Awkward Mixture's Video Games of 2020: For the First Time in Five Years, I Reviewed A Game Released This Year

It's five years of video games at Awkward Mixture. Being too immersed in the project, readers can judge for themselves if anything has changed in a half decade.

Regular readers know the details. All the games reviewed on Awkward Mixture this year are slotted into four categories, while three games receive top recognition. As the title proudly proclaims, 2020 is the first year with a game reviewed in the year it was released. There might even be more than one!

Like everything else, the pandemic is part of the Awkward Mixture story. With the decreased travel, I wrote more reviews. The pandemic also canceled Dota's Pro Circuit and International, so Awkward Mixture didn't include any articles about those nonexistent events. The dearth of Dota articles opened up space for more video game reviews.

Despite the increase in volume, 2020 wasn't a particularly fruitful year. I won't bore you with the details but a larger percentage of games received recommended with reservations, not recommended, and didn't finish awards than all previous years. 2020 included phenomenal games, but they didn't make up the majority. That sentiment sums up 2020.

Onto the games!

Note: Games are sorted into four levels of recommendation, but all games in a category are reviewed in alphabetical order.

Games I Won't Finish:

These eight games didn't receive a full review because I didn't complete them. Were they any good? Probably not, but I'd concede that one or two deserved more recognition than I could give it.

In Unfinished Games of 2020: Part I, I reviewed Reassembly, First Strike: Final Hour, Zoobinis, and Heat Signature. The first wasn't the game I thought it would be, but I can see its hook for favorable players. First Strike caused pain in my shoulder from repetitive, incessant clicking. Zoombinis didn't live up to my nostalgic, 5^th grade memories, but I'd recommend it for children. Heat Signature reminded me that I didn't enjoy Tom Francis' 2013 Gunpoint.

Another four games comprised Unfinished Games of 2020: Part II. This article reviewed Panzer Corps, Fallout, Rise to Ruins, and Firewatch. Though I initially liked Panzer Corps because of its board game feel, I came to dislike it because it felt like I was competing against an incompetent player. Fallout was a game I really wanted to enjoy, and sometimes that desire hurts the playing. If there is a fault with the failure to finish, I claim it as mine. Rise to Ruins wasn't like Dwarf Fortress as I expected (and its incredibly difficult to create a food supply). Knowing that the lead writer of Firewatch also wrote The Walking Dead: Season One elevated my hopes, only to seem them turned to ash. The character of Henry, and the dialogue, were both dreadful.

If I was Trapped At Home During A Pandemic, I Wouldn't Replay These Games:

I finished (what does it mean to finish a game? With all the content left hiding in darkened corners, can anyone say they ever really finished any game?) playing these games, but I wouldn't invite others to try them.

The biggest remaining mystery about Furi, aside from, “What in the world is happening in this game?” is, “Did the developers try to make the game look this bad, or was it accidental?” Furi is composed of so many disparate styles, all of them poor, with a vague story that refuses to elucidate its themes or plot. The combat, which should be the redeeming feature, has been better implemented better in too many games to name. With these characteristics, Furi has The Most Stereotypical Lone Master Swordsman.

Neofeud, on the other hand, at least knows what it aiming to do. It has a story to tell, a coherent visual style with a bit of flair, and developed core gameplay mechanics. Unfortunately, the visuals vacillate from superb to shoddy, the story veers from serious topics to zany deus exes, and the point and click adventure gameplay includes the usual incomprehensible puzzles. Despite its failures, Neofeud successfully paints its picture, The Most Depressing Depiction Of A Future Under Capitalism.

In 2009 Creeper World released to critical approval, with IGN Rock, Paper, Shotgun and others praising its simple, but solid, concept. Interested parties can still find it free sites like Armor Games and Kongregate, as long as Flash is installed on their computer. But the series, now a decade old, is barely crawling. Desperate for new ideas, Developer Knuckle Cracker released a variation, Particle Fleet: Emergence, but it offers only the most rudimentary improvements. That's why Particle Fleet is Most Like A 2010 Flash Game.

The God Game genre, like most genres, is loosely defined. Is it a game where people worship a god, where the player has god like powers, or is literately a god. Are Civilization, RimWorld, or SimCity god games? Not compared to Simmiland. This game hands the player the thunderstorms favored by Jehovah and Zeus. Unfortunately Simmiland doesn't offer the player much to do with their power. The worshipers are the worst type of incompetent. They can't figure out how to maintain a proper food supply even when you've taught them. The player, as god, is forced to spend their time providing food, so their worshiper won't starve. That isn't how I'd want to spend eternity. Simmiland is The Simplest God Game.

Maybe it's not fair to say this, but if you didn't like Gone Home, or other Walking Simulators (The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, Firewatch, or The Beginner's Guide), there isn't any reason to try Tacoma. I know this fact, and yet I keep returning. I'm sure I'll never make that mistake again. Only, I've got What Remains of Edith Finch on my Steam wishlist... Regardless, Tacoma is Just Another Walking Simulator With An Upbeat Twist.

I was pleasantly surprised by The Fall in 2017. I am entirely dissatisfied with The Fall 2. Maybe they are relatively the same game. But the writing, the thematic elements are worse in the second, and the game doesn't improve in the areas it originally suffered. In contrast to the 2017 review, The Fall 2 is the Dullest Cliche of Robots Overriding their Programming.

Tokyo 42 is difficult to describe. It's a colorful, chaotic shooter makes great visual use of heights. On a quest to murder the person who framed you for a murder, the combat system doesn't offer enough variety. The enemies swarm like garish ants if they see the player. It's easier to assassinate enemies with the katana, but this detracts from the gunplay. Tokyo 42 is almost, almost, not really, like the original Grand Theft Auto, except there are no cars, and the only missions are the ones where the player has to have engage in a fire fight. Sure there are many difference, but here's what I'm saying, “Would you like a game whose core mechanic is boring fights, and feels like it is missing a key component?” Tokyo is the Game with The Largest Contrast Between Visuals and Gameplay.

It's incorrect to say I finished When Ski Lifts Go Wrong. It would be wrong to say I tried very hard because this game is a complete wreck. Literately, my ski lifts, snow parks, and dirt bike trails are wrecks, because the construction aspect of this construction simulator (and to be fair the driving parts as well) collapses as quickly as unstable junk. The When The Most Things Go Wrong Game!

Games I Would Recommend, But Only After Careful Consideration:

These games may interest someone. But probably not everyone. What I'm say is, some will find these worthwhile. Others, not so much.

Bad North is like Reassembly, because it tricked me into thinking it's something it's not. It's not a strategy or tactical game (I will also say this next year about Into The Breach). Bad North is a very simple game.  The player fights battle after battle on slightly different, tiny islands, against slightly different enemy compositions. It includes minor, tiny, strategy elements, and minimal upgrades to a handful of army groups. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't worth fighting for. It is awarded Best Job of Tricking Me Into Thinking It Was A Strategy Game.

Compared to When Ski Lifts Go Wrong, Bridge Constructor Portal looks phenomenal. It looks like a spaceship compared to a haphazard pile of rotten wood boards. Unsurprisingly it also plays better. The constructions are solid and the physics are fine, allowing the player to understand what works and why some constructions fail. The more difficult puzzles even allow multiple solutions. On the fragile side, Portal Constructor only includes two building materials, and repeats its limited tricks later in the game. On rare occasions constructions cause unexpected outcomes. Bridge Constructor Portal is The Best Portal Spin-Off.

Civilization V changed the genre. It limited each hex to one military unit, the most crucial upgrade in the history of 4X games. In my dreams I still relive the horror of watching huge stacks of soldiers moving in Civilization III. Though I preferred aspects of III and IV, this single change made a return impossible. Civilization VI on the other hand, mildly alters workers and roads? The government mechanics are changed, but they change every game (they'll be different for Civ VII), and the districts focus on hex management, but are still connected to the cities. If I were to replay a Civ game (I'm not), I can't think of why I'd choose VI over V, IV, or III, making Civilization VI The Most Unnecessary Sequel.

I would have loved, loved Disco Elysium. I would have been yelling its praises from the rooftops. But it includes one game breaking flaw. Ten hours in, its possible to reach a problem the player can't solve, halting all progress. The game doesn't warn the player about this flaw. The developer doesn't seem concerned. They posted this defense on Steam, “If it's 2:00 am and everyone has gone to sleep, the streets are empty and you can't do any [thing] – or enough at least to pay Garte – then congratulations: you are the hobocop now. The only way to get out of this jam is to load a save from earlier.” If the player doesn't have an earlier save file from earlier, they can either restart from scratch, try to edit the game file, or quit. I can't see anything else but this flaw, making it The Most Flawed, Excellent Game.

Somehow I slogged through sixty hours of Fallout 4 and the Far Harbor DLC. Choosing to complete the latter is the more surprising part, because I 'd already suffered through the content of the base game. For a brief time, the woods of Arcadia seemed fresh compared to the ruins of Boston. I managed to fight through hordes of bandits, super mutants, synths, and ghouls, who litter the wasteland like trash in a box of recycling. I only finished it because of my affinity for the two locations, making Fallout 4, The Game That Most Manipulated My Love For Massachusetts.

One of my favorite companies is publisher Paradox Interactive and its subsidiary developer, Paradox Development Studios. Sure, Stellaris was only ok, and Tyranny could have been better, and Sword of the Stars II was a joke. But I love Mount & Blade: Warband, Pillars of Eternity, and the Europa Universalis series including III, Rome, and IV. With this history I asked a friend, who had played Hearts of Iron III, if he wanted to play Hearts of Iron IV. Because of the complexity, learning a Paradox Game with a friend is a great help. Even with a friend, the series didn't measure up to other Paradox Games. Unlike the freedom of EU and Crusader Kings 2, HOI 4 felt constricted, militarily, but especially politically. The systems impose a number of limitations, which are often hidden, or if found, unexplained. Hearts of Iron IV is The Most Rigid Historical Simulator.

Imagine the original Zelda, but Link dies every sixty seconds. That's Minit. After picking up a cursed sword, the protagonist needs to find a method to dispose of it. There's sword swiping, puzzle solving, and item collecting. The sixty second limit is why Minit wins The Most Innovative Mechanic. It isn't perfect, it's surprisingly frustrating, but it is also ...

Long ago I accepted that the Total War series would always be hampered by an incompetent tactical AI. Total War: Warhammer implemented a solution for this problem, but it wasn't one I appreciated. It felt like the developers removed tactics from battles. Flanking was impossible with narrow battlefields, or evasive enemies. The only way the AI ever wins a Total War game is with superior forces, and that didn't change in this iteration. This is another series I used to love, no longer excites my passion. So why am I considering playing A Total War Saga: Troy (which I received for free on the Epic Store)? Warhammer is The Least Tactical Total War Game.

Honorable Mentions:

Not everyone will love these games. Some despise sport games, or reading Faulkner while playing a video game. But these are exemplary titles, deploying expertise and enjoyment.

Europa Universalis IV returns to the reviews, after debuting in the first year of the blog. Since then I've purchased all but one the DLCs, and stopped playing it solo. Instead I've found it more enjoyable to play a weekly session with friends. This new method comes with additional pressure; I can't recklessly declare war, and then load an old save when I lose. On the other hand, play proceeds in a casual atmosphere. We play at a leisurely speed, mock the computer and check on everyone (in and out of game). If one play finds themselves in a desperate situation, we bail them out with gifts of ducats. For those who've never played multiplayer EU4 (or some other Paradox Development Studios game) this pandemic is the perfect time to try. EU4 is The Best Multiplayer Game To Learn With Friends.

Some people waited seven years to finish playing a five episode game which doesn't have more than ten hours of content. Not me. But … I did checked Cardboard Computer's twitter and website monthly, waiting for when I could play this game that so many reviewers awarded Best Game of 2013. Kentucky Route Zero can't live up to the almost decade long expectations, but it comes close. The writing which catalogs and examines the characters and vignettes of Route 65, the Zero, the Echo, and 5 Dogwood Drive, is phenomenal. The writing makes KRZ Most Like Reading A Work Of American Literature.

I'm the sort of Madden fan who loves the game, but doesn't care about the real players. I'm content to buy one version, and play it for a decade before purchasing the newest iteration. I love playing a ten season team, where all the players are people I traded for or drafted. Reviewing Madden yearly would be painful. The game has barely changed since I owned Madden 06 for the GameCube during college. Madden hasn't been available on the PC since 2008 (I have it from Amazon). So I was ecstatic when EA released Madden 20 (They also released Madden 2019, but I missed it) for the PC. That's why Madden 20 is The Best Return To The PC After A Decade Long Hiatus.

This was the year that my wife started playing video games. She made a Steam account. I even bought her Murder By Numbers for Christmas. Overcooked tested our ability to work under pressure as orders piled up. It requires coordination and cooperation to chop, cook, plate, and serve meals in a variety of kitchens, each with their unique gimmick. Though the final confrontation with the Flying Spaghetti Monster tested our skills, we were able to serve it enough delicious food to satisfy its hunger. Overcooked it The Best Multiplayer Game To Introduce A Non-Gamer to Video Games.

Looking for early 1990s nostalgia? Sonic Mania perfectly recreates the feeling of classic Sonic games like 2, 3, and Knuckles, but it refuses to settle on simple replication. It enhances the basic game with modern graphics (while preserving the older style), and adds quality of life improvements. The player chooses to control Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles, and each comes with their own unique play-style. Unlike the originals, the game saves after each Zone. My five year old son loved playing verse matches with me, making it great for young and old gamers alike. Sonic Mania is The Best Revitalization of A Classic Series.

Another throwback, Stardew Valley is a perfect improvement on the classic Harvest Moon series. It features a thriving community (with people who feel real), mining, exploration, and of course, farming. While the initial variety of crops seems endless, players seeking maximum profit will limit themselves. The developer realized this, and added in game goals which encourage diversification. However, by the second year the player has seen most of the material. The second winter is especially tedious as the player awaits their score on the first day of Spring. These errors this can't dim the colorful expression of joy that is Stardew Valley, making it The Best Recreation Of A Classic Game (see, it's made by an independent developer, not associated with Marvelous Inc., while Sonic Mania was made with the assistance of Sega, the original creators).

SUPERHOT won Awkward Mixture's Game of the Year in 2017. SUPERHOT: MIND CONTROL DELETE features only a minor improvements over its predecessor. I expect more of a sequel, especially one whose predecessor wowed with innovation. MCD suffers because the developers expanded the length of the game, without expanding the mechanics to match. MCD still contains its core mechanics, but the few additions aren't enough to elevate it. That's why MCD is The Sequel That Is Most Like A DLC.

Awkward Mixture's 3^rd Place Award:

I played Prey (and the Mooncrash DLC) in mid February. Time blurs the memory. Did I like Prey more when I played it, or less? Do I want to remember it more fondly than I actually do? Has my opinion changed since then, based on the other games I played? Or am I really wearing VR headset and replaying the memories of some other person? Prey has one of the best opening sequences in any game I've ever played. Once the player realized the threat, they spent their time sneaking around the massive Talos space station, avoiding Typhons, and trying to solve the mysteries of the station. While the base game has the better story, the DLC is more tense, with a better twist on the gameplay. If I could only play one, it would be the latter. That's why this game has The Best DLC That's Like A Stand-Alone Game (And Might Even Be Better Than The Base Game).

Awkward Mixture's 2^nd Place Award:

In April, I never anticipated Kingdom Come: Deliverance would become the second place finisher of 2020. Though it still held the 1^st place ranking in October, I was waiting for something to dethrone it. KCD has strengths. A massive, beautiful open world to explore. An intriguing series of quests in medieval Bohemia. A unique, if tough combat system. KCD reminded me of a Morrowind, if it was set in a non-fantasy world, and designed with the benefits of 2018 technology. On the other hand, combat sometimes felt too tough, even at later levels. This was especially true fighting two or more foes simultaneously. Nor did the tutorial explain to use a mace against armored foes (instead of that useless sword). Near the ending the story constricted, reducing the vast player freedom allowed for most of the play time. Of all the successes, KCD exhibited The Best Development Of The Protagonist.

Best Game of 2020/2019:

The victor of video games this year, surprised me nearly as much as Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Everyone who plays video games, or consumes media, has an impression about what genres they enjoy. I've always thought I preferred strategy, tactics, and story. I'm not saying don't still think that. But in Awkward Mixture's five year of game awards, this will be the third year that a First Person Shooter wins Game of the Year. Apex Legends is the first battle royal game I've played, and the second online multiplayer game I've played seriously. For six months it absorbed me into the drops, the looting, and the fighting to become the champion of the arena. At first I played with a few friends, but found myself playing more and more by myself when they were busy. At my peak I ranked Platinum IV, which was good enough to feel successful, but not enough to be impressed. I couldn't see myself achieving a higher rank. As a Platinum IV player I encountered Platinum I players who performed incredible feats as easily as breathing. In most cases, other players were either friendly or silent, though every once in awhile I encountered someone upset with the world. Apex Legends looks exceptional, plays phenomenally, and offers endless engagement. Two years after release, the developer continues to deliver new legends, balance patches, new game modes, and new maps. Though I may never play it again, with everything out there to play, Apex Legends is The Best Game Of Awkward Mixture Of 2020.

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Looking into next year, I have some leftovers from 2020 to start 2021, but they aren't worse for being reheated. After that, fresh new games.

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