Hello, and welcome to Part two of the Geek Versus side Quest Game of
the Year. Just Dylan here, and what I'm going to be doing is
walking you through the three recordings that we have here for Kirkland, Travis,
and Taylor sharing their game of the year. They all kind of did roughly
a top five, so we're going to get through that. But I just
wanted to show it a couple things first off, which first here is that
this is the last side Quest that I'm recording in the year of twenty twenty
three. Because next week's episode, which is the ranking of the best Snow
Slash Winter levels of all time, Me and Kirkland recorded that a few weeks
ago, so you could have got that early. You can still get it
early up there on Patreon early and ad free of course, as all of
our stuff is get the exclusive feed there. And yeah, so that's what
next week's episode. So this is the last one that I'll be recording for
the year. And with that, I wanted to just thank everyone for listening
to side Quest in this year. You know, this is still pretty early
in terms of the side Quest era of the podcast. This is only year
two, and I feel like it took how do I say, like a
bit of a pivot from the first year. The first year, I feel
like the focus for me was trying to get like so much coverage of the
big news things that were going on, as many game reviews for new things
as I possibly could. I even brought in some guests and different things like
this. But I feel like in the second year here changed it up a
bit more and I tried to put the focus more on just video games in
general. That might sound generic, but what I mean is not necessarily focusing
on just the newest releases. Part of that is if you listen to part
one, you know I wasn't necessarily as hyped on some of the newer releases
this year. But also you know, we went through did the entire arc
in retrospect and try to talk more about some games off the backlog, some
older games, and I really like that, and I really want that to
be kind of the focus of side quests going forward. And so even with
the intro where I say, you know, welcome to you for side questskly
South free to game news reviews and more, I think I'm going to change
that new year, and I'm going to at least remove the news section of
that. Not that we're not going to cover news. We still will.
I just feel like it took a backseat in these past few months and I
don't really want that to be the focus of the show. Of course,
if there's a big news thing, we'll talk about it, and of course
showcases and all those things still those of course A're gonna be covered every Nintendo
Direct. That stuff is super fun. But in terms of the day to
day news within the industry, I don't think that's necessarily what Side Coasts will
be going forward, just really just focused on the games we're playing, the
games that we want to talk about, rankings, more retrospectives. Definitely have
some good plans for retrospectives in the new year. So that's that's kind of
roughly how I look at it. But I'm curious to hear from all of
you who've been listening for the last year or two years, or you know,
if you're an old old classic GV listener since the OG days, what
do you want to see from side Quest next year? If there's any very
specific rankings you want to see, or any specific games that are coming out
that you want coverage of. Reviews. Whatever it is, let me know,
or you know, if there's a type of content that you like that
we do. Maybe you do want more news, Do you want me to
make sure I'm still focusing on that and I can definitely make that happen,
or you know, if you want to see, because I feel like also
in year one of side Quests, I brought in some guests and I had
Dante was around a lot more. He did more of the arcane retrospective stuff.
Of course this year, but yeah, I feel like for this year
is mostly just the core GB crew here is. Do you like it that
way? Do you want me to try and bring more guests and get more
varied voices in here. I can definitely work to do some more of that.
So whatever it is, let me know whether that's you know, join
our discord. I think we're gonna be putting up a poll or like a
Google form pole that we always do, where you can go in and not
just for side Quest, but for all of our geek for shows, and
that's a good way to get that info cross or just leaving in YouTube comment,
leaving a nice five star review. We want to help out side Quest
in that way. Patreon post wherever you want to put it. You put
your thoughts there and I will absolutely make sure I find them. So yeah,
let's get into the Game of the Year stuff. Of course, last
week I did my top sixteen Games of the Year, and then this episode
we are going to be going through starting with Travis here, So let's let's
kick it over to Travis and we'll hear from him with his well he really
he picked a game of the year and then kind of a list of vulnerable
mentions. So let's hear from Travis. Hello, side questers. I don't
think you've ever been called that, and probably should be called it again,
but it's that time of the air, right, big thank you to Dylan
for putting this together because he's the man, the myth, a legend that
plays all these video games, has the coverage on a bunch of them.
You know, we're just the we're the side quest but a coup. We're
like, oh we played this, played this, and stuff like that.
So a big shout to him because you know, check out all his Game
the Year coverage if you're listening this year off, we are, because it's
it's good stuff. That's the real deep dive. We're the I'll say MC
casual definitely nowadays in my older age. And that's why my game in the
year I don't got one. I'm jokin. I was just gonna maybe leave
it there for a few seconds, see if there's drama. No. This
year, it's it's been interesting because I've played. I feel like it's been
a lower year. I feel like at the maybe whether it was the summer
or something. I think there's a bunch of games in a row, but
lots of were like, oh, I bought a wrestling game, I bought
this game. Games that were not really you know, we luckily talked about
here like Texas Shainsaw, but nothing. And that's where I will say for
my game the year this this year, there's nothing that jumps out right away.
It's like this is for sure it even last year as I'm thinking about
it, I can't think about it, but like, uh, it was
Midnight Suns and oh I think it was that one ring, right, And
that's where it's like, literally that I wish there were different years, because
literally that is two games that I don't know if Ellen Rings in my top
ten or Midnight Suns, but they'd be in a top fifty, top twenty
five, like even el Ring. I could make a case for it right
a couple of years ago Destranding. So there's times where even if it's like
like Midnight Suns or elm Ring, where it's not the you know, in
my top five or whatnot, it's like a very strong Okay, this is
one of my favorite games. I feel like I haven't had that this year,
so that's why it's weird. And even then there's some years where it's
like you feel very strongly if like movies, TV shows, was like,
oh, there's nothing that is at all time, but I know for a
fact there's a bullet here. Last year is a two horse race, this
one. There's a couple that I'll shout out and I will pick a game
the year, but I'll pick it for probably a different sort of reason.
But first probably shout Starfield. So I guess I got like a Mount Rushmore.
That's where I am. But there's still like a number one of the
Mount Rushmore. But Starfield's definitely the game I probably played the most, other
than Call Duty with the Boys of My Lovely Gal. Yeah, that's a
game that had Game of the Year and that's where I say, like,
I have Game the Year, but it's just like a ranking. It's not
like a blowaway. It had game year qualities. If you listen to the
Spoilers cast, there was the back half and the new game, plus that
is a all time or sort of thing. So there was moments, but
alsoly there's glitches, some issues me and they'll went over some stuff sometimes stretches
of oh, you know, not the great stuff happening here, even though
as I talk about it, I oh, I haven't played a while.
I should jump back in because I played a lot of and I was like
done done, But I'm kind of waiting till I finished the GV movie edit
and then I'm gonna play some games. But there's Boulders Game. That's why
for me, there's a lot of the top games like Boulders Gate and Alan
Wake that right in my alley that I just didn't have time this year.
You know, they got caught win At the time when they came out,
I was like, I've already planned out my life. But Starfield had some
Game of the Year moments, some Game the Year mechanics. It didn't quite
get there because it feels like there's always like a little bit missing. I
think me and d don't talk about thanking like an eight out of ten somewhere
there. So it's just like there's just little aspects that it didn't all come
together, but still had a great time, and I think it had some
of my favorite moments in video games for sure, my whole life. I'm
thirty now, you know, I'm getting up there. But there's some things
where it's like, oh, I always remember this quest or I always remember
this sort of twist on the story. So I really enjoyed that. So
a show to Starfield. The other one just a mini show out because me
and Don just talked about But Super Mario RBG I've yet to be yet still,
but I have obviously been in the past. I haven't beat this new
version, but that was just like the perfect slice of the nostalgia. I
think it's the same. It kind of has that spot where a couple of
years ago when we had Super Mario Party, I don't think I could call
that my game the Year, but just the game the year that kind of
brought a smile to my face, which Mario Party does, and lots of
times the Mario games do that. Was Mario RPG. It's scratching itch.
It reminded me of what I loved it brought. It just is like if
your grandma made these great cookies and you haven't had them for years and she
bakes them and you even like, oh, these are the exact same,
if not a little bit better, you know, And that's what Mario RBG
was for me. It was you know, it was perfect. The game's
not perfect. There's some things about that are like you can tell it's an
older game and things have gone past it. It's not something like A Night's
Whole Republic where effect oh, you could remake that changed some things and it
could still hold up. This fits in a nice, perfect little spot.
It's like a chicken soup. Lots of food reference right now, chicken soup
for the soul. That's what my RPG was. It's a fun time.
It's a game that I have dabbled in. Everyone's well because it's great that
you can go, oh, I'm just gonna kill half of our forty five
minutes, you know. I think that's when I'll probably finish near the end
of the year, just because I got a long list. That's so I'm
happy that there's more bigger games come out, maybe in the back half of
twenty twenty four, because there's lots of things I want to do. But
yeah, so that was just a nice Inchcrat had a good time Spider Man
two, same thing. I have my issues as always, the story always
is a little lackluster. There's aspects of it that's maybe a little shorter,
like it all depends how you play with like me and Kirkham said that there's
certain aspects if you do streamline, do just feel like it goes by quite
quick. I think it's just that it is better. It's just not as
I was hoping for that Arkham Asylum to Arkham City better with story everything.
But it's tough, right because you have the same writers and I think they've
shown what they can kind of do there. And I still feel this story
is a little bit better, and there's not much because it's like, well,
you're playing New York, but a bigger New York. But that still
is like it's still more Spider Man. And I loved the first Spider Man,
you know, Like I know that's a debate and of all sit there's
been funds of debate between that and Balder's Gayle fun for some people, some
people get too worked up, but it's just like for me, it is
a it's a great time game. It's it's adrenaline game. If Starfield is
the adventure game of the year, just like oh, ideas, fun thing's
happening, and then Super Mario RPG's did the nostalogia. This is the action
adventure game. This is the game that is the adrenaline, the blood pumping,
having a good time. Like even just as we talked about many times
the first game with this game, if it was just a Spider Man web
Swinger simulator, we'd be, oh, this is perfect, you know,
And that's what this is. Where they've add some stuff. Sure they took
some things away, but they added enough where it's different and I had a
good time with it. Still there is a level in the back hat there.
When I was about that was a like a dream come true as a
comic fans like man, they nailed. They made this perfect. This was
fantastic all the way. So yeah, I think for me, it's we
talked about this before, where Spider Man is always going to be a certain
level. I think it's always gonna be that like if you got the s
tier games, it's always gonna be a tier. And there's nothing wrong with
that, you know. I think there's lots of people that, oh,
man, still it didn't evolve enough in this. It's like, of course,
yes, I do understand that, but at the same time, I'm
also just happy that I enjoyed the sequel a lot and like that. You
know, it was like a major step down or they didn't do any innovations,
they didn't add many suits like they Still people are putting their heart and
soul in this, and it still made me happy. You know, I
didn't walk away at the end of it being man, what a bummer.
And there's tons of games that happens, you know, like all the time.
There's some of the things you can be disappointed with, so it works
for that. So and then my final one and the number one, which
might sound kind of weird, but this is where I'll say, if I
have the Adrenaline game, I have the Nostalgia Chicken Soup game, I have
the Adventure Moments game. You know, this is the sentimental, fun family
game. And that's why I'm going on Super Mario Wonder because as we talked
about it's not reinventing the wheel. It's very similar to you know, whatever
they did for Weu, and they brought the switch as well. Of course,
yes you have new maps and a new world and Wonder effects. The
wond effects are great for me. This is just simply as when I think
about the video games this year, what I'm gonna be taking with me is
Wonder and that's where the same thing. It wouldn't be in my top Nintendo
games anything like that, but for what games are supposed to do, right,
bring you joy. Some of the best gaming experiences of my life have
been with my friends, whether it's Geek for his friends, other friends,
you know, like that's that's still the prime, you know, game Gauntlet,
like I love I do love a good Soulo game. Everyone knows,
like that's my jam. But at the end of the day too, it's
like I do love a soulser But if you got friends with all gaming and
joy, those are the moments Striker is Mayer party And now I'm having these
moments with Emily and my kids. You know, like when when that Wei
one came out, we didn't have kids. We were just moving in together
and I didn't have a job and it was great timing, fun story.
But yeah, for this was that. But it's like, now I'm playing
with my kids, so not only is the group activity, not only am
I kind of teaching them a getting to see them learn. It's just a
good time for the most part. You know, there's some levels they get
a little frustrated and it's a little too much, but that's part of parenting
as well. But yeah, that's where it's like for me, it's just
like that's the memory I'm gonna take from this to the most where that's where
maybe if there was a game that was just so good and that could be
Baller Skate and that could be Alan's Wake, and I will return that because
as Dylane said, like, oh, he'll be have to get some updates
for me because I know Ballder Skates come to Xbox, so I'm gonna try
it at some point, you know, play my version and team up with
them to talk about that. So I will maybe retroact me go, oh
yeah, that definitely was the game. But as far as why I played
in the year, what I'm gonna remember it's the moments I had with the
girls, the funny moments them laughing them, learning them, getting better at
things. You know, some things never getting better at, but eventually we'll
get there. And it's just like a it's a whole Obviously it's on purpose.
But the first thing I did with my dad, as far as video
gives ami and now, the first thing I did my dad hopefully you know,
he taught me to walk and everything first, but it was Mario.
It was that original Mario. And that's what we're doing here, and it's
like the it's the perfect game. That's what we're One thing I said on
the review, so I won't try to repeat it too much, but the
idea of the nabt or yoshi or certain tokens or coins whatever they are badges
Dad, that's they are badges where they definitely are skewing two more family or
younger kids. That's great because there's tons of games that you know, either,
especially for Gwen, who's you know, six down gonna be seven,
she's getting in that age where she still likes playing the young kids game like
the Paul Patrols and stuff, but you can tell she's starting to get more
like, Okay, I want more of a challenge. But then there's stuff
where you know, I thought I said this before in games on side quest
here where it's like, oh, I thought Lego, that'd be really good.
But the way the new Lagel games work, you have a camera yet
to move, it's like, oh, she's not ready that. So there's
lots of games right now where it's like, okay, this is too young
or too old. So the Mario Wondering somehow is like it's perfect. And
that's what what I appreciated about Mario Wonder is I can play that with my
kids and have a great time, have fun and taam mass and are playing
it two adults having a great time, Dylan MUD's playing it having a great
time. Like that's the thing where you know the camera, yes, can
be a little and like I said, you've never played Mario Wonder until you
have a four year old control in the camera. That is something that's the
most challenging. Fuck speed running part of my language. Playing it that way,
that is the most challenging. But that's what I do love about the
game is the versatility of it. It's not okay, we've made a Mario
game, but this is specifically four families because then we have and there's other
games like that right where you have that aspect that me and Emily can play
with them. But it's like like it's fun for us because we're playing with
our kids, right and teaching them. But it's just that it's like I
don't have fun playing the Paw Patrol game because it's just me moving a character
around, Like yeah, I can. Like they're very basic, you know,
two buns and analog stick, right this. That's what I love about
is that at the same time me and Emily were playing as adults still having
a good time, we got the kids with as who are learning playing having
good time. So that's why it might sound like a little thing. I
think only people with kids or younger you know, nieces, nephew's siblings stuff,
will appreciate that. Where the good thing is when me and Amily and
the kids go asleep, we can still play that game by ourselves, or
when we fish, we can still go back and go, Okay, we're
interested the hard ones. It's rare, like trying to find many games out
there and maybe like of course, like I haven't played it really at all.
It was like buying Craft and Fortnite. There's something that kind of do
that. But like Fortnite, that's like a really more solo game. I'm
not sure Minecraft would it be like with the whole family. The fact that
Mario Wonder can be a game for adults four kids, have varying levels and
still be accessible as like a group. You know, it's not one of
those things where yeah, Fortnite, we're gonna play, but you're not playing
as four people at the same time. I might be telling my ass I
don't know, but you get what I mean. That's sort of working togetherness.
It just does a lot of things, and that's a very small genre.
It's the way we talk about like couch cold and not being a dying
thing. Right, that's this is that's one thing that luckily I have older
games. I've kept some consoles, but there's not a lot of couch co
op games out there, especially for this age seven and four. Right,
And eventually Ellie she'll be three, so she'll be getting in there. So
it's like there's not many like Marbo parties say, Okay, eventually they'll get
there, but right now they can't because like logan A four can't play like
eats a pizza and like these sort of things that they like watch us,
so they we pretend they play, but there's things that they can't do right.
It's just like there's too hard with the bun Maasure, too hard to
do this yet. So that's why that's my you know, there's like I
said, gave a four Mount Rushmore, but that's why that'd be my number
one for it is sentimental, but it's more an appreciation for us people with
parents or with little people out there, because it is something that it's it's
great that it's like our go to game. You know, it's something that
we have tons of fun doing. And like I said, and I also
to same thing if everyone's listening for whether it's Discord, Twitter, Facebook,
YouTube, you know, we usually what we plug let me know out there
even just like like four so many to know, like what are some good
family games out there that are like Mario Wonder just because one we would play
them, but two I would just like to see, like I said,
the versatility or lack thereof in that genre. Right, It's hard because that
maybe doesn't sell the most. You want to go after the gamers and the
micro transactions and stuff. But that's why I love nintend Note and I love
what they're doing so, Yeah, that would be my four and I would
give if I had to put someone in the one slot, i'd give it
to Wonder. You know. I had a good time, and you myself
as somebody that's just a fan of it. I you know, if I
was a single man, I've played all those Mario games, and I've enjoyed
this one thoroughly. They didn't disappoint. They took a few years off,
they added some things. They didn't reinvent the wheel, but they just made
the wheel maybe a little shinier, and have you know, some certain new
things on it. I don't know, but I've enjoyed it, so that
would be it. I hope you're enjoying this episode. I'm not sure where
I am. If I'm middle start wherever. See what Assassin's Screed game?
Tay pick kirkh On. There's some anime some you know, Armor Wars,
Armor Core, whatever. No, what does he play? Oh that's a
warhammer? Yeah, ammering up, you know who knows? But yes,
that is my games of the year. Okay, I'm back here. That
was Travis's list. I was pretty surprised that he didn't pick either Spidery or
Starfield. As his game the Year. I was kind of surprised to see
it go to Mario Wonder, so that was a fun list to listen to.
Next up, we're gonna kick it over to Taylor. Taylor here is
his top five games of the year. Hello, thank you Dylan for having
me and allowing me to put my number one video game twenty twenty three.
I ended up just doing a top five here just I felt like why not,
So I'm gonna start from the bottom and work my way up. Now.
Alien's Dark Descent that is my number five. I think it is a
great title. I've been playing a little bit more and just how it really
refreshed that alien horror vibe and adds a different kind of play style to put
previous Alien games that we've seen before. It really capitalizes on that horror vibe
and just expands on the universe. I really really enjoy it. It's a
great, great game. Number four Mario Wonder really really love that game.
It's proven to be just a very fresh change with a little bit of like
that freedom of choosing different levels you want to do and just being able to
play with your play with my wife, for example. I love that so
much. Just a great time, just very vibrant and very exciting. And
number three Star Wars type survivor being able to go back in here and just
be able to enjoy how the team capitalized on the improvements over the last one.
The last one had a lot of bugs, a lot of issues,
and knowing that I was getting into this sequel and knowing what to expect and
just having to sweat through the grind of some boss battles and what I've never
gone into Dark Souls and such. I played it, but I haven't played
it religiously enough to be able to relate to people's tribulations and experiences with dealing
some of those bosses. This is my version of that because some of the
stuff you have to do in this game is brutal, but the story was
fantastic. I love the campaign that I love just being able to customize the
different lightsaber options. There's so many different new improvements that they made. It
was a really really enjoyable game. And number two, and this one was
really really really unexpected Texas Chainsaw Mascer. I absolutely loved this game and when
it first came out, I went at it, heard it drop down games
pass. I need to get back and play more of this because I was
grinding my characters' ranks unlocking things, and I know there's more deals for what
I want to try. But this game is fantastic, and maybe want to
go watch the original film and after watching it for the first time, really
being able to appreciate how much detail and stuff that they put into the game,
just the little least eggs and the tie ds, it just was a
really really good tribute piece to that original film. So fantastic job. I
highly recommend Text the Chainsaw. It's a great time. I'm I mean,
I've played so much of its solo and I still had tons of fun,
but it's a great time. Just playing with your friends especially, you'll have
even more fun. So I highly recommend that. And then my number one.
I'm sure everyone could predict this Assassin's Creed Mirage back to form. This
game is fantastic. I love getting into this world and just feeling like it's
Assassin's Creed one all over again, but just with all of the fantastic improvements
that we've learned along the way throughout the other Assassin's Creed titles. The story
is great. I'm super attached to the character, and I'm just loving the
combat. It just feels simple, it feels og, it feels nostalgic.
I'm really really driving off of it. So I highly recommend Assassin's Creed Mirage.
I think that a lot of old school players will Assassin's Creed, and
those fans will really be able to appreciate it and enjoy it, as well
as new players that are maybe new to the franchise that are looking for something
that's not super overbearing overwhelming then is a little bit set up in its own
story with other previous iterations. So yeah, that is my list, and
thank you. Back to you, Dylan, Okay, thank you. Taylor
also surprised to see some stuff on his list. I really thought Call of
Duty would make it on in some way. Now I think maybe if you
look at like the new Call of Duty release for this year, like the
technical box on the shelf, maybe that's not necessarily what would make it in.
But I just feel like he played so much war Zone, or he's
played a lot of this new zombie stuff. Maybe I'm just a little lost
on what is new Call of Duty content. Let's just like updates for previous
games. It gets it gets really wonky, but I'm very excited to check
out Alien's Dark Descent still from his list there, and then Jedi Survivor.
I did borrow his copy a couple of weeks ago, or I guess when
I was in Clona for the twenty four Hours whom I grabbed it fro him.
So I still have not played that, but yeah, that was cool
to hear. And then last but certainly a lot of least we're gonna hear
from Kirkland. Okay, here we are. I have my Game of the
Year twenty twenty three ranking list. I realize actually that I haven't played as
many New twenty twenty three games that maybe I was expecting in hindsight. But
so this is gonna kind of just be, I guess, a tier list
of the of the games that I did play this year and where they kind
of align on my overall enjoyment level. Obviously, I'll be leaning into the
big number one spot, which would be my Game of the Year for the
year. But yeah, so they'll further do. Let's just get into it.
I'm Curriclum Patzer. I'm sure you know who I am if you've listened
to this before and Uh. Yeah, without further do this jump into it.
So uh, starting at the bottom, I have Okay, actually no,
I will do a quick shout out for a game that probably not a
lot of listeners have played unless you're a big F one fan. This is
F one Manager twenty twenty three. I just want to quickly shout this one
out because this was the first F one Manager title that I've ever played,
and I will say, man, they have done such a great job with
all different systems and management aspects to managing an F one team, and if
you if you're a fan of F one. If you're not a fan,
obviously there's absolutely nothing to you, but it's very in depth with what you
can do and all the different systems, and it just it's really really good
game and I'm very very impressed with it. I'm glad I finally got it.
It was on one of the Steam sales, so I am glad I
picked it up. So yeah, I just want to shout that one out.
But getting to the actual list here at the bottom, what is that
number six? I have Mario Wonder here. Now, Mario Wonder was actually
a big surprise for me. I wasn't initially gonna pick it up. And
then my significant other, she is a big like Mario platformer type fan,
especially knowing that this owner is a co op. Soon as she caught win
of it, it's like, Okay, we're getting this game. And I'm
so glad that we ended up getting it, because this one was a really,
really, really fun title to get through. We've we've completed the game
now we rolled credits, but we haven't finished all of the little bonus world
levels to it. And I will say, man, I am extremely impressed
with what they're able to do with this title. Obviously, if you're listening
to this and you and you checked out Dylan and Taylor's review of the game,
it's already out there that they give their thoughts, and I'm definitely in
align with a lot of things that they said on there. But just the
whole Wonder system with like the Wonder powers and the things that were there.
They're including this game if it felt very new, breath of fresh air,
and uh yeah, I just really really liked it. I liked all the
added badges that they did. There's some things that I feel like are kind
of limiting the gameplay and the sense that you can only have like one badge
active at a time, but the overall just level design and the challenge aspect
to it and the different characters that were adding this game. I had a
really really fun time playing through this, And uh yeah, so that's that's
at the bottom of my list, and it's I say bottom, It's not
It's not a bad title at all, you know. I feel like all
the games that are on the list here are are ones that I had really
really fun time playing. And I mean that's just maybe speak to the quality
of games that I was able to play this year. There's a lot of
games I slipped through the cracks. Maybe I wasn't able to play. Maybe
it's like an Xbox only release like the Starfield titles. One day, hopefully,
I'm hoping I'll get my hands on it. But things like Balder's Gate
three are not on my list because I haven't played it, but I'm sure
if I did, they would be up there from just what I've heard across
the globe and friends and family that have played it. So yeah, Mario
wonder that's number six for me. Heading up the list year, I have
number five Pickman four, long awaited release for me. I am a big
fan of the original Pickman game. I haven't played second or third title,
but this one was just when I found out about it, I knew I
was gonna be getting this one day one and I had an absolute blast playing
through this. It's very nostalgia, just going back into what the Pickman style
are, kind of piggyback in what I was talking about with Mario Wonder.
This one just did such a great job at bringing in new gameplay to like
the base the bass gameplay of what makes Pickman game the same, Like they
can't just change everything about it, otherwise it wouldn't be a Piman, you
know, like mid Maxine the amount of different types of Pickman that you want
to use and what you want to take on your journeys. But like the
quality of life improvements that they brought to this game was just really really stand
out for me, and I had a really fun time of venturing through this.
I haven't rolled credits on it yet. It's been one of those where
I feel like I just got to a certain point and put it down for
no like major reasons, just probably got i don't know, tied up doing
other games or whatnot, or just classic Kirk and you put down a game
and then hopefully come back to it, but I have not yet, so
I have heard that the endgame is really really great in it, and maybe
if I've gotten there, this would have been higher on my list, but
as of right now, I put it in the number five slots. Yeah,
no, just really really impressed with it, So heading up from there,
in the number four spot, I put Mortal Kombat one. This was
another big anticipated title for me. I absolutely love just the Mortal Kombat game
series throughout history. That's one of my earliest games I ever played. Actually
on the second genesis was MK. I can't remember if it was MK two
or that original title, but just such a nostalgic franchise for me, Like
the theme song is so iconic, the finish, all those aspects that make
Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat just really really really sit well with me. I'm I'm
not a street fighter guy, I'm not a teching guy. Mortal Kombat is
my my arcade fighter, and I don't think I'll ever like go a long
amount of time without getting a Mortal Kombat game. They just they they do
what they do so well. And this game looks and feels so beautiful.
I personally, I feel like I still enjoy the actual, like campaign story
of the previous title MK eleven more than this one, but not by a
big long shot that it does like this one. The big emphasis was that
they're recreating the whole the whole story of where we're at, the whole timeline,
you could say, and like, it's really just following of what m
K eleven was, And I feel like I was riding that wave into this
game, and I don't know, there's just something about it. I was
still kind of longing for maybe some of the just the big moments that the
previous title had. But so yeah, just looking at the storyline alone,
I might give it to m K eleven a little bit above this one.
But I just really like this this game. I like the move sets.
I like the inclusion of the cameos fighter of course Cameo being spelled with the
K as Mortal Kombat usually does, and yeah, it just looks and feels
so good. And yeah, no, I really liked the new what was
it was like the realm system that they included where it's it's kind of I'm
hesitant to say roguelike, but it's something like that where you're just fighting different
enemies traversing through a little map. So yeah, I really really liked that
inclusion. And this is just such a great Mortal Kombat title. We played
a lot of it on the twenty four hour charity stream that we did for
the podcast, and I, yeah, it was just fun to play against
some some some local couch co op or I guess not couch co op,
just just couch combatants with some some friends. I feel like that's usually peak
Mortal Kombat. I'm not a big, like competitive Moral Kombat player, so
there's definitely tiers to the skill levels of it, but it's just it's it's
great. It's great fun to play with friends because I feel like the barried
entry is very low. You don't have to know too much to at least
get some satisfaction from it, gets some the dopamine rushes that you get from,
you know, doing the old finishing of a fighter when you when you
defeat them. But yeah, this one just it looks and feels so great.
So that's my number four right now, which might seem lower, but
I feel like because I knew what I was getting into it, it it
doesn't shoot up too high because it is Mortal Kom like It's it's not a
major major jump from what the previous title was, but that doesn't take away
from it by any means. It's a fantastic game, and Yeah, I
can't wait to try out some of these these new DLC fighters that have included.
I feel like there is the biggest detriment that I have with these latest
Moratl comic games is just the whole unlocking stuff, Like you really have to
grind for a specific character to get a costume or a piece of attachment or
something. So maybe if that was a little bit more accessible or like notoriously,
if you're if you're playing local like versus if if you're not like that
first player that not the player that has the account, Like you don't even
get like any of the finishers the first player has. That's something they really
have to change, like that, that's pretty ridiculous that that if I'm playing,
you know, locally, they don't have the same unlocks as me,
Like that's that's pretty pathetic in my opinion. So I really think that they
should think about that moving forward. I know they have micro transactions for all
that, which is just that's just a negative. Just be able to get
access to that if you put in your credit card versus grinding hundreds of hours
for one character because you only get unlocks for the character that you're using.
That's that's pretty crazy to me. So for all the reasons, I have
it as my number four game this year, moving up the list number three.
Shouts out to Dylan Musk for this one because I'd never really heard of
this game until he put on my list. But man, what a title
see of Stars release obviously this year. This one is just such a beautifully
made game. I love the music, I love the art style of it.
I'm about twenty plus hours into it, which I think is about halfway
through the game. So again, maybe if I have actually rolled credits on
it, this might be higher on my list. But I am so glad
that I got the chance to experience this game this year, and like I
said, I've not done it, so I will be jumping back in.
But they just did such a great job of like some of the twists that
are in here. The gameplay is super super satisfying to play some of my
biggest hold ups while trying to get through certain jrfpgs in the past is just
the whole turn based system of it, and I feel like they balance it
very well. Although there is turn based aspects to the game, they do
a good job at implementing certain micro things that you have to engage in.
And I mean, like Dylan, you've probably heard Dylan and I talk about
this in the past, but a lot of the aspects, like you don't
have to actually use it to defeat some of the enemies that you might be
facing, but it just it includes some of that min max thing where it
really it rewards you well, I should say, if you're able to implement
that. So really cool systems, really cool characters, you know, shouts
out to Garl, one of just the most wholesome characters I think I ever
introduced in a video game. And yeah, I liked our protagonists a lot,
really really liked this game. So yeah, that's my number three favorite
game of the year so far. Number two, you know, somewhat of
a controversial game. I'm not talking about all the controversy here today though,
just pure gameplay and satisfaction. I got Hogwarts legacy here, and yeah,
this game, for me, I think it completely met all the expectations that
I had leaned up to it. It just it really took me to the
wizarding world in such a positive sense. I just felt like I was a
student and they did such a great job with that initial storyline. I feel
like the storyline isn't really what was the biggest takeaway from it, like the
main story, but really just the whole world feel like it really they made.
They did such a good job at making the spells feel powerful and the
way that you're able to change together, Like I felt like I was really
mastering my magic, as you might say. As I was progressing throughout the
story, I really grew to love the characters and yeah, just the whole
world of Hogwarts, Like, they just did such a great job at ut
at immersing the player in it, the musical score, just the way that
it would hit, the way that you could just explore throughout this world.
When this came out, like this was the only game that I was playing
for probably a full week. Honestly, I ground I ground it. I
grinded, grounded. I grinded it so hard that I ran. I wrote
credits, I got I think one hundred percent on locks on everything. I
just really really immersed myself playing this game, and like there's a reason for
that because they just fully immersed you, and I really felt that immersion and
was really really satisfied with it just being a student in the Wizarding World.
And I think my biggest con for this game is once you've actually rolled credits,
I really don't think that they had much like there's not much to do
after that, Like even if you're doing little side quest around locks, like
there's no some of those great characters that you meet throughout the story, there's
not really like there's no way to actually like tag like have them with you
as followers or anything like that. This is all stuff, of course,
if you listen to our Hugwarts Legacy review. We did mention on that review,
But for me personally, I just really really grew attached to some of
those side characters and just like, once I'm done their storylines, they're just
like non existent. And that's a big bomber because, yeah, there's nothing
really taking me back to that game unless I want to run through the story
again, which I don't really think I have to because I've already done that
once. So yeah, I I love my time that I spent in this
game, but unfortunately the longevity of it just doesn't really have me going back
to it. But yeah, great, great title. They did a great
job with making this game and my number one game of the year. You
know, of course it has to be Spider Man two, the phenomenal sequel
to that first title. And you know, not everybody has played Spider Man
two, so I'll try and limit my spoilers for the story aspect of it.
But I was so just blown away with what they were able to do
with this sequel. I like, it really is just building upon what was
great about that first game. You know, there's obviously some quality of life
improvements, but all of those improvements, they really they really shine through it.
And I don't think it's only because of the like the console upgrade,
like going from the PS four to the PS five for this one. I
think it really is just the way that they're able to fluidly like like the
whole traversal aspect, Like it's so much more fun to progress through the city,
even though it was like the pinnacle of a Spider Man game was just
swinging through the city in that first title, And here we are on the
sequel, it's just that much better the inclusion of Miles and and how cleanly
it feels to balance those two heroes. And at no point did it feel
like, oh I just want to stick to to Peter right now or stick
to Miles. Like they they really did a great job at making each hero
unique and and make you wanting to play both of them. So I had
such a fun time playing through. This was another one that I just couldn't
put down until I one hundred percent had got the got the Platinum for it,
and yeah, so so impressed with it. There's some there's some really
really powerful uh sequences in this game with story stuff, and again like like
the main story isn't anything really to like I was gonna say, not nothing
to write home above that's that seems a little harsh because it is a great
storyline, uh for the main story, but I think there's certain moments that
happen that are just like peak Spider Man, even though the like the overall
story might not be If that makes any sense, I don't know, probably
not doing a great job explain it. But it's one of those things where
if you've played it, you know what I'm talking about. There is some
fucking awesome levels that you do in this game, And yeah, I thought
they did a great job. It just really shining what the symbio might be
able to do to our our main Peter Parker Spider Man character. And you
know, if you're if you're new to Spider Man, maybe that that there's
a new concept for you. But if you've if you've been around the block,
you know, witness what the simbio can do to Peer. They did
a great job. It's just really emphasizing that in the way that it changes
his behavior and that that was really fun to play through, not only just
as Peter, but also as Miles seeing Peter in that aspect, So that
was really great. Yeah. Man, the amount of suits that they had
in this game major step up from the first game. The suits were so
phenomenal in that first game, but this one able to, you know,
very limited customize them. You can get like little little like color changes for
each suit, and that just adds all the different variety of it. I
can only imagine in the next title you're able to customize it even further and
that's gonna be really fun to experience. But yeah, I was very,
very impressed with this game. And you know, if maybe I've played some
other titles this year, like the Ballers game, maybe this would fall down
a couple spots on the ladder. But as of right now, for being
the games that I have played, this one is just it's so top tier.
I absolutely loved spider Man. Spider Man is my favorite hero of all
time, so they just do such a great job with these with these Sony
Spider Man games, and yeah, I just can't wait to play the next
time when it inevitably comes, because everybody that has a PlayStation, I feel
like, is playing these games, and rightfully so, because they're just so
well made and they're they're so fun to play. But yeah, I think
that wraps it up. That's my Game of the Year list for twenty twenty
three. You know, not super exciting, especially because I feel like I've
played a lot of games this year, but maybe not all of them have
been twenty twenty five re releases, you know. Notoriously, Dylan Dante and
I we made it through the Arcane Retro, which took a couple lot of
gaming time this year for myself, but I never got to play Red Fall,
fortunately or unfortunately because it was an Xbox only title and or I guess
games Pass only title, so it is on PC. But yeah, no,
I don't know. Kind of rambling here, I'll just round it out
here. Thank you so much for listening to my list, and see you
next year. I have a good one, good stuff from Kirkland. I
don't think I was surprised to see this top five, and I think that's
maybe just because Kirkland's kind of the most common side quest guest on here,
so I'm talking to these things, talking about these things more with him more
often. Perhaps, even though I wasn't on the spidy review, I still
not too shocked to see it in there. I know he loves howkwarts Legacy,
and I was glad to see see if Stars made it in the top
three there. And I yeah, like I said in last episode, I
really hope he goes ahead and finishes that game. And I actually really want
to talk in spoilers about some of those things with him. I also like
that show to f one manager that was that was cool to see. Uh.
And you know, we look at at all these lists, I feel
like these side quests be average out if you math, if you mathematically look
at it, and average it all out. I feel like Mario Wonder would
be the overall game of the year because it's one of Kirkland's I guess is
number six, it's Taylor's number four, Travis is number one, and then
my I guess I kind of nebulously put it in like thirteen, fourteenth or
something like that. So I think I would end up being the overall pick
if there was to be one. Uh so very interesting stuff that or maybe
Spidey two, although Travis didn't really rank his beyond his Game of the Year,
so it's hard to mathematic mathematicize it. Is that a word? I
don't know, but thank you once again everyone for listening. That is going
to do it for the Game of the Year, and of course next week
we are going to be doing the Best snow Slash Winter Levels ranking, which
was a very fun, very fun episode of very looking forward to everyone to
hear that one, and uh yeah, that's going to do it here and
I will enjoy that one so next week and then I'll see you all in
the new year. Bye bye,