This is a 2D fighting game with a unique handcuff mechanic. Not only do you have throws and special moves, but you can also put your opponents in handcuffs. This doesn’t disable them entirely, but it prevents them from doing anything with their hands. Be careful, because you can be handcuffed too!
Also, I love that this fighting game is set in a future version of South Korea.
This is a rogue-like top-down shooter that stars birds (and one platypus). This ended up being my most played game of 2023. The guns are incredibly fun, and I loved the enemies too. Being a rogue-like, no single level is the same, and that’s awesome!
Back in 1995, Screamer was the PC’s answer to Daytona USA and Ridge Racer. And it looked spectacular! Understand that this game was made before GPUs were popular, so everything was rendered in software. Even so, I still love this game, and I can never tire of it.
When it comes to Build engine games, there’s a holy trinity: Duke Nukem 3-D, Shadow Warrior, and Blood. Most people remember the first two games I mentioned, but they’re sleeping on Blood which has to have some of the best level design of any 90s FPS. This is the definition of a hidden gem.
This year, there’s been so much talk about Baldur’s Gate III, and for good reason too. But let’s not forget the game that put Larian Studios on the map: Divine Divinity. Of all the hack-n-slash RPGs made in the early 2000s, few of them feel as big as this game right here.
The reboot of Shadow Warrior is much better than the original. If you’ve never played the reboot, this might sound like sacrilege, but it is 100% true. Shadow Warrior gives Wo Lang an actual personality, and pairs him up with the spirit Hoji – a sidekick with a big mouth. The results are hilarious. And, what’s more, we have some fantastic weapons, including a katana!
Not going to lie, after I played this game, I cried. Not a single bit of dialogue was spoken, and yet this affected me on such an emotional level. At first glance, this looks like a simple 3D puzzle platformer. But the story this tells – wow!
SEGA hasn’t been the most consistent when it comes to Sonic games, but Sonic Mania must be one of the best Sonic games ever made. The level design is everything great about this series. Not only does this play like a classic Sonic game, it exceeds them in every way. If you can only play one Sonic game, let it be this one.
Do you ever miss mid-80s platformers like Ice Climber and Bubble Bobble? Well, feast your eyes on Handsome Mr. Frog, a hat-wearing amphibian who grabs enemies by his tongue, then spits them out to kill more enemies. This is hard as nails in the good old arcade sense, but worth every moment.
If you’re an old school gamer like myself, you probably think you’ve played every variation of a 2D platformer possible. You are wrong. Mibibli’s Quest is one of the most surreal, unpredictable, and imaginative games I’ve ever played. At virtually every moment, you will be surprised.
One of the best Old West FPS games I’ve ever played. Also, one of the most underrated FPS games of the 2010s too. Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is full of zippy attitude. And it is so much fun!
I am a big fan of the Serious Sam series, and Serious Sam 2 is my favourite. Personally, I feel that Serious Sam is the spiritual successor to Duke Nukem. But in Serious Sam 2, the silliness is dialled up to 11. It’s like visiting a funhouse on acid. To me, this is a true PC gaming classic.
@atomicpoet I remember playing this game at LAN parties where we brought out computers to someone's garage and hooked them up to an ethernet hub and played it cooperatively. Beat it after one night of pure gaming nirvana
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This is an EA game, and at this point, EA has a terrible reputation amongst gamers. However, with Mirror’s Edge, they did everything right. At its core, this is a first person parkour game. But they gave the game an impressive aesthetic, set it in a dystopian future, and made a compelling story.
An early 2000s survival horror game where you fight vampires! It’s cheesy and with hilarious voice acting. But the moment you watch a Catholic priest fall out of a window then hand you a crucifix, this becomes awesome. There’s nothing I like more than rescuing my family while putting an end to vampires.
This is the game that put rogue-like platformers on the map, and I still think this is one of the best platformers ever made. You collect loot, rescue people (or animals) in distress, kill anything that tries to kill you. This is a hard game, but also quite addictive.
A tactical RPG that’s inspired by Power Rangers. You have to collect your squad of actors and direct the most amazing battle scenes for TV. And when you assemble together, it’s full-on kaiju battling mode! Not only was this made with a lot of depth, but also love too.
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are great, but do you ever miss classic 2D Zelda? Come on, I know you do! Well, Anodyne is everything good about classic Zelda, but with a dreamy twist.
Imagine if someone mashed up Tetris with Q*Bert, and you’d have one of the most fun and addictive games that I guarantee you’ve never played. This is puzzle platforming at its most literal, and we’re all the more better for it. The solo campaign is amazing, but play the multiplayer at a party, and everyone has a fun time!
I’ve heard many people talk about this game, but until this year, I had never played it. Yes, this is not only one of the best FPS games ever made, but it is the most immersive too. This is not just about shooting, it’s about using your brain and solving problems. Modern gaming wouldn’t be what it is without System Shock.
In 1999, the USA’s answer to Final Fantasy VII was released, and it was exclusive to the PC. But because of publisher shenanigans, few people got to play it. Well, I’m telling you that Septerra Core is a treat, with an incredible story and memorable characters. What’s more, this is one of the first Western-made JRPGs ever made.
I can’t believe I only found out about this game this year. Next to Mortal Kombat, Killer Instinct is the best Western-made 2D fighter of all time. And back in the 90s, I was incredibly disappointed by the console ports, which failed to live up to the arcade original. But the reboot of Killer Instinct is way better than the arcade original, and has amazing depth too. And I just love those c-c-c-combo breakers!
Now that I think back on 2023, I feel like Jusant is my personal Game of the Year. It’s calming, meditative, and makes you think about the ephemeral nature of life. What’s more, it’s beautiful. If you just want to hang out and chill, this is the game for you.
Remember MDK, that third person shooter from the 90s? Well, the guys who worked on that later made something more ambitious. Take MDK, add some RTS elements to it, then throw in some Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy humour, and you have Giants: Citizen Kabuto. This game is colourful, funny, challenging, and a whole lot of fun.
Blake Stone had the terrible misfortune of being released one week before Doom, which means it didn’t stand a chance. Because of this, it’s one of the most underrated FPS games released in the early 90s. Blake Stone is a lot like Wolfenstein, and even shares the same engine. But it’s more like Buck Rogers, which means it’s got weirder guns and weirder enemies.
This isn’t just a period accurate early 80s platformer, it’s one of the most imaginative games I’ve ever played. Deceptively simple, you don’t jump. Instead, you manipulate gravity! You have no weapons, and there’s plenty of one-touch deaths, but once you beat the game, it’s incredibly rewarding. What an amazing soundtrack too. I also played a Commodore 64 port, and it was incredible.
@atomicpoet Wow! I had completely forgotten about this one… I bought a (Brazilian) magazine called CD Expert which had it bundled in the early 2000’s; great game! :sprite_mami:
Now I wonder if the disc is still “alive” somewhere; that also reminded me of a unrelated game I bought around the same time called Twinsen’s Odyssey (I think :thinking_cirno: ) which wore out from excessive usage! :cirno_cry:
@atomicpoet Mirrors Edge is really good. I pity they messed it up with the sequel, even though they clearly tried to capitalise on what made the original so great.
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