2018 was an incredibly hectic year for me. I left the video game industry. I got a new job. Left that job in tears (long story, bad story). Got another job. Was let go due to budget issues. Came back to the gaming industry. I’ve also launched my tabletop RPG Breakaway into its alpha stage, which has pretty much taken up most of my time outside of work. Thankfully, like always, video games were there for me in my ups and my downs. Here’s a look at what I enjoyed this year:
Jenny LeClue – Detectivu
This game is still in beta, but it’s been an absolute delight to play so far. The world feels refreshing. The art is stylistic, and quite pretty. It balances observations on human behavior and humor in equal measures. The sound design is soothing, especially when coupled with the score. It’s cute, it’s deep, it reminds me of a younger Thimbleweed Park in a very good way, and I can’t wait for it to be fully released.
The Red Strings Club
The Red Strings Club is a neon-filled noir game with a mixture of pottery, bartending, and conspiracies. You can kind of see immediately why I’d be into it. It features pixel art, a complex story, and chill music. While some people say this is less a game and more a story with a couple mini games, it was a welcome addition to my library. It felt like the right step toward video games figuring out what they are, where they’ve been, and where they’re going. Also, any game that brings me that Blade Runner aesthetic is something I’ve gotta play.
Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Okay yes, this game is old. Not just old, but 15 years old. Some of you may even argue that the first one is better. Your obviously wrong opinion aside, there is something about KOTOR 2 that brings me back almost yearly. In my opinion, it has the best Star Wars character ever created – Kreia – and an actual look at how decisions aren’t right or wrong. The entire story is built around how nothing is in black and white, and being jedi or sith doesn’t automatically mean good or bad. If you haven’t played KOTOR 1 or 2, do yourself a favor and pick it up. (Just make sure to get the Restored Content Mod from the Steam Workshop if you’re going to play KOTOR 2. It finishes the game that Obsidian couldn’t.)
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
I was surprised how fun this game was. The first Pillars of Eternity scratched my RPG itch well enough, but Deadfire gave me the pirate RPG that I didn’t know I needed. The story felt more gripping than the first Pillars, I felt like there was much more at stake. Not only did I have trouble tearing myself away from the game, when it was over I also felt the same keen sense of loss that you get after finishing a very good book. If you like RPGs and enjoy pirates, do yourself a favor.
Orwell: Ignorance is Strength
The first Orwell really grabbed my imagination and dug into what was possible for the – for lack of a better phrase – Social Media/Snooping genre. I’m not sure what to even call these types of games. Simulation doesn’t quite cut it – nor does it cover the rise of games that are built around phones and social media. Ignorance is Strength goes right on past Orwell and into the sun – though I feel our time with it is far too short. I greatly enjoyed what time I had with it, but the way each episode was structured left me feeling like there could have been more explored. Still recommend picking it up if you enjoyed the first one. If you haven’t played Orwell, pick it up for the experience!
There were a number of other games that I enjoyed, but most I haven’t been able to finish. Turns out, making an entire tabletop RPG is a lot of work.
