Happy New Year to all.
2017 is over and 2018 is coming in like a heroic protagonist charging into the battle in the upgraded version of your favorite mecha. While I sit here troubleshooting the fan on my parent's laptop, I got to thinking now might be a good time to update this blog.A new year is a new beginning. It's an opportunity to start over. A much needed 'Get out of jail free' card. I want to make 2018 a great year for all parties involved. I have large aspirations in the works that hopefully you'll hear about this year, but a large part of my life revolves around gaming and Japanese animation. I've been a quiet member of those two communities for such a long time, and I want to start giving more back to the industry in any way that I can. Moving forward, I plan on releasing monthly statements on what I've been playing and watching: My top games and anime that I've played/watched for that month...and more. It'll probably exist in a top three list, and depending on how active the month is, it may dip to one title for each category. I'll play it by ear on that one.
For anyone who follows me now, you may notice I complain a lot about sports and sometimes politics. I'm hoping to focus less on negativity and pull more attention to the good things I'm experiencing. The world needs more positivity, and I'll try and deliver that all year. Inevitably there will be horrible things that occur, and they should not be swept under the rug to be forgotten about, but there's a place and a time for that kind of thing. Furthermore, it's unhealthy to dwell on that kind of thing for so long, so let's kick back and have a blast this year. I'll still tweet about sports, but my tweets will consistently involve nerd culture.
As I sit here eating my pork and sauerkraut (a new year's eve tradition for some), I'm reflecting on the year that now fades in the rear-view mirror. It's been a trying year for many, and there's no reason 2018 has to be the same.
Let's rock 2018 like it's 1998 all over again.
Talking Points:
Rituals to Bring in the New Year:My old boss used to say that placing money on the window sill used to bring in money for the course of the new year.
I'm sure there are loads of other rituals, but this has been a favorite of mine since around 2010. Has it ever worked? I don't think.
My Top Games and Anime of 2017
2017 was a killer year for gaming and animation. Here are my top five picks for each medium:
Gaming:
5. Streets of Rogue (PC) - This game is a very new indie title that I played just a couple days ago. It's not very often that I sit and play a game for hours on end, but I literally sat and played this thing for nine hours straight. How can I not include it?
The game has a charming look to it. It's a twin-stick, rogue-like, pixelated shooter where you live in a dystopian city. You're job is basically sticking it to the man as part of a resistance group. Each level is a new "floor" in this towering city, and they're all randomly generated. There are a lot of different characters and play styles to choose from, and there are so many surprises that keep the game interesting even after playing it for nine hours. It is an early access game, but it plays very well. The controls are good, the replay value is through the roof, and the developer plans to keep adding content.
4. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (PS4, PC) - Ninja Theory completely outdid themselves with this masterpiece of a game. The game itself is fairly short, I was able to beat it in a couple nights, but the content more than makes up for it. The story is incredibly engrossing, pulling you into the mind of Senua, a woman who deals with a mental condition that supports a deeper narrative. The sound design in the game, which one awards at the 2017 game awards, is amazing. When you use 3D headphones for this game, it literally sounds like you're hearing voices.
The combat is very rewarding, and the entire story is empowering but also somber and quite sobering. The graphics and sound design are impressive, and the puzzles are fun. There is no way you should miss this game!
3. Super Mario Odyssey (Switch) - Plain and simple, it's the best Mario title since 64. The controls are silky smooth, the gameplay is challenging but extremely fun, there are fun easter eggs, you can change Mario's outfits...there really isn't much of anything to hate about this game.
There's really not much else to say. A proper 3D Mario in full HD is something Nintendo has needed for a long time. This was an instant classic.
2. Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4) - Aloy is a great protagonist in this post-apocalyptic tour through a now-tribal region of the US. Running around with a bow, trip mines, bomb slingshots, and tethers is daunting when your enemies are giant robotic dinosaurs, but the fighting mechanics are so well balanced that all you get is this pure sensation of "That was awesome!" every time you take one down. There have been a couple times where I've found myself a bit upset with how a fight played out, but I usually don't blame the game - I blame my own ability and decisions most of the time.
I am almost finished with the story, and so far it's been ominous and very engrossing to see how the apocalypse played out all those years ago. I will tweet an update when I finally finish the story.
The graphics are really the main show here though. The combat is fun, the story is great, but the visuals are just insane. This game really pushed the PS4 to places it hasn't yet been, and believe it or not, I feel like Guerilla's game engine could even take the system even further.
1. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch) - There's so much to be said here, but I've already rambled for quite a while with my other games. I feel like there are three major points here. First:
The weapon system: People complain about the weapon durability system that is used in Breath of the Wild. Yes, the weapons break extremely quickly. It's a good and a bad thing. Weapons are so common in the game, that you really don't have a problem finding a replacement, so that's a plus. The bad thing is when you get attached to a weapon. Before you know it, it's gone...but other than one particular sword, there are multiples in the game. One major perk of low weapon durability is that the game forces you to use different play styles. You are forced to experience pretty much every weapon the game has to offer because you're constantly switching off. Later in the game, weapons and shields become more durable, but nothing is unbreakable. The main sword in the game (you guessed it, the master sword) recharges, so you don't actually lose it, and the main shield has an extremely high durability. Once it breaks, you can either buy or build a new one...I forget, as I've never had to do so yet. I did read about it online though. In previous Zelda games, when you found the best gear, that was it - you were done. This system keeps that from happening, and keeps the game fresh.
The World: The map is immense. The ability to climb is fun, though I read if climbing wasn't added, the hookshot would've been in the game. I miss the hookshot. Anyway, the world that you travel through is rather treacherous, but it's literally awe-inspiring. I can compare it to starting The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for the first time. As soon as you step out of the sewers into the bright plains of Cyrodiil, you're just lost in the size of the world. 60% of the game for me has been exploring all the nooks and crannies of the map. The diverse regions are also a huge plus, and they're kind of level/gear locked. No fire protection? You're not going to Death Mountain. Same goes for the extreme cold areas. On top of that, you have numerous monsters to deal with, and threats from the environment like thunderstorms. It keeps you on edge, and because of this point and the last point, I can't help but love the game.
The Switch: With this impressive title, the Switch gained so much steam right from the get-go. It makes me happy to see so much success for a company that's been slumping in recent years. They have a long way to go to truly make fans happy, I think, but this was the first of many steps in the right direction. The Switch needs a better profile and friends system (there is currently no way to message others), and personally, I need an achievement system, but the system has a strong game library already and there's no sign that the dev support is going to wither anytime soon. If Nintendo keeps hitting the ball out of the park through 2018 and beyond, it will be the leading console for the foreseeable future.
So yeah, Breath of the Wild is definitely my top spot this year. It has soaked up a ton of my time, and I'm still far from done with it.
Honorary Mentions:
Conan Exiles (early access, PC)
Va-11 Hall-a (PC, Vita version landed in 2017)
Call of Duty: WWII (PS4, PC, Xbox One)
Cuphead (PC, Xbox One)
Warframe (PS4, PC, Xbox One - For its ongoing content)
American Truck Sim and Euro Truck Sim 2 (PC - For their ongoing support as well)
Anime:
This is going to be a much less in-depth review of the series (as compared to the games), but I have to list them regardless. Some of these series are ongoing, but here are my top anime of 2017.
5. Kino's Journey (Ongoing) - It has a talking motorcycle! Besides that, the stories from episode to episode are interesting. There's a lot to figure out about the protagonist, and the series just keeps delivering little bits and pieces to give you an idea on who Kino is, and what her story is all about. It might be a reboot of an older series, but it's really a fantastic series.
4. Juuni Taisen: Zodiac War (Ongoing) - A gory, unique story about a free-for-all battle royale pitting the world's strongest warriors against each other in a fight to the death. At the beginning of the match, each fighter has to swallow a poisonous gem. During the tournament, fighters who win one-on-one battles need to collected the fighter's poison gems. The last one standing and whoever collected the most gems wins the tournament. The games are held in this empty, ghost-town like city which is evacuated specifically for the Juni Taisen. So far, 10 episodes in, the series has been one of the best I've seen all year.
3. Knight's and Magic - You can't go wrong with medieval towns and magic, and you also can't go wrong with a mecha anime. That's what you get when you watch Knights and Magic. It's a story of a young male who tragically dies(?) in Japan, and winds up in this alternate universe where magic and giant mechs actually exist. Before he died in his previous life, he was an avid gunpla model collector, so once he embodies a prince in this new world, he can't help but obsess about real mechs. It's sort of your run of the mill mecha anime, but it was charming nonetheless. Definitely worth a watch.
2. My Hero Academia 2nd Season - How can you argue against superheroes in traditional fighting anime fashion? Want to punch your enemy? Why not yell out the name of your attack, and yell during the entire 10 second approach before your fist lands? That's My Hero Academia, plus your typical high school tropes of young Midoria, the protagonist. The best part of My Hero Academia is that it tells the story of Midoria, who has an against-all-odds uprising as one of the greatest superheroes ever. I haven't finished the second season yet, but even from the first season, that's the basis of the story - and Midoria even says so in the opening theme, so it's not really a spoiler, but yeah. Season 3 lands in February I think!
1. Ancient Magus' Bride (Ongoing) - When an anime is labeled as "shoujo", it suggests that anime is geared towards a more feminine crowd. Ancient Magus' Bride screams shoujo in many ways, but I'm really enjoying this one. It revolves around Chise, a 15 year old girl who has nearly nothing to her name, when a mysterious figure buys her. Yes, it's basically human trafficking, but the dude who buys her is an old mage. He takes her in as his apprentice and eventually his wife. Seems odd, but the story so far is filled with interesting themes of magic, alchemy, familiars, elves, and dragons. I sense Celtic and Druid influences, which is also cool. Finally, the stories in this anime have a way of tugging on the feels quite frequently. This anime is really different, and it's extremely interesting. Do yourself a favor and at least check it out!
Honorary Mentions:
Fuuka
Attack on Titan S2
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin (film series)
Black Clover (Ongoing)
King's Game (Ongoing)
So there you have it. That's my rundown of my favorite games and anime of 2017. Hard to believe another year is gone, but I'm excited to leave this one behind and see what 2018 has to offer. I hope you all had a fun and safe New Year's Eve, and I'll check back in with you at the end of January.
Have a good one!
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