ZeusDeeGoose's Game Beaten Awards '23
ZeusDeeGoose's Game Awards from games he's beaten in 2023! (detail mode recommended)
These were originally posted in my Discord server; The Medium Rare Cathedral. You can join it here: https://discord.gg/XjT94ezxfZ (please do we really need more members. we don't bite!)
Awards are as follows:
The Backlog Disappointment
The Last Minute Masterpieces
Gaming Achievement
Hardest Game Beaten
Blast From The Past
Old Friends And a Bear
Best OST
Underdog
Worst Game
THAT'S IT?! (winners were Nier Automata, Doom Eternal, all of the Devil May Cry games, Bayonetta, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and probably even more. It was hard to select a category here; there's too much to go over and there are bigger fish to fry.)
Most Anticipated
Community Awards (Best Game, Community Disagreement, Recommendations); Coming soon!
THE BEST GAME THAT I PLAYED THIS YEAR!
These were originally posted in my Discord server; The Medium Rare Cathedral. You can join it here: https://discord.gg/XjT94ezxfZ (please do we really need more members. we don't bite!)
Awards are as follows:
The Backlog Disappointment
The Last Minute Masterpieces
Gaming Achievement
Hardest Game Beaten
Blast From The Past
Old Friends And a Bear
Best OST
Underdog
Worst Game
THAT'S IT?! (winners were Nier Automata, Doom Eternal, all of the Devil May Cry games, Bayonetta, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and probably even more. It was hard to select a category here; there's too much to go over and there are bigger fish to fry.)
Most Anticipated
Community Awards (Best Game, Community Disagreement, Recommendations); Coming soon!
THE BEST GAME THAT I PLAYED THIS YEAR!
11 Games
Wom "Backlog Disappointment"!
How hard this game falls off is absurd to me. Terraria starts out so strong, and I got hooked very quickly. That all changed when I killed the Wall of Flesh. The point where Terraria turns from a fun metroid-esque open world game to the most soul draining thing I have experienced in a long while. But, seriously, FUCK HARDMODE. It's not even due to the overall challenge, it's just the bosses. I'm genuinely stunned at how awful most of the bosses are in Hardmode. Not even in a fun way, just frustrating. And the Moon Lord (and the Towers) were just terrible. I genuinely don't know how you fumble the ball this hard, and unfortunately I can't appreciate Terraria because of it. It went from a 9/10 to a 6/10, and that honestly makes me sad because I really liked pre-Hardmode. But as it stands, I don't want to touch Terraria ever again. Its just that unfun to me.
The runner ups were Brotato and Rain World.
How hard this game falls off is absurd to me. Terraria starts out so strong, and I got hooked very quickly. That all changed when I killed the Wall of Flesh. The point where Terraria turns from a fun metroid-esque open world game to the most soul draining thing I have experienced in a long while. But, seriously, FUCK HARDMODE. It's not even due to the overall challenge, it's just the bosses. I'm genuinely stunned at how awful most of the bosses are in Hardmode. Not even in a fun way, just frustrating. And the Moon Lord (and the Towers) were just terrible. I genuinely don't know how you fumble the ball this hard, and unfortunately I can't appreciate Terraria because of it. It went from a 9/10 to a 6/10, and that honestly makes me sad because I really liked pre-Hardmode. But as it stands, I don't want to touch Terraria ever again. Its just that unfun to me.
The runner ups were Brotato and Rain World.
Won "Last Minute Masterpieces"!
Katana Zero is so fucking cool, dude. It has the word INDIE written all over it. It's graphics are pixelated yet detailed, the gameplay is simple, yet addictive and challenging by the end, and the story was really intriguing to me, albeit slightly convoluted. Katana Zero is a fun time, albeit short and I recommend you check it out as soon as possible.
Katana Zero is so fucking cool, dude. It has the word INDIE written all over it. It's graphics are pixelated yet detailed, the gameplay is simple, yet addictive and challenging by the end, and the story was really intriguing to me, albeit slightly convoluted. Katana Zero is a fun time, albeit short and I recommend you check it out as soon as possible.
Wom "Best Gaming Achievement"!
Getting Dead God was easily the most challenging achievement I achieved this year. It required several months of play, strategy, and research. It was grueling getting all the achievements. A majority were thankfully easy, but there are several which require difficult characters and had high requirements, too. But after doing all of it, was it worth the pop-off that I had?
No, not really. If you're an Isaac Rebirth mega-fan like I am, you should probably aim to do this achievement at one point, but if you're a casual roguelike enjoyer, skip it. Overall I do feel proud of myself, but PLEASE for the love of god avoid it if you must.
The runner up is Blaster “Master” Zero from Blaster Master Zero III!
Getting Dead God was easily the most challenging achievement I achieved this year. It required several months of play, strategy, and research. It was grueling getting all the achievements. A majority were thankfully easy, but there are several which require difficult characters and had high requirements, too. But after doing all of it, was it worth the pop-off that I had?
No, not really. If you're an Isaac Rebirth mega-fan like I am, you should probably aim to do this achievement at one point, but if you're a casual roguelike enjoyer, skip it. Overall I do feel proud of myself, but PLEASE for the love of god avoid it if you must.
The runner up is Blaster “Master” Zero from Blaster Master Zero III!
Won "HARDEST GAME BEATEN"!
The only thing keeping me sane during this was the infinite continues in the XBLA version, otherwise I would've given up. Ikaruga is a beautiful shoot em up, but at the same time it's extremely cruel, requiring mastery of the game's mechanics. It's fantastic, but also challenging. So be prepared.
The runner ups were Super Meat Boy, Hazelnut Hex, Nuclear Throne, Katana Zero, and The Binding of Isaac Rebirth.
The only thing keeping me sane during this was the infinite continues in the XBLA version, otherwise I would've given up. Ikaruga is a beautiful shoot em up, but at the same time it's extremely cruel, requiring mastery of the game's mechanics. It's fantastic, but also challenging. So be prepared.
The runner ups were Super Meat Boy, Hazelnut Hex, Nuclear Throne, Katana Zero, and The Binding of Isaac Rebirth.
Wom "Blast from the Past"!
Super Meat Boy is phenomenal, and I highly suggest you play it if you haven't already. Super Meat Boy has some of the best controls in platforming history, some of the most unique level design in platforming, and the fucking OST. OH MY GOD. Play this game, it's an all time favorite!
The runner ups were Super Mario 3D Land, VVVVVV, Bayonetta, and The Binding of Isaac.
Super Meat Boy is phenomenal, and I highly suggest you play it if you haven't already. Super Meat Boy has some of the best controls in platforming history, some of the most unique level design in platforming, and the fucking OST. OH MY GOD. Play this game, it's an all time favorite!
The runner ups were Super Mario 3D Land, VVVVVV, Bayonetta, and The Binding of Isaac.
Won "Old Friend"!
All of the Blaster Master Zero games are awesome, but Zero II was where Inti Creates really hit the sweet spot. Zero II is nearly flawless in execution. It keeps a fast pace throughout the entire game, having awesome music and level design, and the story is thrilling. Zero II is quite good, and you should give it a shot if you can!
The runner up was Blaster Master Zero.
All of the Blaster Master Zero games are awesome, but Zero II was where Inti Creates really hit the sweet spot. Zero II is nearly flawless in execution. It keeps a fast pace throughout the entire game, having awesome music and level design, and the story is thrilling. Zero II is quite good, and you should give it a shot if you can!
The runner up was Blaster Master Zero.
Won "Best OST"!
While I set upon myself a challenge to not give one game 2 awards, I can't help myself here. Super Meat Boy is filled with non-stop earworms. From Forest Funk all the way to McLarty Party People, the jams never stopped coming here. The tunes are extremely catchy, and fit the asthetics of the game extremely well. If I had to pick the best theme, it would be Dr. Fetus’ Castle. Amazing soundtrack overall!
The runner ups were Blaster Master Zero III, Ori and the Blind Forest, and The Binding of Isaac Rebirth.
While I set upon myself a challenge to not give one game 2 awards, I can't help myself here. Super Meat Boy is filled with non-stop earworms. From Forest Funk all the way to McLarty Party People, the jams never stopped coming here. The tunes are extremely catchy, and fit the asthetics of the game extremely well. If I had to pick the best theme, it would be Dr. Fetus’ Castle. Amazing soundtrack overall!
The runner ups were Blaster Master Zero III, Ori and the Blind Forest, and The Binding of Isaac Rebirth.
Won "Underdog"!
Super Monkey Ball is a 10/10 game. I'm serious. I don't know why I didn't talk about this game more this year, but it's one of my favorites of all time. It's hard to name a single bad thing about Super Monkey Ball. Aside from its cruel difficulty which may turn you away from the game, there's not a single bad level in this game, and the controls are done to perfection. While you'll probably rage a few times, Monkey Ball will wanna make you go bananas for more.
The runner up was Freedom Planet.
Super Monkey Ball is a 10/10 game. I'm serious. I don't know why I didn't talk about this game more this year, but it's one of my favorites of all time. It's hard to name a single bad thing about Super Monkey Ball. Aside from its cruel difficulty which may turn you away from the game, there's not a single bad level in this game, and the controls are done to perfection. While you'll probably rage a few times, Monkey Ball will wanna make you go bananas for more.
The runner up was Freedom Planet.
Won "Worst Game"!
Super Meat Boy Forever is absolutely the worst game I played this year. It feels like a cheap imitation of the original masterpiece that was Super Meat Boy. First off, this game uses randomly generated levels, a questionable decision because this isn't the fucking Binding of Isaac, but it would be fine if the levels didn't suck complete ASS to begin with. Super Meat Boy Forever has no sense of difficulty curve. The previous level could be a straight shot to the end, but the next could take upwards of 15 MINUTES to complete. All on a complete whim. Oh, and the music? It's very… meh. Some tracks are decent, but the rest are a wash. My Breaking point was the World 3 Boss, which requires a stupidly precise setup in an AUTORUN PLATFORMER WITH 2 FUCKING INPUTS. WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT? Super Meat Boy Forever broke me. Not in a good way like the original, it left me keyboard smashing for 2 minutes straight after I closed the game. This game is garbage, don't even bother unless you're on Steam where you can get a refund. This game is truly that awful.
The runner ups were The Coffin of Andy and Leyley, Super Monkey Ball Adventure, Gunvolt Chronicles iX2, and Mega Man X7!
Super Meat Boy Forever is absolutely the worst game I played this year. It feels like a cheap imitation of the original masterpiece that was Super Meat Boy. First off, this game uses randomly generated levels, a questionable decision because this isn't the fucking Binding of Isaac, but it would be fine if the levels didn't suck complete ASS to begin with. Super Meat Boy Forever has no sense of difficulty curve. The previous level could be a straight shot to the end, but the next could take upwards of 15 MINUTES to complete. All on a complete whim. Oh, and the music? It's very… meh. Some tracks are decent, but the rest are a wash. My Breaking point was the World 3 Boss, which requires a stupidly precise setup in an AUTORUN PLATFORMER WITH 2 FUCKING INPUTS. WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT? Super Meat Boy Forever broke me. Not in a good way like the original, it left me keyboard smashing for 2 minutes straight after I closed the game. This game is garbage, don't even bother unless you're on Steam where you can get a refund. This game is truly that awful.
The runner ups were The Coffin of Andy and Leyley, Super Monkey Ball Adventure, Gunvolt Chronicles iX2, and Mega Man X7!
Top choice for "Most Anticipated"!
A roguelike legacy game made by the creator of The Binding of Isaac and Super Meat Boy: Edmund McMillen. Different classes, Fire Emblem esque gameplay, gay cats (not a joke btw, gay cats will actually be in the game), this game has it all!
A roguelike legacy game made by the creator of The Binding of Isaac and Super Meat Boy: Edmund McMillen. Different classes, Fire Emblem esque gameplay, gay cats (not a joke btw, gay cats will actually be in the game), this game has it all!
Won "THE BEST GAME"!
Not only is Isaac Rebirth my favorite game of 2023, it's my favorite game. PERIOD. Seriously, everybody should play this game. It's got some of the best difficulty I've ever seen in gaming, one of the coolest stories, and the most replay value I've seen in gaming to date. If you haven't played Isaac Rebirth, do it. It's a perfect entry point into the roguelike genre, and I'm sure you'll love it.
The runner ups were Blaster Master Zero III, Katana Zero, and Mega Man Zero III.
Not only is Isaac Rebirth my favorite game of 2023, it's my favorite game. PERIOD. Seriously, everybody should play this game. It's got some of the best difficulty I've ever seen in gaming, one of the coolest stories, and the most replay value I've seen in gaming to date. If you haven't played Isaac Rebirth, do it. It's a perfect entry point into the roguelike genre, and I'm sure you'll love it.
The runner ups were Blaster Master Zero III, Katana Zero, and Mega Man Zero III.