Happy New Year, Gamers! 2013 was a fun and surprising year for gaming and so there was a lot to write about. Unfortunately, after some reflection and thoughts throughout my break in December, I have ultimately decided to stop writing on Superpad Unplugged for the time being until I feel ready to pick up blogging again. It simply takes too much time out of each day for me to do anything else which is a real problem when writing has always been something done on the side. I might come back to writing once more someday as I do enjoy it greatly, but my priorities and responsibilities lead me to stop for now. So for my last post, here is a reflection of last year's games and this upcoming year of releases.
Games I enjoyed in 2013:
10) Battlefield 4 (PC) - Honestly, I'm a little disgusted with myself for even putting this game on the list for all the grief it has given me. On the first night of trying to start up the game, I spent 2 hours updating drivers, changing settings, restarting Origin and such because the game would either crash, have a display or direct X error, or the game would not respond. And when the game finally decides to work, it has a lot of glitches, lag spikes, hit-box discrepancy, and imbalances to team match-up. A lot of the multiplayer maps are designed around dominance with vehicles and leaves little room for infantry battle. Even single-player has its fair share of problems with glitches. Despite all that, I have put in 36 hours and still plan on playing multiplayer. Single-player has a better story and gameplay compared to Battlefield 3 and so I enjoyed that more. Multiplayer, I felt there were some aspects that Battlefield 3 did better than Battlefield 4. In between the raging and grief while playing Battlefield 4, there is a sense of entertainment and excitement I get from playing it. Also, I got the game for $20 which I was very happy about. I would've gotten Call of Duty Ghosts as well, but it refused to drop below $40.
9) Rogue Legacy (PC) - This little indie project wasn't on my list of games to look out for in 2013, but I saw it on Steam Greenlight and was instantly intrigued by the idea of a Metroidvania game with rogue-like elements. The game is challenging in both platforming and action aspects with unforgiving enemies and inevitable fact that you will die a lot. I love Metroidvania games and feel that there aren't enough these days. Although many Metroidvania type games had released in 2013, Rogue Legacy was one that I got to play that stood out for me. I'm looking forward to find the time to play Guacamelee!, UnEpic, Valdis Story, and A Valley Without Wind 1&2 as they are also Metroidvania type games.
8) Senran Kagura Burst (3DS) - I was really shocked to see Senran Kagura brought over with the amount of controversy over it and the lack of interest the West seemingly had for it, but I'm really glad they did. 2013 was a really good year for Beat-em-Ups and Senran Kagura Burst was one that I really enjoyed. Although the presentation isn't as good as Code of Princess in terms of variance, graphics and music, the gameplay is technically better with a larger array of attacks, combos, and abilities that the player can utilize. Combat is fluid and easy to pick up while the gameplay can still be challenging and difficult. Besides fun gameplay, Senran Kagura also has a decent story! That was also a shocker for me seeing how the game boasted itself mostly for its fan service. It's a shame that a physical copy wasn't available for North American customers, but it was a bold move for XSEED Games to bring it over nonetheless. Hopefully they bring the Vita version over as well.
7) Dynasty Warriors 8 (PS3) - I wasn't sure how Koei was going to live up to Dynasty Warriors 7 because it was such an incredible experience. It's a bit tricky to describe how I feel about DW8, but I guess the simplest way would be to say "the presentation wasn't nearly as good, but gameplay wise it's technically better in every way". The cinematics, voice overs, and interactions between the characters in DW7 made for an unforgettable story, and DW8 simply doesn't have that. Yes, all the DW games follow the same story, but they're all told in different ways. DW8 takes out a significant amount of voice overs in narration and pre-battle chatting. Cinematics aren't as emotionally involving and free flowing as DW7. But here's where DW8 shines: alternate story paths depending on the outcome of in-game decisions, more weapon variations = less duplicate character types, the return of musou rage, and a rock/paper/scissor mechanic to change up the way you fight generals and officers. When I say "in-game decisions", I don't mean to say pick choice "A" or choice "B" in a dialogue, but actual execution of an order on the battlefield such as wiping out an ambush or stopping a siege weapon. With more weapons, the ability to use musou rage, and utilizing 3 different musou attacks, a number of possible combos and approaches can be made when going into a fight. The special mode for DW8 also has better replay value and variation than DW7 did. It's similar to DW5 Xtreme Legend's "Xtreme Mode" where you go into 3 randomly generated battles to further grow in strength, numbers, and equipment without the permadeath system. Besides all that, there are a few new mechanics to change up the fight such as breaking an enemies focus and unleashing a relentless barrage of attacks on them. My favorite new mechanic in the game is being able to jump on your horse/mount while running. So in short, I guess what I'm trying to say is "Dynasty Warriors 8 doesn't have as good of a story mode as DW7, but combat is considerably more enjoyable!"
6) Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (3DS) - I really wanted to find a game for the 3DS that I'd enjoy playing well beyond its main game for long durations. I thought Heroes of Ruin was going to be that game, but to my dismay the game doesn't have end-game content worth playing. I was reluctant to get Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate for the 3DS when I heard you couldn't play online. I don't live near any of my friends who have the game. After trying out the demo, I found out you get 2 computer AI allies to help. I love boss fights in videogames, and Capcom is one of the developers who really know how to make amazing Boss fights. Monster Hunter is essentially a string of boss fights that the player faces back to back. Each boss take a considerable amount of effort and time to take down and the feeling you get at the end of each one is pretty satisfying. It'd definitely be more fun to play the game with 3 other friends, but it still passes for a great game to enjoy and kill some time well after you've completed the main game.
5) Path of Exile (PC) - I'm not sure if I'm the right person to really talk about PoE as I've barely scratched the surface of the game. I have a friend who has poured hundreds of hours into the game from planning and training his character. At first glance, the game looks like your usual Diablo clone as a top-down, point-n-click, Action-RPG. However, the main attraction to the game is its skill jungle. Most games like it will have 3 branching skill trees to choose from and focus on, but PoE has an entire grid players can utilize to make the kind of character they want to the playstyle they enjoy. It's much like Demon's Souls/Dark Souls where the player can start at any class but ultimately go into any sort of playstyle they want. Skills can be traded, found, swapped, buffed, and utilized with any piece of equipment that has a slot. I've been playing the game since last year when it went into open beta and it had tons of changes for the better on its official launch along with a Steam version. You can have builds where spells blow up around the screen or shoot 7 arrows in a fan with lightning element or decimate enemies with insanely fast attacks. The game has been praised for its dark atmosphere akin to the original Diablo, its passive skill jungle mechanic, its online play, and for being one of the most high quality free-to-play games out there.
4) Risk of Rain (PC) - I've never heard of Risk of Rain prior to its release, but was interested when it appeared on steam and saw how it looked like a 2D shooter and was described to have Rogue-like elements. At first, I was shocked and upset that the player only shot left and right and didn't use the mouse to shoot. But after playing a few rounds, I realized that it worked really well in the way it was designed. Multiplayer Online isn't very elegant with an archaic means of playing, but when it works it's a really exciting multiplayer experience. The game is frantic and chaotic with a sense of satisfaction when you're destroying everything. Surviving is challenging and the enemies can be brutal. And since levels, item spawns, and enemies are randomly generated, there's a different experience each time you play!
3) Hatsune Miku Project DIVA F (PS3) - I wasn't going to get the game even though I was interested in it and was announced for a Western release. There have been too many games that didn't seem popular get brought over as a digital download only and I didn't want to support that if I could help it. Then on release day, I found out that they had physical copies being sold. I went out and got a copy from the excitement and found out that there was a special controller for it. Besides the super large, bright, and flashy controller, there was also a mini controller that was being sold online. They were expensive, but I made the effort to get one. In the end, it was worth it. The game is reminiscent of Gitarooman on the PS2/PSP with matching buttons and directions to the ones on the screen. To my surprise, I enjoyed listening to a lot of the songs and so it made for a fun experience playing the game. I was afraid I would only like a few of the songs and dislike the rest. There are 4 difficulty modes and modifiers to make it even more challenging as well as a DIVA room mode. It's a little weird, but it's essentially like a Tamagotchi mode where you give gifts, interact with the characters, and pet them. The game is just filled with "happiness", I guess you'd say. The songs are catchy, the videos are flashy, and the graphics are bright and colorful. I feel like I've been away from music Rhythm games for a very long time and so this was a welcome entry to the list of games I enjoyed playing in 2013.
2) Dragon's Crown (PS3) - I played a lot of Beat-em-Ups in 2013: Anarchy Reigns, Code of Princess, Sacred Citadel, Dungeons and Dragons Chronicles of Mystara, and Senran Kagura Burst. But out of all the Beat-em-Ups I played that year, Dragon's Crown was the one that I really enjoyed and was able to get others to play. Played similarly to traditional Beat-em-Ups, the players run through a level fighting enemies and take on a boss at the end. Through that simplicity, it's everything around and in-between the game that makes it so great. There is a large array of attacks and abilities the player can perform with the character as well as different builds they can go for similar to an RPG. There are tons of items to buy and acquire. Progression is story-driven with available side-quests to help in leveling and farming. Both local and online players can drop in and out to help out, and even if you play solo you can have computer allies help out. Essentially, there are a large number of factors that goes into Dragon's Crown for a deep and enjoyable experience that breaks the mold of what a Beat-em-Up are generally like. Local cooperative games are also a rare aspect in games nowadays, so it was quite a treat being able to have a group of my friends be able to play alongside me.
1) Project X Zone (3DS) - I realize that I'm extending this post much longer than I should, so I'm going to have to shorten everything. If you are a fan of a lot of the characters and where they come from and enjoy the tactics genre of strategy games, Project X Zone is a treat that should not be missed. The whole game is a huge string of fan-service that makes you excited with each turn of event. I am so happy that they brought it over.
I was going to add a "Music" category and "Great games I missed" section, but It's going to take me a long time to finish if I do that. So I'm going to jump straight to the list of games I'm looking forward to this year:
Anticipated Games
of 2014
Bravely Default
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Toukiden: The Age of Demons
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
Tales of Symphonia Chronicles
Thief
Divinity: Original Sin
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z
Dark Souls 2
Titanfall
Infamous: Second Son
BlazBlue Chronophantasma
Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls
The Witch and the Hundred Knight
Dying Light
Destiny
Bayonetta 2
Child of Light
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Drakengard 3
EverQuest Next
God Eater 2
Hellraid
Homefront 2
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle
Kirby: Triple Deluxe
La-Mulana 2: The 0th Body, The 9th Spirit
Mario Golf: World Tour
Mario Kart 8
Mercenary Kings
Murdered: Soul Suspect
Persona 5
Pillars of Eternity
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace
Attorney
Shadow of the Eternals
Starbound
Strider
Sunset Overdrive
Super Smash Bros. Wii U/3DS
Tales of Xillia 2
The Evil Within
The Legend of Zelda Wii U
The Sims 4
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Tom Clancy's The Division
Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Patriots
Transistor
Watch Dogs
Wolfenstein: The New Order
Yoshi's New Island
X
And as a bonus, here is possibly the worst game of 2013:
Source: Youtube Channel motdef
Thank you for all the support in the past 3 years, everybody!
