The Bridge

Until 2019 my favourite bridge was the one in Rubery, Birmingham/ Worcestershire that separated the good Leach heath lane side of the village from the inferior Callowbrook lane side. It steadied the flow of undesirables coming to New Road to do their shopping. Then at the start of this year I found this game had been sitting in my PS plus games for a couple of months but I clearly hadn't noticed it as it came to PS plus on peak Red Dead redemption 2 time, so only gonna be one winner there (I actually think the Bridge is better than RDR2 now). Wasn't sold on the name either, it's fine, but seems more like the name of a walking simulator to me.

What is it? It's a 2D puzzle game. I love puzzle games, Portal 1 and/or 2 are probably my favourite games of all time. There are many more I love, Q.U.B.E, Quantum conundrum, Doctor Robotnik's Mean bean machine and, most importantly to this subject, Braid (that's also 2D you see) (Couldn't get in to the Witness though, don't know why). The Bridge is like no other game I've ever played before.

You essentially have to navigate your way though MC Escher style paintings. For the less artistically intelligent of you (like me before I googled it while playing the game) he's the guy that did the painting 'relativity' (that's the one with all the stairs in different directions). In fact, I liked the game, and the artwork so much I was 1 click away from buying a print of his painting 'waterfall' (obviously buying relativity would be too on the nose and I'm too cool for that). What was I saying about the game?

Right, third time lucky. You have to navigate your way through these levels, taking place in one screen by rotating the world around you (you can walk as well) and playing with gravity. As usual there's levers to pull, sides to fall off and balls of death that follow the worlds rotation with you (that one isn't that usual, more specific to this game obviously, though when you play the first level for the first time you can tell these will be introduced further in).  I wish I could say the game was completed without having to resort to an online guide, I always try my best not to in any puzzle game and I got so, so close, but the penultimate level stumped me, and after the best part of an hour trying to do it, I had to resign to the fact that cheating was required (that's right, looking up how to do a puzzle in a puzzle game is definitely cheating).

The art work in here is absolutely beautiful, it looks like a hand drawn Escher painting, truly astonishing. But, you want it all and you can't have it, there has to be a negative right? well, kind of. The sound, it's calmness fits the game but is very forgettable, and as I play most of my games silenced now with music or Podcasts on unless the sound is great/ important/ coming out of your controller and you can't get away from it (see what I had to say about Rocket Birds 2 to get that reference), it only took me a few minutes to see that volume off would be the way to play.

I hate the way 'games are art' is thrown around, and TV, film etc. I suppose it depends on what your definition of art is, but I don't think just because someone has come up with it, then it's art. Is Call of duty art? is my name is mayo art? Is Coronation street art? If i made a lasagna would that be art? The answer to all of these in my mind is no. This game to me though is art, not just because it's based on Escher, but that they've been inspired to create a game around his art style, the way they have come up with their own ideas based off his, and the novel way this game plays (there's probably been a game that plays like this before somewhere, but I've never played it so it doesn't count). By the way, Escher is mentioned in the game, I'm not just making assumptions. This game is truly special, and for anyone that likes puzzle games it's an absolute must play. It's less than £10. It's it.

You may also like: Braid

Just to catch up on the Sonic playing, I got really annoyed by Rush now and have decided that I've played enough of it to get my feelings together on it. I'm now off to play some of the smaller titles in the series I have access to, along with Days Gone (more like Days long, amirite?). I Probably won't do the Sonic rankings now 'til I've played Team Sonic racing (yes, I will play that before Rage 2), but I'll get there. Besides, the more time to invest in Sonic Dash, the better.

Foul Play

It's a brawler. Think Streets of rage or TMNT Hyperstone Heist, but with a difference, it's all a play, but there is nothing foul about it, glorious play would be a more fitting title (of course, that's not already a saying). This may very well be my favourite game of this genre.

Side scrolling brawlers: a personal history. The first of these games I played was the Master system version of Alien storm, a game that often appears now on Mega Drive collecttions (which has taught me that the music is amazing (as goes for so many Mega Drive games)), and I enjoyed it at the time, but was terrible at it (this would be a problem for many years). It had some weird shooting sections and was very short, not that I'd have known at the time as I'm pretty sure I never finished it (what with the being bad at it). From here I moved up to the mega drive with streets of rage, golden axe and captain America and the avengers (and oh so many more). These all followed a similar trajectory of renting them from the local video store (Oscars video Rubery shout out) and playing them with a friend for several hours, but never getting very far, no matter how many roast chickens we ate. And then they went away.

They did for me anyway, right up until Scott Pilgrim verses the world on 360. I'm probably forgetting some game that came in between but this seemed like the grand return to me, and it looked great, was fun, great to play with friends, and still I was awful. For many years it would go on like this with games like castle crashers and other less memorable titles, it wasn't in fact until Power Rangers mega battle that I put a large amount of effort in to finishing a side scrolling beat 'em up (and I did, hooray!) which was helped by nostalgia, great presentation and of course, easiness (if it didn't have a childhood favourite tie in this would also be very forgettable and would probably never have been purchased, yet alone completed by myself (what I'm trying to say is it's bang average)). And then there was Foul Play

What makes it so good? The way the stage plays work means that the crowd are more entertained with the bigger combos and cooler moves you do, which results in them throwing gangs of simple enemies at you, allowing you to get the big combos you need, while slowly introducing harder enemies as levels go on. Then at the end they add a boss. All the plays (stages) follow this same basic layout, while getting slightly harder and introducing new elements, because that's how games work, and just lets you have fun throughout, without an apple in sight.
The set up is that you are 2 gentlemen from the turn of the the 20th century chasing down mythical beasts as you try to track down your father (hmm, maybe this could have been a supernatural tie in game). The simple cut scenes are played out to a crowd and the game really 'plays up' to the stage performance theme with the enemies being actors in costumes and stage hands appearing to pick up fallen enemies and broken objects. It's classic brawling, done to perfection.

Naturally on line and offline co op are in here to play with a friend and the story is made for their being two characters so you're expected to be playing co op. Unfortunately when I tried to play co op my partner in crime wouldn't shut up and I missed the plot, the tutorials and he started moaning after 15 minutes because it was a new IP even though he'd happily play The Simpsons arcade game all day long. Rant over. the game is to be played co op, if possible.

You may also Like: Castle Crashers

Still plugging through Days gone and forcing my way through Sonic Rush.

Rocket Birds 2: Evolution

It's not an angry birds clone, yes, I was as surprised as you are. Similar to Type: Rider this was a game I played just to fill in a little gap before a game came out (Metro Exodus in this case) and it was an adequate way to pass some time. Another game picked up from PS plus at some point in the past, this is a 2d side scrolling shooter with light platforming elements.

Unfortunately I haven't played the original so I couldn't possibly understand the full depth and weight of the plot, but from what I got you are a chicken called hard boiled chicken (that name is a little bit on the beak), who is out to save chickens being sold as meat by an evil penguin. The game play is decent, though hardly a thrill ride of excitement and there are puzzles that make up for their lack of difficulty with a long length. Part of the way you go about the puzzles is using a phone hacking system that really doesn't need to be in the game as it really slows the game play down to an eggs pace, along with way too many cut scenes that bring the same problem. Also, the levels are too long (you're talking about 45 minutes per level here (though there are plenty of save points)).

It's not all bad though. The visuals and sound (rock songs made by a band named new world revolution (whoever they are) specifically for this game, which is cool) are fantastic while on PS4 the sound of your gun fire comes out of your dual shock with gives a nice surround sound sort of effect. Obviously these tertiary pro's aren't the most important thing to any game (unless that game is 'my name is mayo' (which didn't even have these (hey, at least it was short though))) but it does help drag the game up from below average to average. A real shame as well, if the game had been trimmed back a bit, remove 75% of cut scenes, get rid of the phone and make the levels a little bit shorter this could have been a much tighter experience that wouldn't demand too much of a players time, but as is the game overstays it's welcome. There's some multiplayer mode that I never tried so have nothing to say about other than that it exists (could be amazing! probably not though).

You may also like: The Mummy Demastered

Not sure how many more Sonic games I'm going to get through, getting all 5 GBA exclusive Sonic games is going to cost me a pretty penny, despite how gripping sonic pinball party looks. (seriously though, how was there never a sonic advance collection made), How is Sonic Boom on Wii U still so expensive? I outright rejected playing it on release because I hated the redesign and from reviews looks like it's trash anyway, the first ever sonic game to not be amazing. I do have access to tails sjy patrol though.

My name is Mayo

Throughout the 2ish years I've gone without posting I've switched from a primarily Xbox player to a PlayStation one, though I do still have both. This has lead me to having to start moving away from my 127,119 (and counting (albeit slowly now)) gamerscore and start taking PlayStation trophies more seriously. This game got me to my 9th platinum trophy, and that's all this game is for, an easy platinum, and frankly I have no shame in the fact.

The game requires you to move a cursor over a jar of mayo and tap it, several hundred times (just press X). Of course you can entertain yourself with this monotonous process. Why not try tapping to a beat, or racing yourself (much like a pen clicking race)? The fun is endless (by which I mean there is none)...  Note of caution for the platinum trophy hunters out there who have 99p. You need to open the menu to change costume (costume example: sexy lingerie (see below)) by selecting the in game achievement. Don't be a lemon, you must be yolking me if your saltyness will prevent this game being a mustard. (what an amayonnaising joke). Avoid this game, it's so dumb and suckers people like me in just for a platinum trophy that means nothing to nearly every person out there, and then the people who would care would likely ridicule anyone who has done this.

You may also like: Energy cycle (another game made for an easy platinum (that I also have a platinum on, sigh))

So, another odd one here, and there may be a few more of these to come (they will be better games than this) until I either finish days gone or get through these Sonic games. As early thoughts though, Days gone is okay, Sonic rush is not.

Type:Rider

So, due to a strain on my finances I've been largely playing free or cheap games, and of course the best way to get free games are ps plus/ games with gold and I'm the sort of canny customer who makes sure to grab every game that comes to these services, no matter how good, bad, impressive or forgettable they look, and this is a game I literally forgot I had and frankly, didn't know existed (yes, I've basically been doing my 12 weeks, 12 games from before but without writing about it). While searching through the owned games list I found this 'gem' that came to PS plus in May 2017. So, while waiting for days gone to arrive (more on that at another time) I was sold on this game due to the combo of 2d platformer and a short length. I will play almost any 2D platformer, this included, but despite all the cynicism, this game ended up being rather enjoyable.

This is a game about the history of fonts, yes, that's right. A very nerdy base for a game, but comes together as quite fun. Classic platforms are replaced by letters that you must leap between while gathering collectible letters of the alphabet. Then there are additional asterisks to collect that are slightly more difficult and give you some history about the font (might be interesting, might not, never read them) to find & there are hidden Ampersands to gather as well.

The levels take the forms of different fonts, travelling through the history of writing, starting with cave paintings and moving up to comic sans (the best of all fonts). you play as 2 balls that you can rotate to traverse the levels and help solve the puzzles that appear as the last part of every 'world' for a nice change of pace. The levels are all short, gameplay is decent and the game is just a couple of hours long, so if you like 2D platformers and have a spare couple of hours, and maybe even want to learn something, this game could well be for you. I guess you could say it's font to play (hahaha...).

You may also enjoy (yes, it's back): Thomas was alone.

So, I'm playing days gone now and will come up with some thoughts soon, but will also be going back through some of these other games I've been playing recently and hey, hopefully I'll be able to get my 'joke' insertion back on point and make these posts a more thrilling read.

Game of the year 2018

1 year later... Well almost, straight from my game of the year of 2017 to that if 2018 and hey... the end of the even year curse. So, there's no hints at what's to come so it's an exciting mystery for you and me as I still haven't made my mind up while typing this. This year I've jumped to PS4 being the console I prefer to play my games on, a hard jump with the 120,000 Xbox achievement points I have but it's time to focus on trophies, for me a better system anyway. Also, got a PlayStation pro and a 4K TV, but no Xbox one X (way too expensive).

Okay shout outs. Red Dead Redemption 2. I just wanted to mention it as I enjoyed it (great story, game play not so much), just not as much as these following games, I'm not, not including it to be 'cool'. I want a mention of Shadow of the Tomb raider and Forza Horizon 4. Both of the two previous entries in these series have made my game of the year lists (without ever winning mind you) and although these games are both very good, they seem like they never really improved on the previous games and, like Red Dead they re not as good as the games on this list (same goes for Far cry 5 apart from the previous nominations bit).  Another shout out goes to State of Decay 2, a survival game set in a zombie Apocalypse, though hardly a giant step forward from the original, but hey an Xbox exclusive. Also Orush, an interesting driving game that wasn't about racing but more spins on what are traditionally first person shooter game modes. Yoku's Island express is another, a fun mix of 2D platformer and pinball only just topped by Sonic Spinball in that genre... (Joke, that game sucks whether it includes Sonic the Hedgehog or not), that reminds me of Sonic Mania plus, DLC for Sonic mania that added a fun new mode and a couple of new characters to the base game  One thing that it wont be is Just Cause 4 as I haven't got to playing it yet, so, sorry (probably unlikely to win anyway). And so, the nominees are...

Spiderman

  Does whatever a spider can. If a spider can make the best superhero videogame since 2011. They've certainly borrowed a lot from that other game as well, with the fighting borrowed/ lifted from the Arkham games, though to be fair it's hardly the first game to do so (cough, shadow of Mordor, cough). Add on to that the fun traversal that open world spiderman games have had since the PS2 (though without balloons now), a fun story that knows when to be serious and when to be lighthearted and a great set up to a sequel. Plus a bunch of fun extras to find and do.


Guacamelee! 2

   Let's face it, there was always going to be at least one 2D platformer on this list. Half man, half chicken and half luchador, Juan is a character of many skills. This is a classic metroidvania set in the 'mexiverse', a land of mexican stereotypes, but better than it sounds. The platforming here is great at times, some great brawling and a fun story. There are bosses as well, and although I'm not keen on them there is just enough to give the game things to aim towards and a different type of challenge.


Minit

   This looks like a game straight from the 80's, a very simple top down game with a gimmick, you only have one minute to live, then you die and go back to your last save point. In this minute you have to explore, push on with the story, find secrets and rush to new save points. Practise makes perfect. The game reminds me much of the game I gushed over a couple of years ago 'Westerado' with a similar style of game, but with the added timed gimmick that really makes this game special. I can't think of a better implemented gimmick in a game ever (though there's probably tonnes).


God of War

   I had never played a God of War before, they always seemed like they weren't really my cup of tea, but there was something different about this one (or so I heard, hard to tell with the not playing them before). Kratos' gloomy demeanour makes for a great protagonist, up there with Arthur Morgan for the best of the year. Add to this the slow, deliberate story, the atmosphere and the beautiful scenery and this makes the journey between action scenes a joy, but then you get to the action... I can't remember a game that makes fighting seem to real (ignoring the fact that I don't have Godly might), you can almost feel every axe hit you dish out. And the fighting is so varied, even with only 2 weapons in the whole game (fists are not weapons). In fact, when you're using the different weapons it almost feels like 2 different games. I can't think of better melee combat in any third person action game ever.

Celeste

   And the other 2D platformer is here, and what a beauty. a 16 bit throwback with beautiful graphics (if you like 16 bits (I do)) and the music to match. This is a really tough game but with quick enough respwans and frequent enough checkpoints to not be a frustration. There is plenty to see and do on the mountain (you're climbing a mountain you see), with extra challenges to find, and tapes to find that let you play the game through a whole new way. On top of this there is a game within a game that allows you to play an 8 bit take on the game. The story is there and kind of sweet based around overcoming mental illness, albeit a bit preachy at times. It's the game play and style here that makes it shine. I guess you could say this is the hardest mountain since Gregor Clegane


   I like retro games can you tell? And yet the winner has to be God of war. The story, the setting, the visuals and of course most importantly the gameplay, it has it all. Fantastic.

In case you're even slightly interested that means...

2013: The last of us
2014: South Park the stick of truth
2015: Rocket League.
2016: Doom
2017: A hat in Time
2018: God of War.

   What an eclectic mix.

Game of the year 2017

2017 was a fantastic year in gaming. Up there with some of my favourites like 2015, 2013 and 2007. Now, I've been a gamer since the master system and although I can't be 100% accurate with this guess, I'm going to go with 1991. Many people of a similar age to me look back with rose tinted spectacles at games when they were children, but I'll happily admit more recent times have had better games, even if I have become more cynical and even though I know games in general are getting better over time my nature makes me more down beaten than ever with life in general and even though gaming is my favourite hobby, I enjoy a good box set and a Villa - Bristol city more than I do a good game in general these days, but games are ingrained in me. However, there are still some games that I still can't put down, and here they come.
   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.