Another year down and a bunch of games that has been decided to be my favourite and best games of this year.
10. Hollow Knight: Silksong
While I tend to avoid Metroidvanias due to the fact that they don’t have any directions causing you to explore without any sense of direction and will to continue playing, this game however is an exception. The previous game, Hollow Knight, started off as a flash game on newgrounds and got so popular that they made it into a full-fledged game. This is easily the most anticipated game of this year and it really shows that a simple metroidvania such as this can easily shine through. Silksong seems to be a sequel to the first Hollow Knight game, while I didn’t really play the first game, you really don’t have to play it to know the story. This simple and cute yet challenging metroidvania and platformer from Team Cherry is open world much as metroidvanias tend to be and total around sixty hours of gametime if you 100% it. The platformer parts of the game are fluid and accessible without the stress of utilizing different moves from platform to platform, there are some obsoletes to surpass but it just feels less frustrating that other platform metroidvanias. The combat possesses a challenging endeavor to overcome, while you have abilities you acquire throughout the game, the decisiveness of the action is just really compelling. The smooth flow of the platforming and combat surmise how excellent this game is, the compelling and rhythmic action while the soundtrack packs a strong punch. While the combat is simple, like the previous game, it is still challenging through a wide arrange of difficult bosses surmounting through countless uses of combat techniques. After facing bosses, you acquire different crests which reset your abilities and tools equipped and you use that to your advantage. The puzzles and challenges through the game tend to be difficult and represent a frustrating experience.
Another first person role-playing game from Obsidian, kinda feels like Skyrim and handles like it as well. The dialogue options whether to convince someone or its attribute traits is like Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and other CRPGs in the way of having enough traits to enable special dialogue. There are many builds to choose from sword to shield, gun, lance and so on, many possibilities to benefit your playthrough. Although there are limitations to what you wield, for instance you can’t wield the same two weapons like Skyrim which is odd. The combat feels challenging at first earlier on but vamps up later in the game, the arsenal of weapons you wield can be advantageous and you will find the mobility to be flexible. The world of Avowed is unique and vibrant, it feels very immersive in the general sense. The story and the writing is what Obsidian does best, the lore is very thorough in the sense of being immersive and impactful on your decisions as the Emperor’s Envoy. You can set up camp on specific parts of the map where a large crystal is and this is where you can interact with your companions and progress their storyline as well. Like Skyrim you can craft and enchant weapons as well as cook food in your camp, it will eventually benefit you even further in the long run. The art style just looks gorgeous, the world of Avowed is vibrant with a wide arrange of colours and uniqueness.
Pokemon has always been a favourite of mine, I seriously enjoyed them all. Now with Legends Z-A has massive improvements and other features brought back from older games. One major improvement is the battle system, it no longer retains the turn-based combat much like the previous games but now an active time battle where you attack like the anime series, taking down Pokemon quickly and in an effective way. It is a shame really that I can no longer find the weakness of each Pokemon due to it being an active battle rather than a turn-based and choose the right attack moves from that Pokemon. A caveat that seems neat to me is that special moves of your Pokemon aren’t a factor anymore, there's no limit on how much moves you can use before going to the Pokemon Center to recharge them, One feature returning is the Mega Evolution from Sword/Shield which I enjoyed more than the Terastallize feature in Scarlet/Violet. A shame that the starting pokemon is from Generation 2, I was hoping for the next Gen Pokemon reveal but still its fun returning these Pokemon and how they fight. All of the game takes place at Lumiose City where wild Pokemon roam around ripe for the catching and trainers prepared for battle against you. However what I hate about the new battle mode since Legends Arceus is the seamless transition to the battle, specifically when your Pokemon is huge and blocks the camera, its a nitpicky thing to loathe at but that's the one thing I despise about these recent games. The rest of the game seems boring, later on the game, its a repeat of beating rogue Mega Pokemon, battling trainers to get a challenger's ticket and finally taking on the promotional match to rank up your rating.
Here he comes BANANA SLAMMA, KONGO’s BONGO’s HERO! This new Donkey Kong game is pretty something, it’s just really satisfying and fun. This is the first 3D Donkey Kong platformer since the N64’s Donkey Kong 64, although Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze was the previous of these types in a 2D sense. One of the finest things to do in this game is pulverizing the environment, it’s merits echoes based on Red Faction where you destroy the environment and any wall you can find. As a gorilla you bash and smash the ground and the environment to pulp, gaining bananas as stars from Mario and currency to fund your abilities. Throughout the game, you encounter a companion, Pauline that will vastly benefit your smashing and pounding experience, that will surmount any challenges you face as Donkey Kong. Speaking of benefits, throughout the game, you transform into different hybrids of animals that is your ultimate form, unleashing hell upon your foes, each transformation can take the challenges facing you that level and also affects bosses too. The graphics for the Switch 2 is impressive and what’s even more impressive is the fact you can destroy the environment and there aren't any hitches and frame drops. You can find hidden secrets like fossils to collect if you punch hard enough at the land. However one flaw of the game is the camera, sometimes when you submerge into the ground, you can’t see your character, only a light shadow pounding inside the ground and it gets tedious sometimes to find your character.
I don’t know what to feel about this new Doom, the previous two games left me out in boredom rather than exciting and fun. I think it's the case of having an objective marker so you can be guided there and the mood of it is just boring to me. However, The Dark Ages is really something, something sort of a refinement that has enough freedom in its combat and lots of neat improvements. Like the previous Doom games, you have an arsenal of weapons that can be upgraded to better your gameplay, to much of an extent, it makes it more fun and compelling. As a medieval anarchistic world your character is in, you are equipped with a shield that can block attacks and be upgraded with runes and other benefits that enhance your gameplay. You can mount on things like dragons or mechs that surmount on navigating on its terrain, while flying on a dragon is sometimes lackluster, it could be fun sometimes in part of its cool design. You really need to maneuver yourself throughout the battlefield, dodging and parrying projectiles, having a quick reaction towards your enemies. The graphics are impressive much like the previous two games, the effects in gore and violence that plagues the gameplay with hellish demons and creatures is just straight out fantastic.
5. METAL GEAR SOLID Δ: SNAKE EATER
Virtuos LTD. has done it again with remaking Oblivion Remastered and now this remake of MGS 3 Snake Eater. It reimagined differently than the original with high definition graphics, a third-person action perspective while still retaining its original voice cast and other quality of life features like from MGS5 The Phantom Pain. However, I found out that the voice acting is taken from the original so it felt a little lazy on not getting the original cast back together. Like Oblivion, this game is on the new Unreal Engine and it looks impressive, it captures the heart and soul of the original game. However, like the Unreal Engine, there are some performance issues with crashes, that happened to me in Oblivion Remastered as well. The game while the plot is the same as the original follows an agent codenamed Naked Snake and his task as per part of the Virtuous mission is to rescue a soviet scientist that wants to defect to America not knowing the consequences of his actions in this Cold War era game. Just like Metal Gear Solid 3 Subsistence introduces the Third Person Camera perspective, Delta continues to follow that trait with two modes, this one and legacy which is the camera perspective from the original PS2 version. One returning minigame is Guy Savage, the game included in the PS2 Snake Eater that happens after Snake getting tortured by Volgin and has a nightmare of this game, where you play this character fighting monsters which I was thrilled to see again. The longer playthrough of that game is unlocked after beating the main game.
This game is definitively better than Assassin’s Creed Shadows, not from its presentation and storyline but its immersive combat and atmosphere. However, there is a group of enemies called the Yotei Six that sounds like what Shadows’ Naoe is seeking vengeance upon which was the Shinbakufu. The graphical presentation of the PS5 of this version looks impressive, the detail of killing your enemies to the whole world of Yotei is just outstanding from the ever-changing terrain changes it balances the style of gameplay. The audio and sound improves much more than the previous game, with collaborations with other directors and composers that affect your combat styles. Speaking of combat styles, each weapon you wield, whether its duel swords or spears, each of them have its strengths and weaknesses and will carry a favour for you against menacing opponents you encounter throughout the game. As Atsu, you are equipped with a Shamisen, a musical instrument which in key parts of the game can learn new perks such as finding hotsprings, shrines, wolf dens and so on.
3. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
To be honest, I played the previous Kingdom Come game for a couple of hours and I didn’t really like it. The fact that the game doesn’t really have a direction going in terms of an objective to track is frustrating at times. Now the sequel is a completely whole animal, with improvements of the gameplay and how it controls and other compelling features. This medieval choring simulator is daunting at times for its menial tasks but it really does sound fun. The combat has improved as the handling of using your weapon feels much better and the frustrating part of the vast world of going no direction of your objective feels improved and just fantastic. Just the handling of the weapon feels solid and flows through like clockwork, your arsenal of weapons of which you utilize from ranged to melee combat stems from the merit of them. The dialogue is improved as well as speech checks are more liable to persuade other people to open up on you. The game’s immersion feels like you are in an Eastern European medieval era and just the atmosphere of it is breathtaking. The alchemy system feels like that Harry Potter game, you have to follow what the book tells you, step by step to create a potion. It feels annoying to do at first but it will soon come easier as you progress later on. Other professions like blacksmithing is like a learning curve as it is not like Skyrim, you have to tamper your blade in rhythmic fashion to get the best results of the weapon you are crafting.
With 1.0 being released, Hades 2 promises to be a more fun adventure rogue-like with a new character and antagonist to encounter. The combat is still the same with some caveats but it is still engaging and enjoyable to say it at least. There are many combat options to be utilized while you fight your opponents, unlocking new possibilities. The new features are boons and arcana as well as incantations which can benefit your way while you combat your opponents on the battlefield as well as a plot device whether it's a new area or so. Granted the game is challenging but the patience and virtue will pay out in the end and it is just as great. The bosses in the game like the previous game can be tough to beat through its precision yet being patient and efficient in the battlefield does wonders. There are new types of enemies in this world, a wide range of variety, all with their abilities and what not, it's really advantageous to your potential. The artstyle still looks unique and vibrant, I really admire the look of it through and through every single character in the game. Every run is different bringing a wide range of new narration, story and places to explore on the mend with Chronos at Tartarus.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur is a turn-based RPG and it is indeed a fun one. The turn-based combat feels like a japanese role-playing game, something like from the Persona series, and certain attacks can be executed by timing the buttons to ensure a powerful blow and dodge or parry your opponents. The graphics look pretty, the world of Clair Obscur resonates from the beauty of its detailed facial features to the vibrant and colourful world filled with mystery. Just the artstyle of the game really looks beautiful alongside with the music which makes a great pairing. The audio and the voice acting is the next level, it has an ensemble cast of actors including Charlie Cox, Ben Starr, Jennifer English and Andy Serkis, and the sound makes you immerse into the world of Clair Obscur. The story begins 67 years before the start of the story where a cataclysmic event known as the Fracture destroyed the European-like continent and remains a fractured world being left ruined. The beginning is something out of a European fairytale as it works up to be, the love interest between Gustave and Sophia, so resonates with an impactful, emotional storyline. One annoying thing is that while there is a map in the overworld, there isn’t a map on the location that you went, making you lost at times and have to retrace your steps and find the right path.
