Now It’s Awkward

My 2023 in Video Games

2024-01-04T18:00:00+00:00

My 2023 In Games

I truly wonder how 2023 will be remembered in gaming

This post is going up a little earlier than I anticipated so screenshots (which I do myself) will be missing until I wrap up my vacation in the United States.

Looking at my catalog, I matched 2022 with 24 games (that I remembered to log!). It was the year I got my first VR Headsets, became a HOTAS nerd, oh, and I got married too!

I wonder if 2023 will be the Tale of Two Cities in that it was both the best and worst of times for gaming (games great, industry atrocious). I genuinely hope the industry stabilizes and we don’t see this kind of year again any time soon.

10. Star Wars Galaxies (PC, 2003)

Best HOTAS Experience of the Year, Most Star Warsy

I was disappointed by Star Wars Jedi: Survivor this year and felt it was time to go back to (arguably) the game that influenced me the most: Star Wars Galaxies (SWG) via emulated private servers. I specifically wanted to play the Jump to Lightspeed space expansion and fulfill a 10+ year goal of playing with a joystick. This lead to a two month bender where I ended up getting not only a HOTAS, but also rudder pedals, and even a discounted Quest Pro to play like a cockpit sim. It was outstanding and well worth the money I invested. SWG will always hold a dear place in my heart and frankly, I enjoyed this experience over Star Wars Squadrons

9. Dead Space (Playstation 5, 2023)

Best Horror Game, Most Gooey

Now It’s Awkward’s 9th game of 2022 was taken by Callisto Protocol, and while I think I enjoyed the Dead Space (DS) refurbish more, 2023’s lineup means they share the same honors one year apart. This remake at first felt like “let’s put Dead Space in the Dead Space 2 engine” because of how smooth the movement and shooting felt compared to DS1. A few hours in the remake started to shine as it was way more than a (very nice) coat of paint. The shooting is better since it’s more akin to Dead Space 2 and the fact that the game forces you to rotate weapons to due ammo scarcity meant I experimented way more than I wanted. That experimentation, though, lead me to finding really good synergies between weapons that I am sure the devs intended for players to discover. The Ishimura as one giant environment with no loading screens was a great change but I do wish they didn’t add random enemies while exploring. I enjoyed backtracking in the original knowing it was 100% safe!

Going in with the knowledge of what Isaac’s about to go through (both in the remake and it’s sequels) the whole experience was melancholy in a very good way. The story is appropriately revised; characters are sparingly added, traits revised, plot beats updated to reference the sequels. It’s all really elegant and well executed. While not on the scale of Final Fantasy VII: Remake, I feel DS is a fantastic game that outshines the original.

8. Lies of P (Xbox Series X, 2023)

Best non-FromSoftware Soulslike, Most Creative Adaptation

If you told me that Lies of P (LoP) was a reimagining of Pinocchio, I’d have shrugged and moved on. Thankfully, I was told it’s like Bloodborne but with Pinocchio – curiosity piqued! I appreciate a lot of what LoP set out to do both in terms of gameplay and story. LoP has a similar Gothic aesthetic with gameplay mechanics that are reminiscent of Bloodborne but in some cases refined and expanded upon. The game’s parry system has a lot depth encouraging you to make perfectly timed parries but there are also character upgrades that reduce the penalty for missing the mark (and making perfect parries better). You can forgo those upgrades entirely and instead add new ways to approach beating enemies (like exploiting their elemental weakness). It feels complete and well thought out.

Storywise LoP is similar to FromSoftware games: background information in item descriptions and cryptic one-liners from the characters you meet. That said, the game still manages to spin a compelling narrative that, while seemingly predictable, does offer a creative twist on the Pinocchio story. There’s also an intriguing tease at the end that makes me look forward to any potential sequels.

7. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo Switch, 2023)

Best Game of 2023, Most Creatively Forgiving

I personally think Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) is the best video game of 2023. That said, it’s not my game of 2023. I generally don’t like open world games – I get lost in the “do what you want” sandbox gameplay of your Skyrims type RPGs.

Controls in ToTK are still clunky (I had to remap my controls so Jump and Run made sense to me), the sequel’s new Master Hand mechanic creates a near limitless amount of ways one can solve the puzzles. This overwhelms me so I appreciated that most solutions to the shrine puzzles were easy to “solve” but also allowing for multiple solutions.

To be honest, I played ToTK mostly to be part of The Zeitgeist; I followed the critical paths and only engaged in a few side quests along the way. It wasn’t until the story went “off book” (to borrow a chess term) that I suddenly cared a great deal more about the game. Unfortunately, it took about 50 hours for me to get to that point. I am just not that creative when it comes to gaming. I like linearity and relatively straightforward exploration. ToTK is an inspired sequel that improved on nearly every complaint I had. It’s not just that ToTK is one of the best sequels of all time, I genuinely think it’s one of the best games of all time. I just don’t feel compelled to play it anymore than I have.

6. Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (Nintendo Switch, 2022)

Best Game Loop, Most Fun with a Group

I thought I liked Monster Hunter Now when it came out this year but I quickly got frustrated with the free-to-play trappings that come with Niantic games. Thankfully I didn’t touch the expansion Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (SB) when it came out in June of last year which meant I could get my Monster Hunter fix without the limitations baked into Monster Hunter Now.

It turns out, 95% of my October was dedicated to SB. The NPC companions that they (re)introduced to the series made it much more solo friendly than before and new monsters added to the game were absurdly challenging the best way possible. And of course, the gear loop continues to be one of the best in the industry. If you enjoyed its mobile counterpart and own a Switch, just get Rise. You’ll have a way better time!

5. Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch, 2023)

Best Remake, Most Nostalgic

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was my very first video game I “owned” (whatever that means when you’re six). It holds a very special place in my heart and when Nintendo announced the remake, Super Mario RPG (SMRPG), it was probably the first time in a decade I felt “hyped.” It’s a wonderful delight that harkens back to a simple time when RPGs were short, Squaresoft and Nintendo were buddies, and the idea of fighting alongside Boswer seemed truly insane. Now that I am in my thirties, SMRPG is a treat. It’s length is “just right”, there is enough depth to build your characters without having to worry about “messing them up,” and the new gameplay balances add enough variation for someone familiar with the old game to enjoy.

I adore this game and I am so happy it was made. Never again will I be a victim to Boshi’s awful racing minigame!

4. Pikmin 4 (Nintendo Switch, 2023)

Best Pikmin Game, Most Satisfying to 100%

Pikmin 4 is the best Pikmin game, hands down. Pikmin 4 addressed all my complaints about previous games in the series and finally gave me something I’ve wanted since Pikmin 2. The tower defense mode with Glow Pikmin gets really challenging later in the game making me engage with a lot of tactics I never really considered. The game’s emphasis on multi-tasking can easily be ignored; upgrades to your companion alleviate a lot of the early game speed bumps that let stay single minded. It’s a genuine blast. Smash that Throw button!

3. Cities Skylines and Cities Skylines 2 (PC; 2015, 2023)

Best Way to Lose a Whole Day, Most Educational

I should legally be banned from playing games like Cities Skylines (CS) and its sequel. The game’s feedback loop is so fast that you can tell yourself “I’ll just spend 15 minutes building out a highway intersection and then go to bed” but it quickly turns into a four hour traffic optimization puzzle. I enjoy making the most self-sufficient, dense, Factorio-like city which makes full use of public transportation. Its sequel drastically improves the tools used to create roads but it currently suffers from a lot of bugs due to its rushed release. That didn’t stop me from putting over 100 hours into both games in 2023.

On top of that, I’ve learned way more about civic engineering in 2023 than I ever did in school. I never heard of the phrase “road hierarchy” until I started trying to fix traffic problems and now I constantly think about them when I am outside!

2. Vampire Survivors (Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox Series; 2022)

Best Multiplayer, Most Vampires

I honestly did not expect much from Vampire Survivors (VS) in 2023 but the Nintendo Switch release this year resulted in me putting in over 60 hours. I finally played with the DLCs (“more of the same” but man was it great!) and dabbled in the multiplayer. It was magnificent. The game continues to be a barrage against my senses in the best way possible and the dynamic of playing with other people actually adds a lot more than I expected. Some of my favorite moments in gaming this year was playing VS with a friend who knows nothing about the game and I got to see them discover weapon evolutions for the first time. Best of all, its simple gameplay makes it extremely accessible.

I successfully unlocked everything in the Switch version of the game (even the elusive adventure mode!) and can’t see myself ignoring VS in 2024.

1. Resident Evil 4 (Playstation 5, PC; 2023)

Most Sweaty, Game of the Year

RE4R is my game of the year simply because it felt the most rewarding to play. Shortly after beating the Resident Evil 4 remake (RE4R) on the PS5, I purchased it again on Steam. I wanted to unlock everything but wanted to practice the harder difficulties on PC which (thanks to mods) let me be a little more flexible in learning the routes/techniques needed to progress. I am pretty sure I beat this game seven times to get all the unlocks and with the new VR mode added there’s probably going to be an eighth.

It is a slick improvement over the original with new depth in gameplay, removal of (unnecessary) quicktime events and refined improvements in the games plot and cinematics which make it more cohesive and fit well into the existing “remake timeline” Capcom is cooking. One of my favorite gaming memories of 2023 will be all the effort I put into getting an S+ on professional difficulty. It was just as tense as it was exhilarating to pull off the achievement. That alone is arguably why I am so adamant that it’s my (and Now It’s Awkward’s coveted) Game of the Year.

My 2022 in Video Games

2023-01-02T03:00:00+00:00

My 2022 In Games

The real excitement is over who came in second!

Looking at my catalog, I played 24 games, comfortably beating 2021 by four extra titles! It was the year of From Software in this household where I went through the entire Dark Souls series and Elden Ring which, combined, occupied, roughly six months of my year!

10. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes (Nintendo Switch, 2022)

Best Game I Didn’t Beat, Most Enjoyed when Emulated (or so I’m told)

Fire Emblems: Three Houses was my number two game of 2019) so when Three Hopes, a Dynasty Warriors alternate-universe, adventure into the story of Three Houses, I was cautiously skeptical. I was burned pretty badly by Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity so I was hesitant. My hesitation seemed justified until I went and got some fruit.

After playing the first few levels on my Switch, I set up the Yuzu emulator on my laptop to see if I could get better performance. The short answer is, I did, and it played better, and I was able to start enjoying the game! From there, I could engage with the excellent adaptation of both combat & social mechanics from Three Houses. The direct combat style wonderfully satisfied my imagination that came from playing the original game. And so, I put in a bunch of more hours than I expected. I still haven’t finished it　(I hear it’s a very long game), but I look forward to picking it up when I fancy it.

9. Callisto Protocol (Playstation 5, 2022)

Best 3D Sound, Most Good-Looking

I really like Callisto Protocol. I’m partial to the Space Horror (bonus points if there’s eldritch elements!) and this is wonderfully flawed game (that acatually bumped God of War: Ragnarok off my top 10) scratched the itch. There’s something at its core that resonates with me.

Enemy variety is low (I think there’s eight or so different types) and their creature designs aren’t used to their full potential (it’s hard to be scared when all the monsters just try and box with you). The melee combat takes some getting used to (just hold the stick LEFT or RIGHT to dodge the first strike, then alternate), and checkpoints are too inconsistent; however, after beating the game I was ready to keep playing more.

Minus a stealth level that went on a little too long, I really am looking forward to New Game+ when it’s patched in and hope that this team gets a crack at a sequel!

8. Splatoon 3 (Nintendo Switch, 2022)

Best Multiplayer, Most Educational

Splatoon 3 is a welcome addition to 2022. It’s “more Splatoon” which is a great thing. The multiplayer matches are short, and you’re rewarded with experimenting with new weapons and outfits. Not much has been added to the core formula so it’s one of those “you like it or you don’t” sort of things. That said, single player is definitely worth checking out for those who never really gave it much thought.

Not to mention, I learned quite a bit of young-person slang from Splatoon 3. “Drip,” a “nice fit,” have since been registered in my head and now I can better understand the youth that lie about their age on forums like Reddit!

7. Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut (Playstation 5, 2021)

Best Map Game, Most Time to Beat

I started Ghost of Tsushima back in the Fall of 2021, put it in the backlog about halfway through. Then, in late January of this year, I picked it up again and reached the final third. Then Elden Ring came out and I left Ghost of Tsushima again to go play that. Finally, in early October, I beat the main story (and made a lot of progress on the DLC campaign). This makes Ghost of Tsushima the longest it has taken me to beat a game (that I intended to finish).

Ghost is not a bad game by any means but it does feel rote at times. Combat can be clunky and optional side content doesn’t really enrich much; however, it was satisfying checking off “tasks” on the map, removing its red “paint” in the progress, and get pretty darn strong in the process. It doesn’t do anything revolutionary with its gameplay but it still has a solid foundation. This actually mirrors Jin, the main character’s story, in that the Batman-esque arc does reach its somewhat predictable conclusion and mostly hits the mark.

6. Dark Souls III (Playstation 4, 2016)

Best Dark Souls, Most Deaths

2022 is my year of From Software and I feel Dark Souls 3 is up there in terms of where I rank their games. It did not perfect the formula (I don’t think any “Soulsbourne” game has) but it’s gotten darn close; six years later, the game holds up remarkably well.

There is something very satisfying when you beat the game for the first time and consequently cruise through on the next playthrough discovering all sorts of quests, weapons, and items you missed along the way. The way the game treats its own lore as a sequel is something that’s relatively rare in gaming and I greatly appreciate it.

5. Two Point Campus (And Two Point Hospital) (Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, PC; 2022)

Best Uniform Management, Most Laughs

I have a problem with management sims. They are extremely addictive and I lack the discipline needed to enjoy them responsibility. Thankfully, I had a couple of 10+ hour airplane rides this year which meant I didn’t need to have impulse control and could just sink my teeth into Two Point Campus (and its predecessor Two Point Hospital). This, unfortunately, led to me playing it for a lot more outside of those flights but you take the good with the bad!

While I enjoy Two Point Hospital more, the sequel (Two Point Campus) adds some nice quality-of-life-enhancements like how it deals with temperature, it dropped the friends-list-item-research mechanic, and has better camera controls. That said, I think I prefer Hospital more because it focuses on managing the hospital while Campus wants you to take care of the students in addition to managing the hospital. Maybe that says more about me than the games.

4. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin (Playstation 5, PC; 2022)

Best Inappropriate Use of Licensed Music, Most Chaos

YOU DON’T KNOW ME! Ahem. That is, I liked SOPFFO despite its many flaws. It’s made by the team that made the Nioh series and shares a lot of the DNA. Adapting job-changing mechanics from other Final Fantasy titles, this Diablo-Soulsbourne is actually really satisfying to play once you get used to mastering the finisher mechanic, and the game drops tons of loot for you to sift through. I was delighted by the End-Game’s build variety in that there are various ways you can become a rolling dervish of obscene damage with top-notch survivability. I wish the game had more bad-luck protection but it wasn’t a deal-breaker.

I am fascinated by this game’s story. It knows it’s corny but the voice acting and pacing enhance this affectionately lame game. I am curious if Square-Enix considers this canon and I kind of hope it does – this game is special in more ways than one.

3. Vampire Survivors (Xbox Series, PC; 2021)

Best Casino-like Stimulation, Most Confrontations with Death Lost

Vampire Survivors is a treat. It’s an auto-shooter-survival-rouge-like where the character you pick automatically attacks as you move around. That’s the gameplay. The genius comes from all the dice rolls for pickups and items that you can collect which further enhance your character. The game is like walking through a casino. Your senses are bombarded with all kinds bits-and-bobs that make you feel all giddy inside.

The game rewards experimentation, exploration (there are so many secrets) and it does one of my favorite things: it respects my time with levels capping out at 30 (ish) minutes! Oh, and it’s cheap! No more than $5, it’s a total steal! In getting the screenshots for this post, I ended up playing way more Vampire Survovors than I intended!

2. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (Nintendo Switch, 2022)

Best Story, Most Tear-Jearking Music

This was my first Xenoblade game and it made a lasting impression on me. Despite it being the third entry in the series, I had no feeling of missing out nor did I think my experience would have improved knowing the other two games. The fact that it plays like an MMO meant I had little issues picking up the game with little context.

The main story had me hooked within the first 30 minutes (it’s a really messed up world!) and the Final Fantasy XIV job system deeply satiated the lizard part of my brain. While both the story and the game’s pacing were inconsistent, it didn’t stop me from crying massive amounts as it dealt with concepts like child soldiers, nationalism, and our own mortality. And yes, there is straight-up anime pandering in character design that’s less than okay.

1. Elden Ring (Playstation 4, Playstation 5; 2022)

Most Squeaky-Bum-Time, Game of the Year

I really don’t think I can contribute much to the conversation that is “why Elden Ring is fantastic” and I’m not really going to try here. Just know it’s a special game, and easily candidate for game of its generation and possibly a member of the “Best games of all time” pantheon. The game has drastically changed how I approach action games in general, to the point, where if it’s not mathematically impossible, I will take on challenges in video games, even if underlevelled, and try to see them through. No game has influenced me to such a degree since my college days playing World of Warcraft.

My 2021 in Video Games

2022-02-19T06:00:00+00:00

My 2021 In Games

Stand tall… but remember to take a breather.

Where do I start? 2021 was an incredibly difficult year for me. There were some materialistic highs (getting a PS5, Xbox Series X, and OLED Nintendo Switch all in the same year) but also some deep personal lows (which are out of scope for here). Looking back, I am still processing everything and I wonder how I will view 2021 as time moves on.

Much like in 2019, I’ve opted to chronicle my 2021 through the video games I’ve played. Looking at my catalog, I played 20 games, beating most of the ones that can be beaten. I’ll share my top 10+ a few noteworthy honorable mentions.

Honorable Mention

I purchased very few games this year and those that I did, I played through immediately afterwards! It’s a good feeling! These games are unranked but can essentially all be considered tied for 11.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Nintendo Switch, 2020)

Most Disappointing, Longest Load Times

I don’t play many 無双 (muso) games and was hopeful that Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity would do enough to keep me engaged with its gameplay while exploring a timeline I was deeply interested in. The prequel to Breath of the Wild takes place during the war against the Calamity Ganon – the result of which is the backdrop for BotW. I was so ready to see how Link failed and in late January of 2021, I completed the last few side missions and unlocked all the characters.

I put roughly 40 hours into the game and felt that, while I definitely got my money’s worth in terms of playtime, it was not the satisfying prequel I was hoping it would be. While I appreciated the varying gameplay mechanics of the different characters, load times and plot (no spoilers here) soured my experience. Ultimately, it wasn’t what I wanted out of Age of Calamity. I felt the gameplay was fine so maybe I’ll take a look at the next Fire Emblems 無双 game – at least from a safe distance.

Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition (Playstation 5, 2020)

Most Irreverant, Most Confusing

My first Playstation 5 experience came in the form of Capcom’s Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition. This was my first DMC experience and while gameplay was fun, I found myself constantly trying to keep up with a plot that made very little sense to me despite watching the “Story So Far” video included in the game.

I remember being very impressed with the game’s graphics and performance. On the PS5, the load times and high, consistent, frame rate (in performance mode) made me buy into the power of the PS5. It really gels well with the fast pace of the game.

It was really refreshing playing Devil May Cry 5. Its irreverence was confusing at first but grew on me over time . The over-the-top nature actually helped get me into the game early on but it wasn’t able to help answer many of my questions. I felt if I started with the series back when it was younger, maybe I’d have gotten more out of the game.

I will never-not-love reading emo poetry as a special attack.

Hitman III (Playstation 5, 2021)

Best Game to Ironman, Darkest Humor

Hitman III came out in the US in January but actually didn’t arrive in Japan until the fall. I really enjoyed Hitman I and Hitman II and was delighted that those levels were playable within the Hitman III engine (as long as you’re willing to pay).

The gameplay continued to evolve in Hitman III with the main objectives in each location changing from the old “go here, kill this target” of the initial game. Story Missions in the game offered streamlined approaches that contextualized and built on the (light) stories of each location. When you add the self-imposed restriction of not saving your progress mid-mission, you really find yourself exploring and exploiting what rules you know. Figuring out how to work within and bend the game’s rules can make for intense and hilarious moments (look up the home-targeting briefcase when you get the chance).

Final Fantasy VII Remake Integrade Episode: INTERMission (Playstation 5, 2021)

Most Testuya Nomura, Most Good Looking-est

2021 saw the release of the Playstation 5 (and PC) version of Final Fantasy VII Remake named something straight out of Kingdom Hearts. The PS4-excluded DLC, Episode: INTERMission (or is that EPISODE: INTERMission) came out this year. I put this in my honorable mentions because, while I adored the DLC, I just couldn’t motivate myself to replay the full game with the new, fantastic, enhancements. That feeling has since stuck with me as I write this.

I felt Episode: INTERMission is a welcome addition to the base game and the right kind of teaser for part 2 of the remake. The materia system returned unchanged and satiated the lizard part of my brain that wants numbers to go up. Yuffie’s ability to cover both physical and magical damage depending on her stance was really satisfying once I figured out the synergies. I couldn’t quite master her partnership with Sonon but I appreciated that Square Enix was willing to test out new mechanics.

Plot wise, they have started leaning into more of the expanded Compendium of Final Fantasy VII plot points which is… worrying.

10. FIFA 22 (Playstation 5, 2021)

Best Sports RPG, Easiest Way to Lose Three Hours

First, let’s address this upfront: FIFA Ultimate Team is the one of the worst things to happen in Video Game History. Even if it’s not gambling, FUT is close enough to the spirit of gambling, that I mentally round it up. I’ve never opened a single pack and have zero intention to touch that mode ever. Still with me?

I haven’t played a soccer game since FIFA 16 but this year (probably because of the Euros) I got the itch. I was really surprised (and satisfied) by how many RPG trappings that were added to the Player Career. Games came thick and fast (lasting only 10 minutes) so I got experience points and started leveling up relatively quickly. Each time I leveled up, I got points to put into (ir)relevant categories reminding me of World of Warcraft’s talent tree. I really liked the system and hope it gets some more refinements in EA Football FC 2023.

On a technical level, FIFA will never be where I want it and this game was no different. The game’s menus were slow-to-respond, animations looked wooden, minor bugs constantly peppered my experience. At least once every two or three weeks I got a major bug that meant I had to reboot the game including a tournament final. For these reasons alone, I can’t rate it higher than 10 as they negatively impact the overall experience.

I am a Soccer nerd. I’ve read most of Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathon Wilson and listen to Football Weekly and Totally Football every week because I am a sucker for “Sports Narratives.” That’s how I’m able to enjoy FIFA 22 so much. When I fall into bad form, I start to feel pressure to improve. When the Champions’s League draw comes out, I look at my group and start wondering about if I can qualify for the knockout stage. And while it’s not a 38 week journey, spending 10 days to win the league title can be a nail biting experience when other results need to go my way.

9. Demon’s Souls (Playstation 5, 2020)

Most Opaque, Best Magic

It turns out Nioh was the wrong game for me to appreciate the “Soulsborne” genre. Back in the summer, I felt like playing an RPG – I wanted to dump stats into a character sheet, upgrade armor, and otherwise level up. I opted for the PS5 remake of Demon’s Souls and, well, I can see why these games are popular now.

For years, I’ve been of the belief that shoulder buttons should not be your attack buttons. It led me to outright dismiss any games like this and had Nioh 2 not let me use a different layout, I would not have bothered. Now, I get it and I’m almost used to it. I still don’t like it. But I get it.

The lack of clear exposition definitely helps make the world feel larger but I was surprised that there really wasn’t that much I missed. After beating the game, I began watching videos, reading breakdowns, and generally processed as much as I could. It turned out, there weren’t that many dots for me to connect.

Once I beat the game with my first character (a not-so-good strength build because I didn’t know what to do with stats), I dipped into magic and had a brilliant time. It was so liberating to just stand at a distance and just get revenge with a soulful ZAP!

8. Pokémon Unite (Nintendo Switch, 2021)

Best Surprise, Best Dunks

Pokémon Unite, the Pokémon MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena), had ZERO reason to be this good. Announced last year, two teams of five Pokémon work together to score as many points as they can in the opponent’s half of the field and the team with the most points after 10 minutes wins the match. I had very low expectations but Unite exceeded every single one. It’s a MOBA through and through both in the good sense and the bad.

The game is free to play with all the tropes that come with it. Unite is full of various currencies and grindy time sinks including the ultimate time sink: Ranked mode. It’s a long, arduous, frustrating grind to Master that had me questioning myself and my teammates. Scoring the game winning dunk is triumphant. Losing at Zapdos can be crushing. Winning is so much fun and most losses are usually satisfying.

I’m really streaky on Unite. I find myself not touching it for two weeks and then doing nothing but playing it for three. It’s just a plain old good time and with arguably my favorite “scoring” system. This game has the best dunks. Even in 2022, I keep telling myself “stop learning this game” but that call to Master rank is so tempting!

7. Metriod Dread (Nintendo Switch, 2021)

Most Fun to go Fast, Best Moment of the Year

Metroid Dread is only my third Metroid (Prime (GCN), Samus Returns (3DS)) game but it’s easily my favorite. Made by MercurySteam, a lot of the DNA from Samus Returns on the 3DS is here in Dread but it’s more refined.

Despite the name, Dread was not that dreadful. The levels were very alien with really eerie music contributing to the game’s aesthetic. I found getting lost was more frustrating than the game’s pursuing enemies since their stakes in the game are relatively low (a quick Game Over and a very generous checkpoint).

Dread was fun to learn. It was one of the few games in 2021 that I wanted to start a new game as soon as I beat it. As I got more familiar with the routes, it was really fun to shave time off my clear times. It also sports two of my favorite gaming moments of the year. They’re plot-heavy so just know I was grinning ear-to-ear each time!

6. Apex: Legends (Playstation 4, 2019)

Best First-Person Shooter, Tightest Controls

I remember playing PLAYER UNKNOWN’S Battlegrounds for a hot minute in 2018 but haven’t really touched the genre since. When Apex: Legends came out on Nintendo Switch this year, I gave the team-based Battle Royale game a shot. When I realized how much fun I was having, I installed it on my PS5 and didn’t look back. Apex became my go-to FPS game in 2021 and will probably continue to be for the foreseeable future.

Controls are extremely customizable so they’re essentially perfect (once you find what works for you). Sprinting, sliding, and jumping all feel great to the point where I instinctively tried sliding in other games (like Monster Hunter). Putting in the time to learn various guns is so rewarding when your bullet trails effectively look like a garden hose!

While matches vary widely, Apex has consistently provided me with lots of good (and bad) moments. A big part of that has been the battle pass system which I use to explore characters and weapons that I tend to neglect. Sometimes you forget how effective a weapon can be until the daily challenge reminds you! Whether it was reaching Platinum for the first time or even costing the team a win, my time this year with Apex has been time well spent.

I’ve definitely cooled off as the year went on – I only have so much patience for hot-drops and leavers. Ranked is essentially a different game that demands patience and coordination to perform well. Finding that middle-ground in between is rare for me since I am mostly a solo player. That said, I enjoy my time in Apex and regularly keep an eye on it.

5. Returnal (Playstation 5, 2021)

Most Sweaty Hands, Most Atmospheric

Returnal is pretty good. It’s arguably the most edge-of-my-seat game I played this year earning Now It’s Awkward’s lauded (and some would say most prestigious) “Most Sweaty Hands” award. Housemarque’s 3D rogue-like started strong and its creepy, almost “itchy” atmosphere kept pushing me to find out more about the “White Shadow.”

Running, jumping, and shooting felt great but I definitely misfired a lot due to the game’s odd choice of using the Dualsense controllers for both aiming (partial press) and alt-fire (full press). Getting a weapon with modifications I liked created such a rush of relief and empowerment that was second to none this year. Taking chances on malignant chests and doors, or getting the right combination of parasites to buff my health to ridiculous levels felt great. Even when it felt like the game was conspiring against me, I always felt like a new weapon or artifact was all I needed to get back on track.

The music was on-point for this game. Creepy and atmospheric while exploring; booming and heart-pounding for combat. It always felt alien was exactly what the game needed.

“Almost” is the best way to sum-up my feelings on the story. I did not care for the method to unlock the “secret” ending, one too many important character beats were behind audio logs, and while I dig me some cosmic horror, Returnal leaves a little too much open-ended for interpretation diluting what could potentially be a compelling story (if they only nudged us a bit more)!

I found my time with Returnal enjoyable but I did not feel compelled to unlock additional guns, or complete the game’s database. Incidentally, when getting the screenshot for this section, I ended up playing the game for two unplanned hours. It’s a testament to how well put together the game was.

4. Monster Hunter: Rise (Nintendo Switch, 2021)

Favorite Switch Game, Best With Friends

I’ve liked the_ Monster Hunter_ series since Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate for the Wii U and my time with Monster Hunter World was a top five experience in its own right. I was grateful that my faith in the series continued to be rewarded with Monster Hunter Rise.

The formula has not changed much over the years but Rise’s new elements – mainly the Wirebug and Switch skills, add a lot more layers into an already rich combat system. While most people like to focus on pure damage, the Switch skills added to the game can offer incredible utility and had me debating internally what was the right choice for upcoming hunts. Not to mention I had incredible amounts of fun using the Wirebugs to swing around the maps.

I still have some reservations about my experience. The maps are not great at explaining their verticality and the game at release relied too heavily on randomness in order to complete certain weapon builds. And, true to the series, Monster Hunter Rise continues to onboard first-time players terribly.

While rare for me, some of my favorite parts were playing with friends. In a year I got to (digitally) meet Adam Aevanko, more commonly known by his twitter handle @GaijinHunter, Rise was basically the only game I played in the Spring. I look forward to the Sunbreak expansion.

3. NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… (Playstation 4, 2021)

Most Cries, Biggest Potty Mouth

Full disclosure: I helped out the English Localization company 8-4 with some small audio work for this game and ended up receiving a credit.

My time with Replicant was initially mixed. Truth be told, I almost gave up on the game because it has such a slow start. Sidequests are optional and while monetarily rewarding, they can be emotionally draining (if not flat out boring). And while they explained it, I never was able to get past Kainé’s character design. That didn’t stop her from earning Now It’s Awkard’s Biggest Potty Mouth for 2021 (she’s literally bleeped in Japanese). Something felt “off” about the plot (in a good way) and that curiosity is what kept me going and was ultimately rewarded.

I remember how emotional the game made me feel both positively and negatively. By roughly the halfway point, I realized what a special game I was playing and saw it through to the end with zero regrets. I have yet to see the final semi-secret ending despite knowing how to get it. It’s not because the game is bad, it’s just such an emotionally draining experience that I don’t think I have the heart to deal with that one depressing boss fight again… And that other boss fight that also had me in tears… And there was also the one that made me a nihilist for an evening… Maybe in 2022. Maybe.

2. Bloodborne (Playstation 4, 2014)

Best Level Design, Most Satisfying Platinum

I am so sorry, Bloodborne. You were literally number 1 on my list until mid-December. Have you ever earned a platinum trophy in a game and then kept playing it for another 15 or so hours? That was my experience delving into Bloodborne this year. Admittedly, none of this would have been possible had I not first played Demon’s Souls beforehand, but between the two, Bloodborne was the better experience for me.

I am a sucker for Cosmic Horror and I had no idea what I was getting into with Bloodborne. The reveals in the game were slow, sneaky, and skillful. I’ve often felt that Demon’s Souls was interesting but the actual game’s plot was fairly shallow. Bloodborne, on the other hand, took the same style of worldbuilding and storytelling and executed it to near-perfection. When recapping Bloodborne lore videos, I constantly felt “Oh man, I can’t believe I missed that!”

I never thought I’d be able to accept R1 and R2 as attack buttons (preferring Square and X) but here I am, over 100 hours later, fully soaked in the kool-aid. The controls were so responsive that, once focussed and “in the zone”, it was as if my controller was an extension of my thoughts! The diverse weapon variety also made exploring weapons and attack patterns really engaging (akin to exploring a new character in a fighting game). I also found it oddly fair that hesitation could be as punishing as impatience.

I’m just so sorry, Bloodborne. You’re really good and I’m glad I didn’t wait for a remaster or remake or anything like that. If there ever is a rerelease of some kind, that will probably be your year!

1. Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker (Playstation 5, 2021)

Best Music, Game of the Year

It’s generally hard for me to recommend MMOs to people. The gameplay can be very hard to adapt to and, for the uninitiated, the UX looks like something out of an airplane dashboard. Not to mention, some people just don’t like forced multiplayer (or the inverse: playing an MMO as a singleplayer game). Taking that into account, it’s very hard to describe how monumental it felt clearing the story of Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker mid-December but they pulled it off. The culmination of a ten-year journey (that I have been part of for roughly four years). And they did it!

At times the story felt a bit indulgent, feeling more like I was watching a play than engaging with a game, but the exposition was critical to enjoying the “punchy” parts where the game and its story pick up. Even I admit, if not for the music, it may have been hard to sit through. Masayoshi Soken composed a remarkable soundtrack – doubly-so when you factor in that he was likely writing the music while undergoing chemotherapy. The presentation, while still bound to the mechanics of an MMO, is one of the best executions that I have experienced.

It’d be easy for me to say that Endwalker ended up as my number one because it was the conclusion of a multi-year endeavor storyline spanning 5 expansions. While Endwalker stuck the landing extremely well, I do think it can stand on its own merits. It earns every single plaudit it gets.

I do see myself winding down on FFXIV in general. I am personally content with how things concluded and beyond getting max level jobs, don’t see myself playing many of the cutting-edge raids and dungeons. With “season 1” complete, it feels like the right time to slow things down and put aside the game for a while.

My 2019 in Video Games

2020-01-01T09:00:00+00:00

It was a pretty okay year for games!

With both the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X scheduled to release Holiday 2020, 2019 had an interesting mix of “holding pattern” games that felt like they were pushed out to beat the aforementioned console release and games that were genuinely great experiences. I’m finally on break after working throughout the holidays (turns out in Japan, New Year’s is the holiday, not Christmas) and felt like summing up my thoughts and highlighting the games I played in 2019. If you’re inclined to know my number one overall, that’s cool. It’s at the bottom!

Games I Bought but Didn’t Play

I figured I’d start with games I picked up but didn’t get around to playing; please consider these honorable mentions!

Luigi’s Mansion 3 (2019, Nintendo Switch)
Ring Fit Adventure (2019, Nintendo Switch)
Fantal Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (2006, Playstation 2; 2019, Nintendo Switch)
Final Fantasy X/X2 (2001/2003, Playstation 2; 2019, Nintendo Switch)
Final Fantasy IX (2000, Playstation; 2019, Nintendo Switch)
Final Fantasy VIII: Remaster (1999, Playstation; 2019, Nintendo Switch)

Can you notice a pattern or two?

Most “I Think I Like This” Game

Death Stranding (2019)

Also: Favorite Post-Apocalyptic Trucking Simulator, Least Favorite Attempt at Trying to be Profound, Best Technical Graphics, Most in Need of an Editor, Mostest-But-Not-Bestest Kojima, Most Regretful Platinum Trophy, Most “Wish I had Cheat Codes”, Most Controller Rumbles, Biggest Unintended Laugh

There’s so much that can be said about this game and to condense my impressions to a few paragraphs won’t do it justice. Kojima Productions first release and Hideo Kojima’s first time truly unhinged gave us a post-apocalyptic United Cities of America compels ~~Norman Reedus~~ Sam Porter Bridges into “making America whole” (building bridges, if you will) by linking the surviving cities into the Chiral Network – an internet of sorts that utilizes a parallel world of the dead and time travel to distribute information. Still with me?

Kojima is as preachy and opinionated as ever but this game has some serious Phantom Menace Syndrome that makes a sporadically paced, obtuse story that much harder to comprehend. I haven’t played it in Japanese but it feels like no one on the localization team was empowered to say “wait what!?” when reviewing the script. The story itself takes hours before it gets interesting and only really makes sense if you spend the time reading through the game’s version of the codex (I consider this a minus for a visual-interactive medium). It does pick up eventually and – perhaps unintentionally – made laugh the hardest in 2019 with one of its, ahem, climatic boss fights.

The game does have its moments and Kojima continues to produce really great emergent gameplay. Once I built my first road and got over 10,000 likes (just like you would on Facebook) my eyes widened. Suddenly I cared about being helpful to players but for the wrong reason: “a bridge here will get me likes” not “a bridge here would benefit everyone” became my thought process. It was the momentum I needed to see through the rest of this game; unfortunately, I thought it was enough to see me through to the platinum trophy. It wasn’t and those final hours were tedious slogs. I was so done with Death Stranding well before it was done with me.

Most Fun to Watch

Dragonball Fighterz (2018)

Also: Favorite Fighting Game, Best Graphics that Resemble the Source Material, Most Combos Dropped

I generally will enjoy watching fighting games over other genres since they “translate” easier. Dragonball Fighterz is probably my favorite fighting game ever and definitely the fighting game I have invested the most of amount of time trying to be in some way competitive. I don’t like versus-style fighting games (usually 3 vs 3, tagging in and out characters on your team) but I love this one! Experimenting with teams is relaxing, learning combos is engaging, and coming back 1 v 3 exhilarating. I bought an arcade stick and have gone to several meetups in Tokyo just to play this game with others. It’s the fighting game the Dragonball license desperately needed and reminded me how much I enjoyed the series growing up.

I found myself keeping tabs on Dragonball Fighterz tournaments as much as I could in 2019. The game is so flashy, and looks so much like the original cartoon, that it was one of my go-to games to watch. As my game-knowledge grew, my ability to watch matches got better and I started enjoying them for more than just “looking cool.” Whether I was watching someone explore a character or the EVO Grand Finals between Sonic Fox and GO1 (pronounced “Go-Ichi”, aka “one” in Japanese), this game has had me coming back more often than I thought any fighting game would and I am 100% okay with it.

Best “Wait-that-came-out-this-Year!?” Game

Final Fantasy VII (1997, Playstation; 2019, Nintendo Switch)

Also: Best “Wait-I-Played-that-this-Year!?” Game, Most Excited for the Remake

I had to double check the date of these screenshots. Not only did I forget that this JRPG came out on the Nintendo Switch in 2019, I also forgot that I played Final Fantasy VII in the first half of May by committing to a near 100% run of the game. I should check and see if there’s a Good Reads for games.

The portability of the Switch version combined with the trainers they pack in (Demi-God mode, instant Limit Breaks, 3X speed, no random encounters) make this a very astute edition of the game and arguably my preferred version going forward. The adjusted translations will annoy the purists who want the re-releases with warts-and-all but for others, this game plays more-or-less how you remember it (or watched your brother play in my case). I did have the game freeze/lock-up on me twice while playing. One of those times cost me about 50 minutes of progress and it’s probably one of the reasons I forgot I played it in 2019.

I’m 50/50 on whether people should play the original before the first part of the Remake comes out in 2020. The trailers have already shown that they are adjusting the story and the gameplay is not the traditional turn based JRPG of the past; rather it’s a promising iteration on the gameplay from Final Fantasy XV. That’s ultimately for you decide and I will say, the Switch version is a good way to experience it.

The Only Mobile Game I Played

Dota Underlords (Early Access, 2019)

Also: Most Difficult to keep up with so I don’t Bother Anymore and Should Probably Uninstall

I spent a rather obsessive month on Dota Underlords in 2019. The Dota 2 spin-off title is part of a relatively new genre called “Auto Battler” where you and 7 other players are given your own chess board to assemble and arrange heroes (the chess pieces, effectively) with their own skills and stats. Once this phase ends, your chess board is assigned another player’s chess board, and the two teams fight each other automatically. Keep winning these duels and you win the game. Keep losing and you’ll end up somewhere between 2nd and 8th!

The game is deep and I liked how much it made me think strategically. Ironically, that was part of my issue with it. Every update fundamentally altered the gameplay to varying degrees which meant I had to relearn the game. There were weeks I really liked it but then some major or minor changes rolled out and soured my experience. Weeks later, more gameplay changes would bring me back. That cycle was fun once or twice but ultimately pushed me away from the game.

Favorite Nintendo Switch Game

Fire Emblem: Three Houses (2019)

Also: Favorite Plane Game, Favorite Dating Sim Strategy Game/Tactical RPG, Favorite Non-Anime Anime Game, Most Fun Cheesing

If I were to have an ordered list, Fire Emblem: Three Houses would have come in second. It has the distinct honor of being the very first game I’ve played for the entirety of a 10+ hour plane trip and I often don’t play tactical strategy games. The RPG aspect makes character building engaging and the units are full-blown characters on top of that. Traditionally, losing a unit in Fire Emblem meant they were gone for the rest of the game; however, as with other recent titles, you can turn that off (and there’s a rewind mechanic so you can get them out of dodge if need be).

I am generally not a fan of how Fire Emblem games in the past treated relationships between characters as a means to improve stats. For me, that sends the wrong message about developing relationships with other people out in the real world. This game is still 60% dating sim when I think 40% would have been the sweet spot; however, between the four main stories, excellent musical score, and character building (for both gameplay and story reasons), I enjoyed nearly every hour I spent on this game. It’s really, really good.

Favorite Star Wars Game

Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017)

Also: The only First-Person Shooter* I Played in 2019 so it’s the best by Default

I don’t remember much from the Spring of 2019 right but what stands out to me, is that for some reason, I decided to play Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017) for pretty much all of April. The game has come a far way from its disastrous launch. DICE has been consistently supporting it and even after I stopped playing the game some time in May they were still adding game modes, maps, and classes (to the prequel era). The game is still going strong fairly strong (on Playstation 4) and while I don’t really get involved in shooters much these days, something about this one just kept me playing another multiplayer match. I do wish they didn’t lock all the weapons and gadgets through obscene time commitments and Anakin Skywalker’s abilities are still really annoying to deal with; however, there’s something to be said about just hopping on for an hour and going through flashpoints of the Star Wars universe.

* I know you can play this game in Third-Person but most of my time was spent in First-Person…. never mind that I forgot you could change the camera since Star Wars Battlefront (2015).

Most Likely to Never Finish

XCOM 2: War of the Chosen (2018)

Also: Most Tempting to Save-Scum

Having played Fire Emblem: Three Houses I was still in the mood for tactics/strategy games so I decided to play XCOM 2 for the first time. The new expansion pack, War of the Chosen integrates smoothly into the main campaign so there were times when I didn’t realize I was doing expansion content and that was pretty cool. It’s still XCOM but compared to its predecessor, there are many more timed missions which means you force yourself into bad situations by rushing.

I’m not sure how far I got into the campaign but there reached a point, like in most XCOM games, where I did some quick math and went “hmmm, I think I’m going to fail this campaign in the next few hours based on X, Y, and Z” which ultimately led me to stopping rather than starting over. I do think next time I pick it up, it’ll be with either some cheats or mods that trivialize some of the aspects of the campaign so I can see things through. It was good but I just didn’t feel compelled to finish the fight. Sorry Humanity.

Best Non-committal Game

The Sims 4 (2014)

Also: Best Apartment Decorating Software

I’ve always liked playing The Sims 4 and actually prefer the non-open world they made. 2019 re-introduced magic, university/college life, and tropical islands as additional packs for purchase. I like playing The Sims because I know I can stop in 15 minutes if I needed to. Not many games I played in 2019 have that ability so I appreciated it for that. It’s still The Sims and I still like building up skills and reaching the max level of the career I chose (or rolled a dice to choose) for my Sims.

The MC Command Center mod adds some really nice quality-of-life features like notifications detailing the happenings of the neighborhood which makes you feel much closer to your fellow townsfolk. The Sims 4 is great and I’ll probably pick it up again in 2020 at some point.

Most Fun with Others

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018)

Also: Best Smash Bros. Game, Strongest Nostalgia Rush

If left to my own devices, I probably would not play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate anymore. Not because it’s bad (I feel it’s the best one they’ve made) but simply because I had my fill of playing the single player. Thankfully some friends at work regularly play Smash and are not very competitive so it’s nice to just sync up with them and play for an hour every once in a while.

It was the most fun I’ve had playing multiplayer in 2019 and between friends and family back home in the United States, I’ll always carry it around with me on my Switch to play a few rounds on demand.

Favorite Game to Master

Resident Evil 2/Biohazard RE:2 (2019)

Also: Most Anxiety from a Game, Best Camp, Best In-Game Map, Best Platinum Trophy Experience, Best Looking Burger

I never played any of the original Resident Evil (Biohazard in Japan) games but have many, many, fond memories of watching my brother play them while hiding under my covers. In retrospect, we were probably way too young to play those games. Resident Evil 2 (2019) came out in February and it was confidently my favorite game of 2019 until Fire Emblem: Three Houses came out in late June.

I made it roughly 60% of the way through the game blind thanks to it’s in-game map. Rooms are red until you find everything relevant (ammo, puzzle items) and turn blue when you’ve cleared the area. Combine that with the cheesy camp you get in a few cutscenes and it was enough to keep me really engaged. I do have to acknowledge though: I did reach a point where I wanted to continue but was paralyzed with fear. Trying to figure all of the puzzles out by myself was getting to be too much so I used a walkthrough for the last 40% of the game.

Once I beat the story, I took a deep breath and realized I wanted to replay the whole thing on it’s hardest difficulty in as little time as possible. “Getting good” at this game was one of my favorite things about playing it and I went from 25+ hours to beat the game first try to comfortably beating it in under two. Easily one of my favorite games of 2019 and probably the most fun I had earning a platinum trophy to date.

Game I Bought too Early

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019)

Also: Best Use of New Yorker Accent, Longest Unskippable Splash Screen

They are still making good video games today but man they can be hitchy sometimes. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is one of those games I wish they spent an extra three months doing nothing but polish because, while it’s a nice looking game that plays fairly well, it’s a technical disappointment. Framerate drops occur too often which is a problem for a Dark Souls like game where timing and momentum have so much significance. Textures and enemies will pop-in from thin-air making the whole presentation a bit… unsatisfying. I still want to play this game but I should have waited for a sale at ~$40 to give the developers time to iron out all the wrinkles. I also want to point out, I was deeply amused by the captain who lets you ride his ship. He was pulled straight out of Brooklyn in both attitude and accent.

Favorite Game I Only Played Two Hours or Less

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019)

Also: Most “I need to Improve my Japanese” Experience

RPG? Check. Dark Souls style gameplay? Cautious check. Samurai aesthetic? Sign me up! That was the conversation I had with myself at the local Tsutaya when I decided to purchase Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. I don’t mind a hard game every now and then but I usually need something (like Samurai/Feudal Japan as a backdrop) to rope me in.

Unfortunately, the Japanese copy of the game is only Japanese while the international version is Japanese and English. I still tried to play the game – gave it an honest effort – but notes were taking ten-plus minutes for me to comprehend (Japanese is weird and likes to use context to imply stuff rather than say it). Dialogue was very hard for me to wrap my head around (“wait, is his name ‘Wolf’ or do they just call him wolf – wait – is this a big metaphor?”). Subtitles helped a little bit but I still floundered around going “ummmmm, well I have a marker that says go this way so… I’ll go that way.” I do plan on playing Sekiro but it will require maybe another year of hardcore Japanese studies before I can get through it comfortably.

2019 Game I Most Look Forward to Playing Eventually

Kingdom Hearts 3

Thank you Youtube for the image!

Also: Best Game to Watch the Japanese Trailers

Have you seen Donald Duck speak Japanese? I enjoyed Kingdom Hearts and its sequel but when I found out that Final Fantasy characters were few and far between (making way for more Disney and Pixar properties) in Kingdom Hearts 3, my enthusiasm went down significantly.

I still planned on buying KH3 at release here in Japan but it turns out the Japanese edition does not have any English subtitles. I can read Japanese slowly as pointed out in my Sekiro blurb above, but Kingdom Hearts is notorious for having one of the most convoluted stories in gaming history (and comfortably puts Metal Gear Soild series to shame in that respect) which meant if I wanted any chance at comprehending something during this game, I needed English subs.

I opted to wait until I went to the US to get a copy; sure enough in June they announced a director’s cut called Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:Mind which will include “English support” in the Japanese release. The good news is it’s slated for January 2020 so I don’t have to wait much longer and I am looking forward to putting this series to bed and getting some closure.

Most Japanese Game

Nier:Automata (2017)

Also: Most Unnecessary Open World, Most Anime, Favorite Use of Robots, Most Conflicted

Nier: Automata has been on my list of games to beat for a while now. I finally started earnestly late December and so far it’s been fairly enjoyable. It’s a character action game with some RPG elements (like XP and levels) by Platinum Games and published by Square-Enix. The controls are responsive and tight which is what you need for this type of game and the post-Apocalyptic setting is accentuated by its haunting and downright amazing soundtrack.

The story, so far, seems to be quite layered. I’m going through side quests when I fancy it and as result progress on the story is not fast. In fact, I’d say the side quests hurt the pace of the game significantly to the point where I am not sure the open world is even necessary. I didn’t quite finish the first ending of Nier before the end of the year but I got very close. The problem is that Nier has multiple endings. I’ve heard as many as 26 (one for every letter in the alphabet) and while most of those are said to be superfluous, that still means I’m .8/4-or-5 endings away from truly beating the game.

I also feel the need to address the character design of 2B (come on, Japan) and say that while I do like the game, it’s hard for me to get past both how and what they reveal with her outfit while you play the game. Maybe there’s a reason for it that I have yet to uncover but right now it’s just gratuitous.

Favorite Game of 2019

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers (2019)

Also: Most Time Spent, Favorite Music, Most Rewarding, Favorite Storytelling, Most Earned/Memorable Moments

When I sat down to come up with this list, I quickly realized Final Fantasy XIV was my number one game for 2019. While the previous expansions, Stormblood (or Crimson Liberators as its much cooler name in Japan), was okay, it’s hard to not shake the feeling that it was basically filler for the release of Shadowbringers (or Jet Black Villans, as its much less cooler name in Japan). I have played a few MMORPGs in my day and Final Fantasy XIV is the first one, I feel, that respects my time.

“Bring darkness to a world polluted with light”, while not original, is a fresh approach for a game where you take on the mantle of “Warrior of Light.” The narrative is extremely compelling, its presentation excellent, the character development cheesy in-a-good-way, and the music – oh the music – serene. When the story drags for an hour or two, it un-drags itself three times as hard. There is so much I can say about the story alone but know that Shadowbringers – without a doubt – earns every moment it goes for.

My only issue is that it’s hard to recommend to people. Since it’s an MMO, you can’t exactly jump in and just “go” since the story has been building upon itself for years now. There’s a lot that gets missed if you try to speed through and reach Shadowbringers content. It’s still really good, full of fan service from all Final Fantasy games and made me appreciate the older, less steampunk-angst driven stories that came out during the Playstation era. It’s just a very daunting task for someone to get into now.

I don’t regret any of the time I’ve put into Shadowbringers. Heck, the reason I started playing Now It’s Awkward’s Most Japanese Game of 2019, Nier: Automata, is because of the collaboration they added these past few months. Shadowbringers does so much right and as a result such a pleasant experience. Shadowbringers is a true triumph.

Weekend in Fukuoka

2019-02-23T14:00:00+00:00

Palm trees! Palm trees!?

I was fortunate to spend a four-day weekend in Fukuoka (福岡) in the middle of February. I’ll detail why in a separate post but I wanted to share my experience in the city itself.

So where’s Fukuoka? It’s in Kyuushuu (九州) which is the Western island of Japan.

Kyuushuu has a of lot really interesting history compared to the rest of Japan. It’s proximity to Korea, China, Russia, and the fact that Europe sailed due East to Japan meant if you traded with the Land of the Rising Sun, you were probably doing business in Kyuushuu. This exposure to multiple cultures and healthy foreign trade made Kyuushuu reasonably independent from the whims of the Imperial Governments throughout Japan’s history (which is somewhat amusing considering a major Imperial player during the Boshin War came from Satsuma (薩摩) in Southern Kyuushuu).

I didn’t have much opportunity to learn about the history of Fukoka City itself but I did learn a few interesting things. Fukuoka was originally two different cities: Fukoka and Hakata (博多). These two cities were separated by the Nakasu River (中洲川) with Fukuoka to the West and Hakata to the East. Today Hakata is part of Fukuoka City but the eastern half is still called Hakata. I walked along the Nakasu River quite a bit over the weekend and the photos I have don’t quite do it justice.

At night, along the river there’s about a dozen small “tents” for Ramen, Yakitori, and other delicious-but-unhealthy food. Unfortunately, they all allowed smoking so I opted to pass on what could have been a good time. Sorry that this photo is blurry, but I kept trying to walk while taking this photo so I wouldn’t get in the way of the locals.

In the past, Fukuoka was the residential area for the Samurai class; Hakata, the mercantiles. (is that the right word?). In Japan, these two groups historically didn’t get along but Fukuoka’s Samurai, largely due to the geographical separation, were able to not-be-jerks to the merchants of Hakata Instead they would just buy their goods and services like restaurants.

Speaking of food, the “Fukuoka dish” is ramen. Specifically “Hakata Style” which is very hearty (re: fatty & oily) and a bit spicy (by Japanese standards, ie: not very). The only ramen I sampled happened to be a chain restaurant (whoops!) but it was still very good!

Arguably my favorite part of the trip was exploring the ruins of Fukuoka Castle. I didn’t know it existed until I looked at my phone’s map on Saturday morning. When I read “Fukuoka Castle Ruins,” I immediately knew where I’d spend half my day.

After a 40 minute walk, I came across the ruins which are now preserved as a national park and recreation area. I noticed soccer fields, tennis courts, and small open fields (where I saw people flying kites) surround the deceptively large ruins. I navigated through the tall stone walls and was delighted to see the Cherry Blossom trees were starting to bud in the castle grounds.

As it turns out in Feudal Japan, castles were basically small villages housing lords, nobility, and pretty much whoever the castle ruler wanted nearby. The more important people were higher up the castle grounds. At the top I experienced some of my favorite views overlooking the nearby Ohori Park (大濠公園). “Ohori” is Japanese for moat and the park lives up to the name. About half of the park is a really big lake which you can see part of below!

I had a fantastic time walking around both Fukuoka and Hakata. I surprised maybe four or five people with my Japanese. One local was so impressed he took a photo with me. Most would say with “Wow, you’re Japanese is great!” but I brought them back down to Earth by replying “not really, I’m at the level of a two-year old.” It’s a bit of a canned phrase I’ve developed here but I still appreciated the reply from a man who joked “No, you’re more like a three-year old!”

That’s all from me for now. You’ll be hearing more about my primary adventure in Fukuoka another time! Please enjoy one of the last photos I took: a view of the ocean from the tip of Northwestern Hakata.

It’s the closest I’ve ever been to the continent of Asia!

Christmas in Tokyo

2018-12-25T15:00:00+00:00

It’s definitely different here.

久しぶりですね！ In other words, it’s been a while! As I continue to acclimate to new surroundings, I’m happy to say I’ve written a few posts; however, I didn’t publish any of them. With the holidays wrapping up, I figured at least one more before the new year would be appropriate.

So what’s Christmas like in Japan? Well, it’s still commercial but it’s not the juggernaut you have in the United States. Santa is definitely on TV and local convenience stores play Mariah Carey’s All I want for Christmas roughly ten times every twenty minutes. You can find Christmas lights in places like Shinjuku and Yokohama of varying elaborance but if I had to rank the holiday’s significance here, I’d say it’s B-Tier. It’s very noteworthy but you don’t get the day off from work. A good comparison is Valentine’s Day in the US because Christmas Eve is the big date night where you go all out for the fancy dinner.

Did you know Colonel Sanders of KFC fame is an extremely popular character here? Did you also know that Christmas Dinner involves picking up a bucket of KFC and taking it home with you? It turns out prior to this national phenomenon, the concept of Christmas Dinner wasn’t really a thing. Japanese KFC noticed the gap and started an ad campaign that genuinely took the nation by storm. If you don’t reserve your KFC bucket(s) in October you are going to spend a very long day waiting in lines hoping to snag an unclaimed or extra bucket. The chicken isn’t even special either, it’s the standard original recipe. (Note, I was at work so I could not take photos. I am quite disappointed by this).

It doesn’t have to be KFC though. Convenience stores like Family Mart also serve fried chicken during the holiday season. This year’s posters were quite distracting. A rough translation would be Family Mart Chicken is Super-Amazing-Delicious! I cannot vouch for this claim but I like the disembodied head’s enthusiasm. I named him Family Fil for my own amusement. You can also get Strawberry Shortcake to share with a loved one.

Speaking of which, Strawberry Shortcake is the dessert to eat during the holidays. It popped up after the second World War and grew in popularity because it matched the Japanese flag’s colors. The pictured cake above goes for ￥4500 (about $40) and is meant to be split between two people. I split it with seven others because I could not let myself eat that much cake.

That’s more or less it to this very broad stroke. Christmas, while big in Japan, is not as culturally significant as other holidays. New Year’s Day is way more important here and many more stores will close for New Year’s Eve than on Christmas day. To Japanese, Christmas is another work week coupled with “are you doing anything today/tonight?” I admit this was a little disappointing to me but the holiday is still wholesome like in the United States. Whether you like fried chicken or not, Japan has comfortably made Christmas their own thing.

Nude Trump

2018-07-13T11:04:00+00:00

Yup…

A belated sorry for folks who are worried about my wellbeing. The news from Kansai and Western Japan has been sad to see on the news and I’m sorry for not letting people know I’m okay here in Tokyo as soon as I should have.

It’s been one full week since I landed in Tokyo and I’ve learned several things:

I can sweat a lot when it’s 85+ degrees and 92% humidity
Nude Trump is (sadly) just a clothing store.
New York City rush hour is good practice for Tokyo rush hour.

Tokyo is hot. Unmercifully, brutally, hot. But it’s the humidity. The humidity compels you to collapse against the closest wall and melt into a puddle of your own sweat. After walking for ten minutes, you’re already coated in a pronounced sheen of misery and it’s only 8:45AM. Pretty much every shirt I’ve worn has had two shades of color: normal and damp. Thankfully the damp comes in several designs based on however I wear my backpack; I’ve been trying to mix it up and see which configurations look better where.

I don’t really have much to say about Nude Trump. I’m not sure if I’m relieved or disappointed that it’s some trendy clothing store. The name is definitely an attention getter so “well done to you, marketing department.” Here I am talking about your surprisingly-legitimate-or-is-it-really-if-I-know-the-secret-password business endeavor. It’s quite close to my apartment so maybe it’s a good thing that I’m not living next to an extra-curricular recreation center.

Commutes have been quite interesting. The Greater Tokyo area is 9.3 million people (around 13 million if you count the entire prefecture). That rivals New York city’s numbers (roughly 8.5 million in the five boroughs plus another three million commuting in during the day). If you didn’t know any better, you’d assume Tokyo has three times the population. While train cars are bigger, pretty much every one is like the 4,5,6 during rush hour. There’s an added bonus that the platforms quickly fill up like Atlantic Avenue does when the Q breaks down. Once the trains open, a wave of people cascade towards the nearest exits and you hope you’re not pulled away by a commuter’s dangling backpack. My ability to weave in and out of traffic has been put to the test here and I seem to be doing well.

I always felt confident in my ability to navigate crowds while in New York; Tokyo is actually making me concentrate. Since cars drive on the left side of the road in Japan, people are inclined to walk on the left side. Most of the time. My brain is having a hard time deprogramming “walk on the right side” and it’s not helped by the fact that both tourists and commuters in Tokyo behave a certain way 67% of the time. Thankfully the train stations fixed this problem by putting up signs indicating which side to walk on during rush hour.

There’s a lot more I can talk about but I’ll hold back for now. A national holiday is coming up Monday (Marine Day) and I’m hoping to walk around and find interesting festivals related to the holiday this weekend. Last week I happened upon a “Save The Ocean” type festival. They had something not-so-great; you could take a photo with a camel and even pet it if you wanted.

It was definitely weird but seemingly harmless as children stood there in awe (with good reason, camels are a rare sight to most people in the world). But harmless oddity turned dark when you walked to the other side of the booth and realized this exotic experience was sponsored by a cigarette company. It was pretty messed up.

I may forgo any potential viral cigarette ads by watching the new Jurassic World for a second time. It was released today (Friday the 13th) here in Japan. It’s out a respectable three weeks before The Incredibles 2 comes out!

All that said, I’m genuinely enjoying my time here in spite of all the troubles so far. It’s not perfect, it’s not even close to perfect, but I like it and I’m identifying ways to improve it.

Now It’s Time

2018-07-02T16:00:00+00:00

It’s a tad dramatic, I know.

I’m off to Tokyo on July 4th at 06:00! With a brief stop in Minneapolis, I arrive in Haneda the next day at 14:00. I originally wanted to use an image of the President from Independence Day as he gives one of the most rousing speeches that has ever graced the silver screen.

With Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum, Earth was *stacked!*

I wanted to bang out some inspirational words of my own and confidently ~~board an F16 to defend Earth~~ let everyone know I’m super excited and ready to take on the challenge of living in Japan. In reality though, I’m closer to this:

I was told by my travel coordinator that relocation is one of the most stressful things someone can do. It turns out they were extremely correct. There’s a lot of hurry-up-and-wait that goes along with relocation whether it’s waiting for a visa to process or waiting for confirmation for housing. There’s late-night phone calls, email threads, and sharing documents to coordinate the move. I’d say most of the stress has come from the fact that I feel I have too much control over the situation and I have no idea what I am doing! I was initially hoping I’d provide dates and they would provide itineraries for me to pick. In reality, I’ve done most of the planning and handing it to them for approval. Packing was the only agency I wanted to exert for the move.

It’s very odd to boil your life down to two oversized suitcases and a massive 40L travel backpack. It’s not a case of “you learn what matters” but more of a “I know someone who will appreciate this more than I have, I hope they can take it!” When they do, everybody wins! It feels off because there’s a lingering sense of forgetting to pack something or if what I am bringing is the right thing to bring. It’s mentally draining and emotionally exhausting and I highly recommend you give stuff to friends and family to “perma-borrow” just so you can travel lighter. Oh, and it definitely helps if you learn how to properly pack clothes. Fold n’ roll, fold n’ roll!

For the past month, I’ve been on the junket meeting as many people as I can and doing things in New York City that have been on my list. It was hilarious going to Next Level in Brooklyn on a Wednesday night, compete in a fighting game, and lose my only two matches convincingly. Talking and listening to the people there made me appreciate speaking in English; it won’t be long before I’ll have to speak it slowly (after failing to speak Japanese slowly!). I’m not exactly looking forward to it, but the occasional English text from friends and family will probably be more welcome than I realize.

It’s been heartwarming seeing people and listen to them offer advice, wish me well, or even just take a moment to say they’ll miss me. It’s only been these last few days where I’ve started to feel the weight of my decision. Seeing people for potentially the last time has left me in tears on more than one occasion now. What’s frustrating is finding the right words in that state which, as one can imagine, is very difficult. It’s made me do a lot of reflecting.

I eventually settled on the Binary Sunset for this post’s image (largely because I love Star Wars). For Luke, he was looking off to the horizon dreaming of being something more than a simple farm boy. As it would turn out, this scene was simultaneously the sunset of Luke’s old life and the dawn of his next one. As I get closer to my travel date, I’ve been guilty of “taking in” a sunset or two and it’s been reminding me of this scene from A New Hope. I recognize I’m not going off to war; however, I still acknowledge the apprehension I am feeling. I then remind myself that I’m fortunate to be in this predicament in the first place. It’s bittersweet.

The sun is starting to set on a wonderful part of my life and I can only hope that the work I put into my next one is just as rewarding. While I can’t guarantee my next post will be less introspective, I’ll comfortably assert the next time you hear from me, it’ll probably be in a different time zone!

Soft Launch

2018-05-30T21:54:56+00:00

Hello and welcome! If you’re reading this, you probably know me on some semi-personal level. I’m happy to have you here as I get ready for a big step in my life! After nearly ten years in New York City, this July I’ll be emigrating to Tokyo. I am terrified and excited at the same time as it’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was ten years old (side note: around this age I remember unsuccessfully running around in Phantasy Star Online lobbies begging strangers for plane tickets to Japan) but I’m terrified because I’m leaving behind literally everyone I care about. Coming to terms with everything that means is proving to be difficult. With no fixed contract length, I have no idea just how long I’ll be there so I’ll be writing about my experiences while I’m abroad.

I’m comfortable saying entries here will be sporadic and the scope of my ramblings will vary greatly. I’m sure I’ll share frustrations while improving my Japanese, give thoughts and impressions on video games I play, embarass myself as I share hilarious cultural misunderstandings, vent while I go over coding problems on paper, or even just provide an update to share the occasional neat stuff.

Occasionally I’ll write posts in Japanese as a means to get better at the language. For those that can’t read Japanese: I’m sorry – I have to practice to improve. For those that can read Japanese: I’m sorry – I have to practice to improve. Those posts will fall under their own categories for those of who end up deciding to filter them. The overall goal is fluency and I am approximately at the N4 level (that means not very good).

And I suppose the last thing I should point out is the stream page which is simply an embed of my twitch account. I like playing games. Sometimes I play games that are fun to watch. If you feel like keeping tabs on me beyond just reading the occasional post, the live streams and archives will keep you appraised. If that’s not your thing, feel free to stick around the rest of this place.

You’re most certainly welcome here.