I was on Twitter (I refuse to call it X) and a friend mentioned playing a game from last year that I absolutely loved but hardly ever saw anybody play. And I saw a couple people ask "Wow, what game is this?" Which shocked me, and also made me sad.
There are a lot of games released every year. A lot. Too many for someone to play all of. But what that also means is that some fall through the cracks, not played by many, even though they should be. That's where this blog post comes in. I thought of all the games I played in the last 5 years that had me saying "Why are more people not talking about/playing this!"
Now keep in mind, I do like these games but that doesn't exactly mean they are good. Some of them are really good, others interesting, and others were just fun. I have an....interesting, taste in games, and I know that, so some of these may not be of your taste. But I do highly recommend them for one reason or another. (These games are in no particular order)
INSCRYPTION
Inscryption is a horror, card game, simulator. I......I don't want to say any more than that. A fantastic game that is also easily one of the most unique games I've ever played. It was nominated for a game award for Best Racing/Simulation and in my opinion should have won. The game was created by Daniel Mullens Games, who also created The Hex and Pony Island, and let me tell you, after the little ive played of Pony Island so far , that game is also worth a look.
THE MISSING: J.J. MACFIELD AND THE ISLAND OF MEMORIES
Developed by Sweary65, this game blends a unique style of gameplay and a touching story of self. It's a side scrolling puzzle platformer in which some of the puzzles require you to, and I'm not kidding at all, become dismembered so your head can fit in places to finish the puzzle. Which miraculously...kinda fits in with the narrative....I'm just now realizing that. The game also holds my heart by continuing Sweary's trend of having a character named F K in it.
BLOODSTAINED: RITUAL OF THE NIGHT
(Disclaimer: I backed this game on Kickstarter)
A metroidvania from one of the masters of metroidvania's, Koji Igarashi, and developed by Artplay, Bloodstained is what happens when the creator of Castlevania Symphony of the Night says "What if I make the same exact kind of game again?" And you know what? In my eyes, it was an incredible success. If you are a fan of old school gameplay, this is exactly the game for you.
A PLAGUE TALE SERIES
Ok, this MIGHT be cheating, but I'm going with an entire series here. A Plague Tale: Innocence, and it's sequel A Plague Requiem, are some of the best games I've ever played. Telling a sibling story set during the times of the Black Plague, this series is basically 2 long escort quests, but done in a perfect way. The first game left me speechless, and the second game left me in tears multiple times.
DARK NIGHTS WITH POE AND MUNRO
For the first FMV game on this list, Dark Nights is an anthology series of 5 episodes within, all featuring late night Radio hosts Poe and Munro. All the episodes have a strange, almost supernatural feeling to them, and left me wanting to play so much more. This is easily of my favorite FMV games I've ever played and it's some perfect goofy fun.
SCARLET NEXUS
One of the few games on this list from a big publisher (Bandai Namco), this was developed by the team behind Code Vein, but definitely hasn't gotten the attention Code Vein has. A fun futuristic setting where each of your party members have certain powers, I had a total blast with this game. I even want to get another copy for another console just so I can get more trophies/achievements and play through it again.
CHERNOBYLITE
(Disclaimer: I backed this game on Kickstarter)
A Sci-Fi horror FPS set in Chernobyl. Let that jumble of words settle in. Settled? Good. Join the main character as he goes looking for someone he lost. Light base holding/crafting and acquiring teammates will also be a main objective along the way. The setting and how it all plays together really captivated me.
TORMENTED SOULS
The exact definition of old school survival horror. When playing with a controller, it literally has 2 control schemes right in front of you, the D-pad moves in tank controls and the thumb stick is normal controls. Including puzzles, and combat with no targeting, this is exactly the game that happens when we say "this is how we remember Silent Hill and Resident Evil feeling" and not how they actually feel.
THE CENTENNIAL CASE: A SHIJIMA STORY
Published by Square Enix, this is the second FMV game to hit the list. A murder mystery spanning 100 years, centered around the family suspected of holding an ancient secret, and only you can put all the clues together to find out the truth. One of the nice things about this game is there are no fail states. If you get something wrong, all the characters just go "wait, here is why that's flawed" then it takes you back to try again. I LOVE mystery, but I'm not exactly good at solving them myself, so that was very helpful.
EVIL WEST
My favorite thing about Evil West is that it feels like a PS3 game. What I mean is, a pure action game, with power ups, and rather Linear levels. With gameplay similar to Gears of War, this supernatural steampunk western hits on all levels for me, as well as looks BEAUTIFUL! This was one of my favorite games of 2022 and is so incredibly underplayed and unknown by too many people.
BLOODSHORE
The final FMV game on the list, Blood Shore takes the premise, what if you take a bunch of content creators, streamers, actors, etc, and drop them on an island to fight to the death. Cheesy acting, many paths, and a setting that hits for me (I love BR games) makes this one of my favorite FMV's I've played so far.
WANTED: DEAD
This is one of the best examples of "The game isn't great, but it's fun". I love this game, and while it has a lot of problems, I had such a fun time playing it and I'm thankful for what it was. This is another PS3 feeling game and I always love when I come across them.
PARANORMASIGHT: THE SEVEN MYSTERIES OF HONJO
Another Square Enix game, this supernatural Visual Novel was such an unexpected treat. With a great story, fantastic characters, puzzles that can sometimes break the 4th wall, and striking art style, this game won't let you put it down.
ROMANCELVANIA
(Disclaimer: I backed this game on Kickstarter)
Yes, all 3 games I backed on Kickstarter are on this list, but that's because I ended up REALLY liking all 3 games! Romancelvania is what you get when you decide to make a metroidvania based on the idea "What if Dracula had to go on a dating show?" I won't even lie, this is a horny game. It is all about love, lust, and everything in between. If you knowe, you know that's a touchy subject for me, but this games humor and charm make it all worth it.
LITTLE NOAH: SCION OF PARADISE
This might potentially be my biggest surprise in years. It was announced as "out now" so I immediately downloaded it, what ensued was so much fun. A side scrolling Rogue-lite, with characters that remind me of Bravely Default, and combat that kind of reminds me Folklore. Easy to play, hard to master.
GYLT
Originally a Stadia exclusive, Gylt released for modern consoles and PC last month. The best way I can put it is, this is Silent Hill-Lite. Between the themes and setting, this game fits in that mood perfectly. While the game isn't perfect, I really really enjoyed my time with it. The art style alone is worth playing the game for. Getting what I believe is the hardest trophy in the game out of the way, I cant wait to go for the platinum.
THE CHANT
This game took me by surprise. I got it the day it released, played about 30 minutes, and put it down. Just recently picked it back up, restarted, and fell in love with it. One of the most unique psychological horror games I've ever played in that it deals with crystals being your powers and burning sage as one of your weapon types.
I have absolutely loved making this list. I love games and some of my favorites end up being games that not many have heard of or played. Hopefully this has helped you discover new games that you might have interest in.
Until next time, keep on gaming..
Comments