Hidden gems/games that surprised you this year?

There are a few games that didn’t catch my attention initially, but surprised me.

• Neon White: this is one of the most unique titles I’ve played in a while. It’s an FPS puzzle platformer. You have to run through the stage, picking up items, shooting enemies, making good timed jumps, and using power ups to make your way through. I think of it as an anime version of Ghostrunner/Mirror’s Edge but with guns lol. Also, Steve Blum voices the main character!
• Fire Emblem Three Hopes: I’m not far into this game, but from what I played, I loved the sword combat. Usually I’m not into these Dynasty Warrior type games, though Persona 5 Strikers was an exception. And it sounds like this game will be an exception too the more I play.
• Cursed to Golf: golf meets roguelike/golf fantasy. Pretty fun pick up and play entry and it’s only $20! Great game for the Switch.
• Into the Breach Advanced Edition: I know the original game came out a while ago, but the Advanced Edition was released this year. if you’re someone that‘s into tactics games, this is fairly addicting lol. Another perfect game for the Switch.

How about you, SW? Hidden gems/games that surprised you this year?

I played the original GoW games for the first time this year. Definitely better than I expected. Much preferred them to 2018.

Stray.

I am a cat lover so I told all my friends I'd be getting the game for shits and giggles. turns out it is the second best game of 2022 after Elden Ring so far.

That would have to be OlliOlli World. This was the first game I had played in the OlliOlli franchise. It's one of the most innovative skateboarding games I've ever played. The graphics look great and the controls are sharp.

Sniper Elite 5 is the best game I've played so far this year:

• Lengthy singleplayer that takes you through WW2
• Coop campaign: you and you budy can work together, or against eachtother
• Invasion mode: invade other people's game and try to stop them reaching their goals from the POV of a German soldier
• Multiplayer coop: hold out against increasingly difficult waves and scramble what little resources you have when the tanks roll in
• Multiplayer PVP

What would you say is the most appealing aspect to it?

LiveALive

This is probably my game of the year so far. Didn't expect to like it so much.

This is the best turn based RPG for people with short attention spans or limited time to play. The way it can jump from world to world is awesome.

LiveAlive has everything octopath was missing imo.

For me, Stray was a nice little surprise. It was relaxing, fun, cute, not difficult and addicting. I wish I could experience it again for the first time.

what are your thoughts on previous Sniper Elite games? They always sound great on paper but for some reason none of them have clicked for me and I get bored after a few missions.

should I try this one out? (its on gamepass, so I really should)

for myself, i'd say Nobody Saves the World and Tunic are both indie games I've enjoyed that were not on my radar prior to this year.

V Rising I also had some fun with the early access release, but fell off it after 20 hours or so.

but man, it's been a slow year for me so far. I'd struggle to come up with a solid top 5 if the year ended now

Stray for sure. Didn't know it was even a thing till it came out.

@R4gn4r0k: I may have to give the game a second shot.

How am i supposed to find a gem if all i've been playing ER? HOW?

To me there's been no gems that I've played this year you can't really put shredders revenge as I expected it to be good. Been a slow year for me.

Ok so I've played all of them except for the first and well:

You can basically skip every single one of them except for SE 4 & SE 5.

SE4 is a huge step up for the series, it features advanced movement, allowing you to parkour through levels. Very important for a game about a sniper climbing bell towers to find his targets.

It also features some of the best levels in the game with some of the longest shots ever.

SE5 is another huge step up. It's a first time where shooting the other guns that aren't sniper rifles is fun, and for that they added ADS to every single other weapon. Now pulling off headshots with a Welrod or M1A1 thompson can be fun.

So it's not just about sniping anymore, and laying traps. It's now a whole package where every single element feels like it serves its part. The movement is great now and the shooting doesn't just rely on you using rifles 24/7.

@R4gnar0k sounds like I better give it a try then! the improvement to non-sniper weapons sounds promising, I think that was always an issue for me

Another game that I think has potential is Tiny Tina. Seemed liked a game that had a lot of marketing tho.

Chorvs is a lot of fun. It's a spaceship shooter, lot's of fun. Story just fun enough to keep you going. Cool controls with "drifting".

Haven't played more than a few hours and I need to get back to it, but still...something I haven't heard anyone mention and something I tried on a whim but really enjoyed.

It's the best Sniper Elite game to date imo.

My only criticism is that there are not a lot of really long sniping shots in the game but, as this was WWII, you didn't get a lot of those 1000+ yard shots you get like you do these days haha.

But no, it's great. Great stealth components that remind me of the good times of Splinter Cell, a good campaign with the same great action-movie hero you've known for the last four games, plus everything else @R4gn4r0k mentioned.

Blasphemous. I was really surprised how much I enjoyed this Metroidvania especially with how brutal it is. I cannot wait for part 2.

@SolidGame_basic: That you get to play as a cat

@R4gn4r0k: going to get all this commission for everyone playing sniper elite 5 this weekend lol

Why do i have that awkward feelin you might not even find a gem if it´s right in front of you laughing into your face while yelling "HERE I AM!"?

Why haven't you played it? Skip soul hackers. Play an actual good game instead :D

This game is fun, stealthy, action, just insanely good ;)

Back before 4 the gameplay was nothing but sniping and laying traps. Now you get increased movement and the weapons that aren't rifles are actually fun to use :D

I haven't told you about the best parts yet: you can go non lethal now. So all the regular soldiers (none primary targets) can be taken out in a non lethal way. As a huge Dishonored 'clean hands' fan, of course I had to do it that way.

And lastly you can also in depth customize your weapons now. From muzzle to trigger, to shorter barrels... It's a big upgrade over previous games.

Most of all: enjoy! ;)

yeah I think Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts is the superior franchise for the KM distance shots.

But for someone who playe SE5 very stealthily and used wooden bullets, the close range combat was extremely fun :D

@R4gn4r0k said:

@SolidGame_basic said:

@R4gn4r0k: going to get all this commission for everyone playing sniper elite 5 this weekend lol

This game is fun, stealthy, action, just insanely good ;)

Looking at the flag, i am happy to see them still having ballz unlike most of those girly-man-devs who are too scared to use historical accurate swastikas in their WWII games.

@R4gn4r0k: Sniper Elite 5 is definitely best game this year. its no masterpiece or anything. its flawed but fun game.

What the **** happened to AAA ww2 games?

I want DDay, I want brutal combat in Russian cities, .... I want stuff that actually happened.

I don't want girly anime characters with tails who shoot their hello kitty guns at eachother.

I don't want this.

The reset era type gamers complain about dude bro shooters since 7th gen. now they are getting what they deserve.

I guess this is what the industry is doing and mostly caring for: MONEY

So since many gamers these days are steam-boy-hypocrites sharing their luv for perverted japanese-cartoon characters with big eyes and nasty tentacles while hating on historical accurate WWII swastikas and other historical accurate WWII settings, the industry gives them what they want, regardless of you and me hating this retarded, stupid as well childish big-eye-cartoon-and-tentacle-crap.

Did i just said "tentacles"? Oh i forgot, anime and hentai aren´t the same!

Well for me it´s all the same sick shit...tentacles or not.

Triangle Strategy. I knew I’d enjoy it but I would say that it was better then I was expecting.

Live A Live was very good... I enjoyed it more than I thought too.

Another huge surprise for me was 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. It was probably the biggest surprise for me this year. Great game.

There were also a few Indie games that I loved too, such as the one I'm currently playing, The Adventure Pals.

Zoomers became devs.

Stray: Kitty sim!

Tunic: Zelda homage (ripoff lol)!

Can I say (having never played this new one) that I hate this?

I loved that the whole deal was that you HAD to be a sniper, in a hidey hole, protected by traps, and had a slim chance of surviving open combat... this kinda sounds like any other TPS game now? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's still great fun, but has it now lost what made the series special?

Even more options for sniping now. You can adjust your rifle to be longer ranged, pick the right ammo for the right situation, and you still always have to be smart about your next move or the whole map knows where you are in no time.

It didn't stop being a sniper game just because it included more options...

Just like Dishonored 2 didn't stop being a game about stealth, because it included more options for a non stealth playthrough.

Or that Dishonored 2 didn't stop being a game about giving you kick ass super powers, just because it allowed a non-power runthrough.

I feel you really need to play Sniper Elite 5, it's the best one in the series, easily. And you'll never get a tense moment of laying a perfect trap, waiting in that sniper position and needing to readjust your whole plan because you've just been invaded by another human being who's now set to hunt you.

Very fair points, appreciate the insight, and I do definitely need to play it!

I have a strange fondness for how many times I've been annihilated in this series when sniping failed, but you are correct, it's still a sniper game at heart :)

Amid Evil.

Played a few of these retro-shooter games. And generally speaking, the majority have problems such as A) Shitty cheap art direction B) They actually aren't old-school at all just using the aesthetics or C) They just aren't to the quality of what they are trying to emulate

Amid Evil is a game inspired by Heretic, that is both a modernation, while being faithful to old school sensibilities, and better than the thing being emulating.

they brought back the person who made the first gow for ragnarok and the gameplay with the chaos blades are back. so borog guy there and the person who made the first 3 are teaming up for ragnarok.

@gifford38: Are you talking about David Jaffe? I'm pretty sure he directed the first one and Barlog did the second one, and 2018. Where did you hear that?

@uninspiredcup: I have to play that.. Have you tried Ion Fury? If so, you like?

@Litchie: Thought Ion Fury was already. Not Duke3D quality though. Just, good at best once get past the presentation.

Amid Evil is all kinda of awesome.