Happy New Year - Top 5 Anticipated Games of 2020

The dawn of another new year is upon us, and with it again an unrelenting energy and excitement over the pending prospects of what lies in wait in this expectant future.  While I typically recommend tempering one's expectations, let's go ahead and let loose once again to ignite our imaginations over the wonders of tomorrow.  Because even before the next generation of consoles is due to land, 2020 is looking to be one of the most behemoth years in gaming ever to likely be matched again.

(Note: This only includes announced games with a set release date of 2020, but some honorable mentions will be included below due to their likely release this year and my excessive hype for these pending titles)

-1- Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The promise of a new Animal Crossing soon to land ashore my Nintendo Switch fills me with both giddy anticipation and inexplicable tranquility.  While the mobile version of Pocket Camp was able to adequately capture some essence of the Animal Crossing series and introduce some interesting new aspects like crafting that are sure to have some influence in this new entry of New Horizons, it had one large fault to which I long to see a return to: The simple pleasure of a slow and calm pace in which to enjoy the experience per my leisure the year round.  Leisure is the key word that in my mind is a critical defining aspect of this series.  It asks the player to slow down, offering a means in which to escape, relax and not worry about looming deadlines or maximizing efficiencies; Tom Nook doesn't care when you repay his loan.  That all said, I can't wait to discover what new surprises this latest installment has in store and to uncover them bit by bit for months and months to come.  Animal Crossing New Horizons is slated for release March 20th, 2020.

Cucco Attack LET'S PLAY [First Hour] - Link's Awakening

After a bit of a hiatus, Cucco Attack is back, this episode exploring the first hour of the adorable re-imagined world of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening for the Nintendo Switch.  If interested in taking an in-depth look at this charming and faithful adaptation of the Game Boy classic, check out this preview and judge for yourself if this game merits its rupees.  Light commentary is included, but I mostly try to let the game speak for itself.

If you have any other suggestions for games you'd like to see played per this segment, let me know in the comments below.  Otherwise, enjoy and happy gaming!

Quick Reviews

We live in an age of grotesque gaming backlogs and just not enough conceivable time to play through them all.  And because of such, there are many a game that get dropped so very quickly from conversation to keep current and afloat the ever continuing out-pour of new releases.  Likewise, I am always playing catch-up to a slew of games and finding the relevant time to share such thoughts and impressions.  Should the time present itself in the future, some of these quick reviews may be expanded upon for greater detail and breakdown of the many pros and cons.  Until that time though, from A-Z here are some 20+ quick takes that will hopefully provide some worthy insight to your valued time.

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(Played on Nintendo Switch) - Ape Out stands out with an incredibly distinct art style and frantic, chaotic gameplay that is emphasized all the better with its pairing of frenzied drums and cymbal crashes perfectly in tune and timed with your actions.  The procedural generated nature of the levels keeps every attempted escape an engaging and suspenseful affair.  With its graphic blood splatters and rather intense gameplay, it is a bit unsettling and not recommended for those not keen of overly violent imagery.  But it does perfectly capture the essence of what an escaped ape must be feeling through each of these scenarios and has a surprisingly striking ending for what is a generally simple narrative to be told.

Year in Review - Top 5 Games of the Year (2019)

The year 2019 has just about come and gone, and so has come the time once again to look back and shine the light upon another year of notably exceptional games.  So if you're curious as to hidden highlights that may have been missed in the busy bustle of the year, or are just feeling particularly nostalgic, read on as we take note of my personal Top 5 Games of 2019, among other recognition to be had.  Please note for this first category, there is only so much time and/or funds to be diverged among the slew of great games that are continually released.  As such, the games selected in this category only include games in which I've played to full / majority of completion, and saw their debut release in 2019.

Top 5 Games of the Year - 2019

-1- Luigi's Mansion 3

Luigi's Mansion 3 surprised many a player with what exceptional craft and care was poured into this game to create one of the most memorable and creative ghost-busting adventures of the year.  The art direction and animation continues to raise the bar with this latest installment in the series, making me quite excited at the potential of the new Super Mario movie to be made if it's anything of this caliber.  Each floor of this haunted hotel that you explore is full of such clever ideas and themes that continually keep the player engaged, even if it does follow the more slightly linear structure of Dark Moon.  And this game features some of the most ingenious and imaginative boss battles found in most any game to recent memory.  So if you have the itch for a humorous, fun fulfilling single player adventure, pack your bags and check in to the wickedly impressive Luigi's Mansion 3.

Video Game Music for the Holidays - Volume VII

Good tidings to all ye good folks and fellow gaming enthusiasts!  The holiday hustle and bustle is once again amongst us, and with it comes the slew of jolly jingles.  If you come searching for a brief reprieve from these time-old tunes, I offer a unique compilation of video game music that still fit the vibes and mood of the holidays.  As is yearly tradition among my friends and family 7 years now, I hope these musical collections provide some welcome variety while also elevating an awareness and appreciation for the medium of games.

Happy Thanksgiving - Top 5 Thankless Mechanics in Games

It's that time of year again - A time for gratuitous amounts of consumption and deep sleep inducing food comas.  But in this time of excessive compulsions, let's not forget to give thanks for the many gifts and joys found in our lives.  This Thanksgiving, I want to particularly highlight useless mechanics found in games that deserve more thanks and acknowledgement.  To better define this, I am referring to actions players can perform in a game, but serve no effect or direct purpose on the gameplay.  So why have them in the game at all then?  Their value is measured instead in how they can help amuse and immerse players into the experience, and quite often makes the games all the more better for it.  These are my Top 5 Thankless Mechanics in Games:

-1- Character Chat (Luigi's Mansion series)

Whether its exchanging quips between heroes in Hearthstone or demanding extra resources in Age of Empires, character chats in games have provided a wealth of amusement and memorable lines to be enjoyed.  And the fact that the players can prompt this banter at their whim makes for all the more chaotic merriment to be had.  Of these player-driven character calls, one of the most perhaps iconic in my books is none other than the endearing, stuttering cry for "M-M-M-Mario" found in the Luigi's Mansion series.  At any given moment during your ghost-filled expedition, players can press a designated button solely for the purpose of calling out for your beloved brother.  And depending on the mood of the room and if ghosts are still lurking about or not, this bit of dialogue varies in degrees of confidence and fear.  It's the perfect marriage of comedy and thematic aid to storytelling that makes this one of my most cherished useless game mechanics.

Tabletop Tuesday - Betrayal Legacy Impressions

After a bit of a hiatus, Hughes3D returns!  And with it, a new tabletop game to discuss for a Tabletop Tuesday - Your exploration into games of dice, cards, luck and more of the Tabletop world.

This week's game...the game of haunted incantations that looms across generations that is Betrayal Legacy.

Players: 3-5

Time: 90-120 minutes

Genre: Asymmetric Cooperative / Legacy Role-Playing Game