Favourite Game from each year of my life
I did this before but deleted it and now there's a bandwagon nice.
28 Games
'95 - One of those years where people still getting to grips with new hardware lead to some weak releases, but Alien Soldier isnt one of them. The best Mega Drive game and arguably also treasure's, Alien soldier remains to this day an incredibly cool run n gun, action game, boss rush... thing? Its a shame it's quite so unique, because it's utterly, madly, wonderful.
'96 - Ok im using the 2016 version here because it has nicer box art - Battle Greg is a truly remarkable, weird and wonderful shmup, a combination of jank and intricate mechanics that quite literally can be played for 25 years and still not quite mastered - see T3-Kamui for that - on top of glorious sprite work, an all time great soundtrack, and just generally great stage and boss design.
'97 - The best FF. Simple as that. Best story, some of the best gameplay, best setting, and some gorgeous sprite work and general presentation.
I will always have some issues with this variant on the tactics genre, and it's arguable games like disgaea have improved on the concept, but FFT will always be a special thing.
I will always have some issues with this variant on the tactics genre, and it's arguable games like disgaea have improved on the concept, but FFT will always be a special thing.
98 - very close between this and raiden fighters jet, 98 was an insane year for shmups, with armed police batrider also coming out, and great home releases in radiant silvergun and einhander. Arguably the last year Shmups were ever "big"... which makes it kind of remarkable they've somehow sticked out the 23 years since.
'99 - There's not too much competition in this year, but 776 would be very hard to dethrone for me. A wild and messy entry into the series, with some of it's best map design and a weirdly engaging narrative focusing on a smaller scale conflict that befits the nature of the series. There's a handful of remarkably awful maps in this game, but it possessing the best in the series simultaneously makes it probably the best tactics game. And there's also just some special sauce here thats hard to put my finger on.
'00 - NAZCA's last metal slug basically goes so hard that no Metal Slug before or since can really compare, and makes this one of the most ridiculous 40 minutes of game ever thought of. A swansong to the age when high-budget pixel art and animation was a thing, and a thrilling run' n gun.
Sin and Punishment is a similarly hype runner-up
Sin and Punishment is a similarly hype runner-up
'01 - One of my absolute favourite games and the winner in an extremely strong year for games - MGS2 is a game that's special to me for many reasons that I will probably go into properly one day.
'02 - One of the finest STGs ever made, DOJ is a game that only really pales in comparison to the game next on this list...
'03 - Dear lord CAVE were just on something else in the early 2000s, and Ketsui is their best work. Frankly, in a world without MGS2 they could have 3 games in a row from 2001-2003, and only really strong entries from other series prevents them sniffing the mid 2000s entries on this list.
Ketsui is the finest game ever made. I've gone into it before and I'll probably go into it again, but this spot is well and truly its. Arguably a 2002 game because lol arcade distribution, but you would have only practically been able to play it in 2003.
Ketsui is the finest game ever made. I've gone into it before and I'll probably go into it again, but this spot is well and truly its. Arguably a 2002 game because lol arcade distribution, but you would have only practically been able to play it in 2003.
04'/05' Arcade distribution is weird and we may never really know the "release date" for SSVS, but fortunately MGS3 can also take both these years.
Probably the best Fighting game ever made. A glorious Neutral-based fighting game that can make you laugh like an idiot and is kind of stupidly busted, but is also very well balanced and has that slight hint of kusoge every truly good FG needs.
Probably the best Fighting game ever made. A glorious Neutral-based fighting game that can make you laugh like an idiot and is kind of stupidly busted, but is also very well balanced and has that slight hint of kusoge every truly good FG needs.
04'/05 - MGS3 is MGS3. Could frankly win both these years and is extremely good on a mechanical and narrative level, and realised back in 2004 that the best approach to following on from MGS2 was doing its own thing. And what an own thing it is.
'06 - <>
Very close between this and Mushihimesama Futari, but the sheer hype of AC0 is hard for anything to contend against. Short but sweet, and a wonderful air combat game with some stupid missions and a weirdly extremely fun story.
Very close between this and Mushihimesama Futari, but the sheer hype of AC0 is hard for anything to contend against. Short but sweet, and a wonderful air combat game with some stupid missions and a weirdly extremely fun story.
07... apparently. When early Gen 7 is so fucking miserable you have to dig up a simple series game to find something good, you know something's wrong with that gen. Regardless, EDF2/GDF is a glorious Third person shooter and definetly the best in the series - particularly the vita and upcoming switch versions.
08 - look i like deathsmiles MBL a lot but man there are no good games from 08 jesus. My runner up here is Valkyria Chronicles... which is like... good but nt great.
'09 - Hard pick between this and demons souls this year (hey, two games with no definitive versions!). P3P wins out by a smidge, but it's honestly 50/50 and both games are remarkable. Tempted to put one in 2008 because jesus that year sucked, where 2009 really still stands out as a special year.
'11 - Dark souls is close, but my opinion on that game has kinda faded where ESCHATOS is just a wonderful little thing that I can't help but love. Heavily, heavily bolstered by Yousuke Yasui's incredible soundtrack and just wonderful pacing. When clair de lune plays, it almost makes me cry. At a game with no story.
'12 - I'll plan a proper writeup on this one eventually, but Fata Morgana is a really special VN, easily my favourite, with haunting art and music, and a wonderful, tragic story. I love almost everything about it.
'13 - Backloggds date is wrong lol - So 2013 also has very few great games, but AC+R could frankly probably win in a way more stacked year. An almost perfect fighting game that's undoubtedly the current apotheosis of the series, that's kinda busted but also weirdly balanced, and is just absolutely fantastic fun to just play.
'14 - Yeah 2014 has fuck all for decent games, frankly, which makes this an easy choice, despite being so limited. PT is incredibly unnerving and scary, to the point that in a full game it would probably be too much - but for this short vertical slice of sheer horror, its nigh on perfect. And the mystique of it's production and the lost game that is silent hills only adds to it's legacy.
'15 - Frankly one of the only entries on this list that wins by an absolute landslide, the more time goes on the more I think bloodborne, warts and all, is Fromsoftware's greatest game by a sizeble margin. Hopefully we can get an official 60fps patch at some point, plz.
'16 Wow 2016 has no good games lmao. Second up is Blue Revolver, which I think kinda speaks to how AAA stuff really dropped the ball in particular here. I think 13 Sentinels is the better game, but Leithrasir is defienetly one of Vanillaware's strongest works, even if it's a bit long in the tooth.
'17 - Runner up is gran turismo sport - Automata doesn't really need anything said about it that already has been. It's special and weird, and I would also use this entry just for a general point of Yoko Taro's work. Replicant 1.22 is also amazing, but I dont really feel i can give it for 2010 or 2021 due to reasons, so pretend it's here too.
'18 - It's close on this with Zeroranger and some others, but Torna wins out for me in the end and is somehow the only JRPG on here. It's great. Has the best combat of any JRPG and is probably the best slice of xenoblade there is. Don't @ me, it's better than xenoblade 1
'19 - This was a hard choice for me, and probably the most up in the air with Ace Combat 7 and RE2make close behind, but Death Stranding is also a truly cool, different experience with some outstanding moments despite an ultimately flawed narrative, and the vibes are great. There's nothing really quite like it.
'20 - Was thinking between this and 13 Sentinels, but I think this is the overall stronger game - a wonderful rhythm game with tonnes of great songs, fantastic presentation and overall a staggering amount of strong content, whilst being very accessible. Good, good shit.
'21 - Very, very close between this and nier replicant. Returnal eeks it out due to being an original game, and an absolutely fantastic one. One of the finest action games ever made alongside an intriguing and well told story, it's something really special.
Preliminary
Cold_Comfort
2 years ago