[Editor’s Note: Authors were told to approach their game of the year lists however they wanted, including listing their favorite games they personally played this year regardless of release year.]
When I was younger, video games always took a back seat in my list of interests. Still, video games have always been a constant in my life and throughout my family for as long as I can remember. Right off the bat, I can think of 10 instances of watching my dad, cousins, uncles, and friends play PC or console games with me looking over their shoulder and annoyingly asking, “What’s that?” or “How do you do ___?”
My relationship with video games has grown steadily as I get closer to finishing my degree and am finding myself with more free time on my hands. Ever since I was 7, I’ve had a fascination with RPGs, but never really knew why people would get addicted to them until I started playing more RPGs myself. In the last 7 months, I’ve consistently played (and re-played) my favorite RPGs as the winter months trudge on to curb my boredom and stimulate my mind. Here are the top 3 RPGs I’ve been playing:
1. Mineko’s Night Market
Maybe it’s due to me staying indoors more often, but I cannot stop playing this adorably cozy game. This game is reminiscent of the world of Studio Ghibli and Stardew Valley (a farm-life simulator with Slice of Life aspects) combined into a cute 2D RPG.
In Mineko’s Night Market, you play through the story of Mineko and her adjustments to living in an island town. In this game, your job is to revitalize the local night market to stimulate the economy while also helping a magical cat creature, Nikko, find his way home. As you learn throughout each interaction with the townsfolk, Nikko’s connection to the town is their kind-hearted instinct to aid the villagers during natural disasters, which in turn causes more trouble to the townspeople as government agents swarm the island to capture Nikko. The more Mineko assists the townsfolk through side quests and enjoyable mini-games, the stronger her connection becomes to the island she once despised.
The story’s overall plot and design entrances gamers from the moment they’re able to explore the island. It is easy to see that the developers put a lot of passion into this game through the details and complexities of each NPC, as well as in Mineko’s character. Each townsperson has a unique personality that is different from everyone else on the island. For example, one of my favorite NPCs to interact with is Miyako, a young cat racer whose competitive nature motivates her to accomplish her dreams. The game is set up so that the more you interact and become neighbors with each townsperson, the more reliable and respected your character becomes, aiding you in future challenges.
Another aspect I enjoy about the game is its changing 4-week cycles of each season that bring new items, food, and materials for you to find and craft with. As you play throughout the game, you will come across new places to venture to within the island, unlocking new textiles to use for more advanced crafts. However, when you first arrive in a new area, you are met with navigating obstacle courses filled with government agents. As the agents are tasked with finding Nikko, they believe in capturing the cats that roam around the island to lure Nikko. To unlock new parts of the island, your job is to free all of the captured cats and scare away the agents. As intimidating as this may sound, clearing each level is as entertaining as it is challenging.
While playing Mineko’s Night Market, I found many connections between Mineko and myself, making this RPG one I enjoy playing and replaying when I’m feeling depressed or a little homesick. Mineko’s way of finding comfort and stability within the unknown of her journey is something I relate to and empathize with.
2. Limbo
A break from my usual cozy games, Limbo is a 2-D slide-scroller puzzle game where you guide an unnamed character through a shadowy plane to save your sister from the clutches of nightmarish monsters. As you venture throughout the game, you’ll run into some pretty creepy creatures that take animal-like forms to stop you. One monster that constantly made me want to throw my controller to the wall is the “brain parasites” that randomly pop up throughout the game’s caverns. What makes these monsters somewhat excruciating is you can’t kill them, but you have to slide by and trick the monsters in order to advance through the levels. Although there are no traditional ‘bosses’, each major puzzle you come across still presents a ‘boss-level’ type ambiance and difficulty.
If I had to describe what Limbo is like, the best way I can put it is like Little Nightmares but with more calculating puzzles and a black-and-white color scheme. While it is not a scary game, this game will creep you the hell out (especially if you play on rainy days). With a combination of eerie soundtrack and nightmarish landscapes, Limbo is a great brain teaser game.
3. Cozy Grove
Full disclosure, while I am only halfway to finishing this game as of writing this article, I am still having a hard time putting down Cozy Grove. However, this game is just so damn cute and fun I had to include it in this list. There are many games that could be categorized as cozy games, or video games meant to submerse the gamer in a story-rich atmosphere with feelings of comfort and ease and an aesthetically pleasing design. Cozy Grove takes the cake regarding cozy games with a 9/10 rating on Steam and an 8/10 on High Plain Games. The makers of Cozy Grove have brought the aesthetics and facets of Girl Scouts but with a supernatural twist.
In this adorable adventure game, your character is a spirit scout sent to an island where lost spirits roam in search of their memories. To start, you are met with Flamey, a talking campfire (very Calcifer-inspired) sent from the Spirit Scout organization to help. Each spirit you come across is connected to the once bustling town that encompassed the island. As you aid each spirit by completing various tasks you receive ‘spirit-wood’ for Flamey, who finds more lost spirits for your character to help. Similar to games like Animal Crossing and Spiritfarer, your character can fish, dig, mine, and craft items and idols that help the spirits find themselves.
While I have only recently started Cozy Grove, I can see why this adventure has so many raving reviews. The game’s artistic design makes the gamer feel relaxed with adorable characters that match the game’s outdoor aesthetics. The game syncs up with your system’s clock, making each day completely unique from the previous one. Another aspect of this is the game’s internal timer. Each day, the spirits whom you’ve helped provide you with one quest a day. Once you have completed all quests, Flamey tells your character to ‘come back tomorrow,’ giving users a stopping point to spend time away from the screen. Of course, you can also go into your system settings and fast forward time so you can play more often (which I may or may not have done).
As I played through Cozy Grove, I began to reminisce on my time as a Girl Scout; playing through this game reminded me of the fun I had earning badges and meeting new friends. My troop and I would go for bi-monthly weekend campouts to earn badges, learn new skills, and explore the nature of California’s state parks and lakes. Similarly, the main character also earns badges while exploring and learning about their surroundings, making this game even more heartwarming and fun to play.
