Here are 23 games for “Games of 2021.” I did not watch a lot of T.V. shows or movies; instead, I used my time on video games. The last time I played over twenty games in a year was 2018. You can check my math by reviewing my “Games of” Appendix. Not only can you check my math, but you can see what this series is all about. I am very proud of this series.
Here is a quick summary. This is not a “Game of the Year” post. Instead, it is a list of games I played over the last year. I capture screenshots, track stats, and jot down my thoughts while I play the game, and share them in one big post at the beginning of the year.
I did not play any games in January, but in February I started with…
I Can See My House
Microsoft Flight Simulator (PC)
Release date: 08/18/2020 Date played: 02/21/2021 Number of hours played: 9.50 number of gaming sessions: 4 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 1/43 (2.33%) Number of screenshots taken: 119 Acquisition date: 02/15/2021 Acquired from: PC Game Pass Purchase price: $0.00 (List $59.99)
I spent more time preparing to play Microsoft Flight Simulator than I did playing it. I subscribed to Xbox Game Pass on PC, borrowed a flight stick from a friend, and started the install process. The 150 GB downloaded in a few hours. I ended up doing something else and I decided to play it a day or two later. I started it… and another 120 GB download. It finished that afternoon, and I was finally in the cockpit of a Cessna.
I ran into a problem right away. I did not know how to fly a plane. It turns out that the “Simulator” part of the game is not just for show. I spent a few hours in the tutorial learning how to fly. The tutorial did a great job teaching me. I took notes and re-did a couple modules just to make sure I understood the basics. I felt prepared to fly.
I flew around my region, Devil’s Tower, Mt. Rushmore, Miami, Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Washington, and more. Flying is relaxing, and I hit my Zen. The amount of detail Asobo pulled off with AI assistance is incredible. Rural areas may not look exactly like they do in real life, but they feel complete. Overall, I am an amateur flight enthusiast, and Flight Simulator was great for the few hours I spent with it.
Hunting Simulator
Far Cry 5 (PC)
Release date: 03/27/2018 Date played: 03/29/2021 Number of hours played: 46.25 number of gaming sessions: 15 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 30/50 (60.00%) Number of screenshots taken: 70 Acquisition date: 01/13/2021 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $16.71 (List $89.99 for Gold Edition)
Ubisoft nails the three distinct regions of Montana in Far Cry 5. I grew up in eastern Montana and have spent years in the state. Holland Valley felt like the farming area where my dad’s family lives. Henbane River felt like the area where I grew up. Whitetail Mountains felt like the forested area of western Montana.
The game gave me a short introduction, and then pushed me into the open world with a toy box filled with guns. It was fun to hunt prey, both human and animal. I mainly had my dog, Boomer, by my side, but there were other memorable companions. There are Cheeseburger, the diabetic bear, Peaches, the treat-loving mountain lion, Jess Black, the archer who has seen some shit, and more.
Unfortunately, Ubisoft had two competing ideologies for the game: one to tell a compelling story, and two to let the player do whatever they want. I wanted to ignore the story and complete all the outposts in an area. However, the game interrupted my plan by kidnapping me, and having one of the big-bads monologue to me. This is not fun, even though I did like the villains. At the end of the game all endings left a bad taste in my mouth. I went through so much during the game, and my actions amounted to nothing.
Overall, I really like the game. I think because it has been so long since I have played a Far Cry game, I had a lot more fun with Far Cry 5. The ending and story interruptions are minor gripes. Maybe Far Cry New Dawn will change my mind about the ending.
Prettiest Apocalypse
Far Cry New Dawn (PC)
Release date: 02/15/2019 Date played: 04/25/2021 Number of hours played: 29.00 number of gaming sessions: 13 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 33/50 (66.00%) Number of screenshots taken: 72 Acquisition date: 01/13/2021 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $9.28 (List $49.99 for Deluxe Edition)
Far Cry New Dawn takes place 17 years after Far Cry 5. I was welcomed to a beautiful apocalypse. Many of the fun gameplay elements from Far Cry 5 are here, but New Dawn tries some different things. Scrap is used to build and upgrade guns instead of money. Scrap is everywhere, but the cost to build and upgrade weapons is steep making it feel more valuable than money from earlier games.
I did not like the new tier system. I needed to upgrade my base to obtain better weapons and upgrade them. Doing so also made enemies harder to kill. I like the feeling of power in Far Cry games, and this system neutered that a bit. I eventually upgraded my equipment enough and found my rhythm, but it took a long time.
Outposts are still fun, but my new favorite mission type is the Expeditions. Each mission took me to a new location outside of Hope County, and I was tasked with going into a base, grabbing some loot, and making it back to the extraction point. It is fun and I hope Ubisoft continues it in future Far Cry games.
Overall, New Dawn has more of what I liked from Far Cry 5. The story beats did not change my mind on the ending of Far Cry 5, but it still is a fun sandbox.
So Many Voices
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (PC)
Release date: 08/8/2017 Date played: 04/29/2021 Number of hours played: 8.00 number of gaming sessions: 5 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 13/14 (92.86%) Number of screenshots taken: 56 Acquisition date: 02/10/2019 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $12.93 (List $29.99)
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice needs to be played with nice headphones. Senua hears voices, and Ninja Theory did an outstanding job implementing them into the story and gameplay. The voices immersed me into Senua’s world like no other game has. The audio balance is phenomenal. The music, voices, and combat audio levels are perfectly balanced; I never had to adjust the volume. The voices tickle the old earholes just right.
The audio is not the only highlight. The writing, animation, graphics, and performances immersed me in Senua’s psychosis. The world is carefully crafted, and it can be bleak. Hellblade did not merely show me what it is like to have psychosis; I experienced it. Senua saw and heard things that may or may not have been real, but they felt real to me as I played. Only after I put down the controller did I have time to reflect and go, “Oh, that was not right.”
Hellblade is not just a walking simulator. It has puzzles that relate to Senua’s psychosis, as well as combat. The voices tried to help me during combat by telling me when an enemy was about to attack. The combat grew on me. It is similar to Ninja Theory’s other games. It requires proper timing and button presses. Do not expect to be chaining together combos like Devil May Cry, but, also, do not expect to be just mashing buttons half hazard.
There was one chase-based puzzle that I felt was unfair and took me out of the game. The game is not perfect, but I think everyone should play it to better understand what it is like to have psychosis.
This Is Art
Inside (PC)
Release date: 07/7/2016 Date played: 05/2/2021 Number of hours played: 4.50 number of gaming sessions: 2 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 14/14 (100.00%) Number of screenshots taken: 52 Acquisition date: 02/10/2019 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $6.91 (List $19.99)
Like any good piece of art, Inside is open to the player’s interpretation. To some, the game is about society’s obsession with social media. To others, it is about cancer. I have my own thoughts, but the game does make one thing clear: a boy is making his way through the inside of… something. There is no dialog. The game did a great job at giving me enough context to let my imagination infer the boy’s motivations on my own. The art style and sound design added to my emotions I felt during the game.
The gameplay is simple. I moved right, and solved puzzles. The puzzles built upon each other as I went, and some of the later puzzles had me scratching my head.
It is a short game, and it is easy to recommend to almost anyone. I recommend being in an artsy-fartsy mood if you do play.
Gratuitous Amounts of Almost Up-Skirt Shots
Vanquish (PC)
Release date: 05/25/2017 Date played: 05/05/2021 Number of hours played: 5.25 number of gaming sessions: 3 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 23/50 (46.00%) Number of screenshots taken: 50 Acquisition date: 05/2/2021 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $4.99 (List $19.99)
Vanquish came out in a time when cover based third person shooters were a dime a dozen. How does it decide to distinguish itself? By putting a Platinum Games spin on the combat: cover is there, but movement is better. I like to call it a third person, 3D Contra game. There are a ton of interesting weapons that can be upgraded. The enemies are numerous, and the big ones are deadly. It is a breath of fresh air, and no other game has tried to do what it does and succeed.
The dialog is very cliche, but it has a charm to it. I kind of dig the basic story. In the future, Russia gets taken over by a rogue group, and decides to blow up San Francisco. This ignites a war, where DARPA comes in with its secret weapon: Sam. He can power slide, he can slow down time, and he can smoke. Oh, and shoot guns.
It is a good time, and I recommend it.
The Classic
Psychonauts (PC)
Release date: 04/19/2005 Date played: 06/02/2021 Number of hours played: 20.00 number of gaming sessions: 8 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 35/37 (94.59%) Number of screenshots taken: 91 Acquisition date: 01/23/2008 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $19.95 (List $19.95)
Psychonauts is one of my all-time favorite games, and replaying it was a treat. I originally played it in 2011. I replayed it before Psychonauts 2 as a refresher.
The dialog and voice acting are top notch. The dialog is funny, but can get pretty dark and serious. Richard Horvitz (Invader Zim, Angry Beavers) is the perfect voice of Raz. There is a huge cast of characters, and each one has a unique personality.
I was able to experience these personalities firsthand by jumping into their minds. This is where the game gets creative. Each mind has a unique art style, and theme. The Milkman Conspiracy is often quoted, but my favorite is Black Velvetopia for the blacklight art style. The platforming is fine in the game, but it could use some tweaking. I did not land some of my jumps because the timing did not feel right. I died a lot to trial and error.
Overall, I was pleased the game has aged well for being a sixteen year old game.
Asking, “What Is Human?”
The Talos Principle (PC)
Release date: 12/11/2014 Date played: 06/29/2021 Number of hours played: 20.75 number of gaming sessions: 15 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 26/40 (65.00%) Number of screenshots taken: 62 Acquisition date: 07/23/2018 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $9.99 (List $39.99)
The Talos Principle is a philosophical puzzle game. At the start I was dropped right into a level without any introduction. I had questions, and it was holding its answers close to its chest. The game slowly fed me answers throughout the entire game until it came to a satisfying conclusion. It is a good story, but it is told through computer terminals with no voice acting. It is a lot of reading – too much reading.
For the most part, the puzzles are very satisfying. The puzzles start out simple and the developers did a good job of teaching me the mechanics. As the game progressed, the puzzles got harder. Beating difficult puzzles was very satisfying. However, some puzzles had me looking up a walkthrough, and being puzzled on how I would even know how to find the solution.
The music really sets the mood for the game. It is very chill, and feels great when figuring out puzzles. The graphics are great. However, I started getting motion sickness whenever I played the game for about two hours in one setting. The character moves very fast, which is great for solving puzzles. However, the great graphics and the speed made me queasy. It is a known issue. The developers have added specific settings to help reduce the motion sickness. I recommend turning on third person mode, and increasing the field of view.
Although the game is good, I have a hard time recommending it to everyone. You need to really like puzzle games. I feel the game overstayed its welcome. It took me 15 hours to beat the main story, and another 5 hours to get all the endings. I would have been happy with a five to ten hour game.
A House Built By M.C. Escher
What Remains of Edith Finch (PC)
Release date: 04/25/2017 Date played: 07/4/2021 Number of hours played: 2.75 number of gaming sessions: 2 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 4/9 (44.44%) Number of screenshots taken: 64 Acquisition date: 07/23/2018 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $9.99 (List $19.99)
I had no expectations going into What Remains of Edith Finch. I did not know what kind of gameplay it would have, but I heard it was good. It turns out it is a walking simulator with a little bit of gameplay, but I was engaged with the story throughout the journey. Edith’s childhood home held a lot of secrets that needed to be uncovered. It is similar to Gone Home, but with a more surrealist feeling to it. Learning about Edith’s relatives took me on a journey through a moment in the relative’s life. I was not reliving memories; instead, they were stories about Edith’s relatives, which may or may not have stretched the truth.
I recommend it, and I suggest you go in mostly blind. However, I want to give you a few warnings. A controller is required, even on PC. The actions do not use standard buttons, and the game does not tell exactly what to do in some situations. For example, to close a book I had to push both joysticks inward. It is also very easy to miss stuff. However, the game did allow me to replay stories after I beat it.
Oh, This Is A Horror Game
Oxenfree (PC)
Release date: 01/15/2016 Date played: 07/05/2021 Number of hours played: 4.50 number of gaming sessions: 2 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 5/13 (38.46%) Number of screenshots taken: 7 Acquisition date: 07/23/2018 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $4.99 (List $9.99)
I thought I would really like Oxenfree. I went in blind and was surprised to find out that it is kind of scary. It does not have a lot of jump scares; it is mostly just creepy and atmospheric. The retro art style, and music are great. It is beautiful, but something is slightly off about the music which creates a haunting feeling.
The game is mostly a point and click adventure game. The movement is too slow and cumbersome. It has a radio tuning mechanic. It is a unique idea and works really well for progressing the story. The story kept me engaged, and I kept wanting more. However, the dialog system is awful. I was able to interrupt dialog, and if I wanted to wait for the person to finish speaking, many times I would lose the ability to interject. It is more realistic, but it just does not work well in a game.
Although the story is good, I was disappointed with the ending. I was surprised by the ending I got and felt my choices fit a little differently. I heard newgame+ has better endings and dialog options, but I do not have the ambition to play through the game again.
The Most Zelda Like Game From 2017
Hob (PC)
Release date: 09/16/2017 Date played: 08/05/2021 Number of hours played: 13.25 number of gaming sessions: 8 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 32/37 (86.49%) Number of screenshots taken: 55 Acquisition date: 02/10/2019 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $8.63 (List $19.99)
Hob is delightful. There is no dialog, but the characters are expressive. The music oozes with atmosphere. The art style is beautiful. The story is told exclusively through the character animations and music. It works great!
Hob is a classic Zelda game. I played as a character who woke up and did not know what was going on. The world is the true star of the game. The world is corrupted by goo, and it was up to me to clear out the goo, which unlocked more paths in the world. Sometimes removing the goo would also move pieces of the world opening other paths. Exploring the world unlocked weapons, upgrades, health, and other abilities.
The game is not perfect. I found myself getting lost a few times. As I progressed through the story, markers got added to my map. However, the map markers just indicated where to go. Goo and other obstacles often blocked the straightforward path, and I had to find an alternate route. I love this about Hob, but I frequently had to refer to a guide for assistance.
This is a true hidden gem made by the team at Runic (Torchlight series). I highly recommend it.
Wasted Potential
Homefront (PC)
Release date: 03/15/2011 Date played: 08/08/2021 Number of hours played: 3.75 number of gaming sessions: 2 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 15/47 (31.91%) Number of screenshots taken: 21 Acquisition date: 05/08/2015 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $4.99 (List $19.99)
The best part of Homefront is the opening sequence. I was on a bus, and the game showed me the horrors of the Korean occupation of the United States. It did not rely on a pre-rendered cutscene with narration. Instead, it just showed me civilians being killed, and thrown into pits. It is a very powerful moment.
It is too bad the game takes a steep spiral after the bus ride. It becomes a greatest hits of “Call of Duty” moments. However, none of these moments had a satisfying build up like they would in Call of Duty. All of the characters are bland, and one dimensional. The closest I got to liking a character was not human; it was an auto assault vehicle.
The gameplay is incredibly average. Guns are just “okay,” and enemies are either too dumb, or their aim is laser focused. Nothing felt organic about the gameplay. According to this retrospective about this game the developers had a lot of good ideas for the game, but not enough time to implement them. It is too bad since I can almost see a little bit of greatness in its dullness.
Power Wash Simulator
Super Mario Sunshine (GCN)
Release date: 08/26/2002 Date played: 08/17/2021 Number of hours played: 22.00 number of gaming sessions: 11 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 120/120 shines Number of screenshots taken: 26 Acquisition date: NA Acquired from: Target Purchase price: $19.99 (List $19.99)
Super Mario Sunshine is a game that should have been included in my “Games of 2007 Remastered.” However, there was no timestamp on my GameCube memory card, so it did not make the list. I remember liking it, but not loving it. My feelings have not changed.
I played it using the Dolphin emulator this time around. I downloaded a texture pack, and the game looks pretty good. Even without the texture pack, it is hard to believe what Nintendo was able to do with the water physics back in the GameCube era. The nozzle is a really cool mechanic and makes getting around the levels a breeze. Mario still runs and jumps. He has extra moves, like the backflip and spin jumps. I relied heavily on the backflip jump to reach higher ledges. The movement and exploration are my favorite parts of Sunshine. I loved taking shortcuts to the intended goals.
I was dead set on getting all 120 shines, and I think the game would have been better if I had not. I relied heavily on the save state feature in Dolphin. The hidden shines are not supposed to be easy, but they can be frustrating. With that said, many of the puzzles are clever, and most of the shines are fun and relaxing to get. It is fitting that the game takes place in a tropical paradise.
After almost two decades, it still holds up.
The Bleckest
Super Paper Mario (Wii)
Release date: 04/09/2007 Date played: 08/29/2021 Number of hours played: 24.00 number of gaming sessions: 10 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: NA Number of screenshots taken: 44 Acquisition date: NA Acquired from: Target Purchase price: $49.99 (List $49.99)
I first played Super Paper Mario in 2007. I did not finish it, but I was on the last level. I have been enjoying the Dolphin emulator to replay games I own, and I thought it was time I replayed Super Paper Mario and finally beat it.
The story is a special treat, especially for a Mario game. There is love, sadness, and an epic ending. I did a lot of reading. A little “show, not tell” would have gone a long way. The game starts with 15 to 20 minutes of exposition dump, but the story soars from there.
The music, level design, and graphics in Super Paper Mario take elements from classic Super Mario Bros. games. The music is reminiscent – and sometimes remixed versions – of classic songs. The game is mainly played in 2D. Mario does have the ability to turn the world to 3D, which adds a fun twist to levels.
Along the way, I collected a bunch of Pixls. They each had their own abilities. Mario, Bowser, Peach, and Luigi all have their own abilities as well. Other Paper Mario games are turned based combat, but everything in Super Paper Mario is real time. The series’s mechanics, like items and combat moves, are still present here, and they work well in real time. There are missteps, like the paper graphics can make it hard to misjudge jumps.
Overall, I enjoyed the game.
Evil Televisions
Iron Brigade (PC)
Release date: 08/13/2012 Date played: 09/06/2021 Number of hours played: 15.75 number of gaming sessions: 4 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 21/23 (91.30%) Number of screenshots taken: 26 Acquisition date: 06/23/2016 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $4.49 (List $40.99 for four pack)
I had not played Iron Brigade (formally Trenched) since 2011 on the Xbox 360 (“Games of 2011 Remastered” and “Review from 2011“). Recently, a friend and I were looking for a game to play together, and we decided to give it another go.
It has a good gameplay loop. Kill tubes (the enemies), collect scrap, build turrets, kill more tubes, collect more scrap, build more turrets and upgrade turrets, and repeat. During the waves, loot boxes drop. No not the crappy kind; they are a parody of modern loot boxes. In this game they contain new weapons, armor, and turrets for your trench. They are very generous with their drops.
Overall, the gameplay kept me hooked, dialog made me laugh, and it is fun to play with friends. The game encourages replayability with a level rating system and the chance to unlock better weapons. Always support Double Fine Productions and their weird ideas!
A Decade of Anticipation
Psychonauts 2 (PC)
Release date: 08/25/2021 Date played: 09/12/2021 Number of hours played: 31.00 number of gaming sessions: 13 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 57/57 (100.00%) Number of screenshots taken: 72 Acquisition date: 08/30/2021 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $59.99 (List $59.99)
Psychonauts 2 takes place immediately after Rhombus of Ruin, which takes place immediately after the first Psychonauts. Essentially, Raz has had a hell of a week or two. I had a lot of faith that Double Fine would stick the landing on this game, but I tried to go into this sequel with no expectations. I was blown away.
I should do a full review of this game, but here are the CliffsNotes. The platforming is better; it is a lot more generous to the player than the first game. It also includes a ton of accessibility options, and it allowed me to tweak my own difficulty. I ended up turning off fall damage, because I became frustrated with dying while exploring and experimenting in the hub world. The game did not punish me for doing this.
Exploration is the star of this game, and it shines. There are collectibles in the hub world, as well as the individual levels. The hub world is huge compared to the first game’s campground. It can feel overwhelming at first, but shortcuts and hidden areas are readily found. The world makes sense, at least from a layout perspective; the waterfall that flows backwards does not.
Like the first game, I still entered people’s minds , and each mind was still unique. Each level offered insight into the person I was getting to know. They had their own demons and disorders, and the game is very respectful without being uncomfortable to play. Double Fine did an outstanding job tackling sensitive subjects.
Double Fine is a master of dialog, and it is brought to life by the voice actors. The voice actors from the first game reprised their roles in Psychonauts 2. There are some big names, like Elijah Wood and Jack Black, added to the cast. I just love this game.
That Ending…
Halo: The Master Chief Collection – Halo: Reach (PC)
Release date: 12/03/2019
Date played: 09/16/2021
Number of hours played: 7.25
number of gaming sessions: 7
Completion status: Complete
Number of achievements earned:
Campaign - 11/34 (32%)
Multiplayer - 0/21 (0%)
General - 9/30 (30%)
Halo: CE - 20/95 (21%)
Halo 2 - 11/119 (9%)
Halo 2 MP - 0/38 (0%)
Halo 3: ODST - 2/99 (2%)
Halo 3 - 0/89 (0%)
Halo 4 - 0/75 (0%)
Halo: Reach - 21/100 (21%)
Totals - 74/700 (11%)
Number of screenshots taken: 42
Acquisition date: 04/08/2021
Acquired from: Steam
Purchase price: $19.99 (List $39.99 for Halo: The MCC)
You can check out my thoughts about Halo: Reach in my Halo post. It took me a few tries to get into Reach. Once I pressed through, I started enjoying the game. The weapons and combat feel great. At the beginning, I was thrusted into the story. I am the newbie on the team, and things started going south quickly. About two-thirds through the game, the story had its hooks in me. The first Halo game told how Reach ends, but it is emotional to play through it. I loved the story.
I Probably Hate It
Halo: The Master Chief Collection – Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (PC)
Release date: 03/03/2020
Date played: 10/05/2021
Number of hours played: 9.75
number of gaming sessions: 4
Completion status: Complete
Number of achievements earned:
Campaign - 11/34 (32%)
Multiplayer - 0/21 (0%)
General - 9/30 (30%)
Halo: CE - 20/95 (21%)
Halo 2 - 11/119 (9%)
Halo 2 MP - 0/38 (0%)
Halo 3: ODST - 2/99 (2%)
Halo 3 - 0/89 (0%)
Halo 4 - 0/75 (0%)
Halo: Reach - 21/100 (21%)
Totals - 74/700 (11%)
Number of screenshots taken: 32
Acquisition date: 04/08/2021
Acquired from: Steam
Purchase price: $19.99 (List $39.99 for Halo: The MCC)
After Reach, I jumped right into Halo: Combat Evolved. My “Games of 2015” paragraph on it sums it up well, but I have a few more thoughts now.
In 2015, I shrugged and went, “It was a game from its time; that’s why the mechanics suck.” But that only applied to the level re-use, repetitiveness, and frustrating checkpoints. This playthrough really helped me understand why I hate Halo as a series. I would say 90% of the time when I died (and I died a lot) it was because of some random bullshit. I played on Normal, and when I died, it felt out of my control. The only reason I finished the game is because I wanted to prove that the game did not beat me. As soon as the final cutscene ended I yelled “I am never playing a Halo game ever again!”
Or I Probably Love It
Halo: The Master Chief Collection – Firefight (PC)
Release date: 09/22/2020
Date played: 11/20/2021
Number of hours played: 4.25
number of gaming sessions: 3
Completion status: NA
Number of achievements earned:
Campaign - 11/34 (32%)
Multiplayer - 0/21 (0%)
General - 9/30 (30%)
Halo: CE - 20/95 (21%)
Halo 2 - 11/119 (9%)
Halo 2 MP - 0/38 (0%)
Halo 3: ODST - 2/99 (2%)
Halo 3 - 0/89 (0%)
Halo 4 - 0/75 (0%)
Halo: Reach - 21/100 (21%)
Totals - 74/700 (11%)
Number of screenshots taken: 31
Acquisition date: 4/8/2021
Acquired from: Steam
Purchase price: $19.99 (List $39.99 for Halo: The MCC)
I played some Firefight in Halo 3: ODST and Reach with a couple of friends. We had a lot of fun. The combat in ODST feels better than both Halo: CE and Reach. I played with a keyboard and mouse, and both games felt good. ODST matches seemed to last longer, although, we did ramp up the difficulty to Spartan on Reach, so maybe that was why. Playing Gruntapoaolypse was a good de-stressor. The bigger levels with vehicles are a lot more fun.
Zelda But Not Zelda
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NS)
Release date: 03/03/2017
Date played: 11/29/2021
Number of hours played: 123.25
number of gaming sessions: 46
Completion status: Complete
Number of achievements earned: NA
Quests:
Shrines: 120/120
Main: 16/16
Shrine: 42/42
Side: 75/76
Number of screenshots taken: 147
Acquisition date: 11/29/2019
Acquired from: Amazon
Purchase price: $32.09 (List $59.99)
Check out my review for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It has all my thoughts on it. Overall, I love the game, but I feel it is not a Zelda game.
A Tale of Two Siblings
A Plague Tale: Innocence (PC)
Release date: 05/14/2019 Date played: 11/22/2021 Number of hours played: 13.50 number of gaming sessions: 6 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 26/35 (74.29%) Number of screenshots taken: 78 Acquisition date: 09/09/2021 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $9.99 (List $39.99)
I went into A Plague Tale: Innocence blind. I knew it had a strong narrative, but I was surprised it is a stealth game. I thought Plague Tale would be a good game to decompress after Breath of the Wild, but it is an intense and emotional game.
Plague Tale reminds me of Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons. In Plague Tale, I played as Amicia who had to protect her sick brother while dodging the inquisition and the rat plague. Levels are designed in a way where I had to sneak or silently take out guards. Amicia’s sling was my primary tool. I was able to upgrade it with various types of ammunition. Some ammunition was great for taking care of guards, while other types were great for moving rat swarms. It took a little bit to get used to, but I really enjoyed the gameplay.
I do have issues with the game. Bosses do not work well in stealth games, and Plague Tale is no exception. Amicia is a fifteen year old girl, and she is forced to kill guards. It is impossible to get through the game without killing. The narrative tries to make her first kill emotional, but it loses all meaning when she kills for the umpteenth time. It would have been better if the game never acknowledged it. The world of Plague Tale is bleak already, and killing did not make it any darker.
The music is phenomenal. Strings make up most of the compositions and, on the surface, seem simple. However, the music adds an emotional punch which resonates throughout the game. The graphics are also outstanding. If you like stealth games, I recommend Plague Tale.
The De-Stressor
LEWDAPOCALYPSE (PC)
Release date: 05/01/2020 Date played: 12/09/2021 Number of hours played: 8.00 number of gaming sessions: 5 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 146/146 (100.00%) Number of screenshots taken: 16 Acquisition date: 11/29/2021 Acquired from: Steam Purchase price: $2.37 (List $2.97)
I picked up LEWDAPOCALYPSE for 69 cents. I also bought both DLCs. Yes, it is a porn game. It is also a simple action game that worked great as a cooldown from Breath of the Wild and Plague Tale.
The gameplay is basic. My character sat on the right of the screen, while zombies and monsters moved towards me. The goal is to kill all of the zombies and monsters before they kill me. Once I killed all of them, I moved on to the next screen. After a few screens, a short cutscene would play, and then I had to put together a jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle is… lewd. The game pretty much repeats with more story.
The game is short, but has multiple endings. The base game takes about 30 to 45 minutes to complete one playthrough, while the DLC extends the playthroughs to 45 to 60 minutes. Getting all 146 achievements took almost eight, exhaustive hours. My favorite achievement to get was the pistol only playthrough. The pistol is satisfying to shoot.
For the price, I recommend it.
Prepare The Diving Bell
Sea of Solitude (PC)
Release date: 07/05/2019 Date played: 12/29/2021 Number of hours played: 4.25 number of gaming sessions: 2 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 14/22 (63.64%) Number of screenshots taken: 43 Acquisition date: 11/23/2021 Acquired from: Origin Purchase price: $9.99 (List $19.99)
Sea of Solitude is a beautifully, dark game. It does not hide its message of love, depression, and introspection. Its metaphors are worn on its sleeve. Kay is at a low point in her life, which leads to self-examination. The sea changes as she works through problems and emotions. She runs into monsters who represent people in her life. I spent most of my time trying to decipher how these monsters effected Kay’s current mood. Doing so led to a breakthrough, and Kay feeling a little better about herself.
The game kept me engaged, but sometimes the gameplay got in the way of the story. The collectibles, although they added some extra commentary, felt forced and unnecessary. Most of the gameplay involves solving simple puzzles. I never felt like I was in danger from meeting any of the monsters. I rarely died in my time with the game, but when I did, it was because I did something stupid.
I enjoyed my time with the game, but it is hard to recommend unless you want to play another game about depression.
2021 Summary
Total number of games played: 23 Total number of hours: 430.50 Oldest game played: Super Mario Sunshine (GCN) Newest game played: Psychonauts 2 (PC) Total number of gaming sessions: 190 Game with most achievements earned: LEWDAPOCALYPSE (PC) Favorite game to Platinum: Psychonauts 2 (PC) Game with most hours played: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NS) Total spent: $318.25 Personal game of the year: Psychonauts 2 (PC)
I played a lot of games throughout 2021. Nine games are from my backlog. I bought another nine games from my wishlist and played them. I played one brand new game. I replayed three games, although I suppose you could count Vanquish and Halo: CE as replays as well. It was a solid year.
I did not want to play any newer games until I got a Playstation 5 and/or a new graphics card. I built a new PC in January 2020, and I foolishly told myself to wait for graphics cards to drop in price before buying a new one. My NVidia 1080 TI is fine, but it is starting to show its age. I would like to play games on ultra settings.
The supply issues did not stop me from playing a bunch of really good games. Last year, I cried about not playing any indie games. There is a whole bundle of them in this post, and I recommend most of them.
My thoughts on the gaming industry are complicated this year. Activision Blizzard and Ubisoft are in hot water over sexual harassment issues. My heart goes out to all of those affected. It is a really bad look for a hobby I love so much. It is making me rethink my “Do not let things like a specific publisher stop you from playing a game” policy. These companies will not stop being shitty to human beings, unless I vote with my wallet. I do not like that it is up to the consumer to force the change, but what else can I do? I cannot stand for it. Yes, some Ubisoft games are on my list this year, but Far Cry 6 and Diablo II Resurrected are not. It will stay that way until they can get their act together.
2021 Game Releases
A lot of games came out this year! Here are the ones I have/had an interest in:
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance – I was excited for this, but it is not a good game. I won’t be getting it.
Bright Memory Infinite – Looks pretty, and the action looks fun.
Cruelty Squad – I like immersive sims, but this game… it just looks awful. I don’t know if I’ll ever try it.
Deathloop – I love Arcane, and I cannot wait to play this. I’m waiting for a new graphics card.
Death’s Door – I’m not a Souls type game fan, but a lot of people are recommending it. I’ll have to give it a shot when it goes on sale.
Diablo II: Resurrected – I don’t know if I’ll ever get it. I loved Diablo 2 back in the day, but I don’t know if I have the energy to go through the game again. Plus, the Blizzard business isn’t good right now.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut – I have heard nothing but good things about this game. I’ll probably buy it, and it’ll sit in my backlog for a while before playing it.
Far Cry 6 – I played two Far Cry games this year. I’ll probably wait awhile to play this one. Plus, Ubisoft needs to take care of themselves.
Forza Horizon 5 – I have been really tempted to try the Horizon series. I might pull the trigger on 5.
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut – I am going to get this when I get a PS5. I want all the prettiness and performance I can get. A lot of people like the open world.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition – It’s a mess. I won’t be touching it for a few years, assuming they fix the games.
Halo Infinite – If I were into multiplayer, I would definitely download it. But I am not. The campaign doesn’t sound great.
Inscryption – I am watching Markiplier play through it. I am glad I am watching it, as I do not like card games. It is really good.
It Takes Two – It’s getting a lot of “Game of the Year” awards, so I am interested.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits – Looks like a fun Zelda game. I am looking forward to getting it.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Fatesworn – Huh, this game is back. I’ll pick it up at a discount. I enjoyed my time with it back in the day, and it is a good excuse to replay.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD – I won’t be getting this one. Skyward Sword is near the bottom of my list for Zelda games, and I still believe that it should be played with a Wii controller and Wii Motion Plus.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy – A single player experience that looks great! I need a new graphics card or a PS5 before playing this one.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition – When I get some time, I am going to buy this game and play through the series again. It is a good excuse to do so.
Necromunda: Hired Gun – Looks like a Doom game in the Warhammer world. I loved me some Doom.
Portal Reloaded – It’s free, and I should just play it.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – I was never a Ratchet & Clank fan, but I’ll pick this up when I get a PS5.
Resident Evil Village – I watched Markiplier play it. It was fun to watch.
Sable – I like the art style, and it has a Breath of the Wild feel to the gameplay. I am looking forward to getting it.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury – I thought 3D World on the WiiU was okay. I will get it when it is on sale, and I am looking forward to revisiting it, as well as playing the new content.
Unpacking – It’s on my wishlist. It looks like a good decompression game.
Here we are at the end. I won’t keep you much longer. Thank you for reading. Have fun this year.
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