Yossarian wrote:

You should have had fewer rules.

Ok time for top 5. I could be missing out on Astro Bot and Spidey but I’m not realistically going to play either before the end of Jan. 

1. Slay the Spire - So so addictive. For me this has been the only game I've really played over Christmas. And for someone who doesn't play games for any length of time that you guys do I have already clocked 75 hours. It's combination of simple to learn, difficult to master card play, combined with some RNG bad/goodness and it just keeps me coming back for more. The fact that I can play it on my MacBook (thanks Elf) means that it's pretty much always with me. It's a serious contender for GOAT

2. Hollow Knight - still not completed it (par for the course for me), but this doesn't stop it being a superbly balanced, if somewhat tough, metroidy/platformer/slashemup/thingy. And, tbh, I have this place to thank for me getting into it. I bought it pretty early on, on Switch, played it, didn't appreciate the game at all and put it down. But I kept seeing the thread count go up in HK thread, with the occasional comment in the Switch thread. I'm glad I stuck at it, and will go back to it when I'm back home. I must admit, I've played most of it on the big screen with the Pro Controller, which has spoiled me when I now use the joy cons I just don't have the same level of confidence, especially around the tricky jumpy/spike death parts of the game.

3. Read Dead Redemption 2 - this is a difficult choice, as I'm only on Chapter 2, but when I set aside time to play it, I find it the most detailed, absorbing open world game I've ever played. I'm not that bothered with the main story, and often it's at odds with how I want to play the game, but the amazing vistas, inventive little side quests (I rescued a photographers bag by bullet-time diving after a coyote and shooting it - yes it was a button fudge!), poker playing and hunting/gathering, and I'm sure more I have yet to discover, prove that the distractions are better than just following the path laid out for me. If I had played it more, it could be number 1, but for now it stays here.

4. Gris - I figured I had better put in one game I've completed this year (I can't have Hyper Light Drifter, which is better) and this is just a simple, beautiful experience. People have compared it to Journey, I can see why, but I don't think they are the same at all. What this is, is an incredibly beautiful work of interactive digital art. Anyone playing on Switch really does need to put in on the big screen, play with a surround sound system, switch off the lights and just immerse yourself in it. I promise you will appreciate it more.

5. Into The Breach - I expected to like this from the off. But it wasn't what I thought it was. Like some, I was looking for the next Advance Wars, but it isn't that. I haven't played it in a while, but it doesn't matter. It is a timeless game that can be played forever, and for that reason alone, it deserves to be in my top 5.

Honourable mentions go to: God of War, Forza Horizon 4 and Gorogoa.

Yeah they could be interchanged for me but think Spire has me in its grip right now.

Nope, plumped for Mario + Rabids in the sale.

Guess I should do this. I'm unlikely to play anything else.


4. Capcom Beat em Bundle
Drop it if not allowed.
A brilliant collection of some great beat am ups. Always a fave genre of mine and it's nice to be able to play them in one place, especially the arcade releases.

3. Spyro Trilogy
Not sure on rules with this one. If it isn't allowed then bump the others and drop this.
The animation of Spyro is fantastic, his ground movement is exactly like my own dog's movement. Graphics are lush and vibrant while true to the originals.In remaking these games they have kept what made the old games great while expanding on the short falls such as adding unique character models for each Dragon saved.

2. Assasins Creed Odyssey
A surprise one this and I am still early days on it but I feel it deserves the position.
I haven't enjoyed Ass Crud since Brotherhood. I feel as it expanded I found the controls increasingly fiddly and it expanded upon the stuff I didn't like more than what I did.

Odyssey feels more action based. The stealth is still there but the focus is on abilities over gadgets, the simple ability wheel cuts down on having to remember multiple button combinations and means the player can refine the movesets to suit.

It's visually lovely, Greece is a great setting too.

I love The Mercenary system, not sure if that was introduced here or Origins but it's neat. I wish they would expand it into the full nemesis system.

1. Ultimate Smash
I love Smash, i love how it is a library of retro gaming while also being a fantastic game in its own right. I thought it was a real shame that the WiiU version lacked the SP components of the previous two. Well SP is back and deeper than ever. Loved all of the 30 odd hours that took me and will eventually get through ng+ as well.

If Splat 2 was this year I need to change mine, thought it was last year.

Ha I just checked. I should add it to last year really, loved it in sp

Ooh, I guess that is the same people as Mom Hid my Game.

Second in weird stakes after Fuck Mr Hatcher.

Why me?!

My girls have played the first three, I've dabbled with each and they are kinda fun/dumb/silly... This one looks even more so!

Mate you're thinking of moot

Summaries, not reviews.  Those are on page 3.

I know Kami from that list. It’s quite therapeutic.

@Elf - think the rankings need updating

*cough cough*

I've only just got God of War and Spider-Man for Christmas so need to put some time into those before fully deciding. Think my list will have Dead Cells, Into The Breach and Red Dead, not sure on some others

MattyJ wrote:

I've only just got God of War and Spider-Man for Christmas so need to put some time into those before fully deciding. Think my list will have Dead Cells, Into The Breach and Red Dead, not sure on some others

Play GoW first! Of course I’d say that; I haven’t played Spider-Man yet. That will be remedied due to Boris kindness to lend it to me.