Games of the Year (2012)
If you read one Game of the Year article this year, make it this one which I’m currently writing, and is no doubt finished, and you are no doubt reading it on my blog. You know this one. That one which the poor writing makes your head explode because I’m trying to be clever with, you know that one.
So what games have I found this year which tickle my interest and are good games?
None. Zero. Zilch. Nothing.
Well not really. There are a few games I’ve found interesting, so I’m going to go over them for you.
This year I will go over a few categories; AAA budget or publisher Winner, Indie Winner and of course Australian Winner. Then a few shout out to some upcoming titles of 2013. The ones which make you want to buy games and play them. Not the kind which you hoard in your Steam collection. Wasting way GBs on your hard drive.
AAA Budget or Publisher Winner: Sleeping Dogs
Why?
Because I finished the game.
Me finishing a game is a very rare thing you see. Let’s use an example of one of my favourite series Zelda. The majority of these titles I’ve only gotten to the end section. Otherwise most I haven’t gotten far in at all. But that aside.
I finished the game, and I loved every moment of it.
The reason why I bought the game was because it was cheap at the time presale on Green Man Gaming. Seriously, that is the only reason why. At some stage I was interested in the game prior to release, but for the most part the game wrapped itself around my head and became one of those titles you find something wrong with, then start thinking maybe you could forget about it, then you forget about it, your interest fades in it, then you forget it even came out until you look on your Steam list and you see the game glittering there in its dimmed out state.
However at some point before launch I got on the hype train, and while I questioned it, the game itself was very enjoyable. Overall I thought it was just that same old GTA style sandbox game, however when I played it, it had a soul, it wasn’t some dimly lit game derived of all personality, it was an amazing game which the story, the gameplay, everything worked together. Even the DLC is amazing, it adds a sort of quirkiness of a Saints Row 3 vibe to it with the randomness to the DLC, it’s the kind of DLC games should have, especially ones like Sleeping Dogs where the story can’t really be expanded on much post game.
[spoilers]
Speaking of the story, and the overall game. There’s this point where, I’m going to spoiler it. You see the main character is obviously undercover, to the point he’s gone way to deep and forgotten pretty much the cop side of his life. But enough about that, this guy is at the point where people are starting to find out about him, and of course at the same time, the story is at a stage where it just seems like it’s going to continue the way it was. It wasn’t heating up, it was in some ways, it was interesting, but nothing major. Then there is a fucking torture scene essentially, and it’s fucking epic. Then your drugged, the protagonist weak as all shit because of the torture and the drugs, and you have to fight your way out of this building before your friend gets fucked over….EPIC. Then the rest of the story around that point just gets really dam fast paced and fucking crazy.
The best part is the ending. It’s like some kind of zen moment where the new person in charge of the whole outfit recognises that you exist, but because of all the stuff you did, she’s going to just let you be. It’s awesome, then you can play the game from that point like any other sandbox game and mow some people down in your car or shoot the shit out anything.
[/spoilers]
There is also so much to do and collect, to the point I almost 100% the whole game. Now I hope to god my save exists somewhere either in the cloud or on the old hard disk somewhere, because I played that game so much. Oh it was grand. That is why, it wins out right. That is why, if you haven’t played it and I just spoiled it, you should play it (the story is much more intertangled and interesting then what I described anyway. Oh it isn’t perfect, I’m not saying it is, but its dam close to everything you want in this type of game.
Indie Winner: Little Inferno
You know those games which you double dip on, either because you own it on Steam and you think they have too much power these days and want a DRM free version. Or because you long since realised you don’t own it on Steam at all and it’s super cheap during one of those sales. Oh my.This is one of those games which I did double dip on, preordering the title before release, then picking up the Wii U digital version. (Oh and cheating to 100% the Wii U version). You know this is one of those kinds of games which should be on the top of everyone’s lists when you buy more than one.
So from one of the creators of World of Goo, then that guy who made that weird DS game which was a puzzle game on the bottom screen and a platformer on the top. You know Herry Hatsworth or whatever it is. You know the game I hated to shreds.
Those people made Little Inferno. Which means clearly that alone it’s a winner.
The simple idea of the game is you burn things in a fireplace. With a sinister overlay of you been a little kid all alone burning your toys and various packages you somehow can afford locked up inside just keeping warm during the winter. Some weird parallels acquitting to that’s what gamers do on their computer screens, and other weird environmental things. Oh even the developers saying it’s meant to be a rip at Zenga somehow. Don’t ask me, because that reference went over my head, I think.
Oh the music, it is amazing. That is also something which needs to be said.
So in summery the indie winner is Little Inferno because burning dangerous stuff while relaxing in the boiling hot summer of Australia and having a beer is the best way to play a puzzle game.
Australian Winner: EscapeVektor
While at the time of writing the upcoming complete version of the game for 3DS and Vita digital shops hasn’t come out yet. The game still takes the crown because of previous experience with the title in form of Chapter 1 which released on the WiiWare service a year or two back. I can’t remember. The point is, the game came out in some form. Which means it can win before I even play it. Logical isn’t it?I wont say much about the title, mainly because its getting late and I want to finish this today, otherwise I’ll procrastinate and this article will never be finished. That and I still have three other games to write about. In the end the game can be summarised into “Pacman if it was some futuristic game popped up on steroids”.
Cause you go from line to line filling in the zones, avoiding the monsters, collecting things if they exist, finding the exit.
Upcoming Titles of Note AAA Budget or Publisher: Watch_Dogs
So the best part of E3 this year, was I decided to watch the conferences because I can. One of the ones I watched live was the Ubisoft one. Which had the surprise of Watch Dogs, or as it’s known in some circles for some reason Watch_Dogs. Which as the trailer was playing, all I could think of is “fuck this is essentially a Persons of Interest meets GTA video game”.You see I had been watching quite a lot of Persons of Interest, which is a TV show where the two main protagonists go around with some crazy machine which links together all digital data and eavesdrops to create a database of threats and allows them to do awesome stuff with electronics and personal interlinked profiles of people. It’s interesting. It’s awesome. It’s what Watch_Dogs looked like in my tired state and still does.
No doubt it won’t be 100% like Persons of Interest and for that I will hate it but still, every time I watch an episode of the TV show I just slam my head as to why there isn’t more games or shows like this on the market, and remember Watch_Dogs and go “I hope this releases on the Wii U cause this will be one of the games were the tablet will make some sense”, oh and the whole “Watch_Dogs = Persons of Interest if it was a game like GTA” thing.
In summary, the most hyped game for me this year, is a game I relate to something else, and no doubt will not be like that something else.
Upcoming Titles of Note Indie: Prison Architect
Who remembers Theme Hospital? I do, so when the people behind Darwinia (lol that isn’t there most known game, but dam it I’m making you work for my knowledge…(that and its my favourite outside of PA)…) decided to make this Prison Architect game, that is all I thought of.Also unlike Watch_Dogs which so isn’t going to be like Persons of Interest. Prison Architect will be so much like Theme Hospital. The whole game is currently in Alpha and it expresses a world which has some crazy simulation gameplay around Prisons, as well as some amazing story design for the main campaign even though for now it only is used to present itself as a tutorial.
This is something I’ve been playing quite a lot of, and will continue to do with each improvement. Simulation games are one of my favourite genres. So buy this game dam it!
Upcoming Titles of Note Indie: Don’t Starve
Like Prison Architect the game is already available by buying the Alpha. Which is available on Steam and from the developer’s website. The title is available for browser (Chrome specifically) or PC download for now.I’ve praised this game in the past for it been one of the many games which have been slowly trickling out more survival inside them. Survival games are good. The more games with survival elements the better. Until I get sick of them and boot up some ancient console and play Space Invaders.
So you go around collecting stuff which you can use to craft various items. Oh it also has some weird science system and crazy creepy monsters. Oh and pigs which help you fight spiders. Fun.
