GAME OF THE YEAR 2015 COUNTDOWN TO NO. 1
------ PART ONE OF THREE ------
Click here for Part 2
Click here for Part 3
What a year! Gaming was great in 2015!
This is the first of three installments. Im starting with No. 10 and counting down to No. 1. This post will cover No. 10 through No. 4; the next post will cover No. 3 and No. 2; and the last post will cover my Game of the Year. The last post will also include the formatted Top 10 list, plus runners-up.
Lets begin, shall we?
TENTH PLACE
Yoshis Woolly World (WiiU)
Good-Feel, Nintendo
I only played Yoshis Woolly World in co-op. In fact, were still playing through it, having just arrived in the final world. Playing it from late in the evening through the wee hours of morning, once a week (or every other week), has kept the game fresh. That being said, I think the game would hold up fine in single-player, as well.
The game lives up to the name of its developer Good-Feel with tight and responsive controls that allow you to flutter-jump with precision while lining up an egg shot (read: yarn ball) against a moving target. And dont let the adorable looks deceive you: If youre going for the many collectibles hidden in each stage (including five Wonder Wools per level, each netting you a new Yoshi skin), youll find yourself doing some fancy maneuvering in order to survive the more hectic stages.
Its a handcrafted world, so floors made out of cushions deform under Yoshis feet, walls unravel when Yoshi tugs on a loose strand, and warp pipes stitch together when he throws a yarn ball at their outline. One of my favorite touches is using a yarn ball to muzzle a Piranha Plant! Cute details abound, such as the fifth world with its cotton snow, sequin crystals and poof-ball hats for mountains.
Each level is defined by an inventive gimmick, and layered with secrets. Walls disappear to reveal hidden passages, and conspicuously empty corners contain invisible items. OCD people will suffer immensely trying to find the five Wonder Wools, five flowers and 20 Miiverse stamps in each level. But you dont have to get them all in one go, and there are optional badges that can help you find them.
It also helps to play in co-op for a second set of eyes. Of all the Nintendo games Ive played in co-op, this one is the most accommodating. Theres no time limit or limited number of lives, so you and your companion can relax and thoroughly explore each level. One can also turn their partner into an extra yarn ball when theyre out of ammo or want to toss them to an out-of-reach place. A bit maddening when you keep doing this to each other (maliciously or accidentally), but very useful!
Also, the game is GORGEOUS. Screens dont do it justice.
NINTH PLACE
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse (WiiU)
HAL Laboratory, Nintendo
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse makes me happy. Every time I play this game, Ill listen to the title screen music (genre: Mario Kart 64?) and watch the attract loop that sets up the characters motivation (namely, Kirby decides to roll around like a ball because he likes apples).
The art direction is in a class all its own. The entire game is sculpted out of clay you can even see the fingerprints and theres a malleable quality to the world that is heightened by the fact youre touching it via the GamePads touchscreen. You use the stylus to draw rainbow rope lines on which ball-shaped Kirby can roll along and dash, traveling in the direction you draw. These lines can also temporarily block waterfalls, shield against lasers, dissolve sand and more.
Tapping Kirby will also cause him to dash forward, shattering blocks and defeating enemies. Theres a punchy quality to this that I love. Like when you go against Whispy Woods, he sprouts vines that blossom into thorny bulbs, and you must weave between them while gathering stars. Once you have sufficient starpower, you can use a super-powered version of your dash attack and rocket into Whispys face, forming a colossal impact crater as you tap Kirby to drill harder.
Going into this game, I worried that the eye-popping colors and richly detailed worlds would lose their appeal on the GamePads touchscreen, which is where youll be looking most of the time since you need to draw there to play. (Multiplayer allows other players controlling Waddle Dees to play on the TV.) Im happy to report that the game also looks great on the GamePad, retaining its color and clarity.
Also, I didnt play Canvas Curse on the DS, the only other game to feature these mechanics. Im pleasantly surprised by how easy this game is to play once you learn that 1) the direction you draw is the direction Kirby rolls, 2) tapping Kirby makes him build momentum, and 3) you can cancel out existing lines by drawing over them. Youll find yourself pulling off neat tricks like speeding up ramps to launch through no rope zones. And the levels are perfectly paced, gating progress with proper skill checks that organically teach without feeling like tutorials.
I must also praise the collectibles, most notably the figure gallery. Every game should have a model viewer, and trust me this one delivers!
EIGHTH PLACE
Resident Evil Revelations 2 (PS4/Xbone/PC/PS3/X360)
Capcom, Capcom
Resident Evil Revelations 2 was the biggest surprise of the year. The game looked bland in preview coverage, but the final product simply works. The episodic structure is strong and tells a legitimately intriguing tale that feels old-school Resident Evil, through and through. By the end of the game I loved all four of the main characters especially the highly quotable Barry and his equally quotable daughter, Moira.
The setting an island in the former Soviet Union is a character in itself, recalling the cold desolation of RE4s Spain, with a prison full of torture devices, a lumberyard in a dark forest, a fishing village by the sea, a Chernobyl-esque city, mining quarries and more. The final settings and the finale, in general are delicious in their atmosphere, and I dare not spoil them.
But note that there are two endings, and you want the good one. The good ending is straight-up the best in the series. When you reach the end of Claires Chapter 3, and theres a moment where youre reaching for her gun make sure you switch to Moira, crawl forward and shoot. This will put you on the right path.
The story bounces back and forth between two sets of characters Claire and Moira, stranded on the island, and Barry and Natalia, who are looking for them. Each pairing is asymmetrical in ability, with Claire and Barry handling the fighting while Moira and Natalia find supplies. This is perfect for co-op when youre playing with less experienced players, and in single-player it provides extra variety. Moira can also stun enemies with her flashlight and attack with a crowbar, while Natalia can sense enemies through walls and throw bricks.
Resources are truly limited in this game. Enemies no longer drop ammo, and even key items take up their own slots in the inventory, forcing you to micromanage who carries what. Youre encouraged to explore your environments thoroughly, and there are actual puzzles in this game more puzzles than RE4, RE5 and RE6 combined, which isnt saying much, but its still a welcome bit of variety.
There are long stretches where you wont run into any enemies, building suspense. And unlike RE5, the games score wont give away when enemies are on the prowl. The combat is tight, with a new sidestep move that allows you to deftly dodge your enemies. Some of the foes are truly terrifying. Theres an invisible monster that can kill you in one hit, and only Natalia can see it, forcing you to switch back and forth for reference points, or in co-op, to coordinate with the person playing Natalia (No, to your left! No, your other left!).
The games pacing is the best its been since RE4, and like RE4, it truly feels like an adventure, with hills and valleys, and one continuous journey where by the end you feel, Ive come far. And what you do with one set of characters will affect the other. For example, Claire and Moira will encounter a boss early on that they can run from or fight. If they run from it, Barry may have to deal with it later in the game; but if they fight it, Barry will gain access to new areas. The same goes for doors that Claire and Moira prop open, or traps that they disable. What you do with them will affect the people looking for them, creating shortcuts and alternate routes.
Thematically, the game references the works of Franz Kafka, and in terms of RE lore, some of the most compelling developments in recent years take place here. This is a must-play for fans. Theyll also get their moneys worth: Raid Mode is brilliant and incredibly addictive, both in single-player or local/online co-op. There is a huge volume of content here to enjoy.
GAF consensus was incredibly positive. RER2 is just a wonderful game, and I hope they make a third one.
SEVENTH PLACE
Batman: Arkham Knight (PS4/Xbone/PC/PS3/X360)
Rocksteady Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
I love the Arkham series, and Arkham Knight is my favorite. The reason is twofold: Gotham City, and the Batmobile. Lets talk about the Batmobile first.
The Arkham games pride themselves on being Batman simulators, distilling the Caped Crusader to his essence. They nail Batmans unique brand of combat, stealth and sleuthing with the Freeflow, Predator and Detective systems, respectively. They nail his movement with a mix of parkour, grappling and gliding. But what about when Batman is up against sterner stuff unmanned drones and other heavy artillery, or a runaway car moving faster than he can fly? Thats where the final piece of the Batman puzzle comes into play: The Batmobile.
Similar in appearance to the Tumbler from the Nolan movies, and featuring two modes (Pursuit and Battle), the Batmobile is a beast. You can perch atop a gargoyle in the pouring rain and dive headfirst toward the pavement, and the Batmobile will come speeding around the corner like an excited puppy to catch you in the knick of time. Itll shoot knockout rounds at thugs you throw in the air, swat aside rioters with a shock shield, flip a fleeing car in slow-motion with a heat-seeking rocket, and plow through the corners of buildings or even concrete pillars as you race from one end of the evacuated city to the other. The neon-saturated scenery rushes by in an indecipherable blur as you launch off ramps, race across rooftops and dive into underground tunnels, speeding up walls and across ceilings like F-Zero. Its a power trip, plain and simple, and I love it.
Then theres Battle Mode. GAF seemed down on it, and Im not sure why. Since you can see where enemies are about to shoot, you can prioritize which way to dash, lending battles a balletic feeling similar to on-foot fights. Dashing sideways past a cannon round and nailing an enemy drone with a shot of your own is super-satisfying, especially the way drones *pop* like a pinata stuffed with fireworks. And gunning down rockets with your turret, shocking drones with EMP and hijacking them to fight on your side adds variety to battles. Its good stuff but make sure you switch Battle Mode to toggle so you dont have to hold a button.
The Arkham games are my favorite take on Batman, balancing Nolans heightened realism with Schumachers flamboyance and Burtons darkness, and plenty of 90s childhood nostalgia from The Animated Series. Arkham Knight captures all of this with a thoroughness and attention to detail that is frankly unbelievable at times. Despite its sprawling size, Gotham City is painstakingly detailed, inside and out. And the atmosphere! I cant get enough of how each drop of rain is lit up by the neon signage, or the way ocean waves crash against the boardwalks. Adding life to the city are stellar performances by the entire cast, especially a character who I wont spoil, but who is simply the best hes ever been. People who have played the game know what I mean.
If Arkham Knight is truly the end of Rocksteadys Batman, they went out on a hell of a high hote.
SIXTH PLACE
Transformers: Devastation (PS4/Xbone/PC/PS3/X360)
PlatinumGames, Activision
Let me tell you about Devastator. Hes a Combiner one supersized robot made from six smaller Constructicons (which, you may deduce, are construction-themed). This being a game by Platinum, a.k.a. one of the greatest developers on the planet, its not surprising youre punching far above your weight when just 10 minutes into the game you encounter Devastator. Remember, Platinum is the same studio that started out Bayonetta 2 with you fighting atop jets hurtling through New York City, culminating in a battle against Gomorrah scaling a skyscraper, King Kong-style. Youve barely figured out the controls and youre already fighting someone who would be the final boss in most other games.
So heres Devastator, who peeks over the rooftops like Tim Allens neighbor behind the fence in Home Improvement before dropping down onto the street ready for battle. You duck and weave in and out of his far-reaching attacks, triggering the games equivalent of Bayonettas Witch Time, focusing Optimus Prime so he can unleash a flurry of attacks on Devastators arms and legs. The massive robot shudders with each hit, conveying the impact of your attacks without toppling him completely. And when Devastator punts Prime into the third floor of a building on the opposite end of the street, you feel the impact, too.
Its this trading of blows and their corresponding feedback that make the high-speed combat of Transformers: Devastation so fun. The phrase rock em sock em robots is perfectly apt here. The gorgeous cel-shaded graphics and flashy effects are clean and articulate the action perfectly so that you can follow every well-telegraphed move. Its this readability, combined with the fluidity of the controls that allows you to quickly pull off amazing moves against enemies that are almost intimidating in their size, speed, and vast reserves of health.
For example, a short ways into the fight against Devastator, youre already turning into a truck mid-air and driving into Devastators chest, a combo finisher you trigger with the tap of a button. The way the truck revs its engine before launching forward is like the tension and release of a slingshot. Or perhaps youll leap sideways through the air firing your guns in slow-motion, Max Payne-style. The game features a loot system where you acquire and create progressively stronger weapons, and its perfectly viable to focus on firearms instead of melee weapons. The game is flexible enough to be both a brawler and a shooter, and to do both well.
In between battles youll get well-paced palate cleansers in the form of platforming, racing, turret defense and more. Past Platinum titles have been prone to excess when it comes to genre shifts, but in Devastation they find the right balance. The downtime provides contrast to the many frenetic battles to come, including an epic team-based battle at the end that is one of my all-time favorite set-pieces in a Platinum title, and thus videogames in general.
I am not a Transformers fan, although the 90s nostalgia like Arkham Knight with Batman: The Animated Series is not lost on me. Its a charming world with a loveable cast of noble Autobots and goofy Decepticons, and the spray-on tans of Megan Fox are nowhere to be found. Be sure to pick this up, because this is Platinum quality, through and through.
FIFTH PLACE
Splatoon (WiiU)
Nintendo EAD, Nintendo
Splatoon is the freshest shooter in years. Its the first new character-driven IP from Nintendo EAD since Pikmin in 2001. And you get the impression theyve been hankering to create something new because they go all-out with Splatoon. Here they manage to breathe new life into a tired genre, and they do so with style.
This is a shooter where its just as productive to miss your target as it is to land a clean headshot. This is because youre shooting ink, and the goal is to cover as much turf in your teams color as possible. The more ink you lay down, the more youll hinder foes by restricting their mobility, and the more youll empower your team with an amazing degree of locomotion.
At any time, your Inkling can change from a kid to a squid and back again. As a kid, you spread ink with your primary, sub and special weapons. When you run out of ink, you can turn into a squid and submerge yourself in your ink to refill your weapons. You travel super-fast while swimming in your own ink, and you can jump greater distances, too. But thats just the start.
If you ink a trail up a wall, you can swim up the wall in squid form and ambush a sniper picking off people from above. As a squid, you can slip through grates and chain-link fences. You can also lay low, rendered invisible in your own ink so long as you dont move and betray your location with a telltale series of ripples.
In kid form, you aim with KBM-like precision via gyro-enhanced controls; you can turn off the motion sensors if you wish and play it like a dual-analog shooter, but you might struggle against other players using gyro. The controls work beautifully, affording you pinpoint precision with simple tilts of the controller.
The squids, meanwhile, move with unfettered freedom through their own ink, skimming along like a subsurface torpedo. The sounds they make are so satisfying, like the ker-plunk when you dunk into a pool far below. It sounds like a golf ball landing in a lake!
The ink itself is conveyed with convincing viscosity, congealing around corners and gleaming in the light. If you cant quite splat your opponent, you can try inking the ground at their feet to bog them down in hazardous muck. Then you can dance around your prey as they try to slip away. Ink as a projectile is also brilliant in how you can see it being shot around corners, tipping you off to danger. Theres also something pleasing about how you can see the arc of its trajectory, the ink fanning out and landing with a splash. You can see the coverage of the ink changing in real-time via a top-down map on the GamePad, and you can rocket-jump to any location simply by tapping on the touchscreen.
The game launched with a solid selection of maps but has rapidly ballooned into something several times its original size with the promised rollout of free updates not only new maps, but entire new modes and a huge variety of weapons and gear. The game also feels lively and ever-changing by way of its central plaza, Inkopolis, where the custom avatars of other players stroll about with speech bubbles overhead, showing their Miiverse messages and drawings. It creates an inviting sense of community, especially during special events.
There are also memorable new characters like the shopkeepers, including my favorite, Crusty Sean the Tiger Prawn, purveyor of Shrimp Kicks. He sports a fried tempura jacket and wears a sneaker on each of his many feet. This same creativity extends to the story mode, with the rival race of Octarians trying to pilfer the Inklings power supply. Their underground lair exhibits the same level of outlandish creativity seen in the Super Mario Galaxy games.
You can ink sponge blocks to expand them into climbable platforms; shoot propellers to move elevators up and down; ink invisible pathways or create ink rails to zip along. Theres a strong sense of forward momentum as you delve deeper into the world of Octo Valley, culminating in one of the best final bosses ever, one that skill-checks everything youve learned in the campaign.
And then theres the infectiously catchy music, the bright and colorful graphics, and the way all of the single-player and multiplayer offerings tie together in the same virtual space, explained by the post-apocalyptic lore. Splatoon is downright inspired a game of strong vision and timeless gameplay and an instant classic.
FOURTH PLACE
Super Mario Maker (WiiU)
Nintendo EAD, Nintendo
Super Mario Maker is my favorite 2D Mario. To my delight, the controls are the best theyve ever been. Its also my favorite use of the GamePad.
Its a powerful level editor where you pick from one of four styles (the original Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. U, all in lovely HD) and two of six themes (grassland, underground, underwater, airship, ghost house and castle), and proceed to create an honest-to-goodness Mario stage
...or perhaps youll make a shoot-em-up. Or a puzzler. Or a Metroidvania. Or an arcade game. Or a stealth game. Or an escort mission. Or a music level. Or a level that plays itself.
Its easy to experiment because youre using the touchscreen to lay down elements and your palette is streamlined in a way that minimizes clutter. You could set down a green Koopa that walks off ledges and then decide you want a red Koopa that patrols back and forth instead. To get the red Koopa, simply shake the green Koopa with the stylus. Or maybe you want a supersized Koopa try dragging and dropping a Super Mushroom on it. Each element takes many forms, and the way you access them makes sense.
You can also rapidly iterate on your levels. Drag your stylus across the touchscreen and lay down 10 tiles of land. Now tap the Play button, run to the edge and jump. Youll fall down a pit and instantly pop back into Edit Mode. Now youll see a string of Marios tracing the path you ran and jumped. Its similar to the way Super Meat Boy shows each failed attempt. You can then study the trail of Marios and place platforms where needed. This allows you to perfect the flow of a Mario level, making it fun.
You can also mix and match classic elements in new ways. For example, a Chain Chomp in a Koopa Clown Car is the stuff of nightmares, lashing out from the pilots seat as the car stalks you across the map. All kinds of inventive combinations are possible. And once youve finalized your level, you can upload it for the world to play. Others can rate it, download it to keep, or comment on it to provide feedback. But you can only upload a level if youve beat it yourself!
You can check out my own levels here. Its a game of infinite content and infinite potential, where the act of creation is just as fun as the act of playing.
In the next post, I will detail the third and second place winners. And then in the third post, I will detail my GOTY 2015.
------ PART ONE OF THREE ------
Click here for Part 2
Click here for Part 3
What a year! Gaming was great in 2015!
This is the first of three installments. Im starting with No. 10 and counting down to No. 1. This post will cover No. 10 through No. 4; the next post will cover No. 3 and No. 2; and the last post will cover my Game of the Year. The last post will also include the formatted Top 10 list, plus runners-up.
Lets begin, shall we?
TENTH PLACE
Yoshis Woolly World (WiiU)
Good-Feel, Nintendo
I only played Yoshis Woolly World in co-op. In fact, were still playing through it, having just arrived in the final world. Playing it from late in the evening through the wee hours of morning, once a week (or every other week), has kept the game fresh. That being said, I think the game would hold up fine in single-player, as well.
The game lives up to the name of its developer Good-Feel with tight and responsive controls that allow you to flutter-jump with precision while lining up an egg shot (read: yarn ball) against a moving target. And dont let the adorable looks deceive you: If youre going for the many collectibles hidden in each stage (including five Wonder Wools per level, each netting you a new Yoshi skin), youll find yourself doing some fancy maneuvering in order to survive the more hectic stages.
Its a handcrafted world, so floors made out of cushions deform under Yoshis feet, walls unravel when Yoshi tugs on a loose strand, and warp pipes stitch together when he throws a yarn ball at their outline. One of my favorite touches is using a yarn ball to muzzle a Piranha Plant! Cute details abound, such as the fifth world with its cotton snow, sequin crystals and poof-ball hats for mountains.
Each level is defined by an inventive gimmick, and layered with secrets. Walls disappear to reveal hidden passages, and conspicuously empty corners contain invisible items. OCD people will suffer immensely trying to find the five Wonder Wools, five flowers and 20 Miiverse stamps in each level. But you dont have to get them all in one go, and there are optional badges that can help you find them.
It also helps to play in co-op for a second set of eyes. Of all the Nintendo games Ive played in co-op, this one is the most accommodating. Theres no time limit or limited number of lives, so you and your companion can relax and thoroughly explore each level. One can also turn their partner into an extra yarn ball when theyre out of ammo or want to toss them to an out-of-reach place. A bit maddening when you keep doing this to each other (maliciously or accidentally), but very useful!
Also, the game is GORGEOUS. Screens dont do it justice.
NINTH PLACE
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse (WiiU)
HAL Laboratory, Nintendo
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse makes me happy. Every time I play this game, Ill listen to the title screen music (genre: Mario Kart 64?) and watch the attract loop that sets up the characters motivation (namely, Kirby decides to roll around like a ball because he likes apples).
The art direction is in a class all its own. The entire game is sculpted out of clay you can even see the fingerprints and theres a malleable quality to the world that is heightened by the fact youre touching it via the GamePads touchscreen. You use the stylus to draw rainbow rope lines on which ball-shaped Kirby can roll along and dash, traveling in the direction you draw. These lines can also temporarily block waterfalls, shield against lasers, dissolve sand and more.
Tapping Kirby will also cause him to dash forward, shattering blocks and defeating enemies. Theres a punchy quality to this that I love. Like when you go against Whispy Woods, he sprouts vines that blossom into thorny bulbs, and you must weave between them while gathering stars. Once you have sufficient starpower, you can use a super-powered version of your dash attack and rocket into Whispys face, forming a colossal impact crater as you tap Kirby to drill harder.
Going into this game, I worried that the eye-popping colors and richly detailed worlds would lose their appeal on the GamePads touchscreen, which is where youll be looking most of the time since you need to draw there to play. (Multiplayer allows other players controlling Waddle Dees to play on the TV.) Im happy to report that the game also looks great on the GamePad, retaining its color and clarity.
Also, I didnt play Canvas Curse on the DS, the only other game to feature these mechanics. Im pleasantly surprised by how easy this game is to play once you learn that 1) the direction you draw is the direction Kirby rolls, 2) tapping Kirby makes him build momentum, and 3) you can cancel out existing lines by drawing over them. Youll find yourself pulling off neat tricks like speeding up ramps to launch through no rope zones. And the levels are perfectly paced, gating progress with proper skill checks that organically teach without feeling like tutorials.
I must also praise the collectibles, most notably the figure gallery. Every game should have a model viewer, and trust me this one delivers!
EIGHTH PLACE
Resident Evil Revelations 2 (PS4/Xbone/PC/PS3/X360)
Capcom, Capcom
Resident Evil Revelations 2 was the biggest surprise of the year. The game looked bland in preview coverage, but the final product simply works. The episodic structure is strong and tells a legitimately intriguing tale that feels old-school Resident Evil, through and through. By the end of the game I loved all four of the main characters especially the highly quotable Barry and his equally quotable daughter, Moira.
The setting an island in the former Soviet Union is a character in itself, recalling the cold desolation of RE4s Spain, with a prison full of torture devices, a lumberyard in a dark forest, a fishing village by the sea, a Chernobyl-esque city, mining quarries and more. The final settings and the finale, in general are delicious in their atmosphere, and I dare not spoil them.
But note that there are two endings, and you want the good one. The good ending is straight-up the best in the series. When you reach the end of Claires Chapter 3, and theres a moment where youre reaching for her gun make sure you switch to Moira, crawl forward and shoot. This will put you on the right path.
The story bounces back and forth between two sets of characters Claire and Moira, stranded on the island, and Barry and Natalia, who are looking for them. Each pairing is asymmetrical in ability, with Claire and Barry handling the fighting while Moira and Natalia find supplies. This is perfect for co-op when youre playing with less experienced players, and in single-player it provides extra variety. Moira can also stun enemies with her flashlight and attack with a crowbar, while Natalia can sense enemies through walls and throw bricks.
Resources are truly limited in this game. Enemies no longer drop ammo, and even key items take up their own slots in the inventory, forcing you to micromanage who carries what. Youre encouraged to explore your environments thoroughly, and there are actual puzzles in this game more puzzles than RE4, RE5 and RE6 combined, which isnt saying much, but its still a welcome bit of variety.
There are long stretches where you wont run into any enemies, building suspense. And unlike RE5, the games score wont give away when enemies are on the prowl. The combat is tight, with a new sidestep move that allows you to deftly dodge your enemies. Some of the foes are truly terrifying. Theres an invisible monster that can kill you in one hit, and only Natalia can see it, forcing you to switch back and forth for reference points, or in co-op, to coordinate with the person playing Natalia (No, to your left! No, your other left!).
The games pacing is the best its been since RE4, and like RE4, it truly feels like an adventure, with hills and valleys, and one continuous journey where by the end you feel, Ive come far. And what you do with one set of characters will affect the other. For example, Claire and Moira will encounter a boss early on that they can run from or fight. If they run from it, Barry may have to deal with it later in the game; but if they fight it, Barry will gain access to new areas. The same goes for doors that Claire and Moira prop open, or traps that they disable. What you do with them will affect the people looking for them, creating shortcuts and alternate routes.
Thematically, the game references the works of Franz Kafka, and in terms of RE lore, some of the most compelling developments in recent years take place here. This is a must-play for fans. Theyll also get their moneys worth: Raid Mode is brilliant and incredibly addictive, both in single-player or local/online co-op. There is a huge volume of content here to enjoy.
GAF consensus was incredibly positive. RER2 is just a wonderful game, and I hope they make a third one.
SEVENTH PLACE
Batman: Arkham Knight (PS4/Xbone/PC/PS3/X360)
Rocksteady Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
I love the Arkham series, and Arkham Knight is my favorite. The reason is twofold: Gotham City, and the Batmobile. Lets talk about the Batmobile first.
The Arkham games pride themselves on being Batman simulators, distilling the Caped Crusader to his essence. They nail Batmans unique brand of combat, stealth and sleuthing with the Freeflow, Predator and Detective systems, respectively. They nail his movement with a mix of parkour, grappling and gliding. But what about when Batman is up against sterner stuff unmanned drones and other heavy artillery, or a runaway car moving faster than he can fly? Thats where the final piece of the Batman puzzle comes into play: The Batmobile.
Similar in appearance to the Tumbler from the Nolan movies, and featuring two modes (Pursuit and Battle), the Batmobile is a beast. You can perch atop a gargoyle in the pouring rain and dive headfirst toward the pavement, and the Batmobile will come speeding around the corner like an excited puppy to catch you in the knick of time. Itll shoot knockout rounds at thugs you throw in the air, swat aside rioters with a shock shield, flip a fleeing car in slow-motion with a heat-seeking rocket, and plow through the corners of buildings or even concrete pillars as you race from one end of the evacuated city to the other. The neon-saturated scenery rushes by in an indecipherable blur as you launch off ramps, race across rooftops and dive into underground tunnels, speeding up walls and across ceilings like F-Zero. Its a power trip, plain and simple, and I love it.
Then theres Battle Mode. GAF seemed down on it, and Im not sure why. Since you can see where enemies are about to shoot, you can prioritize which way to dash, lending battles a balletic feeling similar to on-foot fights. Dashing sideways past a cannon round and nailing an enemy drone with a shot of your own is super-satisfying, especially the way drones *pop* like a pinata stuffed with fireworks. And gunning down rockets with your turret, shocking drones with EMP and hijacking them to fight on your side adds variety to battles. Its good stuff but make sure you switch Battle Mode to toggle so you dont have to hold a button.
The Arkham games are my favorite take on Batman, balancing Nolans heightened realism with Schumachers flamboyance and Burtons darkness, and plenty of 90s childhood nostalgia from The Animated Series. Arkham Knight captures all of this with a thoroughness and attention to detail that is frankly unbelievable at times. Despite its sprawling size, Gotham City is painstakingly detailed, inside and out. And the atmosphere! I cant get enough of how each drop of rain is lit up by the neon signage, or the way ocean waves crash against the boardwalks. Adding life to the city are stellar performances by the entire cast, especially a character who I wont spoil, but who is simply the best hes ever been. People who have played the game know what I mean.
If Arkham Knight is truly the end of Rocksteadys Batman, they went out on a hell of a high hote.
SIXTH PLACE
Transformers: Devastation (PS4/Xbone/PC/PS3/X360)
PlatinumGames, Activision
Let me tell you about Devastator. Hes a Combiner one supersized robot made from six smaller Constructicons (which, you may deduce, are construction-themed). This being a game by Platinum, a.k.a. one of the greatest developers on the planet, its not surprising youre punching far above your weight when just 10 minutes into the game you encounter Devastator. Remember, Platinum is the same studio that started out Bayonetta 2 with you fighting atop jets hurtling through New York City, culminating in a battle against Gomorrah scaling a skyscraper, King Kong-style. Youve barely figured out the controls and youre already fighting someone who would be the final boss in most other games.
So heres Devastator, who peeks over the rooftops like Tim Allens neighbor behind the fence in Home Improvement before dropping down onto the street ready for battle. You duck and weave in and out of his far-reaching attacks, triggering the games equivalent of Bayonettas Witch Time, focusing Optimus Prime so he can unleash a flurry of attacks on Devastators arms and legs. The massive robot shudders with each hit, conveying the impact of your attacks without toppling him completely. And when Devastator punts Prime into the third floor of a building on the opposite end of the street, you feel the impact, too.
Its this trading of blows and their corresponding feedback that make the high-speed combat of Transformers: Devastation so fun. The phrase rock em sock em robots is perfectly apt here. The gorgeous cel-shaded graphics and flashy effects are clean and articulate the action perfectly so that you can follow every well-telegraphed move. Its this readability, combined with the fluidity of the controls that allows you to quickly pull off amazing moves against enemies that are almost intimidating in their size, speed, and vast reserves of health.
For example, a short ways into the fight against Devastator, youre already turning into a truck mid-air and driving into Devastators chest, a combo finisher you trigger with the tap of a button. The way the truck revs its engine before launching forward is like the tension and release of a slingshot. Or perhaps youll leap sideways through the air firing your guns in slow-motion, Max Payne-style. The game features a loot system where you acquire and create progressively stronger weapons, and its perfectly viable to focus on firearms instead of melee weapons. The game is flexible enough to be both a brawler and a shooter, and to do both well.
In between battles youll get well-paced palate cleansers in the form of platforming, racing, turret defense and more. Past Platinum titles have been prone to excess when it comes to genre shifts, but in Devastation they find the right balance. The downtime provides contrast to the many frenetic battles to come, including an epic team-based battle at the end that is one of my all-time favorite set-pieces in a Platinum title, and thus videogames in general.
I am not a Transformers fan, although the 90s nostalgia like Arkham Knight with Batman: The Animated Series is not lost on me. Its a charming world with a loveable cast of noble Autobots and goofy Decepticons, and the spray-on tans of Megan Fox are nowhere to be found. Be sure to pick this up, because this is Platinum quality, through and through.
FIFTH PLACE
Splatoon (WiiU)
Nintendo EAD, Nintendo
Splatoon is the freshest shooter in years. Its the first new character-driven IP from Nintendo EAD since Pikmin in 2001. And you get the impression theyve been hankering to create something new because they go all-out with Splatoon. Here they manage to breathe new life into a tired genre, and they do so with style.
This is a shooter where its just as productive to miss your target as it is to land a clean headshot. This is because youre shooting ink, and the goal is to cover as much turf in your teams color as possible. The more ink you lay down, the more youll hinder foes by restricting their mobility, and the more youll empower your team with an amazing degree of locomotion.
At any time, your Inkling can change from a kid to a squid and back again. As a kid, you spread ink with your primary, sub and special weapons. When you run out of ink, you can turn into a squid and submerge yourself in your ink to refill your weapons. You travel super-fast while swimming in your own ink, and you can jump greater distances, too. But thats just the start.
If you ink a trail up a wall, you can swim up the wall in squid form and ambush a sniper picking off people from above. As a squid, you can slip through grates and chain-link fences. You can also lay low, rendered invisible in your own ink so long as you dont move and betray your location with a telltale series of ripples.
In kid form, you aim with KBM-like precision via gyro-enhanced controls; you can turn off the motion sensors if you wish and play it like a dual-analog shooter, but you might struggle against other players using gyro. The controls work beautifully, affording you pinpoint precision with simple tilts of the controller.
The squids, meanwhile, move with unfettered freedom through their own ink, skimming along like a subsurface torpedo. The sounds they make are so satisfying, like the ker-plunk when you dunk into a pool far below. It sounds like a golf ball landing in a lake!
The ink itself is conveyed with convincing viscosity, congealing around corners and gleaming in the light. If you cant quite splat your opponent, you can try inking the ground at their feet to bog them down in hazardous muck. Then you can dance around your prey as they try to slip away. Ink as a projectile is also brilliant in how you can see it being shot around corners, tipping you off to danger. Theres also something pleasing about how you can see the arc of its trajectory, the ink fanning out and landing with a splash. You can see the coverage of the ink changing in real-time via a top-down map on the GamePad, and you can rocket-jump to any location simply by tapping on the touchscreen.
The game launched with a solid selection of maps but has rapidly ballooned into something several times its original size with the promised rollout of free updates not only new maps, but entire new modes and a huge variety of weapons and gear. The game also feels lively and ever-changing by way of its central plaza, Inkopolis, where the custom avatars of other players stroll about with speech bubbles overhead, showing their Miiverse messages and drawings. It creates an inviting sense of community, especially during special events.
There are also memorable new characters like the shopkeepers, including my favorite, Crusty Sean the Tiger Prawn, purveyor of Shrimp Kicks. He sports a fried tempura jacket and wears a sneaker on each of his many feet. This same creativity extends to the story mode, with the rival race of Octarians trying to pilfer the Inklings power supply. Their underground lair exhibits the same level of outlandish creativity seen in the Super Mario Galaxy games.
You can ink sponge blocks to expand them into climbable platforms; shoot propellers to move elevators up and down; ink invisible pathways or create ink rails to zip along. Theres a strong sense of forward momentum as you delve deeper into the world of Octo Valley, culminating in one of the best final bosses ever, one that skill-checks everything youve learned in the campaign.
And then theres the infectiously catchy music, the bright and colorful graphics, and the way all of the single-player and multiplayer offerings tie together in the same virtual space, explained by the post-apocalyptic lore. Splatoon is downright inspired a game of strong vision and timeless gameplay and an instant classic.
FOURTH PLACE
Super Mario Maker (WiiU)
Nintendo EAD, Nintendo
Super Mario Maker is my favorite 2D Mario. To my delight, the controls are the best theyve ever been. Its also my favorite use of the GamePad.
Its a powerful level editor where you pick from one of four styles (the original Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. U, all in lovely HD) and two of six themes (grassland, underground, underwater, airship, ghost house and castle), and proceed to create an honest-to-goodness Mario stage
...or perhaps youll make a shoot-em-up. Or a puzzler. Or a Metroidvania. Or an arcade game. Or a stealth game. Or an escort mission. Or a music level. Or a level that plays itself.
Its easy to experiment because youre using the touchscreen to lay down elements and your palette is streamlined in a way that minimizes clutter. You could set down a green Koopa that walks off ledges and then decide you want a red Koopa that patrols back and forth instead. To get the red Koopa, simply shake the green Koopa with the stylus. Or maybe you want a supersized Koopa try dragging and dropping a Super Mushroom on it. Each element takes many forms, and the way you access them makes sense.
You can also rapidly iterate on your levels. Drag your stylus across the touchscreen and lay down 10 tiles of land. Now tap the Play button, run to the edge and jump. Youll fall down a pit and instantly pop back into Edit Mode. Now youll see a string of Marios tracing the path you ran and jumped. Its similar to the way Super Meat Boy shows each failed attempt. You can then study the trail of Marios and place platforms where needed. This allows you to perfect the flow of a Mario level, making it fun.
You can also mix and match classic elements in new ways. For example, a Chain Chomp in a Koopa Clown Car is the stuff of nightmares, lashing out from the pilots seat as the car stalks you across the map. All kinds of inventive combinations are possible. And once youve finalized your level, you can upload it for the world to play. Others can rate it, download it to keep, or comment on it to provide feedback. But you can only upload a level if youve beat it yourself!
You can check out my own levels here. Its a game of infinite content and infinite potential, where the act of creation is just as fun as the act of playing.
In the next post, I will detail the third and second place winners. And then in the third post, I will detail my GOTY 2015.