And I do mean short
This year I didn’t play a lot of new games, both as an effect of there not being many games out that I wanted to play but also because I had spent most of my money on a different hobby. So while I did play a few more games this year than the ones listed most were either games I’ve played and covered in the past or games that after I finished them just didn’t stick with me as much as these games did.
Kuukiyomi 3
Kuukiyoki is back and it’s more of the same! Which when you’re a series of charming and fun microgame collections isn’t a bad thing. Much like the second game in the series this entry doesn’t try to change the formula or shake things up which for some may lead to the game feeling stale. For me though, I find the dedication to the premise of being presented various situations and having to figure out how to be the most considerate person you can be to be it’s strongest point. You know what you’re going to get every time and that’s a cute and engaging game where you’re asked to be a little more considerate to those around you and I’m very thankful such a game exists. So I ask that next time you see it you stop and consider it.
Famicom Detective Club(both games)
The first official release of both Famicom Detective Club games in the west, I was so excited when I saw that they were remastering these and even more excited when I saw that they were being localized.
As a fan of detective stories I had to check these out and while they didn’t impress me as much as last year’s Paradise Killer I still fell in love with them. They’re fairly basic games with no real fail state, you just keep asking questions or presenting evidence until you get it right. For some this could be boring but for me it was relaxing to know that I was never in any danger of screwing anything up and I could just enjoy the story. And while neither game has a groundbreaking story it is still very entertaining to watch the way the characters piece together the information you are able to find.
The only real issue I had is that the second game in the series, The Girl Who Stands Behind, is a prequel to the first game but has more interesting mechanics and a more complex story. So if you played them in chronological order the first game, The Missing Heir, would feel worse.
Metroid Dread
Metroid Dread and the lead up to it’s release helped reawaken in me the love of Metroidvania type games. Over the years I’ve dabbled in them here and there but never have I become as invested in one as I was with Dread. The game, for me, was the perfect mix of difficult platforming and engaging action.
It was incredibly rare that I’d find something in the game whether a boss or a collectible that felt like it required substantially more from me than previously. When I’d fall short of a goal I knew it was because I lacked the skills necessary to overcome it, but with a little patience and practice I could learn them. Aside from it’s superb level design it also excelled at giving Samus the characterization she desperately needed, and they did it with minimal dialogue. Everything from the way she carries herself to the way she confronts her enemies oozes character.
I have also not touched on how beautiful the game is. Every bit of scenery feels very deliberate but also completely natural and every bit of it helps to create the feeling of isolation and dread that are so important to the story. All of this has me very excited for whatever they have planned for the next 2D Metroid game and for Metroid Prime 4.
Pokémon Shining Pearl
Shining Pearl is a remake of Pokémon Pearl. There’s not a lot else to say about it because it’s so faithful to the original game. There are some changes to the game, with the most impactful for me being the EXP Share which is now continuously on right from the start. This stands out to me in a positive way because it forced me to change my team up very often as to not become extremely overpowered as the EXP was not changed to reflect the tool’s constant forced use. And to facilitate the need to swap out team members regularly the Underground got an overhaul and upgrade into the Grand Underground. The Grand Underground differs from the original in that there are now Pokémon Hideaways which allow you to catch rare Pokémon often not found in the region long before you gain access to the National Dex. These seem like minor changes but they drastically altered how I played the game in a way that no other Pokémon game has before.
Aside from a few minor bugs that cause me to laugh more than they caused me to worry the biggest complaint I have is that there’s currently no global trade. This means that unless you have a friend with the game or are lucky enough to find a rando in a Link Room you’ll be locked out of several Pokémon. The only other issue I have is one I discovered when trying to complete the National Dex, and it’s that you can’t. There are at least 2 Pokémon that just aren’t in the game in any way that stops you from being able to complete it. Otherwise the game is incredibly fun and the perfect way to experience the Sinnoh region one more time.
A Year of Springs
This isn’t so much a game as it is a story with very limited interactions and choices for the player. On top of the limited choices, most choices don’t seem to actually matter. The game is also very short and could be reasonably finished in a little under an hour. These are not negatives however as the story is very strong and has become very dear to me.
The story follows 3 queer women in Japan over the course of a year, with each of it’s 3 episodes(and an epilogue) focusing on a different woman. The first woman you play as is trans lesbian named Haru. A lot of her story is trying to live with the fact that Japan does not recognize her as a woman and the anxiety and depression that comes with being denied. In the second episode you play as Erika. She’s a friend of Haru and Manami that comes off as pretty insensitive at first. However as you progress through the story you see that she’s trying to do her best to be as supportive and understanding as possible. It’s also revealed pretty early on that Erika is attracted to people regardless of gender. Manami the final woman you play as learns through the course of her episode that she may be asexual and/or aromantic.
Overall I found this game incredibly charming and sincere in it’s depiction of queer people trying to live their best lives. And even though I bought it on a whim, the experience I had with it will stick with me for a very long time.
