Yesterday, I was musing about the game awards I was going to give out this year, a year that was unlike any other. Yes, the pandemic was part of it, and not my favorite part. I’ll be honest with you. It’s very much not my favorite part of this year. But, there was also the me staying in the hospital for two weeks part, which is also not my favorite part. But it’s the most important thing that happened to me this year. Kind of. More the aftermath and dealing with my parents, but that’s neither here nor there.
Because of my medical trauma and my stay in the hospital, I really fell off new games in the last quarter of this year. I was concentrating on recovery and my stamina loss. I wasn’t really able to process new games so I kept returning to old favorites. There are not going to be many games in my awards this year, but know that each one is giving with 100% sincerity.
Before I hand out the actual awards, I want to mention that I tried a bunch of indie games this year that didn’t hit the mark for me for whatever reason. They include Overboard! by Inkle Studios, Chicory: A Colorful Tale by Greg Lobanov, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion by Snoozy Kazoo, and Unpacking by Witch Beam. These are all good games in their own ways, but they just didn’t resonate with me. I’m especially sad about Unpacking because it was an indie favorite, but it stressed me out when I couldn’t get items in the right place–which is exactly opposite of what you’re supposed to experience while playing the game.
With that out of the way, here are my awards in no particular order.
Best game that got shafted for a legit issue that got blown out of proportion
Boyfriend Dungeon
This came out before I went into the hospital. It’s by Kitfox Games, and I was on their mailing list and got cute updates about the different weapons/suitors. When it came out, I got it on Xbox Game Pass and really enjoyed it. I was surprised, however, that stalking was a major theme of the game since its marketing was all light and fluffy about killing enemies in ‘the dunj’ with your weapons/partners.
There was a content warning about disturbing content, but it did not specifically mention the stalking as being a main storyline. And I get that they probably wanted to keep it a secret to surprise people, but it’s understandable why people would feel misled. And stalking is something that happens to many people; I can see why they would want to avoid it in a game.
It’s a shame that the controversy clouded the actual game because I really enjoyed my time with the game. There are a few issues with it such as I didn’t find one of the weapons until I finished the storyline because the map isn’t great and I didn’t realize you could go to one area where the scythe lived.
The combat is fine. It’s not great, but that’s not the main point of the game. The dating part is more fleshed out and I think there is DLC coming at some point. At least, there were moments in the game that felt like a set-up for future content.
I wish more people had played this game and that it hadn’t been shrouded in controversy at tis released. While I agree that they should have been more open about the stalking, I give them credit for tackling the issue in a pretty realistic way. In addition, they listened to the community and added a much more substantive content warning.
I have very mixed feelings about the controversy. Yes, they should have been more explicit from the start, but they course-corrected when it was brought to their attention. The game is so good-hearted and fun to play that I don’t want the baby to be thrown out with the bathwater. We in minority groups are so hungry for content that reflects our lived existences. I get that. I understand that. However, no one game can be everything to everyone and the danger is that nothing will ever be good enough if we hold out for perfection.
I really enjoyed my time with this game and hope that there will be DLC so I can jump back in again. There were hints that one of the DLC weapons will be an axe–which is exactly my jam. I’ll keep an eye out for it, maybe next summer.
The cozy game that actually has the word cozy in the title.
Cozy Grove
I started playing this game by Spry Fox in April. I was a bit befuddled in the beginning by the idea that you were only supposed to play a set amount of content a day. It’s hard to remember back in the early days when every resource was so precious and you had to actually wait real-time days for certain crops. Like coffee beans. They were so hard to find as you could not grow them. You could only buy them from Mr. Kit after you upgraded his canteen and from the wandering sales red panda once a week. Pandam! That’s his name. They were also the byproduct of certain plants (trees, I think), but that was a rare get.
I liked the game best when I had quests to do for different spirits in order to help them let go of this mortal coil. I enjoyed learning their stories as I helped them with various quests. The stories were touching, emotional, and sometimes quite dark. I liked that the devs didn’t shy away from the darkness. I’ve noticed that in the so-called cozy games I like–there’s a realness to them along with the comfort and the warmth.
I’m in the end game of this game, which is interesting. Every season, the devs add new content, and it’s substantial. There’s a season-related fest (can’t wait to see the Christmas version), with accompanying accoutrements such as jack-o-lanterns for the autumn fest. In addition, there are new fish, plants, trees, and insects for each season. It’s pretty neat!
This is one of the games that got me through the first few weeks after I got home from the hospital. I could just fire it up and tend to my crops and see what Mr. Kit had in his canteen. There’s no pressure for me to do anything specific and I can visit any or all of my old friends. I’m impressed that the devs are continually updating the game and I appreciate that I can dip in and out at my leisure without missing a step. It’s a game with a lot of heart and I’m so glad I stuck with it.
I’m tired so I’ll hold off on the rest of the awards for another post. See you then.