Imagine you’re riding a motorcycle down a hill. Now imagine that everything around you is on fire and exploding. Now imagine that you’re about to fall off the bike and be gruesomely incinerated, and that’s considered a success. Trials Fusion is a best kind of madness, and when it’s at peak performance, there’s not much else like it. Sadly, Trials doesn’t like to stay at the top of its game for too long, but we’ll get to that.
Tag: PC
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Trials Fusion review: Riding High, Falling Low
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After Thought – Eye Lies
If you’ve ever wanted a computer with a British accent to burn images into your eyes, you’re in luck.AFTER THOUGHT is a game about seeing things that aren’t there, or at least, aren’t there anymore. You’re presented with a screen filled with bright colors, and asked to stare at it for 30 seconds. Then the screen turns completely blank, your eyes fill in the rest of the details themselves, and you navigate the misty maze in front of you. (more…)
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Game of the Year 2013: #06 – MegaMan Unlimited
The real Game of the Year list starts here. Almost everything below this point has been in a state of flux. I’d had Anodyne, BADLAND, Gone Home and others in the 07-10 spots, but 06-01 have been a sure thing since the list was in its early stages. From #06-#01, I’m splitting hairs at this point by trying to put them in any order, but I’ll try to do it anyway. Just know that anything from here to #01 could have been my Game of the Year, and I’d have been just fine with that. Let’s start talking about the best of the best of 2013 with MegaMan Unlimited.
MegaMan Unlimited feels like a revival of one of gaming’s most treasured heroes, and one that Mega Man deserved. Capcom may not want to capitalize on how good Mega Man games can be, but that doesn’t stop fans from trying to reach the heights of the Blue Bomber’s glory days. (more…)
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2013’s Honorable Mentions – Papers, Please
Papers, Please doesn’t fit into any established genre. The closest thing I can think of might be L.A. Noire, but this is still radically different. At its most basic, Papers, Please a game about close inspection of miniscule details, and exploiting that information to your benefit. It’s also about the constant, unavoidable stress of consequences.Your role as an immigration inspector has you deciding who can enter the country and who cannot. There are penalties for breaking the ever-changing rules, and rewards for following your instructions. But when a known slaver tries to enter the country to kidnap a young woman, do you let him through even if his papers are in proper order? Breaking the rules means you’ll lose money for the day, which could cause your family to starve, but is it worth it?
The actual gameplay of Papers, Please remains interesting because the rules change for each level, and the choices evolve in some surprising ways. Papers, Please is one of the most inventive, genre defying games I’ve seen, and is one of the most interesting games I played in 2013.
In Honorable Mentions, the best games of the year that didn’t make the top ten are given their moment in the spotlight. While they might not be among HippoChippies’ ten best games this year, they were very, very close to making it there. This year, it came down to a list of 19 games that was trimmed into the Game of the Year list. This is one of the nine that almost made it.
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2013’s Honorable Mentions – SpyParty
SpyParty has been floating around for several years now, but 2013 marks the release of its first open beta. This was the first time I’ve been able to play it, and I’m glad to say that it somehow lives up to all of my expectations.After hearing about SpyParty for so long, finally being able to act out the part of the Sniper or Spy was just as thrilling as I had hoped. Playing the role of a mindless A.I. partygoer as another player picks you out from the crowd is as nerve-wracking as it is exciting. Playing the role of the sniper is a similarly unique experience as well, as you second guess yourself until the moment your bullet leaves it chamber.
The next year holds a lot of changes for the game, as it’s currently undergoing an entire graphical overhaul. As it stands, SpyParty is one of the most clever, original ideas for a game I’ve seen in ages, and is a defining experience of 2013.
In Honorable Mentions, the best games of the year that didn’t make the top ten are given their moment in the spotlight. While they might not be among HippoChippies’ ten best games this year, they were very, very close to making it there. This year, it came down to a list of 19 games that was trimmed into the Game of the Year list. This is one of the nine that almost made it.
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2013’s Honorable Mentions – Divekick
With its two-button control scheme and simple rules, Divekick is one of the best party games of the year. Whether you’re trying desperately to read your opponent’s next move, or just shouting at the combatants from the couch, Divekick is good time for all involved. Plug this into a tv with a room full of friends, and watch the magic happen. (more…)
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