You're back I see: 2015 in review

General rules apply for my year in review process. I rate games as A, B, C or D. Note that none of these ratings are recommendations based around whether or not I thought the game was good. Not exactly. Rather, the ratings are recommendations as to whether or not I think you should try the game depending on your personal, subjective take on a given genre.

Also it is really worth noting that like ... Maybe one or four games on this list came out this year. This blog is about playing games that have gotten cheap, or that someone gifted me, or come out of a bundle. So the titles in here could be from as far back as 2008 or who even knows. Don't worry, just game.

A rated games are games I think supersede their genre and everyone should give a try if they think they could possibly like the game. If you totally hate platformers, of course, an A rating doesn't mean I think the game will overcome that. If you dislike them or usually find them samey, though, the A rating means I think you'll like this one or at least should give it a try.

It's a discussion more of what I think - based on you, the reader - might find fun. That's the biggest issue with reviewing in general, I think, since there's a thousand subjective factors in play. A rated games are the ones I think somewhat overcome the subjective, at least to some degree. That doesn't mean if you're hostile to the genre it is going to get past it, though.

B rated games are games I think are just good examples of their genre. If you tend to like such a genre, then you'll probably like a B rated game. So if you like shooters, and it is a B rated shooter, you should go check out the review and see if you're into it.

C rated games are, inversely, games that I think you need to like the genre or really want to play an example of the genre to need to play. C is about the point where I tend to start giving up on games midway through playing them, and generally don't think too highly of them. Sometimes I really like a C rated game, but sometimes they're scrapping right along just being trashed.

D rated games are games I would generally avoid. Very few games are truly so bad that you can't squeeze an hour of fun out of them, but some are, and some do. I'd avoid D rated games.

Surprisingly good: Super Panda Adventures

I've been preparing over the last few weeks for the Steam Sale. Years ago this would involve putting come amount of money in my steam wallet via credit card, which you should always do ahead of time so you don't miss a deal, and then fixing up my wishlist to reflect what I actually want. I don't do this overly much nowadays, since I have way too much of a back log. Nowadays I just try to push through some of the games-that-drop cards, then buy gifts.

Regardless, if you have Steam enhanced installed, you can sort steam by Highest Drop Value. Super Panda Adventures was reliably in the upper section, taunting me to give it a try. Ironically, SPA is a lot of things I didn't really expect it was going to be. For one thing, it is actually a bit Metroidvania, though the levels are unfortunately not interconnected. You do backtrack, though, and the levels have multiple exits that feel surprisingly open. The game's art and play actually reminds me of the "tertiary" platformers of the early 90s, stuff more like Bonk's Adventure and Keith Courage, than mainstays the early Castlevania or Mario.

The game definitely feels some influence from those games, don't get me wrong, but it feels like a big fat mixing pot of platformers of all kinds stewed together with that slightly jank oddness that is indie development. It is what you expect, on the most part, with a little bit of what you don't expect. For another thing, because I implied there was more than one, it's actually a pretty solid little title that I found way more enjoyable than I was expecting.

I mean frankly "indie" plus "platformer" is generally "headache" in my mind.

Ya know you want to do more than stare: 2014 in review

As with previous years, this review splits games into four categories. I'm going to proactively not read my earlier YiRs and just assume I remember roughly a year later the system I was using. Maybe I'm not. If I recall correctly, it works like this. This is an entirely subjective, made up of nonsense system, based completely on my experiences. I tend to dislike things that are overhyped because I'm trying to figure out what is so great about it, and like things where people tell me they're bad because I'm always awaiting the game to take a big dump on my face.

Category A: Games that I think everyone should pick up and try if they have any faint interest in them. Games I came out of feeling like I'd really enjoyed myself. Something to branch out and try, and definitely something to pick up if you like the genre they are included in.

Category B: Games that I think, if you're interested in the genre, are definite good times. Not necessarily something to pick up if you're not into it, though, but maybe if you like the look. A bit riskier as propositions go. Most games I finish fall into this category.

Category C: Games that are decent enough if you like this or that sort of game, but not really the sort of game you should go out of you way to try. Games I quit near the end or games I was reluctant to finish tend to fall in here.

Category D: Games I regret play, regret buying or regret existing. I would advise against picking up category D games unless you find your tastes run in stark opposition to my own, which is mind you entirely possible.

To switch it up this here, I'm going to start with the games I don't recommend, and then move up the games I really liked. Whoa. Daring.

Long Card Road Home: Chompy Chomp Chomp

So, like many bundle buying steam gamers, I wait til things get steam keys not desura keys and then maybe give them a shot. Or, more likely, I don't. But I do tend to input keys that pop up on my groupees page. Since I'm grinding cards this month, and this game had cards, I installed it right after inputting the key.

I always feel sort of soft on stuff I get through bundles. I paid like, pennies for all the hard work people put in but man sometimes games just aren't. Chompy chomp chomp isn't exactly in that category, but it is real close.

CCC, as I'm going to call it, is visually attractive. I like the art style, the little monsters running around and going bite bite is nice looking. Then ... That's it. The audio direction is cute, and fine, but the actual game is just a somewhat complex version of playing a children's game of tag. There is also a single player mode that allows you to play another version of tag.

There's nothing really wrong with the game, though the load times are a little high, but there's not much really to the game either. The basic principle is solid, and the single player is not a bad set of ideas either, but there just isn't that much content with overly too small maps and total reliance on playing with other people. If I were going to recommend a party game for small children, this game would work out well, but anyone older and Hoard or Sacred Citadels which I reviewed elsewhere are just going  to be better Big Picture Mode games.

I do sort of feel like the game just needed to be a touch more ambitious. Just a bit bigger map wise, a couple more mechanics, maybe some maps with some second or third floors, or teleporters - Just something to spice it up a little.

The little Chompies really are so cute though! Look at his little flesh-devouring face!