The GNamer Forum Awards 2021 and Five Years of Switch (Thanks For Voting!)

Death's Door (9 points, 3 votes, 1 first)



You say:
“The surprise breakout of the year, challenging but fair gameplay mixed with a lovely use of muted colours, good writing and wonderful music.”
“It was the best game obv, great combat, fun world to explore, plenty of fun to be had.”
“The music? Lovely. The combat? Buttery smooth. The story? Just the kind of melancholy that tickles my pickle.”

I say: We start with... a solid 7/10.  Oh.  

Yes yes, I know, this isn't the popular take.  In particular, the combat felt what I imagine a 2D version of Dark Souls would feel like - combined with the muted aesthetic, there's no way it wasn't going to appeal more to people who are fans of that kind of game.  Even despite that, it managed to make me laugh a few times.  Raise a glass to the real best Octodad.

NEO: The World Ends With You (12 points, 3 votes, 1 first)



You say:
“If you'd told me several years ago that a sequel to one of my favourite games old time wouldn't even get the top spot in my GOTY list, I'd have called you bonkers. Sadly, the combat system in NTWEWY doesn't have that same spark as the original and I do think the original came at a time when I'd seen nothing else like it.
Whilst NTWEWY isn't as revolutionary as its dual-screened predecessor in my eyes, it's still a bloody good JRPG. The game looks much better than I'd expected in 3D and the stylised art and eclectic J-Pop laden soundtrack really add to the overall presentation. I do prefer the original's combat system, but there's a really neat flow to NTWEWY's combat that keeps it enjoyable for its runtime. Also, the fanservice moments appealed to my very soul, and I have to reward it for that.”
“I didn’t know how much I wanted this until I got it.  Maybe some of the uniqueness of the dual-screen original has been stripped away, but so has much of the confusion.  Still there are the style, the surprisingly good voice acting, and the sublime battle system.  This is an all-timer that every RPG fan, and definitely every fan of the original, should play.”
“A sequel somehow well worth the excrutiatingly long wait.”

I say: YASSSSSS it made it!  I thought it would likely be pushed out, but it wasn't!  This was easily my top game of 2021, and one of my top 25 games of all time.  Excellent battling, possibly the best I've ever played in a JRPG (including smashing the original's, yes smashing it), dripping with style and backing it up with substance.  With it also being out on PS4, there's really no excuse for anybody who enjoyed the original or the idea of the original not picking this up.  Phenomenal game.

New Pokémon Snap (15 points, 6 votes, 0 firsts)



You say:
“Twenty-two years in the making, it was almost a dream come true. As undemanding and stress-free as I’d hoped for all these years, and it was everything I imagined it could be. It successfully realised the N64 original’s massive potential, amazingly.”
“I have massive nostalgia for the N64 original but I genuinely think this holds up in 2021 as an excellent game in its own right that brought enough new mechanics to the table to make it worthwhile. And it looked luuush.”
“I bloody love Pokemon, and for me the best part of any Pokemon game is the beasties themselves. Seeing well-animated, gorgeous monsters doing their thing in well-realised environments? It was the Walking with Pokemon BBC documentary I've always dreamed of.”
"The wait for Metroid Dread seems like peanuts compared to the wait for a new Pokemon Snap. It's exactly what it should be!"
“I really enjoyed this after all the time since the N64 game”
"If your photos aren’t good enough, get Miroslav Klose”

I say: Perhaps the one that got away from me this year, it did look lovely.  Nonetheless it was always my sister who was the big fan of the N64 original, not me - I've never been much of one for high score challenges, and I didn't think New Snap would provide much beyond that.  Still, it might well be one for a dry period down the line - and I can't argue that it's long overdue.  The second sequel to be so in this list, in fact...

Metroid Dread (28 points, 8 votes, 3 firsts)



You say:
“If they hadn't already perfected the formula before now then they did with this, the gameplay is fluid, the EMMI are terrifying in the right kind of way and Samus is an absolute badass.”
"Whilst I perhaps wasn't as fond of those as some on the forum, Samus has never controlled better in 2D than she has in Dread. The platforming and combat felt smooth and the game really shone for me when it took off the training wheels and let you explore the map in full. I'm glad Samus is back - let's hope she's here to stay this time.”
“I realise this is probably a pretty boring choice, but I thought Dread was a lot of fun. It maybe isn't as impactful as other Metroid games were, but it has a lot going for it - spooky enemies, tight world design and an engaging yarn. I wanted a new Metroid for years, I got one, I had a lovely time.”
“While it doesn't quite take the prize of being my favourite Metroid game I had a great time playing this, it's a bit linear than I expected but how Samus controls & the boss fights are where it shines(sparks) the most.”
“Technically excellent but slightly soulless, great-feeling to play but slightly hard to remember, I’m still really glad we got this.”
“Because 2D Metroid is 100000000000000 times better than 3D Metroid; I loves me a Metroidvania, and once again the game that branded the genre does it best. And is a game I played in 2021.”
“Dready or not, here I come”
“Was there any other choice?”

I say: And here's the third.  How good is it that we got a new 2D Metroid this year?  For three of you, exceptionally good.  Myself, I can't quite see how this tops anybody's list: I think it's a class act that's just missing something. It feels a bit by-the-numbers sometimes, and the EMMI are... shall we say, divisive.  (And it's not a superior 3D Metroid, natch.) Still, it made my list, it's a jolly good game, and crucially it sold well.  2D Metroid's back chaps!

Monster Hunter Rise (35 points, 8 votes, 4 firsts)



You say:
“When Rise was revealed, there was jubilation amongst the Mash lads. We'd mostly grown fatigued with the larger maps and tankier monsters of the big budget World and I think we were all glad to see something a bit closer to the older games in design. There's so much to love about Rise. It's great having locales that don't detract from the overall gameplay loop of hunting beasties whilst still being a treat to explore. The combat is, in my humble opinion, the best it's ever been with some of the clunkier weapons like Greatsword feeling revolutionised in Rise's fast paced and zippy combat. The new monsters are nearly all winners with the yokai inspiration proving to be a great idea. The game's proven to be so good that it even revived a derelict Monster Mash podcast from its reveal trailer alone. Roll on Sunbreak!”
"I've played a lot of MonHan games and most know I do like one or two hunts, then I'm done, so for me to do even all the village hunts shows how good the game is and I'm excited about the expansion.”
“I was determined to get in to this series this time around but in the end I didn't have to try very hard, it became very addictive for a good while. The onboarding process is always daunting but they managed to get it spot on this time whilst also having so many more in depth mechanics for those who want to explore them.”
“It's Monhan, it's super Japanese, it has a big dog that one can ride like a horse . . . obviously this was my Game of the Year. Belter. Bring on some more difficult monsters!”
“It's Monster Hunter, it's always good, I miss G rank”
“The best Monster Hunter game, ergo one of the greatest of all time.”
“Let's be honest, was it going to be anything else?”
“One for the money and the free rides
It's two for the lie that you denied
All rise, all rise (c’mon)"

I say:


I expected this from the beginning, and so did a lot of you I'm sure.  MHR was always going to get a heap of votes from the Mash lads, but this feels like it was the game that broke through that barrier and found a wider audience here.  People like Smurf and Mas got in on the action - as indeed did I.  It didn't make my votes and I think it has some big flaws, but I know I hamstrung myself by not playing it in online multiplayer, and I still had a very good time with it.  Not much to say here: the game that was always going to win, won!

Tetris Effect Connected (7 / 2 / 1)
“Pretty damn close to perfection. It’s the most refined, addictive and enrapturing version of Tetris there’s ever been.”
“I'm a Tetris slut and this is Tetris with some extra fun modes. The whole "emotional life-changing journey through Tetris" schtick is a bit cringe, but it's as fun to play as ever."

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles (7 / 2 / 0)
“I have my issues with this, and it’s a shame that two of the biggest ones are two of the main characters - but come on.  Two all-new-in-the-West Ace Attorney games?  From the pen of Shu Takumi?  On Switch?  With the best aide the series has ever had?  We’re absurdly lucky to be able to play this, and you should do just that.”
“A game about the early interactions between Meiji Japan and Imperial England? It satirises Sherlock Holmes and critiques European exceptionalism? IT IS ALSO AN ACE ATTORNEY GAME!? Yes please. And look at that, my top two are old favourite franchises leaning hard into historical Japan. I wonder if we'll see that repeated in 2022”

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (7 / 2 / 0)
“I usually don't include ports in my game of the year votes but I'll make an exception because not only did the boost in frames make it feel more fluid but it also came alongside the incredibly fun Bowser's Fury. An interesting take on the Mario formula that I would welcome again whether it's for a full scale adventure or something bitesized once again.”
“Paired together, this is one of the most adventurous, inventive, energising and bargainous Switch games yet.”

WarioWare: Get It Together! (7 / 3 / 0)
“It was a good laugh, although the reliance on finding your character might hamper it a bit. I kind of forgot it existed though. And is a game I played in 2021.”
“Voting for the wonderful night of co-operative multiplayer rather than the mediocre follow-up on my lonesome.”
"A nice little multiplayer distraction, not the best Warioware, not the worst”

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox (5 / 2 / 0)
“I had a few technical issues with Ys IX, but as a Fun Game with Fun Gameplay it does very well. It has great battle and exploration systems, and while I thought the pacing at the start was pretty poor, it ended up being a grand old time.”
"A game I picked up as a bit of a time filler that I genuinely fell for. A fun world to explore, good combat and a good time to be had by all.”


I say: The big surprise for me here is SM3DW+BF not making the podium - I thought it'd likely make third behind Metroid and MHR.  I'm glad though: instead of a remake and what should have been more Odyssey but wasn't, we got five brand spanking new games, and I think that's a good result.  Then we have a great version of a game that does nothing for me, a 6/10 that I'm little surprised made these lofty heights, and another long-awaited triumph.  It may be another remake, but TGAAC was such a treat for this year and deserved some glory.  Nice to see some Ys love too!

(Starting with 5 points/first place and with each sub-section dropping a point)

Chicory: A Colo(u)rful Tale - “I feel this could be a case of right game right time as it really left a lasting impression on me. Incredibly wholesome story and characters with some very important messages. Also has a cute art style, lovely music and some clever use of the game's paint mechanics.”
No More Heroes 3: Desperate Struggle - "Can a game feel both sincerely punk and mechanically refined? No More Heroes 3 answers with a resounding yes. A final return to the world of No More Heroes was always going to be difficult, but Suda51 and Grasshopper have pulled it off with abandon. From the opening animation the game pulls you in with its casual style, always reminding you with its TV show credit reels and guitar riff cutaways that this game is inarguably cool. The katana-fighting combat is polished to a beaming shine, contrasting deliberately against the sketchy framerate and not-so-distant draw distance of the open world - still nearly as empty as the original, but far from pointless when serving as pacing, as too are the returning and inexplicably endearing odd jobs like mowing lawns for money. The plot of course is off-the-deep-end wild, throwing about niche references to the previous games and other Suda series without hesitation. It can be hard to keep up even for those well versed, but worrying about such things would really be missing the point. This is a game about the vibe, not the details. It invites analysis and evades it. You could reduce it in summary to a boss rush broken up by combat challenges and minigames, but that wouldn't do the game justice. Instead the only summary I can confidently put to writing is that No More Heroes 3 is one hell of a videogame."

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut - “I hope the Switch port isn't secretly shit but this is definitely one of my gaming highlights of 2021, a great story and world and one I'm looking forward to replaying with a different take on the character”
DUSK - “This actually runs MH Rise closer than you'd think, a Doom-like or boomer shooter if you will that has a tonne of great ideas of it's own. It's just so fun to hop/slide/flip about shooting the cultists and various other abominations the game has.”
The House in Fata Morgana: Dreams of the Revenants Edition - “If you’re dismissing this because it’s not the sort of game you’d play, fair enough - it’s not the sort of game I’d play either, and “play” is being kind.  But it’s excellent.  A great tale that I got absolutely hooked by, against the odds.  The most memorable game of 2021 bar none.”

Sky Children of Light - “Thanks to Ballla's rules, this can get highlighted a bit more as I feel I'm the only one that's played it even though it's f2p” (I certainly didn't play it. - Balllllllla)

Cruis’n Blast - "Very unlike anything else that’s on Switch, it was one of 2021’s most refreshing and exciting games. Pure arcade exhilaration, once they add online support it’ll become a Switch essential.”
Deltarune Chapter 2 - “The first chapter of Toby Fox's Undertale followup felt like it had suitably upped the ante from its predecessor in regards to the combat and spritework. Chapter 2 ups the ante even further and what the finished package is going to look like is beginning to become clear. I had an absolute blast playing through this earlier in the year - the characters, writing, music and combat encounters were firing on all cylinders and I do think that the full package, whenever it releases, will chart in my top games of all time list provided the level of quality is maintained. One thing DR Ch.2 has over the other games in my GOTY list? It's free!”
Pac-Man 99 - “Wakka Wakka”
The Silver Case 2425 - “Fans of Suda51 and visual novels will love it.”
Axiom Verge 2

Beast Breaker - “Where did this come from?  A very hidden gem, where you fight monsters using the ancient art of bagatelle.  The most addictive good thing I’ve played in years, and would be higher if I thought any other bastard had played this.”
Knockout City - “If you can dodge a car, you can't dodge a multi-ball.”
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD - “I think I was the only person on the forum that ended up picking this up, but I'm also probably the only person on the forum that hadn't played it back on Wii. I had a great time with this, despite having concerns that I might not enjoy it considering the overall somewhat negative atmosphere surrounding Skyward Sword. Fi aside - christ, she's rubbish - and some early issues getting to grips with the combat system aside also, I really enjoyed getting my teeth stuck into some classic Zelda dungeons again following the more open ended format of BotW. I can see a lot of early signs of some of BotW's design in Skyward Sword actually - things like the crafting system and the stamina wheel felt like prototypes of what we got in BotW. For that point and for the fact that despite some pacing issues in the late-game I still ended up having a blast, I do hope that this rerelease helps Skyward Sword be looked back on more fondly.”
Persona 5 Strikers - “It's a surprisingly deep take on a Warriors-style game, which expands on Persona 5 more than I thought it would. It has some annoying difficulty spikes and I need to go back to it as I didn't finish it, but I thought it deserved a spot on the list more than the SM3DW remake!”
Shin Megami Tensei V - “I've not played much of it but already better than anything else I played which I could out here in 5th”
Cyber Shadow
Waking up in a strange house in the night and really needing a poo, but they’ve run out of toilet paper, so you desperately have to search for it before you go - “Does it really matter what I put here? Metroid or Monster Hunter is winning this.”  (You're not wrong. - Balla)


I say: Altogether that's 27 games featured, not including my time challenge Metroidvania that's better than Ori and the Blind Forest.  That, I think, is a decent selection of offerings.  My big surprise here is that Pokémon BDSP didn't feature at all, something of an indictment that only makes me sadder that it sold so well.  Hopefully Legends, coming out two days after I type this, is a bit better received. (It was. - Present-day Balla)  Otherwise, some fine games; and I unleashed the full version of the NMH3 essay after asking the poster to cut it down, only to see Moyles' FFXIV comment.  Beast Breaker was robbed, natch.  (Fata Morgana charted lower than I'd like, but you can't rob an empty house.)  

“I didn’t purchase or play anything new that released on Switch this year. Just to confirm, these are the games I played this year:
1. 18 Wheeler
2. Abzu
3. Dead Space
4. Dirt 4
5. Donut County
6. eFootball 2022
7. Friends Trivia Bollocks
8. Gravel
9. Guilty Gear xrd-Revelator
10. Horizon Chase Turbo
11. Hot Shot Racing
12. Inside
13. Metal Slug
14. Moving Out
15. Mudrunner
16. Neo Turf Masters
17. OnRush
18. Outrun Online Arcade
19. Overcooked
20. Oxenfree
21. PDC World Championship Darts 2008
22. Rainbow Six 3
23. Ratchet and Clank 2016
24. Rez
25. Ridge Racer V
26. SEGA Rally Revo
27. Shenmue 2
28. Sleeping Dogs
29. Soul Calibur 6
30. Steamworld Dig 2
31. Streets of Rage 4
32. Subnautica - this debuted on Switch in 2021, but I didn't get on with it at all.
33. The Club
34. The Sims 4
35. Tekken 7
36. Timesplitters
37. Uncharted 2
38. Uncharted 3
39. Valkyria Chronicles
40. Yakuza 0
41. Yakuza Kiwami
42. Yoku's Island Express”

I say: Should've spent less time playing two nonsense games about an Indiana Jones rip-off who can't even do platforming correctly, and more time breaking beasts IMHO.