Thought you were going to get away without hearing about my favourite games in the past year? Think again.
Where it gets really interesting is that, once caught, your cute new companions can and almost certainly will be fed to the people you meet. It turns out Bugsnax are a particularly addictive delicacy, their only minor drawback being that when eaten, one of the diner's limbs transforms according to the variety of Bugsnack they consumed. So not long after the game starts, its cast of characters have french fries for legs, a burrito for an arm and so on. It's a body horror-filled nightmarish answer to the question, "what if Pokémon were edible?" And beyond this acid-fuelled premise, it's an entertaining game filled with funny, interesting characters.
9. Stray
There is also a surprisingly extensive story in this game, and depending on your expectations you may find it an unnecessary distraction. Personally I enjoyed how much I was able to interact with the world as a cat, and I was grateful that they found a narrative explanation for there being dialogue beyond mere meows. However, without approaching spoiler territory the drive of the story becomes typically video gamey - an objective of "save this small quarter of the world because you are the player-character", in essence. Which doesn't really make much sense for a cat - selfless acts don't really come naturally to them! There was an opportunity here to craft an amusing story where by pure coincidence the actions of this disinterested feline save the day, while retaining the mechanics that work superbly in Stray: traversing an urban environment exactly like a cat, across rooftops, fences and through open windows.
8. Hardspace Shipbreaker
Sometimes a game you never knew you wanted comes along and just blows you away. Hardspace Shipbreaker tasks you with stripping and de-constructing increasingly intricate spaceships in zero-gravity. Inspired by the dangerous work of real-world naval shipbreakers of the past, the game makes each ship a kind of puzzle-box as you attempt to sift the equipment, engines and hull of the vessel into their appropriate collection zones. For the most part this is accomplished using a handheld laser at clearly designated cutting points, and a mini gravity gun of sorts that can yank away the seats, computers, etc from the ship interior. When things go well, it's immensely satisfying to strip the ship clean, sort every valuable trinket away and watch the severed pieces of the hull drift apart gently in zero-g. When you fail to account for explosive decompression while opening a door, sever the wrong fuel line, or worst of all, allow the reactor to melt down, things get a lot messier.
Wrapped around this entertaining gameplay is, again, a narrative some players may find intrusive. The game has an unapologetic pro-union and pro-workers' rights message - the first thing that happens to your player character is the massive corporation they've chosen to work for saddles them with debt in the billions, even their body literally confiscated as company property. If that grates against your worldview, just know that this theme doesn't let up and goes exactly where you'd expect. I was receptive to the points it made but I did find the narrative interrupted the addictive gameplay just slightly too frequently. The game includes some modes that are entirely story-free, so thankfully I can recommend Hardspace Shipbreaker to any player. And if you're interested in some space-age socialism, there's plenty of that available too.
7. Thumper
Thumper describes itself as a "rhythm violence" game. When you play it all you can see is the above indistinct beetle-like creature, surging forward along a rail that disappears up and forward into the distance. Everything else is just vibrant colours and the occasional triangular tunnel. This game is like diving into a Pink Floyd album cover.
The rhythmic element of the game is violent in an abstract sense, turns arriving at breakneck speed, with death inevitable if one is not concentrating intensely. When I first tried Thumper a few years ago, I appreciated its combination of zen atmosphere and unforgiving challenge, but the difficulty was a bit too severe for my limited sense of rhythm. The missing ingredient, I discovered this year, was VR.
Everything described above clicks marvellously when I'm immersed in it. My performance at the game improved tremendously with the singular focus of being inside Thumper. The experience of playing it is still somewhat oppressive, but short stints are often for the best with VR anyway. This was once a game I harboured no hope of completing; now I'm holding off so as to not finish my time with it too soon. The only downside is that I've accustomed myself to the latency of the headset, and now find even the early levels nearly unplayable outside of VR. Which means I only have more reason to put the headset back on.
6. Picross 3D
For some years now Picross has been the game I play in between games. The series Picross S on the Switch has 8 entries alone, each comprising hundreds of puzzles that truly get devilishly tricky. For those unaware, the puzzles are superficially numeric but in practice just logic-based: you're filling in squares on a grid based on clues in the form of numbers arrayed against each row and column. The most important factor is never to guess blindly, always starting with what has to be correct and unravelling the solution from there, and when you're finished the pattern reveals a cute pixelated bit of artwork.
But in this case I am talking about a DS game that pre-dates the Switch by many years. The 3D spin-offs to Nintendo's Picross series add, would you believe, an additional dimension to the equation. With a z-axis now to contend with as well, you use the DS stylus to inspect a cube subdivided into smaller cubes, marking the correct little blocks and chiselling off the wrong 'uns. As with the 2D variety of Picross, the finished article becomes some particular object, animal, etc., this time with a neat animation as a reward.
According to the stats app in my 3DS I invested over 45 hours this year filling countless spare moments solving these delightful puzzles, all time well-spent in my opinion. My only criticism of the game relates to an odd obsession Nintendo's Picross team had in this era: slapping a timer onto every single puzzle. In some cases even a limit of 25 minutes was cutting it fine, leading me either to frantically race to the solution, or abuse the game's save function to cut corners. Thankfully the aforementioned Picross S Series on the Switch has consigned this foible to the past, where it belongs.
5. Astro's Playroom
If you own a PS5, you have this game. This is a pleasant throwback to the pack-in console games of yore (if you're as old as me, think back to Alex Kidd on the Sega Master System) and tempting as it might be to head straight to whichever big-budget title you bought with the PS5, I'd implore you to spend some time in Astro's Playroom. This isn't merely a tech demo for Sony's latest console (though it is that), it's a sequel to one of the best VR games I've played and an excellent, approachable, adorable 3D platformer.
It's also a relentless nostalgia factory, so your enjoyment of it may partially be dictated by your past fondness for previous Playstations. Each section of this short game serves as an imaginative exploration of the vibe of the PS1, 2, 3 and 4. Strewn through each level are brief gaming references, sometimes showcased very directly and other times more inconspicuously. Even if these largely, perhaps entirely go over your head, the platforming gameplay is exemplary and the artstyle is really pleasing on the eye. And they know you're itching to play whichever game you bought with the PS5 - this rightly does not overstay its welcome.
Now I understand that nostalgia is often a retail tactic designed to part me from my monies - I'm quite capable of being a bit sceptical in these situations. The game employs as collectibles digital renderings of various gadgets and peripherals across the different Playstation eras (even including stinkers such as the PSP Go!), as well as jigsaw pieces that gradually fill in a mock-graffiti mural timeline of the Playstation brand. When I completed the mural and surveyed the moments they'd picked out from 1994 up to the PS5 launch, that temptation to play the cynic melted away. I felt chills as I admired the detail put into this work of art and reflected on my own memories of Playstation games across my childhood and adult life. In short, commercialism wins I suppose! And sometimes there's nothing to lose with a little nostalgia.
4. Tunic
It should be enough to recommend a game when it adeptly combines elements from the Zelda and Dark Souls series, and sports a charming colourful appearance to boot. From the first moments these qualities shine as you guide a cartoon fox around an island, from an isometric perspective reminiscent of Fez (to name another esteemed influence). Tunic however, also manages something rarer: instilling a sense of wondrous discovery throughout.
I can't go into too many details without ruining that thrill of discovery. All you really need to know is that its in-game manual, filled with words in an unknown language and some simple pictorial instructions, holds the key to truly engaging with and appreciating Tunic. Sometimes that will manifest as a clue to solving a puzzle or a map that can help show you where to go; but there are deeper messages hiding in plain sight that will only make sense after some time spent exploring the island.
There are also countless moments during this game that reward my instinct for exploration - secret treasure chests, hidden shortcuts and tricks of perspective abound thanks to the limits of that isometric perspective. That brief release of dopamine I get from finding something hidden in games is in constant supply here, and the ways Tunic continually prompts further exploration ensures that gratification stays fresh.
The sole criticism I would offer involves that Souls-esque combat. In my opinion they wisely kept it straightforward, limited to a sword, some simple ranged weapons and a handful of bomb-like consumables. As a result however, encounters with basic enemies become rote before long, and the fairly trying boss fights can be an exercise in frustration. Nonetheless, I would encourage staying the course and continuing your journey - and if you require it, Tunic's "no-fail"accessibility setting has got your back.
3. PowerWash Simulator
I'm always in need of games that can be played with a podcast in the background. Years ago I made the questionable decision to follow a couple of gaming podcasts, and it turns out 4-6 hours a week of audio can add up very quickly. But I also adore immersion in games, so not many game genres are suitable for multi-tasking. Truck driving sims have been invaluable (335 hours invested and counting) and a few years ago, Viscera Cleanup Detail was too. Check out this old list if you're curious - suffice to say it was all about mopping up blood, and eventually the haemoglobin well ran dry.
PowerWash Simulator scratches the same itch as VCD. I trust the name is quite self-explanatory: a pressure-washer is thrust into your hands and a plethora of dirt put before you. The "simulator" aspect emerges via experimenting with the nozzle types on the washer - the widest spray setting will remove thin layers of crud quickly, but more entrenched moss, mould and so on necessitate a narrower nozzle. What's more, every surface that a stream of water can touch is at least mildly unclean; hopefully those with OCD find this a positive experience.
The objects and environments in need of a rinse run the gamut and then some. A dirt bike, a fire-damaged house - these are grounded in reality. Then they become more expansive and more eclectic - a millionaire Bigfoot enthusiast's complex treehouse, a penny farthing bike, a 4-storey Buddhist temple. Fair warning to the anarchists out there, graffiti counts as dirt: I still regret fully cleansing that skate park.
This is another dopamine assembly line. Working on every hours-long project until it's gleaming and spotless might be reward enough, but the game also itemises everything, which aids in breaking down tricky challenges such as, say, the undercarriage of a monster truck. This is helpful for tracking down the last 1% of dirt, and it also elicits a delicious "ding" for every item fully cleaned. PowerWash Simulator excels in so many ways. I hope it never ends - the podcasts certainly won't.
2. Death Stranding
When the acclaimed auteur known for Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima, departed Konami and was given free rein to make whatever he wanted, I doubt any of his die-hard fans could have imagined Death Stranding. The game is certainly divisive, and I can fully understand why. I first grappled with it shortly after its release and could not get on with it.
Death Stranding is nothing if not enigmatic. The story is at once so fascinating I had to know what would transpire next, and equally such pretentious nonsense it's almost irrelevant where it goes. It would take an age even to explain the premise - let's just say, there's a reason Norman Reedus has a baby strapped to his chest, and it's a metaphor for the internet, somehow. See? The ridiculous hook is tantalising, but you better be ready for a cavalcade of waffle.
Exploration is, as ever, the carrot on the stick for me, but the controls in Death Stranding are deliberately obstinate. Every objective involves overloading Norman with cargo, but carry too much and the game asks you to constantly correct his balance by holding down a trigger on the controller. This, combined with a stingy offering of defensive weapons in the early goings, led to me dropping Death Stranding on my first attempt. The game's early hours ask for considerable trust that the experience of playing it will get better.
Eventually it does. In fact, I'd say the last 90% of this game was exceptionally enjoyable (it's not a short game!). Suddenly there's a wealth of combat options and you can meet your ghostly opponents with a measure of confidence. Vehicles and some other equipment largely negate the deliberately awkward controls and annoying traversal. And crucially, the ability to interact with other players from a distance profoundly changes things - as time went on my Norman Reedus built an entire network of roads and laser-zip wires that appositely represented the game's theme of reconnecting people.
Somehow, even this self-indulgent, complexity for the sake of complexity, height of anime bullshit narrative succeeded in communicating something to me. It was about how technology can isolate us, but human action can bring us back together through... 3D printing on a massive scale? Look, you'll just have to play it yourself to understand. Try not to be put off by the initial hours.
1. Elden Ring
What can I say about Elden Ring that has not already been shouted from the rooftops? Perhaps the thing to emphasise is how ambitious a title it is. From Software had an incredible track record with the likes of Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro, but an open world setting seemed antithetical to the very nature of the genre they had made so supremely successful. As I've explained in previous years, in my opinion these games are less about difficulty and more about the player gathering knowledge and confidence. How could that function when most battles could be circumvented in a go-anywhere sandbox? How do you replicate that gradual unveiling of increasingly intimidating enemies when the player could wander the "wrong" path into a completely unplayable area of the map?
The answer, and this is honestly not hyperbole, is by crafting one of the most ingenious gaming worlds in the history of the medium. FromSoft could easily have fallen down an Assassin's Creed-shaped hole of open world design, where you can move in any direction but each one offers a similar level of challenge, and no lack of repetitive busywork. Well firstly, Elden Ring's world appears open, but in practice the game either encourages or forces you to focus your attention on an individual zone. The opening area for example, features an imposing castle to the north, which will swiftly funnel the player into an unavoidable fight that tests their ability to continue. West is simply ocean, and to both the south and the east there are narrow routes towards places populated with slightly more taxing confrontations. An open world with a subtle sense of direction.
Secondly, busywork (or lack thereof): the way enemy encounters and crumbling structures pepper the landscape disrupts any potential feeling of tedium or monotony. No two groups of adversaries seem exactly the same, always either in a different configuration, or arranged around a different variety of dilapidated architecture. Frequently this uniqueness in enemy placement and the sculpting of their surroundings amounts to a form of environmental storytelling that FromSoft are absolute masters of at this point. When you spend enough time immersing yourself in a place this deftly built, the inevitable side-character providing florid exposition ends up feeling like optional lore rather than the spine of the narrative. The world speaks for itself.
Almost no video game is without repetition - there are many small-scale tombs and miniature boss arenas with enemies and bosses that do become familiar. But this is balanced by castles and cities that each house what would amount to a significant portion of any Dark Souls game. This is accomplished without loading screens or any temporary transportation out of the open world - in Tardis-like fashion innumerable paths are crammed into particularly dense pockets of the map. It's hard to overstate how rewarding I found it poking around every fabulous nook and cranny.
As you can tell, I could gush about Elden Ring all day long. I've not really touched upon the frankly insanely flexible playstyles on offer, the stunning monster designs or the picturesque visuals. And I can't spoil the ending, because after over 90 hours I believe I'm roughly three-quarters through. This year's top spot on my list was not a close-run thing - and I can't even speculate how the geniuses at FromSoft will possibly follow up Elden Ring.
Honourable mentions:
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor - the ideal primer for Amazon's Rings of Power?
Kirby and the Forgotten Land - the only time it's advisable to swallow a lightbulb.
Returnal - fun if you like to die a lot in a Lovecraftian hellscape.
A Plague Tale: Requiem - sun, sea and many, many rats.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart - this generation's playable Pixar.
The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe - testing the definition of what a video game is - again!
Sonic Frontiers - could 1000 monkeys with 1000 typewriters make Breath of the Wild?
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