Same as last year: I'll put up a top 20 of games I played and liked most this year. Note that this is purely what I've played, that I mostly play indie games and rarely things from this year (meaning: don't expect YOUR top games on here).
Here goes:
Worthy notifications:
-the steam controller: this obviously isn't a game but it is easily my most anticipated game-related thing this year and last. And if you ask me: it absolutely delivers. For about a month, I play more PC games on my couch than ever before.
-transistor: absolutely beautiful, but I just can't get into the mechanics of the way you link those abilities. The result is that I constantly feel like I'm playing it wrong. The mix of real-time and turn based is certainly interesting, but as well: not for me.
-shovel knight: everyone and their dog goes ape over it. I don't really get why. Yes, it's a great platformer that adds the best of things like mega man and castlevania. On my end, I don't know why I'm not hyped as everyone else, but it's "just" a good game to me. It probably would have ended up on the list if it wasn't for the fact that I barely played it over other games.
-valiant hearts: here's one I don't get. Everyone complains about the uplay thing but says the game is beautiful. I have almost the opposite experience: uplay works mostly fine, but the game was a boring drag.
-"regenwormen": I don't know if this dice game is even know in another language (worms? Rainworms?). It's not a video game, but it IS a game that's simple to explain and pick up and gets everyone involved. Get it if you got the chance.
-shadow complex: only heard about this game when Epic gave it away for free. It's certainly a good game, but I honestly haven't played it enough to give it a fair chance. And with my backlog, it's likely it never will.
That said...the list:
EDIT: as it turns out, I totally forgot a game (it's neither on steam, gog, android or any other game I track). It's ranked 7th, so every other games moves a spot. As such, it became a top 21. Meh...so be it.
Also...I can't but mention adVenture Capitalist. I hate it with a passion exactly because it does things so RIGHT it's almost mocking me. It's about watching your virtual bank account go up. And that's basically it, meaning it's arguably not a game at all (though it has pretty visuals and doesn't take itself seriously). It's free to play, and so retardedly addicting I'm not even kidding when I compare it to drugs. That's why it deserves mentioning: gamers should be aware of this, if for nothing else, to realise the power of compelling mechanics and theme to mask an otherwise bland game.
21. Pac man DX
Initially, I thought this would be a classic remake. It...isn't. I think. What it is, is mostly an extremely fast race through a parcours with a huge-ass conga line of ghosts behind you (at least it always turns out that way on the modes I tried). It's simple...but fun.
20. 140
I admit it: the name of this rhythm-platformer puts in on top of my steam list, so I'll play it more. But it's actually a very good game. Also a great example of how you don't need words to provide great narrative.
19.Double dragon neon
A nostalgic beat-em up that is more like a hommage than anything else. DD was one of my childhood favorite games, and this game ticks all the right boxes but one. Alas, it's an important one: it just keeps on crashing. The very fact that I kept restarting it says something about how good it would have been.
18.Titan attacks
It's basically space invaders with a few twists. Nonetheless, I kept playing it. Sometimes all you have to do as a developer is not screw things up in some department (see 18).
17. Not the robots
another stealth survival game. The concept of having to eat away your own cover makes for some interesting concepts. Still, I think I would like it more if it had levels rather than randomly generated levels.
16. Skullgirls
Got it in a steam sale. As far as fighting games go, I'm amazed that I actually like this over things like SF IV. Yeah, all-women fighting of course interests me as a chauvinistic male pig, but the characters are more than "just" caricatures (except Peacock, who won over my heart exactly BECAUSE she's cut straight from Roger Rabbit).
15.Threes
Played it last year, but now it's my highest rated mobile game (also one of the only ones). The thing is just too much oozing with charm to ignore, yet is short enough not to become a drag.
14. Captain Toad
I admit it: I'm pirating my ass of on the wiiu. But as far as actually PLAYING a game, this really is a surprise hit. It's fez done right (or rather: better). It's an exploration game in a small world on its own (the "city in a bottle" thing is what I like...it's like there's always something new every time I change the camera around).
13. Eldritch
a game I keep coming back to. Wolfenstein 3D-graphics, Lovecraft aesthetics, procedurally produced levels...and a huge focus on stealth without it forcing you to (it's just the best option).
12. Outland
A marriage between metroidvania and ikaruga. The result is interesting (though the story falls flat). Gave up on it in the fight with the final boss, though.
11. Unreal Tournament
Still in pre-alpha, but already going strong: the new Unreal Tournament reboot. Good contender for next year.
10. Don't starve (farsky)
I played don't starve before last year, but it's only after playing through farsky (an underwater survival game that was a bit too simplistic for this list) that my knack for survival games got back.
9. saints row 4
open world superhere madness at its best. I'm sure I don't have to further explain.
8.Jazzpunk
Humor in games done right. Or also: if you want to make a walking simulator, make jazzpunk. This game spoofs other video games like Neslie Nielsen or the Wayne brothers spoof(ed) other movies. It has you fighting a honda in street fighter, playing wedding quake (no, really!) or makes fun at detective novels. It's coincidentally above saints row 4, but it IS better at what it does.
7. my farm life 2
A girlfriend introduced me to 'ranch rush'. This is part of a series that, AFAIK, this is the last (and IMHO best designed) one. It's a simple game of planting, harvesting and (in half the cases) combining crops in a given time. It's both relaxing and stressing as you attempt to build and manage things to meet the (sometimes very strict) deadline.
6. stealth inc 2: a game of clones
Stealth bastard deluxe was my favorite stealth game (mark of the ninja is great, but I just can't get into it), and the sequel doesn't disappoint. The narrator may be a bit too GladOS-like, but it's still fun to have.
5. another perspective: weighing in at a retardedly low 7 megabytes (SEVEN!!! the trailer is literally larger than the actual game), this puzzle platformer ticks all the boxes for an awesome puzzle game: elegant design, well executed mechanic(s) and a narrative that's strangely enticing. Oh, and you can say "braid-clone", but it's not cloning that game in a rip-off kind of way.
4. roundabout: heard of this one on Totalbiscuit's channel and immediately knew I HAD to play it. It combines a constantly challenging parkour game with an open world and hilariously badly acted cutscenes. I can't stop grinning when thinking of this game.
3. the walking dead (first season): haven't really played a telltales game before. As far as storytelling goes, it's absolutely top notch. To this day, my very definition of "games shouldn't be fun to be worth playing".
2. anno 2070 (and expansions)
almost to my surprise, this game is now the one I spent most hours on. With good reasons. The scary thing is: I've still just scratched the surface of what's possible. In short: great and beautiful (but insanely complex) city building game. A few months later, a sequel was announced. I have no opinion on it yet.
1. cook, serve, delicious
This is an almost ridiculous entry: I was hooked after about 10 minutes and is until now, the only game ever I 100%'ed on steam. Simple and elegant concept; beautiful execution. I also played it on mobile and with steam controller, but honestly: it's really a keyboard-only game. Expect the sequel somewhere on the top next year.
Here goes:
Worthy notifications:
-the steam controller: this obviously isn't a game but it is easily my most anticipated game-related thing this year and last. And if you ask me: it absolutely delivers. For about a month, I play more PC games on my couch than ever before.
-transistor: absolutely beautiful, but I just can't get into the mechanics of the way you link those abilities. The result is that I constantly feel like I'm playing it wrong. The mix of real-time and turn based is certainly interesting, but as well: not for me.
-shovel knight: everyone and their dog goes ape over it. I don't really get why. Yes, it's a great platformer that adds the best of things like mega man and castlevania. On my end, I don't know why I'm not hyped as everyone else, but it's "just" a good game to me. It probably would have ended up on the list if it wasn't for the fact that I barely played it over other games.
-valiant hearts: here's one I don't get. Everyone complains about the uplay thing but says the game is beautiful. I have almost the opposite experience: uplay works mostly fine, but the game was a boring drag.
-"regenwormen": I don't know if this dice game is even know in another language (worms? Rainworms?). It's not a video game, but it IS a game that's simple to explain and pick up and gets everyone involved. Get it if you got the chance.
-shadow complex: only heard about this game when Epic gave it away for free. It's certainly a good game, but I honestly haven't played it enough to give it a fair chance. And with my backlog, it's likely it never will.
That said...the list:
EDIT: as it turns out, I totally forgot a game (it's neither on steam, gog, android or any other game I track). It's ranked 7th, so every other games moves a spot. As such, it became a top 21. Meh...so be it.
Also...I can't but mention adVenture Capitalist. I hate it with a passion exactly because it does things so RIGHT it's almost mocking me. It's about watching your virtual bank account go up. And that's basically it, meaning it's arguably not a game at all (though it has pretty visuals and doesn't take itself seriously). It's free to play, and so retardedly addicting I'm not even kidding when I compare it to drugs. That's why it deserves mentioning: gamers should be aware of this, if for nothing else, to realise the power of compelling mechanics and theme to mask an otherwise bland game.
21. Pac man DX
Initially, I thought this would be a classic remake. It...isn't. I think. What it is, is mostly an extremely fast race through a parcours with a huge-ass conga line of ghosts behind you (at least it always turns out that way on the modes I tried). It's simple...but fun.
20. 140
I admit it: the name of this rhythm-platformer puts in on top of my steam list, so I'll play it more. But it's actually a very good game. Also a great example of how you don't need words to provide great narrative.
19.Double dragon neon
A nostalgic beat-em up that is more like a hommage than anything else. DD was one of my childhood favorite games, and this game ticks all the right boxes but one. Alas, it's an important one: it just keeps on crashing. The very fact that I kept restarting it says something about how good it would have been.
18.Titan attacks
It's basically space invaders with a few twists. Nonetheless, I kept playing it. Sometimes all you have to do as a developer is not screw things up in some department (see 18).
17. Not the robots
another stealth survival game. The concept of having to eat away your own cover makes for some interesting concepts. Still, I think I would like it more if it had levels rather than randomly generated levels.
16. Skullgirls
Got it in a steam sale. As far as fighting games go, I'm amazed that I actually like this over things like SF IV. Yeah, all-women fighting of course interests me as a chauvinistic male pig, but the characters are more than "just" caricatures (except Peacock, who won over my heart exactly BECAUSE she's cut straight from Roger Rabbit).
15.Threes
Played it last year, but now it's my highest rated mobile game (also one of the only ones). The thing is just too much oozing with charm to ignore, yet is short enough not to become a drag.
14. Captain Toad
I admit it: I'm pirating my ass of on the wiiu. But as far as actually PLAYING a game, this really is a surprise hit. It's fez done right (or rather: better). It's an exploration game in a small world on its own (the "city in a bottle" thing is what I like...it's like there's always something new every time I change the camera around).
13. Eldritch
a game I keep coming back to. Wolfenstein 3D-graphics, Lovecraft aesthetics, procedurally produced levels...and a huge focus on stealth without it forcing you to (it's just the best option).
12. Outland
A marriage between metroidvania and ikaruga. The result is interesting (though the story falls flat). Gave up on it in the fight with the final boss, though.
11. Unreal Tournament
Still in pre-alpha, but already going strong: the new Unreal Tournament reboot. Good contender for next year.
10. Don't starve (farsky)
I played don't starve before last year, but it's only after playing through farsky (an underwater survival game that was a bit too simplistic for this list) that my knack for survival games got back.
9. saints row 4
open world superhere madness at its best. I'm sure I don't have to further explain.
8.Jazzpunk
Humor in games done right. Or also: if you want to make a walking simulator, make jazzpunk. This game spoofs other video games like Neslie Nielsen or the Wayne brothers spoof(ed) other movies. It has you fighting a honda in street fighter, playing wedding quake (no, really!) or makes fun at detective novels. It's coincidentally above saints row 4, but it IS better at what it does.
7. my farm life 2
A girlfriend introduced me to 'ranch rush'. This is part of a series that, AFAIK, this is the last (and IMHO best designed) one. It's a simple game of planting, harvesting and (in half the cases) combining crops in a given time. It's both relaxing and stressing as you attempt to build and manage things to meet the (sometimes very strict) deadline.
6. stealth inc 2: a game of clones
Stealth bastard deluxe was my favorite stealth game (mark of the ninja is great, but I just can't get into it), and the sequel doesn't disappoint. The narrator may be a bit too GladOS-like, but it's still fun to have.
5. another perspective: weighing in at a retardedly low 7 megabytes (SEVEN!!! the trailer is literally larger than the actual game), this puzzle platformer ticks all the boxes for an awesome puzzle game: elegant design, well executed mechanic(s) and a narrative that's strangely enticing. Oh, and you can say "braid-clone", but it's not cloning that game in a rip-off kind of way.
4. roundabout: heard of this one on Totalbiscuit's channel and immediately knew I HAD to play it. It combines a constantly challenging parkour game with an open world and hilariously badly acted cutscenes. I can't stop grinning when thinking of this game.
3. the walking dead (first season): haven't really played a telltales game before. As far as storytelling goes, it's absolutely top notch. To this day, my very definition of "games shouldn't be fun to be worth playing".
2. anno 2070 (and expansions)
almost to my surprise, this game is now the one I spent most hours on. With good reasons. The scary thing is: I've still just scratched the surface of what's possible. In short: great and beautiful (but insanely complex) city building game. A few months later, a sequel was announced. I have no opinion on it yet.
1. cook, serve, delicious
This is an almost ridiculous entry: I was hooked after about 10 minutes and is until now, the only game ever I 100%'ed on steam. Simple and elegant concept; beautiful execution. I also played it on mobile and with steam controller, but honestly: it's really a keyboard-only game. Expect the sequel somewhere on the top next year.
