Games in the year of our lord 2024

Enjoying a cool video game after an argument with your girlfriend.

It’s time once again for the standard issue ‘State of video games personal feelings list 2024’. I have played a lot more games this year if not thanks to my initiative to stream something other than Overwatch. It’s been also a hell of a year mentally and emotionally for me. But despite how rough everything felt I never let anything get me down. Sadness and anxiety is a passing phase but video games are forever. Let’s not waste anymore time and get into this silly little list.

The babysitter’s club is off to solve a mystery!

10. Crow Country
I last second changed my mind on what my number 10 is, because Crow Country hits the pleasure center of the brain that goes, “what if we just made a classic Resident Evil style game again!” Although it’s no entirely accurate, because the view is always isometric but it sure does go for it in a way that makes a guy say… “yeah!”

A game perfect for an old guy that convinced himself that survival horror is his favourite genre.

In the clurb we all fam! (unless you’re a needy demon)

9. Sorry, We’re closed
I understand that it’s a thing to behave like there’s a novelty to make a game look like an old PS1 video game or whatever for “Retro Nostalgia” sake, but I’ve always seen these things as stylistic choices that don’t need to be hindered by the concept of retro. I don’t know, who gives a shit, the game looks great, indie games don’t really need to pull resources into graphics and animations as long as they’re able to make something interesting in the process.

I enjoyed the indie game’s story of a protagonist that still thinks of their ex, but now a Demon just invades their life because they want some of that action. The switch between 3rd person fixed camera angles to 1st person combat is interesting and could been done well sometimes, but I think that last boss fight didn’t stick the landing. At least I got the ending I wanted, I’m just WORKING ON MYSELF.

“What is a man? A miserable little pile of secrets!”

8. Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
I feel like there’s some kind of cultural zeitgiest around FF7 that we’re all forced to be a part of. At times it feels like Square Enix makes this game their identity. With Rebirth, That phone game that over explains FF7, remember that Battle Royale about being in soldier? I swear I think there was something else too, oh yeah they also remastered that Zack PSP game. Look, the point I’m making is we all have to ride out this FF7 trilogy.

It played fine, and it had some good story beats, fun mini games and areas to explore but aren’t we exhausted? Even though they added more story to the original game, doesn’t it feel like padding for the sake of it? Earlier this year, there was a blog I wanted to write about this game where I wanted to explain that… it bums me out a bit that SE doesn’t really want to commit to telling a different FF7 story. Remake ended in a way that made me optimistic that they were going to take the game into a different direction. While there were little moments here and there that felt different, it didn’t really amount to anything.

Honestly, I want the third game to be more linear and less open world, wrap it up in a nice little bow already, I’m too old for meandering.

Soundtrack is still top notch, I recommend going to the jazz bar in Junon.

We all have a tiny voice inside of us that belongs to a tiny person.

7. Indika
This was a game I was very much looking forward and you can thank the trailer for sparking my interest in the first place. The story of a nun that just wants a peaceful life in a monastery, but ultimately feels alone. And WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT, she’s got demons. Literal, metaphorical, who’s to say? I dug it’s environments, puzzles, setting, presentation. But it doesn’t have enough puzzles at the same time. I would have liked it to be a little longer, but I’m not at all mad about the experience I got out of it.

I could play it again honestly.

Although, I think the ones that would get the most out of it, are the ones were religion may have played a significant role in there life. Would American christians like this? would they GET it? Do it for Jesus.

You won’t get addicted to gambling so much as forming an addiction to wanting the best run possible.

6. Balatro
Everyone was playing this game this year huh? I didn’t think anything of it at first but then I bit the bullet and played it for myself and yeah, I get it. You don’t even need to understand poker, it’s not about that but the jokers you collect along the way.

This game encourages the ideal life: Driving aimlessly around the dessert of a dying planet.

5. Caravan Sandwitch
What is it with me playing all these heckin indie games this year? Sometimes you get games that center around relationships and sometimes you get games that are about the environment. I suppose this is kinda both because one leads into the other. But let’s be real, you get to drive around in a dope caravan as you are going around doing different jumping puzzles and helping people understand why this mega corp done fucked up and left this giant laser thingy on blast.

I tell you what, our planet could use a Sandwitch.

(Also Special props to the one running the social media account and heckling all the losers that came out of the woodwork this year, it was the most positive PR campaign you could give CS. lol)

If you play every character right, they’re all bullshit. :D

4. Deadlock
I don’t give a fuck about this Marvel Rivals vs Overwatch 2 bullshit. If anyone wanted to dethrone OW from their attention, (and also happen to like the moba format) Then this game is really doing something interesting and different that could get people away from hero shooters and stop being so goddamn insufferable about it.

I’ll tell you why I like this. I’m not very good with mobas but there’s something about the 3rd person camera and quick movement that just really clicks for me. It’s also one of those games that really makes my computer feel irrelavant. While this little guy gets the job done, it could be better. Maybe one day I will upgrade and play Deadlock the way it was meant to be played.

“We have to make a lot of money at the fundraiser tonight or we’ll all get evicted from the lighthouse!

3. Dragon Age: The Veilguard
I have already said my piece on this game in a previous blog. Hell every Dragon Age fan that has been waiting for this game to come out has probably had something to say about it. It does things poorly and it does things well. I may be disappointed in spots but I didn’t outright hate this game that has gone through a tumultuous development hell (probably).

I saw it through to the end because a decade is a long time. I am satisfied with it. I may go back to it with a different character and make different choices, but for now I will put this chapter of Dragon Age to bed, and move on to other things.

Stopping racism through reading rainbow.

2. Metaphor Refantasio
It’s comical to me that Metaphor is essentially a video game about, “Wouldn’t it be great if we were all treated equally in every aspect of society.” because that idea is presented as a fictional story. A book being held by the player character as they navigate a political thriller (can we call it that?), finding a cure for an ailing prince while taking part in a game of “America’s next top Governing body!”

It’s an Atlus RPG without the typical elements of an SMT game: still confined to a calendar, still strengthening bonds, but no Jack Frosts or Pixies to be found. Except you get to rid the land of these dreaded humans. Yuck! Definitely one of the best RPGs to play this year if you’re thinking of playing anything, easy sell if you already like the Persona games.

The most Lark and Facegurl game this year!

1. Dragon’s Dogma 2
I waited a decade for a new Dragon Age, but nothing captured my attention more than a sequel that I never would have seen coming. I have said before on multiple occasions, DD2 is not an easy game to recommend. It’s combat is messy and frequent, it’s story is stitched together by your attention span. The pawns are kinda dumb. Yet the moments you get out of combat, exploration or even hubris has made this game an unforgettable experience for me.

It’s relentless in one way but it constantly rewards you with exploring. You don’t know who or what is waiting beyond a hill but it’s worth checking out. who cares if it’s anywhere between 1 ogre, or 1 Ogre, a griffon, then a minotaur, then another griffon, then maybe a golem and suddenly a Dragon shows up! But look, over there! it’s a little elf guy speaking his little elf language! What’s he up to?

In a world where Monster Hunter is a star franchise, it feels like a miracle that DD2 was even allowed to happen. Another one may never happen again! The original had such a cult like status that only asked that you understand what it’s trying to do. The sequel is doing just that, but much worse. Not only is it asking you to understand it, but it doesn’t want to tell you what it is. Before you know it, one rest at an inn can result in one of your pawns obliterating an entire town cause you didn’t check if they were sick.

Also, not to spoil anything, but there’s a lot more going on than what it seems, but you didn’t hear it from me.

Such a cool game! Lordy! (sickos.png)

THAT’S IT! THAT’S THE LIST! SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!