Yes, that is the Tim Shafer of Double Fine. Best day ever, moving on.
2013 brought us many fantastic games of both AAA and indie. 2013 also brought a lot of real life situations. Working two jobs, rent, and bills doesn’t make it easy to keep up with every game that came out. With my list, I hope to tackle some of my favorite moments rather than specific games. While I played great games this year like Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag, and Grand Theft Auto V, I just haven’t spent enough time with them to want to include them on here. So let’s begin!
10. Journalism
Couldn’t start this list without thanking Alex O’Neill for having me on this site. This is my first year writing about games and it’s been fantastic. Meeting him at PAX last year and having done my first podcast ever with him was awesome. I then went to write for GameSkinny as part of an internship program for a couple months and now I’m here writing for Irrational Passions. It’s been a fun time doing the Writers Ramble and I hope to continue writing here.
9. Doki-Doki Universe Psych Exam
I know it’s extremely recent but being that it’s so fresh in my mind I can’t help but mention it on this list. For those who don’t know, Doki-Doki Universe follows a robot looking for his “humanity”. You travel to different planets and asteroids. The asteroids ask you a series of psych questions which in the end evaluate you as a person.
Simple, yes, but within my first hour, this game concluded a lot of personal traits that would take a person a couple days to know about me. From how I interact socially, to my taste in movies and so on. I was so impressed by how spot on this game was I couldn’t leave it off this list and recommend everybody give it a try.
8. Ridiculous Fishing. The Only Mobile Game I Played This Year
I’ve’ve played one mobile games this year, bringing my total number of mobile games played in the past couple of years to four. Ridiculous Fishing is probably the most fun I’ve had on my phone since Super Hexagon. Simple game mechanics and no microtransactions make this game a must. Unfortunately the game uses a tilt mechanic which broke on my phone, making this game unplayable. Even with my fishing line shaking like crazy I still play this game, because it’s just that good. It’s a great time waster for a solid five to ten minutes here and there.
7. Ratchet & Clank Platinum Hunt.
This year I picked up the Ratchet & Clank HD Collection and went on a platinum hunt. I have now replayed and platinumed every Ratchet & Clank game including Deadlock and even the terribly received Full Frontal Assault.
Taking up maybe two to three months of my time, I had a blast playing through all of them again. Reminiscing on old memories and still remembering skill points in specific worlds made me feel like a real Rachet & Clank veteran.
6. Kingdom Hearts: Revisiting a Classic
Similar to the last one, the HD collection of Kingdom Hearts will also be making my list. Holding a special place in my heart as the first RPG I’ve played to completion, Kingdom Hearts had me playing with a smile on my face every minute. So much so that I’ve contemplated plunging in the old PS2 just to play Kingdom Hearts 2 before it gets remade.
(Hey, I’ve been there!)
5. Exploring Boston in The Last of Us
Before people freak out, I unfortunately never finished The Last of Us. I only got about three hours in. That being said, that is the only reason this moment ranks in at five and not higher. I know it’s an amazing game and I hope to play it next year.
Moving on, exploring Boston was still an amazing experience given that I visit boston all the time. Seeing notable areas made the experience all the more immersive for me.
4. Guacamelee and its Soundtrack
Not only was it my first review, but it also had some of the most vibrant visuals I’ve seen this year. Guacamelee is also has one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard in a while. I can’t say enough about this game, but the soundtrack is something I have downloaded on my computer. I’ve played other games while listening to Guacamelee. The Mexican mariachi band sound is something I wouldn’t expect to love so much, but it’s now something I’ll never forget.
3. Ni No Kuni: An RPG Worth Your Time
I know I said I wouldn’t try to focus on specific games, but Ni No Kuni needs to be played. Finally finding the time to delve into an RPG and get so immersed that 80+ hours went by is an extremely rare occasion. Visually beautiful from Studio Ghibli and gameplay that rivals Pokemon, Ni No Kuni came out at the beginning of the year and was easily lost in the shuffle, but If I had to pick one game to recommend it would be this one.
2. Getting My PS Vita
Only days after Christmas that this list is going up and I’m putting my gift in at number two. I’ve wanted a Vita since launch but never had the proper funds. Since receiving it I’ve put hours into Persona 4 Golden, Purchased a 32gb memory card, and now I’m filling it up with all my PS Plus free games and Cross-Buy titles. I just picked up Tearaway and I’m looking to spend a lot of time glued to my Vita in 2014.
1. The Final Hour of Bioshock: Infinite.
Probably the only big AAA title I actually got to finish this year due to time constraints. Not much can be said about this game without spoiling it. No game has sparked so much discussion than Bioshock: Infinite. I still look back on the game and imagine other “what if” scenarios and how the story would have changed. The DLC, Burial at Sea, looks to be very interesting and its killing me waiting for episode two. I’ll never forget dropping the controller during the credits calling my friend and screaming, “Oh my god,” in his ear.
Here’s to another year of fantastic games!
