So yeah, I know we're already a little bit into 2022, but things have been pretty busy at work the last couple of weeks (for context), and I've also been a little forgetful. Now that I've finally remembered, I wanted to continue my tradition of looking back on the games that I've played over the last year. And as usual, these don't have to be games that came out in 2021, but can also be any game that I played over the course of the year. So let's get right to it!
A Short Hike
One of a couple games that I grabbed during the Steam Summer Sale, A Short Hike was nothing short of delightful. Any game that brings out the explorer in me is a winner, and not only did this game do that, but it gave me a bunch of fun characters and minigames to play while searching for all the golden feathers, and making my way to the peak of the mountain. And of course we have to talk about the art; the combination of 3D assets being looked at with a point filtering camera gives the game a really cool style, and hearing more about it in creator, Adam Robinson-Yu's GDC talk has got me itching to make some of my own cool stuff in Unity again (hopefully soon).
Monster Hunter Rise
While I don't think it left the same impression on me that Monster Hunter World did, Rise was still a blast to play. The game brought in a lot of great new monsters to fight, and brought back a lot of classics. Bringing back Leviathans in particular was a really great addition, especially since it gave me one of my favorite new monsters, Almudron. Aside from monsters, the game also introduced a lot of fun new mechanics with the wire bugs, and shows that many of the new concepts introduced in World will have a lasting impression on future titles. Can't wait to get back into the game when Sunbreak comes out this summer.
Sea of Thieves
I'm a giant fan of pirate stuff (Pirates of The Caribbean, One Piece, etc.), so the fact that I'm starting Sea of Thieves 3 years after it came out is kind of crazy to me. I've been playing with a couple friends since I've started, and much like A Short Hike, it does an amazing job at bringing out my inner explorer. There's so many island to discover on the high seas, and solving all of the riddles and clues that the game throws your way is beyond satisfying. This game definitely peaks though when you have a full crew at your back, and I can't wait for me and my friends to have more adventures setting sail.
Stardew Valley
I don't really play a lot of Stardew Valley on my own, but the time I've spent playing with my old college roommates has been really fun. With the freedom to do pretty much whatever you want, each of us have been able to build up our own skills and make our farm really profitable. I usually spend a lot of my time in the mines collecting minerals and fighting monsters, but getting into meeting the different townsfolk & building relationships with them has also been really enjoyable. Hopefully ConcernedApe's next game has just as much enjoyment.
Solar Ash
After I played Hyper Light Drifter, Heart Machine was a studio that I was strongly hoping to hear more from, and boy, they didn't disappoint. Any game that has satisfying movement and combat is gonna sell me immediately, so Solar Ash really won me over in that department. One of the coolest thing about this game though is how it handles the player's health. After defeating a boss, your health actually goes down, which seems like it wouldn't be good to punish the player like this for accomplishing a major milestone. But the way health is increased with the in-game currency, I feel makes this design choice so much more valuable as it gives the game's currency a lot more meaning. At this point, I think it's fair to say that I like Solar Ash even more than Hyper Light Drifter.
Metroid Dread
I came into this game almost a complete noob to the Metroid series (I've played a little bit of the original & Super Metroid), but from the moment this game was announced at E3 2021, the hype was real. I've been on the hunt for awesome Metroidvanias since I played Hollow Knight, so I guess it's only fitting that I get to a series that lends its name to the genre. Dread had everything from fun combat, to epic boss battles, great story, and of course, a giant map to spend hours in exploring. When I did my Switch Year-In-Review, I found out that I actually spent 11 hours one day playing nothing but this game. I don't know if that's good or not, but what I do know is that this game is amazing!
Honorable Mentions
Blue Fire
Deep Rock Galactic
Aragami 2
Well, there's this year's list of games. Here's hoping 2022 is another great year! I know there's probably gonna be one game that will make my 2022 list.