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<thread> By my count, I played almost 50 video games for the first time in 2020 (!) from fresh releases to 30-year-old classics. For fun, I thought I'd write a one-tweet summary of my experiences with each. (Going alphabetically...)
A Monster's Expedition (by @Draknek) - Delightful puzzler ranging from head-scratching to head-banging-against-the-wall. Tons of "AHA!" and "OMG!" moments throughout. Made me feel smart, then made me grin ear-to-ear at the delightful writing & popcorn
Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Befriended a stuffed animal, built my dream kitchen and a zen garden, then turned a Christmas ornament and raw wood into a dreidel. 10/10
A Short Hike (by @adamgryu) - In a year where I was mostly sheltered in my apartment, this game provided the perfect outdoorsy antidote. Also showed me that not all open-world sandboxes need to be epic to be successful, they can be cozy instead.
Autorogue (by @invdr) - One of the 7DRL entries that stuck with me. A game that's weird without being offputting, and I loved the idea that you can play as any enemy after you beat them.
Celeste ( @celeste_game) - Weird that a game so brutally difficult also felt so kind and encouraging. And that's the theme: I was floored by the metaphors of challenging gameplay representing the challenges of life.
Chamber no. 5 (by @jimmythechang) - Dear reader, I laughed until I cried, then I died. If it looks like this, then you doing it right.
The Conference (by @carlburton) - Never played a game that did such a good job capturing the feeling of being in a strange dream.
Counterfeit Monkey (by @emshort) - It's obvious why this is considered a modern masterpiece. What could have been a fun but gimmicky central mechanic (using wordplay to transform items) forms the basis of a universe that's deep and riveting.
Dishonored 2 - Bit of a let-down after Prey. Combat was fluid, but fraught AI made planning hard. Felt like it didn't want me exploring too far beyond the main quest, and the ultra-explicit morality system seemed corny. Bounced after a few missions.
Dr Jelly and Mr Slime - A Puzzlescript collab from the fine folks on the Thinky Puzzle Games Discord, which should tell you everything you need to know. Clever, challenging, and very very thinky.
80 Days (by @inkleStudios) - With an only passing familiarity to the original text, the story's ability to provide unexpected shifts was exciting and delightful. The mix of text for story + GUI for gameplay gave me the best of both worlds.
Elsinore ( @elsinoregame) - Its approach to dynamic narrative made the world seem alive, like I could really play around with the story. Could get tedious and repetitive as I checked off more items off but the "what ifs…" always felt fair and fun.
ETHEREAL ( @ethereal_game) - Abstract puzzler with non-verbal communication at its finest. Calming environment with puzzles on just-this-side-of-difficult to create a delightful experience.
Fortnite - Confession: I wanted to see what all the hype is about.
Confession: I still don't know if I get it, but had an enjoyable enough time trying to outlast my opponents.
Confession: I still don't know if I get it, but had an enjoyable enough time trying to outlast my opponents.
Frog Detective 2: The Case of the Invisible Wizard (by @gracebruxner) - Kind and charming. Put Lobster Cop in Smash.
Frog Fractions: Hop's Hat DLC (by @mogwai_poet) - If your favorite part of Frog Fractions was the balls-to-the-wall ridiculousness of the story, this game perfects the formula. Put Hatricia in Smash.
Fumiko! (by @FumikoGames) - Oddly compelling narrative platformer. Liked the narrative more than the platforming, but even given the ominous atmosphere there was something lovely about hanging out in the world.
Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy (by @bfod) - Turns out I'm a fake gamer.
Glittermitten Grove (by @mogwai_poet) - If your favorite part of the original Frog Fractions was the frenetic genre spoofs, this game perfects the formula. Oh, and Glittermitten Grove actually isn't half bad too.
Good Sudoku (by @helvetica) - Should be studied as an example of great training UX. A superb scaffolding system that noticeably improved my sudoku skills in a matter of days, and made me actually enjoy playing it for the first time.
Heaven's Vault (by @inkleStudios) - I was blown away by how many things this game does well: the language-translation mechanic, the sense of exploration, dynamic relationships, and modelling character knowledge, all adding up to an unforgettable experience.
Hypnocult (by @increpare) - Scratched my fast-twitch gaming itch for an afternoon. Reminded me of Super Hexagon, and also got my pulse racing. Beat the Dubai level and felt so proud I decided to end my Hypnocult career on a high.
Hypnospace Outlaw (by @jaytholen et al) - The first game @ivydupler and I played this year, which is wild because it feels like it's been one of our GOATs forever. Loved the writing and aesthetics, not just that @grundislav is Desperate in Dallas or Chowder Man is ready to shave.
The Jackbox Party Pack 7 (by @jackboxgames) - Truly, Jackbox were the games of quarantine (to the point where they almost became a punchline), but Champ'd Up can go toe-to-toe with the best of the series.
The Long Dark ( @IntoTheLongDark) - Started this late in the year (winter, appropriately) and it made me long for roughing it. Felt a tension between wanting more story in story mode and fewer carrots in survival mode, but still gave me the thrill of the razors edge of mortality.
Loom - When I started this on Steam, I had no idea about the half-hour audio drama or the Drafts worksheets that came with the original game. When I give this a second shot, now hopefully I'll be less confused.
Metamaze (by @adampi) - I've played lots of takes on 2D-game-meets-3D-game, but never "what if you had to play a 2D game and a 3D game at once, with different maps but the same controls?" Intriguing but arduous.
Moonlighter - Had some highlights, but bounced after a few days. Understood the appeal, but the focus on upgrading gear to get deeper into dungeons contradicted the roguelike appeal for me.
Nancy Drew: Labyrinth of Lies (by @HerInteractive) - Part of @ivydupler's quest to introduce me to all the ND games (that she hasn't played on stream). Fun with some very original puzzles, even though a few instances of pixel hunting made me frustrated.
Noita (by @NollaGames) - A lotus flower revealing layer after layer. First I was an explorer, then a wand designer, then a powerup completionist, then an alchemist. Not a great game *because* you bathe in enemies' blood, you bathe in enemies' blood because it's a great game.
Outer Wilds (by @Mobius_Games) - It only took 22 minutes to "beat" the game, but hours worth of 22-minute timeloops to figure out how. This felt hand-designed for my sensibilities, and had one of the best endgames I've ever played.
Pear Quest (by @sokpopco) - A triumph of the small-scale: an adventure that feels epic in scope but takes place on strictly a single screen (the entire game is shown in this image!)
Phasmophobia (by @KineticGame) - Played for about 20 minutes then had to stop because @gormanate and I couldn't get our mic volume to work right. Still spooked me, which is the highest compliment I can give.
Pipe Push Paradise (by @mytoboggan) - Stephen's Sausage Roll meets Pipe Mania? I'm here for it. Builds several clever thinking-shifts into the mechanics, which had me shouting "Eureka!" to no one in particular.
Pitfall Planet ( @PitfallPlanet) - @iydupler and I had so much fun booping around as lil platforming robots. Ironically, we played this entirely before Couch Co-op became an essential form of self-care.
Pokemon Cafe Mix - Pay-to-win microtransaction folderol.
Prey (by @arcanestudios) - Felt like a deeper version of Bioshock elements, in (mostly) great ways. Complex but not overwhelming, with an open world that rewarded exploration and creativity. I loved the more mature take on ethical choices than "morality points."
Puddle Knights (by @lockpickle) - Chivalry isn't dead: lay down your cape so that nobles don't walk in mud. Takes this clever puzzle concept in lots of inventive directions, although I wish it was a little less linear so I didn't get as stuck on the more challenging levels.
Slay the Spire (by @MegaCrit) - Has it really only been a year ? It feels like it's sucked up so many lifetimes. First deck builder that's really grabbed me, and even after beating Ending+ the roguelite elements are so strong I still have fun logging a run every once in a while.
The Space Under The Window (by @zarfeblong) - Had that wonderful feeling of where my understanding of the possibilities for IF is expanded laterally.
Spelunky 2 - Came in with high expectations, but need to give it more time. Not sure if it's just because I'm having to relearn subtleties of the controls and risks, but feels much less forgiving than the original (my single mistakes seem more likely to spiral into instakills).
Super Mario 35 - I was surprised at how well the Tetris 99-style battle royale mechanics translated to a platformer. Perhaps a bit frightening that SMB has become as rote as Tetris? Or maybe I'm just bitter that my PB is 2nd place?
Super Mario Odyssey - Crams 10 games' worth of ideas into a single polished package. Did to the Mario franchise what "Breath of the Wild" did for Zelda. Only worry is that the watermark is now so high.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Originally got this so @ivydupler could practice for a Twitch stream, but I still find the series fun over 20 years later. Isabelle is by far my favorite addition.
Taraman Castle Oni Story - Of all the entries I played from 7DRL, this left the biggest impression. The sense of theme and setting is superb, and like my favorite traditional roguelikes, I quickly forgot that all I was seeing was ASCII.
Void Bastards ( @VoidBastards) - First FPS roguelite I've tried, and was surprised at how well the randomly-generated levels felt unique and memorable. Nailed the comic-book aesthetic, although has the roguelite challenge of keeping the mechanics fresh over multiple playthroughs
PLUS I can't believe I made 4 games this year. Started out with an amazing collaboration on "Deer in the Headlights", followed by my 7DRL "Rogue Emoji," Twine story "The Redoubt," and an adaptation of the party game "Salad Bowl." Here's to a 2021 filled with More Making!
