Sometimes a video game just sticks with you. Maybe it's a character you're particularly attached to, or a narrative you're wholly invested in. Sometimes it's just a catchy song or an addicting gameplay loop. Whatever it is, I'd wager every gamer has at least one title that lingered in their thoughts well after turning off the television and putting down the controller. 2022 provided plenty of those experiences for members of our team as well - here were some of our favorites.
Nick - Tactics Ogre: Reborn
This one also had me feeling nostalgic. The Tactics Ogre series actually was a major part of my video gaming past. This is a remake of an already excellent game, somehow finding more ways to improve upon it. I bought it the day it came out and subsequently lost most of my weekend to it and I’m still going back for more. There's an excellent story, characters I care about, lovely music, throwback visuals and loads of depth to the turn-based strategic gameplay.
Richard - PowerWash Simulator
So soothing. Much cathartic. It just...feels good. The sense of accomplishment when you hear those Dings is just... mmm
Susan - Vampire: The Masquerade: Swansong
This year, the game that stuck out to me the most was Vampire the Masquerade: Swansong. As a vampire game, it will immediately stick out for me because the genre is intriguing to me for many reasons, but as a video game it stood out even more. For one thing, it has some prevalent scenes that I can never wash out of my brain. Another reason it stands out is because of some of its writing. There were points where I felt like the names and traits of the different clans felt hamfisted, and yet, I still enjoyed playing it. Plus, the three characters you play have different abilities. I found that it was entertaining to play multiple characters in a game where their actions intersect in a way that just works.
Pierre-Yves - The Legend of Heroes: Trails Form Zero
There's no hiding my love for Nihon Falcom's Trails (or Ys) series. Minimum 40 hour RPGs each, the characters, the combat, the music, they all blend in for memorable experiences that you just want more of.
Actually an older title that has just recently seen a localization outside of Japan, and the sequel due out Spring next year, Trails From Zero would have been memorable all on its own.
Thrown together as an experiment between being police officers and Bracers, a guild that takes requests from the people generally outside of the scope of authority like the police and the military, the Special Support Section had their work cut out for them. Starting out on their first day, this adventure will see plot twists and the deepening of friendships that we know will last as we see our cast again later down the line in the conclusion to the Trails of Cold Steel Series.
