So, what can join my previous winners, The last of Us, South Park the stick of Truth, Rocket League and Doom? I still stand by all of these choices even though it misses out some of my favourite games of all time like GTA V, the Tomb Raider reboots and particularly the Witcher 3. Despite that after re-playing the last of us Recently I'm not convinced now that it is as great as I thought it was in 2013, then again, see above for cynical. The odd years of late have been particularly kind. I'll save what I'm looking forward to this year for a future post, but it seems to me like we could get an even year that I truly enjoy for the first time since I began blogging. Now here's a related picture to break up the monotony of all this text.
Now, I'm going to list 4 games here as that's been the way it's been for 3 of the 4 years so far, but I would like to give some shout outs to games I have truly enjoyed this year although they don't quite make the list. (if you want to know more in general scroll back a few posts as they're largely talked about). Resident Evil 7 is my favourite survival horror of all time (although it's not really my favourite genre), South park the fractured but whole is my traditional RPG of the year, even though it didn't live up to the stick of truth it was still very good. Mario + Rabbids was my switch game of the year and the best strategy game since 2012's Xcom reboot IMO (that's right, Mario Odyssey and Zelda breath of the wild are two of the most over-hyped games of all time (although i did enjoy the latter (seriously, why do people think any game made by Nintendo deserves an extra boost in their view of it, which makes me think less of them as a result (might actually trade in my Switch already))). Life is strange before the storm delivered way beyond expectations and lives up to the main game, though I didn't believe for a second that would happen with the change of developer, voice cast and the lack of the main character and abilities of said character. Of course Crash Bandicoot N'sane trilogy was a great nostalgia trip and I have to give a massive shout out to 'there's no time to explain' which I played for the first time this hear even though it originally came out in 2011, but if you're a big 2D platformer fan I have to recommend this game, it's a great example of the genre though there's a better one about to be listed properly, and if you've read my blog before, you should know what it is...
Sonic Mania
You're damn right this game is in here, in my opinion the best Sonic the hedgehog game ever made (maybe, might change my mind on that over time), even with my nostalgia for the Mega drive games. This is a love letter to Sonic fans, made by Sonic fans, the best 2D platformer series ever made in my eyes (that's right, fuck Mario). It had absolutely everything a Sonic mega fan such as myself could ever want, great references to classic games (good god the end of chemical plant zone in this game was incredible) and the classic gameplay that I love with the best parts of all the classic games rolled in to one fantastic package. It's not perfect though with a poor choice of special stages and an over the top difficult unlockable system which would lead to a lot of time put in (all I want is to unlock bean mode). That being said I can't imagine a single sequel i could want to exist more in the world, please make it happen Sega. But will it be enough? PS, this has my favourite soundtrack of any game ever.
A Hat in Time
Oh yeah, that's right, the subject of my last post. certainly my favourite 3D platformer since 2007's Mario galaxy, and maybe of all time (it's a head scratcher) despite what I just said about Mario. It's a great homage to Mario 64 which takes its ideas and modernises it which leads to a more up to date, and indeed better game (yeah, I said it). The worlds and fantastically varied as are the missions/ quests and brings a really interesting game with perfect gameplay (for a 3D platformer) with a wide variety of ideas to implement this. However, I've always preferred 2D platformers and the graphics are very substandard which although not overly important I would expect much better in 2017. Negatives aside, this is an ingenious game that breaks down walls in 3D platforming,
Pyre
A truly ingenious mix of RPG and sports game that I didn't even know could exist, or indeed that I wanted, but it turns out I did very much. The story of redemption, though taking a while to get going, is truly gripping and the attachment I felt to certain members of the squad based on a mix of character and on field importance is something I've never felt as you choose who to 'rescue' to the real world, but lose from your teams roster forever, there was some truly tough decisions to be made. (I love you Jodoriel) The sport itself was fantastic with some practice put in to picking your best team as more members of the party/ squad are added frequently, and then taken away at your own hand. Negatives again though, even though the story is great there could have been a quarter of the dialogue removed (probably more) as it was just filler and frankly the ending, itself only taking place in text was not the epic that the rest of the story made you hope it would be. However, for a third time after Bastion and Transistor, Super Giant (the developers of this game) go on to prove they are one of the best developers in the industry that only release great, great games and long may it continue, always innovating, always class.
Horizon Zero Dawn
The only 'triple A' game to make this list (although as already mentioned before not the only good one of the year)' and thoroughly deserved. Before I go on, even though it looked great going in I had to worry based on the developer (Guerrilla) who were known for making the 'big' playstation exclusive FPS series Killzone, which was good, don't get me wrong, but will never be held in the pantheon on great FPS' along with the likes of Half life, Halo and indeed (sigh) Call of duty. But, going from a developer of solid if unspectacular games in that genre (to be fair Killzone Shadow fall, the ps4 launch game was very good) they took a massive right turn to create a huge open world action RPG that not only had potentially the best graphics in any console only game ever made but a fantastic story and fun yet challenging gameplay. Where this came from, from this studio I have no idea but they knocked the new challenge out of the park like a step up from a developer I've never seen.
It must be mentioned though, great story, gameplay, graphics and all their is a massive amount of borrowing from other games in this genre. No game in particular but it is visibly obvious that they have made this jump by hand picking some of the best ideas from games in this genre and putting them together in to one glorious whole (Dave Lister: you already are one glorious hole). Fanatic as this game is I have to believe its inevitable sequel could build on this first entry and make one of the greatest games of all time, and I can't wait, though not as much as I can't wait for Sonic Mania 2.
I'm writing this right now and I still don't know what my winner is but like in Highlander there can be only one due to the rules imposed on myself, by myself.
Okay, I made a tea and had a think, and I choose A HAT IN TIME. The gorram best 3D platformer ever made, fuck Mario Galaxy and what I said about 2D vs 3D platformers (I never said Sonic Mania was the best 2D platformer of all time), I can't remember the last game I 100% completed before this. Will I regret this choice in time like I do The Last of us? maybe, but right now it's what I've picked, a great year and a great game.
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