Updating for September, this takes me up to 70 games complete - and I think that I've found the Game of the Year!
63.
CrossCode (Switch) | 5 September 2020
100% exploration, enemy records and quest completion; all in-game trophies earned except one (flawless victories against Apollo).
CrossCode is very clearly *the* hidden gem of 2020 (or 2019, considering its PC release) and, with no hyperbole whatsoever, is a very legitimate contender for the best game of the year. The game presents itself as an overhead-perspective pixel-art action-RPG in the style of classics such as
Secret of Mana or
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, but offers so, so much more than that simple description.
Driven forward by an engrossing sci-fi plot with multiple levels (I'll avoid detail here so as not to spoil anything), the core combat is fast and fluid, with a huge range of play styles available across an expansive, rewarding ability/upgrade system. There's an impressive range of enemy types that you'll find yourself facing off against, each of which has its own set of abilities, strengths and weaknesses that keep the gameplay fresh. Progression comes from both level advancement and, perhaps moreso, equipment upgrades - with a diverse range of options available through its trading system. Granted, trading can be a little daunting for a newcomer, relying on collection of 'ingredients' from quite a large selection - but I found this to offer a satisfying 'scavenger hunt' dynamic.
The game world comprises towns and overworld locations - which are the focus of most NPC interactions and optional quests - and a series of expansive 'dungeons'. Many of these are highly puzzle-focused, often relying on a 'disc' throwing mechanic that I've not seen used elsewhere, and become genuinely challenging - though never excessively so. I can sympathise with the comment that I've seen from a couple of others that the early dungeons are a little overlong, though personally I loved these, with puzzle deign that for the most part surpasses even that of
The Legend of Zelda series (which coming from me, is saying a lot!). Back on the overworld, a secondary form of puzzle design comes from the intricate design that rewards 'parkour' around elevated paths woven throughout the environment, ultimately leading to equipment rewards, new quests or even entire new areas.
CrossCode sees Lea, the protagonist, being joined by a variety of other party-members, and the game excels in character interactions - pretty much all of those who join Lea in her adventure are very memorable, with well-developed personalities, and dialogue that is at times meaningful, endearing or comedic. Topping things off are a series of small touches that litter the game - I really don't want to spoil these, but as one example, you might notice that a certain set of rock formations are specifically designed in the shape of the
Tetris tetrominoes, evoking a knowing satisfaction as you realise why one of your companions has remarked upon them.
In closing, I'd just urge anyone with even the slightest attraction towards the genre to give
CrossCode a try, it's absolutely at the top-tier of 'indie' game releases - and even available on Xbox Game Pass for ease of accessibility!
64.
Tell Me Why - Chapter 1: Homecoming (Xbox One) | 5 September 2020
100% of achievements unlocked (500G). See comments included below for Chapter 3.
65.
Tell Me Why - Chapter 2: Family Secrets (Xbox One) | 6 September 2020
100% of achievements unlocked (500G). See comments included below for Chapter 3.
66.
Kentucky Route Zero (Steam) | 9 September 2020
100% of achievements unlocked. A well-written but very slow narrative experience, I've heard many good things about
Kentucky Route Zero and I'm glad to have played it, but ultimately I didn't get as much from the game as I was hoping for.
Starting off strongly, as we meet Conway, a truck driver, pulling up to a service station in the hope of finding directions to a mysterious "Dogwood Drive", there's a heavy dose of mystery and melancholy infused throughout the game; despite the substance of the interactivity here being in dialogue choices, it's easy to become invested in the journey of the characters in the early acts (of which there are five in total). The game peaks around the third act, as we see the realisation of one of the early mysteries, but following that, the band of characters who we follow multiples somewhat too far, to the extent that it becomes hard to keep track of them all and to care for each. The 'intermission' scenes between each act make a valiant effort to flesh out various backstories and are somewhat successful in that aim, benefiting particularly from the variety of perspectives that we see here - including
scenes from a play and backstage at a TV broadcast - but I found the final act to be a disappointment, without a properly satisfying sense of closure to the story.
67.
Florence (Switch) | 11 September 2020
Complete playthrough.
Florence is a short (approximately one hour) visual novel, following a young woman through the making and breaking of a romantic relationship. The game plays out through a series of simple comic-like scenes and, while the interactivity is only limited, it's expertly judged to allow the player to become engaged with the story without the complexity becoming distracting. Alongside a dynamic musical score, the game creates a highly emotional reaction and we really feel for Florence throughout, sharing in her joy and despair While the short length could be counted against the game, it allows for completion in a single sitting and as such, maximises the player's investment in the story.
68.
Tell Me Why - Chapter 3: Inheritance (Xbox One) | 12 September 2020
100% of achievements unlocked (500G), comments here covering the three chapters taken together. A well-told, very personal narrative story, presented across three chapters,
Tell Me Why follows a pair of twins reunited after being separated for many years, since the death of their mother (in circumstances that I won't elaborate on to avoid spoilers). The narrative feels somewhat 'smaller' in scope than the
Life Is Strange games that preceded it from developer Dontnod, with the consequences of the story strongly focused on the two protagonists, but not particularly to the game's detriment.
The
Life Is Strange games are known for the supernatural element that features as an important narrative and gameplay mechanic and this is seen again in
Tell Me Why, but in a much more low-key manner, via a telepathic bond between the twins and their ability visibly to recall certain memories. Notably, one of the twins here is a transsexual man, a fact that takes on a certain degree of importance in the historic life events that the twins find themselves exploring, and this is sensitively handled, without becoming excessively focused upon.
While the are occasional puzzles, mainly based around observation and reading from extracts of a fondly-remembered children's book, there's little here by way of challenge or longevity - though for those who find themselves particularly invested in the events, there are contrasting outcomes for a number of key sequences and a pair of endings to experience.
69.
Alan Wake (Xbox 360) | 22 September 2020
Completed with 100% of achievements unlocked (1,000G), including obtaining all collectibles obtained and a full playthrough on Nightmare difficulty.
70.
Alan Wake: The Signal and
The Writer (Xbox 360) | 26 September 2020
Completed with 15/17 achievements unlocked (all except Run-on Sentence and No Punctuation) and all collectibles obtained.
The horror genre isn't typically appealing to me, but the tie-in with
Control's DLC was enough to push me into digging
Alan Wake out from the backlog, together with its two DLC episodes. All things considered, I enjoyed this - while certainly taking place in creepy settings, the game is more focused on mystery and themes of insanity (particularly with the DLC) than jump-scares, for example.
The gameplay, with light sources as a key combat mechanic, probably justifies a description as 'unique', though Alan's frequent lack of manoeuvrability means that combat can't really be a highlight. The game also has a definite excess of collectibles, which don't really suit its style! The story is the star of the show here, and is well-realised – Alan, as a writer, frequently provides a narrative voiceover to events, helping to put things in perspective and explore the direction of his thoughts and motivations as the game progresses, which is typically an effective approach.
