I’ve never been that fond of Game of the Year lists; I find that the vast majority of gamers and gaming outlets tend to focus on the same popular titles that, in all honesty, I have absolutely no interest in. On the other hand, some people out there do have good taste, as is evident by Journey receiving a slew of GotY praise, so not all hope is lost… and I can definitely understand the appeal of rounding up one’s favorite games from any given year for the sake of comparison, so to that end I’ll be joining the bandwagon (albiet rather late) by naming my five favorite games of 2012. But don’t expect any Walking Dead or Mass Effect 3… This is Chic Pixel, after all!
A quick caveat before I continue: This list, of course, only contains games I’ve actually played. There are probably many more titles I’d probably consider including if I’d had the opportunity to play them over the course of the year!
Also, I have to give props to Tiny Cartridge for inspiring me to add silly gifs (when available) for my picks. I take no credit for the idea!
Pandora’s Tower
I really hesitated putting this on my list since it only came out in Japan and PAL territories, but it was by far one of my favorite games of the year, so I’ll make an exception. The story, which really only focuses on three characters and centers around the relationship between the protagonist Aeron and his cursed love interest Elena, is a breath of fresh air from epic RPGs spanning continents and have dozens of people to keep track of. Gameplay, while occasionally hair-pullingly frustrating (particularly the boss battles), makes great use of the Wii’s motion controls for Aeron’s chain-whip weapon, which is both used to fight enemies and traverse through the environments. Add in the fact that there are even some mild dating sim elements that had me raising Aeron and Elena’s affection levels in order to unlock a variety of endings, and I can confidently say that Pandora’s Tower will go down as one of my favorite action-RPGs of this generation.
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| This gif never gets old (source) |
Style Savvy: Trendsetters
Oh, Style Savvy: Trendsetters. I may have only started playing this game mid-December, but it quickly rose to the top of the 2012 release pile. Who ever thought a fashion game could be so fun? Style Savvy: Trendsetters is a beautifully polished game with a wide range of customization options that will delight any aspiring fashionista or fashion-conscious nerd (that would be me), but it also injects a healthy amount of shop management into the mix to keep prolonged gameplay compelling. Not only that, but the localization is surprisingly good, and I found myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion! Style Savvy: Trendsetters may not be an epic RPG or artsy social commentary, but it’s chock full of content and by far one of the most fun games I played all year. Really, what’s more satisfying than convincing a customer to buy a horribly ugly outfit that just about breaks their budget? (What? That’s how it’s meant to be played, right?)
Journey
When I first played Journey for review earlier this year, I started out very skeptical. Early reviews applauded it as this mind-blowing experience, but when I got to the part about it being only two hours long, I just couldn’t believe it. How could a two-hour game change anyone’s life? Well, after giving the game a go, I can definitively say it has not changed my life in any way, but it has definitely opened my eyes to the impact a succinct, purpose-driven experience can be. Countless articles have been written about Journey already, so I don’t feel the need to ramble on about this particular pick, but suffice it to say I’ve played through the game three times, got my white cloak and first platinum trophy (okay, it’s not that hard), and cried every single time I’ve reached the summit of the mountain with a companion. Sure, I may be an over-emotional sap at heart, but I think the fact that Journey remains such a compelling, thought-provoking experience even after multiple playthroughs truly speaks to the beauty of the game.
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| No spoilers here, I just couldn’t resist using this gif |
Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward
I was late to the game when it came to 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, but when I finally played it, it immediately became one of my favorite DS titles. The gripping storyline and intriguing characters kept me right on the edge of my seat all the way to the end, so when I heard there was going to be a sequel, I couldn’t be more excited. Though sequels don’t always improve on the established formula, Virtue’s Last Reward fixes all of the issues I had with the first game while maintaining the same suspenseful story and interesting dialogue that made 999 such a joy to play –– in fact, I may even like Virtue’s Last Reward‘s story more than 999‘s! I certainly wouldn’t complain if we saw more entries in the series (I believe they’re already working on a 3rd game), as I’m confident Chunsoft will be able to up the ante even further in future installments.
Tokyo Jungle
Tokyo Jungle is, by far, the strangest game I played all year. If you’d told me two years ago that I’d be playing a game in 2012 that involved all manner of animal from Pomeranian to dinosaur running around the streets of a post-apocalyptic Tokyo killing and being killed, I would’ve called you crazy, but I’m happy to say that’s exactly what Tokyo Jungle delivers. It’s certainly not the most polished game on this list, but it wins major points for originality and downright awesomeness of concept, as well as being the most engaging multiplayer game I played in 2012. There’re few things more fun than taking down horses with cats and trying to outrun lions with a troop of beagles, and while the survival mode and its roguelike elements may have gotten slightly repetitive had I played it alone, being able to team up with my husband was an absolute blast. The fact that games like this are still being made gives me hope that there will always be a place for weird and whacky titles alongside the Call of Dutys and Halos of the world.
And with that, I can say I’ve officially brought 2012 to an end! Though I can’t speak for the more “mainstream” crowd, fans of the niche and odd really had a great selection of titles over the course of the year. Of course, if my “12 Games I Still Need to Play from 2012” list is any indication, there’s still a lot left for me to play! Thanks for sticking with me and putting up with my weirdness over the course of the year, and here’s to a grand new year filled with blogging, video games, and manga! (hopefully a little more manga)
Feel free to weigh in on what you think of my picks from 2012, but keep in mind that I am Very Serious about this topic and will not accept any opinions that are different from my own! Just kidding.
I like your taste in games, Anne!
Especially Pandora’s Tower. What a game!
Why thank you, Matt! You have fine taste in games yourself 😀
You know, I never managed to play Atelier Meruru, can you believe that?! I bet it would’ve been in good standing to make this list if I had…
And Happy New Year to you, too!
Oh dear! You’ll have to remedy that in 2013, I hope!
Nice use of gifs Anne! I love the show spoiler one as it looks as though he’s forever threatening to push the button, just wanted him to push it already!
Pandora’s Tower probably isn’t my cup of tea, as I incredibly suck at actioney stuff that requires more than a little button mashing, but the story always intrigued me a lot. Maybe some day…
I really want to give Tokyo Jungle a try when it’s a little cheaper… it recently was on sale on PSN, but I missed my chance to get it.. orz
Next time you’ll be mine…..
Trendsetters is my current guilty pleasure… it’s definitely one of my top 2012 games too.. even if I didn’t start playing until a week ago, haha. I was already heavily addicted to the first one, which got a little monotone after a while. But Trendsetters seems like it will keep me coming back to it for a long time.. :>
Journey’s on my list too.. that beautiful little thing. It’s really great that such a wonderful game gets so much hype, not that common for such an atmospheric game. Makes me happy.. *_*
Can’t wait for Virtue’s Last Reward getting released over here by the end of the month. 🙂
Lovely list, Anne. I’m glad you decided to write it up and share it 🙂
I think I’m going to have to track down a Euro copy of Pandora’s Tower now that you’ve given it such high praise. Actually, I was one of those weirdos who was more interested in that game coming to the States than The Last Story, so finally picking up a copy (even one from outside my ‘home region’) would only make sense, right?
You’re also reminding me that I need to get back to Style Savvy. I really liked what I’ve played of it so far, but I don’t know if I would say I ‘loved’ it. Maybe I just haven’t gotten far enough yet?
Regardless, that GIF you posted is one of the best ever. If someone made a shirt with that image plastered across the front, I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
Oh, and I’m very much looking forward to experiencing both Journey and Tokyo Jungle someday. Both seem to be right up my alley, and hearing your praise of them only solidifies that in my mind. Maybe later this year?
I still can’t get over how awesome the Style Savvy gif is, haha!
Of all the games on your list, that is definitely the one I want to play most. For some reason though, both games have alluded my purchase so far. Shameful, I know! The same is true of other “girly looking” games such as Princess Debut and My World My Way. Honestly, I can’t explain it but hopefully sometime soon that will be remedied.
I know that Journey was a huge game for a lot of people, and remember you streaming it (and getting the white coat!). Although my feelings on the game aren’t as glowing, it’s definitely something I respect and am glad to see get such attention. 🙂
I love that pic of the dog hehe, I want Style Savvy, I downloaded the demo and I really enjoy it. I usually don’t really buy “Stereotype” games but I love the selling aspect lol 🙂 I haven’t played any of the other games you mentioned here so I can’t comment on them. BTW do you have a friend code for AC? Not sure if there is a way to personally email you through blogger.. I want to get as many friend codes for my JP 3DS as I don’t know anyone else who has one….
Glad you like ’em!
If you can cope with the action, Pandora’s Tower is really interesting, but I can understand being turned off by the gameplay. Some of the bosses are extremely frustrating, too, which doesn’t make the action aspect any better! But I loved it overall.
Oh no, it’s too bad you missed Tokyo Jungle when it was on sale! Hopefully it’ll go on sale again soon. Still, I think $15 isn’t too much to ask for it.
I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who enjoys Style Savvy Trendsetters! I haven’t gotten sick of it yet, and I’ve been playing for many hours! I never played the first one but I’m more than happy with the amount of content in this installment.
And yeah, I’m really happy to see Journey get some positive reception. It definitely deserves it!
I take it you live in Europe, then? I’m sure you’ll really enjoy Virtue’s Last Reward when it comes out 🙂 Did you play 999?
I’ll definitely vouch for Pandora’s Tower! You should definitely grab a copy if it’s not too expensive to import. As I already said, I really enjoyed my time with it. A lot of people compare the gameplay to Zelda, but I don’t really play Zelda games so I can’t comment there… anyway, for the sake of comparison I figured I’d mention it, haha
Hm, I think Style Savvy hooked me right away, but there is a lot of content that unlocks. Dressing guys isn’t anything mind-blowing, really, as they don’t get as many style options as women, but I really enjoy the fashion contests. It keeps things fresh when you get sick of managing the store all the time.
I’m really looking forward to the day you get a PS3! It’ll be really fun to see you go through all the great games you’ve been missing out on.
Hm, I’ve heard about Princess Debut and My World My Way, but I haven’t played either. Actually, I really wanted a copy of Princess Debut a while back, but it seemed pretty hard to find! I hope you can find a copy for a reasonable price.
I can definitely understand some people not being as grabbed by Journey as I was. I’m not sure what it is, honestly! There’s just something so pure about the experience that gets me every time, haha. It was fun streaming it, though! I’m platinum, baby!
I definitely recommend Style Savvy if you like the idea of the store management and enjoy fashion! If you *only* like store managing it might not be as fun, though, as there are lots of clothes and you’re always picking out styles to buy or trying to sell outfits to people. But if that sounds like your thing, it’s definitely a quality game!
And yeah, I do have a friend code for my Japanese 3DS! It’s: 2594-9844-2715. If you feel comfortable sharing your friend code here, feel free to post it, or you can email it to me privately at apricotsushi(at)gmail(dot)com
Yes, I did! And I loved it! I didn’t play through all endings, since it was a little time consuming even if you knew most of the puzzle answers already… After seeing two endings I decided that it’s enough for the time being.
I’m pretty sure I’ll enjoy VLR a lot! I downloaded the demo from the US PSN store when it came out and loved it. The graphics look so nice on the Vita.. 🙂
And yes, Europe. From Germany, just as Lizzi – we actually noticed that we happen to live in the same city, heh. :>
Well, I hope that I can get one of my action-loving guy friends to play Pandora’s Tower for me – or at least the actioney parts – while I just lean back and watch. 8)
You should definitely give Meruru a go asap… it’s my favourite game of 2012! I’m so, so glad that Ayesha got announced for a release in April over here already… can’t wait. *_*
I’ll definitely do some digging and see how much a copy of Pandora’s Tower would cost me. If it’s not too much, I’ll probably pick one up soon-ish.
As for Style Savvy: I haven’t yet reached the point where fashion contests are an option, which is weird as I’ve played the game for about seven hours so far.
I’m looking forward to the day I get a PS3, too! It may be a while, though, as I’m actually trying to cut back a bit on my game buying this year. This backlog challenge has made me realize not only how many damn games I buy a year, but how many of those games I fail to play 😐
So, for at least the next few months, all I’m going to buy are the 3DS titles that have been on my wish list for ages: Fire Emblem, Etrian Odyssey, Animal Crossing, Luigi’s Mansion, etc. Now, I’ll probably buy a few other games here and there, but not many.
Later in the year I’ll reconsider the PS3 and Wii U. I’m sure I’ll buy both of them eventually, but it’s possible I’ll wait until, say, late this year to get the Wii U and early next for the PS3. At the very least, both systems are sure to see price drops by then, so at least I’ll get them for cheaper than they are now 🙂
Aww, I just posted and it didn’t go through… grrr…
I really want to get Style Savvy 🙂 I’ll just wait until it goes down in price a bit. The different outfits does seem like fun hehe!
Here is my friend code for my JP 3DS : 0232-7909-7669
If anyone else wants to friend me for any future JP games and Animal Crossing feel free!~
I do have a question : I was talking to Mr. Monkey at the train station and I’m not sure how to work the “Go to other villages” and “invite people to your village”… I’ve been using bing translate for things I dont understand but it’s been a bit slow . If you know that would be awesome. I only have one friend so far lol
Another question that
I love the other Atelier games, so I’m sure I’ll love it, too!
What a coincidence that you live in the same city as Lizzi!
i have to say that if you loved 999 then you’re definitely going to LOVE VLR. And yeah, the graphics look super on the Vita! The only probably I had was the touch controls are really precise so it can be a bit frustrating at times (I don’t have a Vita stylus)
Oh no! I hate when I’ve typed up a long post and it doesn’t work out for some reason 😐 I’m sorry to hear that happened to you.
I’ve added you! We’ll have to visit each other’s towns sometime.
So, to answer your questions:
When you talk to Mr. Monkey, the first set of options is as follows:
1. Go visit someone’s town
2. Have people visit your town
3. Nothing
If you want to go to someone else’s town, click on that option, and then you’ll get the following choices:
1. connect locally (local wireless)
2. visit an town online
3. cancel
I assume you don’t have any local friends with a 3DS and a copy of Animal Crossing, so you’re probably going to be choosing option 2 most of the time. Then it’ll search to see if anyone on your friend’s list has their town’s gates open (I’ll explain that in a second). You need to be friends with someone to visit their village.
If you’d rather have people come visit you, then choose the second option from the first set of choices. Then it will ask if you want to:
1. connect locally (local wireless)
2. connect to online towns
3. cancel
Again, you’ll probably want option 2. The game will then connect you to the internet, after which it will ask you 1. if you want to invite all friends or 2. only invite “best” friends. You can only make a friend a best friend by connecting with them either by visiting their village or having them visit you, after which you can select the best friend option by their name so you can chat with them whenever they’re online, even when you’re in your own respective towns.
Once you pick an option, your town’s gates will open, allowing people on your friends list to search for your town and come visit. Finally, when you want to close your gates, you have to talk to Mr. Monkey again and pick the second option.
Finally, downloadable presents are delivered via SpotPass during special events, so they only come once in a while. You’ll know if you have one by the blue SpotPass mark appearing by the Animal Crossing icon on your 3DS’s home screen. Did you get the sun picture/light thing? (can’t remember its name at the moment) That’s the most recent SpotPass item. I’m pretty sure Pelly will give you the SpotPass item at any time of the day, as I just picked that one up from her at 5:30 am.
Let me know if you have any other questions!