It has been a challenging year and no mistake. As the globe still reels from the effects of Covid; the games industry has trundled on regardless. For many in our community both new and old, gaming has been the perfect hiding place to escape reality and exist somewhere else for a spell. From a personal perspective all of our parents have been seriously ill in some capacity and so keeping up with game reviews has been problematic. Yet as always; I do have a selection of games for my ‘five of the best’ offering and one game that has risen to the esteemed position of Game of the Year.

So without further ado, let us peruse these wonderful titles in all their glory.

Five of the best

Subnautica Below Zero

Subnautica Below Zero landed with a justifiable splash in May this year. As this was a sequel to one of my favourite games of all time; I was all over it as soon as the early access version opened to the public. It is sometimes dangerous seeing how the sausage is made but in this case, I found it very interesting to see how Unknown Worlds Entertainment built this world of water from the ground up.

Once again the player is plopped into the hostile (but beautiful) waters of an alien planet and tasked primarily with survival. As you start to explore the depths you must gather resources, blueprints and uncover the mystery of the beings below your feet. As you will have read in my review; I do have a fear of deep water and so playing this game did come with its own challenges. However, pushing through this wall of fear was also exhilarating and left me with one of the best gaming experiences in recent times. This sequel also does try a few new ideas including a nifty (and controversial) modular vehicle called the sea truck. There are, of course, new creatures and environmental threats to contend with.

If you have never played either of Subnautica games I would strongly urge you to jump into the first game as they are loosely connected. If you need any further convincing then please check out my review linked here.

Developer: Unknown Worlds Entertainment

Little Nightmares 2

Horror games are older than Adam but I genuinely believe that the indie game Limbo started something new. No exposition, no wild intro sequence, just waking up in the lonely dark woods with no clue as to what to expect. The next game from Playdead arrived in 2016 and was an unmistakable continuation of this ‘Wake up and walk’ formula. Inside came with better visuals and a more fleshed out world but the concept remained unchanged.

Little Nightmares was released a year later and in my mind fits into this new trend of horror game. In the first title, you played as Six, a young girl lost in a dangerous and twisted world of giants. As you crept from left to right it became clear the developers at Tarsier Studios had gone for a more grotesque and decaying setting. Giant beings would go about their depraved business while you tried to quietly make your way past. Like the prior two games I have mentioned, it was a great success and while not offering a huge playtime the experience is well worth your attention.

This year we finally got a sequel (or more accurately a prequel) to the 2017 game and it is a brilliant continuation of the series. You now play as Mono but must also work cooperatively with the girl from the first game in order to survive the horrors that lie in wait. The Little Nightmares games both have this almost clay-like appearance, like the beings there are formed from digital plasticine. This helps the visuals seem timeless and also makes both games seem like they are cut from the same cloth. All the games I have mentioned in this review are well worth a look but if you do fancy this game I would urge you to play the first before you do. You can check out my review here.

Developer: Tarsier Studios

Narita Boy

This cracking little indie game came out of nowhere for me. After happening across the trailer (thanks to Get Indie Gaming) I knew immediately I needed to play and review it. With beautiful pixel art, a kicking 8-bit soundtrack and tonnes of 80’s nostalgia; this was always going to be a winner.

Your goal is to save the Creator’s memories from a force of evil known at HIM. The action platforming is decent with plenty of challenge, but what caught me off guard was how emotionally charged the plot gets. Even months since I played it the many scenes in the game are still in my head and this stands as a testament to how striking the visuals can be. You can read my full review here.

Developer: Stuido Koba

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

There won’t be many gamers who haven’t heard of Mass Effect, the seminal space opera from Bioware that the gaming world fell in love with. Spread across three games; the story charts the exploits of Commander Shepard as she (she was a she for me) faced off against a malevolent ancient race that is set on wiping out all sentient life. As the series was released over a fairly large window of time the differences between the games were apparent and often immersion-breaking. After many years of fans begging for a remaster EA and Bioware finally caved and set to work on a remaster of all three games. After a very disappointing Andromeda, many feared that Bioware would also find a way to drop a bollock with the reworking of these beloved games: as release day came many held their breath.

To the delight of many, the trilogy came out in a really good state, with some excellent work done to marry up all three games. Most of the improvements were focused on the first game as it was the more creaky out of the three. Aside from a corrupted piece of content, all the DLC included in the games was also present and correct with this remaster. This is great because many of these extra morsels of story add so much more to the experience, such as visiting the crash site of the original Normandy on the moon. The future of Bioware is uncertain and they are certainly not the studio they once were, but at least they have given Mass Effect a spit and polish that should now stand the test of time. You can check out my review here.

Developer: Bioware

Valheim

I don’t usually include games that release into early access, but I feel this particular game already feels so polished it is essentially out already and the future updates will just enhance what is already there. I am, of course, talking about Valheim, the open-world survival game that came out of nowhere earlier this year.

As you can read about in my early access preview (in the Oven) I did have a bumpy start with this game and if it hadn’t been for a few stubborn friends; may have missed it entirely. While the individual assets in the game won't set any records; it is the way the developers have brought all of this together with excellent lighting and world design. While each new game world is procedural in its origin; it is often hard to believe this as you explore further from your starting area. 

With one major update already under its belt, this games potential is stellar and with such good sales from the early access it couldn’t be in a better position for success. I, like many gamers, will be keeping a close eye on Valheim in 2022 and if you were looking for a fantastic game to hibernate with over the Christmas break I can’t think of a better candidate. You can find my preview here.

Developer: Iron Gate AB

Special Mention

Deep Rock Galactic

Every year there is always a title somewhere that doesn’t quite fit into the mould of Game of the year, the issue with this one is that it didn't even come out this year. However, Deep Rock Galactic did receive a fairly large content update a few months ago and also a framework for new seasons in the future. 

Its current standing on Steam is overwhelmingly positive, which just goes to show you how well regarded it is in the PC gaming community. The reason is simple, the game is both incredibly fun, deeply addictive and every piece of code is rock solid. After selecting one of four classes of Dwarven Miner you must delve into the depths of Hoxxes IV, fight through many varied biomes and gather the riches below your feet. 

Each level is procedurally generated but wait, before you run for the hills let me tell you these guys have got magic socks on when it comes to game code. I’m not sure how they do it but every level I have played in the last nine months has felt unique and one of a kind. The levels are a maze of tight tunnels, caves and vast underground caverns: each containing vast swathes of resources and riches. What makes these expeditions so varied is that every bit of the level is destructible. There have been times when our way has been cut off from the drop pod and a quick-thinking driller has made their own path back to the welcome sight of our escape vehicle.

Aside from gravity trying to finish you off, there are a huge number of things down in the darkness trying to sample your sweetmeats. Hordes of bugs in all shapes and sizes; cave leeches, poisonous plants and we've not even mentioned the environmental hazards yet. I also love how each class is so well rounded and works well with the other three. If you want to know more you can check out my review below. However just trust me when I say, I have never recommended a game as strongly as this one. ROCK AND STONE!

Developer: Ghost Ship Games

Game of the Year Award

The Riftbreaker

In the last ten years when I think back over my favourite games, none have come from the real-time strategy stable. I think one of the main reasons for this is that many shifted towards an online competitive aspect and that is something that never really interested me. When fighting in online shooters there is always that element of chance, no matter how much practice your opponent has had. However, with games like Starcraft, I always felt like I was battling people who had mapped every move to the nearest microsecond; this took the fun out of it for me. Yet I yearned for a good single-player real-time strategy game like Total Anialation or Dune 2.

This year I got my wish; as soon as I clapped my eyes on The Riftbreaker I knew this game had something special. The way you could effortlessly raise a base within minutes, the lush and destructible environments and the thumping combat chops. While your Mech is powerful and bristling with weapons, you also have a surprising amount of agility to call upon when you need it. With a great UI, satisfying gathering system and some fairly in-depth crafting mechanics; The Riftbreaker is more than just a simple twin-stick shooter. 

The campaign will take you across multiple unique biomes, each with its own resources, fauna and visual flair. As you start to make strides into the seriously impressive tech tree; it will also become apparent you will need multiple playthroughs to see all the toys at your disposal. In recent times it has felt like games keep releasing unfinished and buggy, even from developers I normally trust. So it is refreshing to have a game here that was rock solid on day one and still has plenty of features (co-op mode etc) in the post. You can find my review here.

So it gives me great pleasure to award our game of the year to The Riftbreaker!

Developer: EXOR Studios