8/25/2018

The Most Super-Dee-Duper Gamarinoes from 2017

I feel like 2017 was mostly shit for video games but the games that did grab me grabbed me hard. So hey, let's not be a negative dickhole and talk about games I actually liked!

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue (PS4) - beaten

I'm a big Kingdom Hearts nut for some reason. I have already talked about this specific one on this blog before. 2.8 is a compilation of a boring movie, a 2-hour prequel game that might as well be a tech demo for Kingdom Hearts III, and a full HD-remaster of the 3DS installment, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. I did not expect myself to play much of DDD again but I did and I regret nothing. There are a few things that I think both versions do fundamentally worse and better than the other but they are both fine games that I enjoy. Fragmentary Passage was particularly impressive and has enough content to justify a $20 purchase, and it comes with a full-fledged whole other game on top of that. I'm not sure why this is one is still PS4 exclusive since DDD was on 3DS originally and there was no problem putting it on PS4, Kingdom Hearts III will be on Xbone, and the movie is a movie, but if you have a PS4 and you really like Kingdom Hearts, I think this one is more than worth your time.

My blog post talking about Kingdom Hearts 2.8 is here (opens in new window)

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NS) - don't own

This is basically just saying "I still like Mario Kart 8". I don't own Deluxe but I have played it with friends a few times and still enjoy it. I don't think it is worth me throwing away all of my progress in the original Mario Kart 8 just to get stuff that I can mostly get via DLC but the extra stages are fun and there are many worthy additions. The battle mode alone is an enticing argument towards me upgrading. But also fuck Nintendo for punishing Wii U fans for no reason.

The End is Nigh (PC) - haven't beaten

I still have not made it to the end of this one because I have been pretty damn busy but The End is Nigh was a pleasant surprise. I really like the mix between puzzle and platformer game that most puzzle-platformers ironically miss a mechanical step or two on. The visuals, soundtrack, and physics all blend together for a very unique game in an underwhelming genre. If you like this kind of "impossible game" stuff, The End is Nigh is for you. If you don't like that kind of stuff: I don't either but this one is a lot more about having a lot of extra stuff than having overly hard main stuff. STUFF!!!

Sonic Mania (PC and PS4 versions) - beaten

Sonic Mania is easily one of the most fun platformers of the past 5 years and is one of the best Sonic games ever made. The amount of dedication to high points of the franchise is highlighted constantly throughout the entire game. Even the menus are tasteful callbacks to days gone by. Despite it being nostalgic as fuck, which is something I actually don't value in games at all, it manages to somehow retain an original flare with a lot of new ideas and pretty good difficulty curve for the few people playing the game that did not grow up playing Sonic games. I still recommend this one to people who usually don't like Sonic games because at this point, saying "I don't like many Sonic games" is like saying "I don't like stubbing my toe".

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 (NS) - don't own

I am not a big Dragon Ball fan because I didn't really grow up with it and I am usually not that big into the games but Xenoverse 2's multiplayer was pretty fun. I don't know enough about the game to call it good or bad but I had a good time playing it with my friend on his Switch. It feels like Raging Blast but somehow better in ways I don't really know how to explain. It just feels less cheap and perhaps slightly better balanced but I didn't really study it or anything. It was fun.

A Hat in Time (PC) - beaten

A Hat in Time is one of my new favorite games. I love it. There are so many fun and beautifully stylized things to play around with in this game. I already did a video on this one as well. Just suffice it to say that this one is NOT good because it is heavily inspired by 3D platformers from the mid-90's to early 2000's. Do not underestimate this because it is an indie game. A Hat in Time controls more smoothly, looks more consistently pretty, and has a better sense of humor than at least 95% of the games I have played in the last decade. Now is a great time to get it because it will soon get some ridiculous DLC that includes two new chapters, local co-op, and some other nutso shit.

Right here is my video talking about why I think A Hat in Time is awesome, why I think Yooka-Laylee is kind of dumb, and why I hate the fact that they are now going to be compared to each other forever (opens in new window).

Super Mario Odyssey (NS) - beaten

Super Mario Odyssey is a game I have been bitching about since the teaser trailer and now that I happen to own it, I really don't hate it. In fact, I was go as far to say that I like it. I think it is flawed and I don't think it matches my appreciation for Galaxy 1 and 2, 64, and 64DS but it has a unique flair that no other 3D Mario has. On that same token, the game is massive and riddled with many challenges that don't offer much that hasn't been offered in similar titles (Galaxy, Galaxy 2, 3D Land, 3D World). Some of this one just feels like going through the motions. On top of this, as I kind of expected, there are some baby things that get in the way of the game reaching full potential, at least in my opinion. A and B do the same thing and X and Y do the same thing, making the dive move way harder to pull off than it was in Super Mario 64. There are many challenges that are made easier with the move but the move itself is unnecessarily difficult to pull off because its input and timing is so close to that of the ground pound. If you own a Switch, I guess I recommend Odyssey but I don't think it is worth $60. Just because it has a lot to do does not mean that it is all fun and games. Shame since it is supposed to be a game.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U and Nintendo Switch versions) - don't own

Getting away from Odyssey, Breath of the Wild seems to exceed all of my expectations. Most of my time with it has been watching my friends play it so maybe one day I will give the game the time it deserves for myself.

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment (Wii U) - beaten

Only one game from 2017 can come close to matching my excitement for A Hat in Time and it is Specter of Torment. And I got it for free because I guess Yacht Club games is just allergic to money. Specter of Torment is one of the closest things I have ever seen to perfect in a video game. Some parts, especially towards the end of the main campaign, I felt were a bit too easy since your character's main attack sort of homes in on enemies. Despite that, all of the replay value of this game really ties a ribbon on an already gripping, exciting, and tastefully challenging experience. I can't recommend Specter of Torment enough. If you don't have Shovel Knight yet, this is the place to start. Good timing too because they are working on a 4th Shovel Knight campaign now.


I'm sure there are games I forgot to mention but I just kind of googled 2017 games and these are the ones that struck me the most.

I have Hollow Knight. I know it exists. Unfortunately, I haven't got around to playing it yet.

Yooka-Laylee isn't on here because I'm done bitching about it. There are parts about it that I like but not enough to stick with these games.

Maybe I'll do another one of these in 2019 for the games in 2018 but probably not because I really don't know why I'm doing this one. I guess I just hate most modern games so I'm giving credit where it is very much due.

Thanks for reading.