WCNC Staff 2016 Game of the Year Awards Part 2

Game of the Year Reviews - Chris

            2016 was certainly an interesting year in gaming. We had many titles come out that were highly anticipated and almost as many that were disappointing. Thankfully, we are not focusing much on the later. However, we are focusing on some of the top games of the 2016 year. But, we are going to keep it simple with Top Exclusive, 2016 Game of the Year, and Top Game regardless of year.

Top Exclusive

            Unfortunately, this one was a tie for me. Both of these were games that I have been able to play at any time and able to enjoy at any time. Forza Horizon 3 was another fantastic edition for the Forza franchise by Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games. Forza Horizon 3 was by far the best of the Horizon series. Known for being an open world racing game, Turn 10 and Playground really turned Horizon 3 into a truly open world game where you can go virtually anywhere. Whether you want to be able to cruise inside the cities, slide around in the desert, speed through the countryside, or weave through the forest, you now have the ability to. The mechanics and physics of the game were fantastic and really set the new standard for open world racing games. While still an "arcade" style racing game, it has a nice blend of both worlds for the racers that prefer simulators. Each car handles and feels different from the next whether driving your car right off the lot or have it upgraded. Racing around Australia along the coastline, around the airstrip, or even searching for that barn find, you can do it in the largest selection of cars in the Forza Horizon lineup. Whether you are a diehard racer, or just picking it up for the first time, you can race in one of your dream cars and have an absolute blast.

            Uncharted 4 was a fantastic end to a truly great series from Naughty Dog. While the final chapter to the saga of Nathan Drake unfolds, we get to meet Nathan's older brother, Samuel Drake. Sam is in a bit of trouble and needs the help of his younger brother in order to pay off some serious debts. Nathan reluctantly jumps on board, of course with his old friend Sully and Nathan Drake's wife. He leaves his "boring" life behind and sets back off to do what he does best, be a thief. As they set off on an all new adventure with all new twists, challenges, and puzzles. Nathan's wit and sarcasm carries you through each moment. The voice acting does not disappoint and the story sets the tone of the game. The combat is just as chaotic as ever with more intense moments. Each new puzzle offers a new challenge, with some being agonizingly difficult. The story in Uncharted 4 was another great one and continues to prove how great Naughty Dog is when it comes to storylines. While the game had been pushed back into 2016 from 2015, it was because Naughty Dog wanted to make sure this game was done correctly. While taking time to rewrite the ending four times to ensure it was what they wanted, it was the absolute correct decision. Uncharted 4 is a must play from 2016 and should be on everyone’s list to play.

           

Top Game of the Year

 

            While Fallout 4 came out in 2015, it was a game that I always came back to in 2016, and even currently in 2017. Fallout 4 offered so much from the previous games and added in some great new features that helped added to a more immersive feel. Fallout 4 continues with the post apocalyptic nuclear warfare style and is still the open world sandbox we know in love, but now you can also build your own settlements with all of the junk that is left around. That’s right, you can pick up almost anything and turn it into something. You can upgrade weapons, armor, even power armor. You can also dismantle these same things to use to upgrade your items, repair your power armor, and build your settlements. You can spend hours into building a settlement if you wanted, gaining experience for each piece you build and dismantle, all the while turning that settlement into whatever you can imagine. Or you can simply play the story, which was also interesting, giving interesting twists along the way and forcing you to make choices along the way. Some choices are easy, some a little more difficult. Bethesda once again gives us the chance to do whatever we want. Boston, also known as the Commonwealth, adds new enemies, along with the familiar ones in the largest map to date. The game also adds all new companions and the return of few from Fallout 3 including a fan favorite, Dogmeat. A familiar level up system with a combination of new perks and old perks being added, makes you decide how you want to level your character. The additions of Far Harbor and Nuka World add more hours of game play to a game that has plenty of play time as it is. While there were 6 add ons to the game, three added to story and three added to the settlement building. Fallout 4 is the most immersive game to have released in the Fallout franchise and possibly one of the best.

Game of the Year 2016

            Anyone who has known me for longer than fifteen minutes knows that I am not a fan of Final Fantasy. Which is why, even for me, this is a very surprising pick for my Game of the Year. While I have not yet finished it due to my work schedules, I have enjoyed every moment of this game. The scenery is absolutely stunning from the desert to the forest to the volcano and everything in between. From the banter between the team, the car rides and the combat, it really does feel like a group of friends just going on an adventure. The game is set before Prince Noctis gets married, and that's when everything seems to hit the fan. The kingdom falls just after Nocits and his friends leave, and it is up to them to attempt to regain control, all while being on the run. The story has been great and easy to follow even if you have never played the franchise before. The combat system is now a real time combat instead of a turn based which brought some new life to an old series, while keeping a certain nostalgia that long time fans will love. The teamwork between everyone works well while having a very smooth flow to it.  It also brings a few other things that you can do in the game. Example, you can go fishing, which I probably spent more time doing that I would like to admit to. You can even race chocobos! That’s right, everyone’s favorite giant chicken is back! That being said, if you have not played Final Fantasy XV yet, it is a MUST! If you enjoyed Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantsy XV is by the same group of people, and guaranteed to give you even more action, adventure and intrigue. Final Fantasy XV is a game that is great for everyone, whether you are coming in as a fan of the series or maybe as a new comer like me. Regardless of which side you stand on, it is a must play.

Big O’s 2016 Game of the Year

3.  Final Fantasy XV

 Final Fantasy XV was cursed with a long development cycle.  Starting life in 2006 as Final Fantasy Versus XIII (originally meant to be a companion game to XIII), the game saw many changes and a complete overhaul in 2013 where it was announced as Final Fantasy XV.  Normally when a game sits in development for this long and sees so many drastic changes, the final product is pretty disappointing (see, Duke Nukem Forever).  Thankfully, Final Fantasy XV is the exception to the rule.  Square-Enix has taken great care to listen to fans and fix mistakes from previous installments of the series.  Final Fantasy XV is a beautiful, open world experience that the player can explore at their own pace.  I constantly found myself getting lost in the world and exploring incidents at nearby towns all while neglecting the main story.  I got so lost, I poured about 80 hours into it in the first few weeks of owning the game.  I realize that this game isn’t for everyone.  I found the story and characters incredibly charming but they could come off as annoying to others.  That being said, I loved my time in Final Fantasy XV and would gladly give it my third best game of 2016. 

2.  Overwatch

 If you read Rory and Frankie’s lists from last week, it should be no surprise that this game is one of my choices.  What can I say that they haven’t already?  The characters are fun and imaginative, the mechanics of the game are much deeper than you would think at first glance, and it’s just fun.  Personally, this game has been the main way I’ve kept in touch with my friends on the opposite side of the country for the past year and that makes it special in my book.  Not to mention the work that Blizzard has put into crafting the wold with the use of online comics and videos.  While there is no story in the game itself, the world of Overwatch contains a rich lore.  I was a little hesitant to put this game on my list because it is a multiplayer only experience, but it does that one aspect so well it is hard to deny that Overwatch is one of the best games of 2016. 

Honorable Mention.  Pokémon Go

While Pokémon Go did come out in 2016, I’m giving it my honorable mention for a different reason.  I’m not putting this game on my list for the traditional reasons you would select a game of the year nominee, like gameplay, story, or graphics.  I’m putting Pokémon Go on my list because of experience.  The experiences I had playing this game with my friends and by myself trump that of any other game to come out in 2016.  I’ll always remember chasing a Charmeleon through a trailer park during an Arizona Summer while my phone got so hot it turned itself off to keep from melting or simply sitting at a park bench with some of my closest friends while we lured the local Pokéstops and talked for hours on end.  While I understand that the play base for this game is dwindling and the gameplay is not fun in the traditional sense, I will continue to cherish many of the memories that this game gave me. 

1.  Uncharted 4

 Could there be any other?  Many of our long time readers/listeners will know that Uncharted is one of my favorite game series of all time.  I still hold Uncharted 2 Among Thieves to be one of the greatest games I’ve ever played.  Needless to say, this was my most anticipated title of the year.  Luckily, it did not disappoint.  The game is fast paced, while never feeling overwhelming.  In the slower moments, the game’s phenomenal writing has a chance to shine.   I might be getting a bit ahead of myself, Uncharted 4 is a special experience.  You follow Nathan Drake (expertly voiced by Nolan North) as he goes on a journey of love, betrayal, mystery, and most importantly adventure.  Many of the classic characters return Sully and Elena.  The newest edition to the cast of loveable rogues is Sam Drake, Nathan’s brother (Also expertly voiced by Troy Baker).  The journey will take the crew along a set of increasingly breathtaking set pieces around some of the most beautiful locals in the world.  Uncharted 4 was the perfect ending to the Nathan Drake story, a character I have seen grow and develop over five games.  I couldn’t think of a better game for us to part on, and that is why it gets my number one spot. 

A Delicious Nolan North and Troy Baker sandwich

Thank you everyone who has continued to support since we started.  2016 was an amazing year for video games and 2017 is looking like it might be even better.  Seriously, we’re not even done with February and we already have some strong game of the year contenders.  We have a lot of fun projects coming up on the blog, as well as a few surprises.  So, stick with us and we hope to entertain you for years to come. 

-Big O

Nioh Review

Nioh: Review

Nioh will never be able to escape the "souls-like" tag that has been attached to it, but it takes what Dark Souls brought to the action genre and incorporates other ideas to make something that feels like an evolution instead of a copy. Nioh is like a recipe that has been executed perfectly. It blends Dark Souls style combat and leveling, with a fighting pace similar to Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden, then they threw in a Diablo style random loot engine on top of it all. Not only do these elements come together seamlessly, it ends up being a greater experience than the sum of its parts.

You play as a fictionalized version of the real English sailor, William Adams, who became the first western samurai during the Sengoku period of Japan. The tale weaves real aspects of Adam's time in the far east and the historical figures he met along the way, with Japanese folklore and demons called "Yokai" to create a unique world that is as vivid and beautiful as it is dangerous. The story is a little disjointed and corny sometimes, but it's entertaining and at least kept me interested in moving forward to see what happened next. William does suffer from what I call "The Geralt Effect", named of course after the protagonist of the Witcher series, in that he's mostly just a gruff and boring character that is hard to connect with. Luckly, William is pretty stoic so he leaves a lot of the talking to the infinitely more interesting side characters and spirits of the game. 

"Look how gruff and brooding I am"

Nioh operates on a mission structure instead of an open world, which unfortunately does limit the amount of exploring in each level. While I have had a bit of open world fatigue lately, I was left feeling that a semi-open world would have benefit the game's grand arenas and settings. It's a minor complaint that is circumvented, to an extent, by each mission being stuffed to the brim with secret areas, hidden treasure chests, and adorable little spirits called Kodamas that you can collect to give passive bonuses to things such as weapon and armor drop rates from enemies or a boost to the game's level up currency called "Amrita". 

Combat is predicated on a three stance fighting style that makes battles into a more strategic affair. Low stance utilizing quick but weak strikes, mid stance to play more defensively, and high stance to deliver crushing blows at the cost of speed. I usually stuck with mid stance as my default, then mixing it up against enemies I knew to be more susceptible to the other stances when necessary. You have five weapon types to chose from, katanas, dual swords, axes, spears, and Kusarigamas (a sickle with a chain on it). Outside of the katana and dual swords being similar, the weapons all have distinct play styles that make it fun to try them all out against the wide variety of enemies that inhabit each level.

Open Up!

The enemies in Nioh range from zombie like creatures, to rival samurai, all the way to giant sea monsters, and 20 foot tall demons. The fights against the samurai bosses tend to be the most exciting, but the designs for the big Yokai are generally really cool and frightening. Some of these Yokai use elemental attacks, which will force you to adapt your armor to defend against that particular element or face getting stuck for hours. I was stuck on an early boss in the game who uses moves that afflict you with paralysis until my friend suggested changing my armor to counter that effect, after which I beat her on the next try. In Dark Souls you can mostly stick with armor that just gives you a better defensive rating but in Nioh you have to adapt to elemental damage, or risk dying in the same way over and over again. 

One of the more frightening creatures of Nioh's world

The tool to level up your armor and weapons is unique in that for a price you can "soul match" weaker items that you may be attached to due to weight or abilities with stronger items to raise them up to that level. The cost gets to be very high later but it does help lower weight builds keep up with their heavy duty counterparts. If you have max proficiency with a weapon (gained by using it often) you can pass on abilities while soul matching it to help keep abilities you really enjoy. It's a shame that all of this gets bogged down in a plethora of menus that don't give you many tools to help sort through the mess that your inventory will become after a mission. 

If time is fair, Nioh will take its place in the pantheon of great action games. I had very low expectations for it but it has become my biggest surprise of the young year so far. It it takes a genre that has been well worn lately and breathes new life into it by mixing the formula up in new and exciting ways. Nioh deserves to be mentioned alongside Dark Souls, instead of beneath it.

Score: 9.5/10

For Honor Thoughts

 For Honor Thoughts

You're Legacy will be painted in Blood

A bloodied battlefield, two warriors from different eras pace around one another, each looking for an opening, a mistake to capitalize on. You see an opening and engage, they dodge, strike and draw blood, you quickly counter attack and more blood falls. You move around each other dodging, blocking, swinging, a deadly dance of blades where one misstep means a swift death. The entirety of For Honor is what I described above, it is an elegantly designed blend of a hack and slash but with the complexities of any fighting game you'd find on todays market. Very rarely do we see a game come around that offers something that you can't find anywhere else on the market, and For Honor has definitely found it's spot to fill.

 The Weak will Break, The Strong Survive

For Honor is a complex beast with a steep learning curve, but highly rewards player skill by offering numerous classes to fit every play style. This is where it takes notes from its fighting game predecessor's and transforms them from a limited 2D/3D fighter, into a true battlefield where  warriors battle to the death. Each class has a move list, complete with combos, counters, dodges, blocks, and signature abilities. Every one of the twelve classes has had immaculate attention to detail given to them, from their appearance, gear, and of course mechanics. There is a break down for each class which are Vanguard, standard, straight-forward, and adaptable. Heavy, which are strong and highly defensive characters. Assassins, fast and agile characters with lower damage per hit, but can rack up damage quickly. Finally there is Hybrid which are a blend of two or more of the other classes. Each class is very unique in their playstyle and knowing your enemies is just as important as knowing your own. There is a stamina gauge as well which is needed for dodging, feint attacks, attack and all, so keeping it well managed while exhausting your opponent is just as important as attacking and defending. I constantly find myself switching my mode of attack depending on my adversary. A Conqueror may get guard broken more because of his defensive style, where a Shugoki may get a flurry of light attacks before he can react. Ubisoft has done an incredible job of making every class very balanced, creating an environment where any class can beat any other as long as you possess the skill and knowledge to overcome them. Very rarely do I lose a fight where I blame the game and not my own mistakes, making me want to get back into the fight and prove myself the superior warrior. The defense system is extremely intricate as well. Each attack comes from one of three different directions, above, left, and right. All characters will stay in a guard stance in the direction you choose (excluding the assassins who only stay in that stance for a couple seconds before returning to a middle stance) allowing you to block all incoming attacks from that direction. You can also parry attacks by hitting the heavy attack button when the attack indicator flashes or deflect by dodging in the direction of the attack right before it connects if you are an assassin class. You also have the ability to guard break your opponent, which is a grab essentially, but be cautious as this can also be broken or "teched" by hitting the guard break button right when it connects. A unique mechanic comes to For Honor as well called the "Revenge Meter", which builds by blocking and taking damage from attacks, and when activated gives you unlimited stamina, half your health as a shield, and super armor on some attacks. For Honor also has a "How to Play" option with a basic and advanced tutorial, free mode, practice duels, and more to hone your warrior prowess. The complex design of For Honors incredible combat creates a deep and satisfying system that rewards reflexes and skill the higher you climb its ladder of warrior legends, ensuring you won't put down the controller until you have mastered the art of war.

Your Warrior is You on the Battlefield

For Honor also has a very cool loot and gear system to it as well. Every class has unique armor, weapons, customization options, unlockable outfits, emotes, effects, feats, and of course gloriously gory executions. This allows you to tailor your warrior to your personal liking and playstyle. Each piece of gear has stats it augments, but the unique part is it never just boosts something, but rather buffs one stat, while simultaneously lowering another. This is great because it makes you really think about what is most important to you in terms of your playstyle. For example a weapon blade may give you increased attack damage at the cost of increasing stamina consumption, or a chest piece may increase damage caused by blocked attacks but reduce revenge meter attack caused. This lets you tailor your class to your exact playstyle, without giving you a completely overpowered character. Gear is awarded at the end of each match by chance, attained through scavenger packs in the heroes menu, and by leveling up occasionally after reaching reputation one. Each piece of gear has a different look, and gets even more savage looking the higher you climb in level. There is even a change look system that lets you change the appearance of a piece of gear you have to look like another at the cost of steel, acquired by completing games, and salvage, acquired by dismantling unwanted gear. There are also contract and event orders that award high amounts of experience and steel by completing different objectives such as winning 5 4v4 dominion matches, or completing 3 1v1 duels as a hybrid class. I love this because it makes you dabble with every game mode and multiple class types, while also rewarding you exponentially for your efforts. There is also a season mode called "The Faction War". At the end of each match you can deploy war assets to a selected area to help your faction attack or defend that area. Every seven hours the territories change based on how your faction performed, and where you deployed your assets. The better you do the more assets you can deploy, so the higher skilled players will inevitably contribute more in the long run. When the territories change it also changes which maps are available to play in each game mode, keeping the multiplayer fresh by cycling maps, and making you feel like you are really a part of the war.

A Battlefield for every Warrior

For Honor comes with a complete campaign for each of the three factions, but let’s be honest, that's not why we're here. The multiplayer is the main attraction of this title, and it has a decent variety of game modes and maps for you to carve a bloody swath through. the standard is 4v4 Dominion, which is a domination style mode with three points to control, and capturing each of the three rewards 100 points and an additional one per second, and later, taking an enemy controlled point not only rewards you 100 points, but takes 100 away from them. A and C are always captured by just standing on it, but point B is unique. You have a swarm of AI minions that charge to the center of the map from both the defending and attacking sides, and whichever side has the most minions in the center of the map controls point B, that's right, point B is the battlefield itself, and is controlled by your army. This mode feels very true to the war style For Honor is going for, with your soldiers at your back and you, the Hero, cutting through the meek and feeble until the enemy heroes come out to challenge your supremacy. Once either team hits 1000 points, the other team starts to break, removing their respawns and leaving you to eliminate the enemy heroes to win the match. However you can always "Rally" by taking enough points to lower the other team’s points below 1000, which will allow respawns to return to the breaking side. Feats also play a big role here, allowing you to regenerate health by killing minions, attack with projectiles, or even call in a catapult strike (which is awesome by the way). 

 There is also a 4v4 Deathmatch mode which is a best of five rounds elimination that also comes with power ups like speed boost, attack/defense boost, and health regen. The last two are 2v2 brawls and 1v1 duels which are the same, best of 5 rounds elimination with the only difference being the amount of players in the match. More often than not if you are in 4v4 or 2v2 elimination if your teammate dies you will get jumped by the other player’s teammate, leading to you both relying heavily on each other. You can revive your defeated comrades though, unless they have been executed because, you know, you need a head still attached to get up and fight... The true test of skill in For Honor definitely has to be the 1v1 Duels. This mode pits you against your opponent, no power ups, no interference, just two warriors fighting to death to see who will stand triumphantly atop the corpse of the fallen. There is nothing more stressful, yet exhilarating as battling against an adversary of equal skill as yourself. You will find yourself constantly examining, adapting, and baiting your opponent to try and get the upper hand in the confrontation. This is where the beauty of For Honor’s combat shines, and where the fighting game aspects of the game reveals itself. Adaption is key in any fighting game, as any fighting game fan will tell you, and For Honor is no different. One mistake can cost you to lose your head before you even know it, so patience definitely pays off here. Most of the time you will end up going with your bread and butter strategy in the first round, as you and your opponent feel each other out, and next round the adaptation really starts. You may notice your opponent likes to jump in and attack high, so you may start to block and counter attack. Then they may notice you block their first attack and rush in and guard break to thrown you into a wall or heavy attack, so you may answer this by attacking as they rush in, since they can't guard break while you are attacking. Battles go back and forth like that constantly as you and the warrior standing before you try to draw the final drop of blood so they may stand victorious. If you want a second chance, fret not! You can always rematch after the match is over by just hitting ready after the final screen shows up, so you can battle each other to your heart’s content.

 For Honor comes with its fair share of issues as well. The matchmaking can be spotty, pitting you against players well below, or above your skill level, finding a game can take close to ten minutes depending on how many people you queue up with and in what game mode. Frequent disconnects causing you to lose all the experience you would have got definitely gets frustrating. However despite all of this I haven't lost any desire to jump back in to the battlefield. I'm hoping the server issues and matchmaking are just a launch issue and get patched soon, but Ubisoft has crafted a great game with For Honor. If you are looking for a simple hack and slash game, For Honor is not the game for you. If you're looking for a title with solid mechanics, tense moments, and a great multiplayer with balanced classes and customization, then look no further. Now grab your weapons warriors and choose your side. Will you fight alongside the noble Knights, the savage Vikings, or the honorable Samurai? The choice is yours hero. Now steel yourself and prepare, because your legend is determined by only one thing, the trail of corpses left in your wake.

-Frankie