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Game of the Year 2023

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God of War Ragnarok - Custom PS5 Cover Art : GodofWar

It's been a busy year for gaming, starting off with The Gardens Between & my catch up of the Yakuza games is completed with Song of Life. Then back to the open plains with Aloy before catching up with Kratos & Atreus. When I decide what to play after completing a game I like to mix genres and also play some shorter indie titles after completing a longer game. Thus next came Lego Builders Journey, Lost Words & Dodgeball Academia.

A return to form for the Final Fantasy series in 16 with some great Eikon battles & then an adventure in the potterverse with Hogwarts Legacy. Old Mans Journey & Dysmantle kept me busy during August before I picked up a XSX console and Gamepass & scrapped my own rule of one console per generation.


The PS5 then took a break whilst I went on a gamepass playing spree in Unpacking, A Short Hike, Quantum Break, Venba, Halo Guardians/Infinite, Vampire Survivors, Gears 4 & 5. Gamepass offers day one releases and not just on first party games but also selected third party & I got to enjoy Jusant & Like A Dragon Gaiden.Forager then kept me busy for a while before the storm that was brewing for December arrived & swept everything aside to announce the new Fortnite, a multiverse of games now included Rocket Racing, Festival & Lego Fortnite.

2023 GOTY - God of War Ragnarok, I love a game that has a great story & God of War Ragnarok does not disappoint. The Father/Son relationship is put to the test with the arrival of Odin. The gameplay carries over the previous game with some suttle changes but it is the story that kept me glued to the controller. God of War was released in 2018 & then 2022 for Ragnarok, hopefully we do not have to wait too long for the next game in the series.

Special mention also to Final Fantasy 16 which had some truly epic Eikon fight sequences and is easily a showcase for this genertation. I also throughly enjoyed Quantum Break which I only started due to a GamePass weekly challenge and then could not put down. Last but not least the Indie games with Venba, Jusant, A Short Hike & Lost Words being great gaming experiences.

The Gardens Between (PS5)
Yakuza 6 Song of Life (PS5)
Horizon Forbidden West (PS5)
God of War Ragnarok (PS5)
Lego Builders Journey (PS5)
Lost Words (PS5)
Dodgeball Academia (PS5)
Final Fantasy 16 (PS5)
Hogwarts Legacy (PS5)
Old Mans Journey (PS5)
Dysmantle (PS5)
Unpacking (XSX)
A Short Hike (XSX)
Quantum Break (XSX)
Venba (XSX)
Halo Guardians (XSX)
Halo Infinite (XSX)
Vampire Survivors (XSX)
Gears of War 4 (XSX)
Gears 5 (XSX)
Jusant (XSX)
Like A Dragon Gaiden - The Man Who Erased His Name (XSX)
Forager (XSX)
Lego Fortnite (PS5)

Game of the Year 2019 is Spider-Man

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Definitely less time for gaming this year but I still managed to complete 13 games (I did start DQ11 in  2019 but completed it this week).

Inside (PS4)
Burly Men at Sea (PS4)
Spider-Man (PS4)
Assassin's Creed Odyssey (PS4)
Football Chairman (iOS)
Children of Zodiarcs (PS4)
What Remains of Edith Finch (PS4)
Bulletstorm Full Clip (PS4)
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (PS4)
Mafia 3 (PS4)
Fifa 19 (PS4)
Dragon Quest Builders 2 ( PS4)
Days Gone (PS4)

I enjoyed playing AC Odyssey, Ubisoft finally seem to have the formula perfected, although I do with they would stick to a 2 or 3-year cycle for releases. Dragon Quest Builders 2 takes the formula from the first game & improves with better automation. I need to play more indie titles because they are much shorter but I did enjoy Edith Finch & Children of the Zodiarcs.

I have played family games on the switch with Mario Party & Kart but the majority of my gaming is done on the PS4 or iOS devices. Football Chairman kept me entertained again for a few months otherwise it has been the usual Township & Clash Royale.

I managed to complete a few PS+ titles in the forgetful Bulletstorm & Mafia 3 which I did enjoy playing. Shadow of the Tomb Raider I felt obliged to play only because I have completed the previous two games & a return to Fifa 19 after my 3-year break with Ultimate Team.

Spider-Man is my game of 2019, so much fun zipping around the city & combat is satisfying. I really enjoyed the boss battles & characters, I wish I had waited to buy the game of the year edition though to enjoy the DLC.




2020 then is the year of the new consoles, I expect to stick with Sony and get the PS5 on release especially if it is released with Horizon Zero Dawn 2, Batman Court of Owls or Cyberpunk 2020. There are quite a few releases which I will not play on the PS4 & wait for the inevitable re-release on PS5 like Final Fantasy 7 remake, Ghosts of Tsushima & Last of Us 2.

Having just completed Dragon Quest XI after 135 hours! I'm going to enjoy some indie titles in No Way Out & Steamworld Heist before moving onto the gaming shelf which includes Star Wars Fallen Jedi, The Outer Worlds & Death Stranding. 

Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4) – What a way to end the year!

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Completed - easily one of the best games this generation with an amazing narrative & enjoyable open world to explore.

It’s been a good year for me having completed 14 games.

Battlefield 1 (PS4)
Walking Dead New Frontier (PS4)
The Division (PS4)
Assassins Creed Origins (PS4)
Telltale Batman (PS4)
Dragonball Z Dokkan Battle (iOS)
Mad Max (PS4)
Ni No Kuni 2 (PS4)
Stardew Valley (PS4)
Hidden Agenda (PS4)
God of War (PS4)
Final Fantasy XV (PS4)
Qube Directors Cut (PS4)
Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4)
Cities Skyline (PS4)

Some great games especially God of War, Stardew Valley, AC Origins & Game of the year possibly generation in Red Dead Redemption 2.

2017 Review inc Game of the Year

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It has been a pretty bad year for gaming with only 14 games completed (excluding DLC)

Lego Star Wars - The Force Awakens (PS4)
Destiny - Rise of Iron DLC (PS4)
Tiny Rails (iOS)
World of Final Fantasy (PS4)
Tiny Troopers (PS4)
Costume Quest 2 (PS4)
Firewatch (PS4)
Titanfall 2 (PS4)
Letter Quest Remastered (PS4)
Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4)
Steamworld Dig (PS4)
Ghost Recon Wildlands (PS4)
Destiny 2 (PS4)
Lego Avengers (PS4)
Uncharted Lost Legacy (PS4)

It has been very difficult to find any time for gaming & it does not help when that time is wasted playing broken games like XCOM2 or games that just go on forever & I got bored of playing them like Persona 5.

I purchased a PSVR unit in June and have played various smaller games & experiences which are not on the completed list. PSVR has been a breath of fresh air & I am utterly amazed at the technology & experiences it can deliver.

From the list above Firewatch, TitanFall 2, Horizon Zero Dawn & Ghost Recon Wildlands have been the most enjoyable experiences this year but it is Horizon Zero Dawn which I have enjoyed the most this year. Aloy's adventures in a post apocalyptic world overrun with robotic creatures is a pleasure to explore & the combat is challenging with a range of various weapons that you need to switch out depending on your foe.

I have enough on the shelf already for 2018 but it is Red Dead Redemption 2 & Dragon Quest 8 that I am most looking forward to playing.

2016 Review inc Game of the Year

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It has not been a bad year for gaming, 22 games completed

Lifeline (iOS)
Lara Croft Temple of Osiris (PS4)
Metal Gear Solid V (PS4)
Game of Thrones - Telltale (PS4)
Lara Croft Go (iOS)
Batman Arkham Knight (PS4)
Football Chairman Pro (iOS)
Uncharted 4 (PS4)
Ratchet & Clank (PS4)
This War of Mine (PS4)
Gone Home (PS4)
Hero Emblems (iOS)
Destiny The Taken King (PS4)
Telltale Walking Dead Michonne (PS4)
Diablo 3 (PS4)
Capitals (iOS)
No Man's Sky (PS4)
Deus Ex Mankind Divided (PS4)
Everybody's gone to the Rapture (PS4)
Dragon Quest Builders (PS4)
Tales of the Borderlands (PS4)
Rise of the Tomb Raider (PS4)

Some very good games completed this year from MGSV, Batman, Deus Ex & Dragon Quest Builders but Uncharted 4 is my game of the year because it was the complete package from gameplay, plot to dialogue. Just an amazing experience I could not put down till I completed. No Man's Sky was a disappointment but I did enjoy the experience & I may revisit once Hello Games have released a few more updates.

I have stuck to my one console this generation even though I was very tempted by Forza Horizon 3, the Wii U I did not touch & even the kids have stopped playing so it will be sold. I expect I will buy the Nintendo Switch maybe even on release depending on the games.

Looking at games for 2017 Mass Effect Andromeda & Red Dead Redemption 2 are the obvious big releases but I am also looking forward to Ni No Kuni 2, Persona 5 & Dragon Quest XI but I expect that will be 2018 before released.