Another year, another set of game releases. 2015 is coming to a close, and it's time to do that cliched YouTuber/journalist/blogger look back deal. Oh yay, you cry! Another totally subjective Top 10 of the best and the worst. To you I say: Hold on just a minute. For starters, you clearly didn't read the title of the article! Theres that whole most disappointing category! Besides, I hate top 10 lists. However, this will be a totally subjective set of games. My criteria were simple. How much fun did I have with the game? Thats pretty much it. So, on to the land of subjective 2015 awards we go!
Most Surprising Game of 2015: Press X To Not Die
Hear me out. This game was something that Scarlet Dragon and I picked up on a whim for It's On Steam, How Bad Can It Be? If memory serves me correctly, it was her suggestion. We weren't expecting much out of this game. It looked like a bunch of quicktime events sewn together with lousy GoPro footage. What we got instead, was a solid evening of the most face hurting, side splitting, stomach muscle cramping laughter I've had in quite some time. As the main character, you exit your room only to have your friend tell you that you must "Press X to not die!" moments before he is stabbed to death. From there, you embark on a journey to save your girlfriend and escape the rampaging townsfolk. That might sound simple, and it is. But for me, it's the writing, the sincere acting and the utterly insane setups that make this game such a huge surprise. Prompts such as "Press X to not be choked to death by a clown" or "Press Y to kick him in the balls" or even the great "Press B to spy on your girlfriend in the shower" (spoiler, that one leads to you being gutted by a katana as she calls you a loser) are just some of the examples of the humor that the team over at All Seeing Eye Games infused into their game.
With multiple choices to make, a gallery of deaths, high scores and different endings, Press X To Not Die had us rolling with laughter. I can't wait for a sequel. The game was funny, fun to play and came out of absolutely nowhere, which is why it is my Most Surprising Game of 2015.
Most Disappointing Game of 2015: Fallout 4
I can see the pitchfork wielding mob outside my house right now. Like many gamers, I was swept up in the hype machine of Fallout 4. I loved Fallout 3, and I had huge hopes for the fourth installment. Complete character customization for male and female characters? New wasteland areas to explore? Gun crafting and settlement building? Fallout 4 was going to be GREAT!
And then it released. It was a buggy mess. But thats fine, it's a Bethesda game. After I sorted through the INI files to uncap the framerate, turn off mouse smoothing and fix the terrible FOV, I set out to really explore Fallout 4. Thats when I realized something. As an RPG, it is arguably one of the worst in the genre I've played in the past 3 years. Conversation choices are limited,with no way to tell if your character is going to say what you intended them to. The factions are way to quick to welcome you as the chosen hero of legend etc. after you complete only one mission for them. And there is literally no opportunity for actual roleplay in the game. The character you play is simply a pair of pants that you pilot about the game and fill with tin cans and desk fans.
As a first person shooter, it is merely servicable, and even that is being a bit overly nice to it's gunplay. Movement is sluggish, the gunplay feels stiff and awkward and NPC animations are oftentimes just as stiff and awkward. When it comes to telling a meaningful story, I'm still not even sure what the story of Fallout 4 IS. I got distracted by shiny things within three seconds and the game doesn't punish me for it or impart any sense of urgency into anything I do. However, as a junk collecting simulator, Fallout 4 excels as no other game in recent memory has. I happily wandered away from the supposedly imperative story arc of saving my son to scavenge for typewriters for 5 hours, all to feed my growing addiction to screws that I needed to feed my ever growing demand for better guns.
Do I dislike Fallout 4? No. I've had a decent amount of fun with it. But it's not an RPG. Nor is it a first person shooter. It's something in between, a sandbox littered with tons and tons of junk for you to convert into weapons and settlements, story and sidequests that have little to no emotional impact and NPCs that oftentimes look like partially melted action figures. Add that on top of the fact that Bethesda has been trotting out the same engine, with the same bugs game after game while only slapping a fresh coat of paint over the rust, and I'm beginning to lose a lot of my goodwill towards the studio. Fallout 4 isn't a bad game. It just falls far short of the hype leading up to its release. Honestly, I feel that even without that hype the game would still be disappointing. It's a breathtakingly vast expanse of wasteland with the depth of a kiddie pool, and that is why Fallout 4 is my Most Disappointing Game of 2015.
Worst Game of 2015: Ninja Guy
I don't even know where to start with this game. Awful graphics, terrible controls, boring level design, repetitive objectives and racist jokes. I think this game ticks all the boxes for bad game design. You play as the titular Ninja Guy who must...prove himself to his Cow Sensei as he battles from a peaceful village to a twisted hellscape. At least, the game's description promises a twisted hellscape. Personally, I gave up after the second level. The very walking animations hinder the game. Stiff and unwieldy, anything more unlike a ninja than Ninja Guy would be hard to imagine. Almost all attacks cause you to lose directional control of the ninja, the one liners are repetitive and borderline racist. In fact, I feel like I'm being repetitive with this description of the game. Its bad. Really bad. I'll let past me walk you through his suffering, I can't endure the flashbacks.
Ninja Guy. Worst Game 2015.
Best Game of 2015: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
There are few games that have ever left me as awed as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. From the moment you step into the shoes of Geralt, you know that you are in for something special. The beautiful, haunting and often cruel landscape of Witcher 3 is packed full of things to do. Sidequests in this game often have as much voice actinv and meat to them as the main quests of other RPGs. From the outset, you can feel that Geralt is not a one man world saving machine. Your actions have consequences, often unseen for hours, but they won't shift the entire world. Sure, they may influence one city or change the fate of a character. But rarely are they as earth shattering as conventional RPGs. With a focus on deep lore, deep conversation trees and two vast open areas to explore, it might seem like thats all you need from a game. But CD Projekt Red has taken things one step further. Geralt's formidable combat abilities are further enhanced by oils, bombs and the help of weapon and armorsmiths you find in the world. Careful preperation is the key to taking down fearsome Griffons and Basilisks. Seldom do you come across one of these beasts and not feel a bit of awe.
Of course, we haven't even touched on Gwent. This ubiquitous card game is more than a distraction in Witcher 3. There are entire events that can be shaped and changed depending on playing a card game. I personally know several friends who are hopelessly addicted to Gwent, yet won't even touch Hearthstone. While I'm not overly fond of it, it speaks volumes that so many people are clamoring for a standalone release of Gwent.
Put simply, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a vast, sprawling world packed with interesting lore, deep and meaningful quests, colorful NPCs and enemies and an amazing wealth of things to do- all while staying far away from the typical open world trap of throwing in filler activities. With an engrossing storyline and free DLC coming out steadily, this is one RPG that will sink its hooks into you and won't let go. From the joy of visceral combat against a gang of Drowners to the breathtaking seas of Skellige, Witcher 3 is one of the best RPGs ever made, let alone in 2015. And thats why The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is my best game of 2015.
What games did you love or hate this year?
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