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This Week in Games - The Best of 2016


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Themaster20000



Joined: 05 Aug 2014
Posts: 863
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 11:48 am Reply with quote
Haven't got around to a lot of the titles this year. One I really enjoyed was Pony Island,which had a really interesting meta-narrative and also being a really fun game. Despite only being a beta,Nioh was the most fun I had playing something. Team Ninja ready has something special with that one.

The whole "controversy" regarding DOAX3 reminded me of the crappy game Hatred, where people were getting so anger over something so pointless (in the case the devs were surely using that controversy to drum up interest for their game). With DOAX3 it looked they were charging full price for something that didn't have a ton of content to justify being priced at that.

Haven't watched the Gravity Rush anime yet,am sure it makes as much sense as the game,which just loved jumping to different plot points constantly; while raising tons of questions without answering any of them.
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Cetais



Joined: 02 Feb 2012
Posts: 507
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 12:12 pm Reply with quote
As far as I know, Atlus also makes Etrian Odyssey.

It's nice that they finally make something else than EO and Shin Megami Tensei, I guess.


Quite surprised to not see Trails of Cold Steel in your list, you're really missing something out.
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Spike Terra
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Joined: 21 Mar 2016
Posts: 358
Location: Maryland
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 12:27 pm Reply with quote
Oh Final Fantasy XV, you have plenty of good qualities despite having an underwhelming second half filled disjointed cutscenes and I agree chapter 13 is by far the worst part of the game. I still like you but I'm losing my drive to want to hold on to you after I beat your final chapter.

As for DOA, I think it just came down to the game not meeting predicted sales, so they were ok with just having people import it for a stupidly high price.

My two favorite games this year were Tokyo Mirage Sessions (TMS) and Bravely Second. I ended up buying a WiiU just for TMS and I don't regret it a bit. TMS has a great of characters (including a non-silent protagonist with an actual personality) and a super fun combat system. I hope they make more Shin Megami Tensei games in the style of TMS, so the game franchise can get more casual fans.

Bravely Second just about everything left over from it's predecessor (With the exception of the art in the pre-rendered cutscenes which just look weird). Few RPGs make grinding actually fun and Bravely Second was able to accomplish that task, while delivering a great story to boot.
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Greed1914



Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 4410
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 12:54 pm Reply with quote
Spike Terra wrote:


As for DOA, I think it just came down to the game not meeting predicted sales, so they were ok with just having people import it for a stupidly high price.

.


I don't know about now, but I imported my copy for the regular price of $60 for the game. Shipping wasn't unreasonable either from Play Asia.

From what I understand, the roster for the game was missing some characters because there was some sort of voting contest for a limited number of spots. I believe the voting was only conducted within Japan, so that probably had some bearing on the outcome.

And if the topic of spending too much time on the game is going to come up, then I'm definitely guilty since I have the platinum trophy for it, which eventually came down to more of a test of endurance on how long I wanted to keep playing.
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BadNewsBlues



Joined: 21 Sep 2014
Posts: 5887
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 1:07 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
The Witcher 3: Blood & Wine


Blood & Wine is an add on for the Witcher 3 proper not a standalone title.
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Tuor_of_Gondolin



Joined: 20 Apr 2009
Posts: 3524
Location: Bellevue, WA
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 1:21 pm Reply with quote
'Or how they made Kingsglaive and Brotherhood required viewing for any of that story to make sense.'

If I have to watch two exterior sources in order for the plot to make sense, then that game can DIAF. I don't care what the game is, or how good its mechanics are, that's just BS -- completely unacceptable.

As for my top games this year... hmm... (these are games I've played this year, not necessarily games that came out this year).

1. Bloodborne
2. DS III
3. Rise of the Tomb Raider

The rest I played, well, they were good, but I wouldn't call them "top 5" material. I played Dragon Age 2, WoW: Legion, Assassin's Creed: Syndicate (current), Tales of Zestiria (again), and some others that slip my memory.

Overall, I'd say it's been an average year as far as games go. Not much has really jumped out at me aside from Bloodborne, which was pretty tough.

Looking forward to next year's titles.
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maximilianjenus



Joined: 29 Apr 2013
Posts: 2858
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 1:43 pm Reply with quote
I'd not say that doax3 is a bad game, even saying that it's overpriced is weird, since it is an indie game gameplay-content wise but it's running on a AA game engine with AAA game graphics.

Last edited by maximilianjenus on Thu Dec 29, 2016 6:00 pm; edited 1 time in total
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BadNewsBlues



Joined: 21 Sep 2014
Posts: 5887
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 2:11 pm Reply with quote
maximilianjenus wrote:
I'd not say that doax3 is a bad game, even saying that it's overpriced is weird, since it is an indie game,


.....Team Ninja isn't an independent developer so it's not an indie title.
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TarsTarkas



Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5821
Location: Virginia, United States
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 2:12 pm Reply with quote
Don't think the feelings about 2016 are universal. It was a good year for me.

While DOA may not be a good game, it's treatment does show the 'chilling effect' that America's PC culture creates.

Pity the only 2016 games I played this year was No Man's Sky and Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak.

No Man's Sky was a nice and colorful time killer.

I really like Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, have to get back into it.
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bleachj0j



Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Posts: 923
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 4:50 pm Reply with quote
Tuor_of_Gondolin wrote:
'Or how they made Kingsglaive and Brotherhood required viewing for any of that story to make sense.'

If I have to watch two exterior sources in order for the plot to make sense, then that game can DIAF. I don't care what the game is, or how good its mechanics are, that's just BS -- completely unacceptable.



It's more frustrating in the second half when important characters are completely reliant on whether or not you've seen the movie.
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Raneth



Joined: 06 Oct 2008
Posts: 271
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 4:55 pm Reply with quote
I don't care about game plots that much, so I'm still really enjoying FFXV. Mysterious teleporting dogs? Whatever, I get to warp around and kill stuff.

I like the choice of screenshot for the article, too. spoiler[Getting that helixhorn took me about fifteen tries on that hunt. But having the Ultima weapon as early as chapter 7 is worth it!]
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doctordoom85



Joined: 12 Jun 2008
Posts: 2091
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 5:41 pm Reply with quote
Yeah, FFXV is a really mixed bag for me (up to Chapter 6, but have a huge gametime so far due to my OCD of doing all the sidequests and hunts as they become available. So yeah, I'm stupidly over-leveled although I've heard that will make certain tedious dungeons later in the game more bearable). The world and detail is incredible, so kudos there. The music is decent (but if I'm in the car, that FF IX OST will always be on). But the story and characters, ugh. For now I refuse to watch the movie and/or anime because the meat of the narrative should be here, not in some tie-in. Instead it feels like virtually everything noteworthy is happening off-screen so far and from what I've heard it doesn't get much better in that regard.

And then the characters. Prompto is the only decent one, not great but decent. Noctis is just kind of there. Ignis isn't bad, just not really noteworthy. Gladiolus I want to punch in the face by now, he's just too cocky and OMG, Chapter 5: spoiler[Noctis: Man, it's really hot! Gladiolus: HEY, YOU'RE THE KING! CALM DOWN AND GET IT TOGETHER! Me: Holy cow, cool your jets, dude! We're in a volcano, heaven forbid somebody mention the temperature. Also, you've also complained here and there on this journey so far so way to be a big hypocrite.] It's like they're trying to make the cool, experienced, and wise character like Auron from X but Auron worked because he would offer advice within a reasonable amount and he was self-confident but not really cocky.

It doesn't help so many supporting characters seem way more interesting and visually cooler (being able to change outfits helps but even with that this is the most visually boring looking main party in a FF game ever). Luna, the King, Iris, (spoilers up to Ch. 6) spoiler[Gentiana and Ardyn] I'd all much rather have in my party than everyone outside of Prompto.

I know I haven't beaten the game yet but I'd say it's a safe bet that Dark Souls 3 will be my top RPG of this year (heck, Pokemon Sun is also above FF XV for now). Overwatch is also among my favorites of the year, still need to play Ratchet and Clank and The Last Guardian, and indies-wise Oxenfree is my personal favorite with Inside as a close second and Enter the Gungeon as third.
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maximilianjenus



Joined: 29 Apr 2013
Posts: 2858
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 6:00 pm Reply with quote
BadNewsBlues wrote:
maximilianjenus wrote:
I'd not say that doax3 is a bad game, even saying that it's overpriced is weird, since it is an indie game,


.....Team Ninja isn't an independent developer so it's not an indie title.


Id' say you read that wrong, but that comma came out of nowhere, read it again.
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Stuart Smith



Joined: 13 Jan 2013
Posts: 1298
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 6:14 pm Reply with quote
Themaster20000 wrote:
The whole "controversy" regarding DOAX3 reminded me of the crappy game Hatred, where people were getting so anger over something so pointless (in the case the devs were surely using that controversy to drum up interest for their game). With DOAX3 it looked they were charging full price for something that didn't have a ton of content to justify being priced at that.


Do people also think Summer Lessons not getting a US release is a PR conspiracy? I'm inclined to believe Japanese developers when they say they'd rather not deal with the American market given not only the rampant censorship, but manipulative company practices. I don't play Overwatch, but everything I've seen indicates it's an online-only multiplayer shooter. Which means no single player campaign, no story mode, and no reason to care at all about the characters let alone their sexuality. Which makes the buzz about Blizzard advertising introducing LGB represtation not only transparently manipulative, but ultimate pointless to boot. Although the fact Blizzard seems to be making money on cosmetics in a first-person only game leads me to believe they can sell ice to an eskimo so they know what they're doing I suppose.

FFXV and Pocket Monsters Sun and Moon were my most disappointed games. FFXV for the open-world action gameplay, and Sun and Moon for advertising itself as different but ultimately being the same. Instead of Gym Leaders we fight Captains and instead of Heavenly Kings we fight Island Kings. Just a different coat of paint, but same game as always.

My favorite game this year is Persona 5. Unlike Final Fantasy it's a franchise that knows what its fans want and delivers in strides. The cast was great, story and premise was great, and I'd even rank it above 4, personally.

-Stuart Smith
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varmintx



Joined: 31 Jul 2006
Posts: 1197
Location: Covington, KY
PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 6:24 pm Reply with quote
I absolutely loved Gravity Rush Remastered; it's the only game from this year I played that can compete with Uncharted 4 for my GotY (of the games I played...which isn't that many). But yeah, Mr. Bailey, those anime shorts don't tell you much of anything.
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