Sakoda
Every medium has its tentpole works that have impacts so widespread, it is almost impossible to think about a world with no Ocarina of Time. What this game did for world design, exploration and 3D gaming are irreplaceable. However developers have built of this game's ideas off so much that its innovations have become ubiquitous. It makes going back to play it a bore. I am, however, shelving it rather than dumping it entirely because Ocarina of Time and how it broke the formula of what are now "open-world" games even in a post-BotW are still important. Maybe another time.
2021
Metroid Dread is seamless in execution. It is undoubtedly the largest 2D Metroid game, but also the easiest to explore. The game's sporadic map layout but subtle level design ensure that the player is always tense, but never lost. Moreover, the mechanics are harder and more precise than ever. The fluidity of combat rewards the player for being light on their feet, but it is the balance between laying down fire and dashing around the stage that gives it such complexity.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengence hand Uncle Sam's boot so far up its ass and this game is Japanese. 90% of what anyone says is pseudo-philosophical technobabble and the last 10% is someone telling you who to kill. The dialogue is off the walls stupid. Yet, this game is more metal and more anime than anything else. It will break out into song when you're mincing enemies. Memes flow, satire flies, swords swing, bullets deflect. This game is tune for maximum bullshit energy. The final boss, a fictional US senator, quite literally says he will "make America great again." This game came out in 2013. Fuck subtext. Subtext is for bitches. I do not think I have worked out without listening to at least one MGR track since beating this. The volume of insanity is godlike. A classic that earned its status with raw, undistilled, mask-off horseshit.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is equal parts tranquil and exhilarating; it is the triumphant fantasy of a generation. I left this game feeling full, feeling empowered, feeling a renewed passion for art. BotW is a grand adventure of not much at all. Link must stop Ganon, but he must also reflect on a history of decadence. There is an urgent need to seal away the darkness, and collect 900 piece of literal shit.
2018
Broken Reality is an exploration game and an analysis of the vision of the future promised in the 90s that we never got through the framework of vaporwave juxtaposed by a thin-veil of hyper-real consumerism. Debate over vaporwave being a cesspool of irony or an artistic movement perfectly underscores this game's message. The tonal whiplash between stoner humor and the superficiality of internet fame is pungent, but fun.
Katamari Damacy is both the most joyous game I have played and one of the most cynical. It has bright colors, unconventional gameplay and one of the most pleasant soundtracks. But it also houses a critique on consumerism. The stars are gone and you must rebuild them by rolling a ball around collecting stuff. There is all this material mass, plenty to make constellations, but it will never enough, the king will never be satisfied. You will only ever be a lonely rolling prince.
2022
God of War Ragnarok does not feel real. How did people, artists, manage to make a work this bold, this massive? It evolved where it needed to and flipped the fucking table where it was least expected. This is the pinnacle of human creativity (surely to be surpassed). It took its predecessor's innovative story format and supersized it. It forgoes simplicity to dig deep through the realms and uncover its many legends. The smallest characters can leave the biggest marks. The humblest tales can profoundly move us.
2008
Chrono Trigger is effortlessly beautifully. It is in conversation with the player about the profound simplicity of fantasy, but it retains the elegance of child-like whimsy and discovery. It reminded me of what it feels like to engage with the experience of growing up. I am still a teenager, but time moves fast and I should revel in my youth. What we might now see as basic, was revolutionary when this game came out. It is the culmination of every idea the industry thought was too bold and ambitious. Now, Chrono Trigger stands as a timeless legend made by radical dreamers.
2017
NieR: Automata successfully examines the many abstract facets of humanity through the eyes of character that have never seen a human. This game is not post-apocalyptic, it is post-society. What is humanity, but a cycle of highly consequential series of events in life and death caused by our unwillingness to change. This is juxtaposed by the need for an answer to every question, a need for divine purpose among the androids and machine lifeforms. This game is brimming with philosophical symbolism and undertones from nihilism to existentialism. This piece might come off as the typical "sentient robot" story, but it is far more interested in critiquing real human philosophy and schools of thought both Eastern and Western. Yoko Taro's 2017 masterpiece is a genre-bending, sympathetic, tonally diverse, emotionally stirring and subversive work of interactive art.
The ambiance struck by the soundtrack is bold, but almost alien. It sets the tone for the game and its explorable areas; it creates a sensation of unfamiliarity, almost as if we are discovering the surface of the Earth for the first time. Sung in what the lyricist called "Chaos language," the track envelop the player in vocals that sing similar to real languages, yet the changes made force listeners to reconsider the world they are accustomed to.
The ambiance struck by the soundtrack is bold, but almost alien. It sets the tone for the game and its explorable areas; it creates a sensation of unfamiliarity, almost as if we are discovering the surface of the Earth for the first time. Sung in what the lyricist called "Chaos language," the track envelop the player in vocals that sing similar to real languages, yet the changes made force listeners to reconsider the world they are accustomed to.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is a new game based off the legacy of one of the most important stories every programmed. FF7R's meta storytelling and expanded world redefine what it means to be a remake. FF7R is a forward thinking tribute to what makes the Final Fantasy franchise special and what the franchise has going forward as newcomers join in experiencing the heartbreak and rejoice of the many legends of Midgar.
Chicory: A Colorful Tale embodies the hardship artists face in becoming in tune with their creations. Abusive mentors, insurmountable expectations, and a lack of belonging all plague the artist in this expedition about the secret behind color. Chicory puts the play at the forefront of the art. The world is colored the way you want it to be, each canvas is open to the painter's content. The inhabitants of its gentle world inspire the player with thoughtful introspection into their work.
2020
Streets of Rage 4 might be a revival of a retro franchise, but this game does not "feel" retro in nature. Fighting game inputs, semi-realistic lighting models and comic book-like characters put the atmosphere of this game on another level. Despite the modern veneer, the game still pays its respects in full to the entries that preceded it while sharpening its edge to perfection. The gameplay is the epitome of crisp; the characters, radical
2020
Ghost of Tsushima pays homage to the dramatic and poignant cinema of Jidaigeki directors by delivering an interactive experience worthy of the powerful art of its predecessors. An astonishing work of aesthetic perfection. The gameplay is so dense and rich with high quality material that is tied to Japanese folklore, art, spiritual and military culture. There is a lot of everything, but it is intrinsically tied to the worldbuilding. So it never feels forced or bloated, it seamlessly adds to the experience. The game prides itself on its varied world, enabling unique moments of violence and tranquility.
Shadow of the Colossus left me asking a myriad of questions because the game invites you to. Its worldbuilding and minimalist storytelling offer the player a narrative that intentionally lacks direction to make the player feel like an interloper. The vague plot and largely desolate world had me wondering why it was this way. What happened to this land? What was there before? Why are the colossi here? What are the colossi? The deeply layered world of questions provide meaning to the hero's plight.
2018
Celeste merges brutal gameplay with one of the most thoughtful narratives about mental illness ever programmed. Never have I felt so invigorated to finish a game. Climbing Celeste mountain was a cathartic journey through Madeline's complex emotions. I would go from thinking I am a platforming god to an idiot to losing my shit over how cute the graphics are all in thirty seconds. Despite the difficulty, it is a motivating challenge that never left me burnt out.