Iamproudtoannouncethatasof2013Iamfinallyaqualifiedgamesjournalist.IgotanAchievementthattoldmeso,andthat’stherecognitionthatIabsolutelyneeded.Asafullyqualifiedgamesjournalist,IwriteGamesoftheYeararticles…kindoflikeIdidinpreviousyears.Somethingsdon’tchange.
Asinthosepreviousyears,weatTap-Repeatedlyareusingourlook-backtimetomentiongamesthatdefined2013forus.Thisdoesn’tnecessarilyhavetobegamesthatcameoutthisyear,thoughforme,I’mgoingtokeepthingsfairlycurrent.Theusualruleisfivegameseach.ButI’llalsotalkaboutothertrendsInoticedthisyear,asareasonprimarilytomentionmoregames!First,thelist:
Pleasesendhelp.Iamsupposedtodoawrite-upaboutmy2013gamesoftheyear,butIcan’tstopplayingFireEmblem:Awakening.
AnyonewhoistryingtomakegamesthatappealtowomenshouldspendsometimewithFireEmblem:Awakening.Thisisnottosaythatwomencannotenjoywhatevergamestheylike.But,tome,thisgameappealsnotjusttomepersonally,buttomyfeminineside.Itallowsmetoplayasayoungwomanwithanimportantdestinyandpowerfulmagic.Itshowcasesawidevarietyofdifferentfemalecharacterswithdifferentpersonalitiesandrolestofill,inadditiontoavarietyofprettyboys.Itallowsmetoperformsocialmatchmakingwithallofthesedifferentattractivepeople.
Oh,no,whyamIputtinganotherzombiegameonmylistagainIdon’tlikezombiegames,intheory.Iamnotinlovewiththeideaofzombies.Ikeepwantingtosaythattheyareplayed-out.Butyet,ifIneverloveazombiegameagain,letthelastzombiegameIraveaboutbeTheLastofUs.
Iamspeakingpositivelyaboutthegame,butgivingitthisspecificawardtobeclear.Thisgameisnotfun.Thisgamemademeedgyandcranky.I’dputthecontrollerdownandbeshakingforhoursafterwards.ButwouldIrecommenditAbsolutely.Andnotbecauseofthestoryorthedialogoreventhegraphicalpolish,thoughthepolishonthegameiscertainlynice.Butbecausemechanically,itdoesthetense-survivalexperiencealmosttooperfectly.Itdoesexactlywhatitsetouttodo.
NowisthepartofthewriteupwhereIlookbackattheyearingeneral.
First,Ineedtocheckinagainwithmy16-year-oldself.
TombRaiderinfacthassomeofthebestimplementationofthislittlefeaturethatI’veeverseeninthewild:avisionmodethat,whenabuttonispulsed,highlightsimportantobjectsintheenvironmentforjustafewseconds,orstaysonuntilLaramovesfromwheresheisstanding.Itletsmeseeanammoboxattwentyyardsamonglotsofotherenvironmentclutterbutitdoesn’tstayonlongenoughtodistractfromtheenvironmentsbeingviewedas-intended.ThealternativetothisissomethinglikeBioshockInfinitedoes,whereimportantobjectsintheenvironmentjustglitterandtwinkleuntilthey’reinteractedwith,whichworksokayinamorestylizedworldlikeBinfinite’sbutinarealisticenvironmentwouldbeadditionallydistracting.Ithinkthisvision-modefeaturemaybeheretostay.
Ifagame’sstoryandmechanicssomehowhavealovely,perfect,on-messageharmony,that’sanicesurprise.It’salottoexpect,though,Iguess.ThegameGunpointactuallydidthesmartestthingwiththeconceptofLNDthisyear,whichisallowyoutoplaythroughastorywithdissonanceintact,thenwriteasnarkyblogpostaboutitinthegame’sfinale.Ifludonarrativedissonancewasbothachievedandproperlyrecognized,theplayerisawardedwithanAchievementforthoseefforts.
Here’sapictureofit,toexplainthelead-inIwrotetothisarticleandwhyIamnowqualifiedtowriteaboutgamesforever.Gome!
Haveaveryhappy2014!
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