Games of the Year 2016

Check out previous years if you like what I'm doing here:

2011
2012
2013
2014
2015

Here we are again. If you're a first time reader, here is how this will go: I'm going to post huge, lone paragraphs (therapeutically) ranting about why I liked my favorite games of the year (and even some things I disliked about them) paired with two images. Each individual image will link to a music sample of that game. If you are on a PC, you'll want to stretch the width so both images are on the same line as intended. Mobile or tablet may not be the best way to read this, but feel free to give it shot. Finally, it may be stupid to aim to write giant walls of text (and I went all out this year), but that's just how I roll; if that bothers you, I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

One final use of these lists is to let people get a grasp on my gaming tastes, personality, and history. With the descriptions of 50 60 ranked games and 31 39 honorable mentions, I think I have provided that.

I'm skipping writing a "late to the party" entry this year, simply because I didn't have the time and I don't want to dwell on this list much longer, but that game is most definitely Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. Siege focuses on my favorite elements/modes of objective-based twitch shooters while bringing a lot to the formula with creative classes and R6-lite options. I actually had the chance to play it a tiny bit when it came out in December 2015, but not enough to say I've really played it before 2016 (during which it saw several improvements). Anyway, that mini-entry aside, onto the main course:







X



Overwatch (PC, PS4)
Blizzard Entertainment, Blizzard Entertainment

For all their famed polish, I’ve never been too endeared to Blizzard and haven’t felt attracted to their output since the WoW era. Overwatch is a different story. For one, it doesn’t have the kitschy art that plagues their fantasy games. OW’s colorful environments, full of neat details, are pleasing amalgams of utopian futurism and globetrotting tourism. It’s the roster’s slick designs, built around distinctive silhouettes, which sells it. Blizzard has shamelessly taken Team Fortress 2’s classes (and interactions, multi-media, objectives, etc.), spread around the UberCharge, and distilled them with a hotbar and MMO trinity mindset, pulling from everything else in the process. You get a cooler Medic, Scout, and Demoman, but also Call of Juarez’s concentration, Titanfall’s titans, and Halo’s bubble shield. And there’s no need for TF2’s design bloat when they can create more characters (like fighting games). Mastering each of their unique playstyles for switching or randomized teams gives OW an endless well of wide-ranging player growth, something I’ve barely scratched the surface of. The downside is that balancing is tougher, as seen with frequent patching in just its first year (see: healers), but it’s a worthwhile trade. Team-based objectives, and feeling dead weight of idiots more so than TF2, means playing with randoms can be anything from a lovely surprise to a strong case for misanthropy (I’m a solo queuer by habit, so yeah…). The maps are generally decent to good, but the lopsided pacing of the 2-point capture make for laborious final battles where (comboing/countering) ultimates becomes all-important. In general, ults end up as a burden to the game’s flow and there’s too many factors to treat them like a super in a fighter. What OW does outside of games is innovative in how... manipulative it is. Voting invigorates post-match screens and “Play of the Game” massages someone’s ego better than CoD’s final killcam. I’m not bothered with the dopamine-chasing LootCrate™ crap they are using to subsidize their future content (or Californian mansions) because I don’t feel like I’m missing options like with Hearthstone and it obsoletes needing yet another progression system. It does get too exploitive when factoring in limited seasonable events though. Save the whales.

IX


Doom (PC)
id Software/MachineGames, Bethesda Softworks

First, let’s talk about what 2016’s DOOM (4) isn’t. DOOM is not, well, “DOOM”, and it’s a bit unnecessary (if not cruel) to equate the two. It’s only a little more Doom than Serious Sam is. You can’t quite call it a throwback either, because even back when SS3 came out, there were already plenty of games doing this sort of thing (granted, mostly badly). With D4, we do still get a sort of modernized vision of Doom, but only portions of it, segmented apart. Its core is a series of ambushes to harass you while you explore and player activated arenas that mark a level’s climaxes (allowing you to scout and plan ahead). These build to a crescendo when new enemies and weapons are introduced, until plateauing prematurely, three or so levels before the end. It would be a mistake to say the D4 only features arenas, but it wouldn’t be to say they are the fun parts. Exploring through the open, strikingly hellish environments is enjoyable enough at first, but after a while it begins to feel like a checklist. They went on to tether half of the progression system to this slow-paced padding, a mistake that defies comprehension. Thankfully, a patched-in “arcade” mode completely salvages replays into something exciting: everything is unlocked and you are given limited lives. The solid FPS boss fights were a highpoint, I only wish there were more. (My favorite was actually in a player-made SnapMap against a Baron of Hell with MMO raid mechanics.) The skirmishes force you to be on the move, involving dodging projectiles and hopping between floors. The swift Resident Evil-like executions grant you breathing room and healing, in place of cover. Offense is the best defense. The weapons with The New Order-like upgrades are inspired, but they’re also a giant missed opportunity: the balance is off (Gauss Rifle > *), ammo conservation is trivialized, and their interplay with the enemies is shallow - a concept that defined Doom and was nailed by contemporary SS3. Also, nothing here truly justifies a room-clearing BFG. Wasted potential aside, the chaotic combat really works, but that’s not what makes D4’s campaign extraordinary. The secret is that it’s not about being “old-school”, it’s about “good graphics” - how an awesome aesthetic can make a good game great. It’s maybe the best looking game I’ve ever seen in motion, the music drives me into a frenzy, it’s legitimately funny, and butchering enemies is cathartic. Not quite Doom, but pretty damn cool.

VIII


XCOM 2 (PC)
Firaxis Games, 2K Games

In 2012, X-COM came back as XCOM, something very different and kind of a step backwards. Streamlined to an intuitive tabletop ruleset, it was essentially a turn-based cover-shooter that succeeded in enthralling you in a tense atmosphere, making those misses all the more devastating (aided by iron man rules). At least for the base game, this decent concept was let down by the middling encounter design, turtling tactics, and a reverse difficulty curve. XCOM2 is a dramatic improvement that builds on the nerve-wracking mood of the first one. The inclusion of a turn timer singlehandedly deepens every aspect, also nerfing turtling. Those who complain about timers (in general) want their dessert before they finish their vegetables, but what they should understand is that, even if it’s painful or scary, depth and tension is what makes interactivity emotionally stimulating and that comes from making your actions have weight and consequence. A problem can arise though, where the timer becomes almost impossibly strict on VIP extraction missions, thanks to randomized maps (switched from iron man to reset-on-failure). I’m not a big fan of randomized anything, let alone maps, but besides the aforementioned example, XC2 remains sound. This comes down to having really good enemies that are fun to fight and solid rules for (destructible) terrain, two crucial elements XC2 nails. The introduction of Concealment adds a neat stealth layer to tactics which massively changes the first rounds. The strategy layer features way more intriguing choices now, both in how you build your base and which missions to do on the map (juggling penalties from the ones you don’t). Regrettably, XC2 still has a hard time with its difficulty curve. Things start off being a nail-biter every time, then it’s back and forth as new tiers are introduced, but eventually your larger, decked out squad takes the lead even against the strongest foes. The good news is that this effect isn’t as bad – and the final mission is so insane it sort of makes up for it. A part of this is because it’s tactically deeper at its core, but it’s also because building and using overpowered characters is just a lot more fun this time around. Class upgrades add so much to playstyles (cross-class abilities are really amusing). All the classes being overpowered establishes a testy balance, although grenadier and psi ops stand a bit above the rest. Bulldozing (literally) through a map with three or more grenadiers in something every player should try at least once. In the end, I really enjoyed clearing the campaign; the biggest thing I can hold against it is that it’s easier to get burned out when you are not dealing with a hand-crafted campaign.

VII


Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE (Wii U)
Atlus, Nintendo

For all the shit I give them, rightfully, I have a soft spot for JRPGs. They seldom surpass my expectations, but when they do, I tend to fall in love. Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE, an enjoyable JRPG brimming with style, is probably the best example of this since, maybe, The Last Remnant or Pokemon BW2. It immediately becomes apparent that TMS is SMT, minus negotiation and fusion, and plus J-pop idols and glitzy spectacles in battle. The “FE” part is relegated to vague concepts and references (FE1 and FE13 are sadly overrepresented). A basic appraisal of TMS would be it’s an enhanced Persona 3/4 sans the schedule or weighty themes with Strange Journey sprinkled all over. Working from a solid SMT base of meaningful status effects and a limited number of skills, it focuses on making use of benched characters with instant switching and a considerable advancement of SJ’s Demon Co-Op (it’s “Press-Turn”, with the addition of FE’s weapon triangle) in the form of Session Attacks. It’s satisfying watching your party jump in for a flashy hit one after the other, dictated by learned “Session Skills” establishing flowing chains between damage types (as expected of SMT, this can also be done to you). As combat evolves, Sessions can trigger musical duets, which then resets the chain for an even bigger combo (and overkills provide extra rewards); the snag here is that Sessions are the one thing you can’t skip, driving me a little crazy by the end. This combat really shines in TMS’s exceptional boss battles. These are great half because of devious boss mechanics and half because of another FE-ism, reinforcements, adding a lot of tension. The dungeon designs are also probably the finest I’ve personally seen in a SMT. They strike the right balance of size and branches without overstaying their welcome and have visual flair to go along with thematic gimmicks. The only thing missing is that the game doesn’t feature much of an endurance challenge and it’s lamentably “save anywhere”. Overleveling is a concern, but even doing most of the side-quests by the end of each chapter, I found that enemies would quickly catch up with the next dungeon. I don’t mind the lack of demon fusion, as it usually bogs you down. The story and characters lean on the generic side, but humorous and cute moments make for a pleasant tone. TMS’s use of the gamepad for text messaging is oddly compelling. Even before considering the idol themes, which, while not typically my scene, are awfully catchy, this OST is among my favorite of the year.

VI


Street Fighter V (PC)
Capcom/Dimps, Capcom

Street Fighter V is the only fighting game I played this year, but it’s also the only one I needed. It’s a first (and final?) entry, but it isn’t nearly as unbalanced or buggy as those typically are. I liked SFIV, all things considered, but I can describe a lot of V’s appeal by contrasting the two. It’s an easier game to “play” with lowered execution barriers, which suits it fine because that element added more workload than creativity in IV: FADC was pointlessly burdensome and I tend to avoid 1-frame links anyway (don’t you dare tell me I’m getting old). It’s a more “honest” game (barring the Mika infamy), moving away from the vortex set play that was dominant in later IV. More focus is put on fundamentals, which Crush Counters (FA crumpling applied to pokes) rewards in spades. Short, high damage combos and weaker defensive options (e.g., no invincible backdash, reversals no longer cancelable) makes it a more direct, offensive game, which may end up suffocating playstyle variety, like in III, but it at least manages to better incorporate fireballs (lots of funny moments with returning Urien). Lazy Ultras are traded out for ArcSys influenced V-skills and V-triggers, which, to varying extents, flesh characters out. The music and 3D art style are also a step up (if you ignore some hair and those horrific Red Bull costumes) and feedback of your attacks is amazing. Veteran characters are revised slightly to keep it fresh (Gief got robbed though), but it’s the new characters who have caught my eye, better additions in design and thematically to what IV gave (Fang has that IV look though). The charismatic Rashid(ooo!), my main and oddly the story’s main character, is wildly fun to play, whether you are using him to put on nonstop pressure or do zany gimmicks with his crazy mobility and eccentric projectiles (damage was relatively puny in Season 1, but we’ll see how things go in 2). Another one, Laura, really plays to my love of Makoto in 3S, though she was overshadowed by Mika in S1. The whole season thing makes this tricky (I’ve played 98% SFV and 2% SFV “Dash”), so I’ll spare the specifics. Rebalancing is admirably limited to big annual updates, but it amplifies their changes for better (Chun’s air legs nerf) or worse (Alex lol). I’m ignoring the elephant in the room: Capcom’s baffling incompetence. Most of this is stuff I can overlook as poor features, but, as an online warrior, stacking input lag has a detrimental influence across the board and small things like jump-ins become frustrating (that, and this DualShock 4 I’m stuck with fucks up my thumb). The reactions to S2 have been mixed, but I do have faith the game will only get better with years.

V


Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun (PC)
Mimimi Productions, Daedalic Entertainment

I’ve always wanted to get into the Commandos series, but it’s never happened. Using real-time tactics to sneak a party of highly specialized units through a large map? Sounds right up my alley. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun claims to be a successor, so I jumped in and became instantly hooked. As anticipated, the outstanding level design perfectly accentuates the particular skills of your characters. Your party usually has two or three of the five characters, who must cover for each other’s weaknesses and the absence of the rest. While there is some overlap, the tools (traps, disguises, lures, sniping, etc.) are distributed in a way where every unit feels important (though Yuki is slightly too strong) and the map seems crafted around opportunities to make them shine (possibly together). Climbing roofs or swimming is exclusive to certain units, who may then need to open a path so their ally can take out a fully-armored guard. The characters themselves are made endearing through casual conversations they have in reaction to the environment or specific actions. Every chapter feels different with secondary objectives (think Hitman) or gimmicks, like snow leaving footprints, which help or hamper you achieving the goal. On replays, “badges” gives each map additional goals which spotlight their sandbox elements; too bad they are not tied into the game itself, especially the “speedrun” one, which would reward mastery. Enemy layouts, layering lure-immune sentries with multiple patrols, becomes dense to the point where, when combined with hardcore difficulty’s fast detection and deaths, each area turns into a puzzle. Herein lies a problem (and why ST isn’t my #1 or #2 GOTY): this process becomes extremely trial and error and the game knows it, as it pushes save-scumming onto you (even has a timer to remind you!). The low margin of error notwithstanding, juggling multiple units in full real-time in addition to terrain blocking your mouse clicks will cause plenty of issues, and it’s a question whether you want to lose 3 seconds, 3 minutes, or 30 minutes over random clumsiness (I stuck with the middle, but it’s not a question I want to answer as a player). The ability to sync up actions helps, but it’s no RTwP. It’s to ST’s credit that, despite indulging in my biggest pet peeve, I still really like it. Purely as a puzzle, unraveling stalwart enemy defenses is gratifying, while the concept, down to the level design, is too damn good to pass up.

IV


Titanfall 2 (PS4)
Respawn Entertainment, Electronic Arts

Titanfall 2’s campaign turning out so well may have been a surprise, but considering the pedigree and the base they were working from, it shouldn’t have been. I’ve only put a few hours into the multiplayer, which I feel may disqualify my analysis, but if it was only singleplayer it would still be here. Admittedly, they could have just as easily put the titans, free-running, miscellaneous options into a generic military campaign, but instead each of these are integrated to full effect. On Master difficulty, hitscan is as vicious as any cover-shooter, but by building up speed through wall-runs and slides, you can move faster than they can aim and pick them off. It’s honestly brilliant, but, with no enhanced HUD, not even radar, it does run into the classic Sonic the Hedgehog design limitation: you go too fast to react to what you’re running into. I’d say this tactic works half of the time, but Respawn foresaw that, which is why you always have a timed invisibility cloak to cover mistakes and open new avenues of attack. I still often felt like hanging back was the smartest move, so I can’t say it fully solved this. The parkour can also make the grace of traversing to the next waypoint feel like a 3D platformer, best seen when grabbing the inoffensive collectibles and hidden weapons. The visually impressive titans provide another fighting scheme, with the numerous titan bosses, each based on the MP’s unique options, giving you climactic duels often missing in FPS. Being able to instantly switch your titan loadout to the same MP selection provides a lot of toys to play with. BT, your titan AI, is also at the center of this sci-fi war/buddy-cop flick, where dialogue choices write out an action movie script. It’s a modest story, if not predictable, but there’s something noteworthy about how cleanly it’s executed. Similarly, the level designs of the campaign may be the best thing about TF2. Almost every level has a wonderful twist to it, e.g., a topsy-turvy factory building a battleground you’ll later fight in, a level that’s has the time mechanic and puzzles expected of a Zelda dungeon, a series of sky towers where robot enemies can be hacked into a small army for a later wave. Do a bunch a cool shit and fall in love with a robot in a nice little campaign, I can’t ask for more. Bears repeating that I need to further explore multiplayer, but I should say that I’ve enjoyed it, a respectable return to TF’s innovative mechanics, but the only map I liked and played “24/7” was (TF1’s) Angel City. Make of that what you will.

III


Dark Souls III (PC)
FromSoftware, Bandai Namco Entertainment

In 2011, I wrote my first GOTY list with Dark Souls at #5. Later came Dark Souls II (#6) and Bloodborne (#3). With Dark Souls III, it’s easily the most featured series, which speaks to the excellence of the formula; it’s not as special as it used to be, but I don’t see myself getting tired of it either. DS3 revels in this familiarity, most so since DS1 did it with Demon’s. However, DS1 was a big leap and DS3 is the end point of increasingly smaller jumps in quality, joined with a few steps back, giving each game something they’re the best (and worst) at. (BB was the only one “completed” in time for listing and it shows.) DS3 has had only one DLC, which was disappointing in size but did address PvP concerns. This is fine though, because this is the entry in least need of an expansion. The bread and butter of fantastic level design and bosses are at its most consistent. As usual, the best bosses are humanoid-like duels, which all have twists to them. For better or worse, they (and other enemies) have unpredictably long attack chains and varying speed for attacks with the same tells, more BB-like (thankfully, dodging is stronger, shielding not so much). It makes for more frustration, but I rather it was a little “unfair” than too easy. Poor balance among builds is a series tradition (I go 2-hand weapon and nothing else for the first run); this time it isn’t magic, which is terribly implemented, but parrying that can trivialize these awesome fights - shades of DS1’s Gwyn. Weapons now have some cool special moves to give him individuality, but their implementation makes them more of a nice bonus. While on a linear path with a separated hub, the design within areas is stellar, full of shortcuts, hidden spots, and challenging mini-bosses. I was very impressed with the layouts of all of the main ones, with the Cathedral and Irithyll being the strongest. There’s also a wonderful successor to DeS’s Tower of Latria. This, plus a certain small area, are DS3’s past references at their best. The overuse of winking at DS1 fans and BB’s aesthetic does leave a dent in the setting and lore though. I do wish it took more from DS2, mainly in terms of covenants and features. They finally brought healing back to the basics, even limiting the “humanity” stand-in, but it’s undone by how much you can upgrade your flask (not to mention what it does to magic). DS3 had a lot to live up to with BB and incredible The Old Hunters expansion, but the fact I’m indecisive without even considering 3’s DLC is impressive in itself. So, once again, maybe the best Souls game yet, but not by a wide margin. It’s a good of a series conclusion as any.

II


Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest (3DS)
Intelligent Systems/Nintendo SPD, Nintendo

Fire Emblem sure is weird these days. IntSys released Fates as two/three separate answers to a simple question: “Should SRPGs have interesting maps?” The correct answer, Conquest, gives us a top 3 FE. Fates inherits and fixes a few things from FE13. The botched “Pair-Up” is split into consistent offensive and defensive stances, the latter canceling out the former. By then allowing enemies to ruthlessly make use of it, a failed concept transforms into a superb one. FE13’s class system is reined in enough to make characters distinct, but remains full of potential (although this can be crippled by low weapon ranks). An example of this is how marriage opens the door to many possibilities. And children, no longer broken little monsters, fit in a lot better (mechanically, that is - they are downright inappropriate plot-wise). The new weapon triangle and removal of durability are ambivalent changes, not a big deal when it isn’t hurting balance (ninjas are really good, mages made weaker). CQ respects the series’ history of limited grinding potential and wide-ranging objectives. The sheer concertation of skillfully laid out maps effortlessly surpasses all but the masterpiece Thracia 776. The fundamentals of a good FE map are complemented with the ingenious map-changing Dragon Veins: Summoning a party of doppelgangers with shared health to clear out a second map or opening and closing multiple paths at once while balancing a wandering EXP-sponge NPC and the deadly swarm of ninjas who weaken you with every attack. Chapter 10 could be the best defensive map in the series, which takes a mean turn when a protective moat is suddenly drained. These deserve to be played on Classic Hard/Lunatic. I’ve had to restart chapters countless times, even on bosses (twice!), but with every attempt I get closer to a perfect strategy. CQ succeeds as a FE, but that also means coming with series-wide flaws. It’s always been possible to build super units by low-manning maps, but this doesn’t come up if you hold onto a big reserve, which is more my style. While there are no unusable units (some demand class changes), the four royal siblings are so damn good, not using them is effectively a challenge-run; Xander in particular has near game-breaking potential with stat boost items. Not so different from the also great FE12, “My Castle” and online features are a potential hole in the game’s integrity. Not only does it undo the finite amount of gold and, with DLC, EXP, there’s a powerful system of recruiting units and copying skills (most of which is hacked and passed on to legitimate players). PvP is trash. Being able to grind tedious supports isn’t so bad though. As a full game, CQ isn’t hurt by Fates being three games, except in one way: story. Because resolutions can only happen in the true/DLC route (still amounts to little), the protagonists have to be shockingly stupid for anything to fit; it’s more hole than plot. Along with the support conversations being phoned in, this is one thing FE13 can say it does better. Whatever, I’ll take it - anything to get a Fire Emblem like this.

I


Hitman (PC)
IO Interactive, Square Enix

It was a close race, but the Blood Money fanboy in me won out. 2016’s Hitman (Tee Em) takes the positives of Absolution’s modernization and brings it back to the roots of one of the best sandbox series of all time. IO Interactive, as if trying to apologize for their misfire, has gone all out in making expansive, intricate maps animate with a daunting amount of scripts and rules. With so many ways to enter and move through a level, they had to make them feel like a living environment which is interesting from any angle rather than a mere stage. And this splendid attention to detail holds true for even entire city-blocks, taking the hitman concept to new heights. I prefer the darker atmosphere of the older games, especially the music, but the energetic playful tone unexpectedly fits. Both intentionally and not, it’s farcically funny game. Almost every mission has you take out at least two targets and make for an exit, as per custom, so that you are forced to fit in until you are all done, especially if you are aiming for the “Silent Assassin” challenge. Or maybe you want to cause some chaos? Considering the dozen methods of killing, including semi-scripted accidents, you are given a playground that still remains dangerous enough to keep you on your toes. HM, like its predecessors, is unlike most stealth games; a good Hitman level means something different than a good MGS or SC one, which are more about geometry or vision cones (this is why the dress-as-a-ninja challenge is a tenth as fun as you might think). It’s more about deception (“social stealth”), hiding in plain sight with a fairly intelligent disguise system and following social rules for that area. This means you spend more time trying to fool an AI than hiding from it. HM features the most consistent quality of maps in the series, with the ones playing to the mechanics’ strengths early on being the best. The episodic format encouraged thoroughly playing each of these before moving on to the next one and its worth sticking to that even after they’ve all been released. There’s a very serious caveat to all of this though. Unless you fiddle with the UI options, playing HM is like watching what will become your favorite movie of the year with someone who can’t shut up about what’s going to happen next. I ruined two maps like this before I caught on. Easy modes are compromises made to enable fulfillment (“winning”) at the expense of a game’s ideas (like blending up a juicy prime steak into a smoothie), and the better those ideas are, the more you're missing out. While IO didn’t have the decency to warn players with a big ol’ “NINJA DOG”, this is exactly what the sludge of UI and tips, not to mention the save-scumming, they smattered onto HM does. It turns clockwork masterpieces into fifteen minute linear checklist experiences. With a little discipline, HM becomes the exploration game of the year, if not decade, each level being something you can soak in for hours. So, maybe in the top 18 with all this junk on, #1 with it off. Perhaps the bigger error is that there is no Professional mode. The series figured out how to brilliantly handle quicksaves eighteen years ago with SA and no one seems to have paid attention. Continuity between the main missions, like BM’s notoriety, would’ve also been a good fit, but at this point I guess I’m just listing my wish list for Season 2, and Season 1 was remarkable enough as it is. Fortunately, this whole problem with saving goes away entirely with the extra missions being all or nothing. Escalation contracts, which pile on targets and limitations with each completion, when paced out well, really pushes 47’s abilities to the limits. Absolution’s Contracts Mode is used as base for an endless amount of player content, naturally 90% of it is second-rate or ways to complete challenges (still better than abusing saves on a single run), but they can also make you marvel at how many unessential NPCs in a map work as fun targets. Elusive targets are anti-save-scumming taken to the extreme, expiring in a short time and only giving you one real shot; I don’t really care about the exclusive suits they reward, but the heart-pounding tension is priceless. At first it seemed incredible how much content I was able squeeze out from each episode, but after considering how amazingly designed this whole package is, it makes total sense.

Honorable Mentions (In alphabetical order. Each image links to music.)






Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright – Spirit of Justice (3DS)
Capcom, Capcom

Top-tier spin-off “Investigations 2” aside, the later AA series hasn’t quite matched the GBA trilogy. While 6 inherits 5’s optional fail state and overcompensating hand-holding, it’s a return to form for the mainline thanks to the content being so splendid. The first case is a slog, but after that it’s one good case after another, highlights being the third and, especially, the second half of the final one. 5 felt like it was pushing me through twists and puzzles, but 6 lets you have a few “eurekas” of your own, although another problematic inherence from 5 are the exciting, but automatic “revisualizations” (dumbed-down from AAI’s “logic”). Rafya’s seance is a plainly superior version of Athena’s mood matrix. SoJ’s new prosecutor is inadequately mild with tedious animations, but it also has the most intimidating villain since 1. The referential music is starting to get old (was meaningful in 5), whereas the fresh, charming 3D art style is advanced further, yet it knows not to stray too far (unlike Zero Escape being derailed by Telltale garbage).

Civilization VI (PC)
Firaxis Games, 2K Games

The new Civ is a city-builder in disguise, where the middling 4X elements exist mainly to disrupt or help that effort. The advance city management mechanics make up for other facets feeling tacked on (espionage) or messed up (religion) and planning districts adds depth to the shaping of your empire. The Civ V base (1UPT) has a troubling influence on combat balance and pacing, though it comes with some good (e.g., improved city-states), while the game has semi-helpless AI and poor multiplayer balance to start (rushing uniques can be way too good). The early game is always fun, in part thanks to the vicious barbarian units, but I’m going through motions by the medieval era to the point where I rather just restart (and I have, a dozen times). The prodigious OST does tempt me into later eras though. It’s arguably the most complete a vanilla release has ever been, but the truth is my love for the Civ formula, with goals awkwardly designed between single and multiplayer, is not as strong as it used to be (thanks Paradox?).

Dishonored 2 (PC)
Arkane Studios, Bethesda Softworks

Like its predecessor, Dishonored 2 undecidedly combines fantastic Thief-style level design with level design trivializing powers, but virtually everything is improved (exception: voice acting). I like the smarter guards and layouts, tougher enemy types, and Emily’s more creative powers, and I love being able to play without powers at all (it works too). The colonial-style Karnaca is colorful and brutal, a trade up from dingy Dunwall, though there’s a lack of subtly found in 1’s background details. Missions provide huge areas within a livelier city, though still falling into painstaking exploration porn if you want a semi-completionist playthrough. As flawed Deus Ex successors go, this narrowly edges out the also improved Mankind Divided, but a terrible, unchanged EXP system is almost unforgivable – and D2 has The Clockwork Mansion, an utter marvel of a mission.

Furi (PC, PS4)
The Game Bakers, The Game Bakers

A short and sweet top-down action game with shooter elements (at times, these genres flip in importance). It’s a pure boss rush, which does make it feel limited, and those otherworldly walking sections do drag on, but it otherwise succeeds at its straightforward premise. Bosses are varied with a cool futuristic manga look and balanced per a smart health/lives system which is just punishing enough. The modern-style moveset is given to you fully complete with no diluting progression mechanics. Combat mixes simple combos and parrying with bullet-canceling projectiles (both potentially healing you), climaxing with maze-like danmaku phases and intimate duels. It’s a jack of all trades. Two aspects that frustrated me were the essential dash feeling “laggy” due to an overlapping charge mechanic and really poor projectile readability for the final boss. The stealthy sniper “The Burst” is my favorite boss fight of the year, showcasing the blended mechanics, draped in stylish visuals and synth music, at its fiercest.

Let It Die (PS4)
Grasshopper Manufacture, GungHo Online Entertainment

LID is some great/mediocre addictive dungeon-crawling. The simpler Souls-like combat revolves around easily-baited humanoids, it’s more about keeping it 1 on 1 and item conservation. Bosses and ever-present “Haters” can seem too beefy or deadly, if not for your ridiculous mushrooms (i.e., spells). Basically, it’s a cycle of playing it safe, getting cocky, and surviving your mess or dealing with a punishing fallout (possibly grinding). This pattern becomes something terrific when you find yourself too far in to go back, cursing your shrinking inventory and praying for a new elevator as each floor becomes scarier. The generous F2P stuff is mostly irrelevant except for credit-feeding trivializing death; even grinding loot is the same whether you put in $99 or nil. The graphics are crummy, but the sound design is ace. For music, Yamaoka works his ambient magic while a hundred bands (!) were pulled it to do their take on the game’s title. Grasshopper-brand humor killed me a few times.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse (3DS)
Atlus, Atlus

An expansion to SMT IV (most of its locations and assets are recycled, comprising most of the best music), Apoc fixes a great deal of made IV (sub-)mediocre and ends up as one of the better SMTs. The difficulty curve is now sensible, though it went from a dependence on save-scumming to a costless optional fail-state. While time-consuming team-building eventually solves most problems for you, combat is elevated by taxing, unpredictable boss rushes, without a doubt the best moments of the game. Elemental affinities affecting skills deepens the classically addictive fusion and makes individual demons more unique. The straightforward plot is more thrilling than IV’s, but the setting is sadly dumbed-down with retcons. The shonen manga tone clashes hard with the classic SMT grimness, turning Dagda from interesting ally/villain into The Grinch. Dungeons are slightly better than IV’s chaff, but it’s no TMS.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (PS4)
Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment

The best and worst Uncharted. At times during its four or five “chapter ones”, some “boss” “fights”, and the final act’s erratic pacing I wondered if this was a parody of cinematic games (as its multiplayer’s progression system is of those). UC’s non-combat elements (e.g., automated platforming), overabundant here, were never great, but seem worse with Tomb Raider now doing it better. Beyond going too far with the usually dull bits, ND has still reached new highs. The improvisation-heavy combat and encounter design, borrowing from UC3’s excellent shipyard and TLoU’s combat-stealth, surpasses their previous efforts (and TR’s), with stealth finally getting an equal opportunity. A shame it’s stuck being an unpredictably strict cover-shooter on Hard/Crushing, increasingly exchanging mechanics for challenge. The industry-leading dialogue, presentation, etc. has only gotten better with each entry and 4 is a testament to that. As excessive (and retreaded) the story-telling can be, it does set up a satisfying narrative conclusion few long-running series will ever have.

Xanadu NEXT (PC)
Nihon Falcom, Nihon Falcom/XSEED Games

Sometimes a game can go really far with nothing but excellent pacing and sense of progression, flowing you from one area into the next. NEXT doesn’t necessarily lack in mechanics (though its presentation is really showing its age), but it’s the dungeon-crawling goodness, full of nice puzzles and secrets, that won me over. Combat is like a simpler or more abstracted Ys (with a mouse, a PC “ARPG” would be a better fit, I guess), which ends up feeling a little clumsy by comparison. I didn’t like how stat-based the combat was, but the selection of equipment, skills, and spells was nifty; this backfires when stacking damage boosts can make encounters end too quickly. The room by room dungeon layouts, the core of the game, left me generally impressed and the way you would discover shortcuts back to the hub or other areas made me more annoyed the Souls games have stopped doing that. It’s really cool that something that holds up this well finally got localized after 10 years (not counting the odd N-Gage (!) version).

Closing Thoughts:

Now comes the fun part where I list some of the games I regret not playing in time for 2016's list: Raiden V, The Last Guardian, Mirror's Edge, Total War: Warhammer, Raiden V, Tyranny, Gears of War 4, Hearts of Iron IV, Steins;Gate 0, Attack on Titan, Battlefield 1, King of Fighters XIV, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. I started and put down Stranger of Sword City, which has been pretty great so far, because I had to wrap up this list. I held off on Pokemon Sun/Moon in hopes of a Switch version.

I ended up being really busy for the first half of this year, to the point whether I questioned whether I would do another list. The same will likely hold true for this year, so I'm not holding myself to it (even though there are so many amazing games coming out in just the first few months, it's tempting). Having said that, I ended up getting a lot of gaming in during the last few months, resulting in this huge 18 game list. Aside from the top two games, I actually had a hard time nailing down the order; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say there was around a dozen variations of this list. Not entirely sure if that says something positive or negative about the games themselves, but it doesn't really take away the fact that, taken altogether, it was a very solid year.


In review:
1. Hitman ; Top class sandbox, the return of social stealth.
2. Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest ; The other two games are irrelevant to this list, tbh.
3. Dark Souls III ;
4. Titanfall 2 ;
5. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun ;
6. Street Fighter V ;
7. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE ;
8. XCOM 2 ;
9. DOOM ;
10. Overwatch ;
x. Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright – Spirit of Justice ;
x. Civilization VI ;
x. Dishonored 2 ;
x. Furi ;
x. Let It Die ;
x. Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse ;
x. Uncharted 4 ;
x. Xanadu NEXT ;




If you have a taste for lists like this, these are others that caught my attention, for whatever reason, while skimming NeoGAF's voting thread:
Recommended Lists Coming Soon.


Thanks for reading.

Games of the Year 2015

Check out previous years if you like what I'm doing here:

2011
2012
2013
2014

Here we are again. If you're a first time reader, which isn't unlikely given the circumstance, here is how this will go: I'm going to post huge, lone paragraphs (therapeutically) ranting about why I liked my favorite games of the year (and even some things I disliked about them) paired with two images. Each individual image will link to a music sample of that game. If you are on a PC, you'll want to stretch the width so both images are on the same line as intended. Mobile or tablet may not be the best way to read this, but feel free to give it shot. Finally, it may be stupid to aim to write giant walls of text (and I went all out this year), but that's just how I roll; if that bothers you, I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

If you are not a first time reader, then you'll notice this was posted after the voting deadline and, more importantly, not on NeoGAF. Half a decade ago(!), I started doing these lists to participate in NeoGAF's annual Game of the Year votes. Mind you, the results of that vote is worth than dirt to me (it's the same for the popularity vote of any site), but I did enjoy using it to recollect about I had played and see what others had to say. Being banned from posting while the voting occurred meant I could not participate directly, but given I only really care about the writing part, I decided to continue my work here. In the future I will always at least post my lists here (and eventually repost the past ones), among other things (to be discussed later).

One final use of these lists is to let people get a grasp on my gaming tastes, personality, and history. With the descriptions of 40 50 ranked games and 27 31 honorable mentions, I think I have provided that.

First will be my favorite game of the previous year that I only played this year*, then my ten favorite games counting downward, and finally the runner ups.
*: This can mean 1) a game released last year, 2) a new port of a game released last year, or 3) a new unofficial translation of a game that hasn't been released this year (otherwise, that would go on the main list). Official localizations count as new games. All mentions of "release" imply western/US, as I don't include any imports.







MMXV

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (PC)
Square Enix / tri-Ace, Square Enix

What Final Fantasy XIII mostly hinted at and FFXIII-2 squandered, Lightning Returns finally delivers on. As Masahiro Sakurai put it, it’s “the culmination of the Active Time Battle system”. A single player character has done nothing to simplify the third iteration, aided by numerous improvements. Among many small ones, the real-time element now includes timed attack chains and blocks and the in-battle class-switching has been tossed for fully customizable build-switching (paired with an elegant ability/gear system). What’s possibly most innovative is that stat gains are rationed out from quests, avoiding the grinding/difficulty conundrum. However, this still faces the same issues (even if not egregiously so) because of the huge boosts main quests give, a few ridiculous defense accessories, and and some expected (but not particularly obvious) exploitable tactics – it’s a Final Fantasy, after all. This can be partially compensated by the freedom of the effectively open-ended structure and quest order, meaning diving straight into harder areas or saving completions for later (fighting bosses on the last days also gives you significantly harder versions). The day countdown is very lenient, somewhat disappointingly so in retrospect, but it was enough to make me play smarter and faster. I have a special place in my heart for unique JRPG combat systems and efforts to make you take them seriously, and LR stands above many. This marks the end of the divisive FFXIII trilogy and its world and aesthetic, which I must confess a small attachment to, and what I will miss most would have to be its music, some of the best to ever be in a game; while LR is rife with conspicuous track recycling, it’s a respectable contribution to this incredible body of music.

X

Transformers: Devastation (PC)
PlatinumGames, Activision

Sitting in the mid-tier of P* releases, Transformers: Devastation is on a level of development and polish one would’ve originally hoped for Korra. It has the gnarliest use of electric guitars this side of Guilty Gear Xrd and a cel-shaded style suitable for the Transformers cartoon theme (which I’m indifferent about). The city stage is by far the most expansive found in their games, but this becomes less impressive with constant reuse. Perhaps more so than usual, TD benefits from being the latest member of the P* family; many mechanics (e.g., witch time, parry, movement transformations) make their expected return with some twists. There’s some freshness with gun/TPS mechanics and the five characters each having a unique ability that sets them apart on higher difficulties (the grappler Grimlock plays the most different, who’s very fun after a bit of a learning curve). In the harsher fights, such as when a bunch of sub-bosses are thrown at you, dodge offset feels more important than ever and is joined by the invincible vehicle attacks that become more readily available when on the offensive. These attacks somehow never get old to use (in a similar sense to Rising’s zandatsu) and feel satisfying to nail in those desperate situations. Taken together, it may just have the fullest box of tools, albeit split between characters (and gear). Where it goes wrong is the same old story: it features powerful randomized loot and an utterly stupid character leveling system, both having a huge influence over the difficulty and being very time consuming, ruining the otherwise brisk pace. The weapon fusion and unique traits are not without merit, but, at best, it’s a poor effort compared to, say, Kid Icarus: Uprising. Hopefully this was just an experimental effort that went poor (for Scalebound’s sake). The extraneous systems wreak havoc on the difficulty in both ways, including making some early fights feel like a gear check (an issue in Rising’s unlockable difficulties as well). There’s a bright side to this, as you can get one of the hardest P* games by jumping head first into this mess without grinding up your gear or characters (I cut my teeth on Challenge 2, against the five Constructicons and Devastator, an early peak). Worth noting the camera can be more aggravating than even Rising’s when it gets stuck up some giant robot's metal asscheeks. The nonsensical scoring system does nothing to discourage the use of recovery items, but these games are still best without an easy way out. This is a really cool action game that goes out of its way to be annoying, but I enjoyed my time with it.

IX

Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (PC)
Capcom, Capcom

They’ve managed to go from the worst modern Resident Evil game to… well, the second worst, but one that can stand up to the mainline. Revelations 2 is a remarkable improvement over the original in every way. Unlike R1’s disorienting mess, it’s a great example of an episodic format. The dual perspectives use their time difference to tell an engrossing little side story (with dialogue often so corny that it’s charming) and they crossover in clever ways. Co-op, although only really good in Claire’s campaign, is joined with the returning RE0’s zapping system, making for a better solo experience. The two partners play very unalike and set up satisfying combos, although it can get a little rote. Natalia is a glorified gadget (not unlike those “daughter” characters popular in 2013), but Moira is a beast and her extra episode is a tense little gantlet exacerbated by a survival mechanic that makes me reminiscence of ink ribbons. The skill tree involves less customization, but at least provides enticing upgrades. The combat is a watered-down version of 6’s with R1's melee and conservative movement, but enough to be a major upgrade. It really blossoms when you power up the dodge and make actions cancelable with it, even if it comes off as too strong. The shooting feels clumsy though. The biggest advancement is that the enemies are actually decent. Claire’s “Afflicted” are somewhere between 6’s faster zombies and J’avo, much better than the Oozes; Barry’s “Rotten” are less impressive, but he does have the Revenants, who are a mix of 6’s Rasklapanje and 4’s Regenerador (Natalia is the infrared scope). Overall the selection, split between the characters, can’t rank with 4 or 5 or even one of RE6’s campaigns (but few games can). R1 did have some nice bosses, so it’s no surprise that R2 fares well. Finally, Raid Mode returns and I remain ambivalent about it. It’s unambiguously better, because the mechanics are, but now it’s even further up its ass with leveling, for better or worse (worse, in the case of balance). The maps work like a fusion of R1’s Raid and The Mercenaries, which means much shorter missions (that’s still better than the dull slog it previously was). The gimmicky enemy power-ups, which I honestly wouldn’t mind seeing in Mercs, have been developed further and content is borrowed from 5, R1, and (predominantly) 6; I’m left wishing they borrowed even more though. The saddest exclusion is no Ghost Ship successor, the only really good thing about R1’s Raid. In the end, after adjusting my character’s level to be a slightly below the recommended levels, it was a pleasant guilty pleasure.

VIII

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker (3DS)
Career Soft, Atlus

The release order of localizations and remakes has made foolishly waiting until the latest entry quite an ordeal. Finally we’re here and I got to say, Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker is better than my prior forays into the Shin Megami Tensei super-series (e.g., SMTIV, Persona 3). The setting is a moderately successful mix of mainline’s apocalyptic dread and Persona’s teenage antics (including ending-dependent “social links”) with the character designs and voiced dialogue being… an acquired taste. The combat is an actual “SMT x Fire Emblem”: “leaders” represent units of three with field abilities tied to your demons’ races and the fight turns into an all-out SMT battle (i.e., JRPG with a focus on earning extra turns through elemental weakness, immunity, etc.) where you are rewarded a money bonus for using the mechanics well. Map layouts are pulled from real-world Japanese cities (benefiting their tactical complexity) and done in strikingly detailed pixel art. There’s decent mission variety and the intimidating Evangelion-esque bosses demand new strategies. The brilliant skill crack system, where you have to kill foes with assigned leaders to gain their skills, goes a long way to complicating mission tactics and lure you to take down difficult optional bosses. SMT’s demon fusion is streamlined and painless (and still addictive), but the auction that is the primary source of demons is tedious reload-bait. In true SMT fashion, this culminates in throwing overpowered teams against overpowered bosses. The balance could be a lot better; with late game skills like “Multi-Strike” being broken since the original DS, there’s no excuse. The worst design flaw is the “free battles” which allow you to grind without any penalty to the Persona-like time management. Skipping them greatly enhances the game by making everything finite. How you auction, fuse, skill crack, gain bonuses, and level up becomes strictly important and every battle matters. This little rule is recognized by the Metal Gear-like endgame titles that rewards you in NG+, which is otherwise limited. It’s the same with never allowing one of your leaders to fall. Aiming for these two titles (overlooking the lack of enforcement) has made this one of the best traditional SRPGs I’ve played in a while. The entirely new second arc makes this more than a remake; the plot is poorly paced, but more desperate and climatic, and while there’s fewer battles, the new bosses are better.

VII

The Age of Decadence (PC)
Iron Tower Studio, Iron Tower Studio

Unlike many of its “CRPG renaissance” peers, The Age of Decadence doesn’t feel like an attempt to chase past glories, awkwardly balancing old and new; it’s like it actually came from a time that didn’t care about such things, and by chasing its role-playing ideals in earnest it even side-steps a few issues. But let’s get the bad out of the way: this game is offputtingly ugly and looks shoddy in most facets. The setting is during the downfall of a pseudo-Roman Empire, which, while an uncommon theme, isn’t exciting in itself. Yet AoD makes up for it by having a gritty, unromantic tone it never betrays, an air of mystery that doesn’t beat you over the head, and a RP sandbox that’s easily among the best ever. To put it simply, this is “choices and consequences” done right and done best. The easiest way to see this is to play the opening chapter with each background, as I did, and be left astonished at how everything flows together and how many places it can take you in such a short amount of time. This isn’t front-loaded either, although it is relatively short and fast, clearly designed to be replayed. AoD is “scene”-based, locations and plodding (click-‘n-watching) through them isn’t important. At times, it’s like being in a play, hopping to one major decision to the next at a lightning pace. Skills and stats are not “I max out the mental stats, so I instant win and get to read all the lore!” like Planescape: Torment, they have a sense of weight like combat does. The game will gleefully fuck you over, it will cut you off from major revelations that each require a different build, and it will make you see dialogue choices as something more than an exposition grab bag. Combat isn’t neglected either, despite never being forced upon you and requiring you to build for it, as it’s respectably fleshed out with specialized attacks, albeit limited by having one character. Stats are (mostly) final at character creation and skill points, in place of EXP, is obtained from objectives in a limited fashion. Build-centric, fast-paced, and with untold plot deviations – it’s a true sandbox game for role-players.

VI

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PC)
CD Projekt RED, CD Projekt

In several ways I think The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a step back, yet I find myself appreciating it more. TW2 had my ideal narrative and world structure, whereas TW3 is the so-called “Ubisoft open-world model”. To its credit, it transcends the formula with side quests being of unprecedented quality (at least, in flavor and fluff, it’s quite repetitive otherwise). More than that though, the superb world design contributes to a sense of place like few games do. While it has absolutely no impact on the encounter design, there’s a subtle effect, beyond an obvious beauty that is matchless in the genre, of having almost no disruptive zoning, a finely-crafted realistic world that is still imaginative, and a stirring soundtrack emblematic to the series. No one has used the open-world to strengthened immersion better than this. The ever-present combat is more polished than 2's (if less brutal), but remains borderline mediocre, despite being better than most of its Arkham-styled peers. The concepts (e.g., crowd control spells, multiple dodge types) are decent, but the execution is let down by the tepid enemies and a horribly unnecessary leveling system (the Achilles’ heel). It’s nice of CDPR to include all of these great side quests (not to mention the fancy crafting system), but it's too bad that doing a fraction of them turns the game’s core activity into a total bore. The Gwent card game is interesting and elegant, but depends entirely on your card collection, serving as a metaphor for the level-based combat. The bosses are actually challenging when on level, if not a little clunky. The continuity between entries (a drunken night's tattoo aside) makes the Mass Effect trilogy look planned out in comparison, but there’s something about Geralt (and co.) that makes it easy to overlook. Although the apathetic deadpan snarking somehow manages to never get old, the man shines in those juxtaposing moments where he’s too disgusted to not care, when he’s a hopeless goof, or a father out of his element. With the amnesia gone, he’s become a defined (and great) personality, but this also leaves many choices as ridiculously out of character (when they aren't simply demonstrating “unforeseeable consequences”). Versus 2’s admirable depth, role-playing doesn’t seem to be important anymore. In its place is an even more masterful interpretation of the "Wiedźmin" stories, through better dialogue, characters, and ambiance. Best seen in the amazing Hearts of Stone expansion, the “story-telling” is better, but much more important than that, the overall atmosphere is too. It’s not a trade I’m completely happy with, but I cannot deny how exceptional TW3 is. As for why I simply can’t rank this any lower despite any ambivalence, I think it has to do with how the post-game, after a wonderfully bittersweet epilogue, dropped me in the middle of Kaer Morhen, the same fortress where it all began for me in 2008, and being confronted with how empty it was while walking out; it was devastating, but in a good and memorable way, telling me I had been engaged to the point where “unplugging” hurt.

V

Yakuza 5 (PS3)
Sega, Sega

Yakuza, a series that is painfully overlooked in the west. Often compared to Shenmue, it adapts urban Japan and layers it with a heavy cinematic flavor (in this case, melodramatic, masculine-yet-sentimental crime drama). Kamurocho, a meticulous simulacrum of Tokyo’s seedy, sleepless Kabukicho, is arguably the most developed city in videogames. The red-light district ambiance, appreciable in city-romping and descriptive cuisine (this is painful on an empty stomach), is paired with a playful tone that is often humorous and never cynical at heart. In 5, the effort is carried over to returning Sotenbori (Osaka’s Dotonbori) and, with diminishing returns, three new cities (an astounding new series high). Combat is grounded and slow, where the appeal is managing swarming enemies (now more numerous and with a “reinforcements” mechanic) or dueling “rival”-style bosses (or both at once) with flashy attacks, evades, and situational “HEAT” action prompts that earn you a brutal cinematic attack (only ones to do it better than Platinum). Y4 revitalized the series by introducing multiple characters, but at a steep cost to enemies; 5 fixes this, being closer to 3, while improving on what 4 added. While I much prefer it over the popular Arkham/Witcher fare, the series' combat has some tired flaws: exploitable mechanics (e.g., items, equipment) and the AI is too kind unless you equip “Champion’s Ring” (a must). This can be resolved with some play style choices (e.g., level “Body” last), but I'm still waiting for a “true” hard mode. Outside combat, 5 introduces four elaborate, character-based mini-game systems that, while couldn’t stand on their own, add a great deal of variety. The best of these is the unconventional, but surprisingly compelling rhythm-based idol sim tied to Haruka. 5 has the most complex, tangled plot of the series (a Yakuza and a half, really), but it somehow remains more coherent than usual. The long build up over four chapters pays off in one hell of an epic finale, another chapter onto itself, unlike 4’s awkward boss rush, with a spectacular final battle that almost matches 3’s. These characters get more charismatic with every entry, giving 5 the best extended cast in the series (highlights: Park, Katsuya, Takasugi). I would be remiss to not mention the soundtrack; this series knows how to set the mood for a brawl (or dance battle), although it’s take until the finale for 5’s to stand out. All in all, I have a new favorite in the series.

IV

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. (3DS)
Intelligence Systems / Nintendo SPD, Nintendo

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is often, and reasonably, compared to Valkyria Chronicles (1), but there’s key differences. It’s a fully fleshed out “turned-based TPS”, whereas VC was rather abstracted. Bullets are true projectiles (and cover isn’t a “status”), so when you miss, it’s because you missed. CNS plays this up with fanciful enemy shapes and animations (aggravated with critical weak points). Your characters’ perspectives is all you get, with no map or radar. The level design is just phenomenal and is the reason why I put it above VC. The maps, varying between intimate dungeon crawls to full-blown city areas, are dense with alternate routes and bonus rewards (often character/weapon specific). I can’t think of single bad one; it’s like the antithesis of Fire Emblem Awakening. There’s no difficulty selection, but “normal” doesn’t feel like an “easy”. For a turn-counting, hardcore experience, it doesn’t quite rank, but its sheer creativity makes up for it. Unfortunately, it gives you the tools to steamroll (heh heh) with the save points (the true “easy mode”). Healing and refilling action points at these spots is extremely powerful (and allows rushing resembling Valkyria's dominant scouts) and checkpointing enables save-scumming. To get the most out of it you must recreate one of the unlockable mission modifiers and ignore them outright – ideally while collecting all three “gears” at once and restarting upon character death. At the very least the game strongly encourages this way of playing, since you’ll cut out all grind for unlocks in the process. Speaking of which, there’s virtually no vertical stat progression; every reward, except for the last two, simply mean more ways to play. Mixing the characters and quirky sub-weapon gives you a wide range of options, although you can make it a little boring by sticking to one or two really good teams (I always go with the defaults). The character designs are kind of ugly, but the environments are fairly impressive (and are full of readable notes that give the world extra detail). The premise is like a cheerful Saturday morning cartoon (or golden age comic) that dips into all sorts of cool themes that is also noteworthy for its well-voiced cast (feat. Dr. Venture-ish Randolph Carter) and a hidden-in-plain-sight twist. The music, channeling Days of Ruin, is my pick for the best of the year, shifting between diverse, infinitely listenable quiet and heavy themes. Despite the online functionality being limited and rage quit friendly, multiplayer had me hooked. The balance is all over the place (and the amiibo support and final character are almost unforgivable), but damn if the pseudo-TPS/tactical combat didn’t carry over into PvP in a really enthralling way.

III

Bloodborne (PS4)
FromSoftware, Sony Computer Entertainment

The “Souls” series’ trajectory of new games being a little better than the last continues, but while Dark Souls II was an expansive retread, Bloodborne experiments and polishes within a tighter package. BB what loses to DSII is in customization and PvP. There’s fewer meaningful options from stats, covenants, and equipment, with runes and blood gems as meager substitutes. Dueling wasn’t given a thought and invasions are stacked to where you win mainly from people being stupid. They both mistakenly step away from DS’s Estus Flasks, but BB regresses further with farmable blood vials that become burdensome (conversely, I like how silver bullets work as both “MP” and can be recovered by sacrificing health). But BB can be forgiven as a spin-off of sorts. It gives the familiar combat a new spin with a focus on speed and agility. The bulkier, defensive builds are traded for a better execution of the fast, dodging archetype. It succeeds in having more aggressive and risky battles, using quick side-stepping and attacking to get health back. I’ve always played Souls without shield or range, so I felt right at home. Pound for pound, this has the best combat in the series. NPC duels and the beloved humanoid bosses flourish to new heights; with the best ratio of good/decent/bad bosses, it’s not like the beasts and the other messed up shit you fight aren’t great either though. Even if it softens the difficulty a bit, the common parry/stagger on even bigger adversaries makes their fights more tactical. The level design is on point for the entire game, making it better designed, if not gentler, than DSII's. The world map is nearly as interconnected as DS, but the hub area diminishes the impact and is bit of a nuisance. BB does have the strongest opening (I mean besides whichever was your first), but it’s a little disappointing how bosses peter out after Blood-starved Beast until you reach the optional areas. The Older Hunters expansion did this game a great service, adding the best areas and bosses while smoothing over its flaws. The “trick weapons”, which pairs two different movesets through slick transformations, felt limited until TOH nearly doubled their number; with the whole roster, it’s almost enough not to miss the variety. The Chalice Dungeons are a decent emulation of classic Souls and fill the relative drop in length, but are oppressively generic compared to Yharnam proper. BB’s world is most similar to Demon’s: the lore (including motives, etc.) is hopelessly vague (even for the series), relying on the heavy, (literally) nightmarish mood and peculiar concepts instead. I did dislike the scarcity of true NPCs (windows don’t count!) and the lack of reading material though. The art design, particularly the gruesome enemies who impeccably capture an element of “sickness” and “degeneracy”, is also a series’ best (no humble feat), certainly benefiting from the new gen. What’s most intriguing is the shift in the genre of horror as you move closer to the truth, it’s a really novel connection with a faithful adaptation of famous fantasy concepts.

II

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS)
Capcom, Capcom

I ran up the mileage on my 3DS with the above two titles, but nothing can compete with the time vampire this Monster Hunter turned out to be. I honestly expected to be a little less receptive, but 4 Ultimate is a tremendous entry (plus expansion) of an already great series. I won’t reiterate on what makes MH so notable (see 2013’s list), so let’s consider the new. At 73 large monsters (22 more than U3) this has the greatest bestiary to date, and with the best “bosses” in gaming, that’s very exciting news. Among those, the medium-sized (read: best) elder dragons of gen 1/2 make a welcomed return with touched up movesets. The frenzy virus mechanic is a wholly ingenious addition that elegantly buffs monsters while rewarding players who go on the offensive and punishing those who fail to “fight it off” in time (apex and wyvstones are sloppier in implementation, but serve as compelling late game twists). Even bigger changes are the new jumping attack and mounting mechanics that have been seamlessly added (and will make you quietly forget all about swimming). It’s impressive how they managed to find another quirk to diversify these already outstanding weapons (not to mention the general new additions); I had originally expected the Insect Glaive (one of the two new and increasingly complex weapons) to be the only “jump” weapon, but now Sword 'n Shield and Lance are cooler than ever. The vertical influence is also seen in the area layouts (which, unfortunately, feel like a downgrade in aesthetics and map layout from 3U’s). Mounting is satisfying to pull off, especially when it works with a monster’s distinct properties and force you to consider when to mount. On the other hand, it’s another way to lock down a monster in a series that may already too many (all the more reason not to hunt with a full party). For the better part of the game, the randomized and shareable “Guild Quests” are a neat oddity, if not needless, community feature; at the end of G-rank (“post-post-game”) they dully simplify the progression and I opted to retire instead. 4U establishes itself as the best MH in most of the expected ways, but the quality of the campaign’s narrative came as a surprise. With multiple towns and a meatier storyline, the frenzy virus plot provided a strong motivation leading to an epic finale (and the expansion continues it with a decent tribute to MH2). I’m a little worried about luck making me biased though. In 3U, making multiple sets burned me out, but it just rained gems and plates here; I got to do everything I wanted in low, high, and even G rank for the most part. Doing offline and online quests in lockstep made those investments worthwhile. Maybe I should have used those +400 hours to learn a language, but whatever, it was fun.

I

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (PC, XBO)
Kojima Productions, Konami Digital Entertainment

When a game nails the essentials, it’s hard for me to tire of it. I’ve played hours upon hours of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (plus Ground Zeroes), with months rolling by, yet I still can’t resist trying my hand at a throwaway side op. What we have here is the definitive Rambo game, a third person Far Cry with top-tier controls and mission design. Snake moves with a perfect sense of weight and his animations show off a high degree of craftsmanship. The guns, the dive, even the cardboard box – everything moves with sublime nimbleness. This is a far ways off from the purposeful slowness of earlier MGS (a change started with 4), but it is not as if stealth has been abandoned for “action”; the action component that has always been there has been honed to the point where it can stand onto itself. Stealth-wise, the series has always been about the convergence of elements and possibilities, rather than pure sneaking. Nevertheless, it’s tougher and less puzzle-like than before, seeing how the AI is more aware and reactive (especially during the day). Without reflex mode, enemy markings, and/or buddies, it can be hardest MGS to stealth yet (ignoring the botched scoring/codename system). The balance around reflex is admittedly uneven: it leaves too much room for error, but with it off, the unpredictability can be confining. TPP is thankfully fun even if you go for the overpowered options (e.g., buddies like Quiet or D-Walker), because it’s inherently interesting to see how these cool gadgets and tricks can be put to use (or how you can survive without them) in these dynamic playgrounds (rediscovering Kojima’s renowned attention to detail). Fortunately, guards grow alongside you, including a terrific mechanic that has them adapting to your methods. While one may think expanding Mother Base demands repetitive tactics (silenced tranqs only), after the first few hours, there’s little need to fulton recovery everyone you see – nab the pros and leave the rest for your antics. It’s arguable how much MB truly benefits the game, given the busywork, but it does provide a simple sense of progress to motivate your moment to moment actions. I can say that its exponential requirements is only a problem post-game (if not “post-post-game”, when there’s nothing left to do but farm/buy the game-breaking gear, like MH4U). As noted, TW3 is exemplary of the kind of “open-world” that holds largely aesthetic value, the feeling of “being in a big world”, but has little mechanical worth; TPP is its polar opposite, the sandbox. Otherwise sterile, the world comes alive once you enter an open-ended mission. There’s usually a dozen moving parts, spread over several minor or major bases; you’ll only see all it with multiple tries (granted, you’re pushed to do a harder version in Chapter 2 post-game). The level design (again, irrelevant to a game like TW3) is also excellent. There’s several bases roughly around the level of quality found in Camp Omega in GZ, albeit much smaller individually. FOBs partly cover the lack of classic base layouts; I prefer to stick to online events, unless I really want a challenge. The TPP's bosses may have not have much in the way of charisma, but it does have the best Metal Gear and the top two sniper battles. I don’t want to downplay TTP’s aesthetics either, although it’s the most subdued in the series. The plot may be pushed to the background, but when it surfaces, you’re treated to some of the finest directed cutscenes. The narrative is split between those and a high-quality audio book; it’s fair to say plenty is lost in the gaps, but the main themes manage to endure it. The OST is full of imposing themes (of heroism, horror, and melancholy – doing all the talking for Snake) while licensed tunes and heavy synths put you in the era. Vocally, “Sins of the Father” is only bested by “Calling to the Night”. Thanks in part to the Fox Engine’s lighting, TPP’s visuals are striking, even when depicting a barren scene. My dissatisfaction with the game lies with a desire for more; just give me an expansion, another GZ, even a level editor! There is Metal Gear Online 3 though. As a hardcore fan of MGO2’s Team Sneaking (AI can’t compare to a human for stealth), I can’t say it’s the successor I had wished for, due to low time-to-kill, regen, and chaotic maps. It still works from its solid fundamentals (and promising updates) while retaining enough MGO quirkiness to keep my attention. Well, there you go, a giant wall of text for my GOTY.

Honorable Mentions (In no specific order. Each image links to music.)

Splatoon (Wii U)
Nintendo EAD, Nintendo

Nintendo’s attempt at the competitive TPS is certainly fresh, forgoing “deathmatch”, the least interesting mode, in an objective focused game that makes player momentum itself into a tangible object. Splatoon’s uniqueness is most visible in the exciting movement/stealth potential that serves as its unceasingly viable foundation and varied weapon set that complements it. This comes with some annoying idiosyncrasies, such as very limited map and mode rotations or a perk system that is almost as pointless as it is tedious. Lag can also be major issue with poor player matching. The campaign is basically a 3D Mario in the form of a TPS, but only the first half of one, without the challenging endgame which make those great; still, the final boss alone is worth the trouble. Its youthful, fashionable aesthetic has the makings of a modern Nintendo classic.

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (PC)
Square Enix 1st Production Development / Hexadrive, Square Enix

Type-0 is an unusual action game brimming with creative ideas, although some end up as excessive (e.g., summons, crafting magic). Critical hits come from watching for opportune moments in enemy animations (allowing you to take on the content meant for NG+). High risk/reward bonus objectives keeps you on your toes and elevates some boss fights. Monster Hunter is a clear inspiration in how diverse the fourteen characters end up playing and mastering all of them at once keeps it fresh. Leveling reveals the depth of these styles, but is otherwise a huge mark against the game. The soundtrack is outstanding, but it’s used too reservedly. As Final Fantasy settings go, this is among the darkest and most remarkable. The timed schedule system for NPCs and side quests makes the world alive, but can be frustrating in how it pushes NG+. Nice to finally see this released in the West and on powerful hardware.

Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (PC)
MachineGames, Bethesda

The New Order was such a great game (first mission aside) that a plainly inferior spin-off nonetheless manages to be one of the best of the year. While shooting mechanics stay solid, there’s a lack of encounter and character progression that TNO excelled at, the general atmosphere is duller, and the twist enemy type is a huge flop. In its favor are the superb combat areas, likely benefiting from the needs of the new “arcade mode” (poorly designed from a scoring perspective, but still good for a quick romp). Too much stealth made TNO easy and stale, so I knew to avoid it in TOB. For this, I was punished with harsh enemy reinforcements – a good thing.

Dying Light (PC)
Techland, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Much better than Dead Island. It does the whole cliche open-world, crafting, etc. thing better than most, but it’s the traversal mechanics that stand out. Freerunning around the city remains fluid and engaging throughout, where any quest is a good excuse to do it. I think the design actually benefited from the constraint of being just a single gear in an open-world machine (vs. Mirror’s Edge, which is still better overall), as it forced them to make it more naturally integrated and dynamic to use. The first-person melee combat is competent and, like everything else, gets better with really fun unlocks. The gunplay is trash and becomes a problem with some human enemies. DL has some truly dark, scary nights, where everything becomes meaner (and more rewarding), forcing you to change up your playstyle; this works until the loot system shits itself. Checkpoints punishes you well, but once a resource dumps out, it becomes too forgiving (painfully obvious in some missions). Glad I played it with the downloadable hard mode.

Closing Thoughts:

On games that I missed for 2015's list… I put down both The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes and Legend of Legacy only a few hours into each, while also having only played a handful of hours over a month's time of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. I had originally intended to begin playing Underrail and Rise of the Tomb Raider after those games, but time caught up fast. Two games that didn't grasp me, but I wanted to give another shot were Telepath Tactics and Pillars of Eternity. If given infinite amount of time, I would've also played these games, named off the top of my head: Devil's Third, Tales of Zestiria, Anno 2205, Battlefield Hardline, Assault Suits Leynos (PS4), Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, Stella Glow, and Xenoblade Chronicles X. There were also a few notable STGs I skipped out on because they were previously released in the west (it's stupid I've allowed that to dictate what I play, I know).

So, with access to all three current gen consoles, a 3DS, and a high-end PC, I'd say I'm pretty caught up on the tech side (still don't have a Vita though). The issue this year was irregular playing habits. The first half was dedicated t ao few time sink games (and almost everything I played after that still ate up a lot of my anyway), while the fall saw my time dominated elsewhere (MGSV being one of the only games I had time for), meaning I had to basically rush through releases during the holidays and following month. Well, you can't play everything. Within the games themselves, I've come to be really annoyed by all of leveling (and, to a lesser extent, loot) systems. I mean I always had harsh words for them, but this year seemed like I was dealing with this stuff more often. I've noticed though, maybe as a compromise, I'm more ready to forgive games for their balance, especially if they find ways to recognize my efforts to not break them (if they don't otherwise, I usually penalize them in my head, but still try to have fun with it).

All in all, I look at this list and think "it was a good year for games", although I've never called a year "bad" before. It was a really tight race between the bottom ranks and the honorable mentions (especially Dying Light, which I thought was a shoo-in and had written extensive notes on). (Note that I pretty much ignored Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, which I played this year, since it rolled straight into The Phantom Pain.)


In review:
1. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
2. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
3. Bloodborne
4. Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.
5. Yakuza 5
6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
7. The Age of Decadence
8. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker
9. Resident Evil: Revelations 2
10. Transformers: Devastation
x. Splatoon
x. Final Fantasy Type-0 HD
x. Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
x. Dying Light
MMXV. Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII




If you have a taste for lists like this, these are others that caught my attention, for whatever reason, while skimming NeoGAF's voting thread. I'll include a very short comment, which isn't necessary why I picked them:

Tain - Linking Tain is pretty much a tradition at this point.
Seda - JRPGs.
grandwizard - Makes me wish I played more Siege.
Mechazawa - Excellent use of GIFs.
TheVisualizer - Sports.
Messofanego - My sister's BFF's favorite game is "Fran Bow", which I assumed was a cute girly game until I saw this post.
Darkness Unleashed - First timer.
SatelliteOfLove - Trails.
Fine Ham Abounds - It isn't debatable.
Neiteio - Verbose.
Kabouter - Feel tiny bit better about missing Anno 2205.
Papercuts - Someone to succeed me, after I get perma'd. (That chump ViewtifulJC didn't even do a list!)
kinaesthete - Excellent MGSV write up with illuminating Crytek connection.
adversolutions - Unique top pick.
randomkid - Outrun.
Nocturnowl 2 - Good explanation of Monster Hunter 4's simple ingenuity.

Thanks for reading.