GameCentral Video Game Awards – The Best of 2016

Uncharted 4 – it was a winner, but what else was?

The best graphics, music, and storytelling of the year is honoured in GameCentral’s annual video game awards.

2016 has been great for video games, and we’ve already listed our 20 favourite titles of the year. But when you start to look at the individual elements that make up a game it’s not always the ones you’d except which deserve the awards. Even a relatively poor game can still have one or two elements that are worthy of commendation. And then again, sometimes it really is the obvious ones that deserve to win…

Best Visuals

Uncharted 4 (PS4)

With the release of the PS4 Pro, and Project Scorpio next year, any questions about which game has the best graphics is going to be a lot more complicated than it used to be. But this year it’s pretty straightforward. Naughty Dog’s games always look great, but Uncharted 4 is astonishing even by their standards. Even on the normal PlayStation 4 the game looks incredible, with a solidity and level of detail not equalled anywhere else this generation; and that includes both landscapes and characters. But what impresses even more is the variety of locations and scenes, from tropical islands to underwater to the stunning open world expanse of Madagascar. Uncharted 4 is the new gold standard for other games to aspire to.

Runner-up: Owlboy (PC)

Best Innovation

PlayStation VR

Normally we give this award to a new gameplay idea or feature but that’s one area where 2016 has been a disappointment (although the combination of animation, sound design, and artificial intelligence that created Trico is a definite standout). But Sony’s new virtual reality headset has been a revelation. Despite being considerably cheaper than and of its PC equivalents the experience is almost as good, and the variety of games already highly impressive. In fact, it’s easily the best new hardware launch of the last two generations, and our only hope now is that Sony can ensure a steady stream of new games in 2017 and beyond.

Runner-up: Trico – The Last Guardian (PS4)

Format of the year

Beating consoles at their own game

PC

Looking through our Top 20 of 2016 it’s obvious which format has had the best year, and it’s not either of the main console formats. The PC has been enjoying a new golden age for the last several years, but in 2016 things were definitely firing on all cylinders – from multiformat releases to exclusive indie classics. But it’s the PC’s additional power and easy support for mods which remains one of the format’s best features. From XCOM 2 to Pony Island, and Civilization VI to Owlboy, no format this year has had the variety or the quality to match the PC. Although considering next year’s line-up for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One it will have to work harder for its dominance in 2017.

Runner-up: PlayStation 4

Best Indie Game

Pony Island (PC)

As we’ve just said, the PC has had a standout year in 2016 and a large part of that is thanks to indie developers. Indeed, considering the lack of innovation this year the whole year would seem considerably less positive without them. Our favourite was Pony Island, a wonderfully subversive game that is almost impossible to describe without actually playing it. Which is a good thing, because being warned of any of its unexpected twists and turns risks ruining the whole experience. The gorgeous 2D art of Owlboy was another PC favourite, but there were also many high quality console titles too. That includes Thumper: our favourite music game of recent years, and the only one to be influenced by H. P. Lovecraft.

Runner-up: Thumper (PS4/PC)

Best Music

Hyper Light Drifter (XO/PS4/PC)

We’re tempted to give this award straight to Thumper, but that seems like cheating considering it’s a rhythm action game. Instead, we’ll go for Hyper Light Drifter, another of the year’s best indie titles. The music is by Richard Vreeland, aka Disasterpeace, who’s best known for his work on FEZ and the movie It Follows. There’s an obvious debt to Vangelis in some of the retro tones, but it’s a wonderfully rich soundtrack that compliments the pixel art visuals perfectly and adds to the forlorn, spectral atmosphere. Even if you don’t like the game, or find it too difficult, we’d recommend the soundtrack to anyone.

Runner-up: ABZÛ (XO/PS4/PC)

Best Storytelling

Mafia III (XO/PS4/PC)

Don’t get us wrong, Mafia III is not a very good video game. It’s a poor man’s Grand Theft Auto that’s needlessly repetitive from the off and encumbered by dull combat and equally unexciting driving. Which makes it all the more surprising that it has some of the best storytelling of the generation, let alone year. Setting a game in a pastiche of 1960s New Orleans could’ve been a recipe for disaster, but Mafia III handled the racism of the time with surprising verve and subtlety. Getting to __play as someone at the receiving end of discrimination was a sobering experience, but the game went further by portraying its cast as believable, three-dimensional characters, with high quality voiceovers and facial animation. So… great story, shame about the game.

Runner-up: Owlboy (PC)

Worst game

Ghostbusters (XO/PS4/PC)

Another way you can tell it was a good year for games is that we didn’t have to give anything less than 2/10. But even if the bottom of the barrel wasn’t quite as low as usual, 2016 still had some pretty putrid stinkers. Although you’d assume this was a tie-in to the recent Ghostbusters reboot it’s nothing of the sort. Activision paid for the name, and made a couple of the characters women, but other than a few of the same ghost enemies it’s a completely separate concept. It’s also a completely awful top-down shooter, that’s horribly repetitive, unbearably boring, and seemingly oblivious to the fact that Ghostbusters is meant to be funny (although you could say that of the reboot too…). If it was a £10 download you could let it off to some degree, but this was a full-price retail release. And that’s the only scary thing about it.

Runner-up: Dino Dini’s Kick Off Revival (PS4/PSV)

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Overwatch to Overcooked: Ultimate festive ranking of this season’s best Christmas DLC

Overwatch is one of the frontrunners in this year’s Christmas DLC race (Picture: Blizzard Entertainment)

Feel the joyful spring in your thumbs? Christmas has casted its sparkly charms over our lands, and festive gaming DLC is on the loose.

As video games become more reliant on never-ending updates and money-locking season passes, one by-product of this gaming oddity is the annual festive coating which inevitably adorns our favourite titles over the past year.

It may sound bold, but Christmas DLC is an emerging measure of a studio’s commitment to gaming, players and the festive season itself. Shipping a few Santa hats? You might as well slap Bob Cratchit and pee on his baubles.

So to instil fear into developers’ flogging nonchalance in their festivities, we’ve decided to monitor the situation by giving this year’s offerings a thorough once over. Because if the season to be jolly needs anything, it’s some god damn quality control.

1. Dead Rising 4 – Stocking Stuffer Holiday Pack

Santa suits? Check. Warming Christmas tunes? Check. Hordes of undead elves? Che.. wait, what?

Dead Rising 4’s spin on the holiday season believes even a zombie apocalypse deserves some yuletide dressing, providing players with fairy light baseball bats, candy cane hammers and even a motorbike constructed from fresh reindeer carcass to slaughter the world’s undead.

Sure, your Gran will probably look over your shoulder and declare Christmas is dead before spitting on your parsnips – but Dead Rising 4 is clearly striving for broken family silliness with this anarchic DLC. And we respect their chutzpah. 7/10

2. Hitman – Holiday Hoarders

2016’s episodic Hitman has seen the series continue to border the ridiculous. We’ve had Paris fashion shows and glorious levels in Hokkaido, Japan – but now the team have dialled their assassination simulator to its jovial maximum.

Holiday Hoarders is a free mission which redecorates the flashy Paris level with Christmas trees, snow and presents, while Agent 47 himself gets to __play dress-up in Santa’s traditional garb.

The trailer certainly sells it, but we can’t help thinking simply redecorating a level is a missed opportunity. We want a level revolved around Santa’s workshop, monitoring the slacking night-shift elves and dealing sink face-plant justice in the bogs when they’re caught skiving off.

Alright, new pitch: A densely packed shopping mall where you’re tasked with taking down a replica Arnold Schwarznegger before he nabs the last Turbo Man doll. Agent 47 V Jingle All The Way. Definitely a missed opportunity. 5/10

3. Street Fighter V – Holiday Content

‘Holiday Content’.

Do you remember how Christmas is about indulging imagination? Suspending our disbelief for the benefit of tiddlywinks and placing that extra spark of magic on the world to brighten up our chipping at the grindstone?

‘Holiday Content’.

You know what, let’s just call this piece ‘Christmas Clicks’ and have done with it. Unforgivable Street Fighter V. And no one’s impressed by your electric guitar Jingle Bells. 2/10

4. Overwatch – Winter Wonderland

Overwatch might be one of the favourites to scoop Game Of The Year awards, but we’re prepared to sabotage its efforts depending on Blizzard’s Christmas output for the hero shooter.

Annoyingly, it’s decently festive. Winter Wonderland offers a new close-quarters map which plays host to Mei’s Snowball Offensive – a new mode which is basically Call Of Duty’s Search And Destroy without bombs and loaded with snowy vengeance.

Mei turns into a snowman so everything’s fine (Picture: Blizzard Entertainment)

It also adds a new legendary costume for Mei which sports her with suitably decorative attire, but this has caused fuss with fans peeved at the costume’s 3,000 credits price for little varying perks. It turns her Ice Block manoeuvre into a snowman though, so really, let’s just crack on. 8/10

5. Overcooked Festive Seasoning

Capitalising on the fun frolics everyone endures when attempting to assemble Christmas dinner in group formation, multiplayer delight Overcooked has treated us to some Festive Seasoning.

This time around you get flamethrowers to douse your turkeys, new snowman and reindeer chefs which look suspiciously adorable, along with eight new co-op levels to replicate the Christmas kitchen bantz when someone sets the whole place ablaze.

Essentially, it’s a perfect family-friendly stress simulator with added turkey. Classic Christmas. 8/10

6. Gears Of War 4 – Gearsmas

Gearsmas? Not Gears Of Winter? Christ Of War? Oh, alright.

Gears Of War 4 is celebrating the jolly time of year with special Gearsmas Gear Packs, which boast special holiday weapon skins and characters inspired by outrageous festive jumpers.

Yep, that’s it. A few splashes of garish paint over the tried and true. That’s Gearsmas – the festive holiday where you’re eating mini-sausage rolls while you marathon EastEnders specials. Beige with a kink. Would Marcus Fenix allow this? Next. 3/10

7. GTA Online – Festive Surprise 2016

GTA Online has dished out its annual festive surprise (Picture: Rockstar)

Returning for the fourth year in a row, Rockstar has unleashed its Festive Surprise 2016 on all GTA Online players until January 9th.

The package includes all the previous content, including masks, token Santa outfits, seasonal sweaters and adds light-up bodysuits with modifiable illumination settings from glow, pulse to flash. You know, what everyone’s been asking for.

While there’s the returning Firework launcher, it’s the seasonal Los Santos snowfall which is the true embodiment of the Christmas spirit. Where all the explosive gang warfare, car theft and innocent civilian sniping suddenly makes way for playful snowball fights in the urban jungle.

Alright, so snowballs somehow kill people too. And everyone still uses guns. But when has Christmas ever been easy? Sit back, indulge yourself, and pummel passers-by with their icy fate. Oh, Christmas. 8/10

MORE: Overwatch Christmas comic not released in Russia because of lesbian Tracer

MORE: Games Inbox: Physical games vs. digital downloads, Overwatch vs. Titanfall 2, and Time Commanders

Backwards Christmas or: The trials of a real-life Santa – Reader’s Feature

Father Christmas doesn’t live in Lapland…

A reader explains how running a business selling games on eBay means that Christmas is all about giving not receiving.

So it’s Christmas, and as a dedicated gamer you can be sure of some top titles under the tree.

Some will also have a new console, or perhaps an accessory such as PlayStation VR.

And maybe for those still young enough to get Christmas money from relatives, hitting the sales on Boxing Day is also an option.

But there are those on the other side of the fence, who have a more backwards Christmas – those whom second-hand game selling is their business.

While others get more games at Christmas, sellers get less. They won’t be playing anything new this year – all recent releases that depreciate quickly will have long departed for someone else’s Christmas stocking.

Perhaps we should interview one of these sellers, under an assumed name. This is the voice of ‘Em’ (perhaps an anagram?):

‘2016 marks the first year I haven’t sold my last PlayStation 3 before Christmas, but my last 3DS has gone to be someone else’s main Christmas present. I was only halfway through Professor Layton, and had barely started Rhythm Thief!

It’s a nice thought on Christmas Day to consider of all the children, families and adults sitting down to __play something that I sent to them. This is especially true if it was a set I made up containing the best quality-to-price ratio I can manage, even though the giving itself wasn’t done by me.

Of course, you can’t please all of the people all of the time – the two people who left negative eBay feedback on Christmas Day are testament to that. One ordered an item a few days before Christmas, despite the listing indicating it would take a week to get to him in Denmark. You ain’t Hamlet in a royal court mate. The other claimed they hated a game, but also strangely that it didn’t work at all.

There is also testing, which I deliberately make extremely boring so I don’t let myself get distracted by enjoying the game and therefore not getting enough work done. And every time I test Singstar mics I use the song ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ by Elton John and Kiki Dee, while for every Guitar Hero guitar I use ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ by Pat Benetar. These tracks require the shortest amount of time to check the hardware is fully working.

Sometimes planning the long run-up to Christmas can be a game in itself. What to buy, how to make sets, and what should be left this year as it’s too risky. Though unlike a video game, there isn’t always one good path and keeping all the plates spinning can be tricky. Plus, you sometimes have to make the best of what you have, rather than what you want.

It can make gaming seem a bit mercenary, when the potential purchase of every game needs to be weighed up in terms of profit margins. But with owning enormous backlogs of older titles already, wasting money on something I personally want to __play is the opposite of good business practice. I also had to introduce rules to stop my personal collection of games, which are pulled out of the selling stock, from growing too fast and getting out of hand.

While I do get to try lots of different games, many I can’t play much. So depth is sacrificed for breadth. And my patience for games with poor checkpointing or too much padding find themselves in the selling pile just as quickly as games with bad controls, or those that are not my kind of thing or just a bit ‘meh’.

I don’t have time for longer games like role-playing games, and online-only games are a no-no as I wouldn’t play them enough to justify the subscription costs when I have a backlog of stuff I already own.

If a game sells particularly well at Christmas then I need to make sure I play it before it goes. Of course, I can’t always do this so sometimes a game is ‘sacrificed’ and I make a mental note to play it next time I get a copy (if I do).

All that means it’s going to be a pretty retro Christmas, as I play some older titles that aren’t likely to drop any further in value. And I am at least finally going to play Uncharted 3 in 3D. I didn’t even own a 3D telly when I bought it.

Eventually, of course, I will get around to playing the latest games from Christmas 2016 – PlayStation VR included. Though judging by the current trends, this won’t be until about 2022.

By reader Jean-Paul Satire

The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. As always, email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk and follow us on Twitter.

The Best Video Game Remakes and Remasters of 2016

If we’re going to speak on 2016’s best video games, then we have to delve into the ones that returned for the better.

Remakes and remasters are still a trend in the world of gaming (which is a good/bad thing, depending on who you are). Plenty of past titles that didn’t get the appreciation it deserved upon release have been updated for the better. Collections that featured outstanding experiences spruced up those games for loyal/future fans. And even some of these picks we’re about to recommend added in new content and streamlined the experience for today’s gaming audience. Return to these games (that have gotten a new lease on life) ASAP.

These are our “definitive” picks for 2016’s finest video game remakes and remasters.

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Odin Sphere Leifthrasir

Near the late-end of the PS2’s life cycle, a slew of underrated and sadly ignored titles graced the console. The original version of Odin Sphere happens to fall into that category. It was Vanillaware’s passion project, which is why it’s no surprise that the Japanese developer revisited it for modern Sony consoles. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir not only updates the visuals and makes the art pop even more, it also streamlines the game’s problematic mechanics for the better. Characters now have the ability to perform more defending/dodging actions, new enemies/bosses were added and the melee combo action got vastly improved. Fans of Muramasa: The Demon Blade and Dragon’s Crown should make sure to check out this quality remaster.

Buy Odin Sphere Leifthrasir here.

‘Pokemon Go’: How Long Will the Holiday Gift Boxes Be in the Shop?

‘Pokemon Go’ gift boxes are now available in the store. (Niantic)

Pokemon Go is celebrating the holidays with a special year-end sale. For a limited time, trainers will be able to purchase discounted gift boxes containing various items. How limited is this event, exactly?

If you’re debating whether to buy one of these gift boxes, you have a few days to decide, as the current three options (special, great and ultra boxes) will be available until December 30th. These gift boxes will disappear from the game’s store sometime on the afternoon of the 30th, Pacific Time.

However, the boxes will then be replaced by three new ones. Starting on the afternoon of the 30th, bronze, silver and gold boxes will become available in the game’s store. These boxes will contain Incense, Lure Modules, Lucky Eggs, Poke Balls and Great Balls. This is in contrast with the current three gift boxes, which contain Incubators, Incense, Great Balls and Ultra Balls.

The bronze, silver and gold gift boxes will be available from December 30th through the afternoon of January 3rd, Pacific Time.

To purchase these gift boxes, you’ll need to trade in PokeCoins, with the boxes ranging in price from 250 coins to 1500 coins. There are only two ways to acquire Poke Coins: First, when you place one of your Pokemon at a gym as a defender, you’ll get a coin bonus every day that your Pokemon is there and that the gym is still controlled by your team. To claim this bonus, simply visit the shop and click on that shield icon in the top right corner.

The second way is just buying these coins with real-world money. To do so, visit the Pokemon Go shop and scroll down to the coins section, picking however many you would like to purchase. They’re only sold in packs, so you may have to end up buying more coins than you actually plan to use on a gift box.

The addition of these gift boxes is one of several special events that Niantic, the creator of Pokemon Go, unveiled in time for the holiday season. In addition, they also have released into the wild limited edition Pikachu wearing adorable Santa hats. Plus, from now until January 3rd, players will have a higher chance of hatching generation 2 baby Pokemon from eggs, and they’ll also get a reward of one Incubator per day for visiting Poke Stops.

More holiday festivities will kick off on December 30th when, in addition to the gift boxes being changed, lures will now last 60 minutes instead of 30, and spawns of the generation one starter families will be increased.

The Best PlayStation Vita Games of 2016

When you ponder about the best gaming handhelds out right now, we’re sure the Nintendo 3DS and iOS/Android powered devices come to mind.

What’s sad is the fact that Sony’s successor to the excellent PlayStation Portable doesn’t get as much love from Sony. It’s a powerful device with a sleek design and the ability to output impressive visual fidelity. This may come as a shock to some of you, but the PS Vita was granted a lineup of great games in 2016. We’re talking quality RPG’s, platformers, visual novels and action/adventure romps. We’ve dug through most of the PS Vita’s 2016 games library and arrived with these 10 standout titles for you to enjoy.

If you still own a PS Vita, then these 2016 titles definitely belong on your portable platform (that’s sadly on life support…)

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Severed

Sasha’s a warrior with one arm. Doesn’t sound like much of a threat, does she? Well that’s where you’re wrong. The loss of her family and her unyielding mission to find them puts her on a warpath with her powerful living sword in hand. The touchscreen-based battle system lets you hack all manner of baddies and sever their body parts off completely. Severed’s interesting art design brings Sasha’s torn world to life beautifully. It features light RPG mechanics, a fun equipment system, an incredible soundtrack and battles/puzzles that will truly challenge you. Make sure you spend plenty of time with Drinkbox Studios’ portable epic on your PS Vita.

Buy Severed here.

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Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth

Now here’s a game that got the right treatment by getting ported over to the States. This former Japanese exclusive got plenty of loyal fans behind it thanks to the presence of memorable Digimon characters. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth makes you a male/female mystery solver who just so happens to wipe out digital threats with an army of powerful monsters. While the battle system is simple in execution, the rest of the game features several quality elements. There’s tons of Digimon to collect, an engrossing storyline that seemingly lasts for ages and addictive party upgrading mechanics. Need a lengthy JRPG for your handy Vita? You can’t go wrong with this Digimon battle simulator.

Buy Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth here.

Halo Wars: Definitive Edition early access review – Master Chief strategy

Halo Wars: Definitive Edition (PC) – made for consoles but now on PC

Halo’s real-time strategy spin-off has been remastered for Xbox One and PC, but does the game still hold up seven years later?

It’s a little-known fact that Halo was originally conceived as a real-time strategy game, not a first person shooter. Although given how obsessive most Halo fans are maybe that’s a well-known fact – we’re not entirely sure. What we do know is that we never expected to see a sequel to 2009’s Halo Wars, especially not with Total War creators Creative Assembly making it. And yet that’s exactly what we’re getting in February. But before that there’s a chance to __play the first real-time strategy in this new ‘Definitive Edition’.

The Definitive Edition is a pre-order bonus with the sequel’s special edition, but what was released this week is not the finished article. Instead it’s an early access, almost-finished remaster. Why they didn’t wait until it was actually finished we’re not sure, but understanding the logic of pre-order bonuses has never been our strong point. The original game was only ever released on Xbox 360, and what we’ve played here is the PC version. Although it will also be coming to the Xbox One.

The fact that Halo revolutionised first person shooters on consoles might not count as little-known, but it is increasingly forgotten by younger gamers. There had been quality first person shooters on consoles before that, most obviously GoldenEye 007, but they were very different to contemporary PC shooters. No doubt the idea behind Halo Wars was to take on another genre that had previously been dominated by the PC and make it work on consoles. But Halo Wars was never Strategy Evolved.

Halo Wars: Definitive Edition (PC) – a good-looking strategy

Although one shouldn’t speak ill of the dead (the developer was shut down just weeks before Halo Wars was completed) we’ve never been big fans of the Age Of Empires series and developer Ensemble Studios. For one, their focus on resource management and endless preparation always seemed to outweigh the need for proper military tactics. Which is one reason why we’re looking forward to the sequel being by Creative Assembly.

But knowing Ensemble’s previous work it was no surprise to find Halo Wars a dry, clinical experience, that even with 4K resolution and all the mod cons never comes across as anything but blandly competent. There’s a sad lack of pace or tension, as your on-screen army trudge around the map, shooting where you tell them to and looking an awful lot like EA’s Command & Conquer games. Except not as weird or interesting. There’s never any real impetuous to keep up the attack, as you instead find yourself constantly turtling under back at base.

Speaking of EA, there was a lot of talk during Halo Wars’ original release about the game having new ground-breaking controls, that would make you forget the genre was ever designed for the keyboard and mouse. But really, the pop-up cursor wasn’t very different to EA’s real-time strategies, and although it worked fine it was still unavoidably slow and clunky. That might seem irrelevant on the PC, where you do have a keyboard and mouse, but the Definitive Edition keeps joypad control as an option.

Not only that but some of the special attacks, such as the Covenant’s space laser, were clearly designed to be controlled by an analogue stick and are now more difficult to aim accurately. The give and take between the two control systems is interesting though, with the PC’s biggest benefit being that you can group units with their own hotkey – to be called up in an instant.

Halo Wars: Definitive Edition (PC) – hopefully the sequel will be even better

As a result of the Xbox 360’s limitations the levels are always disappointing small, with only a relatively low number of total units allowed in each. The story mode is also incredibly short; plus you only get to __play as the humans and it’s patronisingly easy on the default difficulty. It’s not the mind of a military genius you need to beat Halo Wars but a bean-counting accountant, as you sit at home waiting until you can churn out the best units.

Not that there are that many different units though, and even when you do play as the Covenant in Skirmish mode they’re not much different. The online multiplayer mode wasn’t up and running when we tried it, but there are no local co-op options. Although hopefully there will be for the Xbox One version. In terms of visuals, the game holds up impressively well, and you can see that some of the textures and models have been upgraded quite nicely.

Since we’ve only played this in early access we’re not going to give it a score, but the qualities of the original are already well known. The game has its fans, or else there wouldn’t be a sequel, but it is a very basic introduction to the concept of real-time strategies. That means it’s very accessible to new players, but also leaves it seeming very plain and ordinary to anyone familiar with the genre’s best. Hopefully Halo Wars 2 will strike a better balance between those two extremes, and this Definitive Edition’s most useful purpose will be to show how much things have improved.

Formats: PC (reviewed) and Xbox One
Price: Free with Halo Wars 2: Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer: 343 Industries and Ensemble Studios
Release Date: 20th December 2016
Age Rating: 12

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Video games make me angry… – Reader’s Feature

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate – who’s got time to be angry?

A reader reveal what makes him the angriest when playing video games, from escort missions to pixel perfect platforming.

I scream with apoplectic rage and hurl the controller at the wall with the energy of a million suns. Plastic is shattered into a billion pieces, I should feel bad, but the total destruction pleases me. Like Kratos surveying a broken Olympus after his Sunday stroll through it, a smile playing on the edges of my lips. Maybe the emotion I’m feeling is not satisfaction but relief and release, I’m free from the anger that just moments before was boiling behind my eyes. The pressure on my temples is reduced and my cognitive higher functions are returning. The shame and regret will come, this is the honeymoon of anger and revenge; the most pleasurable moment and I enjoy it, fleeting as it is.

I rarely lose it at games these days but no other medium can produce that reaction in its participants. Just to clarify, so no one thinks I’m a violent psychopath, 90% of my time with games are great. A peaceful pleasure feedback loop which is worth it. However, there are moments in games I would consider triggers for anger, these can be mission types, gameplay design choices, or fussy controls. As it’s around Christmas time everyone loves a good list, well this is one of those, a list of all the things that trigger the beast within me.

Escort missions with particularly useless companions

Not all escort missions are bad, but I need to wrack my brain to think of even one I’ve ever truly enjoyed. I’m often just pleasantly surprised when it isn’t an absolute horror show and that’s at the good end of the spectrum. At the bad end would be the escort missions with a partner who doesn’t seem to understand the concept of bullets, gets stuck on the scenery, barely follows commands and has the defensive capabilities of neutral Switzerland.

I will instantly lose if I let the wafting cloud of unaware banality die, so that’s not an option, but they put you in situations where you have to use all your healing and special weapons, the ones you saved for the minions that really scare you, and usually pop up behind you. The resentment you feel could almost take on a human form it’s that strong.

Backtracking for the 1,000th time

I can’t express how much I want to reach through a screen and drag a character through it when they tell me the thing I’m looking for is 100 miles back the way I came. I hate them on an atomic level, especially if it’s a road I’ve already walked 50 times; this insult is doubly compounded if fast travel isn’t an option. This was a viable game design choice in the ‘80s but in today’s world it is a cruel and unusual punishment and should be banned by The Hague convention as a war crime.

Knowing the answer but not being able to execute it because of your fat stupid fingers

This one is oddly specific for me and involves a certain confluence of events. It usually occurs in the puzzle section of a game, it also needs to be where if you fail you have to sit through a loading screen, the sort of loading screen that feels like you’re sitting through a marathon of The Lord of the Rings films before you get to retry the puzzle.

The rage usually only occurs when I know the solution and I’m trying to execute it but fail because I just have a brain fart and can’t put my stupid fingers in the correct place at the correct time. The rage is triggered by the realisation that I’ll have to sit through that loading screen… again. Bonus points if the game doesn’t auto save and you realise you have to slog through a bunch of sections you’ve already completed.

Timed missions with an impossible time limit

I hate timed missions with a passion, they stress me out and put so much pressure on that I should just transform into a man-sized diamond on the sofa. The ones that get me the most are the ones where you look at how far away from completion you are when the time runs out and you realise you’re not even close. It dawns that you’re going to have to grind this bit out and you curse the gaming gods for the abomination of timed missions.

True Vesuvius anger only erupts when after the attempt where you die one foot from the objective you know that for 99% the stars had lined up and you had this one in the bag, right up till the last bend when you snagged a corner and got wrecked.

Stealth sections with instant fail

Gaaaagggh! This is pure hell, especially in older games where you had no x-ray vision detective view and have no idea of the placement of the many, many guards. You’re forced to have a battle of attrition against the game, working out the patrol paths, plotting what you hope will be a safe route and get caught by the one guard you didn’t see on the last attempt. Like puzzle sections the anger reaches a crescendo when you know you’re so close to the end you can almost taste it. Almost.

Repeating a platforming section over and over timing a jump properly

Make the jump… Just… make… the… jump. Pixel perfect jumping, the words send a chill through my bones. I’m going to name and shame Oddworld here, Abe’s odd gait and the pixel perfect nature of some jumps destroyed any enjoyment I was having with this odd wee gem. It takes about a thousand attempts for me to break and have an out of body experience due to the energy of pure anger.

Getting destroyed in multiplayer

I don’t mind losing, this is nothing to do with that. This is losing on a legendarily dynamic scale. Where you don’t stand a single chance, when you are being smashed, where the opponent is scoring their 13th goal or spawn camping you. You are obeying the etiquette of gaming where you finish the game, but it is so hard because as much as you are trying your best to be a good graceful loser your opponent is a bad graceless winner and you feel your brain fill with boiling water. Something has to give (turn off the voice chat).

Games with fiddly/fussy controls

Why did you map the jump button there? Why in all that’s holy did you map the damn jump button there? I didn’t need to perform an action. Did you actually think I wanted to do anything other than jump/dodge that oncoming enemy/flaming barrel? Okay, if that’s the way you want to do things I’ll show you (cue baseball throw of controller at Exocet missile speed) This is also the result if clicking in the left controller stick does something ridiculous like change view in a racing game. Do they not know that under stress you push down harder on the left controller stick? Do they not know!?

Assassin’s Creed target tracking missions

I hate them, boring tedious and Ubisoft insist on cramming them in every Assassin’s Creed mainline game why… WHY? I feel anger the minute I realise that’s what I’m in for, for the next five minutes. Damn you Ubisoft, damn you all to hell.

Driver: The President’s Run mission

I saved this one till the end. There are difficulty spikes and then there’s what Reflections did with Driver. It is one of the most ludicrous sections of any game I’ve ever played. Driver is a landmark game but its last level is pure masochism.

I am willing to bet everyone who’s read this far is having flashbacks as we speak. If you beat it well done you, I got to the last corner before the carpark and blew up. Such a great game.

Now that I’ve got that needless aggression out of my system I can stride forth into 2017 with a clear conscious and a song in my heart. It feels good, get it out of your system and construct a list of your own. Resolve to be a better person in this brave new year.

By reader Dieflemmy (gamertag)

The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. As always, email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk and follow us on Twitter.

Weekend Hot Topic, part 2: Your Christmas video game wish

What would you ask Father Christmas for?

GameCentral readers reveal their most cherished Christmas wish, from impossible sequels to an instant release for Nintendo Switch.

The subject for this week’s Hot Topic was suggested by reader Stone Cold Steve Austin, and since it is a wish readers were encouraged to ask for absolutely anything, no matter how implausible; from a new console or piece of hardware, to a retro game you’ve never been able to afford, a piece of merchandise, or a sequel or spin-off that has never been made.

Despite the odd premise everyone seemed to have a dream worth sharing, from Half-Life 3 to retro Spectrum remakes. Not many were likely to come true (although one Star Wars one already has) but we wish you all a Merry Christmas anyway!

Something for everyone

My Christmas wish would be for a reboot or reimagining of some of my favourite games from childhood. Game’s like Where Time Stood Still with its B-movie style, set in a hostile land of dinosaurs, would be fantastic with today’s technology.

I’d also like to see The Great Escape getting remade, as a stealth game set during the Second World War, as you try to escape from the Nazis, would be a welcome change to all the sci-fi shooters we’re getting these days.

I’d also like to see a bit more variety in games for kids. You’ve really only got Super Mario, the Lego games, and the expensive toys to life genre. Which is quite ridiculous. Youngsters are future adult gamers, and if they can’t pull them in at an early age, then the future is bleak for the industry.

A very merry Christmas to all at GC, readers and contributors. I hope you all have a great time with a feast of gaming along with your Christmas dinner. See you on the other side.
Cubes (PSN ID)/Cubes73 (NN ID)/Kevin M

Release date Switch

My Christmas wish would have been for Switch to be released in time for Christmas. It would have been the perfect gift and I can’t believe Nintendo didn’t do this. With all the monotony of new FIFAs and Call Of Duties, I am crying out for a break and to go back to Nintendo…

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to GC and all our brilliant community.
Dj Kj

Time paradox

My Christmas wish is the same every year – to get more gaming time. At an average of an hour a week I’m not sure I’ll finish Dragon Age before Mass Effect: Andromeda arrives…

Maybe the Switch will be my answer; Off-TV __play while the missus watches her rubbish. Happy Christmas all.
ZombieEyez/CaffeineRedEye
PS: Don’t add me, I’ve no time to play.

E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk

A few wishes

I don’t want a lot for Christmas. Well OK, maybe I do. I’d love, just like many others, a new Half-Life 3, but unfortunately I’m about 90% sure that won’t happen. Other sequels and reboots I’d love to see is Lost Odyssey 2, Binary Domain 2, maybe an Alien Isolation sequel, hell even a new Portal game. I’d like a Medieval reboot or a remaster collection, a Dino Crisis game, a new Shadow Hearts game. There’s probably countless others I’ve forgotten.

Moving on, and the recent rumours that Square Enix are planning to celebrate Final Fantasy’s 30th anniversary by not only releasing Final Fantasy VII Remake episode one next year, to go alongside the Final Fantasy XII remaster, but also a Final Fantasy Collection containing I to IX. I really hope this is true, but also that they’re the definite versions of these and not just cheap lazy ports, plus I’d love Trophy support.

Then I hope that all the games I’m super excited for next year actually live up to the hype. Mass Effect: Andromeda, NieR: Automata, Resident Evil, Horizon: Zero Dawn, even the new Zelda. I’m looking at all of you, please don’t disappoint.

Also, finally I wish developers wouldn’t just rely on yearly sequels, ironic considering what I’ve just mentioned. But don’t be afraid to try something new and fresh.

Anyhow, wishing you and my fellow readers a very Merry Christmas.
Mark Cummings

Forgotten hope

Seasons greetings! My Xmas wish would be a follow-up to Enslaved. What a great, forgotten gem.

At the very least making it backwards compatible would be great, as I nearly finished it before the lure of next gen took over.
Ninjamac

Missing Treasure

I’d wish for Treasure to come back from the grave (or hospice, I’m still not exactly sure their status) and make games again. They’ve made some of my all time classics such as Ikaruga, Radiant Silvergun, Sin & Punishment, and Astro Boy: Omega Factor.

They’re very similar to PlatinumGames in attitude and ability, and it’s such a shame they’re not around now to take advantage of the blooming indie business. Maybe they can reform or get a contract from Nintendo or Capcom for something, but I’m not confident. So a wish it will have to be.
Clint

Other man

I want Nathan Drake for Christmas. Just don’t tell my husband.
Gill C.
PS: Merry Christmas and a merrier new year GC. Thank you for all your hard work in 2016. In my opinion you’re the best!

Catch up on every previous Games Inbox here

Robot dreams

I could easily write a Reader’s Feature about all of my gaming wishes but as we’re allowed only one I’m going to choose a game based on the late 80s animated series Droids.

I’ve always been a massive Star Wars fan and back then it was still revered as a franchise but the trilogy had ended, there was no sign of any more films being made and merchandise was starting to become thin on the ground.

I therefore lapped up this great series and was especially impressed by episodes A Race to the Finish, Pirates of Tarnoonga, The Trigon Unleashed, and Escape across the Roon Sea. The artwork was great and featured some beautiful pink skies and bustling cityscapes, and the synth soundtrack remains one of the best examples of how to score a sci-fi series. Boba Fett even had a cameo.

Of course it’s too obscure for a full game but what about a Lego title? Traveller’s Tales have done the prequels, the original trilogy, the Clone Wars and The Force Awakens, and I’m sure Rebels and Rogue One are on the way so why not Droids?

I would settle for a few levels and a character pack in Lego Dimensions to be honest.

Disney seem eager to protect it from being made available on YouTube so they are clearly aware it still has some value, but I suppose I will have to keep dreaming for the time being.

Happy Christmas everyone.
Kehaar

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Metro GameCentral Video Games Top 20 of 2016 – from XCOM 2 to Dragon Quest Builders

XCOM 2 – the best game in a very good year

GameCentral names its 20 favourite games of the year, from blockbusters such as Overwatch and Uncharted 4 to indie gems like Pony Island.

After a very slow start to the generation, 2016 is when things finally got into top gear. Although the year has had its problems, which we’ll get into during our review of the year, the general quality of video games has been excellent. As usual though, the most deserving games weren’t necessarily the biggest sellers but hopefully this list will help to shine a light on some of the more obscure ones.

Those games just missing out on our top 20 include Battlefield 1, The Last Guardian, Inside, Oxenfree, Tethered, Gears Of War 4, Planet Coaster, Stardew Valley, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Hyper Light Drifter, Zero Time Dilemma, Pokkén Tournament and more. In fact, we could have easily done a top 30, or even 40, without any significant drop in quality. But for now we’ll stick with the traditional 20.

As usual we’ll give you the chance to vote for your own favourites at the end of January, after everyone has had a chance to __play what they got for Christmas and in the new year sales. You can vote for whatever you like, but our list purposefully does not include remakes, remasters, re-releases, DLC expansions, compilations, games not yet released in the UK, or versions of games previously released on other formats.

1. XCOM 2 (XO/PS4/PC)
The original was already near perfect but this superb sequel manages to improve and enhance every element, and prove once again that a strategy game can be just as tense and fast-paced as any action title. The console versions have some performance issues, but that doesn’t take anything away from a game that can steal away days of your life at a time – and have you love it for it.

2. Overwatch (XO/PS4/PC)
Despite the great three-way FPS battle this Christmas, between Battlefield 1, Titanfall 2, and Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare, our favourite online shooter was released much earlier in the year. By combining fighting game style character concepts with traditional multiplayer action it rejuvenated the genre and made it accessible for all.

3. Pokémon Sun/Moon (3DS)
Pokémon GO might have taken all the headlines, but its simplistic gameplay barely counts as video game. Sun and Moon though are the very best that the Pokémon series has ever been, with the developer resisting the urge to dumb things down to please a wider audience. And yet still the games are the most accessible and content rich of the series so far.

4. Dark Souls III (XO/PS4/PC)
All good things must come to an end and this final part of the trilogy knew exactly when and how to bow out gracefully. FromSoftware poured all the experience they’ve earned into this series finale, including combining elements from Bloodborne and redressing failures from Dark Souls II. Arguments rage as to whether this is their best work or not but it’s certainly close to it.

5. Dishonored 2 (XO/PS4/PC)
Saddled with a ridiculous release date, that doomed it to commercial failure (and almost instant Black Friday discounts), Arkane Studios’ first person adventure continues its predecessor’s role as the smartest action game around. Not just in terms of how many solutions, violent or otherwise, it gives you for every encounter but also the applause-worthy level design.

6. Forza Horizon 3 (XO/PC)
Sony themselves are probably most to blame for ruining the legendary status of Gran Turismo, but Microsoft’s Forza series has been more than capable of filling the hole it left. The open world Horizon games are more arcadey in style but this new Australian adventure is one of the best driving games of the generation – and that’s not even taking into account its excellent DLC.

7. Titanfall 2 (XO/PS4/PC)
Another niche sequel sent out to die by a seemingly masochistic publisher, Titanfall 2 managed to be both more original and better fun than either the new Battlefield or Call Of Duty. The online multiplayer and gunplay gave Overwatch a real run for its money and the single-player story campaign was easily the best of any of its rivals, if they even had one.

8. Fire Emblem Fates (3DS)
The Wii U was already a dead console by the start of 2016, but the 3DS is also clearly on its way out. But it did still have a few gems left this year, and much like Pokémon this strategy role-player is also the best the franchise has ever been. Although the way it was split into three quite different games means it was expensive to __play it in its entirety.

9. Pony Island (PC)
You can usually rely on indie games for the most original and innovative games of the year, but Pony Island is so strange that even to attempt to describe it risks ruining the experience. Suffice to say though that you should ignore any concerns about the name and instead prepare for an experience that is surreal, scary, charming, and completely unpredictable.

10. Total War: Warhammer (PC)
The Total War series has been going for 16 years now, but previously it’s always dealt with real-world historical battles. The Tolkien-esque fantasy of Warhammer proved the perfect way to break that tradition, with some gloriously epic battles that not only feature thousands of foot soldiers at a time but all the weirdness and monsters of Games Workshop too.

11. Uncharted 4 (PS4)
Wherever the game comes on this chart it seems inarguable that Naughty Dog’s cinematic extravaganza had the best graphics of the year. The story was a little less fantastical than usual, and probably a touch too long, but the three main sequences on Madagascar are amongst the most impressive, and enjoyable, set pieces in gaming history.

12. Thumper (PS4/PC)
After years of disappointing console launches, surprisingly it was left to PlayStation VR to show how it should be done. As a remake Rez Infinite doesn’t meet our criteria for this list, but the all-new Thumper does. It can be played without a headset, but either way this is not only one of the best rhythm action games ever made but also one of the creepiest and atmospheric.

13. Owlboy (PC)
A labour of love that took nine years to finish, this gorgeous-looking 2D adventure has some of the best pixel art ever created. But it’s also got some extremely affecting storytelling, with the protagonist being one of the most sympathetic of the year. Thankfully the gameplay and puzzles are just as inspired, and this is by no means the retro-obsessed homage you might assume.

14. Civilization VI (PC)
After XCOM 2, this is the second Firaxis game to make our list this year. Although that’s hardly a surprise given the consistent quality of the Civilization series. The goals of this sequel are to make it simultaneously the most accessible and the most versatile and unpredictable, and it largely succeeds – in what has been a banner year for strategy games.

15. Darkest Dungeon (PS4/PC/PSV)
From Bloodborne to Thumper, the last few years has seen the horror writings of H. P. Lovecraft have an increasing influence on video games. And never so obviously than in this punishingly difficult roguelike dungeon crawler. Especially given that managing the stress of your beleaguered troupe of monster hunters is just as important as honing their fighting skills.

16. Street Fighter V (PS4/PC)
Capcom clearly thought they were creating the next big eSports game, but Street Fighter V still hasn’t recovered from its disastrous launch and lack of single-player content. Which is a crying shame because in terms of gameplay this is as good as the series has ever been, and a steady stream of updates has provided plenty of new characters.

17. Overcooked! (XO/PS4/PC)
Couch co-op has become almost a relic of the past in recent years, but some games are still keeping the Bomberman dream alive. Get four friends sat around the same TV and suddenly working together to cook a meal becomes the most intense multiplayer experience of the year. The recently released Gourmet Edition is particularly good value and includes DLC and a Christmas update.

18. Hitman (XO/PS4/PC)
Episodic content may be the norm for Telltale style games but it’s unusual for a big-name franchise like Hitman to use. But the experiment has paid off, and although everything will be released in a boxed set in January all the episodes are already available online. With one of them being one of the best Hitman levels ever created.

19. Quadrilateral Cowboy (PC)
Being the best game about hacking is just one of this indie classic’s claims to fame, as the team behind Gravity Bone and Thirty Flights Of Loving once again prove better at storytelling than games with many times their budget. And it’s a sign of how good Quadrilateral Cowboy is that the main disappointment is that there’s not more of it.

20. Dragon Quest Builders (PS4/PSV)
It’s curious how the success of Minecraft has created so few clones from major publishers, but this charming new take on some very familiar ideas work wonderfully. It adds just the right amount of structure and story to the experience, while still allowing you to stretch your creative muscles and fight some classic Dragon Quest monsters.

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‘Galaxy on Fire 3 – Manticore’: Top 10 Tips & Cheats You Need to Know

Here are the top 10 tips/tricks/cheats you need to know for Galaxy on Fire 3 – Manticore.

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1. Slow Down

• Keep an eye on your HUD and reduce your speed (by swiping down in the right half of the screen) when the “enemy behind” symbol appears. Your enemy then ends up in front of you and you can easily take him down. In general, slowing down helps you to take better aim. But it also makes you an easier target, so you are recommended to not overdo this.

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2. Let it Roll

• When doing a barrel roll, you are prone to damage for the complete duration of the animation. So you might want to perform this maneuver whenever you are under heavy fire. However, you better watch your energy bar. Every barrel roll you perform drains it and after a while, you won’t be able to perform any more rolls or boosts until the bar has refilled.

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3. Full Speed Ahead

• Depending on the situation in which you activate it, your boost can be an effective means of attacking and defending. In the offense, it helps you to trail and eliminate fleeing enemies easily. In the defense, it gets you out of the line of fire when your shields or hull are about to collapse.

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4. Connect With Others

• Every time another player picks your ship as a wingman, you will be rewarded with credits. That way, you can earn money even when you are not playing. So make sure you connect well with other players and have a lot of people in your friends’ list. Your balance will be more than thankful.

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5. Deadly Missiles

• While lasers and blasters often require several hits to destroy a target, a perfectly timed missile may result in a one-shot kill. So don’t waste your secondary weapons, but use them effectively to get rid of enemies with low shields or damaged hulls. If you are lucky, you can also refill your missiles via crates you pick up in space.

Elton Jones is a senior contributor to Heavy who covers gaming, pro wrestling, movies and pop culture. He lives in New York City.
December 23, 2016 12:21 pm

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