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Happy New Year! I’m beginning 2022 with my favorite video games of 2021. It wasn’t a particularly great year for either gaming or movies, but I found a handful of solid releases. I’ll give you a brief synopsis about each selection. Check it out and have fun!
New Releases in 2021 Aliens: Fireteam Elite I’m probably the only fan of this co-op game. The latest Aliens game features three futuristic marines who are wiping out a colony of deadly aliens to avoid a full blown invasion on Earth. It’s a straight forward, pure, and authentic experience for anyone who enjoys the Alien film series. The plot takes place many years after the most recent movie, but it literally feels like you’re in the middle of Aliens, Prometheus, and other entries in the franchise. Your team will blow away Xenomorphs, androids, and a few new enemies at a frantic pace. I don’t usually play multiplayer games and fortunately, this release offers a single player mode with bot teammates. It actually works pretty well, even on single player mode. The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes Narrative horror games are rare, but House of Ashes is a really good example. It’s much better than the previous Dark Pictures games with solid animation, a decent mystery, and a cleaner QTE system. I’m sorry to report, this game isn’t scary, but it has plenty of excitement, atmosphere, monsters, and action scenes. Your choices make huge consequences, so choose wisely. House of Ashes also has better replay value than the average narrative adventure. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles I fell in love with the Demon Slayer anime series, which means playing this fighting game was a logical decision. The Hinokami Chronicles might not be the greatest fighting game by any means, but it’s a faithful adaptation of the show’s first season. It’s genuinely fun and the combat system is pretty good. I wish this game had difficulty settings because the challenge curve is really weird, but I’m pretty sure you can have infinite continues upon defeat. If you like the anime, this game might be a smart choice. The Forgotten City This narrative mystery was a criminally underrated title from 2021. It barely had any attention. The protagonist is an adventurer who travels back in time to the Roman era and loops through the same day eternally. This game has a remarkable story with a convincing mystery and plenty of unexpected twists. The characters have excellent development and the time loop elements are interesting rather than annoying. It’s a fabulous blend of storytelling, exploration, puzzles, and occasional combat. The Forgotten City requires players to wear their thinking caps and I really appreciate it. KeyWe Don’t let this game fool you. It’s probably the most difficult game I played in 2021. KeyWe is a co-op puzzle and speed run game with kiwis who work at the post office. Keep reading because this game is actually good. The kiwis have to mail packages, type letters, and complete other tasks before the timer runs down to zero. You have a very limited time to complete each mission. The gameplay can be really frustrating, but it’s also a lot of fun. It’s probably easier to play with a friend, although I stayed with the single player mode. KeyWe is a nice option if you enjoy puzzle games and a good challenge. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Surprisingly, I like this game better than the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. That’s very high praise! It’s a linear adventure game with a unique combat system, a great story, excellent humor, and lovely animation. I encountered quite a few bugs and glitches, but they didn’t ruin the experience. This game doesn’t have a direct connection to the MCU films, although it treats the source material with respect. I think many gamers dismissed this release because Marvel’s Avengers was so disappointing, but you should check it out. It’s probably my second favorite game of 2021. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl The remakes of Diamond and Pearl aren’t getting the best reception from critics or Pokémon fans and I don’t understand the problem. Both games seem like faithful adaptations and they’re really fun to play. The environment includes a large quantity of pokémon to catch and training them isn’t a particularly huge grind. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl also have a new dungeon map called the Grand Underground, where you can catch high level pokémon, rare items, and more. I find the chibi character mods a little freaky, but that’s a small gripe. Resident Evil Village If you really like horror games, I highly recommend Resident Evil Village. It’s an utterly terrifying experience with less frustrating elements than the average survival horror title. Village is atmospheric and entertaining with a unique cast of villains. The gameplay mechanics are excellent and the inventory management is fair. In general, this game feels brutal in an oddly pleasant way. It provides a smorgasbord of monsters and the plot is probably a little better than the average Resident Evil game. This title reinvents the franchise while remaining faithful to the hardcore fan base. Resident Evil Village is definitely my favorite game of 2021. Scarlet Nexus Here’s another gem that fell through the cracks. I don’t think anyone played this game. Scarlet Nexus is a JRPG that’s based on the anime series of the same name. It has really fun gameplay, a sprawling skill tree, well crafted characters, and a handful of entertaining side missions. The plot is confusing sometimes, but the game is still a real treat in most ways. Scarlet Nexus has an unusual variety of monsters and really cool cyberpunk elements. This game is available on Xbox Game Pass, so you should totally give it a chance. First Time on Physical Media The following games aren’t new on the market, but 2021 was the first year distributers offered them on physical media. That’s good news for people like me who enjoy collecting games. You can purchase these games from Amazon, Best Buy, Target, GameStop, and other retailers. The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles Originally, the Great Ace Attorney series was only available in Japan. Now you can play several of the games on a single save file in the United States and other regions. The series is a courthouse drama takes place in Victorian England. You might find the premise boring, but it’s actually really interesting and amusing. The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles takes influences from narrative adventures, mysteries, and soap operas. It’s a really entertaining form of gaming, even though each title is probably too long for comfort. You can also turn on an automatic mode and watch it like a movie. Break out the popcorn! Hades This rogue-like game was a tremendous hit in 2020, but it wasn’t released on physical media until Spring of 2021. Hades is a hack and slash game with anime style visuals and a story that focuses on Greek mythology. Inevitably, you’ll die and restart from the beginning many times. Never fear because you’ll become stronger with upgraded weapons and other permanent items that will make the game progression easier. Death is actually an important part of the story that opens new chapters, opportunities, and conversations with other characters. It’s a really fun adventure and one of the most memorable indie games in recent memory. Samurai Jack: A Battle Through Time You might not recall the Samurai Jack television show on Cartoon Network, but it was really good. Limited Run Games released a physical copy of this adaptation some ago and now it’s available through Best Buy. It’s a straight forward, linear adventure game that features a time traveling samurai. This game isn’t very complex, but it’s a fun and faithful adaptation of the animated show. It also plays really well on the Nintendo Switch in handheld mode. If you’re looking for something a little shorter and less convoluted, try the Samurai Jack game. West of Dead: Path of the Crow Here’s another rare title from Limited Run Games. In fact, only five thousand copies of the Switch version were released worldwide. It’s somewhat like Ghost Rider in the Wild West. The protagonist is a dead gunslinger who’s making his way through Purgatory by fighting zombies, monsters, ghosts, and other entities. It’s a slow burn like most westerns, but the combat works really well and permanent upgrades are part of the story progression. West of Dead was released during the rogue-like craze and it’s an effective system. After all, the protagonist is already dead, so it doesn’t matter if you die and start at the beginning again. You can also take different paths and weapons on each run to add variety. A digital download is probably the best option for most gamers, but hardcore collectors can find physical copies on eBay and Amazon. That’s the end of my list! What were your favorite games of 2021? Are you still catching up on a backlog of games? Honestly, I don’t have a lot of plans for this year because the pandemic is still running amok. Most likely, I’m not returning to conventions, traveling, indoor dining, movie theaters, or concert halls any time soon. This COVID-19 situation needs to be a lot more manageable before I go back to my pre-pandemic activities. Fortunately, I have plenty of topics to discuss on my blog. Eventually, I’ll break down the 2021 movie slate. It might take a while for me to see everything digitally, so be patient. I’m also planning to have more Q&A sessions with people in the steampunk and writing communities. Stay tuned for more updates throughout the year. I’m sure 2022 will be a rollercoaster for everyone, so remain opened minded. Enjoy the New Year and have a good week.
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Happy holidays, everyone! I hope you're all having a great Christmas weekend! Here's another round of game reviews from the backlog of my library. Maybe you'll spend some of those holiday gift cards on these games if they spark your fancy. Are these games worth your valuable time and money? Keep reading to find out.  Let's begin with the most recent Life is Strange game. True Colors features a protagonist who has the ability to identify people's emotions and manipulate them to a certain extent. For example, she can help someone overcome their grief and feel at ease. It's an unusual and interesting take on super powers with excellent character development and great storytelling instead of action scenes. The graphics are gorgeous, the plot has plenty of unexpected twists, the voice acting is superb, and your choices drastically alter the outcome. Despite having some flaws, True Colors is definitely the best entry in the Life is Strange franchise. This game is a strong narrative adventure, but it lacks replay value. Once I finished the game, I never felt the urge to play it again. Even though choices and consequences are a major part of the story, the ending and overall plot never changes. Additionally, I feel weary about the main character’s powers. She can listen to people’s thoughts and manipulate their feelings. It makes her seem like a busybody who’s projecting her own issues by making everyone else feel better. However, people need to sort through their own anger, sadness, regrets, and trauma. True Colors appears to have good intentions, but the primary message left me feeling conflicted. It might not be a perfect game, but Life is Strange: True Colors is worth playing at least once. I’m not sure if you should buy it at full price. Maybe wait for a sale.  Quake might be a good choice for people who enjoy retro computer gaming. If you remember the original Doom series, the remaster of Quake is probably be up your alley. This title is a first person shooter with a variety of weapons and monsters. I wouldn’t call it a true horror game. It’s more like a frantic action game with monsters and dark fantasy elements. Overall, it’s a fun experience and a nice callback to an earlier period of gaming. You can also look up various cheat codes for access to specific missions, weapons, and other perks. I’m not sure how many people will really finish this game. Quake is entertaining, but it lacks variety and direction. Most of the levels feel the same and it’s very easy to become overpowered with certain weapons. Finding the right keys and secret passageways can be frustrating. I spent most of my time trying to find the exit to each mission, long after the enemies were dead. Should you buy the remaster of Quake? I would say it’s fine if you really like the old Doom games. It’s available on Xbox Game Pass and that’s probably the best way to experience this release.  Warhammer: Chaosbane is a top down RPG in a similar vein to Diablo. I’ve seen many Diablo clones, but Chaosbane is one of the best examples. It’s a fun dark fantasy with a variety of RPG elements, upgrades, weapons, enemies, move sets, and more. The gameplay and missions are somewhat repetitive, but the formula works very well and it never feels mundane. It has everything gamers want in a Diablo-like release: a solid RPG system, a gritty fantasy setting, and frantic gameplay. The drawbacks are pretty minimal. Like most Diablo clones, Chaosbane has a route storyline with mediocre voice acting. It’s less challenging than other games in the genre, which probably means you’ll need to crank up the difficulty settings. Once you’ve played a Diablo-like game, everything looks the same. Play this game for the action and gameplay, not the plot. Overall, I highly recommend Warhammer: Chaosbane. Nearly all Diablo-like games have fundamental issues, but they’re not particularly terrible or distracting. The entertainment value, RPG system, and dark fantasy setting is more than enough to keep gamers engaged. You can purchase the enhanced Slayer’s Edition at most retailers.  Deathloop is an action RPG and first person shooter that's set in a retro time loop setting. It was a nominee for Game of the Year, but I fail to understand why this game received critical acclaim. The gameplay and upgrade system is very confusing. Trailers are deceptive because they show the protagonist performing a multitude of flamboyant actions and kills. It takes a really long time to reach those move sets and many players will never learn how to accomplish those combinations. Basically, Deathloop relies primarily on stealth gameplay because open combat probably won’t end well. I became frustrated with the time loop elements. The day starts over whenever the player character dies. After a while, it gets pretty old and repetitive. The story is forgettable and the graphics don’t seem like a next generation experience. Deathloop has great voice actors, but their performances weren’t enough to keep me hooked on such confusing and frustrating gameplay. This game wasn’t for me, but I’m sure many players will enjoy it. Deathloop seems to be getting a lot of positive reception from both critics and gamers. However, it’s also one of 2021’s most divisive games. If you feel like playing Deathloop, keep your expectations realistic. I’m also seeing holiday sales, so it might be a good opportunity.  Tormented Souls is a survival horror game with influences from the original Silent Hill and Resident Evil games. Honestly, this game isn’t very good, but it has some charming elements. It’s similar to survival horror titles from the original PlayStation era. The animation is appropriate for this type of game, the inventory management is a step up from older horror games, and the fixed camera angles work really well. However, this game also has a lot of problems. The story is downright bad and predictable, the map is useless, and the game isn’t particularly scary. It borrows the same environments from earlier PlayStation games, such as a hospital, mansion, and mausoleum. I suppose those locations are homages to popular horror games, but it just feels derivative and unoriginal. Tormented Souls also incorporates single use save points in the form of audio players. It means players can only save their progress in a given location once. That’s an obnoxious component from the original PlayStation era and it needed to be left in the past. I certainly don’t recommend spending money on this game. Tormented Souls might be nostalgic for some gamers, but modern audiences won’t have an appreciation for this release and the execution was pretty weak.  Gamers who are looking for stealth adventure games could try out Aragami 2. It primarily focuses on stealth combat through sneaky traversal and magical abilities. Head on combat will usually lead to a quick death. Aragmi 2 was a disappointing release from the Fall 2021 schedule. The enemy AI, stealth mechanics, and overall gameplay is a bit clunky. Additionally, the missions are incredibly repetitive. The skill tree isn’t very interesting and the story is forgettable. 2021 was a competitive year for games and Aragami 2 fails to stand out. Stealth games are cool in terms of concept, but they rarely pan out. Obviously, I don’t recommend spending money on this release, but you could try it on Xbox Game Pass.  Song of Horror is a survival horror game with some unique gameplay mechanics. Here’s another game with interesting ideas that don’t work out in practice. There’s no combat in this game, which shouldn’t be an issue, but the gameplay is very tedious and dull. Players must be careful with the characters because death is permanent. You must search for essential items and listen for activity behind each door. A lovecraftian monster is hunting down the characters, so listen for suspicious noise or whispering before entering any room.
This game might seem enticing, but it’s actually super frustrating and boring at the same time. Most of the time, the game is slow with very little activity. None of the characters are interesting and the story is pretty minimal. Seriously, I couldn’t tell you why a shadow monster is popping out of a music box and attacking the characters. The plot doesn’t provide any context. Multiple characters will probably die randomly because the creature can be difficult to avoid sometimes. Ultimately, your decisions don’t seem to make a difference. Most importantly, this game isn’t scary. It’s really dark, but the gameplay is more obnoxious than frightening. So, I would say it’s a good idea to skip this game too. My backlog has many great releases, but some of them are disappointing. That’s all for now! We’re almost done with 2021 and it’s been a really crazy year! Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates the holidays. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas or other holidays, I hope you can find some time away from work and stress. Pretty soon, I’ll post my favorite games of 2021. Some time after New Year’s Day, I’ll post my thoughts about the 2021 film slate. No offense to filmmakers, but I thought most of the movies from this year were lousy. I just need to watch some of the late 2021 releases, such as The King’s Man, Eternals, and a few smaller films. Enjoy the rest of the year and I’ll be in touch right around New Year’s Day. Good night! |
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May 2019
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