Okay, this is gonna be a doozy but I've got quite a few games I want to shoutout this year starting with writeups for my 15-ish biggest honorable mentions that includes every game that has appeared on my list previously and any games that I strongly considered for this year. I've also decided to use pictures of my physical games this year whenever possible to make things more personal (and to subtly show off my physical collection). If you're wondering why a few are still in the packaging those are the cases where I've bought a game digitally/on PC but my collector's sense got the better of me later on.
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Last Apperance & Highest spot
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Write-up
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(Box) Art
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2020 - #49
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Mass Effect 2
Widely regarded as the greatest of the trilogy and my past self agrees, I know I love some of the characters of ME and a lot of the story but the finer details are getting blurry so the whole trilogy is long overdue for a replay. Luckily, I managed to bypass the DRM on my PC copy of Legendary Edition after EA support was unwilling to help me recover my account, so I plan to dive back into Mass Effect again in the foreseeable future which (hopefully) might refresh my love for this game.
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2020 - #48, #46, N/A
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Tales of Xillia, Graces & Berseria
Though only one is perfect (epic foreshadowing) every Tales game is great so it’s not surprising that my first top 50 had around 5 or 6 entries from the series. Both Xillia and Graces are great games in their own right with solid combat in particular and a few very likeable characters. Meanwhile I was surprised to discover Berseria has never made an appearance on my list despite probably being the game that would round out my top 5 currently. It’s kind of the opposite with the weakest battle system, but great storytelling and characters (and a surprisingly fun card game mini-game). Regardless of the entry this series is among my absolute favorites so even if I can’t list them all they’re still special games to me on some level.
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2020 - #47
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Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
To me MGS V is a bit of an unfortunate piece of near-excellence with hands down the best gameplay of the series and some powerful moments in its story, but just a bit of a messy structure that makes it feel ironically both unfinished and a bit bloated. It’s still great in many ways though (like the incredible twist or petting the dog) and I would have liked to see the upcoming remake of 3 take inspiration from here rather than sticking too stubbornly to the original.
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2021 - #49
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Grand Theft Auto V
Playing Red Dead Redemption II was a good reminder of the positive aspects of Rockstar. They’re honestly a bit of a strange developer that despite not being the greatest game designers managed to capture mainstream audiences with their talent at delivering setting, tone, variety and believable or oddball characters. GTA V certainly delivers on all those fronts and is probably another game I should replay at some point to see if 200 mil copies can be wrong.
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2022 - #43
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Super Meat Boy
As 2D platformers go I still consider Super Meat Boy among the best, but not quite the very best which is probably one of the reasons it’s been pushed down my list over time. It was still addictive and fun though and beating this game might still be among my biggest gaming achievements though and that definitely counts for something.
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2022 - #40
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Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Another game that in many ways is deserving of a spot, but where I’ve just lost a bit of the enthusiasm over time. It feels like a well-made remake could take this to new heights, smothing out some of its flaws, but on the other hand it can’t be denied some of the charm would probably be lost in the process. Either way, even in its now 27-year-old slightly form with a few rough patches, Symphony of the Night is still a suberb metroidvania.
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2022 - #33
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Bioshock Infinite
BioShock Infinite is still my favorite of the trilogy if anybody should ask, but replaying the game last year-ish admittedly revealed some gameplay issues I had forgotten which was enough to push it just barely outside top 50 material for me. Still love the story and premise though and most of how it plays as well.
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N/A
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System Shock 2
Then there’s System Shock 2, a game that impressed me much more than it would have and which I’ve been wanting to put on this list every year, but which unfortunately is probably a bit too distant in memory now. It’s also one of the few games I have a shortcut for on my desktop; a little icon of SHODAN which I strongly suspect has developed consciousness and is behind every crash that happens on my machine.
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2023 - #42
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Marvel’s Spider-Man
Marvel’s Spider-Man has been sitting pretty strong on my list and even rose a few spots last year, but I think with a larger focus on games that left a lasting impact this year it just couldn’t quite make the cut. It’s still a blast to play though with its web slinging action and solid storytelling, so I could see it (or its sequel) making a return into my favorites at some point.
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N/A
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Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy is probably the Marvel game I remember more fondly at the moment though. Its gameplay might be rougher around the edges but it’s ability to bring the Guardians (& friends) to life in all their glory and imperfection made it a very positive and memorable experience. But I’m sure our dear host will have more to say on that front.
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2023 - #24
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Super Smash Bros. Melee
Every time I mention Melee I make sure to point out that it’s probably a better game than many higher on my list when viewed in a vacuum. In a world where Melee was the last Smash Bros. entry it could very well still be sitting in the top half of my list because the series is so good and Melee was the first game that reached those heights. It might not be my favorite entry or the one I’ve played the most, but a couple of games high on my list owe a whole lot to this game right here.
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N/A
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Portal
Now we’re getting to the game that are mostly here because they almost made it this year and well Portal is probably not only that but a game that should have made my list in the past. It’s not secret that I like the sequel more for all the extra layers it adds and even funnier writing, but the first Portal is still just so damn good in every way and where the most iconic parts of the series are generally from. While I’ve reused that line before and will do so again it is, indeed, a triumph.
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N/A
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Elden Ring
I’m gonna be honest, other than changing the premise of my list a little bit this year one of the main reason’s I’m not listing Elden Ring is just that it doesn’t need it. This game has hype enough to fill an ocean, and while I loved many parts of the experience, I do feel it’s more swimming pool tier. Either way, while me and the FromSoft designers might never see quite eye to eye, this is the closest they’ve gotten to that in a game that is, if nothing else, an undeniable epic.
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N/A
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Hogwarts Legacy
Playing through Hogwarts Legacy at the time of my last list I really expected it to make it this year, but while the first many hours of this game where indeed magic, I must admit they lost me just a bit towards the end. Still one of my favorites in recent years though and the being able to see Hogwarts brought to life in this way was worth every galleon. The potential is there for an even greater sequel though, but with Warner Bros. doing Warner Bros. things I do unfortunately have my doubts.
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N/A
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Baldurs’ Gate III
I think a massive part of the enjoyability of western RPGs comes from being able to step into a role you like, shape a character you like, make dialogue choices that you like, all so you can sit there going “daamn, I’m pretty cool aren’t I?”. Baldur’s Gate III is one of the most recent games where I got that experience with my dear dragonborn Heinz, and despite my smaller issues with the game that’s the main reason I almost included it this year. Regardless, while there was some bumps along the road, it’s safe to say I had fun with this game and honestly am tempted to one day give it another go either in single or multiplayer.
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