2019 was the year where I played games the least. Not because of the games but because of time. Personally, I decided to invest in myself which involved trips to the gym and ended up traveling a lot in the latter half of the year to explore new places. Notable highlights of the year include reuniting with college friends at CRSSD Fest in San Diego, seeing MonsterVine’s very own Editor-in-Chief Austin in Denver for the soft launch of Ballmer Peak Distillery, and solo trips to PAX West and New York City for Eric Prydz’s HOLO DJ show. Going into 2020, part of the journey heading into my 30’s is to continue making connections in this wonderfully creative and passionate space. I’m hopeful for more game time in 2020.
Judgment
Detective Yakuza!? Sign me up. After successive games in the Yakuza series, I was happy to venture into a spin-off and see another side of the world of Kamurocho in the lens of Detective Yagami. Of course, it could not be a RGG Studio game without some balance of serious crime drama story coupled with dumb absurdity in its side stories. And oh boy does it go on the deep end of that spectrum.
Crash Team Racing
I’ve played the PS1 classic and it was a speedy welcome to some good old school kart racing fun. Some quality of life improvements and a fresh new coat of paint was all that was needed to bring one of my favorite cart racers back to life. Of course, the constant stream of updates with new characters (Spyro!) and tracks post-launch has been a welcome addition too.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
Spencer recommended it so of course, I had to play it. Dragon Quest Builders 2 would be my ‘Netflix and Chill’ video game equivalent. The overall theme of building and expanding your town and going on quests without the high stakes attached helped me unwind after a stressful day.
Life is Strange 2
The emotional wreck I was left by the original meant that I had to play the sequel. Featuring a different cast, setting, and story for the sequel, the Diaz brothers rose quickly into my favorite characters like besties Max and Chloe. Going deeper with contextual story decisions and no rewind meant that the stakes were a lot higher in the narrative. That’s completely fine and warranted. I hope I can finish the rest of the game soon to find out the conclusion to this tragic, but inspiring story.
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Ever wondered what it would be like to play a music video? Well, look no further! Diego recommended this fantastic game to check out at PAX West and while skeptical going in, I returned a true believer in the power of audio-visual storytelling. I tell folks to play it all in one sitting because this is one adventure that is meant to be completed from start to finish. Swedish pop music is fantastic.
Untitled Goose Game
QUACK, QUACK, QUAAACK! Okay, you’ve probably seen the memes and the overall mainstream appeal of being a goose. But in its very essence, it’s part stealth, part puzzle-solving video game with checklists. That’s only just scratching the surface. The real charm of it is just causing mischief to its undeserving, worldly inhabitants. Keep that bow on you silly goose.
