Antares Complex

I was going to make this a video but it’d probably be more simple for me to type it out with some images shoved in. 2016 many claim was a great year for games, me I was kinda scratching my head to come up with a larger list than this.

Also these are games I played in 2016 and may not have actually come out then. If you think that’s cheating well, some of these games may have come out in 2016 in the US but in previous years in Japan, so that’s my excuse.

So, with that out of the way. Welcome to Mike’s TOP 5 CLICK BAIT GAMES OF 2016!

 

Sky Rogue (PC):

Already I’m cheating with a game that isn’t actually out yet but is in early access! Gah, ruined my list. It’s a really fun game, you don’t see many flight games being released or at least ones that aren’t going a bit too far with complexity. This feels like an Ace Combat game …but with MODDING! Yes you want a Tie Fighter in it your game? Well hit the steam workshop and hit 1 button and now you have a tie fighter. Want Silpheed? Just one cl- what do you man what is SILPHEED?! …..

Anyway, it’s got a standout graphical style that’s both light on system requirements but also stylish. Kinda reminds me of a 32x or DOS game.

 

It’s in early access as I said but it offers a lot of options in an expanding simple package….Like SPLIT SCREEN CO-OP!!

PC/Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/381020/

 

Earth Defense Force 4.1

This is a dumb game, a really really dumb game and it knows it. The idea is the earth is under attack by every b-movie cliche you can imagine. Giant ants? In hordes. Giant robots? With lasers even! Godzilla ripoffs? With giant mech battles!

This is a case of so-bad it’s good. The game is ugly, the art design is goofy, the voice acting is HORRIBLE, the music is forgettable, it chugs no matter what platform you play it on but…It’s got co-op, you fight giant bugs with shotguns or weapons that make no sense (rockets you can roll faster than) has an assortment of weapons, 4 classes and tons of levels to play through. Online co-op, SPLIT-SCREEN CO-OP (YES, ON PC)

Only a few of the games have made it to the US, 1 made it exclusively on 360, the other on PS3, PS4 PC (maybe XB1? IDK) and there’s a spinoff by another dev which some like some hate.

It’s a bit grindy and that’s about the only thing I can say that’s a full stop turn away for some but it’s a series I hope to see more from. E.D.F.!!! E.D.F.!!! E.D.F.!!! E.D.F.!!!

But as the only one that’s on PC currently besides the spinoff, I’d say you’re missing out if you don’t give this game a shot.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/410320/

 

Monster Hunter Generations (3DS)

Ah hah! Thought this would be PC ranty-rant only? Nonsense! That said the screenshots are going to look awful because the 3DS’s native resolution is somewhere between a potato and a NES.

There have been other games trying to ape what Monster Hunter brings and sure you can say games have done the formula before but this is the first one I’ve seen that has such deliberate and precise gameplay mechanics. Some have said the game is unresponsive with the attacks, but that’s inaccurate I feel. Attacks are deliberate, swinging a giant sword would require a lot of strength and when you see the hit it feels like a real solid impact. The combat feels good, attacks are deliberate and you have to plan them out it feels like…almost like Dark Souls I guess?

The goals typically boil down to you and your friends gang up and beat up a giant monster to make weapons out of them. This is another case of grinding turning away players I’d say as monster drops are pretty random so, if you want a specific weapon and you don’t get everything you need? You’ll be going back to fight them again.

The game is fun, feels rewarding and I only wish I could play it more but seems my friends have gotten way too far head of me and this is a game that I feel is best played with friends. Even if they have a single player that works good on your own.

The only other negative…It’s 3DS only, and works much nicer on the NEW 3DS with better framerates, textures and added effects. So there’s no split screen option and your friends will need to have a their own 3DS units as well.

DOOM 4 (PC/PS4/XB1)

This game, this was not a game I was expecting to be good. How many shooters get fucked in sequels or when a company buys them up? FEAR was great then FEAR 3 happened, DeadSpace was great then 3 happened. Really top this off with the fact the last game id made was RAGE which was …..mediocre at best. I didn’t expect DOOM to work as well as it did.

It does nearly everything right. No reloading, no regeneration health, not open world, not a buggy garbage mess, no forced walking spots, no leveling and stat points. (kinda)

DOOM 4 looks great, runs great, plays great has 2 shotguns….. Also you get to rip an imp in half with your bare fucking hands:

So it’s pretty damn great. The only negatives are a few times you have a forced story bit that usually don’t last too long annnd…there’s no expansions as of the writing of this ….’review’.

It manages to add enough to not be a stupid retread of old DOOM games nor does it try and be something it isn’t. It’s fast, it’s brutal it’s mean, it’s bloody good fun. It’s as good as you’ve heard.

 

and my ARBITRARY NUMBER 1 pick iiiiis:

7th Dragon III: Code V.F.D. (3DS)

Again, I apologize for the potato resolution screenshots but unless a port to a more more powerful device happens …or 3DS emulation takes off we’re stuck with teeny-weenie screenshots.

This game I took a gamble on, as I usually like to go into games blind I saw the art from this game and PART of a video and went in to a preorder (like you shouldn’t do). Boy was I surprised, not only did it come in a larger box with a artbook but the game itself is really fun.

The story is simple but kinda unique. Dragons have invaded the world, the world is not doing well as some people are dying from a sickness and others are straight up being killed. Your job is to make a team of characters of your own creation: their looks, job and skills are up to you and your goal is to travel through time (DBZ style where it creates break off timelines) and defeat all the dragons in the areas.

This is where the combat gets crazy, there’s random battles then there’s dragons. If there are dragons on the map? They can invade your battle, even if it’s a dragon battle making for some hectic gameplay. What makes this nice is unlike Pokemon, moves rarely drag on. I think the longest attack in this game is about the length of all the dialogue & attack animation of the SHORTEST move in pokemon. Making battles fast and fluid. Every fight is fast an energetic, only enhanced by the music.

What makes the music more fun and interesting is they totally planned out a peak in climax in the music, so if the battle has dragged out a bit, it only gets you more pumped for the fight.

 

The story is simple and despite your characters being character created generics you still kinda get a feel for character and enjoy them. Its’ also gotta be said this game has one of the few cases of having a gay character that wasn’t the characters ONLY trait. It’s just apart of them, it’s not what makes them a person. An intelligent scientist and engineer who’s a bit fruity, finally! If you want you can even date him or anyone else on your party or in the office.

Either way this lengthy thing has gone on a bit too long. The game is overall pretty simple but it’s a game that I’ve really come to enjoy, the music, the combat, the flow of things really work well together. I wish it was on more platforms but I think the dev actually went out of business …so unless the publisher has someone else do it…this game is stuck on the small screen.

The other titles are japan only on the PSP.

Check the game out if you have a 3DS! It’s obscure, REALLY obscure, I didn’t even see a gamefaq walkthrough for it!

 

Well there’s my top whatever games of 2016. I may have missed some games or chosen not to include them like Pokemon (because it disappointed me) but if you disagree you can make your own list 🙂 . I really thought there’d be more but at the time of writing this is what I enjoyed playing………….Well besides way, way, WAY too much Freedom Planet.