Mike's Mid-2021 Video Game Awards Extravaganza!!!

Hey! We made it halfway through what could be one of the last years we have left on this planet so it's time to celebrate the one thing that hasn't totally ruined my pathetic life yet: VIDEO GAMES! That's right, in a futile attempt to curb the seemingly never-ending stress, depression, and anxiety I experience on a daily basis, I decided to look back at the last six months of this gaming year and make up some totally arbitrary awards to give out to the video games (and gaming-related stuff) that helped me escape this nightmare.

Some of these games will probably end up on my (hopefully more normal) end of the year 'best of' list and some might not. But for now, they can bask in the glory of knowing that I, random white man on the internet, got some much-needed reprieve from them. So HERE WE GO!

Best Level From a Game I Totally Forgot Came Out
Dartmoor - Hitman III

Did you love 'Knives Out'? So did IOI!

Hitman III burst onto the gaming scene way back in January, so I kinda have a bit of an excuse for forgetting this game even existed. When thinking about giving out an award for "Best Level", my mind almost immediately went to House Beneviento from Resident Evil Village (more on that later, though). And while that dollhouse of horrors was arguably the best part of RE8, when I got to thinking (and actually remembered which games came out in 2021) I realized there was no way I could not give this to the Dartmoor level from Agent 47's newest adventure. Hitman's levels are some of the best designed in all of gaming, and this sprawling mansion in the English countryside is among the series' best. There's only one main target in Death in the Family, but what sets this apart is how it lets you partake in a twisting murder mystery. You find clues, interrogate witnesses, and can come to multiple different conclusions, all branching the mission off in various directions, all with that trademark Hitman sense of humor.

Most Sickeningly Adorable Next-Gen Console I Bought This Year
Xbox Series S

I can't believe this little fella runs Forza so well

Man, those next-gen video game consoles are super hard to find, huh? The fact that I managed to get a PS5 last year is nothing short of a miracle, and having set aside some money for one of Microsoft's shiny new machines a while ago, it was only a matter of time, patience, and fighting off the urge to buy one from scalpers that I got one for myself. And to my surprise, the one I settled for was not the super giant and powerful Series X, but its smaller, less-powerful baby brother, the Series S. So why did I sacrifice 4K and better GPU for 1440p and 60fps? Well, for one, it was the only one I could find in stock anywhere and at retail price. But thinking about it, I'm a pretty simple man when it comes to gaming and don't need a whole lot. I've got a PS5, so I already have that giant, powerful box sitting in my entertainment center. Plus, my time spent on Xbox systems has waned over the last few years, despite Game Pass constantly calling me. All I really wanna play on there is some Halo and some Forza, and the Series S allows me to do that without breaking the bank. Sure the games don't look as good as they do on PC or the Series X, but personally I'll take a better, faster frame rate over resolution any day. The Series S is a neat little technological marvel and, paired with Game Pass, is quite possibly the best deal in gaming right now. Plus, LOOK AT IT! IT'S SO DAMN CUTE AND TINY!

Most Gleefully Stupid Video Game of the Year (So Far)

Chivalry 2

This photo is pretty misleading in that it shows no stupid stuff

At first glace, first-person medieval melee combat game Chivalry 2 looks pretty serious. The combat is simple but pretty deep, and takes a bit of practice to get really good at. Its lore is surprising grounded, and the variety of objective-based matches have you raiding villages and castles and causing all sorts of mayhem. But that's about where the seriousness stops. Chivalry 2 is a really dumb game that knows it's a really dumb game. It's essentially the video game equivalent of the scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail where Lancelot rushes the wedding party and kills pretty much everyone. It has a dedicated 'battlecry' button that lets you scream at any point during the match. Heads and body parts fly on a near-constant basis. Players run around with barrels and jump around on fire. You'll hear various characters yell "OI I'VE LOST ME GOOD ARM" and start randomly dancing around a pile of dead bodies. The moment I knew I loved this game was when I decapitated a dude, picked up his head, threw it at another guy, and instantly killed him with it. It's rare that a game doesn't pretend to be anything that it isn't, and Chivalry 2 is one hell of a good, dumb time.

Best Roller Coaster Ride

Resident Evil Village

Pictured Above: SPOOKY ATMOSPHERE

This was a shoo-in for Dumbest Game of 2021 before Chivalry 2 came along (heck, Ethan Winters alone is dumber than anything else in gaming this year) so it'll just have to settle for being the most constantly thrilling and entertaining one instead. You'll be kind of disappointed if you come into RE8 looking for the same kind of scare-fest that RE7 provided, and though the first half of the game certainly makes it seem like it will be (especially in the previously mentioned House Beneviento section) the remainder of Village just gets real action-y and real stupid. Not that it's a bad thing, though; RE8 is a fast-paced action/horror romp that's wonderfully paced and features some of the best set piece moments in the entire series. In all honesty Village is the perfect way to celebrate the franchise's 25th anniversary, as it covers just about all of the bases that previous game in the series have. It's got towering unkillable enemies that constantly pursue you, well-earned scares, inventory management, lots of shooting, and big, over-the-top action moments. So for me, Resident Evil Village is just pure, non-stop entertainment and one of 2021's best games.

Game of the Year 2021 (If The World Ended Right Now)
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

What I wouldn't do for a good R&C cartoon

As a fan of the Ratchet & Clank games dating all the way back to the original on the PS2, Rift Apart was a game I was really looking forward to and most definitely not disappointed by. By just looking a the game in motion you'll realize just how much a technical showcase this is for the PS5 and probably wonder what kind of witchcraft they're practicing over there at Insomniac Games. Underneath the next-gen shininess and incredible graphical detail lies the best, most fine-tuned Ratchet & Clank game ever made. It doesn't do anything revolutionary from a gameplay perspective, but it's a near-perfect slice of good ol- fashioned gaming pie. The story is surprisingly engaging, and though I still miss the borderline adult humor of the original games, it's still by far the funniest game Insomniac has written in a while. The best kinds of games are the ones that capture my attention and don't let go until credits roll, and Rift Apart was one of those for me. It's stunning to look at and even better to play, and is both the best PS5 game to date and my favorite game of 2021 so far.

Most Anticipated Game for the Rest of 2021

Deathloop

Still can't get over how cool the art is for this game

Coming from one of my all-time favorite developers, Deathloop is a PS5 exclusive action/shooter where you play as a secret agent trapped in a time loop, and if that doesn't get you excited I don't know what will. Based on what I've seen from previews, Deathloop's got that trademark Arkane look and feel but with some cool new twists. On paper Deathloop may look like a rougelike, as you have to kill eight targets within a single run in order to finally break the loop you're stuck in, or else be forced to start over and over and over until you do. But you're not given a strict time limit and have almost unlimited freedom in order to complete your mission. Plus is has a multiplayer element that lets another player invade your game as a rival assassin who's main mission is to stop you. Deathloop has been on my radar ever since it was revealed at E3 a few years ago and I've only gotten more and more excited for it the more I hear about it. It's got 'Mike Game' written all over it and I can't wait to play it when it comes out in September.

Just for fun, some of the other games I'm excited to play the rest of this year are: Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite, Solar Ash, Battlefield 2042, Metroid Dread, Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp, Psychonauts 2, Back 4 Blood, and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.

The Best Video Game Music of 2020

This year had some truly incredible games, and some truly incredible music to match. Here are just a few of the tracks that I love from the games I loved in 2020.

Animal Crossing New Horizons
Composed by Kazumi Totaka

Animal Crossing always has great tunes, but HOT DAMN do the tracks on New Horizons SLAP. The 5PM song definitely stands out, particularly because I've heard it the most. During the height of my obsession with the game, I'd come home from work around and immediately turn it on, so this was the soundtrack to my late-day freedom.

Also, who decided that the Turkey Day theme had the right to be so damn good?

Hades
Composed by Darren Korb

Supergiant's games have always been about the trifecta: great art, great storytelling, and great music. Hades once again proves the prowess of Darren Korb, who is most definitely one of my favorite composers. The music of Hades acts like another obstacle; you're already facing great odds in your escape attempts, fighting dangerous enemies and dodging deadly traps, but then BAM! here comes the music to knock you on your ass too.

And it wouldn't be a Supergiant game without the immaculate vocals of Ashley Barrett. The first time I heard this song I fell out of my chair.

Final Fantasy VII Remake
Composed by Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, and Mitusto Suzuki

Final Fantasy VII undoubtedly has the greatest video game score of all time. Final Fantasy VII Remake somehow makes that score better. While there is a ton of really great original music, it is of course the reworked original songs that are absolutely amazing. The battle theme actually made me want to run out and fight people.

If you want to talk about real tears, Aerith's theme definitely got the water works flowing the first time I heard it.

Ghost of Tsushima
Composed by Ilan Eshkeri and Shigeru Umebayashi

Ghost of Tsushima is the ultimate epic, and it has music to match. This track comes from the climatic battle at the end of the game and adds even more urgency and grandeur to an already intense sequence.

One of the most peaceful things in any video game ever was being able to compose haikus in Ghost of Tsushima. The music that played over those moments is absolutely beautiful.

DOOM Eternal
Composed by Mick Gordon

Going from one extreme to the other, DOOM Eternal's soundtrack kicks major ass. Mick Gordon did it again (putting aside all of that controversy between him and Bethesda) and Eternal's hardcore metal tunes somehow manage to be even better than the original game's. Just try listening to this and NOT want to run through a brick wall.

When I heard this track - which plays when you blast through an endless hoard of demons on your way to blow a giant hole into the surface of Mars - my ass damn nearly exploded.

The Last of Us Part II
Composed by Gustavo Santaolalla and Mac Quayle

The original Last of Us had a mesmerizing and unforgettable score, and The Last of Us Part II's music absolutely stands shoulder to shoulder with it. Bringing on Mac Quayle to provide some additional tracks was a brilliant idea, as he brings his own unique touch to the soundscape of Ellie's journey.

Of course Gustavo Santaolalla returns and revisits some of the original game's musical themes, but also adds some beautiful new ones. If Mac Quayle is the darkness at the heart of The Last of Us Part II, then Gustavo is the light.

Astro's Playroom
Composed by Kenneth C M Young

It may recycle a lot of the same tracks as 2018's Astrobot Rescue Mission (that Kenneth Young also composed) but the tunes in Astro's Playroom are still killer. Take the track from the SSD Speedway level:

Any song that has someone drone "SSD" on and on in a robotic voice would normally be instantly annoying but for some reason it makes the level (and the song) super charming.

Same goes for Memory Meadow's track:

Hearing "OH YEEAAAH" constantly over the main Astrobot melody is so dang delightful.

Of course, anyone who's played Astro's Playroom knows about the badass "GPU Jungle" song (which has lyrics!!!):

Once again, Astro's Playroom has absolutely no business being as good as it is. And the goofy song describing what the PlayStation 5's graphics processing unit does doesn't either.

Kentucky Route Zero
Composed by Ben Babbitt

There is SO much to love about Kentucky Route Zero, but its soundtrack is just next level stuff. Much like the game itself, Ben Babbitt's music can't be tagged as just one genre. It's otherworldly - equally unnerving and comforting.

Strung throughout its five chapters are a handful of traditional/bluegrass songs that compliment the narrative. This song, which plays at the very end of chapter five, absolutely brought me to tears. A beautiful end to a stunning game.

My Favorite Games of 2020

Woo boy, 2020 was a big ol' mess, huh? Like many of us, I had my unfair share of private and public struggles this year that almost constantly threatened to knock me down permanently. But now that we've FINALLY made it to the final month of this wretched hell year, I can look back at the smoldering rubble of the past twelve months and say this: thank God for video games.

Thanks to being stuck inside for most of the year, I found myself with considerably more time on my hands than normal. Almost all of that was spent on my couch with controller in hand. While not the healthiest habit I could've developed, it was the one I needed. It may border on cliché to say games were my saving grace this year, but it's true.

It was a minor miracle that despite all that was happening in the world so many amazing games managed to come out. Narrowing down this list to ten games was much more difficult than it was last year, and I had to leave out ones that I really enjoyed. From the nostalgia-inducing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 remake to the fantasy-fulfilling thrill of Star Wars Squadrons to the striking comeback of Crash Bandicoot 4, there was no shortage of engaging titles this year.

The following ten games were the ones that stood above the rest. They took my breath away, demanded my attention, moved me, and provided me with that desperately needed getaway.

My Game of the Year 2019: Control

2019 was a strange year for a number of reasons, one of which was that for a brief moment, I kind of fell out of video games. My biggest hobby, one that I’ve had for decades, became unexciting and boring. I tried numerous new releases but nothing grabbed my attention for more than a few hours. Everything felt the same and I wasn’t having as much fun as I was in the past. Where was that big, new experience I was longing for?

Turns out, I just had to wait until August to play it.

Control was the first game of 2019 to completely take over my free time and the first game in I don’t know how long to surprise me. Control is an third-person action game from Remedy Entertainment, best known for the first two Max Payne games as well as Quantum Break and Alan Wake, the latter of which is one of my all-time favorites. Control has just what you’d expect from a Remedy game: a great narrative, tight shooting, and a unique setting. Except this time they added in an extra healthy dosage of weird.

Control takes place within The Oldest House, the mysterious home of the Federal Bureau of Control, a secret government organization that houses, studies, and protects the world from supernatural objects and occurrences. As Jesse Faden, you arrive at the FBC in search of your long-lost brother, and inadvertently become entangled in a battle against an interdimensional threat called The Hiss. To delve more into the plot would be a disservice to the game and ruin the surprise of it. Just imagine a cross between The Twilight Zone and Twin Peaks, with a dash of The X-Files thrown in for good measure.

What makes Control so memorable for me is how challenging it is, both in its gameplay and its narrative. Juggling shooting with the numerous supernatural powers at your disposal (flight, telekinesis, mind control) can be tricky, especially when fighting multiple enemies. But once things click, you feel truly powerful. Each battle feels destructive and dynamic thanks in part to the excellent level design. And I can’t tell you just how satisfying the woooosh sound effect when using telekinesis is.

Narratively, Control is bonkers. It’s weird, scary, and often hilarious. It takes itself seriously but never becomes pretentious. Most importantly, it trusts its audience. It delves into some really strange and complex territory but never handfeeds or overexplains anything, nor does it ever feel overwhelming. It leaves enough breadcrumbs to allow the player to piece things together themselves. This is a game that has you fighting a giant bug-like monster that's trapped within a killer refrigerator and you just ... accept it.

Audio logs and collectible documents flesh things out as well, making the world feel grounded and lived-in. The characters you encounter are unusual and richly entertaining, and all have unique stories to tell. But The Oldest House is the biggest star, and its twisting and shape-shifting environments make it one of the most memorable and detail-rich settings in gaming.

Control is big, weird, frightening, and very, very funny. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever played and it’s my favorite game of 2019.

One Week With The Nintendo Switch

Nintendo sure does know how to make a great box

As a kid, I cut my gaming teeth on Nintendo systems. My cousins had a NES, so every holiday gathering was punctuated by intense matches of Double Dribble and endless rounds of Duck Hunt. I got a Game Boy Pocket when I was about six years old, followed by a Nintendo 64 a few years later. In those early console war years, I was firmly on Nintendo’s side.

Despite such hearty nostalgia for the gaming giant, my interest in the Switch was somewhat muted. You can blame that in part on the Wii U, a system I picked up about a week after it launched in 2013, only to have it collecting dust next to my TV three years later. The Wii U was, in my opinion, a system that was void of a true purpose. The Gamepad was a cool idea, but Nintendo (or any other developer for that matter) never seemed to know what to do with it. Add to that the lack of any compelling software outside of first-party releases and the system was doomed to fail.

Even though my interest for Nintendo had waned in recent years, I was still very much interested to see what they would offer next in terms of hardware. On the surface, the Switch seems like a home run. A system that doubles as a home console and a handheld is a pretty novel and practical concept. And unlike the Wii U, it would appear that Nintendo learned from past mistakes and has a very clear vision for the Switch.

I still had my reservations, but that deep love for all things Nintendo was boiling up inside me to maximum levels. I had every intention of pre-ordering a Switch but was too late to procure myself one.  I figured, much like with the Wii back in 2006, I was going to have to wait to get my hands on one. And to be honest, that was perfectly fine with me.

Until I stumbled upon one in my local Target on launch day, that is.

The combination of nostalgia and a rather unhealthy obsession of being an early adopter of just about every new tech device drove me to walk out of the store that day with a shiny new Nintendo Switch and Breath of the Wild in tow.

So now that I’ve had a week to analyze every inch of Nintendo’s new machine, what do I think?

That’s… kind of a complicated answer.

The core concept of the Switch is executed very well. Being able to play a game on a television and then immediately continue playing on the go works to perfection. For me, not having to be locked to one location to play a console-quality game is quite freeing. Switching from playing on the TV to handheld is fast and easy, and there isn’t any real noticeable dip in quality between the two modes, outside of a slight downgrade in resolution.

The joy-con controllers, while small and a tad bit uncomfortable to hold after a while, work well and offer multiple play styles. Being able to hold one in each hand allows me to be completely relaxed while playing, especially when I’m sprawled out on my couch. Even when docked with the included joy-con grip, they make a solid controller, though I’m sure many would prefer the (rather expensive) pro controller.

As much as I enjoy playing on my television, I’ve mostly used my Switch in handheld mode. With the joy-cons attached to the sides of the console, the Switch becomes a pretty comfortable (if a little oversized) handheld device.  I’ve spent many nights this past week bundled up playing Breath of the Wild before I go to sleep. Everything works just as smoothly away from my television as it does docked to it. 

Playing like this on my desk has caused productivity to cease completely

The Switch also has a little kickstand on the back, which allows you to prop it up on your desk or table. It’s there so that you can play local multiplayer games by just using the console and joy-cons, but I’ve found myself setting it up on my desk or on my bedside table to play on my own. Suffice to say, I really love the multiple ways the Switch allows me to play video games while being a lazy bum.

As a piece of gaming hardware, the Switch is well designed. It feels sturdy and has a good weight to it. The UI leaves a bit to be desired, as it’s somewhat bare bones at the moment, but hopefully Nintendo jazzes it up a little in the future. Friend codes are still here, which is unfortunate. And to the disappointment of myself and millions of other Nintendo faithful, the eShop has no music.

Right now, the Switch has laid a pretty sturdy framework for the future. But there’s still so much that’s unknown about it at this early stage. What will the online service be like? Will there be a more robust social element? When will we get streaming services like Netflix and Hulu? Will third party support show up in force? When will the virtual console make its way over?

As it is right now, the Switch feels unfinished. But there’s a lot of potential here. If Nintendo continues to add features and there’s a steady stream of software (from first- and third-party, as well as indie games) they could be onto something big here.

Deciding whether or not to take the plunge on the Switch is entirely up to you. Zelda’s the only true reason to buy it right now, though if there was ever a single game worthy of justifying a new console purchase, this is it (but more on that later).

Personally, I feel like my purchase has been justified. Zelda is huge enough to keep me busy for months if not years, and big games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, and Super Mario Odyssey aren’t that far off. Nintendo’s also taken a huge step forward in terms of indie games, as there are numerous titles on the way for the system, many of which will make their debut on the Switch.

Nintendo still has quite a bit to do to fully regain my confidence in them, but I’d say they’re off to a good start. Unlike with the Wii U, I truly feel there’s a reason for the Switch to exist. It’s a new idea that doesn’t feel gimmicky and serves a real purpose. Nintendo has said they’ve always been about games, and for the first time in years they’ve produced hardware that’s worthy of playing them on.