The Impact Factor's Top 10 Games of 2023

 The Impact Factor’s Top 10 Games of 2023

Let’s keep this short and sweet this time around, yeah? 2023 was a phenomenal year for game releases. If you’ve read any of the past couple year’s posts, you would know that I have been trending more towards lifestyle games. Games that are easier to pick up and put down, and feel better when played in short bursts. The caliber of 2023 releases was so great, however, that it pushed me more towards my old ways. That’s awesome! The games were too good to be overlooked.

Most important to me — this year was huge for playing together with my wife. The back half of the year was spent almost exclusively sitting side by side, controllers in hand. It’s something I am always going to remember. 

2023 was also a year of HUGE releases when looking at playtime. I played three games for over 100 hours (one of those being Genshin Impact again, heh), and several others for 50+. With that in mind, I barely played more than 10 new release games. So while I stand by this list, keep in mind that its more an ordered list of games I played rather than a definitive representation of everything that released this year. 

Anyway, onto the list. See you all next year for the tenth anniversary of making these silly things!

10. Rogue Legacy 2

The classic “does this count since it came out on other platforms prior to 2023 but only came to Playstation this year?” Oh well. Rogue Legacy 2 is a blast, improving basically everything from the first game. Extremely satisfying 2D platforming, fun roguelike procedural generation, and enough run-to-run progress to always feel like you are one step closer seeing the credits roll. I played this at the same time as Final Fantasy XVI (a deeply disappointing game that will not make this list), and found myself booting this up 9 times out of 10. Super fun!

9. Sea of Stars

A beautiful pixel-art RPG that plays into some of my biggest nostalgia — the JRPGs of the Super Nintendo generation. More than a little inspired by Chrono Trigger, but unique enough to chart its own path, Sea of Stars has been so fun to play. RPGs like this are definitely a comfort food for me. It has, so far, been a simple experience, but simple is good. It feels so deeply refined that each moment has been a joy. Full disclosure — I have not beaten it yet. I’ll get there.

8. Dead Space (Remake)

What a year for new era remakes of classic survival horror games. Dead Space was an instant classic of its time, and still playable (and fantastic!) in its original form. But the remake went above an beyond. It’s one of those perfect remakes where it keeps everything that worked & makes it prettier (gorier?) while adding new quality of life changes and content that feel natural. The seamless exploration of the USS Ishimura changed the experience meaningfully. I played this front to back as soon as it released, and I keep itching to play it again. 

7. Lies of P

One of the best Soulslike games not made by From Software. Lies of P has a silly premise; it’s a dark Victorian horror game about Pinocchio killing robots and zombies with a great sword. Yep. But the gameplay was super smooth, with a smart and highly customizable weapon assembly system, and creative boss fights. It’s one of the easier Soulslike games I've played, and there is room for improvement with level design and enemy variety, but the fact that this game came out of nowhere and is almost at the quality of a From Software game is a huge accomplishment. 

6. Street Fighter VI

A return to form for Capcom fighters and one of, if not THE, best Street Fighter game ever released? Everything about this game is fun and fluid. Modern controls and more lenient target combos lower the skill floor, which makes it so much easier to feel like you’re good. Like you’re actually doing something. The art and character designs are at the series best (Luke turkey forearms included). Not everything worked in the Yakuza-inspired single player, but I loved the ambition and liked what they did manage to achieve. It felt great feeling out the characters, hitting the lab to master my approach and combos, and climbing the ranked ladder. Without realizing, I played this for nearly 70 hours. I’m more spectator than player now, but after EVO 2023, I know the future of Street Fighter VI is bright.

5. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

I love Spider-Man, I love Insomniac Games, and I loved both prior Spider-Man games. So I was primed to love this. And I did! It was the best of the bunch (of all categories I listed). Spider-Man 2 has modest ambitions, but at what it is trying to do (open world exploration, fun comic book moments and characters, fast-paced third person combat) it is unrivaled. Spider-Man 2 is a page turner of a game, one that I did not want to put down until I finished. And 100%’d. And platinumed. I cannot wait for more of this franchise, and future Marvel games from this studio. 

4. Resident Evil 4 Remake

As I get older, I am fairly convinced that Resident Evil might be my favorite video game franchise. Like, top one. RE4 has been in and out of my top 10 games of all time, and when it first released, it pushed me towards a greater appreciation of video games as a medium. I love everything about this scary, silly game. Leon’s one liners (Where are they all going, bingo?!) to mine cart chases, to giant monster fish and everything in between. Similar to what I wrote above with Dead Space is true here. What a phenomenal remake, what a phenomenal game, and what I phenomenal time I had playing this with my wife watching. 

3. Diablo IV

There is little more satisfying in games than casting a frost nova on 50 skeletons and watching as they explode into a symphony of ricocheting ice shards that clear an entire screen of demons and ghouls and giant spiders. Diablo IV is just…fun. I played this from the very beginning with my wife — we had been awaiting this release for years after how much fun we had with Diablo III. And in my opinion, Diablo IV is better in pretty much every way than its predecessor. We played this together on our eternal characters and hopped right into the first season to roll two new toons. We even got to play this with my brother and sister in law, and had a regularly scheduling gaming night across coasts! I loved loved loved my time with Diablo IV this year. This is one of the 3 100+ hours games (final 2023 hours: 110).

2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

If you all remember, I really liked Breath of the Wild. Even rated it as my number two game from 2017! But for as much as I liked it, I appreciated it more. The distinction is important here. There was so much about Breath of the Wild that didn’t click with me: the survival elements, the cooking for health restoration, the small stamina meter, weapon degradation, small “classic” Zelda dungeons, etc. So I was worried going into Tears of the Kingdom. Would I not like what is almost certain to be one of the most universally acclaimed games of the year? Of all time? Well, I’m happy to say that was not the case. Tears of the Kingdom was an improvement in almost every way. A remarkable, head scratchingly huge and complex game with player expressivity at its heart. The new powers (fusion, ascension, record/reverse) gave so much agency to the player to explore their own way. Adding the sky and underground layers made the world feel so much more expansive and intimidating. Larger dungeons allowed for bigger and better set piece moments (the master sword scene, uhm, hello???). The design of Tears of the Kingdom is a marvel. In most other years, this would be my clear number 1 spot. I do think I still appreciate more than enjoy Tears of the Kingdom (survival elements and moment-to-moment gameplay don’t 100% click with me), but alas, one of the best games ever made got released this year. And it is number 1.

1. Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the best games ever made. It was almost instantly in my top 10 games ever, and the more I play the more I like it. Baldur’s Gate 3 has almost everything I would want from a game: a well designed co-op experience, an expansive world intricately crafted in which player agency feels deeply respected, well written characters, challenging combat… I don’t know. The list goes on and on and I do not even feel like I’m scratching the surface. I cannot fathom how Baldur’s Gate 3 was made. It remembers everything, every choice matters, the world and characters respond to you. Baldur’s Gate 3 is an epic adventure that feels like the best D&D session with the best DM that you could possibly imagine. My wife and I have not put this down since early September. Our game clock is at nearly 200 hours and counting, with much more playing planned. I just. I. This game is a marvel and one of the best experiences I’ve ever had with a video game. With a piece of media or art. The fact that I could share all of that with my soulmate made this unquestionably the Game of the Year for 2023! 

 The Impact Factor’s Top 10 Games of 2022

As expected, 2022 was more of the same with regards to my gaming habits. More lifestyle, easy-to-pick-up-and-put-down kind of games. Fewer 50-100 hour AAA or AA games, RPGs in particular, that I used to really enjoy.  Much fewer indie titles, oh man, so many less. And as a result, fewer “games that I need to play to be a part of mainstream Game of the Year discussions” played, too. So many of the highest rated games fell by the wayside — and this was the year I finally came to terms with the reality that I just won’t play them. In the past, I convinced myself that during some magical December window I would get to all of those critical darlings and finally become one with the discourse. Well. That’s not me anymore. 

I get the sense in so many conversations with people, interactions online, that people fall out of their hobbies. Video games in particular. “Oh yeah, I used to play a ton in high school, and then I just stopped.” I was always afraid I would be one of those people. Belligerent that I wouldn’t be. And, to be clear, I’m not. But 2022 was the year I finally laid to rest my video game enthusiast persona, the wannabe outlet reviewer or podcast influencer, and just admitted that: I’m just a guy who plays video games. And that’s ok. 

Anyway, enough philosophy. The smoldering embers of my old self still burns brightly enough to compel me to write this Top 10 GOTY list. I hope that never changes. We’ll see. 

About 2022 in particular, I found fewer titles that really moved me. Even ignoring the whole identity crisis thing you just read. Of these top 10 or so games, I only feel super passionately about the top… two? Maybe even only top one? Just wanted that place setting so you can understand how I ranked ‘em this year. 

Quick note, just like last year, if this list ever becomes the Top 10 Games I Played and Enjoyed the Most This Year, Regardless of Release Date of course Genshin Impact would rank highly. As you can see below, 41% of all time spent on PS5 this year (my primary console) was Genshin Impact. Over 2 years out, and still going strong. It’s not a game for everyone, but it sure is a game for me.

Without further ado, here are my top 10 (+1) games of 2022.

Does This Count??? Entry Omitted From Top 10 Because It Came Out 2021

??. Inscryption

Boy was I finally glad to get around to this one. The discourse was gushing about this indie-darling from creator of TIF-famous Pony Island last year. And it sounded like everything I would love: a rogue-like card game with horror vibes. But it was only on PC last year and I just don’t play there. But when it made its way to PS5 this fall, I just had to try it. And I loved it! What can I say that hasn’t already been said? I love the tone, I think the card game mechanics are extremely solid & I love how the game breaks them to allow for narrative and progression, I love how the game evolves over time into essentially three different but closely related card games, the FMV inserts, etc. I could go on. I was less sold on the Slay the Spire-like first iteration of Inscryption, but man did I love the other two more deck-building focused variants. Super super fun title, and one that I wish I had more of a reason to go back to. This would be my #3 GOTY if it counted, just FYI.

10. The Quarry

As a huge fan of Supermassive’s Until Dawn and a moderately sized fan of their games in the Dark Pictures Anthology, I was pretty excited to jump into The Quarry when it released this summer. Specifically, playing this game side-by-side with my wife, experiencing all the twists and turns and character deaths together. The Quarry is a less shocking, less novel experience than Until Dawn was when it first released, but The Quarry is a damn good time. I really enjoyed performances by Brenda Song, David Arquette, and Miles Robbins. The setting was fun — a summer camp besieged by werewolves and the unfortunate teens that have to deal with the horror. Gameplay was fine enough, with a few new twists on interactivity as we played through the story. But overall it was just fun to sit down on this rollercoaster ride next to my best friend. More of these, please!

9. Vampire Survivors

A latecomer to this list (I only played following iOS release in early December), but one I had heard a lot about from the discourse. The game is incredibly simple: all you can do is move left-right, up-down, and avoid an increasing number of heavily Castlevania-inspired monsters that slowly chase you down. I was a bit confused at first — why was everyone hyping this game up? But then I played, died, played again, unlocked some new power ups, died again, played once more, settled into a groove with a new item build and oh no. Yep. I get it. Vampire Survivors is a devilishly smart, deviously simple rogue-like that just builds and builds and builds. You go from slowly whipping a bat every few seconds to fighting thousands (not an exaggeration) of bats and zombies and ghosts from all directions. It is a sight to behold. A delicate dance of dodging and carnage. An exquisite bullet hell, at times. This might have been higher on my list had I played it more, but now ~5 hours in I GET it. Happy to keep up with this one for a while. 

8. Rumbleverse

Rumbleverse is a professional wrestling-inspired third-person action brawler battle royale. A bit of a mouthful, sure, but an extremely fun game. I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed this neat little mash-up. I am sure I have talked before about my Sunday gaming sessions with my old friend and former TIF-star— and this is where Rumbleverse shined brilliantly. Deceptively simple with huge mechanical complexity, Rumbleverse combines all the stuff we enjoy from battle royale (looting, surviving, builds, resource management) with the technical precision of fighting games (footies, frame traps, reading opponents, combos). There is a low skill floor but an extremely high skill ceiling; and it was extremely fun to climb that skill ladder as our characters climbed buildings with their bare hands. And then elbow dropped from 80 stories up. By the end of the year, the two of us were pulling off some disgusting wombo combos of grabs into throws into uppercuts into spinning pile drivers. Despite being ugly (and man I hate the art direction of this game), Rumbleverse is just so freakin’ fun to play.

7. Horizon: Forbidden West

This next pair of games (7 & 6 on the list) have a lot in common. They’re both major first-party Sony “prestige” 3rd person action-adventure RPG semi-open world games. And for both, I liked them quite a bit. But at the same time… I don’t know how much these kinds of games speak to me anymore. Or maybe each entry was weaker than I think? Who knows. Anyway, I had a good time this year with Horizon the second one. It improves on pretty much everything from the first game. Bigger, better open world. Better movement. Better combat. Way better facial animation (just watch a video of Horizon Zero Dawn if you’ve forgotten the horror). And while the story did not have the as strong a narrative hook as the first game (we we in the US the whole time!!!), I think Guerrilla games did a good job in Forbidden West expanding the world and stakes. I won’t spoil anything in this list but I loved the new technologically advanced faction you meet about 1/3 of the way through. What a cool moment. Ultimately, and why this game does not rank higher, is it just felt a bit bloated and lacking direction. I often found it a chore to go back and do things in the open world. Combat is good but became super samey super fast. And the narrative took too long to start, and then too long to finish. There were some phenomenal moments throughout, but ultimately Horizon: Forbidden West is just a really good game, not a great one. I platinumed this game.

6. God of War: Ragnarok

Yeah. If anybody read this I’m sure I would hear about my take from them. But let me be clear up front: God of War: Ragnarok is just a good game. Not a great one. And it is worse than its prequel. Much like Horizon, there are some truly fantastic moments in Ragnarok. Especially those in which the player is given fully agency with their experience (looking at you, dragon crater) and less so when being railroaded down encounter-filled hallways during the main narrative. God of War: Ragnarok has serious pacing problems. The narrative did not feel cohesive, or like it is doing much of anything, until I hit the 25 hour mark. That’s a problem! And even then, I don’t think the game is saying anything super meaningful? Basically “as a parent, it is hard to know when to let go of your kids and let them being who they are.” Maybe it would be more resonant if I were a parent. The game is often bloated (hence 25 hours to get to the final act) and the combat, while really fun, also became pretty samey pretty quickly. I would dread said-combat hallways because I just did the same, efficient, series of actions each encounter. But that’s enough ragging on Ragnarok because despite all that I had a really good time playing! Spectacular visuals, cool bosses & great encounter and enemy diversity, so much granularity to your Kratos build, and yeah, that dragon crater was some of the most fun I’ve had with games this year. And Richard Schiff was robbed at the Game Awards — Odin is BY FAR the best character of the year. God of War: Ragnarok is a really good game; just a shame I didn’t like it more. I platinumed this game. 

5. Stray

It’s the cat game! Stray is a third-person (cat?) adventure game with light exploration and puzzle solving. Set in the post-post-apolcalypse, Stray tells the story of a lost cat in a robot-filled city trying to find its way back to the outside world. As far as gameplay goes, Stray is just alright. It’s pretty simple stuff, with some unnecessary stealth & combat thrown in. “B game” quality. But what really makes Stray sing is its world, characters and, well, cat design. I loved exploring this quiet, grimy, neon-lit city and the robot inhabitants left behind. How are the robots different than humans? How are they not? The game is filled with absorbing little side stories about friendship and life in a sunless world. The game moves at a pretty brisk pace, nothing outstays its welcome. But the cat was the real star here. Great animations and controls really sold the feeling of being a cat. Smart magnetic platforming allowed you to feel the grace and dexterity of being a cat. The design here was very clever, and made for an altogether engrossing experience. Nice little gem of a game.

4. DNF Duel

Maybe this isn’t the right spot for this, but I don’t care. I really, truly enjoyed DNF Duel this year. It’s probably my favorite fighting game of the last several years. And it all comes down to how it plays. DNF absolutely sings during moment-to-moment gameplay. This 2D “anime” fighter from Arcsys had a lot to prove — it is using characters from an IP that has little cache in the West, with a small roster, and barebones modes. It needed a solid gameplay loop. And it did! The fighting feels fast and powerful. The control scheme was simplified so even complex, flashy combos, required only a moderate mastery of physical execution. I do not know how to describe game feel other than “you could tell some former Marvel vs. Capcom devs worked on this.” But above all? I loved that MOST of the cast felt “broken” or “unfair”. You can pull off these ridiculous, long, often touch-of-death combos. I wrote a whole article back in the day that argued that “balance” is not the pinnacle of game design. DNF Duel is a case in point. Super dumb, super fun fighting that’s fast and rewarding. It is a shame that the game didn’t sell well — after about a month I just couldn’t play online anymore. I got crushed by like the 100 hardcore people still playing. And DNF Duel essentially got no support (DLC, adjustments) for 6 months. Ah, well. I won’t soon forget the time I spent playing. It was fantastic.

3. Pokémon Violet

The lowest critically regarded mainline Pokémon ever is my number three game of the year?! Yes. It rules. Let’s get this out of the way up top — Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, and / or Gamefreak need to do something about how they develop these games. I don’t know whose fault it is, but recent Pokémon games (from a technical perspective) are awful. The games run terribly, huge performance and visual hiccups, the graphics look PS2 era, bugs, glitches, etc. Pokémon Violet needed at least another six months of development. But still. But still! This is the most fun I have had playing a Pokémon game in a long time, and I actually quite liked Sword & Shield. This is the first truly open-world Pokémon game. And the devs leaned into it. Quest structure & progression was totally up to the player. You could go anywhere, see anything, catch whatever ‘mon caught your eye. The diversity of biomes was fun, and I think this generation has some of the wildest new creature designs ever. There are so many quality of life additions in Violet, like crafting TMS, flying wherever whenever, free remembering of moves, etc. The game also has fun with tweaking expectations for “gym battles” and raids. And the story actually had some really great characters? And moments? My wife played before me & it was so fun to watch her grow her team and explore Paldea. I had a ton of fun playing, too. I hope this is the future of the franchise, but they just GOTTA release a game that looks & runs well at some point…right?

2. Marvel Snap

This is a game I was excited about for years. As anyone reading this probably knows, I am a huge Hearthstone fan (GOTY 2014, right here on TIF!). Several of the key developers left Blizzard to found Second Dinner, and Marvel Snap is their first game. Snap is a tightly designed, perfect paced, infinitely replayable collectible card game. The objective of each game is to have more total points in 2 of 3 lanes. Four cards can be played in each lane, each card has an energy cost and point value. What struck me the most is just how thoughtfully every single element is designed; how optimized it is for a tight play experience on phone. Games are never more than 5 minutes. At 12 cards, deck building is easy and accessible to all players. Rewards are constant, with non-stop progression. The snap mechanic (essentially a wager for speed up progression on the ranked ladder) is brilliant. Marvel Snap is simple enough for anyone to pickup, but deceptively complex at higher levels of play. As someone pretty deep into superhero and Marvel fatigue, Snap handles the huge IP superbly. It’s so fun for each card to have a special animation, voice line, or card text that reflects the spirit of the character (Hulk is just a high power finisher card, Taskmaster copies the power of the last card played, Wolverine comes back into play even if it is destroyed, etc.). Played in short bursts or long sessions, Marvel Snap is something I’ve enjoyed every day since launch. Super super fun.

1. Elden Ring

Pretend to be shocked, everyone! Elden Ring is a masterpiece. It is a true evolution of everything From Software has achieved with the Sekisoulsborne genre. This was head and shoulders better than every other game this year, and is probably my favorite game since… Persona 5 in 2017? I am in total awe of how much, and how well, everything is accomplished in Elden Ring. It evolves Dark Souls combat meaningfully, creating even more options for character builds and how you approach fights. The world is beautiful, horrifying, and sprawling. There is at least 2-3 full Souls game content stuffed within Elden Ring. It has some of my favorite boss fights and areas of any Souls game. It not only takes what has worked previously about open world RPGs, it adds something new (progression, world design, traversal). I loved the lore, and I loved all of the emergent narrative moments that happened throughout my 100+ hour journey. I’m at a time in my life in which it is so hard to make time for big experiences like these, but Elden Ring was instantly compelling and demanded that concessions be made in my life to accommodate. It’s one of those games that’s so good, I wish I could erase my memory and play again with fresh eyes. Very few games fall into category. If I sound effusive, well, I’m effusive. I can’t help myself. Elden Ring is one of the greatest games ever made, and it is The Impact Factor’s 2022 Game of the Year!

The Impact Factor's Top 10 Games of 2021

 The Impact Factor’s Top 10 Games of 2021

Another year down, huh?

I’ll keep this one short and sweet. 2021 was certainly something. More pandemic. More of the same.

I’m another year deeper into my career and predictably, unfortunately, it meant yet another reduction in my free time. I found it increasingly hard to devote myself to big games, and even more so to start new ones. Much like last year, I found comfort in lifestyle and daily play games. They were easier to play 15 minutes here, 45 minutes there. If I made a different kind of list, Genshin Impact and Hearthstone would be my one and two. I played each almost every day, if only for a handful of minutes. And I still love both so much.

In fact, this is probably going to be one of my toughest GOTY lists to write. Or easiest? I barely played more than 10 games that actually came out in 2020 (16 total). So ranking them feels a bit.. off? The sample size is so low. But I’m going to keep the format the same as previous years for consistency’s, and personal preference, sake. Just know that if this trend continues, I may have to rethink how I make these lists.

Now let’s get into it.

10. Guilty Gear Strive

What a gorgeous game. Arcsys has truly unlocked something special with their 2D-3D aesthetic, and in a sea of beautiful games, this one stood out. I’ve never been into Guilty Gear as a franchise, but early hype, beautiful graphics, rollback net code, and large timespan since my last fighter convinced me to jump in. And I really liked it! Strive is lacking in game modes, and like all (?) Arcsys has a terrible online lobby, but the actual fighting is sublime. Easy to learn, extremely difficult to master. I had a great time learning my main (Ramlethal) and dropped a quick 20 hours into online versus. But then I just… stopped playing. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted!

9. Ratchet and Clank: A Rift Apart

Another entry, another spectacular looking game. While Strive is style, Ratchet and Clank is technical prowess. Wow, wow, wow. From the environments, to the particle effects, to the guns, this game is a looker. It was a great way to break in my new 4K TV. Aside from that, Rift Apart is another Ratchet and Clank game. Which is fine! I love Ratchet and Clank! Super-fun action packed gunplay, simple but supremely satisfying platforming, and a cute breezy story. There were some notable improvements to the formula, specifically the rocket boots that let you joyfully zoom through the entire game. But yeah, it didn’t blow me away but I sure had a lot of fun. 

8. Deathloop

My first Arcane Studios game! I liked this one quite a bit. Deathloop is a bit of a design marvel - this looping puzzle box of an island, waiting to be solved by the player. I have never played anything quite like it. I’m not the biggest fan of stealth games but honestly? I didn’t play Deathloop stealthily at all. The game worked as a high-octane first person shooter, complete with satisfying gunplay and fun-to-use powers. The immersive sim elements didn’t do much for me, and the game was a bit too hand-holdy when “discovering” what to do next, but I really enjoyed exploring, unraveling, and ultimately executing the perfect day. Oh yeah just as a heads up, the ending isn’t great. Womp womp.

7. Tales of Arise

An interesting entry, to be sure. Tale of Arise is something I was interested in playing since it was first revealed, but like a ton of non Final Fantasy JRPGs, eventually fell off my radar. But boy oh boy did critics like this one! And kept liking it as the weeks went by. So I decided to jump in and it turns out they were right. Who would have thunk it? Tales of Arise has fast-paced and action heavy combat that delights, complete with the totally inane (and insane?) attack call-outs every two seconds (DEMON FANG! DEMON FANG!). There is a ton of depth to the combat too, from attacking weak points to a burst mode to coordinated strikes and on and on. The game is really pretty, too, and the story while not great at least tries to tread new ground. The game took me 40 hours to beat, which with my new limited game time, meant I was playing for nearly two months. I really enjoyed it throughout!

6. League of Legends: Wild Rift

Dang, who am I? LoL is on my game of the year list? Arcane was one of my favorite shows of the year? Yep. Both things are true. Wild Rift was released to iPhones this year, and was a perfect toilet, I mean short free time, companion. I’ve enjoyed MOBAs before, but the long length or complex economy of play has put me off. Wild Rift solves for both of these. Games are usually no more than 20 minutes, and item load outs make it easy to strengthen your character without stress. The touch controls work perfectly. The best games are a tense back-and-forth that can lead to elation only video games can provide. But then, it’s still LoL. Players were toxic at times, and it felt like ~80% of my games were decided before we even started playing (40% auto lose, 40% auto win). I played one match a day about 5 days a week since March, and overall I’ve had a great time. I have started tapering off recently, so I imagine I might drop it completely soon, but it provided a whole lot of fun through 2021.

5. Psychonauts 2

Psychonauts 2 is a bit of a marvel. It’s a game that fans, myself included, have been anticipating for over a decade and… it met or exceeded all my expectations? Yep. Incredible. Psychonauts 2, yes, is just more Psychonauts but it is also so much more. It had easily the best story of any game I’ve played in 2021. The game isn’t afraid to explore depression, grief, and mental illness and does so with deep respect and grace. It’s remarkable. The gameplay is improved in about every way when compared to the original. I remain baffled (read: impressed) with the level of imagination on display in Psychonauts 2. It’s so creative, and continues to surprise with its creativity. This is a special game, and more people should play it.

4. Returnal

A roguelike makes this list! (Spoiler alert - no Soulslike on this list this year!). This one was a late comer. I bought Returnal back in the summer but it sat on my console unplayed because there was no way to suspend a run. And from everything I read, runs could take upwards of 2-3 hours. Per my game time discussion at the top, there was no way I could fit Returnal in like that. But then the game changer happened — a patch dropped in the fall that allowed for runs to be suspended! So finally this December, I jumped in. And very quickly I fell in love with this gem. Returnal is a game almost tailer made to my tastes. It’s a sci-fi, 3rd person shooter, bullet-hell roguelike. Yeah, sign me up. Housemarque are peerless in their arcade style gameplay, and that both remained and evolved beautifully with Returnal. The moment-to-moment gameplay is so deeply satisfying that the feeling is hard to convey in words. I instantaneously fell into its rhythm, and quickly developed mastery of the systems. I beat the game (Act 1) on my third life, and nearly cleared a second time (Act 2) on my 6th. I had beaten most everything in 10 hours. The plot stuff is only ok and I haven’t processed the game long enough to know if the roguelike formula is the game’s best-fit, but just playing Returnal is so dang fun that it left me wanting more and more.

3. Yakuza 7: Like A Dragon

I debated whether or not to include this one on the list since it technically came last year, but it wasn’t playable on PlayStation until 2021 so I’m counting it! Like a Dragon is so freakin’ good! It was a huge departure for the franchise: Kiryu was no longer the protagonist, combat went from 3rd person brawler to turn-based JRPG-style, and the majority of the game was set in Yokohama and not Kamurocho. But yet. But yet? Everything works! And is my second favorite Yakuza title ever! Ichiban is impossible not to love - his story is so sad, and he is so pure hearted. The cast of characters is as diverse and wild as ever. The new setting, the political drama, the high steaks melodramatic story. All great. And the JRPG bits work well, too! The brawler combat of past entries has always been my least favorite part of playing. It was tedious and button mashy. The combat in Like a Dragon is still my least favorite part, but I vastly prefer the turn-based combat to brawling. And there is the foundation of something really solid for future entries. And! Summoning a prawn or a man in a diaper to attack your foes never gets old. Loved this game so much. I remain super excited for the future of this franchise. 

2. It Takes Two

Let’s get this out of the way at the top - the story and characters in It Takes Two are just… bleh. I know it’s about two divorcing parents but did they have to be so annoying? And spoiler alert — the decision to stay together because of the kid? Yikes. Ok, now that that’s done. I absolutely loved playing through It Takes Two.Why? I played couch co-op with my wife. This is a puzzle-platformer like no other. It Takes Two delivers a true co-operative experience, in which you constantly have to work together with your partner, often performing discrete functions, to solve a puzzle or beat a platforming challenge. The game is bursting at the seams with ideas. It is unafraid to introduce something new, something fun, to the player for one segment only for it never to be seen again. Behind every corner, every new level, is a gameplay surprise for the players that delights. I had forgotten how much fun it is to play games together with my wife, and It Takes Two did a fabulous job reminding me just how important working and playing together can be. 

1. Resident Evil: Village

Resident Evil: Village is the best Resident Evil game. From me, this is saying a lot. I’m a big fan of 1, 2, 4, and 7. But Village is something special. It is a love letter to not only Resident Evil as a franchise, but also to horror at large. The first-person survival horror works as well as it needs to, but the real stars are the world and narrative. Village smartly brings back the PS2-era hub world design and utilizes brilliantly. Bouncing from hub spoke to spoke, each new area transports you into a new style of horror. From gothic victorian horror in a vampire filled castle, to a creepy ghost / puppet mansion, to a back woods mutated swamp. Village embraces its B horror movie roots — it knows just how dumb its protagonist, and its world, is. It delights on pushing things just far enough you could believe they were serious, but way too far to not know that everyone involved was having a blast & being as goofy as possible. Ethan Winters is a perfect dumb dumb, and it’s a delight that his true nature is explored. I couldn’t put this one down. I played through three (?) times consecutively, spent extra time in the Mercenaries score chasing mode, and even longer just thinking about how much fun I had. Village’s rogue’s gallery is filled with all-time superstars like Lady Dimitrescu. The game knew you wanted to have fun, while being just a touch scared, and it struck that balance perfectly. I know by the time Resident Evil 9 rolls around, I’ll be ecstatic to play through this one again. So congrats Resident Evil: Village, you are The Impact Factor’s Game of the Year 2021!