This year has brought all sorts of great design and excellent experiences through a multitude of titles. From fighting off beasts to fulfilling the childhood dream of creating levels, gaming has seen some truly awesome innovations. Reflection is an important part of advancement. Therefore, I’ve collected my favorite games released this year.
Note, the games in this list are ones that I’ve personally played and are in no particular order. I also try to include games that brought something different to the overall library of content available.
Super Mario Maker
Creating levels in a classic NES setting is something I’ve always wanted to do, but always lacked the tools, knowledge and gumption to fully realize it. Luckily, Nintendo reworked its development engine into a game with Mario Maker. The result is the most absurd game on the console, oozing with possibility and merit. Years from now, we will surely see game-design courses using this software to teach concepts. It’s sure to be a game I come back to regularly, just to see what’s been made.
The Forgotten City
The Forgotten City is a Skyrim mod, proving that amazing gaming experiences can come from anywhere. During my playthrough of this narrative-driven mod, I spent 6-8 hours straight, completely immersed. Few games have put me in that state of pure concentration. The puzzles are intriguing, the characters are endearing and the whole experience feels amazing. It’s astounding that such excellence is used to create a free product. I’ll be keeping a close eye on the developers of this one for future projects.
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There has been but one game to sit for months in my 3DS and that’s the newest Monster Hunter. I wasn’t sure about portable hunting, but with the innovations adding layers of depth to an already solid combat system, I’m hooked. It’s also a game that’s a blast to play with friends over the internet or across the room. Capcom has also been abnormally considerate with its additional content, releasing tons of challenges and rewards for free. Monster Hunter Ultimate 4 is a must on the 3DS.
Sure, the first trailer didn’t blow me away, but Bethesda’s presentation at E3 left me drained from excitement overload. It quickly became a game of pure experience, setting out with nothing but Vault 111 stitched on my clothes and a need to explore. Sure it doesn’t have the most gripping writing and action seems to be the cure-all solution to problems in Boston, but Fallout 4 consumed me and my peers in a way few games do. Scrounging for duct tape has never been so immersive.
Bloodborne, from a design perspective, has a lot in common with games like Castlevania and Megaman on the NES. Everything in this game was created with purpose. Enemies attack in particular ways, telegraphing their intentions. Weapons function in unique ways. Exploration and mastery of the combat system is required to succeed, even in early levels. Each area has its own feel. The narrative is told in hints through descriptions and subtle visuals. There is nothing like it. I’ve only scratched the surface of Bloodborne, just recently defeating Vicar Amelia, but it has impressed me since my hunter rose from that hospital bed. Just like the Eternal Night, Bloodborne will perpetually be a milestone in game design.
Each of these fantastic games offer something that stands out in a marketplace flooded with content. Of course, there are some amazing games I haven’t gotten the chance to play yet, like Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt or Undertale, but that’s why I love this medium so much. It’s an art that continues to evolve, both in technology and execution.
Who knows what journeys gaming will take us on next.
It’s no mystery that I am a huge fan of Smite by HiRez Studios. Many tireless hours have been spent dropping the hammer as Thor or opening the pits of the underworld as Anubis. Even though I shy away from the usual MOBA fair, Smite does a great job of blending action, quirky characters and MOBA elements for a solid multiplayer addiction with plenty of depth.
Thus when Paladins, a first person shooter created by the same team was announced, I was giddy. I’ll admit it.
Ruckus is capable of laying down fire while others swoop in for points.
Paladins is a team-based shooter in which players will control a hero with unique skills and weaponry. One minute you can be a knight with a laser shield and a flamethrower, the next minute you can be a goblin piloting a steampunk mech suit. Characters are zany, interesting in their design and have unique play styles. They do lack the familiarity of the mythical beings found in Smite, but these new designs should continue to evolve as the game sees more development.
The core focus of the game is player vs player action. The current mode is comparable to Siege in Smite, but in Paladins there is more speed built into the game type. On average, a match takes about 10-13 minutes, but can be as short as five. On the map are areas which must be held by standing in them. If another player of the opposite team is in the same circle, no points are made (similar to Battlefield or Warframe). Once the bar is filled, a Siege weapon spawns then travels down a set path to one of the enemy’s three gates. The final goal of the match is to use the siege weapon to do massive damage, crushing each gate before blasting the final one, ending the match.
Cards take the place of levels or items and have sweet art to boot!
Mechanically, the game is similar to Smite in its ability use, but feels more like Team Fortress 2. Heroes will have to be rather precise with their shots, like an Unreal Tournament contender or the origin of Deathmatch, Doom. Certain heroes are easier to use than others, with weapons that makes contact easier or an ability that hits a larger area. Experimenting with each character is recommended. Ultimate abilities are currently missing, but may not be needed in the grand scheme of things.
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What sets Paladins apart from other arena based shooters is its unique card system. Instead of building items like in Smite or picking a loadout like in Call of Duty, once a level is gained, three random cards are drawn from a random or pre-constructed deck depending on the mode being played. The player then picks which cards they want for the effect to activate, creating a controlled random element, forcing strategies and experimentation. Each character has their own special sets of cards, as well. So playing a new character will have a different experience with card builds as well as their innate abilities.
Adding to the card strategy is the ability to construct decks with earned cards. Cards can be unlocked from chests, a mechanic similar to that found in Hearthstone. Earning Epic cards is still just as rewarding, while familiarity with the cards and their effects will build with time as you play the game.
Simplicity meets function in the character designs. Cassie sports her falcon friend and her bow with flair and is one of the better damage dealers in the game.
Artistically, the game looks simple, but with enough fantasy detail to make it seem bigger than it actually is. Dwarves toting around heavy weapons meet elves with bows. Anything can happen in Paladins‘ design, an open way of leaving room for the game to evolve in any direction Hi-Rez decides.
Paladins‘ Beta tests are shaping up to be another interesting multiplayer affair. With Hi-Rez’s track record, one can also assume they will be giving Paladins the eSports treatment, meaning competition will be fierce. The game’s framework is fairly solid, but what will be built upon it is what’s exciting. Even after just a few months, several patches have been added.
I’ll be keeping a close eye on Paladins as it develops.
Most stories try to get the audience to relate to the protagonist. A likable main character is an easy sell, it’s hard to get people to look into the uncomfortably warped reality of villains. Stories about villains do exist, but they are rare. In this 200-page graphic anthology, VERTOSCOPEadds more entries to that niche. I was recently given the privilege of interviewing the project head, Nechama Frier, to talk about VERTOSCOPE and her own experiences in the crazy world of comics.
Page from “Witchweed” by Ama.
What advice do you have for writers seeking artists?
Save up enough money to pay one artist a fair rate, for a short story about 20-30 pages. Once that’s complete, that will be your physical evidence of your work, so you can use it to show people what your writing style is. And it doesn’t hurt to do stick figures while you are looking for an artist, there’s a lot of comics out there that get by on their writing despite stick figure art.
Page from “Taming You” by Grace Park.
How did you get into creating comics for a living?
I wouldn’t say at this moment I can call myself someone who creates comics for a living, I can say I create art for a living. My main income comes from illustrations and stand-alone products, such as cute earrings or scarfs, and projects such as this are stuff I save up for in order to make what I’m really passionate about happen.
Page from “Bear My Teeth” by FATE.
Why the title VERTOSCOPE?
Ten and I, my co-editor, wanted to try our best to make up a word that was sightly strange and isoteric, that kinda en-capsuled what we were trying to go for. To give a lens to view the world from a warped view, to get the point across that this is something not quite right.
Page from “Coping Mechanism” by Jenn Doyle and Ursula Wood.
What inspired the creation of this anthology? Why Villains?
Because Ten and I just love villains. We also spend a lot of time on social media, and we see a lot of discourse between fans of works, who seem confused about the boundaries of fiction. A good example is Game of Thrones, where so much of what’s happening is horrible, and many people say “What this character did is horrible, and you cannot watch this show anymore.” Me and Ten are here to say that, no you can enjoy these things, reality and fiction can be kept separate.
Page from “The House of the Immaculate” by Sey Vee.
Obviously, with a concept of exploring the psyche of less than noble individuals, shock typically becomes a component of that. What place does shock value have in this project, if any?
It definitely has it’s place, but I was interested to find out that because of the particular stories me and Ten are interested in, and the writers we hired, shock and gore doesn’t play a large role in the stories. It’s still there, but it’s there to emphasize moments where our characters step over those moral boundaries. One of our stories is just about children playing soccer, nothing of real shock occurs, but one character takes it a little further than his peers, so shock is relevant to the specific situation at hand. The shock value always makes sense to the context of the individual story, but none of our authors used it as a cheap gimmick to horrify and disgust viewers, because that’s really not the point.
Page from “Striker” by Stowell/Stober/Shazzbaa.
Who is your favorite villain in fiction, and why?
This question is so tough, because we have so many. Someone once asked me which villain in comics I’d like to write for, and my answer was Lobo for DC Comics. I would go with the Greek God Apollo, who is not normally seen as a villain, but unquestionably is based on his actions. My view of him as a child was this nice sweet god of the sun, none of which is true. He is not nice, he’s not the god of the sun. A great example of his villainous nature is when he wins a rigged music contest against the Satyr Marcyas. He chooses as his prize to skin Marcyas and let his blood flow into the river, he did name the river after Marcyas though, so good job. I find him particularly fascinating, because his God-like status allows him to get away with stuff like this, no one ever calls him out on it.
Page from “The Devil’s Pupil” by Ashley McCammon.
I noticed on the project description that you mention creators being pressured to create likable protagonists, is this from personal experience by you or any member for your group?
I think that was a reference to both the industry and to what I mentioned earlier with this discourse of social media. There’s been a long issue in the industry between underground comics and mainstream comics, about having complete creative freedom and having self-published stories, without fear of censorship. It’s not that we are creating something new, just that we are creating our own versions of everything. People get stuck on the word new, I can enjoy the same basic structure multiple times, because every author has their own unique take on it.
Page from “The Wonderful World of Wasps” by H. Preece and A. Lee
What do you feel are the benefits to an anthology format over others?
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I think that the format is ideal for any artist that is starting out, or has lower visibility. Not only are short stories less of a time commitment, but also a combination of veteran creators along with new talent is beneficial to everyone. A publisher can be more willing to take a risk on someone who is relatively unknown. The same benefit applies to consumers, they can pick up an anthology by a veteran author they know, and find a bunch of new talent along with that.
Page from “Tincture” by One of Two.
If the project is successful, will this be something you revisit, such as with a new anthology or stand-alone series based on the stories?
I would really love to, I know a number of creators already have further plans for their short stories. I’ve taken a portion of what could be a longer story for my submission, and if we have a Vol 2. I would love to include new stories, both completely new, and some having the same artist revisit their stories from Vol 1. I would also love to include a section for prose in a future installment.
Page from “The Devil’s Dentist” by Mady G.
How did you get together your team of writers and artists for this project?
It was completely open submission. We put a call out on Twitter and Tumblr, asking for people to turn in their portfolios, a summary of what their stories would be about, and an estimated page count. We got about 150 submissions, and me and Ten went through each to decide what fit best, and offered contracts to those who made it. Those who didn’t make it were still offered a personal response about why the submission wasn’t accepted. Because Ten and I have both been through that process of getting rejections, we felt it was more constructive to offer people with feedback. There’s never a personal reason why people are rejected but mainly budget reasons. We’d love to accept twice as many creators in the future if possible.
Page from “The Bear and the Jester” by ENOCH.
This is the first kickstarter you have put together, but it’s not the first group-funding project you’ve done, can you explain your past experiences?
Just last year I put together a 12 month calendar featuring 12 different artists, and it was funded through pre-orders, to make sure I had the funding to print it and to pay the illustrators. I’ve been a pro illustrator for 10 years already, and I have always delivered, whether it’s an order from my shop, or a commission. I think the reason we have been doing so well, is because we have built that level of trust with the consumer to produce a quality product and on time.
Page from “Tails” by Emilee McGlory.
A large component of your stretch goals is bonuses for members of your project, what made you choose to advertise that?
Because I think that the largest part of running a kickstarter is making sure our artists get the reward they deserve. Ten and I made sure we could pay our artists no matter what. The bonuses are built into the kickstarter, but we made sure we could at least pay the artists $50 a page. Artists don’t get paid enough in the first place, and we want to make sure the book is printed, and the artists get paid enough for their work.
In terms of the commissions that are available for backers of $125 or more, what can potential backers expect from commission requests? Does the $1,000 Comics Royalty tier also include a commission from the $125 tier in addition to a 5 page commission from yourself?
Yes, in essence it does, the $1000 tier includes a water color cover for the 5-page commission. What I have done, is to have any commission backers connected via email to the person they request the commission from. After I connect them, I check in via email, and make sure everything went well for both the commissioner and the artist.
Can you tell me a little about your contribution, “C-259”?
It is a sci-fi story, basically set where humanity has lost Earth. It is set in colony 259, one of the last known bubbles of humanity in the universe. Things are going fairly well for them, they are surviving, but then aliens show up, and basically everything gets fucked. The actual story takes place in that colony, and focuses on the choices the main character, Filip Sawicki, chooses to make, given the situation.
VERTOSCOPE has so far made about half of it’s kickstarter goal. There is also a $2,000 dollar Associate Publisher and $5,000 publisher tier, with the latter granting the backer 50 softcover copies of the anthology, a publisher credit, a special bookplate signed by all the creators 15 page comic commission (drawn and colored by Nechama), along with a digitally designed and colored cover.
After talking with Nechama about my personal experiences as a writer hoping to get into comics without currently having an artist, she provided a helpful post by VERTOSCOPE contributor Ursula Wood, to assist others in a similar situation with advice.
Nechama Frier was also kind enough to give a full preview of one of the stories included in the anthology, “Breakfast in Bed”
Credit for “Breakfast in Bed” images goes to http://swinsea.tumblr.com/post/132566833355/its-camodadcomics-birthday-to-celebrate-you
Jay Bartlett grew up like a lot of kids who lived in the late 80s and into the 90s. During that time, Nintendo became a household name in a matter of weeks, decimating sales across the country and establishing flagship characters as popular, or more so by now, than Disney’s cartoons. Ask most people of this age what their favorite Christmas memory or gaming memory is and they’ll probably mention playing the NES with someone.
Jay Bartlett
After years of being a super fan, Jay is one day challenged by a dear friend, Rob McCallum, who is also the producer of the project, to the ultimate challenge. The goal is to collect all 678 retail released NES games in thirty days, a seemingly impossible task. With the wide spread use of the internet, it would be easy to throw money at Ebay and sites like 99Gamers, but no, Jay has to collect all of these games in person.
What’s more ridiculous is Jay has never seen physical copies of some of the games he has to find. There are twenty ultra-rare games set aside that pose the ultimate challenge, featuring the top one, Stadium Events, a game that can fetch thousands at auction in almost any condition.
Will Jay be able to make this long-time dream a reality? Well, the folks behind the documentary helped him travel the US and Canada, capturing every purchase and dive. What entails becomes not just a journey about collecting old video games, but also a personal journey of growth for Jay.
Thus begins the Nintendo Quest!
The film encapsulates what it means to be a Nintendo fan. Throughout their quest, Jay and his pals come across tons of people who make collecting a community. From shop owners, to YouTubers, to world record holders, to gaming box artists, there’s such a large pool of passionate people represented. In one scene, Jay gets to go on a game hunt with record holder Todd Rogers. It’s apparent that finding games is less important than hearing the stories behind them. While Todd picks out games he has records on, he shares his stories with the team.
Jay holding two of the rarest titles in the NES library.
While Jay does find tons of games with notable game stores, the true joy is getting the chance to meet other die-hard collectors. These are the titans of the Retro Gaming Community, the legends who have it all and more. Each game has its own story and each collector has theirs. These moments show the time and care collectors put into these often forgotten games, relics of changing times. Organization and presentation are key as shelves are kept tidy, while priceless games like Little Samson or Panic Restaurant are behind glass, often in rated boxes. These super rare titles, while seen few and far between, usually have interesting history and owning a piece of that is amazing.
It’s also important to note the graphics being used throughout the film. There’s a handy counter in the bottom left, keeping track of how many games Jay has acquired. Plus each transition pays homage to the NES, including some famous quotes that set the mood for each segment. The presentation is top notch and as much care went into the editing as it has in the journey.
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While Nintendo Quest has a focus on the challenge, the true heart of it lies in Jay: his story and his experience with the quest and gaming with the NES. Before the start of the quest, Rob takes Jay to their old tree house, where their love for the NES inspired a club. As they sit in that confined space, the memories flooding in looks powerful. Things get even more emotional half way through, as Jay mentions the relationship he had with his father, which was rocky to say the least.
Jay as he shares the story of his father.
Taking this journey changed Jay and the people he and the team met along the way. It’s humbling to see him struggle to find all the games, all while battling having a job, tough deals and high prices.
These games are more than entertainment, making the need to preserve and share these experiences a necessity. Just like how college students tote around heavy tomes of Shakespeare, those same students should also be carrying the games of Miyamoto and Kojima. Gaming is a medium worth caring about.
Personally, I’ve been collecting ever since I was a kid. My obsession started early, with my earliest memories involving playing Wizards and Warriors with my mom and Super Mario Bros 3 with my cousin. Sharing secrets with friends and swapping games filled my summers with joy. Even to this day, I schedule game chases with my wife and friends, hitting up yard sales and Goodwills. I’ve met so many awesome people through the years, many of which have become life long friends, all because of our love for games. It has helped develop my mind and pushed me to pursue a career in the industry.
Nintendo Quest is an awesome presentation of what makes gaming special. Jay and his friends had a journey that can’t be explained in words. To them it was more than collecting every NES game—although I’m sure that was fun too—it was about getting together with people who share a common interest and being a part of that community.
I can’t recommend Nintendo Quest enough. Congratulations to Jay, Rob, the production team and all the folks involved. This is a film that will be quintessential for gamers everywhere.
Nintendo Quest can be found on Vimeo, other major digital platforms and DVD.
Every time this commercial comes on, I find myself whistling the song from that point on. This advertisement has become iconic with the game, for good reason. It sets the mood with it’s older sense of style, contrasted with the bleakness of the Commonwealth.
What’s interesting though is that Fallout 4, more than any other entry in the series, gives an equal option to settle as well as wander.
Sure, every denizen of the Wasteland must scavenge to survive, picking up cans for their all too precious aluminum or lighters for the oil. However, the addition of the rather deep building mechanics gives players the option to make a home out of nothing. Whole towns can be constructed in many locations, complete with the ability to make truly unique light shows and defenses to keep invaders at bay.
With enough spit and grit, even the most run down areas can be called home.
Not only that, but the mobile game Fallout Shelter actually gives players a hint at the community building gameplay featured in Fallout 4, complete with similar assets. Settlers can move into a claimed area, needing resources to survive and weapons to defend themselves. It’s intriguing to see groups of people create a meager existence and manning their posts. Nothing gets me motivated like one of my settlements coming under attack. Sure, few of them have names or stories, but these are people who have trusted me as their leader, and I can’t let them down. The only complaint of this system is that it can be rough to manage several settlements at once.
Many of the players I know have spent many of their hours simply perfecting their home base. As soon as the mechanics are understood, it becomes an addiction similar to that found in Minecraft or Rust. Some players have even exploited the system to create stunning works, including a recent building of a Rubik’s Cube replica. Practical? Not really. Style? Absolutely. Super Mutants can surely see it from miles away.
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Making a home is a central theme to Fallout 4‘s design; its all about being taken out of one’s comfort zone. Everything these characters have known has been blasted by the nuclear weapons and further stripped away by the dangers of living in the Commonwealth. Any way to keep one’s mind off of the Deathclaws and Raiders is a powerful thing. Preston (one of the many companions), after getting close to the player, will reveal that finding such good company changes his outlook on his entire existence. It’s a truly humbling conversation that is comparable to many other characters and stories. Its easy to get attached to them.
It’s these moments of peace and revelation that makes Fallout 4 so powerful.
I’ve spent whole evenings just discussing the layers of meaning after being blown away by a quest or dialogue. Fallout as a series has always made players think well after the controller has been put down or the program is shut down. The latest installment does this in almost every moment, especially when confronted with the ideals of the Institute or the Brotherhood of Steel.
There’s so much more to Fallout 4 than I can relay with a single article. Imagining the things yet to be discovered and the extra content surely to come is mind blowing. And the mods! Surely, the homes players carve out of the dust will continue to become more elaborate when new pieces are inevitably added by Bethesda or the modding community.
I will be in the depths of this city for quite some time.
Whether one’s settling down or wandering around, the wasteland is a challenging place, filled with possibilities. Fallout 4 is truly what you make of it, and it’s tools for doing just that are awesome.
Look forward to more Fallout content in the future, as its sure to be fired up on our consoles and PCs for quite some time.
