Top 3-to-10 Games of 2021

[Armagon]

The top 10 games i played this year huh? Only like 4 of them can be considered "2021" games (one of which came out December of 2020 so i'll count it) but luckily, it can simply be games i played this year for the first time. The full list of every game I played this year is here but this post will only have the top 10. I'll be posting my Backloggd reviews for each of them so a bit of what i say might be a little bit outdated but my thoughts are basically the same. Going down the list

10. Blaster Master Zero 3

Blaster Master Zero 3 is a satisfying conclusion to a satisfying trilogy of Metroidvanias. The first game was solid, the second game made some improvements so naturally this game would continue that trend. But this game's structure is noticeably different compared to the previous two entries: it's a lot more linear. This game is the Metroid Fusion of the Blaster Master Zero games. Unless you were going for the 100%, there isn't really much backtracking here but the backtracking that is present is made pretty smooth as you're now able to teleport between save points and i'm honestly surprised it took this long for Inti Creates to implement that.

While the story itself is nothing too special, i do like how it ties into the original MetaFight and while the continuity probably isn't the exact same, it's a very neat thing as it acknowledges MetaFight, something the other Blaster Master games haven't really done since the localization screwed all that up back in the 80s.

i do think it was really funny to make Leibenz the partner character this time around. The entire game Leibenz is just being a complete asshole to Jason. Man just shows up inside the tank, modifies it, and says "deal with it" and it doesn't stop there. He wants Jason to suffer only because he doesn't like the guy and it's hilarious. Of course, Eve isn't around much as the entire point of the game is to save her, which makes it all the more rewarding when Jason finally reunites with her. And while the way this game ended does leave it open for a potential follow up, at the same time, it's a pretty conclusive ending and if this is the last game, then i am ok with that because the ending was very satisfactory for me.

If there's anything i have to criticize a bit, it's the difficulty. As far as weapons go, the ground combat is more balanced thanks to how gun levels have been revamped, but when it comes to the tank weapons, you're given one that deals bonus damage to metal enemies and this becomes super broken. The homing laser is also pretty broken. What i'm saying is that the game generally still feels on the easier side, not enough to be a snoozefest but i think i would appreciate a hard mode. There's also the life guards for both the tanks and the pilot and these are nice bonuses but at the same time, it does trivialize some fights......even if i needed them for a certain fight in the endgame lmao. All that said, some of the bosses having multiple health bars does at least mitigate the easier difficulty.

Inti Creates has put up a solid trilogy of Metroidvanias and i would recommend them to anyone, especially those looking for more "Metroid" style Metroidvanias. And at least for me, the BMZ trilogy and the 2D Metroid games have solidified my preference for the Metroid side of the genre. 9/10

9. Metroid Fusion

Metroid Fusion is a good-ass game. Going in, i had heard that this game is a lot more linear than other Metroid games and the early parts of the game kinda worried me it would be *too* linear but thankfully, the game quickly does away with that. So while it's still linear in the sense that your destination is usually marked on the map, you'll still be on your own when it comes to actually getting there. Gameplay-wise, it's basically a refined Super Metroid. And now that i've played a second Metroid game, i'm getting a newfound appreciation for one of the progenitors of the Metroidvania genre. There are a lot of good Metroidvanias out there but there aren't many that have that sense of pureness that 2D Metroid has. I'd say the Blaster Master Zero games come close but even they have their own little quirks that set it apart from Metroid.

My biggest problems with Metroid Fusion lie in the fact that bosses can essentially kill you after you've killed them. A few times, i killed a boss only to be killed by the X-Parasite that emerged from it and it's because of that that i'm really grateful for restore points. This game also does suffer from "what do i do moments" that affected Super Metroid but nowhere near to the same extent. I also kinda wish the SA-X was more prominent. Don't get me wrong, it's scary as fuck when it's chasing you but it only chases you for real like once. I never got the sense that it was hunting me down because of how rarely it showed up and most of it's appearances are a non-issue.

All that said, these issues don't really impact the game too much, as Metroid Fusion is a fantastic game and an overall improvement from the already fantastic Super Metroid. 9/10

8. Atelier Ryza 2 (this review kinda long so i'll put it behind a spoiler tag to save space)

Spoiler

 

There are two different kinds of perfect sequels. The first kind are the sequels that take everything good about the first installment and turn it up to 11. However, that sort of sequel requires the first installment to be close to a masterpiece already. Which brings us to the second sort of perfect sequel: the kind that heavily take in feedback from the first installment and use it to create something that improves it in every regard. Atelier Ryza 2 is that second kind of perfect sequel.

I enjoyed the first Ryza game when it launched in 2019. However, while i did like it, as i played more Atelier games, i couldn't help but feel that Atelier Ryza felt kinda lacking in some areas. So here comes Atelier Ryza 2, which sets a brand new precedent for the series. For the first time ever, the protagonist of the previous Atelier game would return again as the protagonist of the sequel, instead of taking a supporting role as has been the case since the entire history of the series. 

I really liked how they handled Ryza coming back. Instead of unjustifiably taking away her abilities (as many games with returning protagonists like to do), the game plays it smart by giving Ryza new equipment that is the same functionally but because it's a bit different than what she's used to, she has to get used to the new equipment to craft the items she learned in the previous game. That's where the Skill Tree comes in, nearly every recipe from the previous game can easily be unlocked from the Skill Tree with enough SP. The Skill Tree, combined with the new recipes that Ryza learns throughout the game really show how much of an experienced alchemist she has become.

The combat has seen a much needed upgrade. I'm not someone who enjoys true ATB combat. Despite that, i was able to enjoy Ryza 1's combat just fine but Ryza 2 made such a drastic improvement to it, it's genuinely gonna be hard to come back to Ryza 1. Skills are now mapped to one of the four face buttons and you can pull them up with the right shoulder button. This is genius because it means you don't have to scroll through a menu in a game where the enemy won't wait for your turn. Not only that but this method also allows chaining together skills to feel nicely satisfying. The Tactics mechanic was also revamped. Gone are the days where you would be punished for using skills. Now Tactics levels up as you use skills instead of having to sacrifice AP like in the first game. I may not enjoy true ATB that much but Ryza 2 is a strong exception.

The biggest improvement to the combat comes with items however. Atelier is all about crafting items yet in Ryza 1, item use was heavily discouraged. Item use up CC points when used, instead of using up the item itself. On paper, this is good and previous Atelier games used different methods to make sure your consumables don't actually get consumed during combat. The problem with Ryza 1 is that you only ever had 10 CC points and the only way to get more was to sacrifice an item to add CC or to return to the Atelier. As such, you *never* wanted to use items. Ryza 2 changes this. Now, CC is raised whenever you use skills and with the new Item Rush mechanic (being able to use more than one item at a time), this not only encourages item usage but allows every aspect of combat to flow into itself. RPGs are at their best when their combat mechanics flow into one another (bonus points if it makes the party feel like an actual team working together). Plus, outside of battle, any unused CC can be used with healing items to heal up, which lets you stay out in the field for much longer.

The exploration of the world, which was a focus of Ryza 1 as well, has been expanded so much that it kinda makes me forget these are yearly releases. For the first time ever, you can climb, swing, swim, and ride, adding extra layer to exploration. These aren't just one and done instances either (something i was admittedly afraid of early on but playing more of the game took away those fears). The other big part about the exploration is the dungeons. Each dungeon has memory fragments you can research and figuring out all of them adds quite a bit of worldbuilding. Worldbuilding isn't really something that comes to mind for this series so i gotta say, i'm impressed. The game is neither open world nor sandbox but it does feel pretty expansive and this is helped by how great the game looks.

And arguably the biggest improvement this game has made is with the character events. Now, this is kinda cheating since Atelier has always had a ton of character events and Ryza 1 just didn't for some reason. Thankfully, Gust responded to the criticism of Ryza 1's lack of character events by throwing in a lot of character events for the sequel. And having Ryza come back as the protagonist allowed for a different feel of character interaction. We get to see how much Ryza has grown and how much everyone else has grown. Previous games dabbled on this but not to the extent of Ryza 2 in my opinion. The new characters are also pretty fun too and they bounce off well the already established cast. Thinking about it retroactively, Ryza 1's significantly small cast ended up being a blessing in disguise. I wouldn't say Ryza 2 has my favorite cast in the series but it's honestly up there. 

Now i know i called this game a perfect sequel in the opening paragraph but there is a difference between being a perfect sequel and being a perfect game (or other piece of media). Sure the game looks very pretty but if you look closely, you can tell that these games are still yearly releases (although like i mentioned earlier, Ryza 2 does a good job of hiding that). Like the rest of the series, there is heavy enemy recolor syndrome, leaving little in the room for legitimate variety. Although there is much more item usage encouragement, each character can only equip up to four items so you're still kinda limited in the grand scheme of things, which is odd to say in a series where crafting items is the point. And you still occasionally can't do anything about an enemy's super moves. Whenever an enemy is charging up their unblockable super, the game tells you to meet certain conditions so that you can potentially Break the enemy and stop them from doing their supers. Problem is, just because you meet said conditions doesn't guarantee that the enemy gets Break, so quite a few times i've just had to eat a super move i could do nothing about. These flaws aren't that big in the grand scheme of things though.

Considering that this game was pretty much made in less than a year before the previous one, it's honestly insane how much they've improved. So much so that i wish to see an Atelier game that actually had more than one year of dev time. Gust has made it clear they're taking feedback seriously and Atelier Ryza 2 set a lot of precedent for the series if you ask me so i'm very curious to see where they take it from here. 9/10

 

7. Gravity Rush 2 (this review also kinda long)

Spoiler

 

Fellas, this is what an upgrade looks like. Gravity Rush 2 is such an improvement over the first game in every regard and i mean every regard. Whereas Gravity Rush 1 had no substance and was hard carried by it's premise alone, Gravity Rush 2 is a full-course meal that brings out the true potential of this series.....which makes it sting even more that we'll never get a Gravity Rush 3.

What i believe to be symbolic of the improvements of this game can be found in the world design. The city of Jira Para Lhao is infinitely better than the city of Hekseville, the setting of the first game. Whereas Hekseville is laid out horizontally and kinda claustrophobic in some places, JPL is laid out vertically with a lot of space, which allows the city to make more use of Kat's gravity powers than the first game ever did, and as bonus, it's much more vibrant and distinct than Hekseville ever was. This, combined with the fact that moving around in general feels much better, means that much like in the Insomniac Spider-Man games, there is zero reason to ever use skip travel in these game. Even when the game's third act sent me back to Hekseville and temporarily locked me out of JPL (i groaned at this admittedly), i still did not feel the need to use skip travel. Yeah, this game is so good it even made moving around the first game's setting more fun.

Moving around isn't the only thing that's seen an improvement. Combat too feels better. While it's still rather basic, i can say that i've enjoyed fighting things much more in this game than in the first. The game does give you two additional forms to use and these affect both movement and combat. Lunar Style makes you significantly lighter, allowing great leaps and glides as well as making air combat actually fun, which is very important as air combat was pretty ass in the first game. Jupiter Style makes you heavier and hit harder although i really only used this for moving around. Heavier gravity means you fall faster and since Kat's technically not flying but falling with style, it means you can get to places faster.

The music's also seen a major improvement. While the first game only had two songs that stood out, Gravity Rush 2's soundtrack is consistently great. From the different themes of JPL's districts to the battle and boss themes, yeah it's all pretty great. Bonus points to the vocal song, which is completely sung in the game's fakey-fake language (Gravity Rush 1 did have one of these as well). Speaking of the voice acting, there's a lot more of it to go around, which is quite impressive because, again, it's all in the fakey-fake language.

And now for the actual biggest improvement of the game: the game itself. I do not exaggerate when i say that Gravity Rush 1 had nothing. There's almost nothing to do in that game and by the time it gets a little bit interesting, it ends out of nowhere. Gravity Rush 2 on the other hand not only has an actual story but sidequests that flesh out the world and characterization. Crazy that seeing such simple concepts that we take for granted in other games is something to be praised here but it really goes to show how absolutely barebones Gravity Rush 1 was. Gravity Rush 2's story isn't anything too special but it's properly paced (aside from the final act tbh) and the characters feel like actual characters this time around. Kat went from being an alright protagonist to one i really liked. Raven and Syd have also seen significant improvement to their characters and besides them, there are a few other recurring characters. Again, this is shit we take for granted in other games but Gravity Rush 1 was just so severely lacking in that regard. I feel like i'm bashing the first game a bit much here but i do need to emphasize just how big of an improvement 2 is. The sidequests further characterize Kat and the other characters and there's even a few recurring quest-only NPCs. The sidequests will either give you interesting and fun ways to use your gravity powers or restrict them or just make you do something entirely mundane. But even when i was doing a mundane task in this game, i never felt like i wasn't having fun. Because honestly, this is basically a superhero game and sometimes doing mundane shit is the job of the Friendly Neighborhood Gravity Queen. And it's because all this that i just talked about that i really do have to question why there are some people who think this game is worse than the first one. Everyone's entitled to their opinions and all but every time i see someone say Gravity Rush 1 is better than 2, i feel like they came from some alt universe where 1 had all the stuff that made 2 great and 2....didn't. Because there's really no other explanation, i just cannot fathom how anyone can play the two games and go "yeah Gravity Rush 2 is worse".

If there's any criticisms i can make of this game, it's that the upgrade system still feels like it's made for a more complex game. Unlike the first game, you don't have to level up your health, gravity gauge, and speed with the gems, that'll simply happens as you play the game (not the speed part, that's already been "maxed out") so you can focus on upgrading your combat abilities. But the combat is just too basic for the higher levels. Maxing out every category would just be overkill, not to mention the higher levels of each get *very* expensive. Just upgrade the kicks and stasis field a few times and you'll be good to go honestly. There are higher difficulty options that you can change at any time but even on Hard, i don't think it warrants an upgrade system this extensive. In the story department, the game's final act is....kinda a mess. Not a bad mess, there is some coolness here, but i think if you ended the game at the third act, it would've been been a bit better. Heh, it's ironic, one of the first game's biggest problems was that it ended way too early. Now here i am kinda wishing the second game ended a bit earlier than it actually did.

I really must applaud the devs here. I was hoping Gravity Rush 2 was an improvement over the first game and not only did it succeed at that, it exceeded all expectations i had going in. Truly impressive. 9/10

 

6. Spider-Man PS4

This is my first game for the PS4 and damn, this was a great game to introduce me to the system. I won't lie, it actually had a solid chance at becoming one of my favorite video games of all time *but* there were a few things here and there that stopped it from getting into that club. But i'll get to that.

Spider-Man PS4 is the only open-world game where i never used fast-travel at any point in the game (outside of the one time you're forced to use it). Now of course, the world isn't *that* big because while NYC is a big place, it's not like, an epic open world fantasy. But regardless of the size, it didn't matter because swinging around feels so good. Why would you ever fast-travel in a game where you play as Spider-Man? Now matter how much i played, this never got old. The world itself feels very much alive and not just because it's NYC. It does a very good job at establishing that Peter Parker has been Spider-Man for a while now, as well as confirming the presence of other Marvel superheroes, even if it goes a little bit out of it's way to explain why none of them show up at all. Avengers Tower is here but Peter comments on how literally all of the Avengers are on the West Coast and they never use the Tower as a result. And speaking of the world feeling alive, those J. Jonah Jameson podcasts were always a treat. I was always waiting for the next one to appear because J. Jonah Jameson is always comedy gold.

The combat itself is similarly very good. At it's core, there isn't any faults with it. Landing hits, perfect dodging, throwing projectiles back at the enemy, it all feels nice. Combining this with Spider-Man's speed and his rather glass cannon attributes in this game honestly makes for a perfect action game. Admittedly, the combat does become a little stale but only because of the situations that occur with it. There are enemy bases scattered around the city as well as crimes that pop up every now and then. *These* get stale and while i did do most of them, doing them for too long would just get too tiring. You can go the whole game without doing them as the campaign is short but you'll end up underpowered as you wouldn't have any tokens to upgrade with. But even still, maybe they should've it toned it down a bit here.

The story is decent. I only have Spider-Man movies and Spectacular Spider-Man to compare it to but yeah, it works. It's a good Spider-Man story, although i do think some parts of it happen a little bit too quickly. I also think the story should've spent some more time with Mr. Negative and Doctor Octopus. Their motivations are there but i feel the story is a bit too quick in getting Spider-Man to punch them. I would've taken out the Sinister Six and instead have more time devoted to Mr. Negative and Doc Ock.

The worst part of the game though is absolutely the stealth missions. Specifically, stealth where you play as MJ or Miles. While they do get a little bit better when both of them get some tools so they aren't completely defenseless, i could've 100% gone without these missions and it's the only part of the game i'd actually call bad. They add nothing to the game, you could've just made it a cutscene and it would not change anything. Stealth is only good when you're playing as Spider-Man.

The second worst part of the game is the soundtrack. It's not bad and i do like the main theme but for the most part, it didn't really do it for me.

Overall, the game is fantastic and i definitely recommend it to anyone who has a PS4 (or 5, it's remastered on there). A few minor issues ironed out and i would've called it a personal masterpiece because of just how good it felt to play. 9/10

5. Spider-Man: Miles Morales

So this game is literally more Spider-Man which is never a bad thing. As far as mechanics go, this is definitely an improvement over the first game. The UI is sleeker, the new venom and camouflage abilities give an extra edge to the combat and stealth and best all of all, this game cuts down on all the repetitiveness of the first game by cutting down on all of the.....repetition. Taking down enemy bases and stopping the crimes felt way smoother because there wasn't a million of them and you didn't have to fight waves of enemies each time. Honestly, as far as the actual game part of Miles Morales goes, it's a prime example that sometimes, less is more. Also this game has absolutely *zero* non-Spider-Man stealth segments, which honestly automatically puts this game above the first. Insomniac heard my wish......a year after this game came out. I also want to talk about the web slinging in this game, because it's virtually the same as it is in the first game (in other words, amazing) but Miles animations make it *feel* faster so i think i actually like the web slinging in this game more just purely based on how it looks and feels, even if mechanically, it's the same.

Narrative-wise, it's a bit more focused than the first game's but at the same time it's not as good. The characters themselves were fine, with Miles himself obviously getting the most development but the story's shorter length meant that some characters came across more shallow than i'd like. The Tinkerer's motivations are understandable and she makes for a decent villain and i like that the story has two antagonistic forces who oppose each other (especially since the other antagonist is a very punchable billionaire) but if the story was a little longer, we could've gotten deeper into Miles' and the Tinkerer's relationship because what we see in the game is pretty surface level if you ask me. That said, this story is still pretty great.

Miles Morales is a good game and i can't wait for Spider-Man 2 in 2023, when PS5s will finally exist. 9/10

4. Metroid: Zero Mission

Now as of this review, the only 2D Metroid i have yet to play is Samus Returns (and Dread but that ain't out yet lol), but, i think Zero Mission might actually be peak 2D Metroid. This game is exquisite, it is sublime. Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion were already fantastic games but this one just refines the Metroid gameplay absolutely perfectly. Everything feels exactly right and it's all packaged in one of the best-looking games of the GBA.

For the first time, i feel that a Metroid game had a stellar soundtrack. This may be a hot take but while i wouldn't call Super Metroid and Fusion's soundtracks bad, i can't really call them memorable. But Zero Mission? *chef's kiss*.

I love the decision to show the player where to go but still letting them figure it out on their own. I love that the game can show you a nearly completed map of the area but only when you find a map room, as opposed to Fusion, which showed you most of the area at the start. And it's all done in a way that avoids the "what the fuck do i do" moments that plague Super and to a lesser extent, Fusion.

And then there's the Zero Suit stealth segment. I will admit, i was concerned at first because stealth segments usually aren't great. But not here. Zero Mission's stealth segment works wonderfully while also being perfectly tense in the times you get spotted. And then when you finally get your full-powered Power Suit back and that remix of the Brinstar theme (the theme that plays in the starting area), it's all just so fucking good.

The only real complaints i have here are that the two bosses that in tiny-ass rooms are just really annoying to deal with. Most of the bosses being in large rooms does make them much easier to fight but easy boss fights do work in favor of such a short game like this.

Metroid: Zero Mission is a masterpiece. 10/10

3. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

Where do i even begin with this? This game is absolutely fantastic but there's not much i can actually say about it, not because there isn't a lot to say but because there's a lot i shouldn't say. This review will be brief because as much as i want to say "this game is good, just trust me bro", i do want this review to have a little bit more substance.

The biggest draw of this game is the story. How? I won't tell you, you just gotta experience it for yourself. But i will say i haven't been this intrigued in a game's story in a long time. While i won't go into specific details, i will say this game's story absolutely nailed In Medias Res, a method of writing that most people get wrong whenever they try it. I also ended up liking pretty much all of the protagonists here, with the exception of one and even that one had less to do with the writing and more of i just don't like that type of character.

The gameplay is pretty sweet too. It's a fun RTS even if it's braindead on anything lower than Intense. While i can criticize the fact that the map layouts are all basically the same, i was able to gain enough satisfaction from the battles that it never really got old for me. On Intense, the battles can get pretty hectic and the framerate can actually take a hit because of how much going on. All the stuff that was going on is exactly why i liked it though, seeing a bunch of damage numbers pop up made my monkey brain light up.

The music is also very good even if i'm listening to it more as i'm writing this because it kinda got drowned out a bit when i actually played. The composers of this game also composed the music for Valkyria Chronicles, which is weird honestly because i can't really remember a single track from Valkyria Chronicles 1 and 4.

Honestly, this game doesn't really have any big flaws i can think of. I mean, i can say something specific about the plot but that'd be spoilers and you really wouldn't want. Anything else is just minor. Like i could say that the character designs are a little bit bland (even if the artstyle itself is really nice) and i don't like the mech designs because i don't like bulky mechs in general. But this doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Honestly, this game is a 10/10 masterpiece imo. The "it's good bro, trust me" folks were right.

Play 13 Sentinels. 10/10

2. CrossCode (you know the drill by now with these long reviews)

Spoiler

 

As a fan of RPGs, i've been feeling that sci-fi RPGs are kinda uncommon, or at least in terms of what i'd like. Most are either fantasy, modern times or is post-apocalyptic. And as sci-fi is probably my favorite genre, i feel the uncommoness of sci-fi RPGs more than most would. Of course, Xeno being my favorite video game franchise of all time makes up for it but i've been wanting a sci-fi RPG that wasn't Xeno for a while now. Final Fantasy exists but i've never really been interested in it or the Square Enix big three for that matter. I tried Star Ocean but it plays like a typical Tales game so i was turned off pretty early on. Anything else, i hadn't really thought about.

So here's where CrossCode comes in, a game i've had my eye on for a while on after it was recommended to me. Sci-fi Zelda-esque RPG with a main lead that looks like KOS-MOS? Yes please. There's a lot to like about CrossCode. The combat is cool, feels a lot like Ys (specifically the top-down games). The spritework is very appealing, the puzzles are very cool and then there is Lea, the best part about the game. I never expected to like Lea as much as i did but damn, she's such a good character. If you had told me before a silent protagonist would rank among my favorite video game protags of all time, i would've called you a dumb dumb because while i don't usually have anything against silent protags, i prefer characters that actually talk. But somehow the guys over at Radical Fish Games did it. Made the perfect blend of a protagonist with a lot of personality while also being silent (most of the time). Lea is so expressive that you can basically fill in the blanks to what she says. She has a few words she says that the game explains by saying they are preset words hardcoded into her and these few words still add a lot of character to her. Lea is so good that she is the reason the story works in the first place. Changing any aspect of Lea's character would make the story just fall apart because Lea *is* the story.

The other characters in the game are nice but nothing too special. They're all pretty static in comparison to Lea but it's fine, it works for this kind of story. But i do need to talk about Emille. Emille is Lea's first friend and this is very important because out of all the characters Lea befriends, Emille is definitely the closest friend she's made. There's this one cute scene where Emille is talking about her dislike of bugs and she's clearly exaggerating it but Lea takes it 100% seriously and gives her a comfort hug because Lea cares about Emille that much. Lea is so good guys.

Moving onto the gameplay, the combat and puzzles are great. As i've mentioned before, combat feels a lot like Ys, perhaps a bit more involved due to the multitude of skills you get. And i really like how each of Lea's modes has different stats, not all of it is just a raw power boost. Although i will say i wasn't a fan of Elemental Overload. Basically, using one of the modes too much causes it to stop working. Problem is, Overload is universal so if one mode is close to that, all modes that aren't normal mode are. This is pretty annoying, especially with bosses that can only be hurt by a certain element. I can't really think of a reason for Elemental Overload to exist, certainly it's not to prevent spam because SP does that already. But that's my only gripe, combat is cool and the Lv.2 and Lv.3 Arts are very based. The boss fights also make good use of the modes you've unlocked and it all culminates into the absolutely incredible final boss. That second phase is one of the coolest final boss fights i've ever played.

The puzzles in the game are very cool conceptually but it's kinda hard for me to talk about them in detail. You just gotta see it to believe it. That said, the first two dungeons simply have too many puzzles and in that regard, those two dungeons are basically gonna be an endurance test for some people. Get past it, and it's all smooth sailing after that (and honestly, the first two dungeons feel much better on a repeat playthrough). That said, slow-mo puzzles are bad, there isn't a single good one. 

I will say that as good as the spritework is, the depth perception kinda fucks with you sometimes. It was at it's worst in Sapphire Ridge in my experience, due to the area being in eternal night.

Now it is worth mentioning that the ending of the game is a little bit underwhelming.....which is where A New Home comes in. I won't go into too much details because spoilers but A New Home is the epilogue DLC that might as well be packaged with the game itself because it is that vital. The real ending to the story is found here, after completing the true final dungeon, which also happens to be the best dungeon in the entire game. It's super long compared to the others but the mechanics in it are so damn good that i didn't mind. It took me three days but it was worth it. And the boss at the end *chef's kiss*.

All this and i'm not even taking into account New Game+. I'm of the belief that CrossCode has the best New Game+ in any game i've ever played as it gives you a bunch of different options to spice up your next playthrough. It even allows you to get rid of Elemental Overload, for example. And then there's Sergey Hax, which turns the game into a hilarious comedy as Lea takes out enemies in a single hit.

Honestly guys, CrossCode is a masterpiece. It ain't every day a new video game studio puts out a masterpiece as their first project but RadicalFishGames did it. 10/10

 

1. Metroid Dread

The item versatility of Super Metroid. The boss fights and tone of Fusion. The fluidity of Zero Mission. The combat of Samus Returns. The best aspects of each of the 2D Metroid games was refined and improved to a point so perfect, i did not think it was possible. Metroid Dread is a masterpiece, the best Metroid game and quite honestly the best Metroidvania i've played period (and i don't know if that will be topped for the foreseeable future).

Honestly this review will be pretty short because words alone cannot describe just how good this game is. Like honestly i could've ended my review with just the first paragraph and it would've told you everything but imma keep writing for a bit more. This game accomplished everything it set out to do, to the point where i'm having trouble coming up with any criticisms with it. In fact, much like Super Mario Galaxy 2, i don't think this game has anything i'd consider a flaw. I can say something about how the music didn't stand out that much (i say this about every Metroid that isn't Zero Mission or Prime 3) or how the Chozo Solider fights can get a little repetitive.......but none of these are a *detriment* is the key thing. If there are indeed any flaws in this game, MercurySteam did such a fantastic job masking it that it honestly doesn't matter if it's there.

I knew this game was a masterpiece early on. From the movement and speed of the game (they made Shinespark a command and the Speed Boost is the best it's ever been), to the level design that's a new spin on the series formula (no Morph Ball for the first hour made things so much more interesting), to easily the best bosses in the entire series that are the perfect level of challenge without being too difficult, to the dreadful (heh) EMMIs that are actually more terrifying when you're playing the game and not just seeing gameplay footage. All of this made it a solid candidate for my Masterpiece Club. But what actually pushed this game to the top 5 was the finale. And i obviously won't talk about that but if you know, you know. But while i won't talk about it or any other part of the story really, I will say that while this game can be enjoyed independently, you'll get so much more out of it if you've played the previous 2D games. Not even in order, just save Dread for last. It'll be worth it, promise.

I tip my hat off to you MercurySteam. If you're gonna be making Metroid games for the next few years, then this series is in good hands. See you next mission, because the future of this series has never been so bright. 10/10

Edited December 31, 2021 by Armagon

[vanguard333]

5 hours ago, Saint Rubenio said:

I'm still in time to do this.

You still would've been in time to do this if you had waited until the start of 2022; most "top -- games of [insert year here]" lists that I see get put online are usually posted after the year's over.

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

I don't have that many games I can add here, but let's go for it:

4. Jenny LeClue: Detectivu, for Nintendo Switch. The aesthetic sensibilities are top-notch here - I was in love with the "papercraft" design of characters and their world. The music was fine, and I really appreciated the full voice acting via the "Spoken Secrets" addition. For the most part, it's a charming murder-mystery story, with colorful characters, an enjoyable meta-narrative, and a gripping story. That said, there were two big problems. The ending is... really bad. It abandons any attempt to construct a satisfying resolution, in favor of baiting a sequel that may never come. And the gameplay is frequently quite simplistic - a symptom, perhaps, of its origin as an iOS game. Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable and distinctive game that was hobbled by some poor design decisions.

3. Pokemon Platinum, for Nintendo DS. Why am I putting a decade-old game on my list? While 2021 didn't mark my first time playing this game, it did include my first time completing its main campaign. I had beaten Pokemon Diamond way back in the day, but never made it through the improved third version. At times, I'd challenge myself - say, with a Nuzlocke - but never finish it. As such, I resolved to go back and rush through the game. While I can't say it was a speedrun, I did beat Cynthia in slightly over 20 hours, for my quickest main-game completion. And with the expanded Platinum Dex, I was able to put together a well-rounded team: Empoleon, Luxray, Togekiss, Houndoom, Mamoswine, and Gallade. I really enjoyed the experience - it's a strict improvement upon DP, and I'd call it the definitive way to experience the Sinnoh region. There's still some post-game to engage with, and I'm considering using my team in Pokemon Battle Revolution.

2. Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice, for Nintendo 3DS. In a more recent turn, this game is only five years old. It's the most recent "mainline" Ace Attorney game, but I'd only beaten its predecessor (Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies) within the year before. Like that game, this one switches between Phoenix, Apollo, and Athena as playable characters. The narrative differs, however, in returning to the "Kurain/channeling" arc that Justice for All initiated, with Maya Fey making a notable return. Not only that, it also explores Apollo's backstory in a way I never anticipated. Gameplay-wise, it brings back prior "special techniques" (the Magatama, Apollo's Bracelet, the Mood Matrix) and introduces the "Divination Seance", letting you view and interpret the victim's final moments. These made for particularly tough gameplay, as you had to identify the exact combination of statement and sensation to point at. And there were a few hiccups with "interactive evidence", like dusting endlessly for fingerprints or endlessly trying out combinations on a certain locked case. But I'd be lying if I said it weren't engrossing, especially in the final case. Overall, a good game.

1. Not Tonight, for Nintendo Switch. This indie game sees you play as a bouncer in lLittle England. Except... it's not quite the England we know today. Rather, it's an isolationist state where discrimination against people of "Euro heritage" (read: you, the player) is systematized. You have to cooperate with a government that oppresses you, and enforce its rules, or face deportation. It's a survival sim, where you need to balance making enough money to pay ever-growing bills with not overworking yourself to death. The bouncing element involves looking at user's IDs (and other relevant documents), and choosing to let them in or turn them away. The more you let in (correctly), the bigger your bonus is - but some sidequests include motives to "break the rules". In style and substance, it owes a huge debt to "Papers, Please", which certainly wasn't afraid to get political. But this game manifests its own identity, and I'd say it successfully stands alone (unlike Albion First). In spite of the bleak setting and social strictures, there's a surprising amount of humor and player freedom here. This was my favorite new gaming experience of the year, and I eagerly await the sequel.

[Zapp Branniglenn]

Oh my good gosh, Astalon Tears of the Earth. I haven't finished it but I started it up this week and it just occurred to me that's a 2021 game too. I'm certain it would have found a spot in my top 10, and the lead designer is an indie developer I've been following for years, so let me give that an honorable mention. It's kind of like a roguelike, but the layout never changes. You start at the beginning of the tower after each death, but you're making constant incremental progress through unlocking shortcuts. A game like this carries so much risk of bogging down the player with all the backtracks. But that only shows me how ace the level design is that I never feel it. There's a Dark Souls "collect your souls" sort of thing when you die, but instead of the game taking away your money, returning to that room gives you a huge health boost, granting you the second wind you may need to beat whatever killed you. My only knock against the game is that it's not very pick up and play friendly. If you, say, come back to this once every few days for thirty minutes at a time, not remembering where you were going and why can really stunt your potential progress as you neglect to take advantage of shorcuts you've already unlocked. Even with map upgrades, it's not a particularly detailed map.

On 12/25/2021 at 10:32 PM, Julizan said:

As for games I played in 2021:

Ys Origin

I was thinking of doing a deep dive into ys games this year. I've only played 1 and 2, but I've seen enough streams of the others to know that I'd like them. What did you think of Origin? I've heard a lot of different stuff about that one in particular. 

On 12/25/2021 at 7:14 AM, Reality said:

4: A Hat in Time - I never bought it because I had the regular version wishlisted and it is still in TBA status to this day on the Switch store.. I skipped over the news so often I never realized that the Hat in Time + Nyazuko Metro version WAS available. Game is adorable and full of personality, love the Mario-Sunshine esque movement, makes Yooka Laylee eat its heart out. Only real complaint is that the co-op mode is beasically unsuable because it still uses the 1P camera.

I actually have the same story with that game. I held off on getting it for years when I heard there would be a Switch release back in 2017, and when it did come out it flew completely under my radar. My friend had the game physical, so I was able to borrow his copy. It's pretty clear the developers had a lot of fun making this one.

On 12/31/2021 at 4:59 AM, Armagon said:

 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

I just grabbed this one out of a used game bin recently. I've only heard good things, and I grew up playing one of their earlier games, Odin Sphere, so I'm looking forward to trying it out.

Edit: Also I agree 100% on Blaster Master Zero 3. Great close on the trilogy, great tie-in to the original game's story. I'll be looking out to see where they decide to go from here. 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Zapp Branniglenn

[Armagon]

6 hours ago, Zapp Branniglenn said:

What did you think of Origin? I've heard a lot of different stuff about that one in particular

Ys Origin kinda mid tbh. It's like a 6/10, this is what I had to say about it when I beat it:

"Ys Origin is a game that i don't really have a whole lot to say about. It is a nice and simple game which i'm ok with. The combat is just fine, although i do wish there was more to do with it. The music is the expected Falcom-tier of quality, although i do wish there was a bit more variety. When both the boss themes and the area themes use electric guitars, it can end up feeling a little samey. As for the story and characters, it doesn't really matter if i'm being completely honest.

My biggest gripe with the game is the bosses and the way levels are handled. I don't think i've really enjoyed a single boss fight in this game because almost all of them are basically bullet hells with zero health pickups. This ties into the way levels are handled because just one level makes or breaks the fight. If you're one level below the boss, you'll get your ass kicked. One level over and it becomes a cakewalk. It's so stupid and the way this is handled is a big enough gripe for me that 6/10 is the highest score i can give it.

This game has three routes, i only did one (Yunica) and even if i liked the game more, i would not be playing it two more times in a row. That's just asking for burnout.

I don't even know if i'll replay it tbh, the bosses really do suck."

I know you weren't asking me but I did also play the game so I figured I'd throw in my two cents.

6 hours ago, Zapp Branniglenn said:

I just grabbed this one out of a used game bin recently. I've only heard good things, and I grew up playing one of their earlier games, Odin Sphere, so I'm looking forward to trying it out.

It is very good. Pro tip tho, play the game on Intense difficulty, anything lower and it's actually braindead. Which is fine imo, this is very much a story first kind of game, but if you want at least some challenge, now you know what to do. 

I myself am looking to play Odin Sphere (the remake on PS4) after I finish Muramasa, another Vanillaware game.

Edited January 3, 2022 by Armagon

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

7 hours ago, Zapp Branniglenn said:

I was thinking of doing a deep dive into ys games this year. I've only played 1 and 2, but I've seen enough streams of the others to know that I'd like them. What did you think of Origin? I've heard a lot of different stuff about that one in particular.  

Ys Origin is a dungeon crawler, and as far as I know the only one which does not feature Adol Christin as main character. And honestly this is not a bad thing since this game has three routes, so this game has replaybility. Compared to I (which I dropped due to its massive difficulty), I found Origin fair on normal mode. You are supposed to learn the boss's pattern, so having patience is the key to success. 

Origin was my introduction into this series since I do not enjoy the 3D ones and I found the old ones too hard.

[Zapp Branniglenn]

5 hours ago, Armagon said:

I myself am looking to play Odin Sphere (the remake on PS4) after I finish Muramasa, another Vanillaware game.

Ooh, I did Muramasa last year, that's a good one. Especially coming off of Odin Sphere. It's only two campaigns instead of five, so you won't get burnt out from reused areas and bosses. It's a less grindy game, though I hear Odin Sphere's remake addresses that issue a lot. I don't think I would feel an urge to tackle the game on its hardest difficulty. It's a lot of mashing the attack button. Muramasa's kind of brain dead as an action game, since swinging your sword is also how you deflect attacks. That sort of high risk attack parry works well in Devil May Cry, but in this game you're swinging so fast at mobs of enemies that there's little emphasis on timing or spacing. It'll just happen automatically. Even the "slow" swords have a ton of active hit frames to nail the parry. Still it's a beautiful game and if you don't take to the battle system right away, it's a short enough campaign that you'll at least see its ideas and artwork with little time investment.

Here's a hot tip, assuming you're playing the Vita re-release, remap the controls to put dodge on L and R rather than the right control stick. That way your thumb doesn't have to move from the face buttons. The default scheme tries to have everything on the face of the controller, but strangely leaves L and R unused.

Edited January 3, 2022 by Zapp Branniglenn

[Armagon]

4 hours ago, Zapp Branniglenn said:

Ooh, I did Muramasa last year, that's a good one. Especially coming off of Odin Sphere. It's only two campaigns instead of five, so you won't get burnt out from reused areas and bosses. It's a less grindy game, though I hear Odin Sphere's remake addresses that issue a lot.

I was told in another thread that going back to Muramasa after playing the Odin Sphere remake might feel a bit off so i figured i'd start with Muramasa first.

4 hours ago, Zapp Branniglenn said:

Muramasa's kind of brain dead as an action game, since swinging your sword is also how you deflect attacks.

Yeah although i did switch to hard mode for a bit and got bodied so....

4 hours ago, Zapp Branniglenn said:

Here's a hot tip, assuming you're playing the Vita re-release, remap the controls to put dodge on L and R rather than the right control stick. That way your thumb doesn't have to move from the face buttons. The default scheme tries to have everything on the face of the controller, but strangely leaves L and R unused.

I am playing the Wii version, as i got it for Christmas along with the Odin Sphere remake. So no Vita advantages for me.

I have no way of playing the Vita version anyways, as i don't have one and Vita emulation doesn't exist.

[MagicCanonBalls]

I mostly been replaying old games this year because my laptop just can't run most of the games anymore. The only 2021 game that I played was Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. It was really good. The massive selection of classes, different story paths, and beautiful voice acting. 

Wildermyth is another game I put a lot of time in. It was fun and casual. I also like the art style and the random events. And when I started downloading the mods, all sorts of crazy combo and near death clutch-play comes out. 

3rd is Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires. Got back into it around October when I saw the DW9 news and I knew no way my laptop can play that. The combat is still engaging and creating characters are fun. But the events are somehow lesser than previous titles so it doesn't feel like much is happening.

4th. Pokemon Shield + DLC. I decided to finally buy it despite all the complaints I read online. And it makes me realized I am not that good at judging things objectively because this is the best Pokemon I have ever played. I like the new pokemon, I like the new graphic, the gyms are straight forward and no excessive dungeon/cave exploring, and super casual-friendly with PC box accessible wherever you go, and pokejobs that keep my team leveled up evenly. This is the 1st time where I actually caught more than 1 box of Pokemon, and rotate my team frequently. All the issues I read like low frame rate and clunky animation don't seems to exist because of how immerse I was. Raihan and Champion Leon took a few tries and planning to win against them.   

Honorable mention is Borderland 2. Been trying out some older shooting games whenever they are on sale, to fill the void of Mass Effect trilogy, and this one sticks around the longest. The guns and the dialogues are fun, but it can get pretty annoying because most of the time it's just me shooting at stuff alone and dying a lot. I still prefer games with teammates that can help me but this one kept me occupied for over a week, then it gets harder and I was scared to go into the mission because I kept dying.