Intro
2020 has been a terrible year. I suspect that is hardly a controversial statement. However, the year is almost over. So let's forget about the hardships of the year. Let us go over the best and worst games I have played this year. It is the best that I can do for you, at least I might provide you with some entertainment.
The shiny heights
Hades is insanely fun, endlessly rewarding with positively delightful characters and dialogue. One of the best games to come out this year and that I have played. I could spend hours fighting my way out of Hades because the loop is just that damn good.
One of the scariest games I have ever played. Amnesia’s simple design pummels the player into feeling scared and vulnerable. Backed up by some brilliant audio-visual design and a truly disturbing story- Amnesia is an essential game for any horror fan.
Some might object to me putting a remake into the Hall of Fame, but I for one cannot ignore the fact that this remake is finely polished and fixes many outdated and bad elements. Such as the voice acting and stilted gunplay. Zombies have somehow become intimidating and scary again. That in itself is worthy of applause considering how desensitized the average consumer is to those monsters. Plus- Mr. X is the best stalker I have had as of yet.
The stealth and platforming are near perfection. Then backed up by an enjoyable story with one of the best child characters in video games. And you have something almost perfect.
Bioshock Infinite’s insanely fun combat, gameplay, and thought-provoking storytelling create a memorable package. Elizabeth and Booker’s charming chemistry and tragic back-stories will haunt gamers for a long time.
Arcadletra takes advantage of excellent sound design and an original setting to scare the hell out of me. Like a nightmare, Arcadletra uses a loose thread of logic and restrictive Walking Simulator gameplay to make the player feel utterly helpless.
The darkest depths
John Romero’s epic failure is an important lesson on hubris and responsibility. The game is broken beyond repair with it’s stupid AI, weapons that are plotting against you, and just plain confusing design.
Overlord was a flawed series that always had the potential to be great but was ultimately clunky. There is nothing to recommend here asides from Rhianna Pratchett’s awesome writing. Also, even that is buried under crap AI, mindless button mashing, and useless minions.
Contra: Rogue Corps is the latest victim in Konami’s downward spiral into gaming supervillain. Looks like a cheap PS2 game that was somehow let loose last year. The game is filled with useless and annoying characters with guns that overheat (IN A CONTRA GAME) if you use them too much.
Trash that thinks it is being profound is an especially infuriating kind of bad. Close to the Sun wants to be the next Bioshock so badly that it even steals the font choices. But it has neither the intellect nor the compelling gameplay to make up for its lame anti-science message, lack of plot closure, and bog-standard Walking Simulator gameplay.
Disappointing and lukewarm in almost every way. This attempted Yume Nikki remake lacks any narrative or thematic power to be interesting or scary. The platforming is weak and generic with too many confusing and unexplained game mechanics to be enjoyable. I also fell through the map once.
Everyone has to start somewhere and everyone’s first artistic work will be bad. This rule applies to burdening industries as well. A.D 2044 is an embarrassing attempt to adapt a popular Polish film into the worst type of point and click. Where logic is, absent and spelling mistakes are rampant.
Nothing happens for thirty minutes and then it ends. There is no gameplay or story to speak of. You just answer a questionnaire where a moderately sinister presence asks you some non-threatening questions before ending. I still do not know if One Late Night is even a game. Can anyone help me with this?
Diablo is ripe for parody, sadly- Book of Demons confuses parody with reference and gameplay with Cookie Clicker.
Conclusion:
In the exceptionally unlikely event that this blog becomes sustainable. Then this will be the final best and worst article I will post. Never the less, I hope I have entertained you this year. Maybe 2021 will be better. It could also get a hell of a lot worse. We just have no idea. Happy New Year ladies and gentlemen!