Tearaway
Since the PS Vita launched, I have done a majority of my
gaming on the go. I love trophy support and the robust catalog of games on the
Vita just keeps me coming back for more. I have had my eye on Tearaway since it
was announced a while back. Developed by a 15 person team at Media Molecule,
the game is special in so many ways that it’s really hard to describe to
naysayers why this game is so good. The game is a little short, but the way it
integrated me with every aspect of it made me feel more involved in this game
than any game has been able to do in such long time. Every creation I made was
saved and visible. Even coming back to chapters I blazed through, my custom
snow flake or paper flame could still be seen. It’s so touching to see your
influence in a game world stay persistent, and Tearaway does this every step of
the way.
Unlike The Last of Us or LittleBigPlanet, where I feel like
a player controlling an avatar as you play in their world and run through their
story, Tearaway makes the story just as much my own as it is my little
Messenger friend’s. Add that to all the smart ways it uses every aspect of the
Vita and the fact that the game is mostly about finding things that are smartly
hidden rather than trial and error on platforming or combat sections, and
Tearaway is this cute little package that spoke volumes to me. I could not put
it down and Platinumed the game in mere days, but even now I really just want
to pick it back up and explore the paper craft world some more.
Gone Home
PC games are hard for me to get into, mainly because of the
control scheme. But when Gone Home became the talk of the industry, I knew I
would have to jump into it to at least be able to converse about it. Though the
gameplay is simple, the game has such a great story that I had to play through
it in one sitting. Between the teenage love story, the controversial sexual
themes and the constant feeling of the worst case scenario being played out, I
was completely on edge. And when I came to the ending in the attic and I found
out that Sam and Lonnie were running away together, I didn’t know what to feel.
I almost felt disappointed. Like I really wanted the worst possible outcome for
these characters because I have spent all night thinking the worst would happen.
Days later, after letting the story shift around in my head it all started to
click, and I could see just how well put together the entire game was,
constantly playing with my expectations. And even now I still am not sure how
much I liked it or disliked it, but the game still stays with me, which is why
it deserves a spot on my games of 2013.
Spelunky
When Spelunky released, I played the demo and instantly
deleted it, forgetting all about the game. Starting all over from the beginning
of the game every time I died just did not sound appealing and overall, I was
getting a little worn down with 2D platformers. So a couple months later, when
my roommates and I were looking for a good co-op game we could all play, we all
bought our own copies.To this day, we still play at least once a week. That’s
what I love about Spelunky. Despite the difficulty and the lack of story, the
game is made to be played with couch co-op. Even though you know you can beat
the hell out of your friend to get that next piece of gold or a kiss from the
girl, you’ll probably need them to revive you next round, or bomb a hole in the
ground or help you kill that giant spider. This slightly forced co-op
experience has made it so much fun, and has even helped get my gaming agnostic
girlfriend to dive into gaming with me. If you are looking for a good time to
spend hours of gameplay with a friend or three, you cannot go wrong with
Spelunky.
Guacamelee!
Speaking of 2D platforming games, my god is Guacamelee!
good. I’ve really like DrinkBox, especially after they released Mutant Blobs
Attack on Vita, so when they said they were working on a Metroid-vania style game
revolving around a Mexican theme, I was sold. Traveling a giant 2D map, picking
up super abilities to lead you to the next area is so fulfilling. It helps that
the fighting style emulates the feel of being a wrestler so well, with a large
emphasis on throws and slams over simple button mashing and the mix between
Mexico and Day of the Dead themes works so well.
The best part of the game is definitely the platforming.
Getting through the story won’t take too long and the challenge is decent, but
seeking out every chest on the map and every hidden item, especially the Orbs,
will require you to use your top-notch platforming skills and timing to
succeed. But damn is it so rewarding. Plus, a new game plus Hard mode to boot,
the game is worthy of hardcore 2D gameplay fans. And finally, there’s an enemy
named Flame Face, who drinks shots of tequila. Awesome.
Ratchet and Clank: Into the Nexus
There are some people who are burnt out on this franchise,
but I love Ratchet and Clank. Into the Nexus is closer to the original formula,
but shorter in length, and that’s exactly what I want from Insomniac Games. The
gameplay is tight, the guns are just different enough that you want to continue
to upgrade them, and the Jetpack is back. What more could you ask for? !
Insomniac also decided to play around with the story a bit,
adding some hints of horror vibes in along the way which work surprisingly well
in the comical space universe of the game. If Insomniac released a Ratchet and
Clank title like this every year for roughly the same price (or maybe $20)
making small tweaks or experiments I would buy it every year. If you like the
series at all or are looking for a game with a quick gaunt, this is one I
highly recommend.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengence
The first Metal Gear Solid I ever played was Guns of the
Patriots. So when I started going back and seeing where Raiden started, I don’t
have as much animosity towards the blonde, sexually ambiguous ninja as some
other players do. His first solo outing is so different from Metal Gear Solid
gameplay, but so familiar to the universe that I just had to play it.
My first thought was this would be a Devil May Cry or God of
War re-skined with Raiden, but man is it so much more. With no block button and
no dodge, this game is all about heading sword first into the enemy, parrying
attacks and slicing things from every possible direction. The combat is so
tight, and despite a RIDICULOUSLY over powered final boss, I loved every second
of it. It’s one of those games that you play the first two levels and you are
getting killed and you don’t know what the hell you’re doing wrong and then
BOOM! and it finally clicks. There is nothing more satisfying than free cutting
the giant bosses in half and the enemy types and weapon variety add so much to
the game that I am really looking forward to going back and playing it.
DmC: Devil May Cry
Speaking of games like Devil May Cry, man was this newest
iteration good. I was definitely one of the haters when the first trailer
dropped. I loved DMC and DMC 3 and saw absolutely no reason to reboot the
universe, despite the fourth game being only ok. And I knew that Ninja Theory
was a good developer, but I’d never really sunk my teeth into one of their
games (I hadn’t even played Enslaved until this year, after I beat DmC). So I
was totally against it. Man was I wrong.
The game play is just as fast paced as the original series,
if not faster. Being able to switch weapons simply by holding down a trigger
makes things remarkably quick and makes maintaining combos even easier. I
always struggled getting high combo ratings in the original series, so just
being able to switch to a weapon seconds faster than before has really changed
how I play and I love it. Add in the much improved story and universe that
Ninja Theory has crafted and it all wraps up in this ass-kicking package. It is
so satisfying to just shred enemies apart in this game, and with the chapter
and difficulty structure the same as the original, there is a lot of meat on
this game, even if I’m not good enough to play through all of it.
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
I love 3D platforming games, and as the time goes on it
seems that most developers are moving away from that particular genre. The
newest Sly Cooper scratched that itch in so many good ways. The 3D platforming
mixed with open hub worlds returned along with some new characters and
abilities to keep things interesting. I played most of this game on my trip to
Spain on my Vita, and man was it a Godsend. The story chapters are long enough
to be entertaining and short enough to finish in short bursts, and if you’re
not feeling up to completing those there are plenty of little things to collect
in the hub worlds. Plus the time travel aspect made each world feel different,
both aesthetically and geographically. This game was one of the first I played
on my Vita that I actually felt I was getting a console quality game on the go,
and I had so much fun I’m thinking about re-installing it just to Platinum it
this year.
The Last of Us
So when it was originally announced, I had no interest in
this game what so ever. I knew of Naughty Dog and that the studio was a good
studio, but never played any of the Jak and Daxter games or the Uncharted games
(Still need to play those…). So when I started listening to Podcast Beyond, I
happened to stumble across the spoilercast. Thinking I would never play, I
listened all the way through to Greg, Mitch, Collin and Brian talk about how
much they loved the game. Ironically, all the spoiling they did had no effect
on me, simply because I imagined everything they said completely differently.
My best friend John ended up purchasing the game for me as a
late birthday present when we returned from Spain. We all sat as I played the
opening to the game, and the second I heard Sarah whining in pain as Joel holds
her in his arms, rocking and back and forth, tears streamed down my face and I
was hooked. Very rarely does a game compel me to start a second playthrough
right away, and never have I ever completed the second playthrough right after
beating it for the first time. From the fantastic stealth and gunplay gameplay
to the survival aspect to the world created and the characters that inhabit it,
I love this game. Any old friend who comes to stop by the house, I show them
that opening, just to prove how far games have come. I can’t wait to play it
again and if you haven’t, stop right now and go play. This game will make your
heart ache in a way you didn’t think possible in games.
So that’s it! These are my top games of 2013. Please leave
some comments below and tell me what your top games were, or tell me some
stories about your experience with these games. I’d love to hear it all. Thanks
for reading and keep the conversation going.
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