Number 5
Gears Tactics – PC
Oh man, what can i say about Gears Tactics. It’s Gears of War. Tactics. What more do you need! Thanks for coming out everyone.
Well i should probably say a bit more than that, or the bosses may take away my coffee money.
Splash Damage and The Coalition have done an amazing job at bringing the gritty post apocalypse world of Gears of War to the turn based battlefield. The visuals and cutscenes almost rival Gears itself, this ain’t your standard turn based game, its beautiful and smooth from beginning to end.
Gone is the standard turn based grid map, in favour of a more open movement system much like XCOM. And this works very well for Gears tactics. Giving the player a more fluid sense of movement around the map rather than just being placed there. Don’t let this game’s pretty face fool you though, it’s still a Gears game and will curb stomp you if you wander off to smell the post-apocalyptic flowers. Not to say that the game is overly brutal, but it will be a fun challenge for players of all skill levels.
I had a blast playing Gears Tactics and it deserves a much higher rank than number 5 on my list, but i played a lot of great games this year that all needed a fair shake.
I hope Microsoft backs this game into the future. With new campaigns, DLC, events, challenges and online play. It would be a shame to let this stellar game fade away.
Have you been interested in Gears of War but are not into shooters, or maybe you are a tactical turn based veteran looking for a new challenge, give Tactics a chance. It will surprise you.
Want to engage the Locust horde? Interested in taking down a Brumak? Load up fellow Gears and stay frosty.
Frag out.
Number 4
The Long Dark – PC
Have you ever had a moment where a game takes you totally by surprise? A game you have heard of, but completely slips under your radar, but grabs you so deep when you have the chance to play it that you get lost for hours. For me this year, that game is The Long Dark. It impressed me so much that I swapped out one of my Top 5 games just to have the chance to say something about it.
Let’s get past the elephant in the room first. The visuals.
The Long dark has a very stylized, cell shaded look that may put some people off. Looking like a game from several generations ago, but don’t let that throw a monkey wrench into the works for you. The game is beautiful, highly atmospheric and that is what will pull you deep into what is actually a really great survival game.
The wealth of content in this game also floored me. The is an online mode, survival, a challenge mode with a one hour limit for a quick gaming session and a wonderful episodic story mode with 6 years of ongoing content. The Long Dark packs a serious punch for entertainment value. While feeling a bit more slower paced than other survival games that relish in speeding you to your untimely demise, surviving can still be a challenge for those who are up for it.
This a game you will enjoy for hundreds of hours, or die trying. Good luck.
Number 3
Two Point Hospital – PC
So you want to run a hospital? Yeah come on, i’m talking to you, you know you want to.
Well guess what, it’s your lucky day with Two Point Hospital from Sega.
It’s a cute micro management sim that is easily the best of the genre. From the zany antics of the hospital staff and the patients, to the sometimes outlandish treatments that will have you laughing, Two Point Hospital always has something going on to keep you entertained.
Mini challenges sometimes shake up the casual pace of the game. And some hospitals can be a downright daunting challenge, but still a blast.
Who do hire? Who do fire? How the hell do I serve the clients and keep this damn hospital afloat?
Play Two Point Hospital and find out for yourself.
Number 2
Grounded – PC
Grounded looked kinda interesting and it is made by Obsidian, so I decided to give it a look.
And it surprised me.
What looks to be a fun, kids adventure, is actually a very serious survival game that will keep you on you toes.
You will run from every bug that crosses your path for the first few runs. You never know who is friend or foe and by the time you find out…it’s too late.
Build. Level up. Craft.
Become the fierce bug hunter you were born to be.
Number 1
State of Decay 2 – PC
The State of Decay series has had its hooks in me since the first one released in 2013. Undead Labs and Microsoft Studios have an absolute winner with this game. And yet it’s still largely overlooked by so many.
Base building? Resource gathering? Zombie killing?
Yes it’s all that and more.
The game is such a unique blend of many aspects that all fit together in a very organically.
State 2 is obviously an evolution of the first game.
But many things that were altered take away from what made it different and gave it character.
Not so much the graphics improvements, but changes to the menus and IU, the humour and the campiness that made State of Decay cool.
Some examples below.
Not saying in any way that State 2 is a bad game, hundreds of hours and 10 thousand zombie kills later and I’m still playing.
It’s a game that anyone with a PC or Xbox should be playing.
It’s not a one and done.
It’s about survival. Building a group of survivors. And facing whatever challenges may come. It’s about the journey.
And with constant updates, new content and a massive rollout, The Juggernaut Edition that improved the game and added tones of new items, features and a new map…the journey continues.
You can buy it or play on Xbox gamepass.
How will you choose to survive?
The Grumpy Old Gamers 
Leave a comment