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Polar Destroyer

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2021 Top 7 (and 1)

Who knew that 2021 would be an even weirder year than 2020? In case you are coming across this for the first time ( & I imagine most of you are) I do a yearly Top 7( & 1) post about my favorite videogames of the year. Normally I do 7 to challenge myself to narrow it down from 10 ( because everyone does a Top 10) but this year I found it extremely hard to even get 7. The reason being is two fold, other things in life have taken the priority and the majority of the games I spent most of my time with this year ( one in particular) didn’t come out in 2021. If you're interested in seeing my last few years you can check them out here 2020, 2019, 2018, & 2017

Alright, Lets get the party rollin’ or something.

Favorite Game that Didn’t Come out in 2021: Hunt: Showdown (PC)

Couple of admissions here. I’m not a big multiplayer guy anymore, but when I do play, I especially don’t like Battle Royale type of multiplayer. Add in the permadeath aspect and Hunt: Showdown is something I should not even remotely enjoy. Somehow, I became a little bit obsessed with Hunt through the year, especially during ‘events’. I took a $20 gamble back in March of last year. I was looking for something to play with a friend that wasn’t just a standard multiplayer game. Not to use the cliché ‘There is nothing like it’ but there seriously isn't anything like it on the market. Hunt is a PVPVE team based bounty hunter experience based in around 1895. Teams of 2 or 3 set up to hunt 1 or 2 monsters on map, but there are also other teams setting out to do the same. There are various types of regular monsters to fight outside of Hunters and Bounty monsters, and they can often give your position away or even be used as bait or even worse, a pain in the ass during a gun fight. If you are able to snag a bounty (or two) AND survive, you will level up your Hunter with special traits. If you die, you must start over with a new Hunter, so its certainly an added stake. The game has the most impeccable sound design. I can’t imagine playing this game without headphones. The sounds are so important in determining if a team of Hunters are near by. whether it be a flock of crows to a twig snapping in the woods to the sounds of gun fire in the distance, the more you play, the more you become adept at deciphering where other teams are. Stealth and patience are VERY important in this game. If you are keen on those, stay far away. Even after 260 hours (my god) every gun fight is heart racing and intense. Hunt does have a fairly steep learning curve and its not easy, so that may be a deterrent for some. It isn’t perfect. It still has some of the things that plague all multiplayer games but the good far out weighs the bad. I grew up on Counter Strike, Unreal Tournament and Halo multiplayer, but Hunt: Showdown is some of the most fun  I’ve EVER had in a multiplayer game. Its exhilarating and nerve racking at the same time. No better time to jump in than now!

Number 7: Ratchet & Clank: A Rift Apart (PS5)

I will be the first to admit that I'm not the biggest Ratchet & Clank fan, having only finished maybe 3 of the games in the series. I enjoyed the PS4 remake of the first well enough and was excited about the power of the SSD and going through the portals seamlessly with all the bells and whistles we were shown in previews. Felt a little cheated that it wasn’t as spectacular as it was advertised. It felt like a very pretty PS3 game. I don’t mean it as a knock but the gameplay hasn’t really evolved much since the PS2 games, not even saying it needs to, but it didn’t FEEL like a PS5 game like another game on this list. The story was fine for someone who isn’t really invested in that universe. I enjoyed my time with it and I think its certainly one of the better games of the year.

Number 6: Far Cry 6(PS5)

Look Far Cry is Far Cry. It’s junk food but in gaming form. Its nothing revolutionary, but there is something about it that I enjoy, sometimes even love. I do often get burnt out on big open world games and I typically limit myself to which Ubisoft titles I'm going to play. Far Cry is the one I typically go with because I know exactly what I'm getting out of the box. The gameplay is fun and simple to pick up. Each iteration often implementing something new to try and keep it fresh. There are things I didn’t love about FC6. Most notably the dependence on various ammo types despite NOT being able to switch them on the fly ( only at work benches) There were a few firefights I got in where i had the wrong ammo and it caused some frustration. There is quite a lot of stuff packed into Far Cry 6, some fluff, some interesting. The story is like most, its there to push the gameplay and its nothing special but it serves its purpose. While I do appreciate a big world to explore, I did find myself a little overwhelmed with how big it was and it, at times, felt too big. 

Number 5: Inscryption (PC)

Inscryption is one of those games that sort’ve comes out of nowhere and completely surprises you. Admittingly, I like a lot of Devolver Digital games because they are very weird and different and Inscryption is no different. Its a card game at its core, but its not JUST a card game. Its also a mystery filled with puzzles while also being a rogue-like. The majority of the game takes place in a cabin where you are being forced to play a relatively simple, but ever evolving card game ( think Pokémon meets YuGiOh but with a twist). Again, the card game is just the basis, but its not the full meal. You must solve puzzles, that may not even seem like puzzles, in order to find tricks and hidden cards to help sway your way in battles and ultimately escape. The story is told via narration in a quasi-table top game with bosses. Its being narrated by the creepy ‘man’ above all while you're being held essentially hostage. If you fail to beat him and your candles burn out ( your life bar), he essentially murders you and puts your ‘spirit’ in cards for you to use in the following runs. I’m just scratching the surface here as I don’t want to spoil everything, but its certainly worth your time.

Number 4: Kena: Bridge of Spirits (PS5)

Kena is a deception. On its surface its a charming action adventure game set in a beautiful and colorful world. Very basic and simple gameplay. Combat is fine and isn't complex as the game itself with its various battles and puzzles are very easy, mostly. The Rot ( the little black fuzzy creatures) are cute and serve as a sort’ve Pikmin style gameplay addition for solving basic puzzles like moving a boulder and such, except not really. They aren’t as intricate as initially believed, but its not a detriment to the overall experience. Kena actually might’ve been my number 3 game had it not been for the frustratingly and honestly, unfair boss difficulty. The game is very easy, but when you fight the bosses, the game difficulty spike is astronomical. The design of the game doesn't prepare you for the absurd boss battles. The bosses aren't overly complex in design as much as the punishing difficulty makes them extremely frustrating. The game certainly suffers from some major balancing issues, but even despite the frustration of the bosses, I had a blast exploring the world and finding all its secrets. 

Number 3: Guardians of the Galaxy (PS5)

Man, you wanna talk about an absolute 180. When Guardians was announced it look awfully bland. The fact you could only play as Star-Lord, mixed with coming off the disaster that was the Avengers game and the weird off brand character models, I was certain this would be a disaster. I had zero intentions of even playing it. I was very wrong. Most reviews were pleasantly positive and on a whim I picked it up for $25.  The game is full of charm and charisma. It has  surprisingly good story arcs and its sometimes legit funny. If you liked the MCU movies, you would feel right at home with the type of writing. The gameplay works well. The combat isn’t anything to clamor about but it works well in small doses, which the game paces the encounters very well. It has a super 80s soundtrack. Its not without its fair share of technical issues. It could’ve used more polish but man I had a blast with it. Its a surprisingly long game but never overstayed it welcome, which is rare these days. Makes you wonder how that reveal was so bad..

Number 2: Deathloop (PS5)

I am notoriously a huge fan of Arkane Studios. I loved the Dishonored series and I adore Prey immensely. Deathloop, like Prey and even to some extent Dishonored takes some time to really get into it. I think Deathloop did a better job than Prey did in terms of getting the player acclimated and pushed in the right direction, but it still took me awhile to REALLY get into it. Once, I did though, I was in until the very end. The easiest way to describe for me is take Dishonored gamplay, smooth it up, throw in the Prey exploration of ‘doing what you want in whatever order you want (kinda) and make it a rogue-like and ‘boom’, you have it. Obviously, that is a very over-simplification of it and the game is much more nuanced than that. The art style is great and a bit of a departure of the patented Arkane look. Gameplay is smooth and the game actually rewards you with replaying sections in different ways and during different times of the day. I think limiting the game to 4 sections of Blackreef was actually a great choice, especially due to the nature of how the game is structured. as there is a pretty big narrative and the game lets you experience it at your pace. By the end of the game though, you pretty much know all 4 areas like the back of your hand and that's a huge advantaged to you, the player. The main goal is to assassinate all targets in one loop, but getting to that point requires lots of replaying. You retain all knowledge in game, so you’re never starting over like other games within the genre. 

Number 1: Returnal (PS5)

Let me just tell you. Its very rare that a game, from the start to finish, hooks me completely. Returnal being a bullet-hell roguelite, and one that's often punishing, is a recipe for disaster for me. However, like Hunt, the gameplay absolutely enthralled me to no end. Its twitchy and crunchy and smooth as silk. The game absolutely takes advantage of the haptic feedback triggers as well as the damn near instant and flawless load times between worlds. The weapons all feel different. You may fall into the trap of loving a particular gun, but I assure it has a weakness to counter its strength. Even the map is amazing! Even now, 8 months later, I STILL think about firing it up and going for a run. The narrative being as ambiguous and weird as it is, pushes you to keep going. Atropos is a super fun ‘planet’ to explore. Selene becomes this character that you are absolutely rooting for by the end of the game. The bosses (only one withstanding) are very similar in nature to what you would expect from a bullet hell, but varied enough to keep you on your toes. Speaking of, the game is not for the faint of heart and is NOT a game to play causally. It requires your undivided attention at all times. There are few moments of rest. There were a few hiccups at launch that have seemingly been fixed, but I never found them to be an issue once you understood the flow of the game. Not being able to exit and save was a weird choice, but once shortcuts were unlocked, it became a non-issue to me. Its the first game, out of everything I've played, that actually felt like a PS5 title. I can’t quite nail down why that it, but both Ratchet and Clank & Deathloop, felt like PS4 games on a PS5. I put over 75 hours into Returnal within the first 2 weeks of release. It was honestly a bit concerning because I absolutely could not stop playing it. When I wasn’t playing it, I was thinking about my next run and what I would do differently. I cannot recommend this game enough.

*Disclaimer, I’ve done this over the course of a week on both a phone and a computer, so forgive any spelling mistakes 

As an OG Moon Knight fan, this is so incredibly accurate. It’s going to be weird when Moonie is the center of the Marvel zeitgeist, idk how I’m going to react about it.

2020 Top 7 (and 1)

2020 am I right? We saw an insane amount of games come out and 2 brand new consoles. What a wild and weird year for gaming, and life in general. In case you are relatively new here, and to be honest that would be completely fair considering I don't post very often on Tumblr anymore, every year going on the last 4 years (on here) I have done a Top 7 (& 1) for my favorite videogames of the year. Check out 2019, 2018, & 2017. What’s wild, as I look back on my list of games that I’ve completed and played, only maybe 10 came out this year. 2020 was a huge backlog year. 

Lets get on with the ‘And 1!”

Favorite Game that Didn’t Come out in 2020: Control (PS4)

Control may very well have been my 2019 Game of the Year, had I played it in 2019. I LOVED Control. I wanted to play it in 2019, but initial reports that it was a little rough on base consoles put me off until it was fixed. And Holy smokes what an insanely fun and trippy game once I finally started it. I knew within the first 20 minutes this was going to be the shit when I went down a hall, walked into a room and talked to the “janitor” left out a door behind him and the entire building had shifted. I’ve always liked Remedy games, but from a distance. Max Payne 1&2 and Alan Wake all oozed with weirdness and intrigue, but never enough for me to finish them. I missed out on Quantum Break. The story is Control is just the right amount of mind f*!$ for me and builds a universe I didn’t know I needed. It take some time to piece everything together, then everything just clicks. The game does have a weird difficulty spike when fighting bosses and the checkpoints were too far apart at times, but those were later patched. I spent an insane amount of time within the Federal Bureau of Control building and even more time after that with the Foundation and AWE DLC and it STILL wasn’t enough. I wanted more. Outside of Prey, I can’t think of another game that stuck in my brain more after I’d finished it. Control is absolutely a MUST PLAY title. In a world where everything sort’ve feels similar, Control stands out of the crowd.

Number 7: Astro’s Playroom (PS5)

I never thought in my wildest dreams that a game I had almost zero interest in playing would end up on my list of favorite games this year. Astro’s Playroom is being labeled as a ‘Tech demo’ but that feels like an insult to what it is. It’s a full fledged game and its free! I’ve paid more for less. A charming little platformer that lives and breathes the history of the Playstation. So many cool Easter eggs and references. It certainly centers its gameplay around the DualSense controller and everything it can do, but at its core, its a completely approachable and forgiving 3D platformer. I played it just to see what it was about, next thing i knew I had completed all the levels and wanted to further explore all the nooks and crannies within the game. I wanted to see everything the game had to offer and I had an absolute blast doing so. Makes me kinda wish I’d played the previous game on PSVR (I’d have to have a PSVR too)

Number 6: Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5)

Another quality title, albeit a spin-off, from Insomniac to add to their Spider Man universe. Gameplay felt obviously like Spider-Man, but Miles has unique abilities that made the game feel different enough, especially the cloak and stealth. I enjoyed the fact that it was short and concise. The issue with most ‘open-world’ games is that they are entirely too bloated with unnecessary filler content (I’ll get to that in a later game), something I felt the first game suffered from, but I also understand why they are there. However I could’ve use one or two more story missions to help flesh out some characters, but it wasn’t required and didn’t change my opinion one way or the other. My one BIG gripe was with Miles himself. He is an extremely smart young kid, but so incredibly naïve. Peter Parker tells him the one thing he SHOULD NOT do is tell people he is Spider-Man. I get it, that’s part of his growth, but Miles thinks he can just solve his problems by revealing his identity and it almost certainly never works out. 

Number 5: The Last of Us: Part 2 (PS4)

The Last of Us Part 2 may be the most polarizing game in the history of the medium, but for the absolute wrong reasons. I’m in the minority that I very much enjoyed my experience with TLOU2, quite a bit actually. Its better in every single way over its predecessor, except the overall story. There are plenty of fair criticisms to be had about the story and various things within the game itself, but I thought the gameplay was so tight and crunchy. There were genuine moments of suspense and terror that I felt that no other game has ever given me. The entire hospital section (2nd time) was so susensful, I had to put my controller down to gther myself. Some of my favorite moments in the series I experienced with a character I wasn’t overly fond of. How many games can do that? The Last of Us Part 2 was meant to invoke emotion, not necessarily joy. I think that's what people lost along the way. Say what you will about the direction Naughty Dog has taken over the years, but you would be hard pressed to find a studio that makes games graphically better than they do. Yes, I know about their crunch culture, but this is not a place for that. I will say, the game was a tad bit too long, which is not something it typically say for a single player, narrative driven game. The pacing and the way the story was told wasn’t my favorite, but I respect what it was trying to do, even if it failed in some aspect of that, I finished the game within the week it was released. Something I RARELY ever do. I’m a father and I related with Joel a lot in TLOU, but I also recognized how wrong he was. There is a lesson to be learned. Your actions always have consequences and while he was doing what he thought was the right thing, it wasn’t his choice to make, and in doing so set up a series of events that were entirely avoidable, but again, that’s the point isn’t it?

Number 4: Grindstone (Switch)

I’m counting this as a 2020 game since it just came to the Switch this year ( less than a month ago) but its not the first time I’ve played it. Grindstone was the only reason I kept my Apple Arcade subscription and when I let it lapse, there was a void I just couldn’t fill. I bought Puzzle Quest on Switch but it just wasn't the same. Its THE perfect game for bite sized play, even though in its addictive nature, you’ll clear a few levels and an hour has passed before you know it. It has the perfect amount of depth that most ‘match’ games don't. You have different weapons, items, and outfits w/perks to use and experiment with to keep it fresh. I went months without playing my Switch and when this was announced in August, I couldn’t wait! Sadly, I had to wait 3 months, but since then I have spent so much time on the Switch. It gave me a reason to play it again. The art style and humour is great. The variety of enemies and challenge is just right. I can’t recommend it enough. Seriously, check this game out!

Number 3: Doom Eternal (Xbox One)

I will be the first to tell you, I did not like Doom (2016). I found it extremely boring and trite. I understood what Doom(2016) was doing and it succeeded, maybe too much. Nostalgia is a helluva thing. So in saying that, I was mildly interested in Doom Eternal. Doom Eternal is nothing like 2016 outside of it being a Doom game that connects to the rest of them (& also being a sequel to 2016). The mechanics are drastically different with more platforming (for better or worse). Eternal is challenging, at times very hard, especially early on. Eternal has no respect for its players, in a weirdly good way. It laughs at how you’ve played FPS before this one and WILL MAKE you play it its way, not your way. Yes, you point and shoot, but ammo is scare and you MUST use everything in your arsenal. No more using just 2 guns for the whole game. The enemies are relentless. Sometimes you have to pause and take a breath after a battle because you go a 100 mph for the whole fight. You have to continuously move or you die. There is an enticing rhythm to it. I categorize Eternal as ‘Blood Ballet’. Its a game where when your feeling it, much like a rhythm game, you get in the zone and there is no stopping demons from getting slayed. Surprisingly, unlike most games in the genre, it seemed to get easier (sans one extremely frustrating platforming section late in the game) the longer you played it. Was that a testament that I ‘learned’ the Eternal way or it truly did get easier? I don’t know, but the final Boss(es) were....easy.. I had more problems and deaths within the first 4 hours than I did the final 8-9 hours. The multiplayer was also surprisingly fun. The older I get, the less interested I am in multiplayer, but I found myself coming back for more for a good month or so. 

Number 2: Gears Tactics (Xbox One)

As 2020 comes to a close, I came to a stunning realization. I might be a bigger Gears of War fan than I had previously thought. Don’t get me wrong. I love Gears, but I seem to love Gears more than I thought. I'm way more invested into the lore than I recall. Anyways, Gears Tactics is everything XCOM 2 SHOULD’VE been. Not only does Gears Tactics utilize the Overwatch action, its makes it EXTREMELY important. The story revolves around the father of Kait Diaz, Gabe and a ragtag group of mostly random soldiers to take down Ukkon. Anyone who is remotely interested in the Gears universe will love the story and references. The gameplay is just so damn satisfying. The bosses are very challenging and different. I actually had to change my strategy to finish the final boss. I experimented with a totally different style of class and was rewarded for it. The post game stuff is also aplenty. This game scratched a VERY specific itch for me and I’m itchy to jump back in. I’m glad this came to Xbox One because I’m current computer could not run it.

Number 1: Ghost of Tsushima (PS4)

I have a very odd relationship with massive open world games. I love them, but I get very burnt out on them. They all have a relatively same-y formula and are often populated with bloat. GoT does have some of that but to its advantage, its not very populated, in a good way. One of the things that I really appreciated about GoT and its side quest is most of them felt meaningful. The thing that really stood out to me about GoT is the absolutely satisfying combat. It just feels SO GOOD. It requires timing and patience. There are different fighting styles for different enemies and even the armor you wear is more than just cosmetic. The combat is so fun and satisfying that I was immediately excited when they announced Legends, a multiplayer add on, for free. Its so much fun and is a blast to play with a group of friends. I’m sporadically still playing the Legends mode. I initially wanted to play the game in ‘Kurosawa’ mode but I am glad I didn’t because the game, even on the PS4 is stunning, and on the upgrade on PS5 is jaw-droppingly smooth. I did play the entire game in Japanese with English subtitles. I still don't know what Jin’s English voice sounds like. GoT does a good job a drip feeding you new abilities and things to keep things fresh. I love stealth and once I unlocked it, I spent the majority of every battle taking out as many enemies as I could while in stealth mode. Ghost of Tsushima does a lot of things very well, that the few things it doesn’t can be easily overlooked.

Would be the best

I don’t like

My Last of Us cast

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Joel or Tommy

Hugh Jackman as Joel

Kaitlyn Dever as Ellie

W. Earl Brown as Bill

Josh Holloway as Tommy

Marisa Tomei as Tess

Sonequa Martin-Green as Marlene

Jerome Flynn as Robert