52 Games a Year 2021 Edition/ Game Record 2021: - The Bear and Badger

Minnesänger

Mini-reviews of games I have completed this year:

1. Destiny 2: Beyond Light
Solid, enjoyable expansion. New Stasis subclass was fun, there were some pleasantly tricky missions and this time there was actually story integrated. Unfortunately, this was also Bungie still being Bungo, so major momebts were kinda handwaved and ridden over, while the best and most interesting environments get hidden behind the completion of the main campaign. There's some cool new ways to choose how to level up and progress, and also a bunch of needlessly complex steps and currencies. Basically, it's more Destiny.

Deffo worth the price of admission for me and by this point you'll know if you want more Destiny or not.
[7]

2. Detroit: Become Human
Deeply flawed for sure, this game has nothing really to say about complex social issues. But, when it's channeling The Fugitive and just being a good Thriller? It actually nails it. Surprisingly good fun.
[8]

3. Control
It's very pretty. I didn't click with the combat and this is yet another Remedy game where I dig the style and the tone and the writing, but get bored of the enemy and encounter design. And, I really did get bored.
[4]

4. Rise of the Tomb Raider
So bad it makes me look on Control more kindly. A cynical, dull repeat of the TR reboot which loses all the charm that that game had. Not enough Tombs, dull plot, pointless open world design, limited puzzle solving and way too loud. The only thing that redeems is it that it is somehow better than the 3rd of the new Tomb Raiders. Obnoxious.
[3]

5. Bugsnax
Really wanted to like this, and still have a soft spot for it. The world, story and characters are really good. But the Pokemon Snap gameplay hook is way too thin and it quickly becomes repetitive. Finished it out of obligation rather than enjoyment, which is a shame.
[5]

6. Danganronpa
Loved it, loved it, loved it. Filthy, flirty and fucked up - this hit all the buttons for me, sitting somewhere between Phoenix Wright, Persona and 999. Glorious.
[10]

7. Danganronpa 2
Thematically very brave, it really tries to live up to the standards set by its predecessor. Unfortunately, some of the trial logic feels flimsier and that ends up making it feel less cohesive than the first game. Not bad, not at all, but it's lacking that same spark.
[7]

8. The Last Campfire
Charming little game that I was able to play in complete in just one or two sessions. Very little challenge, but was still a lovely way to spend a few hours. Unlike some, I also really liked the narration.
[8]

9. Oxenfree
Absolute garbage. Hated it and finished it out of spite. The dialogue system seems kinda cute but it's skin deep and nothing you do has any real value. Got the option to abandon the story early only to get my arm twisted into continuing anyway. Fuck this game.
[1]

10. Donut County
At this point I was starting to lose faith in games and had played some real stinkers this year - Control, Tomb Raider, Oxenfree and now Donut County. Donut Country is entirely proped up by incestuous California Game Scene in-joke vibes - it's a game that gets completely carried by the MEME energy of it being about Trash Pandas and the fact it's published by Annapurna (who, I now realise, are pretty much a guaranteed sign that the game is a poor one but is wrapped up in an attractive package and I can't think of a single game they published that is just straight up good). Same viral bullshit as Goose Game except, unlike goose game, there's actually nothing fun about playing this. Cost me 3 quid, still felt ripped off.
[0]

11. Slay the Spire
Smashed it and got to Ascension 10+ in around a week or so. It's very well made. Ugly as sin, but i see the appeal.
[8]

12. Danganronpa V3
Better than 2, not quite as good as 1. It tries sth in the beginning which I felt was really disapponting at the time but, eventually, I think it earns it. Has some good anime hotties and reference to internal cumshots.
[9]

13. Monster Hunter: Rise
Flawed, as all MH games are. Great, as all MH games are. Played 200+ hours of this in under 2 months. Slightly prefer World, but there's not much in it. Know a lot of people will prefer Rise.
[8]

14. Returnal
Pew Pew, pew pew. 20 hours, 10 deaths, game completed. Worth the cost of the PS5 for me - the first truly next gen game (excluding Astro).
[10]

15. Mass Effect
Clunky, awkward, still great. The best writing in the ME series is till the best writing in the ME series. Saren and Sovereign are great antagonists and the game has some real highs. The Remastered visuals are hit and miss - some things look great, others don't, but overall it's a solid package.
[8]

16. Resident Evil Village
Rather than re-write stuff, the full review is here. Tl;dr - there's some great stuff but it's a very, very flawed game and in the end I was properly bored. Can understand giving it a [6], but in the end I can't truly offer more than a...
[5]

Moot_Geeza

Managed to read that as 'incestuous California Games scene' two or three times while trying to work out the specific reference.

Also enjoying Detroit.

61. Power Blade - NES (90mins)[/b]

Quality platform shooter, easily up there with the best in show for 1990. It's so good it's hard to fault really - controls are tight, jumps and enemy placement is fair, practice makes perfect

b0r1s

Might have to give Danganronpa a bash as we seem to like mostly the same types of games looking at that list. And, I too, like the narrator for The Last Campfire.

Minnesänger

b0r1s best forumite confirmed.

Wariospeedwagon

Moot_Geeza wrote:

Managed to read that as 'incestuous California Games scene' two or three times while trying to work out the specific reference.

LOL, yeah did a double take there.

If Annapurna see that review they'll probably try and get Incestuous California Games made as a in joke now

acemuzzy

I've got Danganronpa installed on my Vita. It's been there for years. But whenever I consider starting it the 30h playtime scares me off. Is that the ballpark you hit, Cinty?

Minnesänger

It’s not short - 30 hours sounds about right, maybe a little shorter. Depends how much you wanna dig around and find them Kuma Coins, I guess. It’s worth noting that the game is very much chapter-based and has some pretty natural breaks. You could do it in chunks, though I wouldn’t recommend the gap be too big.

Minnesänger

One of the funniest games I’ve ever played, was very much worth the effort.

hylian_elf

I have all 3 on PS4. Will have to play soon.

retroking1981

14. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) - 4hrs 10mins

Stone cold classic and an all timer for me.

The only negative I have is the fact it didn't have battery back up on its original release. I died a fair few times playing this, so I think my play time is probably a decent average. 4 hours is a bit excessive for a single session, makes me think the warp whistles were added last minute just to give players the opportunity to see other Worlds and the credits in less time.

Everything else is nigh on perfect. Sublime controls, some of the best graphics and sound from the NES. Great variety in level design, and more suits than any other Mario game. Some of these might not seem to have much use outside of one or two instances, in that respect it reminds me of the playfulness of Super Mario Galaxy. There's so many ways to experiment and approach each level.

I can never make my mind up between what's best out of this or Super Mario World. I think I'm gonna go with preferring this, but SMW actually being the better game. Heck NSMBU might even be a better game than this, but there's not many games made in 1988 that can still compare to modern entries in their genres.

10/10

My list

Nina

Still can't believe the Donut County and Oxenfree reviews.

@Muzzy make sure to keep Danganronpa installed on the vita. It's been pulled from the store before they could let me buy it, so I'm not sure if it's easy to reinstall. Really want to play it, but not sure how it as I would have preferred it on vita.

Moot_Geeza

Team Nina on those two.

Kaze and the Wild Masks

This was one of the few games that tickled my fancy when a load of demos dropped on the Xbox last summer. A glowing review from Nintendo Insider convinced me to order the cart - which released two months after the digital launch - for a whopping £24.99. I forgot about it until it arrived. /That's interesting.

I've always got time for Donkey Kong Country, which is pretty much the only thing this tries to be. Derivative platformers are fine with me, once I'm in their grip it really doesn't matter if they're doing anything new as long as what they're imitating is in my wheelhouse, but boy is this an outrageous clone. NFG.

Level design is good and controls are the right mixture of tight and loose to match the weighty feel. Numerous ideas are reused as you progress but that's the way it's supposed to be. Honestly, pretty much everything is just DKC in a wig and glasses. There are only four worlds, which came as a surprise as I was expecting a minimum of five given the way the difficulty was ramping up. It's tough, but only because of the single checkpoint system really, and the later levels didn't seem much trickier than the early ones because by that stage I was prepped for everything it threw at me.

Overall it's a decent game. A couple of years ago this would've been an [8] for me, it really doesn't do much wrong. There are plenty of secrets/item hunts (all ripped from the Rare/Retro Studios games) and I expect it'd be good fun to speedrunners, albeit not something that would last as optimal paths can be found quite quickly. [7] for lack of effort and the fact that timing a button press as you bop onto an enemy doesn't seem to make you bounce higher, but it's a quality 2D platformer.

retroking1981

15. Super Hydorah (Switch) - 13hrs 35mins

Very good homage to Gradius, R-Type et al.

Great upgrade system for weapons, branching path for progression, with plenty of secrets for completionists and a good scoring system/leaderboards for the hardcore.

My playtime is skewed because I got to the penultimate level before starting again in co-op, it only has one save file unfortunately.

I got the bad ending because I didn't destroy all the seeds. Not sure what they are, and apparently neither does Google. After completion your save erases, so I can't even return to attempt to find them without having to starting over.

A separate story/score attack mode would have added an extra point to this. As it is the single save file that erases after completing, and the somewhat convoluted elusive good ending have left a slightly bitter taste in my mouth.

Regardless of this I'd highly recommended it to shoot 'em up fans.

8/10

My list

Moot_Geeza

Nice, I really enjoyed that one.

Verecocha

18. Mass Effect - 23 Hours - 8/10 - Xbox Series X

Haven’t played this since it’s original release and obviously it has benefitted much from its remaster, but at its unchanged core it’s still such an awesome game and is worthy of the ‘blew me away’ memory I have of it. The characters, setting, story, all such sci-fi tropes that just work perfectly together and somehow though they’re all cliched they feel fresh and right.

I went with ManShep again as he’s my dude and couldn’t let him down, and we rolled over the galaxy again doing the majority of the game, getting it on with Ashley again as that chemistry is tight, being all paragon as we feel guilty if we bad, and kicked Sarens ass and it was DOPE!

Onto number 2 again at the expense of Resi and Returnal.

hylian_elf

3. Returnal (PS5) - 23/5 - 40hrs
Where to start?! As a Housemarque fan, I was hyped for this when announced but slowly became nonplussed. Thanks to mega hype reignited by Cinty & Co in the Returnal thread, I became desperate to source a PS5 to play this. After much twisting of arms, I got one to play it on and it did not disappoint.

The Pew Pew is solid, that much was guaranteed given Housemarque's pedigree. What I didn't expect was the atmosphere and the general feeling of isolation and dread, and how close it felt to Metroid - in a good way, of course, in terms of exploration and atmosphere and progression. Production values and polish on this are top notch and particular mention has to go to the sound effects and sound design. There are subtle sound cues to aid in the combat as well as navigating the environment and the game uses the controllers speakers to great effect too.

Shooting aside, there is also the roguelite aspect of the game. Randomisation of which rooms you get and what order you get them in adds variety and complexity to the game and makes each run (of which there will be many) interesting, different. Even after finishing the main game, you will only have seen part of the pool of rooms and new areas/rooms will open up as you unlock more permanent items and traits. There is a lot to do and see here.

Can't not mention the story, which is functional at least and intriguing, and quite deep and thought provoking if you 'get' it - which I didn't, not completely, but I am not fussed. I came for the Pew Pew. Guns are various and different, shooting is manic, beautiful, a dance with balls of colours and tentacled monstrosities. Not all guns are great and I ended up with 2 favourites which I was always on the lookout for. But I'm happy to replay to see how I do with other guns and unlocking their traits to spice things up.

The game isn't without faults. There are bugs, there are crashes, but these are minor and few and far between. Given there is no save option for partway through run, crashes can be frustrating but I only had one in my 40 hours. The save system itself is a nuisance but only if you're fussed about playing any other games you have on the go or if someone else uses your PS5. I also found myself exasperated a little in returning to the start after a long good session and a bad death, knowing I have to do it all again - but that's part of the roguelite nature of the game, although quicker shortcuts to where you had gotten to would have been helpful.

But these are minor gripes on a game that overall is remarkable piece of entertainment and the first current gen exclusive that I think is worth bothering with - a real system seller (for me). No regrets.

I shall return to lots more Pew Pew and also try daily challenges.
[9]

Minnesänger

Nice one, elf - agree with a lot of that, and glad you enjoyed it so much.

Pew pew.

nick_md

Resident Villeight - 7
Spoiled some quick thoughts in the resi thread.

retroking1981

16. Mafia Definitive Edition (PS4) - 14hrs

Another remake of a personal favourite from back in the day, when I was briefly a part of the PC elite.

I've played both sequels and enjoyed them both but there was always something special about this one, and the remake has only solidified that.

Its very refreshing to play an open world game like this without the map being cluttered up with every colour of the rainbow representing collectables/side missions etc. Its a very linear experience in that respect, and whilst I appreciate that is a negative to most, I love it.

The graphics have obviously had a huge overhaul, it looks great but there was a fair bit of screen tearing on the base PS4 which was a bit of a shame. Its 2002 roots do show up from time to time in the gameplay, it doesn't feel as smooth or responsive as Mafia III which I only played last year.

III is the superior game, but this is definitely my fav, even if they did mess up the narration in the changes to the final scene.

8/10

My list

hylian_elf

4. Super Mario 3D World (Switch) - 28/5 - c15hrs
Did almost everything (fuck Champion’s Road) in the WiiU and loved it. Replayed on Switch now in co-op with the kids. Frantic and equal parts fun and frustrating in co-op, but that’s more due to the kids just messing around and also not being great. Not much else to say except that it’s still one of the best Mario games around despite how easy the main areas are with only the post-credits areas providing any challenge. It’s just as well, because even the first post-credits area was too frustrating in co-op and we stopped halfway through the area. I’ll do the rest by myself, but onto Bowser’s Fury with the boy. Loving it already.
[9]

regmcfly

10. Outriders

This is the dumbest game I have played in years, and I don't know if I mean that disparagingly.
Tempy and I got into a little Sunday afternoon habit of playing this, and suddenly found ourselves at the end of the game. It is such a godawful plot, wringing from the Heart of Darkness tree as much as it can, but mechanically there's enough to like. Late level weapons have Destiny-ass names which isnfun, and the combat itself never gets too boring, even if the enemies are utter sponges at the end.
The ending is a pile of piss and made is both laugh, but there's enough serviceable combat here to make it worth the £0.00 extra I paid on Gamepass.
Stupid fucking game.

Wariospeedwagon

13: Mass Effect 1 (PC) 6/10

My opinions don't stray too far from most others here. It has a great main story, a really well put together science fiction universe. The shooting is bad. The side missions aren't very interesting either. The Mako rover is great in theory but you're mostly just driving it up sheer cliffs to find a dog tag or some shit (I do like the proper missions where you get to drive it and blow things up though).

Mostly a nice looking remaster with some odd bits (your head will sometimes has weird shadows when you're talking to people and stuff like that; I'll take it over the slow texture loading in the old game though).

I think it's one of those important games which isn't much fun to play anymore. The main draw this time was to see what's been changed (it seems easier to play but still not very good) and having a character to import to ME2.

Have fond memories and it was fine to revisit but would rather not play again.

Moot_Geeza

55. Metroid Zero Mission - GBA (3hrs 27mins, 52%)

I enjoyed this on the whole. Considering this is an update of a game from 1986 that was released in 2004 it's actually very good indeed. However! Having played three 2D Metroid games now - two to the credits - it's fair to say I'm not a fan of the way Samus controls. Everyone has their Stranger Things season 2 episode 7 moment for the classics - bats seem to get a short shrift in Castlevania/Ninja Gaiden, underwater Sonic sticks out like a sore thumb and so on, but Samus-with-her-feet-in-lava is pure anguish to me; I just find it hideous to haul yourself out of (then don't fall in!, shouts the nearest Numptendo spokesperson). Furthermore it's not just the sticky feet, the movement and shooting feels short of greatness at all times to me.

So my hot take is this: it's an expertly crafted game built around what is merely an above average platform shooter. I'm trying to give my thoughts on where it stands on the pantheon of greats - if this was a random retro dive I'd be far more impressed - but for a game with this much pedigree I was left a little bemused by some of the love. The suitless section added for the rerelease is pretty uninspired and the bosses are, by and large, weak. The Mother Brain battle was bobbins and Metal Ridley was an 'is that it?' pushover (I'm poor at these games and it took one attempt). So what does it do well? The incremental upgrades and map design is top tier, as are the wealth of secrets and tricks. As a youngster I could go through the octopus pot in Miracle World and find a hidden zone, Sonic had a few TV screens tucked away in walls and locating hidden items in Castle of Illusion was a piece of cake, but if you're playing Secret Bits Top Trumps you're unlikely to win with a Sega heavy hand. It's astonishing that the layout of this is based a NES game imo, it's such an intricately designed trail of breadcrumbs. We had Zillion shortly afterwards although I don't recall that being quite this assured with its map/maze. I said a similar thing when reviewing Link's Awakening on Switch with regards to its Gameboy origins, but wow. I really do get it now, Nintendo were so far ahead of the game in so many ways it's no wonder their back catalogue is so revered. Even without the post Mother Brain segment this is a remarkable design feat.

So tl,dr: don't mind me, I'm just not a fan of the way 2D Metroid games feel screen to screen. The jump is fine once you get used to it but it's not particularly fun to run and gun for my personal tastes. I'd wager it wouldn't get the chef's kiss from anyone as a straight left to right platform shooter without the 'vania element, certainly not in 2021, whereas most of my big genre favourites could successfully moonlight as simpler titles (Ori as a platformer, Hollow Knight as a hack 'n slash boss rush etc). The Mummy Demastered is a drop dead gorgeous modern Metroid clone that can't hold a candle to this in terms of overall build quality but felt more satisfying to pew pew. This is why I bounced off Super Metroid (twice), for all its undeniable goatliness, and it's also why this one only earns a [7]. Good, but not quite as good as Fusion which I gave an [8] in 2017. Sorry all, but if I don't speak my truth who will??

Moot_Geeza

56. It Takes Two - Xbox Series S (10hrs)

Split screen teamwork centric 3D platformer, this was prime stay at home, saves lives gaming. Many thanks to @Yossarian for inviting me to tag along from my sofa (online play requires one full copy of the game).

You play as a couple on the brink of D.I.V.O.R.C.E, a state of affairs that seems to be troubling their waxwork mannequin android daughter of no fixed age. Something happens (I've honestly forgotten what) and they find themselves trapped in clay doll avatars that look nothing like their supposedly human forms. #Drama ITT. The entire game is played in T.O.Y form, which is a relief as the H.E.L.L.I.S.H representation of human faces comes across as a bit Little Nightmares and seems to straddle three or four generations at once. The daughter looks like she's escaped from a CGI intro to a mid-tier 32-bit vs fighting game, and it's slightly unsettling. Fortunately, the vast majority of the game looks either pretty good or very nice, think Grounded meets Honey We Shrunk Ourselves.

The story sections are bizarre, mawkish, bafflingly unfunny and occasionally alarming, plus both characters are doggedly annoying, but somehow these things combine to create a marvellous medicine concoction that I would say was a one-off, if not for the fact that Josef Fares pulled off the exact same trick in A Way Out. I'm going to call it a happy accident; it's an inadvertent alchemy that's part Bobby Braddock and part Tommy Wiseau and exists somewhere between an earnest small play and the David Cage sweet spot. I can't explain why I love it and I refuse to even try, other than to say that it's cromulently wonky. You know how Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons was slightly ham-fisted but achieved a certain level of success due to its mute central characters? Imagine that but with dolls, giant inflatable ham hands pulling the heartstrings and incessantly chatty/bickering leads in a story that can't decide if it's for kids, adults or the Biomutant target audience.

At one point I thought this was going to be a genuine all-timer but the halo slipped slightly over the course of the game. It's still exceptionally good fun overall, I just wouldn't say that it's quite tip top tier now that the dust has settled, and admittedly it started to limp a little towards the end. The dual player focus and relentless high quality variety as the tale lurches from chapter to chapter is very impressive, the latter of which is still a rarity in a non-Nintendo 3D platformer, imo. Tearaway had the invention and the whimsy, Arise: A Simple Story had the visuals and gameplay conceit but neither played an A game beneath the artifice. Yooka Laylee felt right but tasked you with doing things that were wrong (or more specifically: dull). Mechanically this is at the very least 'good' throughout, and in practice the results are excellent - the game never forgets that it says it take two on the tin and pretty much everything of note is built around having the characters assisting one another to progress. Some abilities get a more spirited thumbs up than others (throwing nails to create platforms beats singing at things), but none drop into bobbins territory, which is quite an achievement in a 10hr platformer. I found myself saying variations of 'that bit was really well done' plenty of times during the adventure, and I wasn't alone.

I probably haven't been as enthusiastic about this as it deserves. It's a concept that feels original, with A Way Out working as a dry run of sorts. Two player experiences are a big thing for me, whether its couch co-op with a mate, Sunday morning gaming with my daughter or in this case, headset badger sessions online. This does so much right I considered sticking a [9] at the end here. Unless it's a vintage year this should make an appearance on my GotY list. It's an experience everyone should at least try. [8]

Edit: I forgot to mention the competitive minigames, which are abundant and often excellent.

Minnesänger

Mini-reviews of games I have completed this year:

1. Destiny 2: Beyond Light
Solid, enjoyable expansion. New Stasis subclass was fun, there were some pleasantly tricky missions and this time there was actually story integrated. Unfortunately, this was also Bungie still being Bungo, so major momebts were kinda handwaved and ridden over, while the best and most interesting environments get hidden behind the completion of the main campaign. There's some cool new ways to choose how to level up and progress, and also a bunch of needlessly complex steps and currencies. Basically, it's more Destiny.

Deffo worth the price of admission for me and by this point you'll know if you want more Destiny or not.
[7]

2. Detroit: Become Human
Deeply flawed for sure, this game has nothing really to say about complex social issues. But, when it's channeling The Fugitive and just being a good Thriller? It actually nails it. Surprisingly good fun.
[8]

3. Control
It's very pretty. I didn't click with the combat and this is yet another Remedy game where I dig the style and the tone and the writing, but get bored of the enemy and encounter design. And, I really did get bored.
[4]

4. Rise of the Tomb Raider
So bad it makes me look on Control more kindly. A cynical, dull repeat of the TR reboot which loses all the charm that that game had. Not enough Tombs, dull plot, pointless open world design, limited puzzle solving and way too loud. The only thing that redeems is it that it is somehow better than the 3rd of the new Tomb Raiders. Obnoxious.
[3]

5. Bugsnax
Really wanted to like this, and still have a soft spot for it. The world, story and characters are really good. But the Pokemon Snap gameplay hook is way too thin and it quickly becomes repetitive. Finished it out of obligation rather than enjoyment, which is a shame.
[5]

6. Danganronpa
Loved it, loved it, loved it. Filthy, flirty and fucked up - this hit all the buttons for me, sitting somewhere between Phoenix Wright, Persona and 999. Glorious.
[10]

7. Danganronpa 2
Thematically very brave, it really tries to live up to the standards set by its predecessor. Unfortunately, some of the trial logic feels flimsier and that ends up making it feel less cohesive than the first game. Not bad, not at all, but it's lacking that same spark.
[7]

8. The Last Campfire
Charming little game that I was able to play in complete in just one or two sessions. Very little challenge, but was still a lovely way to spend a few hours. Unlike some, I also really liked the narration.
[8]

9. Oxenfree
Absolute garbage. Hated it and finished it out of spite. The dialogue system seems kinda cute but it's skin deep and nothing you do has any real value. Got the option to abandon the story early only to get my arm twisted into continuing anyway. Fuck this game.
[1]

10. Donut County
At this point I was starting to lose faith in games and had played some real stinkers this year - Control, Tomb Raider, Oxenfree and now Donut County. Donut Country is entirely proped up by incestuous California Game Scene in-joke vibes - it's a game that gets completely carried by the MEME energy of it being about Trash Pandas and the fact it's published by Annapurna (who, I now realise, are pretty much a guaranteed sign that the game is a poor one but is wrapped up in an attractive package and I can't think of a single game they published that is just straight up good). Same viral bullshit as Goose Game except, unlike goose game, there's actually nothing fun about playing this. Cost me 3 quid, still felt ripped off.
[0]

11. Slay the Spire
Smashed it and got to Ascension 10+ in around a week or so. It's very well made. Ugly as sin, but i see the appeal.
[8]

12. Danganronpa V3
Better than 2, not quite as good as 1. It tries sth in the beginning which I felt was really disapponting at the time but, eventually, I think it earns it. Has some good anime hotties and reference to internal cumshots.
[9]

13. Monster Hunter: Rise
Flawed, as all MH games are. Great, as all MH games are. Played 200+ hours of this in under 2 months. Slightly prefer World, but there's not much in it. Know a lot of people will prefer Rise.
[8]

14. Returnal
Pew Pew, pew pew. 20 hours, 10 deaths, game completed. Worth the cost of the PS5 for me - the first truly next gen game (excluding Astro).
[10]

15. Mass Effect
Clunky, awkward, still great. The best writing in the ME series is till the best writing in the ME series. Saren and Sovereign are great antagonists and the game has some real highs. The Remastered visuals are hit and miss - some things look great, others don't, but overall it's a solid package.
[8]

16. Resident Evil Village
Rather than re-write stuff, the full review is here. Tl;dr - there's some great stuff but it's a very, very flawed game and in the end I was properly bored. Can understand giving it a [6], but in the end I can't truly offer more than a...
[5]

17. Untitled Goose Game
Completed this earlier in the year but forgot to stick it in here. Did it in MP with the wife and 2-player goosing was decent fun. Charming little game - twee, like Donut County, but unlike Donut County there’s actually something here. Fuck Donut County.
[7]

18. Aer: Memories of Old
Short, low poly affair. Relatively inoffensive stuff - got it cheap. Played it on switch. It ran like a dog at times, as a result, unfortunately. Flying was fun though.
[5]

19. The Pedestrian
Really enjoyed this. Did what The Witness did in taking what is effectively a bunch o’ puzzles and then wrapping it in sth else. That’s not to say it’s as broad or challenging as The Witness (it isn’t) but it’s still a lot of fun. Lovely visuals, great soundtrack, often quite charming. Doesn’t outstay it’s welcome. Would recommend.
[8]

Yossarian

Great write-up, I concur.

Edit: moot.

Minnesänger

Why you gotta do me like that, Yoss?

Yossarian

Moot_Geeza

I bought Aer last week

hrs)

Delightful huge hearted holiday snapshot that's as freshreshing as a snooze in a sun lounger. It's not beholden to anything oppressive, despite essentially boiling down to a checklist of rudimentary tasks, and manages to feel like it's fuelled by holiday time. Which is precisely the intention, given that Alba herself is holidaying with her grandparents in laissez faire land. Trouble is afoot, in fairness, but it always feels like a small plaster and a spot of TLC will fix it. It's been desrcibed as a chillectathon, which is [perfectiant], but it's also a weight lifter. Not the sort that pinches morning TV presenters after a hearty breakfast, I mean it's an experience that can lift a yoke from your neck with its laid back charm inoffensive. Even the way Alba skips with exuberance as she hot-foots it around the picturesque island is

It's the sound of the summer. It's cheese and Chutney sandwiches after Cockleshell Bay. It's coming home! It's a near perfect brief getaway and It's just what the doctor ordered. [8]

Disclaimer: I played this in the family caravan on holiday time, and had a refreshing snooze in a sun lounger part of the way through.

hylian_elf

Why the sad face? It’s normal for you to buy anything.

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