VGOTY 2011 #1 - Journey

Now, I'm gonna avoid writing too much about Journey, because I've already done a written review of this game earlier in the year so you can go and read that for my views and opinions about the game in general; as well as why it is **one of the best games ever made** in my opinion. Here, I will just qualify why I think it deserves to be number one game of 2012.

Basically, when it came out I think I played it through about four or five times, back-to-back. I waited a week, and then I played it through again, achieving 100% trophies in the game. Recently (about a couple of weeks back), I loaded it up and played it again. I will play it again too. and again. and again.

GOTY 2012. One of the best games of all time.

VGOTY 2011 #2 - Dragon's Dogma

After the open-world fantasy-fest of 2011, with Dark Souls and Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim dominating a huge chunk of my time, there felt like a gaping hole in 2012 that other RPGs just didn't fill. That is, of course, until I picked up Dragon's Dogma because despite some "good but not great" critics reviews, it looked like it would be up my street. Well, not only was this game superb, but it turns out I was not the only person to think so - Dragon's Dogma went on to sell so many copies and be raved about by so many people that Capcom instantly green-lit a sequel, in fact a whole franchise based on this game, but with a bigger budget and larger internal focus from the company. Still, if large sprawling open world fantasy RPGs are your thing, then this "flawed" original should definitely not be overlooked. In fact, while I would never disagree they there is room for improvement, I would argue that the perceived "flaws" of this game is probably what endeared it to so many people in the first place!!

So, what do you do when a huge fire breathing dragon lands in your quiet seaside town, starts some shit, and then rips the still-beating heart from your chest? Why, become immortal of course!!.. and go kick that damned dragon's ass!!

The first thing that I really liked about Dragon's Dogma is that it doesn't hold your hand. At the start of the game, the map is blank, you haven't got a clue where anything is and your character doesn't magically know where to go to complete quests. This is realistic and forces you to actually, you know, talk to people and explore the map to discover things. Stuff like this instantly makes me enjoy a game, especially if this is backed up by a steep difficulty curve, which it is in Dragon's Dogma. However, the game cleverly gives you a little control over this with it's day/night cycle - basically, in the daylight you will find the usual array of fantastical creatures and enemies, all appropriately levelled based on location and visible some distance away; allowing you avoid them if necessary. Once the sun has gone down, and night draws in, the game world turns pitch black (a bit like how night actually is (i.e. not the blue-tinged romanticised Hollywood nighttime)) and chock-full of horrific creatures who's only ambition is to tear your face off. These more difficult nighttime encounters provide greater challenge and level-up your character quicker, as well as providing access to some of the game's random giant-creature battles.

Occasionally, and with greater frequency the further you progress, the game will spawn massive boss-like battles that feel AWESOME to struggle with and eventually overcome. A robust combat system backs this up, with lots of stat-building, armour-swapping and assignable hot-swappable special moves providing a deeply satisfying role-playing system. You also have the much maligned 'Pawns' that follow you around and obey your commands, although some of their use is also outside battle to provide quest markers if they've done the quest before. This also makes up the game's online component, as you're continually searching 'the Rift' to find other player's companions and aid from those pawns who have already completed quests or who have something that you party is currently lacking.

There is still so much I haven't talked about regarding this epic game, such as some of the side-quests and randomly generated material, or the **AMAZING** "final" battles (the dragons in this make Skyrim look like absolute bollocks!) leading into an end-game lasting another several hours on top of the main storyline!! Dragon's Dogma was just a superb game, which seemed to complete lose critics who overlooked everything that it did new and did well, instead choosing to compare it to "safer" western fantasy epics, which while robust and excellent in their own way, were no where near as refreshing to play as this game. Totally deserving of a place as one of the best games in 2012, so much so that an extended mini-sequel is coming before Dragon's Dogma 2 hits at some point, I can't wait!!

VGOTY 2011 #3 - Binary Domain

The primary reason why I was so nonchalant about Mass Effect 3 this year was because I played it back-to-back with Binary Domain; which was mostly superior in every way! Largely overlooked both by critics and the general public, Binary Domain is an excellent third-person shooter that not only had an engaging storyline and memorable well-voiced/acted characters, but also had some of the tightest shooting controls since Vanquish. In fact those two games bare more than a passing similarity, and while Vanquish hasn't made a GOTY list for me before, in 2012 Binary Domain stood out and deserves a spot in the top three.

If you like the Ridley Scott film Bladerunner, then you'll like this game. If you enjoy the robo-anime output of Mamoru Oshii (specifically seminal masterpiece Ghost in the Shell) then you'll like this game. If both of those things apply to you and the idea of having a smack-talking character called Roy "Big Bo" Boateng and an openly gay french robot sound hilarious, then you will absolutely **LOVE** this game!!

For what initially comes across as yet-another-fricken' mindless shooter, Binary Domain quickly introduces its core themes of post-humanism and simulacra/simulation of human beings through some amazingly directed cut-scenes. This is a game produced by Sega's Yakuza Studio and their experience in long complex storytelling really shines through and transforms what could have been a by-the-numbers game into something special and quite thought-provoking in places. Structure-wise, the game is actually very linear; funneling you down a tightly woven and constructed narrative that throws all sorts of sticky situations and boss-fights at you in relentless succession. Small "hub" areas provide some refreshing breathers and a chance for the game to build up not only the narrative but also the relationships between the different characters.

Branching dialogue and several important player-choices make it seem like you have much more control over the game than you actually do, although this is not a detriment - the game never purports to be an RPG or anything more than an action/adventure romp. It delivers this in spades. I mentioned boss fights above, which is something often either missing from western games or greatly underused. Not here! They're some of the best moments of the game, requiring careful tactics and some precise cat-like reflexes to beat, with the difficulty ramping up nicely as the game progresses. The game never outstays its welcome however, and just as the tendrils of fatigue start to tickle you slightly, the pace increases and speeds you to the violent tempestuous conclusion.

I played Binary Domain during an especially tumultuous period of the year, yet it captivated me, entertained me and held my attention right through to the end; leaving me begging for a sequel. I hope it gets one.

VGOTY 2012 #4 - Borderlands 2

The first Borderlands surprised the hell out of me when I played it for the first time, I really did not expect it to be so addictive and so much fun. I remember staying up late at night and binging on it all day during holidays as I found ever more valuable, and ludicrous, loot with which to shoot people in the face. At a time when the idea of playing yet another game of gunning people down appeals to me about as much as watching the Queen's speech (i.e. I'd rather not!!), my enthusiasm for Borderlands 2 is testament to just how awesome these games are. I was really looking forward to picking up the sequel to one of my favourite games and it did not disappoint.

What I like most about Borderlands 2, is the humour. There are lots of games out there that take themselves very seriously in a po-faced attempt to say something significant, when often the reason people play video games is that they simply want to have a good time. Borderlands 2 has a solid plot, and some great characters, and some moments that make you sit up and laugh/cry/scream-at the screen. However, it also has lots of incidental detail that will have you chuckling all the way though. Quests are equally as varied and entertaining and often result in you obtaining crazy weaponry that may or may not be useful in the game, but is always entertaining none-the-less.

The game is also expertly well designed and improves on the original in almost every conceivable way. Graphically, there is a lot more variety this time 'round, as you start off in icy tundra before moving onto familiar deserts, and on to forested mountains, swamps, volcanic basins, etc. All in the trademark cell-shaded comic book style that made the original so different, improved further here due to incremental advancements in the Unreal Engine. Character models, animation, and voice acting are also raised several notches and really bring the world of Pandora to life like it's never been before; with characters such as the villainous 'Handsome Jack' and the goofy 'Clap Trap' being stand out favourites of mine.

As I write this blog, I'm actually still playing the game (the ending could cause it to rise or fall on this GOTY list I guess), my slower progress due to the plethora of side-quests and random activities that proliferate the world, and I'm enjoying it immensely. Borderlands 2 was definitely worth the wait and is definitely one of the top games released in 2012.

VGOTY 2012 #5 - Tokyo Jungle

Tokyo Jungle is an arcade game. Lets get that out of the way first: there's no grand story, characters, voice acting, high-budget production values, or any of the other tropes expected of modern video games. Instead you have the joy of pint-sized escapism in it's purest form...

You pick up the game pad, select your desired animal (such as a cute little Pomeranian dog), start off in Shibuya Station near the train tracks, drinking water and marking your territory by pissing on some red flags. Then you savagely attack and devour several bunny rabbits, chickens and possibly cats before finding a horned up soul-mate and 'boinking' in some hay. Then you have a whole conga-line of cute little puppies with which to start all over again but in new territory. Watch them eat, grow, shag and eventually get mauled to death by an Elephant that they foolishly thought they could bite the arse off before it trampled them all to death in a fit of bleeding-cheeked anger. Why is all this so strangely addictive, like cuddly savage crack!?

Tokyo Jungle is like a hyper-stylised and fast playing version of games like The Sims, where you get to watch a family that you create evolve and change over time based on your decisions and gameplay. The game also keeps the interest up by randomly generating events in different areas of Tokyo for you to explore and partake in; as well as challenges to complete as you try to survive for the longest time possible. Built in are several different species of animal to unlock, and different accessories to find, collect, and enhance your animal's stats in a pseudo-RPG dressing up feature. There is also a vague "story mode" to collect and unlock as well as history and background material to find... hell, the game even supports an offline local co-op mode where you and a friend can join each other in the race for survival and supremacy!

As you can see it's not short on content, despite the fact that the game can last anywhere from ten minutes to several hours depending on how much time you want to invest in the longevity of whichever species you've chosen to play as. It may not be the most deep and meaningful, or polished graphically/aurally, game in the world... but it is certainly one of the most unique. In an industry dominated by shooting people in the face for hours on end and watching cut-scene after cut-scene where failed movie actors 'emote' as hard as they can through clumsy scripts, it's refreshing to pick up a controller, select a Sabre Toothed Tiger and maul some other animals for half an hour.

Addictiveness and supreme amounts of fun mean that Toyko Jungle is easily one of the highlights for 2012 and an easy pick for my top five this year.

Video Game of the Year (VGOTY) 2012 - Intro and Disclaimer

Generally speaking, I feel like this year the standard of video games has been significantly lower than last year. I remember sitting and composing my top games of 2011 and being spoilt for choice, to the extent that it was pretty agonising deciding on the final order of those top five games. Even now, I look back and would change the order a bit (for instance Portal 2 would be my number two game, and Dead Space 2 would probably drop off the list in favour of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword). I also recall that there was a still a massive list of games that I had stacked ready to play but hadn't gotten 'round to it.

This year is a little different. I've played through most of the games that I was looking forward to and caught up with a lot of the games outstanding from 2011. My top five games were actually pretty easy to pick once I'd put certain rules in place: no HD re-releases or DLC! If I had ignored this rule then the number one and two spots would belong to Dark Souls (again!!) and the Metal Gear Solid Collection. Dark Souls was re-released this year in a "Prepare to Die" edition, which included the Artorias of the Abyss DLC. I downloaded this DLC separately and played through the entire game for the second time (picking up some trophies I'd missed along the way)... AND I LOVED IT!!

The Metal Gear Solid Collection is actually a game that I picked up at the end of last year (when it was released in the USA), however it wasn't out here until mid way through 2012, and that was pretty much when I ended up playing it. These are some of the best video games ever made and in particular Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ended up joining my "greatest video games of all time" list, which I really must get around to posting in the future. I've yet to play Peacewalker as I type this, and have been saving it for a rainy day, but that could start me off on an MGS binge all over again!

Anyhoo, without further delay, following this post will be my personal top five games of the year for 2012. Notable absences are Mass Effect 3 (I played through just over half of it before getting bored and leaving it alone for a while - I will return at some point when I'm in the mood for a third-person shooter) and Dishonoured (because I still don't own this game, even though it looks incredible!).

REVIEW: Journey (PS3)

I was already a big fan of 'ThatGameCompany's previous work, having previously played both Cloud and flOw on the PC and subsequently Flower on the PS3, but that didn't stop me getting caught up in the hype surrounding their latest game: Journey. This is a game that has had the word "experience" applied to it more than any other game I can think of and pretty much every review that I've read has come across as utterly pretentious mumbo-jumbo about how the reviewer felt some sort of spiritual connection to the game, or burst into tears immediately upon finishing it.

Neither of those things happened to me, in fact my reaction upon "finishing" the game for the first time was to just stoically sit there... you see, I'd started the game late at night with the intention of playing a bit and then logging off. However, I'd sat through and played it all in one sitting, so by the end I was utterly exhausted, drained and bewildered by what had happened. I went to bed and could do nothing but think about what I'd just played. The next day, I played it again.... with the intention of playing a bit and then stopping. Again I played through the whole thing from start to finish! Basically, the game is utterly enthralling, moving and un-put-downable: this might just be one of the best video games ever made.

Lets get the technical stuff out of the way first, the graphics in Journey are utterly incredible. Technically they're impressive as it all runs at a silky smooth framerate and there are some impressive physics in place on clothing, things blowing in the wind and also the sand that moves realistically around your character as you make your way across the desert. This is obviously well optimised for the PS3 as most exclusives are. However, it's the art direction that truly impresses, as watching Journey is akin to watching a Hayao Miyazaki film or some sort of living artwork, everything exhibits a unique graphic style and the camera intelligently re-positions itself to ensure the game is always framed to show everything off. The lighting also deserves a special mention as light cascades and reflects off grains of sand and the mood created is amazing.

Sound plays a big part in Journey too, as it is the main/only form of communication with other players (which I will get to later), without any dialogue or written text you have only the chirps and melodies of the different characters to guide you through the game. The soundtrack is amazing and some of the best music ever produced for a video game, right up there with the score for Shadow of the Colossus in my opinion, which happens to be my favourite game soundtrack of all time.

Yet, when all is said and done, the thing you will remember most from Journey is not the incredible graphics or amazing soundtrack but the game itself. It has been designed to be played in one sitting, and the game length is very short to accommodate this - taking roughly two or three hours to go from the beginning to the end. But don't let this fool you, as it is a game you will think about and come back to again and again and again. You see, Journey feels quite different each time you play, and this is mainly due to the online cooperative component. While connected to the playstation network, the game will randomly introduce another player into your game, completely invisibly! You will not get any kind of notification that someone has joined your game, or even see them appear, you'll just catch a glimpse of them from the corner of your eye or hear them calling out over a sand dune and there they'll be.

This is the true heart of the game. The first time I played, when I was tired and inexperienced, I kept temporarily losing my partner as we journeyed through deserts, subterranean cities and other locations that I won't spoil. It wasn't until the end of the game that Journey revealed to me that I'd in fact played with a load off different people - that it had kept swapping them in and out as I went along. The second time, I met another player who had obviously done the whole thing a few times and he stuck with me the entire way, helping me find lots of the game's secrets and easter eggs. Both experiences were very different and since then I've also played it through offline, on my own, although this was a very lonely affair after experiencing the comradeship of having another person tagging along.

This is quite a hard review to write because, while I'd love to discuss how the gameplay works in different parts of the game, or my own interpretation of the plot, it would spoil too much. Journey is best approached ignoring the hype and pretending that you know nothing, experiencing it all fresh. It really is like nothing else around at the moment.