Seriously just perfect in every way. I've beaten this game like four or five times now and the art direction, music, level design and pitch perfect platforming blows me away every single playthrough.
Unlike other platformers where the levels you explore rarely feel organic outside of the realm of game design, the levels and worlds of Tropical Freeze are built to feel like real, living parts of the world the DK crew lives in, and sometimes there's even a cool little narrative that progresses as you travel through the worlds. No two levels are alike and it makes every single moment of the experience a joy. My favourite level, Cliffslide Slide, comes towards the end of the game, and features silhouetted versions of the playable characters against an avalanche, and it's just a sight to behold.
The music by DKC vet David Wise is also one of the best in the entire industry. Songs like Mangrove Cove, Grassland Groove and Punch Bowl are instant earworms, and it's a shame that more of these tracks weren't included in Smash Ultimate.
This one is definitely up there with Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey as one of Nintendo's modern masterpieces. Play it now if you haven't.
Unlike other platformers where the levels you explore rarely feel organic outside of the realm of game design, the levels and worlds of Tropical Freeze are built to feel like real, living parts of the world the DK crew lives in, and sometimes there's even a cool little narrative that progresses as you travel through the worlds. No two levels are alike and it makes every single moment of the experience a joy. My favourite level, Cliffslide Slide, comes towards the end of the game, and features silhouetted versions of the playable characters against an avalanche, and it's just a sight to behold.
The music by DKC vet David Wise is also one of the best in the entire industry. Songs like Mangrove Cove, Grassland Groove and Punch Bowl are instant earworms, and it's a shame that more of these tracks weren't included in Smash Ultimate.
This one is definitely up there with Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey as one of Nintendo's modern masterpieces. Play it now if you haven't.
Why they decided to make this game a cover-based shooter without including an actual cover system is beyond me. That being said this is a pretty decent time.
I'm not completely nuts about the multiplayer, as new players are handicapped right out of the gates because it takes time to level up and unlock the cards needed to make your character actually strong, a fact driven even further by poor matchmaking that often finds you squaring off against people who've been playing for years and their max-upgraded nigh-unkillable Darth Vaders. Expect lots of defeats early on in the game.
That being said, Ewok Hunt is one of the most fun multiplayer modes I've ever seen, even if it's just a Star Wars-ized take on the tried-and-true Zombies mode from several other shooters. It's extremely well balanced, both the Ewok and Stormtrooper classes are fun, and I like that it adds a bit of a horror atmosphere to the game.
The campaign isn't gonna change your life, but for a roughly 6-hour adventure including the bonus Force Awakens DLC missions, it's worth your time if you're interested in Star Wars lore. I just wished, again, that the developers realized that putting players in arenas that look designed for cover-based shooting like Uncharted but neglecting to include an actual cover system beyond a paltry crouch makes combat less than enjoyable.
If you can grab this one on sale, it's definitely worth a few hours of messing around with. Don't expect too much, but it's much better than the disaster it was at launch.
(Game 2/30 in my 1 Year 30 Games list: www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-50-games-2021/)
I'm not completely nuts about the multiplayer, as new players are handicapped right out of the gates because it takes time to level up and unlock the cards needed to make your character actually strong, a fact driven even further by poor matchmaking that often finds you squaring off against people who've been playing for years and their max-upgraded nigh-unkillable Darth Vaders. Expect lots of defeats early on in the game.
That being said, Ewok Hunt is one of the most fun multiplayer modes I've ever seen, even if it's just a Star Wars-ized take on the tried-and-true Zombies mode from several other shooters. It's extremely well balanced, both the Ewok and Stormtrooper classes are fun, and I like that it adds a bit of a horror atmosphere to the game.
The campaign isn't gonna change your life, but for a roughly 6-hour adventure including the bonus Force Awakens DLC missions, it's worth your time if you're interested in Star Wars lore. I just wished, again, that the developers realized that putting players in arenas that look designed for cover-based shooting like Uncharted but neglecting to include an actual cover system beyond a paltry crouch makes combat less than enjoyable.
If you can grab this one on sale, it's definitely worth a few hours of messing around with. Don't expect too much, but it's much better than the disaster it was at launch.
(Game 2/30 in my 1 Year 30 Games list: www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-50-games-2021/)
2016
The final boss fight can go truck itself. The rest of the game is okay if you can find it for less than 5 bucks.
(Game 3/30 in my 1 Year 30 Games list: www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-50-games-2021/)
(Game 3/30 in my 1 Year 30 Games list: www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-50-games-2021/)
2019
Slay the Spire is probably the best roguelike ever made if only because victory is actually attainable. Instead of grinding for hours hoping and praying that RNGesus doesn't smash your perfect run into a million pieces with a bullshit boss fight or an unlucky dice roll, Slay the Spire rewards players willing to put in practice with a well-earned victory.
The more you play, the better you'll get, and the further you get the more you'll understand how the three dungeons work. Starting out it was a struggle to get through the first world, but on my more recent runs it was little more than a minor obstacle on my way to world 3. And trust me, with how addicting this game is, you'll be playing long enough that you'll figure out at least one of the four major classes.
The only knocks against it are very weak music and a minor lack of enemy variety, but they're a small weakness in what is otherwise an awesome experience for anyone who enjoys deck building or roguelikes.
(Game 4/30 in my 1 Year 30 Games list: www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-50-games-2021/)
The more you play, the better you'll get, and the further you get the more you'll understand how the three dungeons work. Starting out it was a struggle to get through the first world, but on my more recent runs it was little more than a minor obstacle on my way to world 3. And trust me, with how addicting this game is, you'll be playing long enough that you'll figure out at least one of the four major classes.
The only knocks against it are very weak music and a minor lack of enemy variety, but they're a small weakness in what is otherwise an awesome experience for anyone who enjoys deck building or roguelikes.
(Game 4/30 in my 1 Year 30 Games list: www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-50-games-2021/)
2018
Aesthetically this game is top notch, with amazing visual design, music, storyline, and voice acting. There's not much I can say about them that hasn't been already said, but I really did enjoy all the characters and the world inspired by Greek mythos. Gameplay-wise...yeah this one's got some problems.
Hades is fun for the first ten or so hours, but then it becomes increasingly repetitive and frustrating as you lose time and time again despite learning the ins and outs of every combat mechanic the game has to offer. This game suffers from a term I like to call roguelike-itis, where you can play perfectly, build the absolute best character you possibly can, find the greatest treasures and boons the game has to offer, and yet still lose on a bullshit boss or a string of frustrating enemy rooms with little to no opportunity to heal. Part of the reason why I loved Slay the Spire was because it didn't fall prey to any of that, and it was incredibly disheartening to see Hades embrace this full-form.
The main source of this frustration is the third world, Elysium. I can't tell you how many runs I've had where I played perfectly through Tartarus and Asphodel, only to have Elysium's ludicrously OP enemies drain my extra lives and then lose at the fight against Theseus and the Minotaur, being sent all the way back to the start to try again. There is a special character that pops up sometimes that refills your extra lives, but he's not super reliable since he doesn't appear on every run and even if you do find him that isn't a guarantee that Theseus and his broken-ass attacks won't tear through them like paper.
And then even if you do make it past Elysium you'll end up in Styx where you'll get killed by something you've never seen before because you have next to no experience in that area, and if by some miracle you make it to Hades himself you'll get your ass kicked six ways from Sunday.
The challenge of besting your godly father and his millions of disciples is awesome at first, inspiring feelings of defiance as the game tells you over and over again that escape is impossible. But as the game went on and I died in Elysium over and over again I started finding Zagreus's confidence misplaced, and that escape really was impossible. I got frustrated that there's no reliable way to heal beyond hoping you'll find a fountain or a special character or the slim chance that Charon will have healing items in his shop instead of crap I don't need. I shook my head in dismay as I killed the Bone Hydra for the third time that day, knowing that no matter how well I did on his fight I'd still probably lose in a few minutes thanks to the Elysium difficulty spike.
Oh, and did I mention you need to beat the game TEN TIMES to reach the true ending? That includes fighting your way through Elysium's bullcrap, Thesus's OP shield defense, the unpredictability of Styx, and the run-ending madness of fighting Hades ten times just to see the credits roll. Not. Freakin'. Worth it.
If you're into roguelikes, this is an obvious recommendation for the storyline alone. For everyone else, Hades is the reason let's plays exist.
(Game 5/30 on my 1 Year, 30 Games list: https://www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-30-games-2021/)
Hades is fun for the first ten or so hours, but then it becomes increasingly repetitive and frustrating as you lose time and time again despite learning the ins and outs of every combat mechanic the game has to offer. This game suffers from a term I like to call roguelike-itis, where you can play perfectly, build the absolute best character you possibly can, find the greatest treasures and boons the game has to offer, and yet still lose on a bullshit boss or a string of frustrating enemy rooms with little to no opportunity to heal. Part of the reason why I loved Slay the Spire was because it didn't fall prey to any of that, and it was incredibly disheartening to see Hades embrace this full-form.
The main source of this frustration is the third world, Elysium. I can't tell you how many runs I've had where I played perfectly through Tartarus and Asphodel, only to have Elysium's ludicrously OP enemies drain my extra lives and then lose at the fight against Theseus and the Minotaur, being sent all the way back to the start to try again. There is a special character that pops up sometimes that refills your extra lives, but he's not super reliable since he doesn't appear on every run and even if you do find him that isn't a guarantee that Theseus and his broken-ass attacks won't tear through them like paper.
And then even if you do make it past Elysium you'll end up in Styx where you'll get killed by something you've never seen before because you have next to no experience in that area, and if by some miracle you make it to Hades himself you'll get your ass kicked six ways from Sunday.
The challenge of besting your godly father and his millions of disciples is awesome at first, inspiring feelings of defiance as the game tells you over and over again that escape is impossible. But as the game went on and I died in Elysium over and over again I started finding Zagreus's confidence misplaced, and that escape really was impossible. I got frustrated that there's no reliable way to heal beyond hoping you'll find a fountain or a special character or the slim chance that Charon will have healing items in his shop instead of crap I don't need. I shook my head in dismay as I killed the Bone Hydra for the third time that day, knowing that no matter how well I did on his fight I'd still probably lose in a few minutes thanks to the Elysium difficulty spike.
Oh, and did I mention you need to beat the game TEN TIMES to reach the true ending? That includes fighting your way through Elysium's bullcrap, Thesus's OP shield defense, the unpredictability of Styx, and the run-ending madness of fighting Hades ten times just to see the credits roll. Not. Freakin'. Worth it.
If you're into roguelikes, this is an obvious recommendation for the storyline alone. For everyone else, Hades is the reason let's plays exist.
(Game 5/30 on my 1 Year, 30 Games list: https://www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-30-games-2021/)
2016
I'm not a huge FPS guy. The only FPS games I've ever really gotten into were Overwatch, which I played until I got completely sick of it, and the campaign of Titanfall 2, which I loved. I never got into Halo and I've never touched Battlefield or CoD. It's just not a genre that's very interesting to me.
That being said, as of right now I think that Doom 2016 is the best FPS game ever made. We'll see how my opinion changes after I play Eternal but that's how I feel after playing this. The shooting is exciting without feeling repetitive, the story is engaging without taking itself seriously at all, and the world is interesting without being a sludge of brown and grey textures. I can't believe I missed this one when it first released.
Part of what makes Doom so interesting is the way it uses your emotions. Unlike most other games that use a story to make you feel happy or sad, or a musical score that'll make you feel relaxed or energized, everything about Doom's aesthetic is systematically designed to tap into the primal rage part of your brain and let that carry you through the entire experience. A lot of this is thanks to the incredible heavy metal score, easily one of the best soundtracks ever created for a video game.
The only thing I'll say against the game is that the segments where you have to wander the massive maze-like corridors looking for specific keys or hallways you missed in the early game are complete buzzkills that mess up the pacing. Thankfully those go away for the most part after the first few hours so they're not a huge problem, just a bit of an annoyance that might deter people like me who aren't great with spacial awareness from continuing the game.
(Game 6/30 on my 1 Year, 30 Games list: https://www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-30-games-2021/)
That being said, as of right now I think that Doom 2016 is the best FPS game ever made. We'll see how my opinion changes after I play Eternal but that's how I feel after playing this. The shooting is exciting without feeling repetitive, the story is engaging without taking itself seriously at all, and the world is interesting without being a sludge of brown and grey textures. I can't believe I missed this one when it first released.
Part of what makes Doom so interesting is the way it uses your emotions. Unlike most other games that use a story to make you feel happy or sad, or a musical score that'll make you feel relaxed or energized, everything about Doom's aesthetic is systematically designed to tap into the primal rage part of your brain and let that carry you through the entire experience. A lot of this is thanks to the incredible heavy metal score, easily one of the best soundtracks ever created for a video game.
The only thing I'll say against the game is that the segments where you have to wander the massive maze-like corridors looking for specific keys or hallways you missed in the early game are complete buzzkills that mess up the pacing. Thankfully those go away for the most part after the first few hours so they're not a huge problem, just a bit of an annoyance that might deter people like me who aren't great with spacial awareness from continuing the game.
(Game 6/30 on my 1 Year, 30 Games list: https://www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-30-games-2021/)
2020
Definitely not as good as it's predecessor but still a damn good game in it's own right. This game is just DOOM 2016 cranked up to 11, for better and for worse.
The story is more expansive and complicated, but I found myself missing the simple yet engaging narrative of the first game. I found myself getting confused at times with how this played out, and a lot of the big moments seemed geared towards longtime franchise fans that I, a newcomer to the franchise, was left scratching my head at.
Coming right off of the original, it took me some time to get used to the upgraded arsenal (especially the chainsaw, which goes from a limited use instakill move to a necessary part of your playstyle), but after finishing the game I completely understand what people mean when they say it's near impossible to go back to the original after playing Eternal. If I ever play the first game again I'll miss my grappling hook super shotgun for sure. That being said, there are times where it feels a little more bloated than necessary. I almost never used the Flame Breath ability, for example.
It's not perfect or as good as it's predecessor, but it's still one of the best games released in 2020. Definitely play it.
(Game 7/30 on my 1 Year, 30 Games list: https://www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-30-games-2021/)
The story is more expansive and complicated, but I found myself missing the simple yet engaging narrative of the first game. I found myself getting confused at times with how this played out, and a lot of the big moments seemed geared towards longtime franchise fans that I, a newcomer to the franchise, was left scratching my head at.
Coming right off of the original, it took me some time to get used to the upgraded arsenal (especially the chainsaw, which goes from a limited use instakill move to a necessary part of your playstyle), but after finishing the game I completely understand what people mean when they say it's near impossible to go back to the original after playing Eternal. If I ever play the first game again I'll miss my grappling hook super shotgun for sure. That being said, there are times where it feels a little more bloated than necessary. I almost never used the Flame Breath ability, for example.
It's not perfect or as good as it's predecessor, but it's still one of the best games released in 2020. Definitely play it.
(Game 7/30 on my 1 Year, 30 Games list: https://www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-30-games-2021/)
2017
This is a good video game that I absolutely don't wanna play anymore. I can't stand most Metroidvanias because backtracking through a massive 2D platformer world with limited fast travel sounds like pulling teeth to me, but this one was really good at limiting that and making it feel like you were exploring and discovering new and exciting things around every turn, and I loved that.
And then I hit the Ancient Basin and it turns out I missed some doodad that's absolutely necessary to continue down the main path and it's a million miles out of my way and I really don't feel like going on that hike. Plus every time I feel like I'm making progress on my way back I hit a door or a wall that stops my progresss and makes me take the long way around and that drives me insane, so yeah. Good game but I'm done with it.
(Game 8/30 on my 1 Year, 30 Games list: https://www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-30-games-2021/)
And then I hit the Ancient Basin and it turns out I missed some doodad that's absolutely necessary to continue down the main path and it's a million miles out of my way and I really don't feel like going on that hike. Plus every time I feel like I'm making progress on my way back I hit a door or a wall that stops my progresss and makes me take the long way around and that drives me insane, so yeah. Good game but I'm done with it.
(Game 8/30 on my 1 Year, 30 Games list: https://www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-30-games-2021/)
2009
The king of the golden age of mobile gaming still holds up to these days, even if the PC version is showing it's age in some respects. Seriously EA, give this game the remaster it deserves.
I was surprised how nostalgic I felt playing this one, I guess the last time I played it was in high school. It's a classic in so many aspects, it's not only the best tower defense game ever made but the aesthetic is one of the most iconic to ever come out of gaming. It really made me miss the days where mobile gaming was stuff like Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja instead of Farmville clones and gatcha madness.
Oh, and the credits song still slaps.
(Game 9/30 in my 1 Year 30 Games list: www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-50-games-2021/)
I was surprised how nostalgic I felt playing this one, I guess the last time I played it was in high school. It's a classic in so many aspects, it's not only the best tower defense game ever made but the aesthetic is one of the most iconic to ever come out of gaming. It really made me miss the days where mobile gaming was stuff like Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja instead of Farmville clones and gatcha madness.
Oh, and the credits song still slaps.
(Game 9/30 in my 1 Year 30 Games list: www.backloggd.com/u/hyena142/list/1-year-50-games-2021/)
2016
"In that moment...I was a marine biologist."
-George Costanza
-George Costanza
2021
better than Mario 35 but not as good as Tetris 99
2007
I forgot how good this game was. Portal 2 is my favourite game of all time, and as a result I've always looked back at the original classic as slow, cumbersome and filled with annoying bouncing ball puzzles by comparison. While preparing to replay Portal 2 on it's 10th birthday I decided now was as good a time as any to revisit the first game, which I've only beaten twice compared to replaying Portal 2 like 20 times. Much to my surprise while it's starting to show it's age graphically for sure, I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting to. Portal is still an absolute gem that anyone even mildly interested in games as an art form owes to themselves to play. The first half is fun enough, but the second half where you're escaping the facility is where the game truly shines, plus the endless stream of quips by GLaDOS are as funny as ever. I'm not sure I'd call it a masterpiece on the level of the sequel but it's an absolute classic and one of the most important video games ever made.
2011
Hard to believe that this masterpiece is already 10 years old. Portal 2 is my favourite game of all time, and in my opinion it's aged beautifully, and is just as amazing today as it was back in 2011.
Everything about this game is perfect. The puzzles and game design are far improved from the original, throwing out the onslaught of bouncing ball puzzles in exchange for thought-provoking and exciting rooms that all feel unique. The story is perfect, building on the simple yet fun plot from the first game to create one of the most entertaining and witty narratives in all of gaming. The characters are perfect, from the returning GLaDOS to the new additions of Wheatley and Cave Johnson. The art direction is perfect, the music is perfect, the jokes are perfect, the secrets and easter eggs are perfect, it just all comes together beautifully. Portal 2 is one of those extremely rare pieces of art that accomplishes everything it sets out to do with flying colours. Plus, you can beat the whole thing in one sitting if you absolutely want to, making it the perfect game to revisit from time to time just to remind yourself that no game will ever reach this level of perfection again.
I should probably finish the multiplayer one of these days.
Everything about this game is perfect. The puzzles and game design are far improved from the original, throwing out the onslaught of bouncing ball puzzles in exchange for thought-provoking and exciting rooms that all feel unique. The story is perfect, building on the simple yet fun plot from the first game to create one of the most entertaining and witty narratives in all of gaming. The characters are perfect, from the returning GLaDOS to the new additions of Wheatley and Cave Johnson. The art direction is perfect, the music is perfect, the jokes are perfect, the secrets and easter eggs are perfect, it just all comes together beautifully. Portal 2 is one of those extremely rare pieces of art that accomplishes everything it sets out to do with flying colours. Plus, you can beat the whole thing in one sitting if you absolutely want to, making it the perfect game to revisit from time to time just to remind yourself that no game will ever reach this level of perfection again.
I should probably finish the multiplayer one of these days.
It's aged pretty well compared to a lot of other platformers of the era, but going back to this after playing Woolly World isn't a great time, especially thanks to how obnoxious Baby Mario's crying is. The sprite art is still some of the best ever though. Definitely play it if you're a fan of the franchise or the era of gaming.
2008
Oh god, my teenage self would be heartbroken to find out how poorly this game has aged. This used to be a pretty cool experimental title (published by EA of all companies) but it's been obliterated by the passage of time in nearly every way. It feels like this game was made with the MO of "make sure the player never has TOO much fun!" because the moments where you get to take full advantage of the platforming and truly enjoy running at high speed always end quickly as an elevator or a puzzle section pops up to completely break your momentum.
You know those really cool freerunning sections you see in all the trailers? That accounts for about 40% of the campaign. Most of the game is spent running through linear hallways, crawling through vents, and wandering around aimlessly waiting for something to turn red so you can figure out where to go next. Plus every jump is juuuust far enough away to make it frustrating as you fall again and again and again just trying to get slightly further and grab the ledge. Don't even get me started on the precision platfoming in the final stage. There's no freedom for exploration or experimentation in your freerunning, it's just following the red until you reach your goal. Sometimes you can take an alternate path or two but for the most part Mirror's Edge is a thinly-veiled railroad.
And then there's the asinine combat, which feels completely out of place in this game. Sure, you can try to use your platforming skills to take out the enemies, but you die in three hits and get cut down in seconds if you attempt anything remotely creative. The only viable option is to disarm a goon, take their gun and enter FPS mode for a few minutes until you end the encounter. Gunplay is extremely clunky too, and every time you're stuck shooting dudes you wish you were doing the awesome platforming.
Luckily some things never change, as the plot, characters and dialogue are just as terrible as they ever were. I didn't even bother with it and skipped most of the cutscenes this time around.
I really wonder what made me love this game so much when I was younger. Was it because there was nothing else like it? Was it the few fleeting moments of running freedom? Or was it because the credits song was awesome?
Yeah, it was probably that last one.
You know those really cool freerunning sections you see in all the trailers? That accounts for about 40% of the campaign. Most of the game is spent running through linear hallways, crawling through vents, and wandering around aimlessly waiting for something to turn red so you can figure out where to go next. Plus every jump is juuuust far enough away to make it frustrating as you fall again and again and again just trying to get slightly further and grab the ledge. Don't even get me started on the precision platfoming in the final stage. There's no freedom for exploration or experimentation in your freerunning, it's just following the red until you reach your goal. Sometimes you can take an alternate path or two but for the most part Mirror's Edge is a thinly-veiled railroad.
And then there's the asinine combat, which feels completely out of place in this game. Sure, you can try to use your platforming skills to take out the enemies, but you die in three hits and get cut down in seconds if you attempt anything remotely creative. The only viable option is to disarm a goon, take their gun and enter FPS mode for a few minutes until you end the encounter. Gunplay is extremely clunky too, and every time you're stuck shooting dudes you wish you were doing the awesome platforming.
Luckily some things never change, as the plot, characters and dialogue are just as terrible as they ever were. I didn't even bother with it and skipped most of the cutscenes this time around.
I really wonder what made me love this game so much when I was younger. Was it because there was nothing else like it? Was it the few fleeting moments of running freedom? Or was it because the credits song was awesome?
Yeah, it was probably that last one.