8th Annual Your Favorite/Least-Fav Games of 2021

[Kikki]

Hey everybody! Unfortunately, RopeMaidenKirie is not in attendance at the moment to carry on this tradition, this time...but perhaps in 2022! But we'll carry on with her tradition in her own words. The only part I have added is one final question at the end, in italic red, so that it's obvious what I added. (I also changed wherever she said '2020' to '2021'.) Everything else was written by Kirie last year, including the poll above, which I can't copy and paste directly, but is based closely on what she wrote last year. Now...please tell us what 2021 was like for you.

Answer my questions if you want, make up your own or just say whatever you'd like :D These questions aren't limited to ONLY games that came out in 2021, just what you played.. if you didn't finish them or are currently still playing that's fine too. Skip questions that aren't relevant to you or you just don't feel like answering. It's just for fun after all!

Questions:
How many games did you finish this year? (doesn't have to be an exact amount, estimate!)
Favorite game/s that you played in 2021 (doesn't have to have necessarily came out this year)
Least favorite or game/s that let you down that you played in 2021:
Game/s that surprised you the most:
What consoles did you purchase in 2021 (if any)?
What games (if any) are you looking forward to in 2022?
Games that you wanted but weren't able to purchase?
Games that you wanted to play (that you own or borrowed) but just weren't able to get around to playing
Favorite gaming song/s and/or OST?
Which genre did you play the most of?
Did you replay any older games this year? If so which ones?
Favorite characters of the year?
Favorite gaming announcements/news of the year?
Disappointing gaming announcements/news of the year?
Personal or general gaming predictions for 2022?

If you want to copy/paste the questions and code for easy answering (You don't need to keep it under a spoiler tag unless you want to!):

Spoiler:

Code: Select all

[b][u]How many games did you finish this year? (doesn't have to be an exact amount, estimate!)[/u][/b]


[b][u]Favorite game/s that you played in 2021 (doesn't have to have necessarily came out this year)[/u][/b]


[b][u]Least favorite or game/s that let you down that you played in 2021:[/u][/b]


[b][u]Game/s that surprised you the most:[/u][/b]


[b][u]What consoles did you purchase in 2021 (if any)? [/u][/b]


[b][u]What games (if any) are you looking forward to in 2022? [/u][/b]


[b][u]Games that you wanted but weren't able to purchase?[/u][/b] 


[b][u]Games that you wanted to play (that you own or borrowed) but just weren't able to get around to playing[/u][/b] 


[b][u]Favorite gaming song/s and/or OST? [/u][/b]


[b][u]Which genre did you play the most of?[/u] [/b]


[b][u]Did you replay any older games this year? If so which ones?[/u] [/b]


[b][u]Favorite characters of the year?[/u][/b]


[b][u]Favorite gaming announcements/news of the year?[/u][/b]


[b][u]Disappointing gaming announcements/news of the year?[/u][/b]


[b][u]Anything other thoughts?[/u][/b]


[b][u]Personal or general gaming predictions for 2022?[/u][/b]

Previous threads:
2020
2019
2018
(2017 was skipped because of irl issues)
2016
2015
2014
2013

[Kikki]

And here is my response to the survey

Spoiler:

How many games did you finish this year? (doesn't have to be an exact amount, estimate!)
As always, no estimate needed. I completed 23 games (for the first time) in 2021. Here is my list, in the order I played, not ranked by favourite.

1. Fire Emblem: Three Houses
2. Wintertide Miracles
3. FFVIIR
4. Littlewood
5. Buried Stars
6. Deponia
7. Tumblestone (hundreds of levels)
8. Silence
9. MHS2 DEMO
10. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox
11. Taisho x Alice (entire thing now done)
12. Great Ace Attorney: Adventures
13. Great Ace Attorney: Resolve
14. Garden Story
15. Haven
16. Bustafellows
17. Tales of Arise
18. Townscaper and Instant Farmer (included together as casual games)
19. Age of Calamity
20. Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town
21. Happy Home Paradise (ACNH)
22. Grow: Song of the Evertree
23. Cupid Parasite


Favorite game/s that you played in 2021 (doesn't have to have necessarily came out this year)
My favourite game this year was Ys IX: Monstrum Nox. I LOVED that game. However, also borderline loved the Final Fantasy VII remake, and Tales of Arise just slightly less than that. Those three were definitely the top of my list. (I did like FE:TH, but I finished just the last bit on the first day of the year and it barely feels like it belongs to 2021, plus...well, I liked it, but I didn't LOVE it.) Cloud felt so much more real to me in the remake, his deadened emotions were very interesting as he struggled to live beyond them. (Plus I don't actually know what happens in the original.) Arise was really beautiful, and the characters were quite likable, unlike Berseria, so I had a good time playing it, even though it was as tropey as any other Tales and thus pretty predictable. Fun and beautiful enough that I didn't feel I had to strike Tales off my favourite series list...I hope they keep making beautiful worlds and interesting heroes and villains. If they do, I'll keep playing!


Least favorite or game/s that let you down that you played in 2021:
Haven. I hated the navigation and the food + combat situation in Haven and was hard-pressed not to abandon it. In fact, I technically did, as I didn't bother to head to the final cutscene cuz I didn't want to make more food or navigate my way out to where it triggers to fight any final battle.

And Olive Town, too. Olive Town was...okay. I was hoping I'd love it after being totally uninterested in the Mineral Town remake, but I did not, and Bokumono had been possibly my defining series for years, and to realize that I am no longer part of the target market...that Trio may have been the last Bokumono game I'd ever love...of course that's a huge disappointment. They introduced a few fun mechanics, like levelling skills and the koropons and so on, but they left the soul entirely out of the characters and festivals. NO FARMING FEsTIVALs??? I still can't get over that. It's like it's not Bokumono at all. And your character isn't even involved in most events...it feels like you don't matter AT ALL. Your responses to events make NO difference, and they didn't even bother to round characters out enough to give them gifts they dislike or hate. And there are no farming festivals. No harvest festival, no animal festivals...nada. Did I mention no farming festivals? Cuz it bears repeating. Farming felt like it had no point in this farming-life sim. I felt like the MC had no point...really wasn't important to Olive Town at all. They could have revitalized the town without her, easily. But I've moved on. I'm not going to cling to it if I'm simply not a consumer that Marvelous cares about, any more. I'll have a good look at the next new (non-remake) game they put out to see what changes may have happened after the massive feedback on Olive Town, but I'm not holding my breath.

I was also disappointed to end up abandoning Cozy Grove and Kitaria Fables. *shrug*


Game/s that surprised you the most:
ACNH surprised me with a HUGE update, but...it only brought me back for a week. I'm just done with ACNH and no update can really rekindle my interest except as light curiosity. I have no desire to redesign my town with all the new stuff...I'm worn out on it and it feels too much like work, now. I wish all this had been in from the beginning. My interest would have lasted longer that way, maybe. Well, I got enough play hours out of it anyway, so it's not like it wasn't worth buying.

I was a bit surprised by how good the Monster Hunter stories demo was, too...played a good 8-10 hours on that. I didn't go on to buy because I could tell the combat would get old quick, but it was definitely DEMO of the year, at least

FFVIIR surprised me because I had no idea it'd be so close to being my GoTY (it's such an UGLY setting, and Barrett is mega annoying) but Cloud was really interesting and Tifa and Aerith were, too. sephiroth gave me the willies, though. Normally I'd be all for the long-haired fellas, but...willies, man. He looked like a snake in human skin or something. Those eyes were not right!


What games (if any) are you looking forward to in 2022?
Breath of the Wild 2, of course...FAR beyond any other game. I've been expecting the push-backs on it up to now, but if it gets delayed out of 2022, I think this time I'll legitimately be disappointed by it...I think it'll actually make it out this year. Though not in the first half, as I would have thought at this time last year. Rather, I think it's going to be after E3, maybe not even until holiday season 2022. *sigh*

Rune Factory 5. I add that because I actually feel nothing for it, but I know I'm supposed to be hyped and can't fully pin down why I'm not. Maybe because of the huge disappointment of Olive Town? But that doesn't entirely make sense. But I know I'll enjoy it even if it turns out to be a cheap reskin of RF4. Which is what I think it's going to feel like, to me, from everything I've seen.

Rather strangely, I also find myself looking forward to star Ocean 6: The Divine Force. I liked the star Ocean that apparently everyone else hates (5) and it's my only experience with the series. Divine Force has really nice looks and the cast seems interesting, so I'm eager to give a brand new release a try.


Favorite gaming song/s and/or OST?
I almost never like video game music. I don't know why, but it never catches my attention. Maybe because the type of games I play tend to have soothing music, and I like really rousing, energetic stuff, like the Gaur Plains day theme or the sylvalum night theme. Calming or 'pretty' music tends to make me sleepy. I want music that feels like it could replace adrenaline. Cupid Parasite probably had the best soundtrack for my taste, this year, but nothing I'd seek out to put on my YouTube playlist.


Which genre did you play the most of?
I never change. JRPG and life-sim/builders.


Did you replay any older games this year? If so which ones?
Oh, a bunch. I'm more into replays now and will probably continue that way. I replayed Xillia (1) and sos1 and am continuing on with some Tales replays and Trails replays and...etc.


Favorite characters of the year?
Adol, Cloud, Alphen, Herlock sholmes (how could being so annoying be so adorable??) Mipha.


Favorite gaming announcements/news of the year?
Um. The big ACNH update was a fun and unexpected boost, even though it was only this big because it's the last. star Ocean 6 was probably my best announcement this year, though.


Disappointing gaming announcements/news of the year?
China's crackdown on 'morals' in gaming...men must be MEN, and so on. They have frozen game certification, and this may include console games as well, since Pathea put in for theirs on sandrock in July and have heard nothing since.


Personal or general gaming predictions for 2022?
I think I may sink into more replays as time goes on. I feel like I'm slipping away from gaming a little these past two years, and that may continue. As long as something else replaces it, I'm okay with that. My taste keeps narrowing down rather than expanding...I get focused tighter in on what I like and exclude what I don't more every year, it seems. I think I may be the same person now as I was at 2. I would LOVE for 2022 to be a banger of a game year with games that would blow my little brains out...BotW2, Xenoblade 3, XCX port, XCX2 and Dragon Quest Builders 3. A year like that would obliterate the cobwebs hanging around me, but...insanely great gaming years like that don't seem to happen for me any more. However, I think 2022 will be a better game year than 2022 for most people. That's my current prediction

[greensara]

How many games did you finish this year? (doesn't have to be an exact amount, estimate!)

Had to go back and look, it was about 17 for the first time? More than I thought. Plus I finished My Time at Portia for the second time.


Favorite game/s that you played in 2021 (doesn't have to have necessarily came out this year)

I think my overall favorite this year was Ys 8. Honorable mentions go to: Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity, Monster Hunter Stories 2, and Tetris Effect.

Least favorite or game/s that let you down that you played in 2021:

This is big one this year. I decided to drop several games that were either too frustrating or I just ended up hating them for different reasons. These included:

Balan Wonderworld for its awful camera hindering progression without extreme frustration, which was a shame as I kind of liked the weird art and music.

Sakuna Of Rice and Ruin was fun for the story and rice growing, but the platforming aspect with her hard to aim scarf got worse the further in I got.

Child of Light got frustrating and was hard to get back into after leaving it alone for a while. I didn't want to waste my time on it when I could've been playing something more fun. I still love the art style for it though.

Where the Bees Make Honey was half-cooked shovelware and I don't say that lightly.

The crown for disappointment this year of course goes to Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town. I think I have complained enough about it in other threads that I will just say that it and its DLC are my biggest purchase regrets of this year. After the spectacular time I had with Trio of Towns, I was very disappointed to say the least.

Game/s that surprised you the most:

I was very surprised by how much I ended up liking HM OW having gone in with low expectations. Keep improving Natsume! I was also surprised how much I liked Aground and Staxel despite initially being turned off by their respective ugly art styles.

What consoles did you purchase in 2021 (if any)?

Nothing new this year.

What games (if any) are you looking forward to in 2022?

I'm looking forward to: BOTW 2, Arceus, RF5, and Snacko. Those are the ones I remember anyway.

Games that you wanted but weren't able to purchase?

I actually got most of the games I really wanted this year. Most of the ones I skipped were iffy ones I wanted a better price on or they were low priority, like Littlewood.

Games that you wanted to play (that you own or borrowed) but just weren't able to get around to playing

A good chunk of my backlog, lol.


Which genre did you play the most of?

Probably simulation, as usual, with puzzles and RPGs.

Did you replay any older games this year? If so which ones?

My Time at Portia, Stardew Valley, Pokemon, etc.

Favorite characters of the year?

Sahad (my dad's video game self, lol) in Ys 8, as well as Adol and Dana from the same title. I also loved my man Alwin in MHS2 , and Lottie's crew in Animal Crossing HHP.

Favorite gaming announcements/news of the year?

Was Arceus announced this year? A release date for RF5 was pretty exciting too.

Disappointing gaming announcements/news of the year?

No BOTW2 yet, nor as much Zelda anniversary stuff as they did for Mario.

Personal or general gaming predictions for 2022?
I am probably not going to buy as many games unless I am certain I will love them. (I say that now, lol) Less preorders for sure.

[Kikki]

Woo, Ys gang at Fogu this year Did you also play Ys IX, greensara? Gameplay-wise, I'd say it's tighter (better) than VIII. IX is PACKED with stuff to do...and you're never at a loss, it flows so naturally. I didn't even need to consult a walkthrough for it. However, the story of VIII was pretty stellar and felt more personal than usual. The story of IX was very good and fun but VIII was that little bit more heart-tweaking, imo. Also, I feel sad when Tales and Ys don't have alternate endings, and IX (and Arise) did not. I like to feel like I had an influence or choice about progression. But still, IX was wonderful.

[yzafre]

I mostly lurked on the backlog thread, but thought I'd actually post for this one.

Spoiler:

How many games did you finish this year? (doesn't have to be an exact amount, estimate!)
16 games! 14 of which I hadn't finished before.


Favorite game/s that you played in 2021 (doesn't have to have necessarily came out this year)
Oh, man, I played a lot of good games this year, including ones I should have played before but never got around to...

Probably Psychonauts 2, though. I really did adore that game. But I also played Dragon Quest XI, NEO: TWEWY, and both NieR games, so... shoot, too many good games


Least favorite or game/s that let you down that you played in 2021:
There was a small game called Blue Fire that had, just, so much going for it. I loved the atmosphere, and the movement system was FANTASTIC. However. There was just. This one enemy, that was absurdly hard for me to combat, that they always put in the middle of tricky platform sections. In the end it made me rage-quit and I never finished.

Also, Kitaria Fables. Why was it so.... MMO-like. Hm.


Game/s that surprised you the most:
Not quite in a "I didn't expect quality" way, but I didn't expect Metroid Dread to be a thing! But it was a thing! And I loved it!


What consoles did you purchase in 2021 (if any)?
I picked up a PS3 back when they were saying they'd shut down the store. So now I have a collection of old games to play when the fancy strikes me.


What games (if any) are you looking forward to in 2022?
Spring will have RF5, Triangle Strategy, and the new Kirby game. Then, of course, there's BotW 2. I'm cautiously interested in Sonic Frontiers, which they're estimating for the end of the year. Other than that, I'll have to wait for the first couple directs to see if there's anything else I'm interested in.


Favorite gaming song/s and/or OST?
Ohhh, man. Well, everyone knows the NieR games have gorgeous sound tracks, but I have to give Ender Lillies the prize for being so being able to perfectly encapsulate A Feeling. Even when that feeling is "I don't want to be here oh « Harvest Goddess » oh « Harvest Goddess » make it stop". They know what they're doing.

If You Gaze Long Into an Abyss is absolutely horrific and I applaud them for it, right before I go and listen to the Cliffside Hamlet theme for an hour as a palette cleanser.


Which genre did you play the most of?
Uhhh... RPG/Action RPG, I suppose? 6 out of 16 games.


Did you replay any older games this year? If so which ones?
I replayed Dream Drop Distance and Tree of Tranquility! It was fun.


Favorite characters of the year?
Well, gotta love Psychonaut's Raz. Adorable child. But also EMIL. Emil is best boy, such a sweetheart, I adore him.


Favorite gaming announcements/news of the year?
Metroid Dread was a surprise! And getting a solid year-date for BotW 2 was nice.


Disappointing gaming announcements/news of the year?
Lack of anything on BotW 2 ad the Game Awards, I was really hoping for like... a title reveal, or something.


Personal or general gaming predictions for 2022?
My money's on BotW 2 coming out the Friday before Thanksgiving. That's when Nintendo tends to release their big holiday title for the year, and what could be bigger than that?

[Mikodesu]

Hope to see you around more for 2022, yzafre!

My post got unreasonably long, so I'll also be sticking it behind a spoiler tag, for safe keeping.

Spoiler:

How many games did you finish this year? (doesn't have to be an exact amount, estimate!)
Not very many! I spent more time with less games this year, so less than 10.

Favorite game/s that you played in 2021 (doesn't have to have necessarily came out this year)
Subnautica: Below Zero. I watched the original be played because it was a technical mess and my computer at the time couldn't run it, so this was my first real Subnautica experience. I think that's the failing (for most people, fans of the first game)... you only get one Subnautica experience. Below Zero is absolutely a more polished, rounded experience, so I think I got the best of both worlds. I had my intro by seeing the first game but I got the addictive WOW moment with the more polished game.

Honorable mentions go to Monster Hunter Stories 2 (sunk nearly 100 hours into it) and Genshin Impact (NOTHING fills the BotW void for me like exploring Teyvat).

Least favorite or game/s that let you down that you played in 2021:
Not REALLY any, but the honorable mention goes to Chicory: A Colorful Tale. It's a good game, a very good game, but for me it felt sort of like I imagine Subnautica fans felt playing Below Zero.

Chicory is unquestionably more polished than Wandersong in every capacity, but it's ultimately the same experience. Not the same story or characters or even gameplay, just... the same experience. Like I've already played this. And I personally got more attached to the first cast. I think for people who never played Wandersong, Chicory will be better. The only caveat to that is game length, Chicory is about twice as long and I only think it justifies about...3/4 of that.

Game/s that surprised you the most:
Uuuh... honorable mention to Harvest Moon: One World? Better than I expected, and it was nice to have a year with a farming sim. Void filled.

What consoles did you purchase in 2021 (if any)?
New PC, only half for work - if that counts.

What games (if any) are you looking forward to in 2022?
Right now, mostly just Elden Ring. There's nothing else with a release date that I'm at all hyped for. I try not to be hyped, hype breeds disappointment, but I struggle to help it with this one.

Games that you wanted but weren't able to purchase?
Many. The biggest category is games I don't have time for (mostly JRPGs). I can manage roughly one 100+ hour excursion a year, and this year Stoies 2 got to me first. Maybe SMTV will win for 2022? I've heard good things, and I am one of the contrarians who prefers to watch Persona and play SMT.

The other big one is Outer Wilds. Trying to wait it out until I've played some more stuff and forgotten more of the game. It won't be a completely fresh experience because I was too impatient, but. There's always the DLC. I will give incredible props to Outer Wilds fans, though. I've never seen a community better about keeping their traps shut. Much love for that.

Games that you wanted to play (that you own or borrowed) but just weren't able to get around to playing
Portal 2. Still working my way through Talos Principle, and I am a one puzzle game at a time kind of gal.

Favorite gaming song/s and/or OST?
Lots of good music this year! The jukebox songs for Below Zero were bangers, all the new Inazuma music for Genshin was great. (Shocked by how much I enjoyed the anniversary concert.) Honorable mention to Still Alive? :D Ilu GLaDOS.

Pretty sure there's a really good one I'm forgetting, but it escapes me...

Which genre did you play the most of?
As always, none. Couple puzzle games, couple action games, builder/exploration game, turn based JRPG.

Did you replay any older games this year? If so which ones?
Two! I went back to Stardew Valley for a little while, I think after its big update this year. I do want to go back for another playthrough, but probably won't until we get a release window on Haunted Chocolatier. And a replay of Portal, though that only took a few hours.

Favorite characters of the year?
No real huge standouts, but the only I got really attached to were from Subnautica: Below Zero. The writing in this game got a very big upgrade to the first, but honestly it wouldn't have been nearly as good without the voice actors selling it so well. There were a LOT of really, really good performances. Got me to tear up a couple of times, even.

Favorite gaming announcements/news of the year?
There were two really big ones for me this year. The Animal Crossing update + DLC was incredible. (I don't get what I ask for from Nintendo very often, so I basked in it.) And Haunted Chocolatier! I would have forgotten about that if not for the replay question... Little more than a name and a concept, but I'm all in!

I did enjoy seeing the general reaction to some things though, like Metroid Dread and Sora in Smash. Very cute.
Edit: I take it back. Arlo's reaction to the Mario movie casting was the best. If you haven't seen it, go watch it. You CANNOT help but laugh with him.

Disappointing gaming announcements/news of the year?
This was a hell of a year for disappointments, wasn't it? Activision was already bad before this year, publicly bad, and this year it became THE WORST. (Publicly, again.) I wish I knew a better way to support the brave folks who are sticking it out, trying to change an oozing pustule like Activision or Ubisoft from the inside, ASIDE from boycotting their games, but. I don't. Luckily I don't have any interest in most of their games, and the only one I will be sad to skip is Mario + Rabbids.

Honorable mention for NFTs in videogames. And we thought it couldn't get any worse than loot boxes.

Personal or general gaming predictions for 2022?
Uhhh... I don't have anything grand to look forward to, but I expect it to be a standout year for major titles. 2021 was the year of the indie (and AA), because AAA was still snowed by COVID, but they've had enough time to catch up and I think we'll start seeing their lost product showing up.

And, for personal. I think it's been long enough, this is the year I play Outer Wilds. I won't have forgotten everything, but a couple of years should be enough to make it fresh. And then there's the DLC which I have seen NOTHING of except for the name. And I refuse to see anything else. Let's go!

[Bluie]

Wahoo! It's my favorite time of year on Ushi! I do genuinely love doing this thread with everyone every year. Thanks for keeping it alive, Kiki!


How many games did you finish this year? (doesn't have to be an exact amount, estimate!)

Grand total of 25, which is kinda impressive considering how busy I can get, but also a lot of these were visual novels so, less impressive lmao.

Favorite game/s that you played in 2021 (doesn't have to have necessarily came out this year)

When I think of the games I played this year that I keep thinking on even months after finishing, I'd say I most enjoyed Spiritfarer, Voice of Cards, and Endwalker the most. They were all so well done in very different ways. Spiritfarer had addicting gameplay and an emotional journey that made me cry several times, Voice of Cards was so engrossing and presented a tabletop themed JRPG with finesse, and Endwalker delivered on everything I wanted and keeps me coming back.

Least favorite or game/s that let you down that you played in 2021:

Hard to say because I dropped so many titles this year I can't specifically remember names. I guess Pioneers of Olive Town because it truly felt lifeless compared to previous titles in the series. I did get some fun out of it, but I'm now very wary of the series going forward.

Game/s that surprised you the most:

I'll give this honor to Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin because it grabbed me for the first whole month of the year and refused to let go until I finished it. Great game with an addicting gameplay loop and interesting story.

What consoles did you purchase in 2021 (if any)?

I got a 2DS for Christmas! Yay!

What games (if any) are you looking forward to in 2022?

I'm so jaded now that I really don't want to look forward to games until they have set in stone release dates. There's SO many titles I have my eye on but are vaporware or in a constant delay loop each time more is revealed about it. Soooo, with that being said, games that are 100% confirmed to be coming out next year that I'm looking forward to are:

Pokemon Legends Arceus
Triangle Strategy
Rune Factory 5
Splatoon 3
Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak
Chocobo GP
Dragon Ball: The Breakers
Oxenfree II
Breath of the Wild sequel

Games that you wanted but weren't able to purchase?

Famicom Detective Club duology, Atelier Ryza 2, and Samurai Warriors 5. Waiting for sales or will just get to them later.

Games that you wanted to play (that you own or borrowed) but just weren't able to get around to playing

I want to dedicate more time to Black Desert Online, so very badly.

Favorite gaming song/s and/or OST?

Pursuing the Dragon ~ Voice of Journey's Beginnings - Voice of Cards

Pulsating Power - Voice of Cards

Shrine Ruins Battle Theme - Monster Hunter Rise

Frost Islands Battle Theme - Monster Hunter Rise

And a bunch from NieR Replicant and Endwalker, but I'd rather not link them because they're all spoilery.

Which genre did you play the most of?

Visual Novels with a total of 9 out of my 25 games played.

Did you replay any older games this year? If so which ones?

Replayed through Heavensward because I wanted a refresher + I just really like it lol.

Favorite characters of the year?

The Game Master from Voice of Cards
Venat (and Argos!) from Endwalker
Queen from Deltarune Chapter 2
Nier from NieR Replicant

Favorite gaming announcements/news of the year?

Dragon Quest III being remade in the Octopath Traveler/Triangle Strategy engine is super cool. I hope Dragon Quest IV/V/VI get the same treatment.

Disappointing gaming announcements/news of the year?

I don't know what the hell Level 5 is even doing any more, but I've completely lost faith in them.

Anything other thoughts?

Overall a pretty OK year for gaming. I want to play less titles next year and buy less too. Wish me luck lol.

Personal or general gaming predictions for 2022?

I smell a Fire Emblem announcement at E3 this year. It's time.

[greensara]

Lol, I forgot about the Mario movie cast announcement. That was pretty funny.

Kikki - I haven't tried Ys 9 yet because I decided to try Xenoblade Chronicles first. I thought it may be too much, like when I try to play two turn based games at the same time and end up burning out on them. I am looking forward to it in 2022 sometime though, since I liked 8 so much.

[Kikki]

Glad you're enjoying it, Bluie!

Do you guys read other people's answers to this thread, or do you pretty much just reply to the OP by answering the questions? I was looking over the older threads and have noticed there's usually not much discourse between the replies, so I think it's mainly the latter, right? (I read everyone's replies, though the nature of the thread doesn't lend itself easily to discussion, perhaps.)

I laughed when I saw how identical my reply to the soundtrack question is, lol. I simply never even notice most game soundtracks. I couldn't begin to tell you what the soundtrack in FFVIIR had been like, for example. I don't remember a single tune. Did it even have music beyond when you have to do that dance portion? (Which made me cringe at some points, lol, though it was pretty fun. Even though I have no rhythm and was therefore terrible at it.)

I wonder if I should have added some question pertaining to replays. Not sure how many people here spend much time on replays, overall, but I'm thinking about it now that I've been spending more time on them than on new games, and will probably continue to do so in 2022. Well, but... I wanted to leave things as close to Kirie's as I could and not put too much of 'me' into it. I wish I could have put her name on it instead of mine, lol...I miss seeing her name pop up on the board.

EDIT: Well, it's great, and it'll keep until you're ready for it, greensara

[Mikodesu]

I read everybody's replies, but there's usually nothing to say about them. I feel like it's been especially interesting since you started running the backlog thread, Kikki. Even if we're just 'logging' our gaming activity we're all kind of sharing in the joy together, which is neat!

And especially in this thread, there will ALWAYS be something that I completely forgot about. The year is long, and my memory is bad. Tbh I've yet to go back to an old/previous year's favorite/least favorite games thread, but at the end of the year it's fun to reflect with everybody.

[Chrysalis-Lyn]

This is my first time participating, but I really enjoyed reading through the responses! Long reply, so it's under the spoiler. Here's to a good 2022

Spoiler:

How many games did you finish this year? (doesn't have to be an exact amount, estimate!)
A grand total of 12 from start to finish, though I started many more!

Favorite game/s that you played in 2021 (doesn't have to have necessarily came out this year)
I played Moon: Remix RPG Adventure last January, and it was deeply affecting. Adored the retro experience, the slow pace, the experimental gameplay, the exquisite coziness of it. Sometimes you pick up a game and you just know it's significant. I adored Chibi-Robo as a child, and I could see its charming origins here. Highly, highly recommended.

Least favorite or game/s that let you down that you played in 2021:
I suppose Biomutant. It was a nice distraction, but fairly shallow & redundant.

Game/s that surprised you the most:
Chicory: A Colorful Tale! I glimpsed it on the PS4 store the day it released and bought it on a whim. I hadn't even heard about it beforehand. It felt like dumb luck for me to have stumbled on it when I did - though I have to agree with Mikodesu. It's an unquestionably good game, but I do like Wandersong a lot better! I might even replay Wandersong

What consoles did you purchase in 2021 (if any)?
A refurbished PS4.

What games (if any) are you looking forward to in 2022?
I'm trying not to set expectations too high, but RF5.

Games that you wanted but weren't able to purchase?
Life is Strange: True Colors. I could purchase it if I wanted, but I'm holding off for now. I might grab a physical copy for PS4.

Games that you wanted to play (that you own or borrowed) but just weren't able to get around to playing
Wow, a lot. Rainbow Billy, New Pokemon Snap, Monster Hunter Stories 2 to name a very small fraction. I'm trying to strike a nice balance between completing games that I like and not guilting myself into completion if a game ceases to be enriching.

Favorite gaming song/s and/or OST?
I'm currently playing Death's Door, and the soundtrack is absolutely dazzling!

Which genre did you play the most of?
Probably RPG/Adventure

Did you replay any older games this year? If so which ones?
I usually replay Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky every year, but early this year I replayed Rescue Team DX on Switch instead.

Favorite characters of the year?
Not sure.

Favorite gaming announcements/news of the year?
The new kirby game looks wild!

Disappointing gaming announcements/news of the year?
Lots of small delays for indie games like Mineko's Night Market, Fall Guys on Switch, Bear and Breakfast. Honestly, it's a good thing because I don't need to add more games to my backlog.

Anything other thoughts?
I spent an enormous amount of time playing Sky: Children of the Light, and it was genuinely relaxing.

Personal or general gaming predictions for 2022?
None that I can think of!

[Panda Parfait]

How many games did you finish this year? (doesn't have to be an exact amount, estimate!)
I want to say like, 5? I don't even remember. Most of my playtime was in ongoing games.

Favorite game/s that you played in 2021 (doesn't have to have necessarily came out this year)
Nier Replicant and Endwalker were far and away my favorites. I was obsessed with Nier Replicant when it came out, and I might actually prefer it to Nier Automata, which I love. Yoko Taro is a master at destroying me emotionally and I'm on board for whatever he decides to do next. Endwalker also destroyed me emotionally, and was basically everything I could have wished for as a conclusion.

Least favorite or game/s that let you down that you played in 2021:
Olive Town. I forgot I'd even purchased this game until I read everyone else's posts, lol. I didn't get very far, and I always want to go back and give it a real try, but I just find it so bland and boring. There is nothing about it that makes me want to keep going when I'm actually playing it. It's a real bummer to be so down on a SoS game, especially after the 3ds games were largely pretty great. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about the future of the series.

Game/s that surprised you the most:
Metroid Dread! I had no hype for this game at all, and never played a Metroid game before, but my love for Hollow Knight convinced me to try out other games like it. I really enjoyed it, and would love to try out other games in the series now. Hope the rumors of the Prime games being remade are true.

What consoles did you purchase in 2021 (if any)?
PS5

What games (if any) are you looking forward to in 2022?
Elden Ring, Crusader Kings III: Royal Court, Rune Factory 5, Horizon Forbidden West, other stuff that may or may not come out in 2022

Games that you wanted but weren't able to purchase?
Returnal, Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Games that you wanted to play (that you own or borrowed) but just weren't able to get around to playing
Black Book, Little Nightmares 1 & 2, Subnautica Below Zero, Outer Wilds

Favorite gaming song/s and/or OST?
Nier Replicant - Fleeting Words (overall a great soundtrack, but I do prefer the original songs)
Endwalker also had a great soundtrack but I can't link any songs without posting massive spoilers

Which genre did you play the most of?
Uhh... JRPG? maybe?

Did you replay any older games this year? If so which ones?
Hollow Knight, Mass Effect 1 & 2 kinda

Favorite characters of the year?
Venat - FFXIV (there's more I'd list but y'know... spoilers)
Emil, Kaine, and Nier - Nier Replicant

Favorite gaming announcements/news of the year?
The Tomorrow Children getting another chance is pretty cool. This was a niche little game on the PS4 that had its servers closed pretty quickly, but I liked the beta and the atmosphere of the game was just so memorable for me. I'm interested in seeing if the changes they make will give the game some longevity this time.

Disappointing gaming announcements/news of the year?
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2's development being such a mess is a bummer. I don't know when the hell this game is coming out or if I'm going to want to play it by the time it does.

Do you guys read other people's answers to this thread, or do you pretty much just reply to the OP by answering the questions? I was looking over the older threads and have noticed there's usually not much discourse between the replies, so I think it's mainly the latter, right? (I read everyone's replies, though the nature of the thread doesn't lend itself easily to discussion, perhaps.)

I read other people's answers! I almost never have anything to say regarding those answers, but I do have fun reading about everyone else's gaming experiences.

[Kikki]

Yeah, true...I guess it is hard to reply to what you read in this thread Nice to know that people are reading each other's replies anyway, though, even if it doesn't generate discussion.

I'll cut it, as it went longer than I meant to...but danged if Olive Town doesn't always turn into a little bit of a rant, lol.

Spoiler:

With Olive Town, the feeling that I (as the MC) did not matter was ruinous. I was thinking about it, and part of what I love about Bokumono is how much the MC always matters. They're special. How they're special usually varies a tiny bit, like sometimes being able to see and talk to magical beings is usually key to opening up their ability to revitalize/transform a farm/town/region. I realize that being that special IRL is unrealistic. No one (or extremely few extraordinarily gifted genii) is truly irreplaceable and the world WILL continue on without any one person, pretty much exactly as it was before.

Which was certainly how I felt about being the MC of Olive Town. Like it really didn't matter if I was there or not. Call me kooky or self-absorbed or...whatever, but I LOVE the fantasy of actually being important. That the world in the game can't thrive without me (the MC) and my hard work and possibly borderline-magical farmin' skillz.

I also really missed feeling like the devs actually liked and cared about the characters they created, that they really thought them out. But Olive Town felt like a low-effort fan-fic, to me, where the shape was all there, but the heart was not. It just didn't feel like Bokumono. Anyway, this makes...I think four out of six people whose biggest disappointment this year (in gaming) was Olive Town, and I really get why. I even waited until all the updates were done before starting, which made it smoother-running for sure, but no more satisfying otherwise. I'm still sad if I think about it, lol. I really hope they put the heart back into the next entry! Make the MC matter more, making farming matter more (both crop and animal) and don't cheap out on festivals or events or character profiles including likes AND dislikes, and good and bad replies to events to show that your response actually means something to the people around you.

EDIT: Glad you feel that way, Mikodesu

[yzafre]

As seen below, I'm enjoying reading responses and seeing other people talking about games I love.

Chicory is unquestionably more polished than Wandersong in every capacity, but it's ultimately the same experience. Not the same story or characters or even gameplay, just... the same experience. Like I've already played this. And I personally got more attached to the first cast. I think for people who never played Wandersong, Chicory will be better. The only caveat to that is game length, Chicory is about twice as long and I only think it justifies about...3/4 of that.

I think I agree with you - I mean, Chicory was amazing, but Wandersong still hits me in a completely different place. Part of that might be that themes of unity just.... get to me? More than other themes. Still, something about Wandersong sticks more, for me.

I played Moon: Remix RPG Adventure last January, and it was deeply affecting. Adored the retro experience, the slow pace, the experimental gameplay, the exquisite coziness of it. Sometimes you pick up a game and you just know it's significant.

Oh, man, I picked up Moon right when they ported it to switch and that game is. Weird. Very good! A delight to play and honestly pretty funny, but so, so weird.

I was obsessed with Nier Replicant when it came out, and I might actually prefer it to Nier Automata, which I love. Yoko Taro is a master at destroying me emotionally and I'm on board for whatever he decides to do next.

Oh, it's nice to see someone else with this opinion! I think Automata is probably the better game, like, objectively, but Replicant clicked more with me.

[Bluie]

I do read the replies, but yeah, I usually just don't have anything to say. I do enjoy seeing people who play the same games as me and viewing their opinions (*winkwonk Panda Parfait*). It's also fun to see what games I skipped or didn't know existed showing up in lists and if they're worth a look up or not.

For now I'll see ya'll next year!