Placement/

Last Year

Write-up

(Box) Art

#40

#31

Super Smash Bros. Melee

So yeah, Super Smash Bros. Melee was among the biggest drops on my list this year, like it was the year before. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an amazing title and purely from a gameplay perspective it’s probably more fun than 2/3 of my list (granted that also includes some games with very little actual gameplay), but with Smash Bros. being as iterative as it is, it takes a bit more than that great core gameplay for me to consider one of them among my favorites. But unlike Smash 4 which got the axe this year, Melee is still here because it has enough uniqueness, with its own aesthetic, its somewhat faster pacing and of course the adventure mode, to feel like a distinct entry worth revisiting.

#39

#39

The Last of Us

Well, what can I really even say about this game that isn’t obvious. I guess one thing I can say is that I only played it for myself maybe… 6 years after its release? And we’re talking the original, not even the remaster, but obviously it was still great. It’s peak video game storytelling, not my number of course or it would be higher, but definitely top tier. As for the gameplay… Well, it’s quite good as well. Not where the game truly shines for sure, but I think they managed to make a great third person shooter/survival game here with just the right amount of crafting elements for it to not become too complicated and slow down your progression through the story, which is after all, why we’re all here.

#38

#36

BioShock Infinite

I actually replayed both BioShock 1 and 2 this year, but haven’t gotten around to Infinite just yet so this is still based on my memory from years ago, but Infinite certainly impressed me a lot back then. Other than having the best gameplay of the trilogy in my eyes, it was one of fairly few games that manage to keep me engaged in the storytelling from start to finish. I think it helped here that Booker was his own character and that the game included more direct interactions with other characters, rather than the story being told (almost) solely through radio transmissions and tape recording like in previous entries (which can certainly still be an effective way to tell a story, but didn’t always hit home for me). I should probably also mention the aesthetics as I remember the colorful city of Columbia looking quite exceptional.

#37

#38

Resident Evil 2 Remake

Well, here’s another third person shooter/survival game and one of the most highly praised remakes out there. I think what I really like about the gameplay of this and REmake (not on my list but consider this an honorable mention) is that mix of survival horror and puzzle solving, where they actually manage to excel in both rather than the puzzles just feeling tacked on. As a horror game, while it’s far from the scariest one out there, it certainly has a few moments that get your pulse going and also has just the right kind of creepy atmosphere throughout.

#36

#37

Pokémon Crystal/SoulSilver

Crystal and SoulSilver are the two versions of this game that I’ve played and since they’re counted together anyway, I’ve chosen to mention both since they both have their strengths and weaknesses. Being a gen 4 game SoulSilver brings a bunch of very welcome quality of life changes and also the Physical/Special split which might be one of the best singular changes in the series. Meanwhile Crystal, ironically enough, is the game I prefer aesthetically even if that’s what remakes most often try to improve upon. The classic sprites are honestly some of the best Pokémon has ever looked in my eyes and the soundtrack is among my favorites. Of course, there are also many things to love across the versions. Being one of the early titles nearly all Pokémon designs present are great, including some of my favorite starters and legendaries, and it cannot be overstated how much I liked the inclusion of Kanto and the final battle with Red.