Thomp's Picks for 2013 and Beyond

The Preamble

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All has been quiet on the Thomplog front for quite some time now, and for that I apologize. The Thomp has recently started working in the games industry with an awesome company here in the Seattle area. While I am thrilled to have the job, and am enjoying it a ton so far, my spare time has been severely reduced. I've been playing a smattering of games in the mean time, but none to completion, and none enough to write any meaningful critique of.

But all of that being said, 2013 has been an exciting year for gaming. We saw a plethora of AAA gems rush in at the end of the generation, as they typically do, as well as countless indie masterpieces. It has been, without a doubt, a year to remember, and has set us up for an amazing looking 2014. So without further ado, let's get to the picks...

The Picks

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Pick of the Year

Bioshock Infinite

Let's not bother with this "save the best for last" nonsense. If you play one game from 2013, it should, without a doubt, be Bioshock Infinite. Superb characters, fantastic FPS gameplay, a story that will twist your brain into a knot, and a world that will keep you awestruck with every corner you turn. Don't question it, just play it. 

Runner Up

Tomb Raider

I know most people won't agree with me on this one, but when it comes down to it, I had more fun with Tomb Raider than any other game this year, outside of Bioshock Infinite. The eerie, dark atmosphere, the fantastic cinematic gameplay, everything shined about this game. I will undoubtedly be picking this up for another play through soon.

Honorable Mentions

The Last of Us

The stealth gameplay wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but there's no question that the character development and storytelling in The Last of Us broke new ground this year in the medium, and for that I want to give at least an honorable mention. It is a fine game, and a must play for anyone who wants a deeply moving storytelling experience.

Grand Theft Auto V

The controversial beast came back to us this year in it's fifth installment. While I didn't enjoy GTA V as much as some, it deserves a mention, as it definitely brought some new and exciting things to the franchise. And of course, blew people's socks off with how absurdly offensive it manages to be.

Indie Pick of the Year

Rogue Legacy

Created by the brothers Kenny and Teddy Lee, who make up Cellar Door Games, Rogue Legacy came out of nowhere for me. I came across it by word of mouth when it released, and was instantly addicted to the soul-crushingly difficult platforming fun. With a near perfect mixture of difficulty and progression, Rogue Legacy stole my heart this year. I can't recommend it enough to gamers far and wide.

Runner Up

Antichamber

Alexander Bruce sunk well over four years into this non-euclidean, first-person, mind fuck of a puzzle game, and it shows. Antichamber is incredibly well thought out, and it possibly one of the most difficult, mind bending puzzle games I've ever played.

Free to Play Pick of the Year

Path of Exile

Simply incredible. That's what comes to mind when I think about Path of Exile. It is mind blowing that this nearly perfect action RPG, that surpasses the likes of Diablo 3 and Torchlight with flying colors in my opinion, is somehow free to play. It has arguably, the most liberal and fair free to play policy ever introduced in a game, and there is so much community support from the developers that you have to wonder where the hell the money is coming from. I can't speak highly enough about this game, I've sunk so many hours into it this year, and I suggest any other ARPG fans out there to do the same.

Runner Up

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft (Beta)

This is kind of cheating since this isn't even in open beta yet, but it's really that good. I've sunk countless hours into Blizzard's new F2P collectable card game, and I will sink countless more. Blizzard has hit the nail on the head once again with this one. Hard to tell how obtrusive the pay model will be yet, so time will tell in that regard, but so far, it's looking pretty damned good.

Worst of the Year Picks

Aliens: Colonial Marines

Not only did the marketing for Aliens: Colonial Marines flat out lie to consumers, showing "gameplay" that wasn't actually from the game, but the game was blatantly unfinished. Gearbox and all associated parties really let fans of the franchise (and of gaming in general) down with this release. Because of the shameless deception from the developers and publishers, and the overall disappointment as a result, Aliens: Colonial Marines is easily my pick for the worst game of the year.

Runner Up

Defiance

I was initially excited for Defiance, not only as a third person shooter MMO, but as a new bridge between mediums, tying in a game world with an ongoing television series and having both affect one another. Unfortunately, I was disappointed on both fronts. The game had a decent enough backbone, but lacked a usable UI and almost all the social features that are so key in an MMO. Pair this with the fact that there was literally no effect on the TV show, or vice versa, despite being told that would be the case, and we're left with a smoldering disappointment. It was a nice idea, but unfortunately there was zero follow through.

Most Anticipated Games of 2014

Let's end on a nice note, shall we? We are at the end of 2013, and man do we have a big year ahead of us in gaming. With a new generation of consoles upon us, and numerous Kickstarter projects slated to come to fruition, we have a lot to look forward to!

Destiny

Bungie's ambitious new sci-fi FPS MMO, Destiny, is officially slotted for 9/9/2014, and it has started to generate a lot of hype. Being a long time Bungie and Halo fan, Destiny is at the top of my list for upcoming games next year.

The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt

After playing through The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings earlier this year, and enjoying it more than any RPG I've ever played before, I am genuinely stoked for CD Projekt's new addition to the franchise. Last I heard, this was slated for a Q2 release in 2014... I'll be waiting with bated breath.

Star Citizen & Squadron 42

I kind of doubt that we'll be seeing Star Citizen released this year, but since it was originally slated for 2014 in its Kickstarter campaign, I'm putting it down anyway. I'm super excited to see what Chris Roberts and his team will accomplish, and can only hope that we'll get our hands on the beast that is Star Citizen and Squadron 42 in 2014.

Project Eternity/Pillars of Eternity

Obsidian's Kickstarted "Project Eternity" is scheduled to hit shelves in Winter 2014. Like Star Citizen, not sure how confident I am in this releasing on time, but I sure hope it does. Obsidian seldom disappoints, and the cRPG style they're employing with this game has my mouth watering. Keep your fingers crossed that we get our hands on Pillars of Eternity this year.

The Conclusion

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Well, that's it folks, my picks for 2013 and beyond. I want to sincerely thank everyone who has decided to read over the past year, I'm forever grateful for you taking some time out of your day to hear my opinions on gaming. I've had a great time writing, I've learned a lot, and I'd like to think that I've improved a bit.

I'm not sure how active the Thomplog will be in 2014. As I mentioned in the preamble, I've recently started a job in the games industry, and we have a significant release coming up this year. I'm anticipating a lot of work, and not a lot of down time. That being said, I'll undoubtedly still be gaming, and if I get the chance to share some thoughts, I plan to do so, so keep an eye out just in case!

Happy Holidays and New Year to everyone! 2014 is gonna be a doozy!

Thomp out... [drops proverbial mic]

Review - The Last of Us

The Last of Us

Naughty Dog

Playstation 3

Survival, Horror, Stealth, Action

June 14, 2013

The Preamble

Well, I want to start this one out by apologizing to the console gaming audience out there. As I was just looking back through the blog archive, it seems as though, outside of Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney, I've reviewed and discussed nothing but PC games on this blog.

Well, today we're venturing into the depths of the PS3 exclusive space, taking a look at The Last of Us. This title comes to us from developer Naughty Dog, famous for their work on the Uncharted series.

Unfortunately, I haven't played any of the Uncharted series, so I won't be able to make any comparisons there. What I can say is that The Last of Us is an extremely well-made game, wrought with emotional struggle, intense stealth-driven gameplay, and a narrative that you will not soon forget.

The Overview

I went into this game knowing virtually nothing about it. I knew that it was going to be survival horror type of game, with strong focus on characters and story and I was excited about this. I had of course seen the critical acclaim for the game, but outside of that, I really didn't know much.

I think that's maybe the best way to play this game, so I'm not going to be very descriptive in the overview of the story here. 

After a brief introduction of how the outbreak occurs, you travel forward in time 20 years after the infection, where society has been decimated and left to various sects of survivors that have declared their independence in some way or another. You play as Joel, a smuggler, devoid of almost all of his emotion as a result of enduring the last 20 years, watching civilization crumble. Through a series of events which I'll leave unsaid, Joel embarks on a journey that will lead him all over the country, forcing him to resolve unforgettable situations and pull him in emotional directions he didn't think he'd ever have to encounter.

The Good

• The story is top notch. From the unforgettable introduction to the thought provoking conclusion, The Last of Us remains good until the last drop. You are constantly excited, yet terrified, to see what happens next. While there are some typical zombie apocalypse tropes, there is a lot of uncertainty throughout the game.

• The character development is immaculate. Well written, well voiced, well animated; you feel like you know them, both the good and bad things about them. The arcs that each character take are compelling and keep you guessing about each decision.

• As far as the survival-horror-action genre goes, I don't think I've come across a game that conveys the true feeling of being a survivor as well as The Last of Us. You have to work your ass off to scavenge supplies, and even if you're good, you are never left feeling comfortable about the quantity of resources that you have. You are constantly tasked with rationing out your supplies and weighing your options every time you encounter an enemy.

• For a console game, the visuals are great. You aren't stuck with the same old grey, bleak, zombie setting. There is a surprising amount of variety in the weather and environment, which makes for a more diverse and interesting experience.

The Bad

• This may be the RPG fanboy in me peaking out, but the low number of skills, and the mundane nature of the ones that are present is pretty bleak. I would have loved a larger variety to play around with, at least some that actually influenced your play style somehow, which seems to be completely absent.

• Maybe it's just me and my lack of interest in stealth games anymore, but there are a lot of segments in this game that are downright infuriating. Retry after retry of tedious stealth gameplay. This wore on me in a big way after a while. Take a look at the 'Extra Note' below for more on this.

• There are some serious issues with checkpoint saving in this game. The game is not very clear about where the checkpoints are and the inclusion of what seems to be 'save anywhere' function always left me very confused when trying to load. There were numerous times I restarted from a checkpoint to find out that half of my ammo was gone and twice as many enemies were present. While this didn't happen every time, it happened enough for me to notice and get very frustrated on occasion. Also, saving is incredibly slow.

The Conclusion

The Last of Us is really quite groundbreaking on a storytelling level. It might be the most cinematic, immersive video game experience I've had the pleasure of consuming. That said, unless you are a huge fan of stealth gameplay, I don't feel like the game offers a lot more than that fantastic storytelling experience.

So I think there are a couple groups of people that would be interested in this game. 

• If you're interested in seeing one of the finest executions of storytelling in gaming, absolutely give this game a go (also, read the Extra Note below). Even if you are sort of zombied out (trust me, I'm right there with you), I still think it's well worth taking a look at.
• If you love tough stealth games, whether you care about story or not, this is worth taking a look at. 

An Extra Note

If you're not a gamer who is a huge stealth fan, and are more interested in the narrative part of the game, I would highly recommend playing on Normal or Easy difficulty settings. I made it through on Hard, but boy was it frustrating at times. If I had to do it over, I would have probably gone with Normal. Anyway, just my two cents on that subject.

The Thomp is Back!

As some of you may have noticed, The Thomplog has been pretty quiet lately.

The long and the short of it is, the Thomp has permanently departed the hot, arid Phoenix heat, and will hereby be delivering opinions on gaming via a new home in Kirkland, WA, outside of Seattle. It feels good to be back up North, with the water, the cool air, the cloud cover... all perfect ingredients to get in the mood for gaming!

That said, while I've been away, I've still managed to reserve some time to play. In fact, I've finished quite a few games since last posting, and look forward to writing some thoughts about them soon.

Until then, here's a quick look at what I've been playing.

The Last of Us

Status: Finished. Review coming soon.

This game was really quite an experience. Some of the most compelling character development I've seen in a game. Expect to see a review of this soon.

Metro: Last Light

Status: Finished. Review coming soon.

  Another dark, intense, story driven FPS from the team that brought us Metro 2033. I thoroughly enjoyed this game, perhaps even more than it's predecessor. Expect a review soon.

The Walking Dead: 400 Days

Status: Finished. Review coming soon.

Season 2 of Telltale's The Walking Dead will take place 400 days after the end of Season 1. This special transition episode is here to give us an idea of the happenings during this time, from the eyes of 5 separate protagonists. Expect a review soon.

Saint's Row: The Third

Status: Finished. Review coming soon.

In preparation for Saints Row 4, I decided I would give the highly acclaimed "Third" a try. Turns out it is insanely fun, and insanely ridiculous. Expect a full review soon.

Rogue Legacy

Status: Reallllly close to finished. Damn you last boss!

This game has damn near taken over my life since it came out. Super fun and super addicting. Looking forward to talking more about this game!

League of Legends

Status: It never ennnnnnds!

I'm ashamed to really say anything right here. Yes, I've been playing this game. Yes, I've been playing it a lot. Let's leave it at that for now.

Grand Theft Auto V

Status: Not started. Ready and raring for midnight release!

Super-duper stoked for this. There are 27 hours and counting until the release as I write this. This one looks bigger and better than ever with tons of new features and THREE main protagonists! Review will come eventually.

There have, of course, been other games I've been playing on and off, but none enough to mention here really. I've got a bit of catching up to do with these, but am happy to be back on the horse again. 

Until next time, Thomp out!