Polynauts Games of the Year... thingy

Okay, well... kind of late to doing this, since most places generally do this the week before New Years. And knowing me, I generally don't do things in a timely fashion, ever. But, that's besides the point here. This isn't really the typical "Game of the Year" thing either. No, this will have some quirky categories that you don't usually find in this things. And for that, well, you'll see what we mean.

This topic will also be where you can submit your own categories like, "game that went on for too long", or "best special edition packaging", and even something like "game we keep forgetting came out this year". So, don't feel you have to put the typical list of "games of the year", you can just create your own categories if you feel the need.

With that, let's get started.

Games of the Year

Given that there were few games I actually managed to complete this year (I have my reasons... this is why I hate myself for playing RPGs most of the time), this list isn't going to be terribly long. It will have honorable mentions, and it will have the usual "top 5" format. Also ascending from lowest to highest rank. The usual stuff.

#5: Doom (PC/PS4/XB1)

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So, before I begin with this... I haven't actually completed this one. Actually, there's a long winded reason for it, it involves streaming, and it involves some quirky technical difficulties I've had while streaming. Not a problem. I know what it was... anyways...

Doom is that weird game that no one expected to live up to a roughly 20+ year reputation set by it's pseudo-3D predecessors that essentially started a trend and would introduce the concept of fast paced first person shooters to the world. In a weird way, that lack of expectation actually allowed this to do very well. It's everything you loved about the earlier games, with aspects from modern games thrown in for good measure, with an actual exploration requirement to either get new weapons earlier, secrets, or hidden upgrades. Again, no one actually expected this game to be that good. And it is. And then some.

Let's just pretend the multiplayer is some other game that also happens to carry the Doom name. It'll make things a lot easier on all of us.

#4: God Eater Ressurection (PC/PS4/Vita)

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...Okay, I'm kind of cheating in some weird aspect because this is the remake of a remaster of sorts. Resurrection is actually an expansion of the previous game Gods Eater Burst which in turn is the expansion of the original God Eater. That being said...

Having finally being released in North America, alongside it's sequel, God Eater 2: Rage Burst, the easiest way to describe this game is Monster Hunter clone... with anime. That's the basic and easy description. But there's more to it than that. There are a lot of aspects this game takes from the Monster Hunter series, such as hunting, mission format, time limits, weapon types, 4 player format, the skill handling, and hunting the "monsters" for parts to get you better gear. After that though, the similarities quickly end.

God Eater is easily different by being a significantly faster paced game, either by the fact that the game has you running, allowing you to shield (only buckler does this) to cancel a combo to start a new one, having skills that speed up weapon change (you shift from melee, to gun, to shield), and some neat dashes through the devours. The devours themselves allow for buffs, resistances, or other cool effects that allow you to handle the fight differently.

The amount of content in this game is staggering. Remember when I said there's like 2 other games present here? Well, after you finish the God Eater storyline, you go straight into the Burst storyline. Beat that, and then you get the Resurrection storyline. Obviously, this also means the game ramps up in difficulty. But this also means more powerful gear. Having this much content is crazy, and the fact that you can get this game for dirt cheap ($20 CAD, so likely cheaper for the American audiences here) means you can get a solid 100+ hours of gameplay for a crazy good price. And then you have the sequel. So yeah, lots to enjoy here.

Oh, and because clothes don't have any skills on them, it's purely cosmetic. Go nuts.

#3: Obduction (PC/VR/PS4[2017])

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Developed by Cyan Games (creators of the original Myst, as well as it's sequel Riven, and Myst V), Obduction holds with it a pedigree that becomes obvious the more you delve into it. A lot of other games developed by original studios often-times feel like something about them isn't quite the same as you remember them, or maybe a few different members are here making some aspects of a game... different. Obduction is not that case.

Dealing with the theme of abduction (typical word play here), you're transported from your original planet onto a seemingly alien/normal world where you introduced to this new place with the hologram of someone who claims to be the "mayor of Hunrath", with Hunrath being this new location you now find yourself at. From there, it's a case of figuring out what you can and can't interact with, and attempting to figure out the logic behind it. And, in typical Cyan fashion, learning about the world you're in through journals and trying to solve the intricacies of the predicament you find yourself in.

The sense of discovery, learning about the various little quirks still persists in Obduction, which is part of what made the Myst series as intriguing as they were... even though I'm someone who started with Riven... which actually it harkens more to that then Myst. Go figure.

Currently standing, it's available on PC, VR and coming very soon to PS4 and PSVR.

#2: Overwatch (PC/PS4/XB1)

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I'll be honest about something... I initially had no intention on buying this game. I really didn't. This was a pass just because I didn't see myself sinking money onto a full priced game that was multiplayer only. So, what changed? Well, the Open Beta, which allowed me to actually try out this game to better understand what this actually was. And once the conclusion of it's similarity to Team Fortress 2 - a game I did sink many, many hours into - I figured I could likely enjoy this game.

And then I discovered it's low-er price tag ($40 USD/ $50 CAD), and the fact that you could actually earn cosmetics through a system that granted you them at each level up. Sure, you could buy them, but you are always given opportunities to get them. Yep, this is what sold me. I know, kind of pathetic.

However, Overwatch is that weird game where I've actually been able to do well... but not necessarily having any direct confrontation at times. But that's the beauty of this game; I can actually play as a healer, and still enjoy my time simply by trying to maintain a certain amount of health "recovered" per round. Or, play support characters in general and still enjoy playing it. The ability to actually find your preferred playing style is one of the better aspects this game allows you to have. And with each update, additional game modes, and options are always there to mix things up.

It's not perfect, and the meta is always changing, and the chat can get... heated, but overall, it's one of the most entertaining multiplayer games I've played this year, and I think it deserves to at least be tried for a few rounds.

#1: Pokemon Sun/Moon (3DS)

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...Yes, this was probably the most predictable thing to found here. And while I had my suspicions in advance, actually playing this game was a joy and an experience that continually reminds me why I love this series.

Sun and Moon have gone out of their way to carefully adjust the traditional format that many of us have been used to growing up with the series, in such a way as to make it a very different experience than before. At first, the idea of Trials replacing Gyms seemed strange, but the execution worked quite well. The setting itself made it seem like this concept was part of the larger aspect of the storyline, rather than just some thing that needed to be done as per gyms. The Trial Captains and Island Kahunas all have their own distinct personality and quirks that adds to the experience of each and every Trial.

Other minor tweaks were added to simplify or improve on existing features. Biggest among those, are the removal of HMs in favor of the PokeRider; a device that lets you call on any of the Pokemon you have registered to it to allow you to use their abilities in specific areas. Tauros for both Rock Smash and the Bike (no, there are no more bikes), Sharpedo for both water Rock Smash and faster Surf, Charizard for Fly, and Mudsdale for what is essentially Rock Climb.

One of the better improvements is from the storyline itself; an overarching journey composing of yourself, Lillie and Hau as you go through to complete each and every one of the Trials, while Lillie tries to understand and learn about her abducted Pokemon, Nebby (a Cosmog). You encounter the rather comically entertaining Team Skull, and learn more about what reason and purpose the Aether Foundation has in the Alola region. There's a few neat twists and turns the game takes, and the revelation about the so-called "Ultra Beasts" lends to me interesting plot expositions. It's arguably the best storyline since Black/White, and I personally hope the series keeps at least this level of storyline going forward.

Overall, if you haven't yet experienced the 7th generation yet, I implore to consider giving it a try.

Special Edition of the Year:

When it comes to purchasing games, sometimes they'll entice you with some really cool special edition versions that have neat trinkets along with the game itself. Sometimes they come with artbooks, sometimes figures, and generally some digital stuff that becomes obsolete within the first few hours of gameplay.

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Odin Sphere Leifthrasir: Storybook Edition

The main appeal to this was actually getting the artbook. However, it comes with a nice little steel case (not steelbook, that one kind of confused me when I saw it), a cool t-shirt, and a neat little poster. Overall, one of the better special editions I've purchased. The artbook arguably makes it worth it in and of itself.

Game I Keep Forgetting About Despite Having Beat It:

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Ratchet and Clank (PS4):

I sincerely wish I understood the reasoning behind the fact that I keep forgetting this game. I think a number of things contributed to it, and overall, once I finished it, I started a NG+... and then kind of forgot about it. And I don't know why. Maybe I expected more from it. Maybe the excitement from other games kept me from remembering I'd played this game... maybe it just didn't hold my attention nearly as long. I don't know.

Best Remaster of the Year:

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Gravity Rush Remastered (PS4):

I actually could have just gone with Odin Sphere, except that I'd never actually played the original game, so comparing between versions wouldn't nearly be as effective. However, Gravity Rush to Remastered is incredible. Even if they hadn't changed the visuals any, the overall feel of playing the game with an actual controller is crazy good. On top of that, lots of minor quirks I had due to how it controlled were ironed out here. Oh, and all of the DLC is included here. So, yeah. If you haven't gotten this game, I'd definitely recommend it, especially since the sequel is coming out very soon.

So, with this said...

How was your year?

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