BSFletch
A classic and I won't be hearing any complaints made. This isn't my favourite entry in the Freddi Fish series, but it is the OG that started it all. When someone says "The point and clicks from the 90's slapped" this is one of those games I'm thinking about.
2017
This is the first game I've ever played that made me cry, and that's thanks to its beautiful storytelling, well written characters, a world that feels lived in and loved, and a soundtrack that I listen to constantly since playing. There are two different friendship paths you can take throughout the game, I took the Gregg route on my play through. I look forward to playing through Bea's next. Night in the Woods will forever be one of my favourite games of all time.
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, is a childhood favourite that I was never able to beat. Either because there wasn't enough time when I borrowed a copy from friends or because by the time I got my own copy other games stole my attention. The past two years though I've slowly been playing it, a few hours after work here, a weekend when sick there, and it feels very satisfying to watch the credits role. I've always loved Shadow Pokémon, and thought Shadow Lugia was the coolest Pokémon ever. It's a refreshing experience to play a Pokémon game with an actual narrative rather than just the tried and true "catch 'em all and defeat all the gyms". It was hilarious to me playing this game when Scarlet and Violet came out. No exaggeration; Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness runs better than the newest Pokémon games, and I've been playing the original 2005 version on my GameCube. I've yet to finish all the post game content (purrifying all the Shadow Pokémon, the Coliseum, the Battle Towers, etc.) but I did defeat the main baddies, and catch all 83 Shadow Pokémon (there's one extra in the post game to catch). If you love Pokémon but are feeling worn down by the main line games check out Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness! The soundtrack in this game slaps too! A shame the Pokémon Company has never revisited the Orre Region again, but I'm grateful to always have the chance to return in this game.
2009
This is the version of Sims I have played more than any other. What first started as a fun game to backseat and share with childhood friends became an obsession as I got my own copies to play on my home computer, Xbox 360, and eventually my own laptop. The open world is to this day one of my favourite parts about it.
I played this game for news project that never ended up being picked up by networks. I love this game with all of my heart. I've copy and pasted an excerpt from my original review below.
"Exploring the province of Picnic you will meet characters named after plants or foods, spend lots of time colouring, and go on a journey filled with heart, adventure, and self discovery. The game's story is structured into 10 chapters. Each Chapter reaches it's climax with either a fun and forgiving boss fight or some really cool and unique puzzles. The soundtrack is filled with arrangements from Lena Raine that often had me stop playing to just enjoy the music....This game goes out to all the homies who spent their childhoods playing Pictochat, Kidpix, and MS Paint! I put in about 24 hours of total game time and easily at least 10 of those hours were spent just colouring this adorable world"
"Exploring the province of Picnic you will meet characters named after plants or foods, spend lots of time colouring, and go on a journey filled with heart, adventure, and self discovery. The game's story is structured into 10 chapters. Each Chapter reaches it's climax with either a fun and forgiving boss fight or some really cool and unique puzzles. The soundtrack is filled with arrangements from Lena Raine that often had me stop playing to just enjoy the music....This game goes out to all the homies who spent their childhoods playing Pictochat, Kidpix, and MS Paint! I put in about 24 hours of total game time and easily at least 10 of those hours were spent just colouring this adorable world"
Dream Daddy is what I call a "God Tier" dating sim (full transparency I haven't played many). The characters are all well written and unique. Each Daddy has their own distinct personality and life that they live. Paired with a great soundtrack and a charming art style, I had a wonderful time finding my dream date. Mat was my dream come true when I played with friends. I'm not drawn to visual novels or dating sims very often so I haven't played this game since. But I can see myself going back to it one day soon to explore the other potential dating paths (and the Daddy's I'll meet along the way).
2010
This is a classic side scroller I've known about for years. A friend of mine gifted me this game because it is one of his favourites of all time. The art direction is fantastic and the atmosphere is creepy. A fun game I'm glad I played.
Did this game deserve Game of the Year over Baldur's Gate 3? No. Absolutely not. Is it MY Game of the Year for 2023? You bet your Spidey spandex it is! The JOY I felt playing this game! Once again we have a fantastic Spider-Man simulator doing all the things you love from the last two games. Engaging combat, beautiful swing mechanics, and a cast of characters you love, you hate, and you hate to love. Insomniac once again did a great job taking pre-existing Spider-Man characters and stories, and spun them into an original narrative that still felt extremely faithful to the source material. My only gripe is that I wish Peter played more like he did in the first game, while still letting Miles exist as he does mechanically in this game. Yes, I think it would have roughed up the smooth transition Insomniac was going for when jumping between Spider-Men. But I think the more you played, the more it would have encouraged unique play styles from every player.
2011
This game is so much fun with friends or by yourself. My favourite thing to do is build and adventure. Servers are always a blast too. Give me a Saturday night with friends and I'll always recommend starting a server on Minecraft. I dream of the alternate reality where I'm a high profile Minecraft YouTuber. Oh what a life that Bryce must live.
This game was an absolute blast. Combat is fun, traversal and exploration are fantastic, and the story is great. Nathan is such a great protagonist. Its fun playing this for the first time after playing the Last of Us, recognizing the mechanics and design that started here and were carried forward by Naughty Dog devs.
The Last of Us Part 2 implements one of the coolest story devices of any game ever. Using player's emotional investment from the first game, to fuel them towards anger, only to flip the narrative on them at the half way point was pure genius. It left me questioning my comfort level with painting characters (i.e. people) with morally definitive "good" and "bad" labels. With a much more nuance perspective that no one is only one or the other. Absolutely deserved Game of the Year in 2020.
2021
It's a bit of a wild journey going from To The Moon to the opening sequence of this game. It starts in a very unexpected way, but I like where this game goes narratively a lot. This series seems to be leaning more into its philosophical themes and science fiction genre more as each game releases. Not the part that made me first love this series, but I'm glad they aren't rehashing the same emotional journey every game.
I will forever be chasing that feeling of anticipatory wonder when I saw the Great Plateau for the first time. The mesmerizing first moments of booting up this game, exiting the cave, and watching the camera pan across the land of Hyrule as the music swells, calling you to explore the wild. This game brought me hours of adventure and joy when I needed it most. Thank you Eiji Aonuma and the rest of the team at Nintendo.
2019
This game holds a special place in my heart. I remember when I first played this game there was something so comforting and familiar about the environment and the soundtrack that accompanied me on my journey. How quickly you decide to make your way to the tip of the mountain is up to you. What you get from "A Short Hike" depends entirely on the time you choose to take, and I love that.
There are few games that when I play I am incapable of stepping away from to live my everyday life. The Last of Us is one of them. The characters and storytelling are two of my favourite parts about this game. The relationship built between Ellie and Joel and the journey they take will always stay with me. A must play (or watch) for anybody, not just gamers.