synchronicity
Member
I've made this thread the past couple of years. Here and here.
I always keep a file with all the games I play, and I enjoy writing little succinct blurbs/reviews along with ranking what I've played. So I figure, what better place to share than NeoGaf?
I'll be gradually doing my own recap of my year in gaming via a countdown, but this thread isn't just for me. Please tell us about your own year in gaming. I'm not just talking about calendar year releases. This is about what you played, what you loved and hated, both with controller in hand, and perhaps just your sentiments about gaming in general. Feel free to express yourself however you like.
Please do share. I'll post quite a bit of content, but don't think this thread is just my own.
*********************************************************************************************************************
As for myself, I sometimes replay games that I've loved in the past, and I don't count those in my yearly rankings, but I do review them with a set of fresh eyes and like to include them in my yearly summary. So with that, I'll start by posting the three titles that I revisited in 2019.
Replay #1
Tecmo Super Bowl 2020 (NES/PC)
Back when I was younger, I wasn't the fanatical gamer that I eventually grew to become. I had an Atari 2600 and then a Commodore 64, both of which I really loved when I was really young. And then as I got a little older, I had an NES and a Genesis, but this was a period in my life where I could have most certainly been classified as a casual gamer. If I played anything at all it was sporadically, and it was either a sports title or something that was incredibly popular like Super Mario Bros. which was impossible to overlook. I didn't read gaming magazines - did they even exist back then? I would occasionally wander into a store and peruse the game section while knowing nothing about the games I was looking at other than the box art, and I would usually leave without buying or even being really interested in anything I saw. I spent most of my free time playing real basketball and tennis along with social activities and schooling. Gaming was a true side dish, at best for me.
But one day I remember walking into a mall and going to either a dedicated game store or a bigger store with a game department - I don't remember any more. But what I saw in that store is unforgettable, and it is something that had a big part in changing who I was as a person, contributing significantly to how I would choose to spend my free time as an adult and helping to cultivate what has (obviously) become a real passion of mine. I saw - on the shelf - a game called Tecmo Super Bowl. There was a man in a New York Giants uniform on the front and there was the NFL logo! My heart started racing a bit. Up until this point, games were simply generic sports games without any official ties to professional sports leagues. (I was unaware at the time of the Atlus-developed NFL Football which came out a couple of years prior.) What was this?!? A video game that is tied to the real NFL? Could it be. As I flipped over the back of the box my pupils dilated and I started feeling flush. All 28 NFL teams! Team stats and data! You can play a season from the pre-season to the playoffs! Real players and team logos! Oh my. I'm sure my knees buckled as I confirmed my purchase. I remember walking back to my car and opening the box immediately. I could not wait to see what awaited inside. I know that this was an impactful moment because I still remember so vividly being utterly absorbed in the manual. I must have sat in that parking lot for 30 minutes or more just trying to comprehend the awesome before me.
And thankfully, the actual game lived up to the initial impressions and feelings of shock. It's got such an intoxicating blend of fun with just enough of a nod towards realism that it doesn't lose you. I love deeper sports sims as well, but Tecmo really nailed the fun here - something they were never really able to duplicate from what I've experienced. Everything just came together in a moment of perfection, and because of that this game is still played religiously today. I have long known about the community that keeps the rosters and teams up to date, and it's been in the back of my mind forever to go back and play this with a current coat of paint, and that's just what I finally did this year. I was finally able to play this classic with my beloved Panthers and take them to the promised land. And as fun as the single player is, this game shines best in multiplayer with an intoxicating blend of arcade sensibilities and just the right amount of strategy and luck. It really is, for me, an unequivocal all-time classic. A 5/5 to that young guy hyperventilating in the parking lot, and a 5/5 to this middle-aged man still playing.
Replay #2
God of War III (PS4)
The games that I consider classics in my personal hall of fame are there for many different reasons. Most great games have their own unique strengths that appeal in distinct and varied ways. In the case of the God of War franchise, and in this particular instance - God of War III, that strength is spectacle and focus of tone. Most all of us have a graphics whore somewhere within, a AAA snob that revels in simply being entertained, even if it's buried very deep and only surfaces on rare occasion. And despite how much I love nuance and depth of mechanics and systems, sometimes I find it thrilling to simply be blown away with audio-visual intensity and mastery. In this regard God of War III simply incinerates the retinas and bursts the tympanic membranes. The locales, characters, animations, incredible art, brutality, and thumping soundtrack all pulse with an energy that gets me revved up and eager to step into the shoes of a god slayer. I want to embody Kratos, so absorbing is the presentation for me.
And few games manage such a singular tone and vision as the rage and vengeance of the tale and character of Kratos. I know some think the character tedious or offensive, but I find a beautiful simplicity to his nature. Sure you could reduce him to a basic anti-hero, or maybe just a plain villain, depending on your point of view. But for me, that misses the inescapable duality of all things, the yin/yang complexity of all beings and circumstances. Yes, he'll kill anything in his way. He's without conscience, savage and just utterly ruthless. He will get what he wants at all costs. But the sliver of light within that darkness is his strength of purpose. He has an absolutely indomitable will and exists almost as a force of nature. He will not be stopped and I find that singular vision and focus to be somewhat redeeming and most certainly entertaining. He has a direction and he will not be moved off course even if it means circumventing death itself. I know some would deride God of war as a simple power fantasy, and I say, what's wrong with that? We're all pretty helpless in the grand scheme of things, and it can be incredibly cathartic to fantasize about breaking free of our shackles and rising above our challenges. Kratos is an unstoppable rebel who will not allow circumstance to overcome him. He is anti-establishment to the nth degree, toppling gods in his quest for his own sense of justice. Power fantasy - yes, and I have no shame in surrendering to it. Life is better with fantasy in my opinion.
No game is free of room to improve, no matter how much you might love it, and God of War does some things that can be frustrating at times. The platforming in the series has never been very good. It's awkward and feels as if little attention was given to it. And while I love all the dvd/blu-ray style extras with all the videos and things, I have to say that the challenges aren't really well-designed or very well balanced. They're more annoying than fun. And the combat itself is nowhere near top-shelf character action gaming. It's adequate, but if you're looking for depth and lots of flexibility and subtlety, you'll have to look elsewhere. But those things don't really detract from the overall fun here. God of War is a great series, and the third entry is a wonderful climax to the legend of Kratos. 5/5.
Replay #3
The Pinball Arcade (PC)
Whether or not pinball qualifies for the category of "video game" aside, I adore the activity. And in the case of The Pinball Arcade, I'm playing with controller in-hand in front of a monitor, so for me, I'll count it. This collections has (well, had, but I still own them) so many recreations of great classic tables from the arcades. They are all lovingly recreated by Farsight, despite some quality control issues resulting in a few bugs. But the art-work, sounds, and feel of the many tables are all incredibly well done. Virtual pinball won't ever perfectly recreate the feeling of a real table, but this is about as good as it gets. It will always remain in my rotation. 5/5.
Ok, that's all the games I replayed. I'll update as time allows. Next up I'll start my countdown. Feel free to share your thoughts.
I always keep a file with all the games I play, and I enjoy writing little succinct blurbs/reviews along with ranking what I've played. So I figure, what better place to share than NeoGaf?
I'll be gradually doing my own recap of my year in gaming via a countdown, but this thread isn't just for me. Please tell us about your own year in gaming. I'm not just talking about calendar year releases. This is about what you played, what you loved and hated, both with controller in hand, and perhaps just your sentiments about gaming in general. Feel free to express yourself however you like.
Please do share. I'll post quite a bit of content, but don't think this thread is just my own.
*********************************************************************************************************************
As for myself, I sometimes replay games that I've loved in the past, and I don't count those in my yearly rankings, but I do review them with a set of fresh eyes and like to include them in my yearly summary. So with that, I'll start by posting the three titles that I revisited in 2019.
Replay #1
Tecmo Super Bowl 2020 (NES/PC)
Back when I was younger, I wasn't the fanatical gamer that I eventually grew to become. I had an Atari 2600 and then a Commodore 64, both of which I really loved when I was really young. And then as I got a little older, I had an NES and a Genesis, but this was a period in my life where I could have most certainly been classified as a casual gamer. If I played anything at all it was sporadically, and it was either a sports title or something that was incredibly popular like Super Mario Bros. which was impossible to overlook. I didn't read gaming magazines - did they even exist back then? I would occasionally wander into a store and peruse the game section while knowing nothing about the games I was looking at other than the box art, and I would usually leave without buying or even being really interested in anything I saw. I spent most of my free time playing real basketball and tennis along with social activities and schooling. Gaming was a true side dish, at best for me.
But one day I remember walking into a mall and going to either a dedicated game store or a bigger store with a game department - I don't remember any more. But what I saw in that store is unforgettable, and it is something that had a big part in changing who I was as a person, contributing significantly to how I would choose to spend my free time as an adult and helping to cultivate what has (obviously) become a real passion of mine. I saw - on the shelf - a game called Tecmo Super Bowl. There was a man in a New York Giants uniform on the front and there was the NFL logo! My heart started racing a bit. Up until this point, games were simply generic sports games without any official ties to professional sports leagues. (I was unaware at the time of the Atlus-developed NFL Football which came out a couple of years prior.) What was this?!? A video game that is tied to the real NFL? Could it be. As I flipped over the back of the box my pupils dilated and I started feeling flush. All 28 NFL teams! Team stats and data! You can play a season from the pre-season to the playoffs! Real players and team logos! Oh my. I'm sure my knees buckled as I confirmed my purchase. I remember walking back to my car and opening the box immediately. I could not wait to see what awaited inside. I know that this was an impactful moment because I still remember so vividly being utterly absorbed in the manual. I must have sat in that parking lot for 30 minutes or more just trying to comprehend the awesome before me.
And thankfully, the actual game lived up to the initial impressions and feelings of shock. It's got such an intoxicating blend of fun with just enough of a nod towards realism that it doesn't lose you. I love deeper sports sims as well, but Tecmo really nailed the fun here - something they were never really able to duplicate from what I've experienced. Everything just came together in a moment of perfection, and because of that this game is still played religiously today. I have long known about the community that keeps the rosters and teams up to date, and it's been in the back of my mind forever to go back and play this with a current coat of paint, and that's just what I finally did this year. I was finally able to play this classic with my beloved Panthers and take them to the promised land. And as fun as the single player is, this game shines best in multiplayer with an intoxicating blend of arcade sensibilities and just the right amount of strategy and luck. It really is, for me, an unequivocal all-time classic. A 5/5 to that young guy hyperventilating in the parking lot, and a 5/5 to this middle-aged man still playing.
Replay #2
God of War III (PS4)
The games that I consider classics in my personal hall of fame are there for many different reasons. Most great games have their own unique strengths that appeal in distinct and varied ways. In the case of the God of War franchise, and in this particular instance - God of War III, that strength is spectacle and focus of tone. Most all of us have a graphics whore somewhere within, a AAA snob that revels in simply being entertained, even if it's buried very deep and only surfaces on rare occasion. And despite how much I love nuance and depth of mechanics and systems, sometimes I find it thrilling to simply be blown away with audio-visual intensity and mastery. In this regard God of War III simply incinerates the retinas and bursts the tympanic membranes. The locales, characters, animations, incredible art, brutality, and thumping soundtrack all pulse with an energy that gets me revved up and eager to step into the shoes of a god slayer. I want to embody Kratos, so absorbing is the presentation for me.
And few games manage such a singular tone and vision as the rage and vengeance of the tale and character of Kratos. I know some think the character tedious or offensive, but I find a beautiful simplicity to his nature. Sure you could reduce him to a basic anti-hero, or maybe just a plain villain, depending on your point of view. But for me, that misses the inescapable duality of all things, the yin/yang complexity of all beings and circumstances. Yes, he'll kill anything in his way. He's without conscience, savage and just utterly ruthless. He will get what he wants at all costs. But the sliver of light within that darkness is his strength of purpose. He has an absolutely indomitable will and exists almost as a force of nature. He will not be stopped and I find that singular vision and focus to be somewhat redeeming and most certainly entertaining. He has a direction and he will not be moved off course even if it means circumventing death itself. I know some would deride God of war as a simple power fantasy, and I say, what's wrong with that? We're all pretty helpless in the grand scheme of things, and it can be incredibly cathartic to fantasize about breaking free of our shackles and rising above our challenges. Kratos is an unstoppable rebel who will not allow circumstance to overcome him. He is anti-establishment to the nth degree, toppling gods in his quest for his own sense of justice. Power fantasy - yes, and I have no shame in surrendering to it. Life is better with fantasy in my opinion.
No game is free of room to improve, no matter how much you might love it, and God of War does some things that can be frustrating at times. The platforming in the series has never been very good. It's awkward and feels as if little attention was given to it. And while I love all the dvd/blu-ray style extras with all the videos and things, I have to say that the challenges aren't really well-designed or very well balanced. They're more annoying than fun. And the combat itself is nowhere near top-shelf character action gaming. It's adequate, but if you're looking for depth and lots of flexibility and subtlety, you'll have to look elsewhere. But those things don't really detract from the overall fun here. God of War is a great series, and the third entry is a wonderful climax to the legend of Kratos. 5/5.
Replay #3
The Pinball Arcade (PC)
Whether or not pinball qualifies for the category of "video game" aside, I adore the activity. And in the case of The Pinball Arcade, I'm playing with controller in-hand in front of a monitor, so for me, I'll count it. This collections has (well, had, but I still own them) so many recreations of great classic tables from the arcades. They are all lovingly recreated by Farsight, despite some quality control issues resulting in a few bugs. But the art-work, sounds, and feel of the many tables are all incredibly well done. Virtual pinball won't ever perfectly recreate the feeling of a real table, but this is about as good as it gets. It will always remain in my rotation. 5/5.
Ok, that's all the games I replayed. I'll update as time allows. Next up I'll start my countdown. Feel free to share your thoughts.
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