Jordan Hurst
- Portal 2
- Super Mario Bros. 3
- The Stanley Parable
All of the underlying wrongness of Infinity Runner can probably be traced back to Wales Interactive overstretching itself. The game was almost definitely envisioned as something more open and complete, until a lack of money or time forced the developer to squeeze its ideas into the shell of an endless runner. The rigidity of the genre ruins almost every promising aspect of the game - it defangs the antagonist, dilutes the plot to the point of irrelevance, and - most damning of all - makes the fact that the protagonist is a werewolf almost inconsequential.
The developers at Haemimont Games have taken their series apart and reassembled it in a whole new way, and while the result is riddled with flaws, it's also charming, funny, and welcoming to newcomers and veterans alike. As aimless steps away from stagnation go, that's a pretty solid one.
Gods Will Be Watching is one of those rare games that deserves a wholehearted recommendation even though it is definitely not for everyone. It's punishing, occasionally unfair, and relentlessly philosophical, but it's also supremely rewarding and absolutely gripping from start to finish, all for the same reasons. If nothing else, it's a fantastic exercise in how to translate traditionally unplayable scenes into systems of gameplay - and not just token button prompts, but complex, engaging gameplay.
As flawed as its gameplay may be, this game will be talked about for years to come, and anyone who can stomach it should try it, if only to join in the discussion.
Intentionally uncooperative controls are one of the most difficult ways to engage a player, but Young Horses has pulled it off twice in a row as of Octodad: Dadliest Catch. Aside from a handful of gameplay missteps (heh), the game is sublime slapstick that never stops being funny.
Frozen Cortex provides that, but only with custom modes, which require patience to create and are less viable for multiplayer. As it stands, it's a one-note game whose one note is fairly enjoyable, at least for a little while.
Pillars of Eternity is a rare game that delivers exactly what it promises, all of which are things that gamers frequently ask for: legitimately mature narrative, deep tactical combat, and a genuine challenge free of artificial difficulty. Obsidian claimed the game would relive a classic era, but it didn't stop there. By casting off the restrictions of its inspirations' Dungeons & Dragons-rooted mechanics (and a lot of standard role-playing tropes with them) and building such an intriguing world, Obsidian has made one of the most refined and original RPGs in years.
Luftrausers is a perfect case study for the benefits and limitations of a game concerned solely with fun. On the plus side, it takes all of four seconds to get into the game and start enjoying it. On the other hand, anything that detracts from the fun (in this case, balance issues) damages the overall experience more than it normally would. As a result, all but the most dedicated fans will give up on Luftrausers after a short time - not because the game itself is short, but because it's not fine-tuned enough to maintain interest. However, it must be stressed that before that drop-off point, the game's sharp controls, dynamic presentation, and unique combat options make it irresistibly addictive. Two days' worth of constant entertainment is time well spent, and if that doesn't deserve a recommendation, nothing does.
Games with outstanding aesthetics always run the risk of falling victim to the old "style over substance" criticism, but Ori and the Blind Forest supports its style with a constant stream of timeless, captivating substance.
This is a title for anyone who has ever looked at the ocean or the night sky and been stunned by the unfathomable vastness of the universe and the mystery of the human condition. Hopefully, that's everyone.
Adventures of Pip is the good kind of nostalgia: it doesn't simply mimic the production values of vintage games, nor does it feel the need to constantly allude to their existence. Instead, it revives the design philosophies that made those old titles so inspiring. The result may not be the most forward-thinking game ever produced, but it also doesn't need to be. For anyone looking for a light-hearted platformer with a firm understanding of its own mechanics, Adventures of Pip is the best choice available since Shovel Knight.
Dead in Bermuda is a game about solid characters that doesn't have any character of its own. It's an uninspired title with a warped sense of progression, most notable for the inevitably divisive conclusion waiting for users who stick with it for 15 hours. That probably won't be a very large percentage, because this is, at best, mildly fulfilling in the same way a run-of-the-mill MMO can be: because humans are instinctively fascinated by rising meters and numbers. Anyone who wants some engaging gameplay with their numerical Skinner box would be better served elsewhere.
The genius of Her Story is right in its title: every detail and feature of its existence, from the presentation, to the script, to the symbolism of the built-in Reversi mini-game, is included in service to its female lead's story. The end result is probably the most holistic narrative-driven game since The Stanley Parable. If the FMV genre is destined for a renaissance, this game would be a fantastic example for developers to follow.
If, for some reason, the 50-100 hours of content in Pillars of Eternity were not enough for some people, The White March Part I will fulfil their needs. However, "expansion" seems like too generous a word for what it is. "Expansion" implies branching out into new territory; all this DLC does is cycle back for another lap in the same territory.
To be "one of the most relaxing games ever made" was a stated design goal of Lumini, but the only thing the experience has in common with relaxation is that both end in sleep. Come to think of it, sleep is an acceptable substitute for playing the game. At least in dreams, visions of alien worlds and meaningless stories don't come with a $13 price tag and a couple of hours of monotonous gameplay.
Animal Gods is highly representative of a major flaw in the crowd-funding model: namedropping a classic series is practically a shortcut to financial success. Still Games sold its product almost exclusively on its superficial similarity to The Legend of Zelda and the works of Team Ico, so it's not much of a surprise that it doesn't follow through with its ambitions. However, even the most cynical observer would expect more from it than this. This is a vacuous mockery of the titles that inspired it, a boring art project at best, and a $10 insult to the customer's intelligence at worst.
Curses 'N Chaos will appeal only to a very small niche market. Enjoying it requires an intact nostalgia bubble and a friend to play with, and even then, there are better options out there. Tribute Games have admirably captured the immediacy and charm of retro gaming, but they've also revived its unfair and ill-conceived design techniques, many of which died out for good reason.
Documentaries aren't known for being the most exciting experiences in the world, and, therefore, it should come as no surprise that a documentary-esque "game" is only mildly engaging. That being said, compared to the mental illness emulation of Depression Quest, or the political surrealism of The Cat and the Coup, Never Alone is a highly accessible version of the form.
The wonderful irony of The Magic Circle is that despite the extreme cynicism that informed its creation, it's actually representative of many of the positive aspects of modern gaming. Its biting humour and brilliant premise place it as part of a vanguard of indie titles keeping videogames more alive and engaging than ever, beneath the AAA mire. It's a very human product and, as such, makes some very human mistakes (most notably dreaming up amazing gameplay systems that vastly outstrip its own scope), but that's an acceptable price to pay for a work of genuine creative vision.
The "anything goes" style of game design employed by Dragon's Dogma is destined to fuel endless discussion regarding its pros and cons. It's no exception to the jack of all trades adage, but it has almost mastered enough things that it transcends the faceless, homogeneous garbage that such attempts at broad appeal usually result in. It's best described as consistently imperfect, which is more of a recommendation than it sounds. After all, a report card of straight Bs is preferable to one that's half A, half F.