Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column

[Maelstrom]

oh lol reading is hard

Just finished it last night and it's pretty great.

[SlowPokemon]

SlowPokemon's Best of Video Games 2024

Hello, everyone! I haven't done this "year in review" thing since 2021, three years ago. The forums seem a little dead, but just for old times' sake, here are the best video games I played in 2024.

As usual, I'll start with a "Retro Corner" feature, highlighting some great games that came out prior to 2024 which I played this year. This is mostly in case anyone wants to chat with me about any of these.

Good Job!

I was aware of this game when it came out in 2020, because it was published by Nintendo and they put a fair bit of spotlight on it in a Nintendo Direct. It looked reasonably amusing. But the experience of playing the game is nothing like you might expect–it's more chaotic, more fun, and more hilarious than any footage can convey. I played the first level alone, and laughed so hard I cried. Then I got some friends over and played some of it co-op, and we all laughed so hard we cried. Really a well-crafted game with smart physics, and it works as a surprisingly fun party game as well.

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Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo

I missed this game back in 2023, but found some time over the summer to play it. A visual novel developed and published by Square-Enix is pretty unusual, and you can tell that the team really rebuilt the visual novel genre from the ground up. There's more gameplay than you might expect in this kind of game, with an innovative 360-degree aspect to the scenes, meaning it's to date the only visual novel I've played with full camera control. This emphasis on player control allows for some creepy moments, since it's a horror game at the end of the day. It won't take up too much of your time, coming in at around 10-12 hours, and it has some really fun puzzly moments and a compelling horror story that breaks the fourth wall just enough to keep you on your toes. Next time you're in the mood for a Japanese horror story, you can't go wrong here. It really transcends what you might think of as a traditional "visual novel" game and comfortably stands on its own with games that have twice its price tag.

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Anonymous;Code

Another 2023 adventure/visual novel game, this is the de facto grand finale to the Sci;Adv series of games (which contains such esteemed classics as Steins;Gate and...well, really none of the others ever took off). It's a well-crafted experience, mitigating some common issues with the series–like Paranormasight above, it doesn't waste too much of your time, though the overall emotional impact ends up being a bit stunted because of the reduced runtime. Some characters who would undoubtedly have had an entire chapter or side-route in other Sci;Adv games aren't given that much to do here. But given the lengthy development hell cycle of this game, it was probably a constraint with the budget or time, so I'll take it for what it is. I had a good time with the game, and if you're a fan of sci-fi, you'll find a lot to dig into with this game. It's probably worth noting that it's the first Sci;Adv game to be fully voiced in English, though I played with the Japanese audio, so I can't speak to its quality.

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Pokémon Brilliant Diamond

Back in 2021, I was firmly on the side of this game's haters. I played Shining Pearl for about 8 hours and found myself frustrated by what I interpreted as an obstinate refusal to give players a choice. Many of those issues I bristled at are still present. But giving the game a second chance allowed me to appreciate its finer qualities and recognize that I was unhappy with the game because of what I personally wanted it to be, not because of what the game itself was trying to do. Does that make sense? With some time and hindsight, I can see that Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl were meant to be a purely nostalgic entry in the series, recreating the experience of the original Pokémon Diamond and Pearl almost to a fault. I'm happy to say that I've come full circle on these games, minor entries though they surely are, and consider them in some ways to be stronger than Gen VIII's Pokémon Sword and Shield. There are some things that will always doom this game to a less popular tier. Personally, the intrusive "affection" stat now being tied to the friendship level, with no option to turn it off, is among the most infuriating bugbears in any modern Pokémon game, and it is truly ridiculous that it takes up so much of your time in battle. But ultimately, it didn't stop me from enjoying the game. I'll admit, your expectations need to be tempered for this one, but it is a great time regardless, because the core of the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl experience is strong enough to withstand other frustrations. (I also really love the art style, I'm so sorry.)

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Pokémon Scarlet

So, full disclosure–I did play Pokémon Violet in 2022. But, similarly to above, I didn't love it. It was the first Pokémon game I actually played to completion in some time, but I dropped only 30 hours into it, not finding the motivation to fully experience what the game had to offer. Again, time heals all wounds, and with some distance and tempered expectations, this game captures the heart of what makes collecting Pokémon so addictive. The performance issues are so well-known that I don't need to highlight them here, and I don't know how much of them have been fixed. There are still moments where the game looks like crap. But the important stuff–the Pokémon themselves, the experience of collecting and exploring, and the really wonderful character designs–survive. I am hopeful that Game Freak and The Pokémon Company are able to hear the response to these games and give players a much–MUCH–more polished experience next time.

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And now, my 2024 picks!

BEST SOUND DESIGN

Endless Ocean: Luminous
This game met with some of the most mixed reviews I've ever seen. As I mentioned earlier with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, I think it's a case of conflict between what some players wanted this game to be and what it actually is. What it wants to do is actually present a highly experimental game, one that's hardly a game at all. It is a beautifully soothing way to spend an hour here and there, floating among fish and experiencing the ocean atmosphere, and I sank (no pun intended) 25 hours into it without ever getting bored. It's just so different and so interesting. And the sound design is spectacular–music dipping in occasionally, but often fading out to let us hear the empty buzzing of an oxygen tank, or hearing a whale's cry distantly as you approach a huge gulf or canyon. I highly recommend checking this game out if you think it might appeal to you. It is one of the most interesting and unique titles Nintendo has developed in a while.

Honorable Mention: Animal Well, Another Code: Recollection, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Mario & Luigi: Brothership

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BEST MUSIC

Another Code: Recollection
The surprise return of Cing's classic Another Code series (or Trace Memory, as the first game was known in America) was a hugely anticipated event for me. Their game Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is one of my favorites, and Another Code remains a cult classic. It was reimagined from the ground up for Nintendo Switch, and it was so much fun to finally experience these games. The soundtrack is expansive and features a lot of interesting sound worlds across Ashley's two adventures, and there's a lot of thoughtful compositional work here. Nintendo really had a great year in music and sound design, but this is my personal pick for their soundtrack of the year.

Honorable Mention: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

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BEST GRAPHICS

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BEST STORY

Emio: The Smiling Man - Famicom Detective Club
I really loved the first two Famicom Detective Club games when I played the Nintendo Switch versions in 2021. This one slots comfortably in as a third entry, the first new one in about 30 years. The storyline takes its time; this is very much in the Japanese adventure game tradition, with a slow-paced story and many chapters that spiral into side plots and character development. And in a strange but appreciated move, Nintendo hides the most interesting part of the story in an epilogue with shockingly high production values and extremely dark, compelling content. I played this shortly after the excellent Paranormasight, and it presents an excellent foil to that game: the former more experimental and going in a new direction, this game rooted firmly in tradition and classical craft. Either way, this is a game that I hope many people get to play and experience, and there is a lengthy demo on the eShop that allows you to experience the first few hours of the story.

Honorable Mention: Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, Another Code: Recollection, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

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BEST ATMOSPHERE

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
This is a new category I'm trying out, because some games really thrive on their atmosphere rather than pure narrative or gameplay. Such is the case for the Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, which was developed by Simogo (of Year Walk and Sayonara Wild Hearts fame) and is far and away the most interesting game I played all year. Its puzzles are both simple and complex. The experience of wandering around a mostly creepy and empty hotel, with occasional music if you'd like to turn it on, while tackling puzzles that can range from a few seconds to, literally, hours and hours between their discovery and solution, is unparalleled. It is kind of like The Witness and kind of like Return of the Obra Dinn, but it surpasses both of those in terms of immersion and life-ruining obsession. Over the 20 hours or so of gameplay, I took pages and pages of nonsensical notes to solve the game's mysteries, and if you're into this kind of game (I suspect you know who you are) you really should just get it and experience it for yourself. The entire game is a massive puzzle box that sinks its hooks into you and won't let go.

Honorable Mention: Animal Well, Another Code: Recollection, Endless Ocean: Luminous

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BEST GAMEPLAY

Animal Well
I played several first-party Nintendo games this year, but my favorite two games of the year in terms of strict gameplay were both indie titles. I already talked about Lorelei and the Laser Eyes above, so let's take a little time to address Animal Well. It's another insanely immersive experience, this time loosely in the Metroidvania genre, with a detailed map and a highly addictive gameplay loop that involves large-scale puzzles and layer after layer of secrets to discover. So many times while playing this game, I had the experience of suddenly realizing how to solve a puzzle I had encountered hours earlier all the way across the map, then thinking "No, there's no way" and then trying it only to have my jaw drop when it turned out to be possible and progress me further along. It is one of the best and most purely fun games I have ever played, with tons of atmosphere, charm, and creepy visuals to keep you hooked. Again, even people who haven't played much of the genre before will find a lot to love here. I came mostly looking for a horror game, and I got that in its own way. But on the other hand, it's not scary enough to put off players who don't enjoy that kind of thing. The craft and balancing on display is just amazing. Please play it, it really lives up to the hype.

Honorable Mention: Endless Ocean: Luminous, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Lorelei and the Laer Eyes

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BEST REMAKE

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
I had never played the original Gamecube classic, and since I enjoyed 2020's Paper Mario: The Origami King quite a lot, figured I should check out this most vaunted of Mario RPGs. It definitely lived up to the hype. It's a game I know I'd have been obsessed with if I had encountered it as a kid. I did some research and turns out this is not just a remaster, it was rebuilt from scratch. Even the soundtrack was rearranged–you can listen to the original if you'd like during gameplay, but I found the remade soundtrack to be my preferred version. They added a lot of dynamic scoring and added a crisp, beautiful visual polish to everything. There's very little contest for me this year in this category; it's a stunning work of love from Nintendo.

Honorable Mention: Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, Another Code: Recollection, Luigi's Mansion 2 HD

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BEST GAME OF 2024

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
This was a really great year, and I played so many excellent games. But this is the one that I think is going to stick with me the most if you ask me a few years from now. It's memorable and eerie and life-consuming in a way that's all too rare. I ranted and raved about it above, so I won't say much here other than to reiterate that if it looks intriguing to you, you should give it a try. Play it on the TV with a friend or partner nearby–I was shocked at how often my partner immediately figured something out that I was missing, or vice-versa. It's a great experience and really shouldn't be missed.

Honorable Mention: Animal Well, Another Code: Recollection, Emio: The Smiling Man - Famicom Detective Club, Endless Ocean: Luminous, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

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BONUS CATEGORY 1: GAME OF 2024 THAT I DIDN'T GET TO PLAY BUT WOULD REALLY LIKE TO

Pentiment
I have this game and haven't found the chance to put any time into it yet. By all accounts, it's just as absorbing and clever as some other gems I highlighted above, so I'm looking forward to sinking my teeth into it soon.

Honorable Mention: Balatro, Princess Peach: Showtime (I played both of these for an hour or two, but didn't get a chance to fully experience them yet)

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BONUS CATEGORY 2: BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT / WHINE CORNER

Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Ugh... I wanted to like this game so much, but must admit that after 50 hours and being sent on yet another fetch-quest before the final boss, I haven't been able to force through the last part yet. It is a game that's clearly had a ton of work and thought and resources poured into it, but it just does not capture the charm of the earlier entries in this series. Its priorities seem all wrong to me. I need the dust to settle before I form a full opinion (and I need to see the ending) but I really have a lot of complicated gripes about this one. Maybe if anyone wants to chat about this game, you can reach out.

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Let me know any thoughts below! It's really strange that I played a new Zelda game this year, loved it, but didn't give it a single win anywhere. I really loved that game and would love to discuss that one as well. I think it just kind of fell into a bit more obscurity because it was somewhat by-the-numbers Zelda, in spite of a creative gameplay loop, when compared with the more avant-garde stylings found elsewhere this year.

Happy New Year, everyone!

[BlackDragonSlayer]

I'll definitely play Animal Well at some point; I've just been trying to work on my backlog first before getting too many new games.

[SlowPokemon]

It's really a great game. I couldn't believe how fun it was once I figured out how to play.

[TheZeldaPianist275]

Glad to see you again Slow! This was a fun throwback to read. If you don't mind me asking, how far did you get into Animal Well? My best friend and I started getting into some of the more obscure secrets, and we're not sure how much more there is to experience from a time investment/reward ratio perspective

[SlowPokemon]

Glad to see you again Slow! This was a fun throwback to read. If you don't mind me asking, how far did you get into Animal Well? My best friend and I started getting into some of the more obscure secrets, and we're not sure how much more there is to experience from a time investment/reward ratio perspective

I did the main campaign, hunted some of the eggs, and looked up the rest without actually playing it. Just got a bit too convoluted for me. But maybe on a replay I'll mess with all that. I enjoyed the game a lot for just its base layer!

One of the reasons I gave the edge to Lorelei was because it had a similarly layered structure with tons of secrets, but I was actually able to complete everything by myself without a guide in about 20 hours. (Well my partner was helping with some puzzles, but we didn't look anything up)