Once again, congratulations to Celeste for taking home the prestigious In Third Person Game of the Year award! Though there can only be one winner, there were a number of fantastic games that were “thisclose” from taking the crown. Let’s take a moment to tip our hats to some of my favourite games of 2018!
What criteria do you use when determining your Game of the Year? Is it the game you played the most? The game with the best story? The game you spent hundreds of hours mastering every nuance of? For me, many factors are at play, including those just mentioned. But the one defining thread between all of them is the sense of lingering impact they gave me in the moment and beyond. In many cases, those games still have an active presence in my mind and heart and aren’t going away.
Mass Effect 2 might have had to share the spotlight with Super Street Fighter IV in 2010 when I used semantics to try and give both the nod in their own way, but I still remember the former fondly as being one of the single greatest adventures I ever embarked on in a game, while the latter was a phenomenal fighter that served as a turning point for my fighting game career. Skyrim was the consensus pick in 2011, but I don’t regret honouring Catherine instead. The latter still holds a special place in my heart for its novel gameplay and a mature story about infidelity; a subject almost never covered in games. Overwatch is a fantastic shooter that has made a resurgence in my life in recent months, but in 2016, Pokemon Go was the easy Game of the Year choice for me based on how much the game shifted my in-game and real life. I don’t write about the game much now, but I still play Pokemon Go every day with a fervour to catch ’em all.
In 2018, there were a number of games that excelled in many different ways. But when I think about this one particular title, it ultimately stood above the pack for the profound impression it left on me. Long after playing it, I still think about the joy I felt in the moment, as well as the message it conveyed through its experience. My Game of the Year in 2018 is…
And the winner is…! Mat, Jon, Kris, Rachel, Jason, and I share our game of the year picks! We also talk about the games we’ve been playing, which include Gris, Starlink: Battle for Atlas, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Spyro Reignited Trilogy, Cattails, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider! Also, the pairs of siblings battle it out for the Boss Rush tag team titles in a hilarious game that tests their respective bonds to one another!
As a bonus, here’s Jason’s full video with his Game of the Year pick, honourable mentions, and his pick for 2018 game of 2019!
Kris & Rachel – www.doublexjump.com
Mat – www.biffbampop.com
Jon – @hotfiya
Jason – www.downstab.com
Lara and Jonah find themselves deep underground as Shadow of the Tomb Raider takes a religious turn. I really should have paid more attention to the pamphlet or paid more attention in church to solve these Jesus-related puzzles!
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Lara’s friend Unuratu needs a hand getting out of captivity. Let’s save her! Also, the fight only gets crazier – and more personal – in this Shadow of the Tomb Raider stream!
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Another exciting year of gaming lies ahead! With the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One at a mature point in their lifespan, and rumors of their successors looming, this could be the last hurrah for our current gen hardware. Also, with the Nintendo Switch just having gotten Pokemon and Super Smash Bros., where does the platform go from here?
Lots of questions to be answered in the days to come. For now though, here’s a handful of games that I’m looking forward to playing this year!
In this Shadow of the Tomb Raider let’s play, Lara delves deep into the Hidden City in order to get the Box of Ix Chel. But is she able to get there first before Trinity?! Also, join me and my viewers as we talk about the Tomb Raider franchise as a whole, Pokemon Go, the Far Cry series, and more!
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Part of what make’s the Celeste experience so special is its music. Blending 8-bit chip tune sounds and melodies with acoustic instruments and complex composition makes for a soundtrack that is lush, beautiful, and evocative, all while perfectly setting the tone for the action.
My favourite song of the bunch is “Resurrections”, the track played during the 2nd level of the game. Its melancholy vibe that builds into a panic is one I haven’t stopped listening to long after I set the game aside. The song is particularly effective at being my soundtrack to the moments where I find myself “in my feelings“, as Drake would say. In fact, it’s quickly skyrocketed towards the top of my all-time favourite video game songs list, and may someday reside at the very top. [Note to self, make an all-time favourite video game songs list]
Recently, I discovered this cover of the song performed by Katherine Cordova. Stripping away the synthesizers and downbeat drums, she performs the song with just the piano and still makes it feel just as haunting as the original. I can’t stop listening to this, so I thought I’d share!
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10 years ago, I introduced myself through a list of 25 Things About Me as a Gamer. As of today, with over 2,000 posts in the chamber, you probably already know way more about me as a gamer than you care to take in. But if you’re just tuning in, or if you want a Coles notes update to how I’ve grown since I wrote the first list, here you go!
Happy New Year! Not exactly a New Year’s Resolution, but after months of collecting dust on my shelf, let’s get back to Shadow of the Tomb Raider! This time, Lara has discovered a hidden city and must get the box before Trinity does! Also, tune in to watch how badly I suck at Tomb Raider!
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In Third Person 