Games played for the first time this year that came out in previous years!

[NeoCracker]

9. Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together

...I should enjoy this, but I just don't. I have no explanation for that. It just doesn't grab me like Ogre Battle or even FF Tactics.

8. Alpha Centauri

Were I a bigger Strategy game fan I would love teh smurf out of this game. As it stands, I just enjoy it alright.

7. Costume Quest

Competant, funny, and adorable. Nothing major, but good.

6. Final Fantasy Dimensions

Dragged down by a lot of dull characters and the game being re-leveling the same classes for both groups practically. Still though, a lot of fun and smooth running battle system, and the development you do get is solid.

5. Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Ages

Well, it's Zelda and great for it! Haven't quite beat seasons yet, though I feel having beaten Ages and most of seasons I am legit to comment.


4. Hotline Miami

This game is smurfing nuts. Hard game it is, and some pretty crazy visuals and a plot that takes a fair bit of thought to piece together. Definitely deserving of a lot of the praise it gets.

My top three are all Suikoden, and here is the order of awesome I place them.

3. Suikogaiden Vo. 1

Yet to play Vol. 2, but the first was a lot of fun if you can enjoy a Visual
Novel style game. And if you are a fan of the serious how have you not played
the fan-translation of this game? The highlight is the first story arc as it
were, as you play an agent from Harmonia, and you are escorting Serra who
claims to have information on some of the True Runes. And OH DEAR GOD THE
FEELS OF THAT PART! ;_;

This game cements Sierra as my favorite character in the series.

2. Suikoden 1
I will say to start off this game has aged badly. The combat is fairly
lacking, but it was still a fun play for me. A lot of options for characters,
though it largely falls in with Chrono Cross for all of them feeling rather
pointless, though it handles it much better then Cross did.

1. Suikoden 2
And while I'm referencing Chrono Cross, it wishes it could be this game. While
there are definitely members that feel tacked on to reach the 108 mark, you see
a lot of them have stronger personalities and relevance, and so many feel like
the really are part of your army and not just add ons.

The writing in this game is also wonderful, as any Suikoden fan in these parts
will tell you. The battle system was also vastly improved over the first game,
and you have a lot of room for customization with runes and party combinations.


However I hate Duels. I am playing an RPG, not Rock papers Sciscors god dammit.

For some negatives, however, I don't really like that your lead is kind of irrelevant to the overall plot. Yes, he has his connections with Jowy and their friendship, a damn well told story, but let's be real here. This isn't you saving the day, you are just the figure head for the games real hero, and my second favorite character (He was my favorite prior to Gaiden), Shu the strategist. Dear god this guy is ruthless. Some of his plans are things you would never think the good guy would do. These include asking Kiba to sacrifice himself, as well as using Jowy's love of a little girl to his disadvantage. Dude's legit.

Secondly is the complaint I brought up in my original play through thread of this game, but I don't like how the villains are done. Now Luca Blight is threatening as all smurf. Yet he is way to baby kicking evil for my tastes. I mean his last name is Blight for christs sake. They weren't even trying. I will say, however, the final fight against him smurfing rules. The really made him out to be the force of nature the plot had been building him up as.

Then the villain becomes Jowy, and any real threat is gone at this point. The rest of the story is basically Shu making a mockery of him time and time again. We now have a villain who has a damn good story unlike the last, but lacks any real threat or urgency. The later part of the game feels more like Mop up duty and tying up loose ends then an actual finally.

Still though, I smurfing love that game.

[Bolivar]

Most recently I finally dived into the Civilization series and really enjoyed them a lot. I got 3 and 4 and at dove into learning 3 first, I thought it was more exciting initially than 4 and the graphics took me back to early 2000s PC strategy games. But after some time I do I see why 4 is the better game and will probably use that as my go-to civ game.

I got Super Mario 3D Land with my 3DS earlier in the year, that was pretty awesome as well. The levels are short and the game is easy but it was cool to get back into that Nintendo charm after the PSP pretty much dominated my handheld gaming these last few years. I think this was the first 3D Mario I spent a lot of time with.

I think this was the year I dove into a lit of WRPGs, namely the Witcher, Human Revolution, and TES III and IV. The Witcher actually surprised me with how well it pulled off the choice-driven narrative and now I'm a huge fan, having read 3 of the books the games are based on. Human Revolution was sick, very reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid, the production values were off the chain, and overall put this Eidos team on the map I believe. I've already shared my thoughts on the negatives of Morrowind, it's the Xenogears of CRPGs, but the originality and themes are very insane, and when I first arrived in Balmora it was very reminiscent Of Shadow Run on Genesis, very noir and no hand-holding. Skyrim is everything I hoped it would be after Oblivion, and then some, I'm impressed how they turned the side quests into interconnected chains instead of unrelated one-offs. The only thing I miss about Oblivion is how the whole feel conveyed that you were playing a sword and sorcery computer game, whereas Skyrim feels like a blockbuster Conan flick. Is it possible to have to much polish? I also haven't been playing it as devotedly, but there's a lot of other games out.

[Ayen]

Spelunky, Dark Souls, Darksiders and Game Dev Tycoon. The first three being games I was requested to review and the last being one I stumbled upon myself. I really enjoyed Spelunky, Darksiders and Game Dev Tycoon. Dark Souls has its moments, but sorry, I couldn't get into it.

[black orb]

>>> The FF3 remake..

[Aulayna]

Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep

I was honestly surprised by it as I haven't really enjoyed any of the other handheld KH games. Chain of Memories wasn't that bad considering it was on the GBA. But 365/2 and Re: Coded always felt really clunky.

Although admittedly my PSP was busted so I emulated it on the PC, but still - I loved it, especially Aqua's storyline.

[Psychotic]

Fable 3 was free on Games With Gold. I didn't pick it up at the time as Fable 2 was sort of a letdown. It was actually surprisingly enjoyable and fixed a lot if the issues I had with 2.

Finally got around to Portal 2. I loved the original but have to admit I was turned off by the internet memes and hype. I thought I would prefer the co-op but I actually found the single player to be a lot more fun. I was also surprised that someone, namely Wheatley, managed to steal the show from GLaDOS!

I picked up some of the Lego games to play co-op and was impressed. I know they're for kids but I secretly enjoy them their gameplay is actually really neat.

Finally, Castle Crashers. Was exactly as I thought. A fun romp!