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“Tiers” to 2022! Ranking All The Games I Finished This Year.

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s time to talk about the games that you played this year, rank them arbitrary, and let a bunch of people on the internet judge your decisions. Luckily for me, I am immune to most online criticism so I have no trouble sharing some of my thoughts. 2022 was a busy year for me. I finished 27 games this year! This is a feat for me since I normally finish around less than 20 games in a year. Most of my accomplishments came from my 50-50 challenge that ended in August.

So let’s briefly go over the games that I finished this year and how I rank each of them. I didn’t know what format I wanted to go with originally, but then I realized that I never capitalized on the whole tier list craze that was going around. Since I am one who tends to be late at adapting trends, I decided to go the tier list route this year. These things tend to be more fun when it is happening in real time, but this is the best that I can do. Going from S to D rank without some type of guidance, so I came up with my own guidepost on how I should categorize each ranking:

S – Stupendous! This Game Made My Year!
A – Amazing Game With Great Things!
B – Better Than Most. In The Middle.
C- Could Play Again, But No Time Soon.
D – My Disappointment Is Immense, And My Year Was Ruined.

Cool. Let’s start the rankings then!

Dynasty Warriors 2

Dynasty Warriors 2 was the first game that I finished this year. Off the bat, it is one of the weaker games in the series. The action feels slow at times and the whole presentation just feels off. I know that this is my fault for starting at the third game and going backwards would affect my judgment. It is still Dynasty Warriors Gundam at the end, so I still had a fun time with it even though I was left wanting more. First game on the list and it goes into the C tier. 

Pokémon Legends: Arceus

The first new game that I played this year is possibly my favorite game to come out this year. Pokémon Legends: Arceus made me realize what I enjoy the most in Pokémon games; exploring and discovering new things on my own and making it dangerous. To say that this game held my attention from beginning to end is an understatement. There were very few games that I played this year where I completed almost everything in it. Completing the Pokédex in this game is rewarding since it unlocks the true ending of the game and one of the best finales that I’ve seen in a Pokémon game. My only regret is that I will have to wait enough time to pass for me to forget most things, or for another game in this style to get this type of experience again. If you haven’t guessed yet, this is going in the “S’ tier for me. If you haven’t played this game yet, or thought Pokémon Scarlet and Violet didn’t innovate the series enough for you, give this game a try.

HuniePop 2: Double Date

Yes the “aesthetic” is nice to look at in this game, but that is not what drew me into this game. You know your game is special when the T&A is good, but the gameplay is even better than that. I had no idea how the Hunipot developer was going to enhance the gameplay from the first game, but the double date mechanic is genius. It works well when you are trying to strategize your dates and be resourceful with your items. The final boss(es) was one of the best that I’ve encountered in a game in a while. It uses all of your knowledge of each individual girl and makes you think on how to counter each stipulation while being mindful of your turn limit. It took Kat and I a few tries to overcome it, but it was satisfying coming out on top of it. Honestly, I have nothing really bad to say about it. Even though I haven’t returned to the game ever since we beat it, I highly recommend this game if you are a fan of challenging puzzle games (you can turn the nudity off). It might be weird for me to put it in the “A” tier, but I will be honest and say that I haven’t played or thought about this game after beating it.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a mixed game for me. The beginning of the game feels slow and uninteresting to play, but starts to pick up once you reach the second half. The lighthearted nature of the characters threw me off as well since nothing ever felt at stake until you get towards the end of the game. I also didn’t find myself as intrigued with the world like I was with the first Xenoblade. With all of that said, it is not a bad game. Once the combat became more engaging, I was enjoying it. When the big reveals were revealed, it made playing through to the end worth it to see how everything tied at the end.  It’s just a shame that the best parts of the game for me were placed in the second half of the game. Not bad, but without its faults. In the middle “B” tier it goes.

Trivia Pursuit Live! 2

How did they make this game worse than the first one? I enjoyed playing the first Trivia Pursuit Live! with Kat since it is a constant reminder that I’m terrible at Geography. You would think the sequel would be better, but it is a downgrade. The game just screams “budget title” since some of the charm from the first game was taken out and replaced with nothing. I know that’s a lot to ask from a trivia game developed by Ubisoft, but a little more effort would have been appreciated instead of just updating the pool of questions. Easily one of the worst games that I’ve played this year. Our first “D” tier game.

Yu Gi Oh! Master Duel

Yu Gi Oh! Master Duel was a surprising game to hear about. A free-to-play game where you can play with others using the current rule set and cards is a great way to get into the game, kinda. It is apparent that if you are unaware of the current meta of the game, then you will have a hard time in the ranked mode. The rules to Yu Gi Oh! are already complicated, and can be intimidating to new players. There are however multiple free rooms that you can use to help test out decks, learn new tricks, and slowly work your way up to the point where you feel comfortable taking on other players. I will say that this game is a great way to get into the game since it’s free and available on all platforms and mobile (you can even keep your progress on multiple systems). While I haven’t played in a while, I still recognize this as a good game. Into the “A” rank it goes!

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

After spending some time away from this game, I am now in the mindset of wanting more from this game. It is a fun Kirby game no doubt, but not one of my personal favorite Kirby adventure. While the game was fun to play through and the challenges offered some thinking on my end, it never grasped me to play for hours on end. There is something holding me back from really enjoying this game since others seemed to really enjoy this game. No offense to Kirbo, but the game feels like a “B” tier entry to me.

Final Fantasy V Advance

I don’t mean to be harsh with Final Fantasy V, but it is a let down from other past Final Fantasy games that I’ve played. The job system is great and allows for lots of party customization. The system is so good, that they decided to create a new series that utilizes this system and expand on it even more. What really brings Final Fantasy V for me is everything else in the game. The narrative is one of the weakest for me, and never held my attention during non-key points. While the main cast is good, the way they can go from emotional to having goofy fun made me forget that they were trying to prevent the void from consuming their world. That is where I am at with this game. You can read more of my thoughts in the post I wrote. Seeing as I wasn’t dragging my feet to finish this game, I will put it in the C tier since it wasn’t a complete disappointment at the end.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

Now this was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting this game to win Meme of the Year with the heavy emphasis on edginess. What I wasn’t expecting was a well thought out game that required me to be patient and learn things as I played. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin seems stupid on paper and in person, but there is a layer of strategy where understanding your foes and having the right job setup will lead to rewarding victories. I don’t want to compare this to a soulslike game since it is not one at its core. Its similarities come to having limited restorative options, tough boss fights that require you to think and adapt, and not having a straightforward narrative. The game tries to keep you in the action as much as possible while offering challenges to make replayability interesting. There are elements that I don’t appreciate like the stupid amount of loot that you obtain in this game. There is too much loot for me to sort through and figure out if I need it. Big numbers means good right? That’s all I did in my playthrough. I do also wish that the AI companions were a bit smarter, but what can you do when they are always constantly asking Jack what to do. Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this game. I want to do the DLC quests at some point once they have all been released and maybe try and go for the platinum achievement. Surprisingly fun game that is held back by the loot mechanic. I feel comfortable putting this in an “B” ranking. 

Elden Ring

My second “Game of the Year.” I want to break the stigma that there can only be one game in your Game of the Year spot. Both Pokémon: Legends Arceus and Elden Ring provided two different experiences for me that jointly made my year one to remember. I am not the type of person who plays these types of games and finishes them in the same year. Elden Ring only took me three months which is a new record for me. That was in part of playing the game with one of my best friends from almost beginning to end. The fact that I was able to have a partner with me helped me with the exploration hurdles that I have and really challenged me to keep up with my friend when they would get ahead of me. It might be the “blasphemous” way of playing the game, but that made it one of the best games that I played this year. I still have two other buddy campaigns to do, so I don’t see myself being done with the game for a while (especially when DLC officially comes). It is one of my games from this year just for being one of the best co-op experiences I’ve had all year. S tier for Elden Ring even though my reasons are different from most.

Mario Strikers: Battle League

You would think I would learn to stay away from Mario Sport games these days, but there was no way they would mess up Mario Strikers. The previous games were short on content, but provided hours of fun because the core game was just fun. That didn’t really happen with this title. Something is missing from that core in Battle League. It is Mario Strikers in all mechanics, but something about it just doesn’t feel right. I haven’t had the chance to play this with other people so that might be it, but even so, something just prevents me from caring that much about the game. I argue that Mario Golf: Super Rush had more for me to be engaged with; and I hate Speed Golf. Until I figure that out, Mario Strikers: Battle League joins all the other disappointing games this year in the D tier.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

I don’t like this game. I have a big personal problem with 3D platforming games that make them hard for me to enjoy them. Despite this, I try to play these types of games just to see if I can overcome my problems and find ways to adapt and enjoy them. Super Mario 3D World did not help. The way the platforming in this game works feels designed for Mario veterans to me. The floaty and sometimes slipper nature of each character made the simple challenge of jumping from one platform to the next irritating at some points. I didn’t even try playing Bowser’s Fury just because I was ready to be done with this game once and for all. That being said, it is a me problem and not a fault to the game’s design. If you like Mario games, you will have a blast playing through this. Me being the type of person who is bad at 3D platforming finds this type of game hard to enjoy. For my own personal reasons, this game goes into the C tier for me.

Super Mario 3D Land

I loved this game. I didn’t have the interest of playing this, but I got it for cheap one year thanks to birthday discount (remember when Nintendo would offer you discounts for your birthday?) I was convinced I wasn’t going to like it since it is a 3D Mario game, but everything in this game just works and clicks for me. I theorize that since the game is on a smaller screen, I have less things to process while moving forward. It also helps that the 3D effect actually works in this game and helps with seeing the 3D environments clearly. Maybe I should have played this before 3D World since I had such a better experience with this handheld game over the console upgrade. Super Mario 3D Land lands in the A tier for me.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

When it was announced that Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII was getting a remake, I took the opportunity to finish the original PSP game. After not touching it for years, I was surprised to see that I left off right outside the door to the final boss. I couldn’t tell you why I never finished the game then and there. The fun part was relearning how to play the game while fighting the final boss. Once I got back into the hang of things, I managed to finally see the end of Zack’s journey in glorious fashion. So yeah, I don’t really remember anything about this game except that the combat can get frustrating at times. Nothing amazing was sticking out to me, but nothing bad either. I will play the remake at some point, so for now I will place the original in the B tier.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV

The finale to the Trails of Cold Steel saga took the longest time for me to finish. At this point, I was entwined in the story and characters that I had to see everyone’s resolution to the end. Unfortunately that cost me almost 200 hours of my life to do so. I don’t regret the time I spent, but I felt some things did drag on only for the story to speed through at the end. I am a huge fan of this series and I can’t wait to see where the series goes from here after finally meeting the Grandmaster of Ouroboros and what plans they may have in store next. Now I just need to find time to play the Sky trilogy and Crossbell duology before Trails into Reverie comes out in July. Sign. I am going to place this game in the “A” tier. Great conclusion to the saga, but could have been trimmed down just a bit.

Gunstar Heroes

This is a game from my childhood. Whenever we would visit one of our cousins, we would ask to play this game since it was so chaotic and fun. Revisiting it now made me question how durable we were as children since there are so many flashing lights and it gets hard to comprehend what is going on on the screen sometimes. Thanks to the Nintendo Switch Online service (words that I won’t say often), I was able to play this game with my older brother and beat it in one sitting. According to him, we have never beaten this game, hence why it is on my list. If you have never played Gunstar Heroes before, give it a try since it is available on almost all systems at this point. Just make sure to ask your optometrist if your eyesight is strong enough to handle everything on the screen. I give this game an A rank on this list.

Final Fantasy VII

I love playing RPGs (more specific JRPGs). To tell people that I have never finished one of the most iconic JRPGs until now was a fun treat. I have attempted to play and finish this game in the past, but losing your progress doesn’t help to motivate you to restart. Having the drive to finally restart this game and see it through to the end was both equally satisfying and comforting to a younger me since the game is not difficult whatsoever. Sure the superbosses are difficult as you would expect, but nothing in the main story presents much difficulty as long as you are properly equipped. I think the biggest hurdle is how slow the game is. Playing this on original hardware would have been a chore since things just move slowly and getting anything done takes time. That is why I recommend doing what I did and play one of the newer versions of this game that includes toggle turbo speed to get to place faster. I will always recommend playing older games at a faster speed in certain points since it really takes some of the bore away when you want to get to the next story beat. I did manage to get my one and only platinum trophy from this game this year, and I found the game enjoyable to this day. Maybe it was the time of the year that I played it, or if I missed the FFVIII hype train back in the day, but at the end of the day I found this game to be amazing and still holds up to this day. That is why it is in the A tier for me personally.

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate

The surprise sleeper hit for me this year is probably Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate. I have given this game so many tries, but the appeal never grabbed me. It didn’t help that I was hours into Monster Hunter World when Capcom decided to release this in the West. With the help of a friend, I was finally able to enjoy the game for what it is. This is a great sendoff to the old style of Monster Hunter, and has plenty of content that not even World or Rise has been able to acquire. While I love this game now, I do know that its limitations are hard to ignore. Even so, I am happy that I no longer have a clear answer to my least favorite Monster Hunter game now. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is deserving of my A ranking. It would be an S if it didn’t take this long for me to enjoy.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a beast of a game. At times I feel like Monolith Soft knows how to work with the Switch better than Nintendo’s first-party developers know how to. The fact that the game can support seven characters fighting hordes of enemies and keep a stable-ish framerate is an impressive feat. I thought this game was better than XC2, and had the same level of mystery and surprises like the first. The ability to change classes is a mechanic that works well for the series since battle tend to get repetitive without some changes. For many, this is probably one of the best JRPGs that they have played this year. If I felt like I wasn’t wasting some of my time with some of the side quests that didn’t yield much benefit for doing them, then I would say XC3 hits the mark. I found myself racing towards the end in the final chapter and getting my big payoff from finishing the game then and there instead of dragging it on with the side stories. I can’t place this lower or on the same level as Xenoblade Chronicles 2, so it must go into the A tier.

Trombone Champ

Sometimes a game sounds so stupid and ridiculous that you have to try it out yourself. Trombone Champ was that game for me this year. Being a musician myself, I had to try this funny trombone game that popped up out of nowhere on my timeline. What went from laughs turned into something serious however. The power of the trombone started to swell in me, and I found myself compelled to achieve S rank on all the songs and collect all of the collectable cards that I could. The mystery of the trombone still eludes me and I need to find out why they are associated with the baboon. Baboons. Baboons….Ba..boo…ns. Uh sorry. Trombone Champ is a fun game even if the fun lasts for about 5-10 hours. Good on you trombone kid. You get an A rank from me.

Castlevania: Lament of Innocence

Lament of Innocence was the second Castlevania game that I played this year, and could stomach to finish! While I enjoyed the combat and soundtrack, I found the level design, camera control, and BS platforming sections to hinder my good time. It is not a long game to beat, so I may one day return to it to 100% complete it. Stuck in the middle, so it will be placed in “B” tier.

Castlevania Judgment

The soundtrack is fire, but the rest of the game belongs in a fire (not really).  D tier.

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness

Ah Castlevania: Curse of Darkness. Just when I was ready to write off all 3D Castlevania games being bad to just ok, you showed up and showed me what could have been if more 3D titles were made (by Igarashi). Curse of Darkness incorporated my favorite elements of the series and made it work in a 3D environment. While I have some minor complaints about it, I found the game to be a good palate cleanser to the other average and bad games that I played. Thank you, and take your spot in the “A” tier.

Overwatch 2

I don’t know if this counts, but the Blizzard treated this as a new game, so so am I! Overwatch 2 should have never happened. Blizzard could have easily done a big update to gut the loot box system and everything would have been fine. Instead, they wasted so much time to hype up this “evolution” to the original Overwatch, and the result was a worse version of Overwatch. It is the same game with one less player on each team. I dislike the UI, the removal of post game stats, and the quirky fun of the game. Don’t even get me started on the bullshit that is the battle pass and how unapologetically predatory it is. This is the worst battle pass system that I have seen; and I am only familiar with two of them. I’m going to stop here before I get into a giant rant of how Blizzard thought this system would be better. I still find some fun in the game on a base level, but there was no need to rush this “sequel” out in the state that it is in. This can go nowhere else but the “D” tier.

Pokémon Alpha Sapphire

Before Pokémon Scarlet came out, I wanted to finish some other Pokémon titles that I had in the backlog. I have tried playing the remakes for the third generation a number of times, but for some reason I could never get past a certain point. I would mostly lose interest in it and would restart the game to refresh my opinion. My final opinion is that this is how a remake should be. Keep everything that was in the original release, but add some new designs, introduce the new mechanics to the series in a way that makes sense to the story, and introduce some new quality of life improvements to make the game stand out. I really wished I played this game soon when it first released since it would have been my go to Pokémon game on the 3DS. Until I revisit Pokémon X and Y (since I have no memories of those games), Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby will now be my recommended titles for the Nintendo 3DS. I would put this in the “S” tier, but one thing that I kept constantly missing while playing the game was the original GBA soundtrack. If my compressed trumpets were in the game, then this would be the perfect game. Even so, this will be placed in the “A” tier.

Pokémon Scarlet

I had a wave of emotions while playing this game. When it was first announced, I was like “okay….”. When I started playing it, I was like “Okay!”. When I was trying to finish up the last gyms, titans, and Team Star bases, I was like “Okaaaay….”. When I reached the final area and the climax of the game, I was like “OKAY!!!!”. Pokémon Scarlet is a great new direction for the mainline series. Having the world be open for you to explore and discover new things on your own is something people have wanted for ages. The story is a bit one note at the beginning, but opens up to be something more endearing than most storylines in the series. This would have been the greatest Pokémon game that I have ever played, if Legends: Arceus didn’t come out this year. When I compare the two, Legends: Arceus always comes on top for me. Scarlet may get better once the technical issues get resolved, or if future DLC somehow blows the finale out of the water. Pokémon Scarlet just has the misfortune of not being better than the other two Pokémon games that I played this year. Still a great game with great ideas. It still deserves to be in the “B” tier.

Vampire Survivors

Simplicity at it’s finest. Your goal is to power up and survive the time limit in each stage. It is simple on paper, but it is the way Vampire Survivors handles this approach. Normally the difficulty in these games should get harder as time goes. Vampire Survivors mixes it up so that you have several calm and hectic times throughout your survival. It helps keep the player on their toes while playing a simple game. That and the cryptic story that you slowly uncover as you explore each stage. What surprised me the most about this game is that for how simple and cheap it is, The developer put a ton of care to the world building, how all the tools work with each other, and made it so that the game is not as impossible as it may seem. I may be a few achievements away from 100% completion, but I don’t see a time where I don’t boot the game up just to play one round (especially now that

As the saying goes, that is that. If any of my personal placements upsets you, then please consult a medical professional. My goal next year is to try and beat more games than I did the previous year. With the amount of JRPGs I have to get through next year, I may have a tough battle ahead.

Thanks for reading!

My Favorite Games of 2020 Award Extravaganza

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Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com
I found this image hilarious for some reason

Another year, another level completed. This year would have been an amazing year to get a lot of games off of my backlog. What happened instead was a lot of picking up a lot of games on sale and drowning myself even more. Even so, I’m surprised that I was able to enjoy some games that came out this year. I’ve played enough that I could make my own top 10 games of 2020, but that is boring and unoriginal. I want to highlight some of the games that I played this year and some of the achievements that I’ve made along the way. 

So welcome to my 2020 Game Award/Recognition/List thingy. The games chosen for each category were done by a panel of one and voting was done using a room full of kittens. In the spirit of being original, The Last of Us Part 2 is not featured anywhere since I haven’t (and probably never will) played it. So with that, let’s get on with the list!

The Award for Being #10 On My Top 10 Games of 2020, AND, My Most Disappointing Game of 2020

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Remastered Edition

What more do I need to say about this game. I did finish it recently and it reminded me why I never finished it on the GameCube (the final boss took me an hour or two to beat). I am interested in doing the remix dungeons one day, but for now I’m going to continue being bitter about what could have been a wonderful multiplayer game. If you need a reminder of why this game disappointed me so much, you can read a previous post that I made on the topic.

The Award for Game That I Have Been Playing All Year And Slowly Working My Way Through

Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin

Hot take. I enjoy Dark Souls 2 way more than the original. It feels less challenging than the first, but it does have areas that take time for me to get through. My opinion may change once I replay DS3, but for now I’m enjoying my slow playthrough.

The Award for Being #9 On My Top 10 Games of 2020

Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics

There is something fun about a simple board game that you can play with anyone. While I haven’t played a lot or even all the games in this collection, I have had fun with the ones I have played. I also like learning some of the history of the games that are included.

The Platinum Award For Getting A Platinum Trophy In A Game

Soul Calibur 6

If you were to tell me that I would get my second platinum from Soul Calibur, I would be surprised like you. Soul Calibur has become one of my favorite fighting games, and the sixth entry really clicked with me. Character creation is a feature I always enjoy and it will make me play almost any fighting game with one. I haven’t forgotten that I was supposed to write a fanfic about the stars of my chaotic world.

The Award For Being #8 On My Top 10 Games of 2020, AND Having The Longest Title Of Games I Played This Year

Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. MaxiBoost ON!

I enjoy a good Gundam game. I got the game about a month after it came out and thought the online community would still be active. I’ve had no luck so far, so those online achievements may stay locked forever.

The Award For Making Me Go “AAAAHHHHHHH” Late At Night

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

After finishing this game I immediately put in the fourth game. I want to wait until I finish the entire saga before writing my thoughts about it all. 

The Award For Being #7 On My Top 10 Games of 2020

Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memories

Technically, this is not my game, but I had to help Kat out with some of the more difficult challenges so that she could get the platinum trophy. It is a unique rhythm game that took a while to get the hang of. I’m not as close to the Kingdom Hearts franchise like her, but I can always appreciate games that highlight the legacy of music. 

The Game That I Meant To Play This Year But For Some Reason I Didn’t Award

Ghost of Tsushima

I don’t know what prevented me from playing, yet alone, getting this game. I was very intrigued when watching the trailers and gameplay demos. This game also came out during the summer so it should have been a perfect time to play. At this point I should wait until I find it on sale or until I remind myself to pick it up.

The Award For Being #6 On My Top 10 Games of 2020

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2

I didn’t grow up playing the Tony Hawk games, but I did have a demo disk for the first game that I played a lot. It was great to finally learn how to play this game and get the full entertainment value from it. This game also fulfills the curse of being announced after I get the original version.

The Award For A Game That I Bought This Year And Have Yet To Still Play

Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight

I got this game on January 4. I was going to play and platinum it in one sitting since Kat did it with Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight. What happened instead was Kat playing and platinum it in one day before I played it. SInce then, I told myself I would do it, but eh.

The Award For Being #5 On My Top 10 Games of 2020

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4

It wouldn’t be a top 10 list without a musou game showing up. I haven’t had this game for that long this year, but one night I started playing and now aiming for the platinum trophy. I haven’t felt this type of mindless enjoyment since the Gundam musou games. Every character is unique and the speed is just right for me. There are some things that I have issues with, but they go away quickly when you blow hundreds of enemies away.

The Award To The Game That I Got In 2019 That I Still Need To Play

Astral Chain

I keep telling myself that I need to play this. I got it last year from my visit to the Nintendo Store in New York. I think Trails of Cold Steel prevented me from playing it at the time since I wanted to finish that first. And then the cliffhanger made me play the second game. And then I just never got around to play it. There is always next year!

The Award For Being #4 On My Top 10 Games of 2020

Yakuza: Like A Dragon

My only regret with this game is that I didn’t stream it when I first started. I’m only on Chapter 2 and I’ve been enjoying goofing off and creating funny dialogue while traveling the streets of Kamurocho and Yokohama. I have a feeling once I get further in the game and unlock some of the new classes and mechanics, this may become a favorite RPG for me.

The Award For Being #3 On My Top 10 Games of 2020

Final Fantasy VII Remake

I had fun playing this! My biggest enemy in the game was the camera, but that has been a normal issue for me as of late. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next since I enjoy telling new stories with familiar elements. Maybe now I will go back and finish the original and not get my data deleted.

The Award For Being My Most Dislike Game That I Played In 2020

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout

This game looked fun, and then it became unfun. I got it for free on PSN and each match I played filled me with anxiety that I did not need. Maybe it’s because I am bad at platformers or I was taking the game too seriously, but I have no desire to ever play it again. 

The Award Yada Yada for #2 Yada Yada 

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

I was glued to this game when it first came out. Then a few months later, I kinda left it on the sideline. Recently, I have been playing this daily to improve my island slightly. There are a lot of features that I miss from previous ACs, but there are a lot of things that I enjoy in this version. Seeing how it currently holds the highest playtime on my Switch at this time, I think it speaks for itself how much I actually enjoy this title.

The Award For Would Have Been On My Top 10 of 2020 If It Actually Came Out This Year

Among Us

Yeah I know everyone and their grandma has mentioned how fun this game is, and I would agree that it is fun. What I don’t agree with is everyone saying that it is the best game that came out this year, when technically it didn’t (if you don’t count the Switch version). I do believe that the game deserves praise for being fun and simple. In the end, that’s all a game needs to be.

The Super Shiny Sparkly Glamorous Shimmering Luminous Award For Being #1 On This Stupid List of My Favorite Games of 2020

The friends we made along the way.







No. It’s Hades.

The only reason I played Hades to begin with is because I like Supergiant games and they haven’t produced a game that I dislike. That record continues with Hades and I am extremely mad at how they got me to love this game. I hadn’t played a roguelike game before this, and now I’m upset that I may not play another one like this. There is so much I can say about this game, but there have been other people who have expressed why they like this game, and my opinion is of the same. 

So that is my take of this year. I would like to thank the Academy for rejecting my letter to host my own TV special going over this list as it would have cost too much money and no one would want to watch. So I hope all who were curious enough to read my personal thoughts enjoy reading this. If you would like to know more about my opinions on any of the lovely games that were presented today, let me know and it might persuade me to write a full (non-review) opinion piece about it. And as always, let me know what some of your favorite games from this year were.

Thank you for reading,

DanamesX

Obligatory Post About Gaming This Decade

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It is hard to believe that we are leaving the 2010’s and moving into the 2020’s. It felt like 2010 was yesterday and that everything in between happened in a blur. While a lot of things happened to me personally over the past decade, this post is not about that. Instead, I want to take a look at each decade and point out three games from each year that meant the most to me. It was hard to come up with one game to hold my heart for each year, so with me highlighting three games it makes me feel a little less guilty of not recognizing some of my favorite games. I will be using an arbitrary tier list of Bronze, Silver, and Gold to differentiate my favorites. My taste are way different from others, so please don’t be up in arms if (insert game here) is not on my list. Without further delay, let’s get in to it.

2010 – The Beginning of the Decade

Bronze – Yu Gi Oh! 5D’s Tag Force 5

This may still be one of my favorite Yu Gi Oh! games. I have sunk so many hours into this game and will still play it on occasion. I know that it is follows an outdated ruleset now, but there is some simple pleasure of playing games by old rules.

Silver – Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

This was my second Dragon Quest title after XIII. While I was a little put off of it at first, I came to realize how great of a game this was. The ability to create your team and yourself was new to me as well as inviting other players to join your game. My younger brother and I used this feature countless times and it became the one game that we would play all the time. Here’s hoping that we will get a remastered version one day on the Switch!

Gold – Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver

How do you make my favorite Pokemon generation better? Update everything and add new content to blow the original out of the water. I played SoulSilver and I loved everything about it. From Pokemon following behind you to the added content, these games are almost perfect in my eyes.

Honorable Mentions:
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars
Final Fantasy XIII
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
Monster Hunter Tri
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Xenoblade Chronicles
Persona 3 Portable
Civilization V
Etrian Odyssey 3: The Drowned City
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn

2011 – Fun Times

Bronze – Pokemon Black and White

While HeartGold and SoulSilver are the pinnacle DS Pokemon games to me, Black and White are a close second to me. I was put off by the idea of only using new Pokemon only at first, but I grew to really enjoy that mechanic and I would not mind revisiting the idea in a future title. It allowed me to understand these new Pokemon and break out of my comfort zone of finding mons that I was familiar with. I would not have learned the destructive power of Garbodor if not for this restriction.

Silver – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Oh Skyrim. So many adventures traversing the region and discovering new things. The beauty of Skyrim is that no two play sessions are the same depending on what you are doing. If you get bored of a normal existence, there are a plethora of mods for the game that make it re-playable all over again. And if you never have to worry about this point on how to play the darn thing since its on every console and now appliances!

Gold – Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3

What! A mediocre game beats a game like Skyrim for my personal favorite? Why yes! Even though I only got around to play this in 2014, I hold it high as one of my favorite games of all time. When I first got my PS3, this was the first game that I pick up for it and nearly platinum it (pesky online achievements). I had just graduated from college at the time so I had a lot of free time on my hands while looking for a job. This game got me through a lot of solitary days and reignited my passion for getting good at games (even though this is not a hard game unless you are playing on the hardest difficulty). That is why this is my favorite game that came out in 2011.

Honorable mentions:
Bastion
Radiant Historia
You Don’t Know Jack
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
L.A. Noire
Sonic Generations
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

2012 – Meh…

Bronze – Pokemon Black 2 and White 2

Black and White 2 had some really good moments and ideas, but for me I still prefer the first games. The inclusion of the Pokemon World Championships was a fun challenge that kicked my butt all the time and made me start thinking strategically and cautious about my teams stats and move set. The story felt weak, but it was nice to see another direct sequel to a generation.

Silver – The Last Story

I have a feeling most people have either played, heard, or remember this title. This was one of the last big games that hit the Wii along with Xenoblade Chronicles and Pandora’s Tower. While Xenoblade got all the attention, I really enjoyed my time with The Last Story (so much that I finished it while I have yet to finish Xenoblade yet). It would be cool to see either a remake or a sequel to this game but chances seem low since its developer, Mistwalker, has not made a console game since.

Gold – Persona 4 Golden

I bought a Vita to play this. Worth it.

Honorable Mentions:
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2
Tales of Graces f
Xenoblade Chronicles
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Liberation Maiden
Guild Wars 2

2013 – The Year of the 3DS

Bronze – Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

2013 marked the year I got my first real job; and the first thing I did with my first paycheck was buy a Nintendo 3DS and two games. This was one of the first games I bought and sunk many hours into. This game helped with me finding my expertise in gaming and made me appreciate playing difficult games. People may dunk on the swimming mechanic and all I can say is “get gud.”

Silver – Fire Emblem Awakening

The second game that I got for my 3DS was this title. This may be the last Fire Emblem game that I truly enjoyed and wouldn’t stop playing till the end. The marriage system was kinda weird at first, but it made more more cautious of support relations in order to build a stronger army. Though if I am to be honest, I do not think every title going forward needs to have forced romance and fan service (I’m looking at you Fire Emblem Fates).

Gold – Animal Crossing New Leaf

Guys, I’m afraid of Animal Crossing New Horizons. If it is going to be anything like New Leaf, my world is going to revolve around me playing it from sunrise to sunset. The mayor mechanic was addictive. For the first time you had almost complete control of how your village looked and operated. With a lot of quality of life updates and thousands of ways to customize your experience, New Leaf has the honor of being the second game that kept me glued to my 3DS.

Honorable Mentions:
Mighty Switch Force! 2
Project X Zone
Shin Megami Tensei IV
Tales of Xillia
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
Grand Theft Auto V
Pokemon X and Y
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

2014 – Another Meh Year

Bronze – Bravely Default

This was an interesting RPG to me. I liked the style of the game and the customization options that we available. I made it my job to make the most broken combination that I could think of and I think I came close. I will admit that repetition did kill me at the end and I was ready to be done with it at that point. I have not touched the sequel ever since it came out, so let’s hope that it fixed my issue. Also, I am really looking forward to Bravely Default 2 even though it has a confusing name.

Silver – Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call

Do you know what is better than Final Fantasy? The music in Final Fantasy! The soundtrack to all the Final Fantasies have always been one of my favorite aspects, so when you make a game focused all around the music I’m pumped! The second game added more songs, modes, and a good progression system to get you playing for hours on end. I doubt we will see that arcade version of the game anytime soon, but I would be down for a new Theatrhythm anytime (even that Dragon Quest one!).

Gold – Super Smash Bros for Nintendo 3DS

I chose the 3DS version of this game not because I didn’t own a Wii U at the time, but it was the better version to me. Sure you may not have the accessibility of local co-op play with a system, but this experience let you smash wherever you went. Who needs a Gamecube controller when you got Smash Run; the best mode Smash ever made because it felt like Kirby Air Ride! I also enjoyed the stages in the 3DS version more than the Wii U version, but this is all personal taste. It seems redundant to replay this version with Ultimate out now, but don’t tell me that you don’t sneak a round of Smash Run here and there!

Honorable Mentions:
Battleblock Theater
Tomodachi Life
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Reborn
Tales of Xillia 2
Destiny
Tales of Hearts R
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth

2015 – GOTY

Bronze – Bloodborne

I didn’t play this game until 2018, but it was worth the wait. I don’t think I could have handled a game like this back in 2015, but 2018 Carlton made this game his. Unlike in Dark Souls (which I played before this) the rule was to be aggressive and act fast to the situation. There is no waiting game in Bloodborn. You find your opening, hit hard, fast, dodge, heal, and then get back in there. Your opponent is not going to wait for you, so why should you?

Silver – The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel

It has been a while since a game made me feel emotionally involved with its characters. I recently finished my first playthrough of this game and it left me feeling good and wanting more. The structure of the world may seem confusing at sometimes since the game tries to set up everything that it can while you play. The battle system is now one of my all time favorites and the level of customization is unbelievable. It may take me another three years to finish the second game, but I need to know what happens next and how the story unfolds.

Gold – Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate

For how good Trails of Cold Steel is, it was not beating my favorite game of all time. Earlier I mentioned that Animal Crossing had the second most play time on my 3DS. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate takes the cake for the game that I played the most out of almost all the games I own. This game made me into the cocky bastard that I can be sometimes because it made me grow as a gamer. It taught me that experience in the game is not what makes me stronger and better, but the real life experience of improving little by little over time while taking on more difficult opponents. This game also gave me one of my favorite gaming moments when me and my friend took on the hardest monster by ourselves and won. For that, I will always cherish this game and appreciate it for helping me grow. On a side note, this is the game that almost destroyed my original 3DS by destroying the circle pad and the shoulder buttons. Rest easy my friend.

Honorable Mentions:
Dragon Ball Xenoverse
Final Fantasy Type-0
J-Stars Victory VS+
Yu Gi Oh! Legacy of the Duelist
One Piece: Pirate Warrior 3
Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below
Tales of Zestiria
Divinity: Original Sin

2016 – Most Memorable

Bronze – Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth

Digimon does not have the same appeal (and marketing) that Pokemon has. It does however have some of the most mature and dark themes that Pokemon wish that it could have. There has not been a Digimon game that kept me invested until I played Cyber Sleuth and it is one of the most underrated games that I know. Combat may be simple and the cutscenes may be cringe at some points, but this game delivers an impressive story and an addictive leveling mechanic that is not hard to understand and get the hang of. If you have a Switch, you have to get the complete edition that includes this title and the sequel. You won’t be disappointed.

Silver – Overwatch

Shooters have never really been my genre. I don’t find a lot of enjoyment in running around and just shooting other people (not because I’m bad at it T_T). That is why I enjoyed Overwatch so much. There is more to the game than just shoot the other team for points. There is cooperation with your teammates to ensure you work together to complete the objective. There are different characters that have different weapons and abilities so teams could look completely different. Overwatch is what I like about teamwork and fun gameplay to make each match a challenge or a walk in the park.

Gold – Pokemon Go

Originally I wasn’t going to consider this a game. But when I thought about the hype and involvement the people around me made when this game came out, I cannot ignore how influential it was in 2016. Everyone was out and about search for Pokemon everywhere. At my job we had a gym right outside, so we had a board and kept it updated on which team owned it. Pokemon Go was not a perfect game when it first launched, but it accomplished its goal in being fun, getting people to interact with one another, and to get our lazy butts off the couch.

Honorable Mentions:
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4
Stardew Valley
Dark Souls 3
Monster Hunter Generations
Pokemon Sun and Moon
Final Fantasy XV

2017 – “My Body Is Ready”

Bronze – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Such a legendary game! The Zelda formula went somewhat back to its roots at being a game about exploring the world and figuring out what to do next. The crazy and amazing things that you can do in this game is mindblowing and I am in the minority that does not mind the weapon durability system. This game would be higher on my list if I actually finished it. I completed one divine beast and then got stuck/lost in the Lost Woods. One day I will pick it back up and get out of there.

Silver – Sonic Mania

I played a lot of the genesis titles back in the day. Having a new Sonic game come out that played like a genesis game gave me full nostalgia and enjoyment. If we ever get a Sonic Mania 2 or something, I hope other new and forgotten characters are able to join the fray.

Gold – Persona 5

While I personally prefer the fourth entry, I cannot deny that this game has a lot of style and personality. I appreciate the new dungeon layout instead of the randomly generated level design previous games had. I also like the inclusion of the series demons being the enemies you fight instead of random masked things. It makes the series feel more like it belongs in the Shin Megami Tensei franchise than previous entries. While I did not fall in love with the game like my wife and friends, I’m hoping Persona 5 Royal fixes the small issues that I had and blows my mind.

Honorable Mentions:
Tales of Berseria
Puyo Puyo Tetris
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadow of Valentia
Tekken 7
Destiny 2
Monster Hunter Stories
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
Gundam Versus
South Park: The Fractured but Whole
Super Mario Odyssey
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon

2018 – Amazing Year

Bronze – Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age

I honestly have not gotten far into this title as I would like, but the amount that I have played I’ve been enjoying. I would like to get the definitive edition since it has a full orchestral soundtrack, but my wife will not let me until I finish the PS4 version first -_-

Silver – Monster Hunter World

I was a bit worried at first that the Monster Hunter that I enjoyed would be toned down a bit for more casual play. While that was not the case, I would be lying if I didn’t say that I didn’t find this game as challenging as the previous. The quality of life changes are the best though, and I sometimes feel odd going back to the old play style. I have yet to touch Iceborne yet (mostly because I have burned myself out of Monster Hunter right now), but I have heard that it brings back the challenge of G-rank with other difficult monsters thrown in, so I am looking forward to that.

Gold – Super Smash Bros Ultimate

I remember freaking out when I saw the reveal trailer for this. Ever since, I was obsess with learning who the new fighters were and being blown away when I learned that all the characters from previous titles were in. I am not a competitive Smash player whatsoever and enjoy just having goofy fun times playing with familiar characters. With more characters being added this year and constant updates, it will be hard to play any other Smash game after this one.

Honorable Mentions:
DragonBall FighterZ
Dissidia Final Fantasy NT
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition
Dark Souls Remastered
Octopath Traveler
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
Super Mario Party
Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu! and Let’s Go Eevee!
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon

2019 – Still Processing

Bronze – The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

GIVE ME THE ORACLE GAMES IN THIS STYLE PLEASE!!!!! This game was so charming and a blast to replay. Awakening was the first Zelda title that I finished on my own, and has been a favorite of mine. I already talked about my thoughts on the game so if you want to read about it you can find it here.

Silver – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Sekiro gave me the same feeling that Bloodborne gave me. Sekiro gave me more chills actually than Bloodborne gave me, so take that as you will. I enjoy all of the combat and mobility at your disposal that all challenges become a game of chess almost. One wrong move can cost you the game, but if you are smart, you can make a comeback and win. I plan on finishing this game this year so by then I will have my full retrospective of it.

Gold – Pokemon Sword and Shield

I was not expecting this game to be so high on my list. A lot of people will criticize the inclusion of this game on any list, but for me there is a special reason why I love these games so much. There will be another post that goes into great detail about why these games mean a great deal to me and I hope you will understand my reasoning (article can be viewed here once it is published).

Honorable Mentions:
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
Jump Force
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Super Mario Maker 2
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Yu Gi Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution
Ring Fit Adventure

So there you go! This past decade had a bunch of really good games with some that I still have not had time to sit and play. This decade is already off to a good start and I can’t wait to see what new experiences are on the way. Let me know if any of the games I mentioned were on your favorite game list and let me know of some titles that I may have missed. Here is to the new year and video games as a whole!

DanamesX