Order Up!: End of the Year Roundup (Part 1)
By Rae
“Best of the Year” lists are always popular at this time,and I plan to show off my favourite 2019 releases, but of course most of usaren’t just only playing new releases throughout the year. Before I get to myfavourites of 2019, I really wanted to share the extras – the games thatmay have been released long before this year, but that resonated with meregardless. It wasn’t until the end of last year that I started learning moreabout the world of indie games, and this year I’ve had the joy of trying out somany thanks to PAX, streaming, and the connections I’ve made throughTheGeeklyGrind.
Of course, there’s a lot of great stuff out there, and over the next year we’ll do plenty of features on games you may have missed over the years, but for now these are the games that I fell in love with - even if a little late - in 2019.
Super Cloudbuilt (2017 – Coilworks; Double Eleven)
When my friend told me he wanted to gift me a game that meant a lot to him, I knew something good was coming. Super Cloudbuilt advertises itself as “parkour platformer,” and that definitely feels like an accurate description – you’ll hurtle yourself through incredible, strange landscapes high in the sky at breakneck speeds. Impossible gaps are nothing with the right angles, speed, and skill. It’s surprisingly challenging, but so enjoyable that I never wanted to give up, even when I found myself stuck failing repeatedly. I don’t think I’ve ever played a game where the controls were quite as fluid as Super Cloudbuilt – it actually felt good to play.
With vast, gorgeous stages, an amazing soundtrack, and a moving underlying story, Super CloudBuilt is probably the best 3D platformer I’ve ever played.
Find it on: PC, PS4, XBox One
Divinity: Original Sin 2 (2017 – Larian Studios)
At this point, I think I’m actually quite late to the “Yeah,you should play Divinity!” party, but I’m enjoying it so much that I can’tleave it out of this list. To be honest, I think that I would be overwhelmed ifI were coming into DSO2 as a solo player - there’s a lot I don’t know and managing four characters seems quitedifficult. Fortunately, I have two friends with far more experience who’ve beenplaying alongside me. In Divinity, you can make your own character or choosefrom presets with some fascinating background stories. For my firstplaythrough, I’ve chosen Lohse – an artistic, musical soul plagued by afrighteningly evil entity living within her.
Divinity 2 includes plenty of exploration and side stories,and I’ve loved how individual your playthrough can be. Both of my friends havedozens of hours in the game and even still have occasionally reacted with “I’venever seen that!” The turn-based battles allow for some great teamwork (orshenanigans if you’re our mage who accidentally sets the rest of us on fireoccasionally), but players aren’t forced to constantly be in contact, so youhave plenty of individual freedom. It’s some of the most fun I’ve had in aco-op game in years.
Find it on: PC, PS4, XBox One, Nintendo Switch
GRIS (2018 – Nomada Studios)
GRIS often blurs the line between game and playable art. Youwon’t find stressful fights and swarms of enemies in this ruined wasteland.There are puzzles, but often nothing too intense. When you begin the game,everything is one colour, but eventually you’ll unlock more and the way you seethe world will drastically change. Despite not presenting much of a story ordialogue, GRIS manages to be a beautiful, moving experience. I enjoyed everystage of this stunning release, and so many surprises just felt likeexperiencing a small bit of magic.
Find it on: PC, Nintendo Switch
Old Man’s Journey (2017 – Broken Rules)
Old Man’s Journey was a bit of a random find for me, and I went in with no expectations. What I found was gorgeous landscape puzzles set to a stunning soundtrack. You’ll set out from your home on a journey, throughout which you’ll remember important moments of your life and learn how to face loss. The story behind this one is both beautiful and heartbreaking, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried on stream. It’s a short play, and some of the puzzles can be finicky, but it was an incredibly lovely experience that is well worth the $8.
Find it on: PC, PS4, XBox One, Nintendo Switch
Moon Hunters (2016 – Kitfox Games)
Moon Hunters – billing itself as a “co-op personality test”– can be played solo or with 2-4 friends, but I definitely loved the co-opexperience more than anything. You have five days to explore the world aroundyou. Every decision you make, conversation you have, and place you go willaffect the legacy you leave behind. Moon Hunters asks you a very importantquestion – how will you be remembered? Battle can sometimes be finicky and theplaythroughs are short, but the exploration and details of Moon Hunters areincredible. I loved that my friend and I were able to each give our answerswhen the game asked us how we would like to handle something – our stats andfuture would be affected by each decision we made. The art and music arestunning, and I always looked forward to seeing the character I’d created bythe end. I still have a lot of secrets to uncover, but it’s a beautiful littleadventure that you can take in bite-sizes.
Find it on: PC, PS4, XBox One, Nintendo Switch
Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight (2016 – Bombservice)
Momodora’s dark, unsettling atmosphere is an interestingmatch with its nostalgic, pixelated aesthetics. Behind the cute art style andincredible OST lie a dark, fascinating world and fluid, intuitive controls. Fightstend to be challenging because they rely on your ability to dodge and parrymore than brute forcing your way through a stage, and each boss comes with adifferent approach and moveset, forcing the player to learn how to react. Iloved exploring this creepy metroidvania and uncovering the secrets of theruined city.
Find it on: PC, PS4, XBox One, Nintendo Switch
Hopefully there’s something here you haven’t tried – they’re all well worth checking out! Got a game you’ve played this year that blew you away? Leave us a comment or send it my way!
Join us next week for part 2 as I round up my favourite 2019 releases!
Order Up! is a weekly column featuring indie-focused reviews, news, or interviews! We like old games just as much as new ones and are always looking for something to check out. Have a game recommendation, a project, or a company you want to talk about? Email me at rae@thegeeklygrind.com or find me on Twitter @ArcanaChance
