MY 2016 GAME OF THE YEAR - OVERWATCH

2016 was a pretty good year for games. Some of my person favorites included Oxenfree, Pokemon Sun and Moon (and Pokemon GO), and Inside. But for me personally, none of them had as much of an impact as Blizzard's Overwatch. It is not only one of the games that I have put the most time into, but it is also one of the games that I have thought about the most. What Blizzard managed to take what is a simple concept and turn it into something extraordinary, an actual phenomenon.

By this point, I'm sure most (if not all) of you know what Overwatch is about. If you don't here's a quick run-down. It's an online multiplayer shooter, pitting two teams of six against each other to complete a specific objective. But it's so much more than that. There are four different classes of characters(called "heroes"), with each of the currently 23 available heroes spread out among them. This helps ensue that everyone can have a play style that suits them, and allows those who may not be a regular shooter player (like myself) to have an enjoyable time. The classes are offense characters, who go out right in the middle of the fight, defense, whose main objective is to stop the enemies from advancing and guarding their objectives, tank, who can take heavy damage without difficulty, and support, who, naturally, aren't aggressive, but rather offer (for lack of a better term) support for their teammates.

Even with that basic diversification, even characters within the same class are completely different from each other. For example, while Junkrat and Hanzo may both be defense characters, they couldn't be farther apart gameplay-wise. While Hanzo is a sniper in every sense of the word, hiding with his bow drawn, ready to strike, Junkrat specializes in setting up traps to stop the enimies from moving forward. This deep diversification allows there to be countless ways to play.

This more than makes up for what some may see as a lack of game modes. Each character is distinct enough that playing each one seems like a new game mode. While Widowmaker, Hanzo, and Ana are all sniper characters, they're all incredibly different. Widowmaker is more of a classic sniper character, while Hanzo uses a bow and arrow, and Ana is a support character, so combat is not even her main play style, instead using various abilities like setting opponents to sleep. Overwatch has developed an incredible community (which I'll get to soon), and the fact that the characters are so diverse is most definitely a factor in it. It's almost a credit to the game that the character most similar to what you'd see in most shooters, Soldier: 76, feels somewhat out of place here.

Another big success of Overwatch is the world Blizzard created. These characters should not fit together, but like how Nintendo manages to bring all of it's diverse franchises together in Super Smash Bros., Blizzard manages to do the same. Cherry time-warper Tracer, robot ninja Genji, and the literally cold-blooded assassin Widowmaker seem like they all come from separate worlds, yet they also manage to fit together seamlessly. And that also brings me to the game's lore. It's there, but it's not in your face, and if you really want to get a sense of what this universe is like, you need to do your research, mostly in works outside of the game. But there is enough placed within the game itself to get a sense of what this world is like, if you pay close enough attention. Everything from details within the map, to dialogue of the characters helps flesh out this world.

Let me talk about the game's world for a bit here. In a world where many (though definitely not as much as years past) games have muted, realistic styles, it's so refreshing to see a game that is built on optimism. It is a game about unity, bringing together characters of differing genders, ethnicities, sexualities, and even species together fighting towards a common goal. It's not the best looking game, but the games blocky, cartoonish style works with the tone this game is trying to accomplish. Overwatch is like the vision of a hopeful future that we all want, one that is still attainable, and that for sure helps it stand out.

Overwatch was (and still is, in some respects) a gaming phenomenon. Not Pokemon GO-level phenomenon (I wouldn't be surprised if nothing else reached that level), but it was still one of the most talked-about games this year. The Overwatch community has emerged as one of the most vibrant and active on the internet. Now, even eight months after it's release, it is still never difficult to find a match if you decide to jump in. I could go on about this game, but I don't want this to turn into rambling, so I'll end this here. Blizzard created something special with Overwatch, something that will most likely be in the minds of games for years.

-----

Did you love Overwatch as much as I did? Or do you aggressively disagree with me? Let me know! Also follow me on Twitter if you so please. 

LET'S TALK ABOUT EARTHBOUND - PART 1

EarthBound (Mother 2 in Japan) is a game that's become somewhat of a cult hit. It was not a success in the states, which lead to the franchise being dead for some time over here, even as Japan got the GameBoy Advance-exclusive Mother 3. However, due to the appearance of main protagonist Ness (and later Mother 3 protagonist Lucas) in the Super Smash Bros. series, the Mother series has always had an air of mystery around it. Soon, a passionate fanbase was created, including those with cherished memories of the game wanting to play it again, and those wanting a chance to experience what many called one of the great series of RPGs. Their wishes were finally granted, as a couple of years ago Nintendo released EarhBound on the Wii U Virtual Console. This has been subsequently followed by the release of Mother (called Earthbound Beginnings here) on Wii U, and releasing EarthBound on the New 3DS Virtual Console. EarthBound is a game I've been sitting on for a long time, and I've finally begun to play it. I decided to give a general summary of what's happening, as well as some commentary. I hope you'll enjoy the ride!

WARNING: Spoilers follow

-----

Mother of the year

First off, this game's not pretty. In fact, the sprites are kind of ugly. But, this is a very colorful game, and it just oozes charm right from the start. The game apparently takes place in the year 199X; okay. It starts off with our hero, Ness (you have the opportunity to name all of the playable characters, plus your dog, at the beginning of the game) snoozing away when he's suddenly woken up by an explosion. After taking a bat from my sister (who I thought was fellow party member Paula for a bit), and getting changed into my normal clothes, I go outside WITH THE PERMISSION OF MY MOTHER to explore what happened. Despite police officers telling me I can't go snooping, I do so anyway. While exploring, I met a guy who eats garlic and works out, which I'm pretty sure is supposed to be a representation of me. I also run into someone who's apparently supposed to be my friend. His name's Pokey (?!), and I don't like him from the start. I'm guessing he's going to turn into an antagonist of something.

This guy is pretty much me

Not finding anything of note, Ness decides to head back to bed, but is rudely awoken by a banging on the door. It's Pokey, who lost sight of his brother, Picky (?!). He basically forces him to join him in looking for Picky, and Ness' is TOTALLY OKAY WITH THIS. Family dog Misty also joins you, which terrifies me because that's almost a guarantee she's going to die. Also, you save the game by find a phone and calling Ness' father, which is ADORABLE; but also makes me wonder, where is his father anyway? Also Ness' sister gives him a cookie (heals you) before you go, which is ALSO ADORABLE.

So, our heroes (and Pokey) go forth towards the meteor, where they are confronted by enemies such as stray dogs and crows. The game is a turn-based RPG, as was standard back in that era. But I'm a huge sucker for good-old turn-based RPG's so this was right up my alley. Ness is pretty much the bulk of the party's forces at this point, Misty occasionally attacks, while Pokey's totally useless. They eventually reach the meteor, at which point Misty LEAVES US AND RUNS AWAY. Not cool, Misty, not cool. Either way, we find Picky, and start to head back.

But not before A TALKING BEE COMES OUT OF THE METEOR AND TELLS ME I AM THE "CHOSEN ONE". Apparently I, along with the help of three others, am supposed to defeat some evil guy named Giygas? Honestly, more information was probably given, but I got distracted once I saw Buzz-Buzz the talking bee, since my mind immediately went to Bee Movie. While on our way back to the houses, we're confronted by something called Starman, which looks just like the guy on the boxart, so I'm gonna guess they're one and the same. . I thought this game wasn't supposed to get weird until later in the story?? Anyway, group fights Starman, while Pokey is as useless as ever.

Like I said, this game isn't very pretty

After defeating Starman, our heroes return to the Pickey & Pokey home, where their mom KILLS BUZZ-BUZZ. Womp womp. Before he dies, however, Buzz-Buzz tells Ness to go to a place called Giant Step, and so, a new adventure has begun.

-----

Like EarthBound? Feel free to share you thoughts, and don't forget to follow me on Twitter. And don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel, where I'll be posting new videos very soon!

REVIEW - "LIMBO"

Limbo's a game that's been out for a while now, on virtually every system, and is one of the most critically-acclaimed games of the last few years. I just finished my first playthough recently, and somehow, have learned almost nothing about the game in the years following its release. Therefore, I decided it would be a perfect game to review, as I had no real pre-conceived notions of the game; just that it's supposed to be very good.

Note: The version played for this review was played on the Playstation 3.

Warning: Spoilers for a game released 6 years ago follow.

-----

Limbo is a deceptively simple game. If you just looked at screenshots and videos of it, it would appear that you would get everything the game has to offer; a platformer with a monochromatic color scheme. However, once you play the game, you realize it's so much more than that.

Limbo doesn't offer much in the story department. Once you start the game, you're just dropped in the middle of this world. You play as a young boy in the middle of the forest. You're not given any instructions or context, and therefore you just continue on. The world slowly becomes more and more hellish, with various obstacles in your path, may of whom are lethal. You have no one to help you in this world, and the brief glimmers of hope are sparse. You're all alone, and you have to rely on your wits to survive.

NOPE

While the game has many platforming elements, Limbo is much more of a puzzle game. This isn't a Mario platformer you'll be playing. Jumps are short and floaty, and most times when crossing a gap you'll just barely make the edge. You have no way of directly killing those that oppose you, so you have to be creative. And the game is creative. The puzzles in this game are all just great. They're quite inventive, and while many in a certain area share similar elements, no puzzles are quite the same. Take a puzzle from relatively early on in the game, for example. While running through the forest, you come across a giant spider, just waiting in the trees. Try to approach it, and it strikes with one of its legs, with the goal of impaling you. Before you reach the spider, you notice a bear trap sitting on a branch. Obviously the trap is necessary to get through, but how do you get the trap in the first place? The answer is quite brilliant, honestly. While avoiding getting struck, walk close enough to the spider to let it slam its leg onto the ground. Do this a few more times, and the trap will fall, where you will have to repeat the same process, this time with the bear trap positioned so the spider's leg will get caught in it.

This game is hauntingly beautiful

This puzzle is pretty indicative of the game as a whole. This ins't a very difficult game, but it's not an easy one, either. It requires a lot of thinking, and many puzzles take some time to get through. This game doesn't spell out how to solve the puzzles, but the elements to solve it will be laid out, and once you figure out how it all comes together, it's a real "a-ha!" moment. I may have gotten a little frustrated a few times while playing it, but it never caused me to quit, and I it consequently ended in a "duh!" from me. I don't know if I would necessarily use the term "trial-and-error" to describe the game, as that generally implicates a negative tone, but I did die a lot. So if you somehow haven't played this game before, be prepared to die a lot.

This game is gorgeous. While the graphics certainly look nice, it's the art direction for me that I remember most. The monochromatic look is just so striking, it is one of the most visually distinct games I've played. The game also makes an amazing use of depth of field. With things in the background and foreground having less focus than your protagonist and the world he interacts with. This game also uses light beautifully. With the (few) shines of light just standing out from everything else. It may not have the best graphics in a video game, but it's certainly one of the prettiest games I've played. And this is a game from 2010!

This game really makes you think

I do have one minor complaint, and though it's noted above, be warned that this paragraph will include mild spoilers. There's these slug-like things that periodically show up in the game, and land on your head. When they do, they control you body, forcing you to move in one direction without your input. The only things you can do is control the speed at which you're moving, and jump. The direction can only be changed only by touching a light source, and only a certain creature can remove them for you. I was alright when it first happened, but it started to irritate me a bit when it happened again, especially at a crucial point in the game. I can get why they included it when they did, but it just felt cheap to me, and a way to just prolong the game.

Besides that, I don't have much other complaints; some minor quibbles, but nothing major enough to note in this review. Limbo's a short game, taking me about a few hours to finish (note: I did not play in one sitting, due to time circumstances), but it's a rewarding one. I thought the ending was very powerful (even though the last puzzle of the game may have been the hardest for me to get through). The fact that this was developer Playdead's first game is mind-boggling. A studio's first outing being this polished is almost unheard of, but they just nailed this game. With only one game, Playdead has established themselves as a studio to watch, and if every game they make is as memorable as Limbo, that I can't wait to see what else they have in store.