My Top 40 Games of 2013, 30 - 21 or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love Jack King-Spooner

Written By: Tyler Selig

                Welcome back to my Top 40 Games of 2013! In this here article, I’ll be giving you 30 – 21.

30: Super House of Dead Ninjas*

                Technically I believe this game came out last year, but this one is a re-release with more stuff and it was the first time I played it anyway, so I’m counting it as a 2013 game. It’s an SNES inspired – peep that name for proof – game where you descend a huge tower while gaining power-ups and whatnot. It’s not innovative, it’s just a lot of fun.

29: The Wolf Among Us Episode 1 – Faith

                I never played The Walking Dead, so I wasn’t really sure what their games are like nowadays. I had an idea, but wow, this game has a great story. It helps that the source material is apparently awesome to begin with, but even if you are like me and aren’t familiar with Fables, you know a lot of these characters anyway.

28: The Great Work

                The Great Work is a puzzle-platformer with a gorgeous art-style and wonderful mechanics. That about sums it up.

27: Moirai

                This is a short game, and to be honest it’s not even that exciting as most of it is just walking with very little to do. I don’t even want to say what ends up making it awesome, because I don’t want anything to be ruined. Play it, it’s free and it’ll take you approximately five or ten minutes anyway. You’ll at the very least get a game with a neat idea, and that counts a lot in the books of someone like myself who has been playing games for over twenty years.

26: Inventor

                If you’re a fan of any art form, you probably will find an artist that you can identify with. These are the type of people you look at and think, “This is similar to something I’d do if I had that kind of talent.” I have a couple game developers like that, and Jack King-Spooner is one of them. I love Inventor, and it’s not because it’s that much different than his other games I’ve played – you mostly just walk and press space, but there are some mini-games to play. I think his surreal visuals are some of the best he’s done. The only reason it doesn’t get higher is because short indie games don’t tend to get placed as high as full game experiences, and because as a game, it might leave a little to be desired. Not as an experience, but as a pure game.

25: Anarchy Reigns

                Anarchy Reigns came out of nowhere for me. It is multiplayer focused, and it’s a beat ‘em up. It does some interesting things with the genre and I don’t think so many people should sleep on this. Get an online community for this beast.

24: Will You Ever Return: in da hood

                Another Jack King-Spooner jam, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed his weird, funny, sincere and somehow tragic trilogy. I don’t know which one is the best, but I really liked this one, obviously.

23: Killer Is Dead

                Suda51 is another game designer that I really like. If you haven’t noticed, I tend to gravitate most towards oddballs, and Suda is definitely that. Killer Is Dead has a few problems, and it’s not as good as Lollipop Chainsaw, but it’s still a weird, action-packed game with some strange, yet memorable, characters. Killer is dead.

22: Crysis 3

                Unfortunately my PC couldn’t run this, but I played it for 360 and it was another solid entry in Crysis, a first-person shooter that allows the player a little more freedom when going about their business. Plus you can go invisible.

21: Sluggish Morrs: A Delicate Time In History

                And yet another King-Spooner game. The sad thing is, if I got time to play Blues For Mittavinda that’d probably be on here too. Sluggish Morrs: A Delicate Time in History is better than Sluggish Morrs because there’s just more to it… a little more gameplay, more interesting events, everything.

                When I made this list I wasn’t aware of the extent of my man crush on King-Spooner. It’s almost creepy at this point. Make sure to tune in again tomorrow for my next ten picks, and comment below if you got something you want to say.

My Top 50 Favourite Video Games of This Generation, 40 - 31

Written By: Tyler Selig

I won’t waste your time because I know you’ve been so eagerly awaiting the next ten picks, so let’s do this.

40: Sin and Punishment: Star Successor (Wii)

                It’s a common misconception that the Wii didn’t have games. It’s untrue, and I hope my list proves that. Sin and Punishment: Star Sucessor is a type of game that doesn’t get made very often, the Cabal shooter. There’s often quite a bit going on at any given point on the screen, so the experience is often thrilling and intense.

39: Mark of the Ninja (360)

                A 2D stealth game, they pretty much did it perfectly. The mechanics are smooth, and this makes for an incredible spin on a genre that isn’t uncommon, but is usually 3D. Mix in a great art style and atmosphere, and while I enjoy Shank but this is my favourite Klei Entertainment game, by far.

38: Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)

                Donkey Kong is a mammoth of the platforming genre. This is a great return. It has everything that makes the series one of the best in the genre.

37: Bayonetta (PS3, 360)

                Speaking of best in the genre… I’m not going to say Bayonetta is the best in its particular genre but it’s one of the best in its genre this generation. It’s batshit insane action, at all times, with an overly sexualized main character that turned off some. Yes, the game is really silly, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun. I can’t wait for Bayonetta 2.

36: Crysis 3 (PS3, 360)

                I wish I could run this on my PC. It wouldn’t even let me turn the game on. But I did play it on 360 and it’s more of what makes the series great. It’s a pretty open-world so there are different ways to tackle objectives, and who doesn’t like going invisible and murdering people?

35: Max Payne 3 (PS3, 360)

                I think it’s at this point where I started having a really hard time placing the games, because up until a certain point they’re all really close in quality. I really enjoy Max Payne 3. It’s refreshing to see a shooter that isn’t dependant on taking cover, and Max Payne is just an iconic character. He has the worst days ever.

34: Muramasa: The Demon Blade (Wii)

                I wouldn’t hesitate to say that this is one of the most beautiful games the Wii has. It’s a 2D action game, and it’s just charming from beginning to end. It’s one of those special games in the genre that come along every now and then. The story is a bit confusing, but hacking people up is a lot of fun.

33: Perfect Dark Zero (360)

                I used to think it was underrated, but I guess it actually got pretty good reviews. It’s not as good as the first one, but it’s a worthy follow-up. I spent a lot of time playing the multi-player, the guns feel really good to shoot, and some of the multiplayer levels are awesome. Weirdly enough, the roll adds a lot to the game too.

32: Mass Effect 3 (PS3, 360)

                Though people shit on the ending that was originally given to us, which is fine, it doesn’t change the fact that up until that point it’s a wonderful game. They changed it up from the first game a bit, but I enjoy it. It’s a solid third-person shooter with RPG elements, and a large, epic story.

               

31: Braid (PS3, 360)

                It feels weird to me to put Braid at 31, because it’s such a kick in the nuts (in the best way possible). I know the developer is up his ass, and this wouldn’t help, but it really is an innovative, incredible, emotional experience. The story could be taken on multiple levels, literal and symbolic, and the ending is one of the best that games has ever seen.

                Just from a story perspective it’s worth playing, but the puzzles are smart and they change up all the time so there’s always a new element being introduced to you. Braid really is good as they say. 

Well that's it for today. Make sure to check back in tomorrow for the next ten. 

[Click here to see 50 - 41]
[Click here to see 30 - 21]