 
- Horizontal camera motion controls with Wii Remote were unintuitive 
- No Japanese audio option 

See my posts about Project Zero 2

Honorable mention: Metroid Dread (Nintendo Switch)

Metroid Dread was surely worth the wait for series’ fans and a great addition to any action-loving Switch owner’s collection. Samus is back to refine the genre of metroidvanias. 

+ Good looking environments and tense atmosphere - E.M.M.I. is a truly great enemy addition 
+ Nice ambient audio 
+ Gameplay gets the more fun the more you progress and unlock abilities, satisfying boss fights and tight controls 
+ A good amount of challenge and the game’s length is just right 
+ Cool story (game also begins with a good recap of series’ story for newcomers) 
- Probably the first game where I feel I would have needed accessibility options for controls (Shinespark) 
- Occasional frustration with E.M.M.I. encounters and not knowing where to go next at some point in the game 
- I didn’t feel a need to go back and replay the game or get 100% completion 

See my posts about Metroid Dread

Nominees for my personal Game of the Year 2021

Only games I have finished in 2021 have been included. 

7th Dragon III Code: VFD (3DS) 
A Short Hike (PC) 
AI: The Somnium Files (Switch) 
Aragami (PC) 
Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale (3DS) 
Bayonetta 2 (Switch) 
Bravely Second: End Layer (3DS) 
BUSTAFELLOWS (Switch) 
Café Enchanté (Switch) 
Code Vein (PC) 
Deliver Us The Moon (PC) 
Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories (PC) 
Donut County (PC) 
Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation (3DS) 
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (PC) 
HITMAN 3 (PS4) 
Kirby: Planet Robobot (3DS) 
LittleBigPlanet 2 (PS3) 
Mass Effect: Andromeda (PC) 
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3) 
Metroid Dread (Switch) 
Monster Hunter Rise (Switch) 
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin (Switch) 
New Pokémon Snap (Switch) 
New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS) 
Part Time UFO (Switch) 
PGA Tour 2K21 (PC) 
Picross e7 (3DS) 
Project Zero 2: Wii Edition (WiiU) 
Psychonauts 2 (PC) 
Rain on Your Parade (PC) 
Samorost 1 (PC) 
Sanrio characters Picross (3DS) 
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (PC) 
Super Mario Galaxy (Switch) 
SUPERHOT: MIND CONTROL DELETE (PC) 
Superliminal (PC) 
The Ascent (PC) 
The Procession to Calvary (PC) 
Titanfall 2 (PC) 
Watch Dogs: Legion (PC) 
Watch Dogs: Legion - Bloodline (PC) 
What Remains of Edith Finch (PC) 
Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country (Switch) 
Yakuza 3 Remastered (PC) 
Yakuza 4 Remastered (PC) 

Wishing you all the best to year 2022!

30
Dec
2020

The year is nearly over and it’s time for my personal game of the year picks again. Finished a record amount of games this year (53, full list of games at the end of the post). COVID-19 pandemic didn’t really cause an increase in my gaming, the main contributing factor was Xbox Game Pass for PC which allows me to easily pick up and try out a variety of games. As a “blast from the past” I finally beat a Nintendo 64 game Blast Corps together with husbando, a game I had been stuck in in the 90s.
Like usual, I didn’t play many games released in the current year so most of my picks are older games. But without further ado, here are the best of the best. 

1st place: Yakuza Kiwami 2 (PC, also available on PS4, Xbox One)

Thrilling and serious crime drama featuring the legendary ex-yakuza Kiryu who finds himself in absurdly hilarious situations at every turn. This is a game you don’t want to miss, but playing Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami prior to this is recommended. 

+ Amazing story with various charismatic and memorable characters
+ Some incredibly funny side quests and entertaining minigames
+ Gorgeously detailed environments in 4K
+ Cool soundtrack and superb voice acting
+ Majima Saga is a nice continuation to events of Yakuza 0
+ Well-made PC port with no issues besides occasional amusing ragdolling
- Lack of different fighting styles make battles a bit repetitive
- No Ansel support 

See my posts about Yakuza Kiwami 2

2nd place: Octopath Traveler (Switch, also available on PC)

Classic JRPG of modern times with quality of life improvements and gorgeous presentation. Each characters’ stories, the game’s engaging turn-based battle system and mechanics kept me glued to the screen for over 125 hours.

+ Fun and rewarding battle system with a good amount of team customization and strategy with subclasses and skills
+ Beautiful visuals mixing old-school sprite graphics with modern lighting effects
+ Splendid soundtrack, dual audio option and great Japanese voice acting 
+ Likeable characters with their own individual stories and engrossing overarching story that lets you find the connections of the characters 
+ Quality localization with rich language. I learned many new words and H'aanit’s old manner of speaking added a new layer of immersion.
+ Nice quality of life features like fast travel and seemingly unlimited inventory space
- Random encounters (they didn’t actually bother me much in this game as the battle system was engaging)
- Sudden crazy difficulty spike when encountering the real final boss 

See my posts about Octopath Traveler

3rd place: Portal 2 (PC, also available on PS3, Xbox 360)

Immersive sci-fi first-person puzzle game with fascinating game mechanics and tons of great humor. Portal 2 lives up to the universal praise it has gotten.

+ Interesting premise and great writing
+ Well designed physics-based puzzles
+ Difficulty is just right, not too hard and not too easy
+ Super good voice acting and soundtrack that fits the environments spot on
+ Great humor right from the starting tutorial
+ The first-person camera immersed me into the game
- Some issues like autosaving at unfortunate moments 

See my posts about Portal 2

Honorable mention: Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)

Sci-fi action JRPG with a surprising twist in its story and a peculiar setting where the player isn’t really the protagonist. Battle system is fun and rewarding once you get a hang of it.

+ Impressive world that made me go “woah!” and “ooohh!”
+ Cool sci-fi story
+ Great use of Wii U GamePad
+ Skells (flying mech suits) make traversing the vast world pleasant
+ Online multiplayer is still active
- Tedious fetch quests (wiki/guide recommended)
- Soundtrack isn’t consistently good

See my posts about Xenoblade Chronicles X

Honorable mention: Ruiner (PS4 & Switch, also available on PC, Xbox One)

I’m in love with this game. I’ve played it on 4 platforms already and I’m waiting for my Switch physical copy. Ruiner was in my top 3 games last year so I’ll just give it a honorable mention now.

+ Amazing world-building and atmosphere
+ Great soundtrack
+ Fast-paced action gameplay that stays fun even after multiple playthroughs
- Some glitches in PS4 version, Switch version aiming doesn’t feel as accurate as on other platforms

See my posts about Ruiner

Honorable mention: Death Coming (PC, also available on PS4, Switch, mobile)

Kind of like a point and click isometric Hitman game. Humorous game where you need to figure out how to reap as many souls as possible, causing fatal accidents with the environments.

+ Fun assassination gameplay with well-designed, wildly imaginative levels
+ Charming graphics and presentation
+ Hilarious ways to kill targets
- More levels would have been welcome 

Nominees for my personal Game of the Year 2020

Only games I have finished in 2020 have been included.

A Plague Tale: Innocence (PC) 
ACA NeoGeo: Metal Slug X (PC) 
Bayonetta (PC) 
Blast Corps (N64) 
Carrion (PC) 
Cat Quest (Switch) 
Costume Quest + Grubbins on Ice DLC (PC) 
Death Coming (PC) 
Doki Doki Literature Club (PC) 
Etrian Mystery Dungeon (3DS) 
Final Fantasy XV + DLC episodes (PC) 
Gears 5 (PC) 
Gris (PC) 
Helltaker (PC) 
Her Story (PC) 
Hypnospace Outlaw (PC) 
Katana Zero (PC) 
Kirby: Triple Deluxe (3DS) 
Lonely Mountains: Downhill (PC) 
Mario Kart 8 (Wii U) 
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite (PC) 
Mr. DRILLER DrillLand (Switch) 
My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (3DS) 
Observation (PC) 
Octopath Traveler (Switch) 
Paper Mario: The Origami King (Switch) 
Pikmin 3 (Wii U) 
PictoQuest: The Cursed Grids (Switch) 
Pikuniku (PC) 
Pokémon Shield (Switch) 
Portal 2 (PC) 
Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology (3DS) 
Rainy Season (PC) 
Ruiner (PS4) 
Ruiner (Switch) 
Star Fox 64 3D (3DS) 
Stella Glow (3DS) 
Streets of Rage 4 (PC) 
Super Bomberman R (Switch) 
Super Mario 64 (N64) 
Super Mario 64 (Switch) 
Super Mario Sunshine (Switch) 
Tacoma (PC) 
Tetris Effect: Connected (PC) 
The Gardens Between (PC) 
The Messenger (PC) 
The Touryst (PC) 
Thimbleweed Park (PC) 
Watch_Dogs 2 (PC) 
Wilmot’s Warehouse (PC) 
Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U) 
Yakuza Kiwami (PC) 
Yakuza Kiwami 2 (PC) 

Wishing you all a safe journey to a brave new year 2021! May it be blessed with plenty of quality gaming.

30
Dec
2019

Another year gone by and it’s time to pick my personal Game of the Year 2019 titles. Finished a record amount of games this year (44!) and there were so many great games it was hard to pick the best of the best.
See the end of the post for a full list of nominees.

1st place: HITMAN 2 (PS4, also available on PC and Xbox One)

Agent 47 is back, balder and better than ever - 8 sandbox locations and 3 sniper levels filled with lethal opportunities and clever humor. This is a game for individuals of culture. I’ll leave you to prepare.

+ Creative assassination gameplay at its finest
+ Great level design
+ Lively, vibrant and detailed environments full of fun dialogue, juicy opportunities and room for improvisation
+ Silly challenges that never cease to make me smile
+ Includes HITMAN (2016) levels for free if you own the earlier game
- Some levels were a bit confusing to navigate for me

See my posts about Hitman 2

2nd place: Baba Is You (Switch & PC)

I’m not much of a fan of puzzle games but Baba Is You blew my mind. I like the game so much that after torturing myself solving puzzles for 56 hours on Nintendo Switch I bought the game for PC too. Now I’ve played it for 34 hours on PC. The feeling of finally solving a level that you were stuck in for an hour and thought was impossible is immensely satisfying.

+ Wonderfully fun and unique gameplay idea
+ Great level design that forces you to do abstract logical thinking outside the box
+ BABA IS CUTE (adorable visuals that just work)
+ MUSIC IS LOVE
+ Sometimes too difficult and makes you feel like a genius
- Sometimes too difficult and makes you feel dumb

See my posts about Baba Is You

3rd place: Ruiner (PC, also available on PS4 and Xbox One)

Atmospheric cyberpunk shooter with fast-paced gameplay and nice world-building.
The moment I stepped to the streets of Rengkok I fell in love with the game. This game felt special and I kept thinking about the game after I stopped playing. The cyberpunk feel was tangible. Gameplay is fast-paced and fun with a variety of weapons, both melee and ranged. The few glitches I encountered can be overlooked thanks to the impressive marriage of visuals, lighting, audio and atmosphere. I’ve now finished the game 4 times on two different platforms. I rarely replay games.

+ Fun, challenging gameplay
+ Incredible cyberpunk atmosphere
+ Cool visual style and gorgeous lighting
+ Fitting soundtrack (bought it together with the game)
+ Skill point distribution is very free
+ Short and satisfying game experience
- Heavy use of quite disturbing strobing lights
- A couple of small glitches

Honorable mention: Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth (3DS)

Challenging dungeon crawling RPG with plenty of options for strategic team builds to conquer the Yggdrasil labyrinth.
Etrian Odyssey V is one of the rare RPGs where I can’t plow through boss fights and actually need to carefully consider how to stay alive - I managed to beat the main game last boss on my third try after adjusting my strategy.

+ Fun and challenging boss battles
+ Light on story, focus is on great and rewarding gameplay
+ Generous freedom for building your characters
+ Beautiful art style
+ Mapping can be set to auto to reduce manual work or you can draw your maps completely by hand
- Some skill descriptions were inadequate to illustrate skill’s true function
- I was left wanting to see my characters’ models appear on the screen in combat (à la Persona Q)

See my posts about Etrian Odyssey V

Honorable mention: West of Loathing (PC, also available on Switch)

Absurdly funny RPG enhanced by its black & white stick figure visuals and hilarious animations.

+ Various classes and character builds
+ Funny writing and characters
+ Unique visuals
+ Learning goblin language
- Some obscure and tricky puzzles (guide probably needed)

See my posts about West of Loathing

Honorable mention: Wonderful 101 (Wii U)

One of the coolest action games I’ve had the pleasure to play. The high-octane gameplay fluidly swaps genres from beat ‘em up to first person boxing and even shmup.

+ Unique concept and imaginative action gameplay
+ Great art direction and character designs
+ Plenty of humor
+ Catchy music
- Unreliable touch controls in Unite Morphs
- Very high difficulty

Nominees for my personal Game of the Year 2019

Only games I have finished in 2019 have been included.

Baba Is You (PC)
Baba Is You (Switch)
Cadence of Hyrule ~ Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda ~ (Switch)
Control (PC)
Creature in the Well (PC)
Dead or Alive 6 (PS4)
Demon’s Tilt (PC)
Dishonored 2 (PC)
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth (3DS)
Everybody’s Golf (PS4)
Everybody’s Tennis (PS4, PS2 Classics)
Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Switch)
Frog Detective 2: The Case of the Invisible Wizard (PC)
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition (PC)
Gears of War 4 (PC)
HITMAN 2 (PS4)
Hyrule Warriors (Wii U)
Katamari Damacy REROLL (PC)
Mario Kart 7 (3DS)
Minit (PS4)
Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight (PC)
My Friend Pedro (PC)
New Style Boutique 3: Styling Star (3DS)
Paper Mario: Color Splash (Wii U)
Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight (PS4)
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth (3DS)
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice (3DS)
Pokémon Link: Battle! (3DS)
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon (3DS)
Pony Island (PC)
Project Zero: Maiden of the Black Water (Wii U)
Ruiner (PC, Steam)
Ruiner (PC, Xbox Game Pass)
Senran Kagura Peach Ball (Switch)
SUPERHOT (PC)
Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)
The Haunted Island, a Frog Detective Game (PC)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS)
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Switch)
The Wonderful 101 (Wii U)
Wandersong (PC)
Wargroove (PC)
West of Loathing (PC)
Yoku’s Island Express (PC)

30
Dec
2018

Another year is coming to its end and it’s time to reveal my personal Game of the Year 2018 picks. See the end of the post for full list of nominees. 

1st place: Everybody’s Golf (PS Vita)

Feel-good sports game that sinked a hole-in-one in terms of gameplay. Even my husband was in a good mood when watching and listening to me play the game.

+ Fun, relaxing and addictive gameplay, suitable for short bursts
+ Tough challenge that rewards skill and practice
+ Immensely rewarding feeling when you play well
+ Well-designed courses
+ Characters full of personality
+ Nice music
+ Game encourages to continue and leaves a smile on your face even when you fail
- Minor performance issues 

See my posts about Everybody’s Golf


2nd place: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Nintendo Switch)

Epic music accompanied me on my grand adventure through breathtaking landscapes. Played the game exclusively for 6 weeks totally smitten and so far clocked over 220 hours on it - without the additional season pass content.

+ Super fun battle system once you get the hang of it
+ Interesting story and lovable characters
+ Beautiful environments, nice art style
+ Wonderful sense of exploration
+ Huge amount of content and customization options
+ One of the best game soundtracks of all time
- Textures look a bit rough on today’s standards 

See my posts about Xenoblade Chronicles 2


3rd place: Yakuza 0 (PS4, also available on PC)

World of organized crime invited me to action, drama and hilarity. Majima became one of my favorite game characters. 

+ Great storytelling
+ Charismatic main characters
+ Nice environments
+ Game is filled to the brim with zany humor
+ Funny subquests, tons of side activities and minigames
+ Combat is quite fun and challenging in some cases
- Requirements for ingame completion / platinum trophy are insanely grindy and not very fun
- Some minigames are pointless RNG and a waste of time 

See my posts about Yakuza 0


Honorable mention: Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS)

Samus Aran is back to make Metroids pay! If you like side-scrolling action and appreciate games that aren’t filled with hours of cutscenes and unnecessary filler content, this is a game for you.

+ No-nonsense space bounty hunting action
+ Superb level design and the length of the game is just right
+ Great game mechanics and accurate controls
+ Exploring everything and finding secrets rewards with gallery items that unlock story
+ The game looks and sounds good with classic tunes and sound effects giving a nostalgic feel
- Slight occasional FPS drops on a regular Nintendo 3DS XL 

See my posts about Metroid: Samus Returns


Honorable mention: Tokyo Jungle (PS3)

A unique hidden gem. Hunt, eat, fight, gain ranks, mark territory and mate as an animal and find out why humans disappeared from Tokyo. So far porcupine has been my record animal, surviving 69 years. 

+ Fun, challenging and addictive survival stealth gameplay
+ Large variety of playable predators and herbivores from Pomeranian to elephant (even dinosaurs!)
+ Tongue-in-cheek story evolves into fascinating scifi
+ Online leaderboards are still active 6 years from the game’s release
- Sometimes unfair playthroughs with damaging pollution and strong carnivores everywhere 


Nominees for my personal Game of the Year 2018

Only games I have finished in 2018 have been included. 

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (PS Vita)
Detective Pikachu (3DS)
Everybody’s Golf (PS Vita)
Freedom Wars (PS Vita)
Golf Story (Switch)
Hitman: Sniper Challenge (PS3)
Hohokum™ (PS4)
Kirby Star Allies (Switch)
Mario Tennis Aces (Switch)
Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS)
Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight (PS4)
Persona 5 (PS4)
Pokémon HeartGold (3DS)
Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! (Switch)
Pokkén Tournament (Wii U)
Pullblox (3DS)
Rune Factory 4 (3DS)
Shadow of the Colossus (PS4)
Tokyo Jungle (PS3)
Uncharted: Golden Abyss (PS Vita)
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Switch)
Yakuza 0 (PS4)

30
Dec
2017

The year is coming to an end so it’s time to look back on the best games I played and finished this year (see list of nominees at the end of the post). There were so many amazing games I thought it would be fair to pick three additional games to get a honorable mention. Prepare for a huge wall of text.

1st place: HITMAN (PS4, also available on PC and Xbox One)

I entered the World of Assassination and it didn’t disappoint. HITMAN is one of the rare western games I’ve liked and it’s so good it’s my pick for game of the year.

+ Superb stealth gameplay you want to get more skilled in
+ Gameplay encourages creativity with a disguise system and dozens of ways to assassinate your targets
+ High replay value and hundreds of fun challenges to complete
+ Graphically impressive game, charismatic main character and stylish UI
+ Music fits the tone of the events perfectly
+ Great level design
+ The game doesn’t take itself too seriously and has a lot of tongue in cheek humor
+ Elusive target events are the most exciting thing I have experienced in gaming in a long time
- Sometimes unpredictable AI
- Controls mapped in a way that makes them unreliable in certain instances

My posts about HITMAN


2nd place: Persona 4 Golden (PS Vita)

One of the most highly regarded RPGs is a winning combination of great gameplay, story and presentation. A must have for any PS Vita owner.

+ Gameplay expertly mixes traditional RPG with social simulation and time management
+ Interesting murder mystery story
+ Lots of humourous events and dialogue that makes you laugh
+ Great deal of customization in party setup thanks to Persona system
+ Awesome and unique soundtrack
+ No random encounter battles
+ Great art style and character designs
+ Super stylish UI design
- Turn-based battles can get repetitive
- Somewhat boring dungeons
- No subtitles in cutscenes

My posts about Persona 4 Golden


3rd place: Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia (3DS)

A remake worth your time. A scratch for your turn-based strategy RPG itch.

+ Hallmark strategy RPG gameplay with epic battles
+ Great character designs and art style mixing illustrations, 3D models and 2D sprites
+ Amazing soundtrack
+ Great looking UI
+ Possibility to save the game even in the middle of a battle
- Story is a bit predictable
- Could have lived without the new 3rd person dungeon exploration parts (kept getting lost)

My posts about Fire Emblem Echoes


Honorable mention: Journey (PS4, also available on PS3)

The most important thing is not the destination but the journey.

+ Very unique game mixing adventuring, platforming and multiplayer aspect
+ Intriguing story told through murals you find during your journey
+ Beautiful art style and environments
+ Sympathetic main character
+ Beautiful music
+ An incredible emotional experience you shouldn’t miss
+ The game was short, but it was just the right length without needless filler content
- Maybe not the best replay value after finding all collectibles

My posts about Journey


Honorable mention: Monster Hunter Stories (3DS)

An enjoyable RPG spinoff. I can’t stop playing this game even though I completed the main story a long time ago…

+ Compelling gameplay with tactical turn-based battles and monster collecting
+ Outstanding visuals and animations for a 3DS game, a lot of effort was put into presentation and details
+ Heartwarming story
+ Nice character designs and beautiful environments
+ Fun and challenging quests even after finishing main story (20+ hours of endgame content)
+ A wide variety of customization in character creation, party setup, monster genes and equipment
- Slight performance issues on a regular Nintendo 3DS XL
- Miiverse did not function with a regular 3DS and Monster Hunter Stories (this is why I don’t have any screenshots and posts about my gameplay)
- Some quests do not have a quest marker which makes it difficult to complete them

My posts about Monster Hunter Stories


Honorable mention: Undertale (PS Vita, also available on PC and PS4)

If you had the choice, would you kill or have mercy? Undertale is a proof that a game can be good without technically impressive graphics and large budget.

+ Nice story that makes you laugh and cry
+ Simplistic and sympathetic graphical style
+ Amazing character designs
+ Funny dialogue and bizarre events
+ Incredibly imaginative gameplay portions
+ Great and memorable music
+ Various different endings that your actions affect
- A quick travel system would have been welcome

My posts about Undertale


Nominees for my personal Game of the Year 2017

Any games I haven’t finished have been left out of the nominees list.

Ever Oasis (3DS)
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia (3DS)
Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest (3DS)
Fire Emblem Warriors (Switch)
Gravity Rush 2 (PS4)
HITMAN (PS4)
Hitman: Absolution (PS3)
Journey (PS4)
Lara Croft GO (PS Vita)
Monster Hunter Stories (3DS)
Persona 4 Golden (PS Vita)
Senran Kagura Bon Appétit! (PS Vita)
Senran Kagura Estival Versus (PS4)
Splatoon 2 (Switch)
Tearaway (PS Vita)
Undertale (PS Vita)
Yomawari: Midnight Shadows (PS4)

29
Dec
2016
The year is nearly over so it’s time to select my favorite games I played in 2016. The best games were incredibly tough to decide as there were so many high quality titles (see list of nominees at the end of the post). My final picks were...
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The year is nearly over so it’s time to select my favorite games I played in 2016. The best games were incredibly tough to decide as there were so many high quality titles (see list of nominees at the end of the post). My final picks were surprisingly Vita-centric this time.

1st place: Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (PS Vita)

Bloody brilliant story and top-notch performance in every aspect. My pick for number one game of the year. Upupupupu~

+ Exciting story kept me guessing to the last seconds
+ Gameplay that bravely crosses genres and doesn’t bore
+ Great character cast and funny dialogue
+ Stylish visuals and UI
+ Awesome soundtrack
+ Japanese audio option
- One localisation error affected gameplay negatively

My posts about Danganronpa


2nd place: Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (PS Vita)

Gorgeous and fast-paced action RPG with an intriquing story that borrows from Norse mythology. Magical experience.

+ Tight controls and fun side-scrolling combat
+ Character customization via skill tree
+ Interesting story seen from different points of view
+ Gorgeous fairytale visuals and superb attention to detail
+ You can level up by eating food!
+ Japanese audio option
- Too easy difficulty on normal setting

My posts about Odin Sphere Leifthrasir


3rd place: Hitman GO: Definitive Edition (PS Vita)

Simple yet challenging puzzle game that excels in everything it does. Nice workout for the brain.

+ Excellent level design with Hitman flavour
+ Varied game mechanics were introduced at a good pace
+ Stylish, unique diorama style visuals
+ Minimalistic ambient audio fits the world of assassination
- Sudden changes in camera angle hindered gameplay


Nominees for my personal Game of the Year 2016

Any games I haven’t finished have been left out of the nominees list.

Atelier Ayesha Plus: The Alchemist of Dusk (PS Vita)
Bravely Default (3DS)
Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~ (PS Vita)
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (PS Vita)
Day of the Tentacle Remastered (PS Vita)
Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright (3DS)
Flower™ (PS Vita)
Gravity Rush (PS Vita)
Hitman GO: Definitive Edition (PS Vita)
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (PS Vita)
Overcooked (PS4)
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies (3DS)
Pokémon Sun (3DS)
Senran Kagura Burst (3DS)
Yomawari: Night Alone (PS Vita)

31
Dec
2015
The year is nearly over, so it’s time to take a look at the best games I played in 2015. 1st place: Splatoon (Wii U)The colourful world of Inkopolis had me charmed since the May 2015 release date. My personal game of the year. + Great responsive and...
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The year is nearly over, so it’s time to take a look at the best games I played in 2015. 

1st place: Splatoon (Wii U)

The colourful world of Inkopolis had me charmed since the May 2015 release date. My personal game of the year.

+ Great responsive and innovative mechanics
+ Cool design and art direction that pleases both kids and adults
+ Character customization for fashion and strategy purposes
+ Fresh soundtrack
+ Super fun and fast paced online multiplayer that encourages to ‘git gud’
+ Frequent updates with new content
- No skipping the Squid Sisters’ news
- No quick way to swap player profile

My posts about Splatoon

2nd place: Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (Nintendo 3DS)

This Persona and Etrian Odyssey series crossover RPG was my 2014 Christmas present and lasted ~160 hours on my first playthrough.

+ Interesting story and dialogue with charming characters
+ Solid dungeon crawling with well-designed dungeons
+ Great customization with Persona fusions and party formations
+ Stylish user interface, both cool and cute visuals
+ Great soundtrack
- No Japanese audio option
- Very limited inventory and Persona space was a constant frustration

My posts about Persona Q (spoiler free)

3rd place: Persona 4: Dancing All Night (PS Vita)

This rhythm game got me to buy a PlayStation Vita and regardless of how much the hype had intensified, it truly delivered a great experience.

+ Accurate controls, fun and challenging gameplay
+ Great soundtrack
+ Awesome dance animations and presentation polished to perfection
+ Lovable characters full of personality
+ Surprisingly interesting story in a rhythm game
- No Japanese audio option
- I was hoping for Persona 3 characters to be included as DLC

My posts about P4: DAN


Happy New Year and play responsibly! .+:｡(ﾉ･ω･)ﾉﾞ