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arachnovolt · 3 days ago

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ArachnoVolt's 2024 Game of the Year List

The time has come once more! As the minutes tick away and the final hour draws near, I wanna shout out the best of best from my extensive laundry list of games that I played this year before we're once again reminded of the inescapable march of time. Counting only titles that released this year, I've played a total of 27 games this year with two of them being early access titles. It was hard to narrow it down but here's my list of the top 10 games I played this year.

10: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Before I say anything about the game, I gotta acknowledge that Ubisoft sucks. Not only for continuously chasing NFT and crypto shit, but for also being complicit in the systemic abuse and harassment of their employees. So I normally avoid Ubisoft titles but I found this used in a GameStop and picked it up cause I was craving a new metroidvania experience.

What I got was singlehandedly one of the best metroidvanias I've ever played in my entire life. The only reason it's not higher on this list are the reasons above. With fast paced combat utilizing one of the most satisfying parrys I've ever used, stunning environment and character design, a great story, and a massive map to map out and explore, it quickly became a stand out title for me. But what pushed it over the finish line was the accessibility options. It had most of stuff you normally expect (high contrast modes, difficulty toggles, etc) but the true stand out was a map marker that displayed an image of the location, giving you a visual reminder of exactly why you marked that spot. I highly recommend checking this out if you get the chance. Even if it means hunting down a used copy, this game absolutely deserves to be appreciated.

9: Minishoot' Adventures

If there's one thing I love more than anything, it's taking the mechanics of one genre and blending them into another. And that's exactly what Minishoot' Adventures is. This game is a Link to the Past style adventure game where you'll be exploring dungeons, collecting upgrades, and slaying bosses on a journey to save your friends. What makes it special is that it's a twin stick shooter meaning that your mid dungeon pick ups will be things like a wide shot attack or a screen clearing bomb. If you're interested in a dungeon crawler with a unique spin, Minishoot' Adventures will sure to leave you satisfied.

8: Core Keeper

One of my most played games of all time has to be Terraria. I love that loop of diving into dangerous caves to explore, mining for resources, and slaying bosses. Core Keeper is a game that asks the question "What if you never left the caves?". I had been following Core Keeper throughout its early access period but I finally decided to pick it up when it had its 1.0 release back in August. This game follows that same loop as Terraria and while I haven't played all too much of it yet, it's one of the few games that have tried to hit that Terraria loop and succeed just as well as they did if not equally so.

7: Nine Sols

Yep. We got another metroidvania on the list. Nine Sols gets a lot of chat from people talking about its Sekiro inspired combat and, while I think it's phenomenal, that's not the main reason I put it on my list. For me, the game's main selling point is the setting and presentation. The hand drawn animations and cutscenes help bring the story to life and make every action look and feel great. This game is also my first exposure to taopunk and from the early few minutes of the game, I was instantly invested. Check out Nine Sols if you wanna get lost in a sci-fi fantasy world like no other.

6: UFO 50

If you're up to date on conversations in the indie community, you've probably heard of this one. If you haven't, I'm thrilled to be the one to introduce you to this gem. UFO 50 is a collection of 50 games developed by a small team of different devs all contributing different kinds of games to the project. What makes it special is the narrative premise. UFO 50 is presents itself as an archive for a fictional and now defunct retro game studio and all the titles reflect that level of quality. This collection contains everything from puzzle games, platformers, strategy games, and even a full length exploration platformer and JRPG. I can't guarantee you'll love everything in this collection, but UFO 50 absolutely has at least one game that'll be your cup of tea.

5: Animal Well

Okay! Top five time! And the last metroidvania on the list. Animal Well is definitely the most interesting metoidvania on this list primarily because, rather than having a strong focus on combat, Animal Well is a massive puzzle box broken down into smaller ones that take up each individual screen of its sprawling map. Every screen transition presents another challenge to solve. Whether it's activating a platform, dispatching an dangerous animal, or collecting something you'll need for another puzzle later, Animal Well kept me guessing and thinking the whole way through. With secrets upon secrets upon mysteries upon challenges, Animal Well is definitely the game that put my brain to the test this year.

4: Another Crab's Treasure

I really want to like soulslike style games but I tend to not vibe with them for one main reason: I'm real bad at soulslike. It's not that I can't play them. It's that I hit a wall (and by wall, I mean a boss that snaps into me like a Slim Jim) and I just get frustrated and/or bored and move on to something else. Another Crab's Treasure is different in that regard by being the only soulslike I've played with options to make the game easy enough to manage difficult combat encounters while still maintaining a consistent challenge without ever making me feel like I'm lesser than for having to utilize those features. Hell, it actively encourages it by making one of the trophies directly tied to using one. On top of that, it's incredibly charming. Both the spoken dialogue and the random text all over the human debris littering the sea floor is absolutely hilarious. The environments and characters are vibrant and colorful. I'm constantly having a blast with Another Crab's Treasure. It's the first soulslike game I've ever played that feels like it wants to be beat it and is actively encouraging me to do it.

3: Sonic x Shadow Generations

Long before I would come to truly call myself a Sonic fan, Sonic Generations was my absolute favorite Sonic game. I still have my working PS3 copy. So you can imagine my delight when this got announced. But Sonic Generations isn't why this got my number three spot. It's Shadow's portion that truly elevates this package into becoming the best Sonic game ever made. Building on the fundamentals from Sonic Frontiers and covering the story of the titular hedgehog, Shadow Generations is the love letter to Shadow that he rightfully deserves.

2: Balatro

Let's be honest. Do I really need to write a whole paragraph talking about this one? Odds are that you probably ended a run right before you started reading this, plan on doing a run after this, or you know someone who falls into the first two categories that won't stop pestering you about it.

And before the coveted numero uno, let's take a little break for...

Most Disappointing: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind

Now this is the third year I've done this list so I wanna take a step back to provide context on this entry. I don't put games here because I think they're "bad". I think that's a reductive way of looking at stuff. Rita's Rewind isn't a bad game. The dev team have been very active and responsive patching major issues since launch and adding quality of life features. It's honestly really fun to play. So why is it here? Simple: Compared to other beat em ups out there like Streets of Rage 4, TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, and Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Video Game, it's really bare bones. All of the Rangers play the exact same. Same damage, defense, speed, etc. They even all use the same basic hand to hand combos despite them being shown to have their weapons. If you're a fan of MMPR, you'll enjoy it for the love and attention to detail it pays to the original series. If you're not a fan of MMPR however, there's a laundry list of more compelling beat em ups out there worth playing.

Honorable Mention: Fields of Mistria

So a rule I have for my list is that only games that hit a full release are eligible for a numbered spot. So while Fields of Mistria isn't a full release yet, it did launch in early access this year so it's eligible for this spot and it's rightfully deserved. What it lacks in gameplay content it makes up for with vibes alone. The 80s anime art used to bring Mistria's inhabitants to life looks great and even in its current state, every NPC's dialogue is varied and unique, making Mistria feel like a living town. Whether you're willing to deal with its growing pains or you'd rather wait for the 1.0 version, Fields of Mistria is one to keep an eye on.

And now, it's time for the moment you've been waiting for! It's ArachnoVolt's Game of the Year! A game that needs no further introduction! Say hello to...

1: Astro Bot

If you know me from any Discord/Guilded server, you probably saw this coming. And I wanna highlight something. I don't have a massive love for PlayStation. Out of the 92 different Sips referenced in the game, I've only played 4 of them so I don't praise Astro Bot for the references. I love platformers and I've been playing them for years. This might be one of the best ever made. Every single aspect of this game oozes passion, charm, and joy. The soundtrack is one of the catchiest I've ever heard. The way Team Asobi utilizes the all of the I can't say enough positive things about this game.

#game of the year #balatro #fields of mistria #sonic x shadow generations #nine sols

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arachnovolt · 4 days ago

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From The Cohost Archive: ArachnoVolt's 2023 Game of the Year List

It's that time of year again! Time to look back at all the stuff we've played this year, for better or worse. Now this is probably gonna be the most interesting and surprising list I've ever done, simply due to the stuff I've played this year and how many games I've played this year. With the preamble out of the way, let's get to the rankings.

9: Marble It Up: Ultra

Remember the days of browsing the Xbox Live Arcade on 360 just to see what neat demos you could find? Well, as a kid, I was obsessed with one game called Marble Blast Ultra. It was a 3D platformer where you'd roll a marble through colorful obstacle courses. Well, I was pleasantly surprised this year when its spiritual successor got an enhanced version this year. In addition of adding new cosmetics, brand new courses, and brand new multiplayer modes, this enhanced version was gifted to all existing players free of charge. I adored the original and a free excuse to revisit it is exactly why I'm starting my list with it.

8: Risk of Rain Returns

Risk of Rain 2 is a phenomenal game. However, I always felt that the first game never got enough love. Well, Hoppo Games must have thought the same thing because we've now got a full fledged remake with great quality of life features, additional content introduced by Risk of Rain 2, and wholly new original content made just for this game. If you enjoyed Risk of Rain 2 or are looking to see what the Risk of Rain hype is all about, I strongly recommend this one.

7: Astral Ascent

Hoo boy. Where to begin with this one? I had been following the progress of this game on Twitter for a while and it finally came out this year. What is it? It's a rougelike game in the same style of Dead Cells. But what makes this game really stand out is the presentation. From the voice acting, the character art, sprite work, animation, and music, this game is dripping in style. And the gameplay is combat is fast paced and energetic, always keeping you on your toes as you find new spells and modifications to your abilities. This game has been seriously slept on and I've been absolutely blown away by my brief time with it.

6: Pizza Tower

Wario Land 4 is one of the earliest platformers I can recall playing so it's no surprise that I'm a fan of Pizza Tower. I will admit to taking a bit longer than I should have to finally check it out but I'm incredibly happy that I got around to it. This game is over the top in many ways. The momentum, the music, the gameplay, the art, and most especially, Peppino's expressions. It's wearing its influence on its sleeve and that's great because if Nintendo won't make another Wario Land, the indie scene has us covered and then some.

5: Dead Space (2023)

Top five time! This one has been a long time coming. I've only ever played Dead Space 2 and I never finished it. So seeing this remake coming out had me really excited to finally see one of these through to the end. And it was so worth the it. One thing that I really enjoyed is the story mode. I'm a big ol coward so having the ability to make the game easier with the new Story Mode setting was phenomenal. This however doesn't take away from the claustrophobic and tense atmosphere of the Ishimura and the threat of its new nightmarish crew. All in all, even if you choose to opt for a Story Mode run, you'll have a great time playing this masterclass in horror gaming.

4: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Tears of the Kingdom is a game that had been in the public zeitgeist for a while now. Once it had been announced, everyone waited in deep anticipation to see what a direct follow up to Breath of the Wild would look like. What we got was one of the best open world games I've played in recent years. In addition to the Sky Islands, we got new abilities, the return of Ganondorf, foes and allies new and old, and a whole other massive new thing that was intentionally kept out of pre-release footage, we were greeted to a Hyrule that felt familiar to returning players but with enough new experiences to make exploring and saving the same kingdom of Hyrule even more thrilling than the first time.

3: Super Mario Bros Wonder

Now we're getting into the top three. Naturally, I felt this belonged here. This is the most I've ever enjoyed a 2D Mario game. I knew this game was something special after getting the Wonder Flower in the second level. This game is vibrant in its color palettes, whimsical with its musical score, and incredibly approachable with its gameplay. However, it's not a complete walk in the park. The Flower World might actually be the single most difficult challenge I've ever experienced in a Mario game. Will I ever play the Flower World again? Nope. Will I revisit the Flower Kingdom again to experience this wonderful game again. Absolutely.

2: In Stars and Time

I thought long and hard about how to begin this one and I think the best way to do it is with a little story. See, I wanted to have this list out at least two days ago and I was playing this at the time. I said I'd play it just for a bit longer and I'd swap to something else so I could formulate my final GOTY thoughts on other stuff. Needless to say, that kept happening for two days. Now, lemme go into what's the deal here. In Stars and Time is turn based RPG with a helluva gimmick. The player character is your generic RPG party member but they're caught in a time loop on the day they're set to face off against the big bad of their story. So you have to take advantage of the loop to solve puzzles and find secrets to get to The King and save the country.

What really sells this game is the writing. This is, without a doubt, the funniest game I've played all year. Everyone from the main cast to the NPCs in the starting town are absolutely hilarious. That being said, there's a lot of serious stuff that the cast is dealing with and you can use the loop to piece together what's going on behind the scenes. On top of that, there's a deeper mystery at play that I won't speak much further on but once I'm through with this list, I'm going right back to delve deeper and all of this makes for one of the best RPGs I've ever played. And that's saying a lot considering that I usually don't vibe with turn based RPGs. Granted, besides Pokémon, I've only ever finished one other turn based RPG but that's a story for another time.

Before we get to the coveted numero uno, I'd like to make a pit stop first.

Honorable Mention: Suika Game

Now here's an interesting one. So, this came originally came out two years ago exclusively on the Japanese eShop on Switch. This changed when Japanese VTubers started streaming it. It blew up so big that it eventually lead to a worldwide release back in October. What is Suika Game? Fruits drop into a jar and you have to try to match them until you get a watermelon and the game ends once the jar overflows. Imagine 2048, and Tetris, and Jenga had a colorful baby. That's Suika Game and it's a great little puzzle game.

Most Disappointing: Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Yeah. If you know me, you're probably either shocked to see this here or probably saw this coming. Lemme be clear about this. I really enjoyed my time with Spider-Man 2. I really did. But this game tried its best to make it as unpleasant as possible. This might be the single buggiest AAA game I've ever played. Here's just a brief list of things I encountered during my time playing the game.

Models getting caught on the environment and stretching all over the place

Glitches in the audio with no audio playing or loud shrill feedback playing

Multiple instances of the player character model just not having any animation

Peter straight up losing the ability to web swing

The FNSM app menu remaining on screen, making it impossible to pause the game or open the map, forcing a complete relaunch of the game

Miles's final suit straight up no longer appearing in the suit menu

And lastly, a collectible required for the platinum trophy not spawning in

Now that collectible did eventually spawn in but it was so far after I hit that roadblock, I got the platinum, not out of joy for playing the game, but out of a sense of necessity so that I could get it done before something else broke. Which really breaks my heart because I never want to feel that way about a game, let alone a Spider-Man game.

But enough of that. The ArachnoVolt 2023 Game of the Year goes to...

1: Sea of Stars

Remember that story for another time I mentioned earlier? Yeah, this is that story. Sea of Stars gets this spot for a multitude of reasons. For starters, it's the first and largest pledge I've ever made to a Kickstarter projet. Secondly, it's a direct prequel to The Messenger, an incredibly good platformer from several years ago that I also adore. So going in, I was probably gonna enjoy it. But like I previously said, I normally don't vibe with turn based RPGs outside of Pokémon. So for me to not only, finish the game, enjoy it, and go back to do literally everything possible on the default save before starting a new game plus run, that goes to show how much I love this game.

From the gorgeous art of the characters, enemies, and environments to the incredible soundtrack I'm jamming to as I write this. From the great combat system to the stellar writing that had me in tears from laughing and sadness. This game is a phenomenal game in its own right but it's a magnificent addition to the world and lore of one of my absolute favorite games in recent memory. I'm absolutely confident in saying that Sea of Stars is, without a doubt, the most I've enjoyed a game all year long and I'm super excited to see what the future holds for it and Sabotage Studio.

#game of the year #spiderman #tears of the kingdom #sea of stars #in stars and time

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arachnovolt · 4 months ago

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From the Cohost Archive: ArachnoVolt's 2022 Game of the Year List

I've always wanted to try my hand at doing long form writing stuff so I might as well start the new year off by giving more detail for my annual GOTY list. Before we get into it proper, I wanna take a quick interlude for two mini segments. My honorable mention and my biggest letdown. So for the honorable mention we have...

Honorable Mention: Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

I know the base game didn't release in 2022 but the DLC did and it kicks ass. Rise is the first MH game I clicked with and Sunbreak deserves a mention for keeping the party going.

And for the disappointing one...

Biggest Disappointment: Souldiers

Now I love a good metroidvania. Especially from the indie scene. I was immediately interested in this game when I first saw it. The sprite work looked incredible, the music sounded phenomenal, and the gameplay looked great. But when I finally got to play it, my heart sank. I wanna stop and say that when it's playing nice, it's a helluva good time. This would have been on here proper if circumstances were different. But with performance issues, vicious combat balancing, noticable input lag, and incredibly sparse checkpointing, this game was a miserable experience at launch. While some of these issues have been addressed, with a consistent save crash that still persists in one late game area across all platforms that still hasn't been fixed, it's with a heavy heart that I put this game here.

Now, with the preamble out of the way... LET'S BEGIN!

10: Poinpy

Poinpy is a game that probably flew under a lot of people's radar this year. Getting a surprise launch during Summer Games Fest, Poinpy is interesting in two regards.

1: It's the most recent game from Ojiro Fumoto, creator of the hit arcade game Downwell

2: It's a Netflix exclusive

Yeah. Netflix getting an interesting exclusive game wasn't on my 2022 bingo card but here we are. Sporting an aesthetic that's the complete opposite of Downwell, Poinpy sees you bouncing and jumping up a scrolling cavern, gathering fruit to feed a cute but ravenous cat monster thing and building up high combos as you string together the fruit you collect. If you enjoyed Downwell and want something in that vein, Poinpy won't disappoint.

Moving on to our next entry, we have...

9: Islets

If you know me, you knew I'd have at least one metroidvania up in here. Developed by a team of two brothers and published by Armor Games Studios, Islets is an incredibly charming metroidvania from start to finish. The story has a very nice storybook feel to it. In the world of Islets, there's a bunch of floating islands that used to be one large connected landmass. You're one of many adventurers who's trying to put the island back together. Along your journey, you'll meet a colorful cast of characters as you traverse the world, upgrading yourself and your handy skyship along the way. I 100'd this game in 11 hours but I say that as a positive because Islets is a great game that doesn't overstay its welcome and I love that in a game.

Onto the next entry...

8: Cult of the Lamb

Ah yes . Cute and cuddly aesthetics mixed with the macabre and creepy. A surprisingly great combo. Cult of the Lamb doesn't need the kind of explanation that the last two got because everyone's either seen or played this game. Combining fast paced roguelike dungeon crawling with Animal Crossing style base management, CotL hit a very satisfying gameplay loop very quickly that snagged it spots on many peoples GOTY lists and I'm no different. And with post launch content coming next year, I'm deeply excited to get back to my Cult of the Volt.

Next on the list, we have...

7: Pokémon Scarlet/Violet

Okay. Let's get this out the way. Yes. The game's are buggy or whatever. But for me personally, if the core gameplay is fun enough and the bugs aren't that intrusive, I don't mind.

We'll just call that foreshadowing for later

In terms of Pokémon, it's been a hot minute since I've enjoyed a Pokémon game this much. Paldea is such a vast and vibrant region to explore and the new additions to the Gen 9 Pokédex are great. I mean, look at this lil guy!

But the thing that really landed Scarlet and Violet on this list is the story and its final act. I know people who have genuinely cried over the final act of this game. It's completely unexpected with how hard this story goes. And the final act has some of the most impressive music and level design I've ever seen in a Pokémon game. Absolutely stunning.

Moving on to the next one, we have...

6: Vampire Survivors

It's Vampire Survivors. What do want me to say? We knew it was going on here somewhere. It's dope as hell and free on mobile. Nuff said.

Halfway down the list, we've got...

5: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge

Now, I didn't grow up with TMNT like a lot of other people. My first major exposure was the 2012 CG animated series on Nickelodeon. But I will say this. Shredder's Revenge can make a Turtles fan out of anyone. It's one of the most satisfying beat em up games I've played in a long time. Boasting a roster of 7 playable characters with completely unique movesets and stats, classic characters from the original series, and probably one of the best OSTs of the year by Tee Lopes featuring Jonny Atma, Mega Ran, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, and Mike Patton covering the OG theme, this game is a phenomenal love letter to the old school Turtles beat em ups and to the TMNT franchise itself.

And for number four, we have...

4: Sonic Frontiers

So about that previously mentioned foreshadowing...

I've been a Sonic fan for as long as I can remember. From the early DS days of the Rush series to the very rocky Sonic 06', I've always been a fan of the Blue Blur. So when Sega announced that the big new open world Sonic game was coming to Switch day and date with the PC and other consoles, I was cautiously interested. I was expecting a decent, if janky, Sonic experience. What I got was a janky but incredibly promising look into the future of the Sonic series. The last time I felt that rush of speed that Frontiers offers was Sonic Generations. From the linear Cyber Space stages harkening back to the traditional levels and the open world letting you cut loose to run fast and beat some ass, Sonic Frontiers is the most exhilarating game in the series so far. This game also boasts an OST that deserves far more credit because it goes HARD. And Ian Flynn brings a surprisingly interesting tone shift to the narrative that felt serious without going overboard into Shadow the Hedgehog levels of angst. While there's definitely a few hiccups here and there, it's a very enjoyable experience that I still pick up every now and again to race across the Starfall Islands.

Moving into the top three, we have...

3: Soundfall

Okay. So as Cult of the Lamb showed, I really like top down hack and slash games. Now I discovered this game over a year ago while it was still in development because the premise was so unbelievably intriguing. A top down hack and slash looter game... where you hack, slash, dash, and bash to the beat of the music. On paper, that sounds like one of those things that's awesome in theory but kind of a mess in practice. Soundfall completely shattered my expectations and became one of my favorite hack and slash action games of the past few years. The story follows a barista named Melody who's pulled from Earth into the world of Symphonia, the source of all music. It's up to her and her allies to take up their roles as the Guardians of Harmony and save Symphonia.

What makes Soundfall such an interesting game is it's gameplay structure. Instead of something like Diablo that takes an open world approach or something like Hades that has you going room to room, Soundfall is broken up into multiple worlds with multiple levels in each one. Each level is built around a single song with each world being themed around different genres of music. The starting world has a very upbeat pop vibe while my most recently completed world was all about those techno beats. While all the player characters can use most of the same gear, each of them have a unique primary attack and super themed around their personality to give them something to make them feel distinct. And with the PC version having the ability to add your own music into the game to play to, I can imagine myself spending quite a bit of time kicking it in Symphonia.

And now for the penultimate entry...

2: Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Oh my sweet pink child. I've always loved Kirby. Ever since the DS remake of Super Star Ultra, I've been a fan of Kirby so when this was announced, I was beyond ready. When it launched, I fell in love immediately. The music was breathtaking, the visuals stunning, and the gameplay was just as fun in 3D as it was in 2D. With a hefty post game and loads of adorable in game figures to collect, I had a blast playing through the Forgotten Land and getting that 100% completion.

And finally. My favorite game of 2022 is...

# 1: Pokémon Legends: Arceus

You know how earlier I said it's been a hot minute since I've enjoyed Pokémon as much as Scarlet and Violet? Yeah. Well, when I played Legends Arceus, I hadn't enjoyed a Pokémon game like that since I was a kid. Everything about Legends Arceus was refreshing coming from the perspective of someone who had only started playing Pokémon again with the Switch games. The Agile/Strong style and the hordes made battles feel brand new in a way that didn't just feel like a new gimmick. You could just use trade items on trade evolution Pokémon and they'd just evolve. Being able to just throw Poké Balls at wild Pokémon without having to initiate a battle made catching new Pokémon so much quicker. The ability to change your Pokémon's moves at any time was thankfully a feature that got carried into Gen 9. And the biggest praise I will sing for Legends Arceus...

Filling out the Pokédex was fun. In every Pokémon game I've ever played, including Scarlet and Violet, filling out the Pokédex always felt like boring busy work. Sure, it's something you needed to do for the shiny charm in later generations but until that, all you got was "a sense of pride and accomplishment". In Legends Arceus, the Pokédex was the plot. Your main objective was filling that out but it was so much fun, I actually felt motivated to get Research Level 10 on every Pokémon. I hope the future games try to make filling out the Pokédex as fun as it was in Legends Arceus. While I do enjoy and still play Violet, I deeply hope that Legends Arceus is the framework that Game Freak looks at as they take the Pokémon series into the future.

And that's all for my GOTY list! If you stuck through a my rambling, thank you so much and I hope you enjoyed reading that. Hopefully, I'll have more stuff to write about in the future.

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