This year saw many sprawling, epic games created over years by teams consisting of hundreds, such as mm2. However, not every blockbuster proved such an overwhelming success.
1. Scrapland
MercurySteam’s 2004 original of Scrapland was an epic visual and mechanical thrill ride, following D-Tritus on his journey into space until he discovers Chimera: an island filled with robots and with no humans allowed at any point during playback.
As is customary in Chimera, D-Tritus was given his task of investigating murders that may be committed by humans.
Though its storyline may be disjointed, Scrapland remains a fun ride with enjoyable gameplay that might not always meet expectations. What saves it is its sense of humor; something it certainly deserves more recognition for.
2. Hype: The Time Quest
Hype: The Time Quest stands out as one of the most entertaining turn-based RPGs you’ll find, boasting an engaging story and unique gameplay mechanics that allow for real-time missions before suddenly pausing time at certain points for control of situations in real-time and stopping again for set pieces to play out asynchronously; then when time resumes its normal flow again.
This under-the-radar platformer from February is an absolute delight. Players are invited to explore its vibrant wilderness while communicating musically with its inhabitants, all the while offering charming yet touching humor that draws players in.
3. Gylt
Gylt is an eye-catching narrative adventure developed by Tequila Works that takes a unique approach to horror. GYLT moves away from stealth-based and innocent weapons of mass destruction games towards creating an experience filled with sinister, monster-based terror instead.
Story-wise, the game follows Sally as she embarks on an extraordinary adventure to search for her missing cousin. Along her path lies an unnerving version of her hometown filled with monsters and other supernatural terrors.
4. Evil Twin: Cyprien’s Chronicles
After his parents’ passing, young orphan Cyprien is thrust into an alternate reality influenced by his worst nightmares. Your job as his guardian will be to guide him through this terrifying world and battle his deepest fears.
Led by Lenny, Cyprien discovers that his imaginary alter ego SuperCyp exists in this reality and discovers that any islands which survived the black wave were controlled by evil versions of his orphanage friends.
The game’s story and characters are completely captivating, creating an absorbing experience. While some minor issues exist within its framework, they do not detract from overall enjoyment – definitely worth giving it a go!
5. The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
After defeating Ganon and restoring peace to Hyrule, Link became restless with his peaceful lifestyle and desired further training and enlightenment. So he set sail in search of adventures and experiences abroad.
However, what Link found was Koholint Island instead, guarded by Wind Fish. Though lacking some of the series’ staples (no triforce and Zelda), and offering numerous unique gameplay twists like shoplifting or injuring nearby villagers with boomerangs – Link’s Awakening still stands out as one of its most enjoyable titles in a longstanding franchise.
Link’s Awakening remains one of the best-received Zelda games since its original release, yet newer and grander releases from Nintendo continue to eclipse it in terms of technical excellence. However, its charm never dissipated; rather it has expanded with time into modern 2D gaming, bringing its quirky bite-sized charm with amazing results.
