And we’re back! And this may be the last post ever for TBG, so we’ll try to make it a good one. I played a LOT of games this year, mostly just dipping my toes in and out of a lot of things (still working on that BG3…). However, these games really stood out because 1) they were awesome 2) they released this year and 3) I don’t usually play a lot of recently released games (ahem, BG3 you time-consuming #$%&@!). So let’s begin with numero cinco.
Minishoot’ Adventures
5) Minishoot’ Adventures by Soulgame Studios is a twin-stick shooter, which isn’t usually a genre I like or even play, but this game impresses on every level.
The Plucky Squire
4) The Plucky Squire feels like a cartoon or graphic novel come to life in your hands.
Balatro
3) Balatro is the second best poker-based game I’ve ever played, but it’s hands down the best “numbers go up” game that’s ever existed. What is the best poker-based game you may ask? Sword&Poker 2 will always hold a special place in my heart, which is totally broken since it disappeared after the great iOS 64k update and was delisted from the app store (DAMN you Apple, damn you to hell!). But what else can I say about Balatro that hasn’t been said? The instant I started playing I was HOOKED. I mean, can’t stop at all even though I need to work, sleep, workout, breathe… kind of hooked. Actually, I should take it off the list. It’s too close to a drug for my taste. And erase it from the multiple devices I’ve downloaded it to. Ok, well, after just ONE more run…
SKALD: Against the Black Priory
2) SKALD: Against the Black Priory is the definition of nostalgia, if your nostalgia is ultima and its clones from the eighties. However, it takes the formula and updates it for all us old fogies with modern bells and whistles. I mean look at that bar on the bottom, does that not scream BG3? But there is still hit the things over and over until they die. And the story is quite cool, with cosmic horrors and grimdark low fantasy thrown in there for good measure. So you wanna crawl some dungeons and fight some monsters and gather some loot and be a pixelated badass? Here you go.
Steamworld Heist
1) Steamworld Heist (2) is back, just like me! It took awhile, but somehow my personal campaign to get a sequel to one of my all-time favorite turn-based games worked! I’m amazed at my powers of convincing people to make a thing that seems so niche, but you know what? You’re welcome. Now, why is it so great? It’s like they listened to most (but not all) of my advice for a sequel: more skills, more weapons, more abilities, more explosions, more elemental effects, it’s just MORE man! The classes seem to blur a bit as you combine different powers, but that makes it fun. It’s a challenge to make the ultimate warrior. It can take a bit to jive with this game (not for me), but once you do, AHHHH (chef’s kiss)!