Year End Top 10ish - Video games

I played lots of games this year...
still technically only beat 9 (cause even though one is 3ish games... I'm counting it as one since it was on one cartridge for me)

SO yeah year end Top 9... i could run and beat FFXV or Xanadu next or spirit of justice but honestly i rather just take my time.

With no Honourable mentions.... here is the list!

9. Professor Layton Vs Ace Attorney

I have been a fan of the Ace attorney series since i had a chance to play the first game and while the Professor layton games have been lacking as of late i still have a soft spot for them. So when it was announced we were getting the crossover game here i was thrilled.
The i played it and... it was easy... and i mean... super easy.... easy enough where i didn't really want to continue at that moment so instead i played something else.
Fast forward a few years and i wanna tackle my backlog... and this game had been bugging me... so i figured even if it's super simple compared to the others in both series i could just speed through it.
In the end story wise this may be my fav of both series? It literally had me sobbing at one point where they did a very uncool thing. yes overall the puzzles were simple the courtroom stuff did get more interesting and that kept me engaged... plus the character designs were simply fascinating. I think the Collaboration brought out the best of both companies and i can see the influence of this title on the later Ace attorney games... and i mean that in the best way possible.
it's also nice seeing a game with proper spelling~ (it's the European translations... no words missing Us it was lovely)

8. Legend of Heroes: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch

this was the other game that had been bugging me cause I've had this game nearly beaten for years....
instead i just played from the start and it didn't take too long to get back to the end. the story follows two characters on a Pilgrimage that just happens to end in saving the world. still this means i have 2 Garghav Trilogy games beaten... just need to finish Song of the ocean and I'll be done with these hilariously translated games.
And yeah... hate to say... not the only falcom game on this list so... uh... sorry

7. Pokemon Sun

I enjoyed this more then i thought it would... sure it doesn't add too much but it had more personality then the other pokemon games have had as of late... and a lot of the Alolan versions were cute and i hope we get more regional variants in future games.
it did feel a bit short but i still haven't done much post game stuff so maybe I'm judging it a bit unfairly in that regard.
Now they just need to make a game for the switch that has all the regions... that would be amazing.

6. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE

This game was custom made for me... SMT games mixed with Fire Emblem? i couldn't have been happier.
Yes the story is goofy and terrible... i don't care i had so much fun with this and I'm still a little sad that it's over and i beat it months ago.
At least i have some of the music for it.
I know a lot of people hated the censorship... i understood most of it (except the wedding dress... that one makes no sense/looks terrible)and it didn't bug me.
Part of me hopes TMS#FE 2 would be a thing.... i know it wont ever happen but i really loved that combat system and i wish i could play another game with it.
plus so much colour... it's so nice to play games that aren't afraid to just use all the colour.

5. Asagao Academy

Dammit i was determined to make this higher... but the next four games just mean so much to me.
Asagao Academy is the first visual novel dating game i have ever played and i love it.
I don't often complete games (as in 100%) but this one i did, i got every scene, every line variant, every ending, every extra.
I drew a crapton of fanart for it (and i still want to draw more)
The writing is great, the art is fantastic, the music is great and the fandom just makes me smile from ear to ear.
This game makes me want to make stuff... like it's so inspirational that this game was made with a relatively small team and has such a high level of polish is just... ugh i wanna go out there and make all the things.
Also if you are wondering, you don't need to be a fan of the actual youtubers the characters are based on. you can go into this game completely blind and i promise you will have a good time... then go check out their stuff after cause all the content creators are incredibly talented.
I was hoping it could be number 2 or 3 but.... this is still a fantastic game that you should try for free 

4. Zero Time Dilemma

Worth the wait. I was so happy we were getting a conclusion to the Zero escape series (possibly my all time fav VN series) and even though the ending leaves some things unanswered... i still loved every second of it and the fact that the twist got me once again... just perfection.
I do wish there weren't so many graphical oddities considering all the cut-scenes could have essentially been pre-rendered...
but i love the theme of chance... and things actually being based in chance... oh boy so good. I am sad it's over but hey... at least i still have another Danganronpa in the future.

3. Fire Emblem Fates

Because i got this as one cartridge i will treating it like 1 game.....
that being said i think birthright is the weakest of the games (too easy/too much "oh man sure is great being the good guys") Followed by conquest (awesome to play as the bad guy but some of the story doesn't make sense considering who you are working for) then Revelations (most varied types of maps and huge cast leads to interesting character interactions) HOWEVER my fav of all the plotlines...... The Heirs of Fate DLC
no seriously... that 6 chapter DLC with all the children from the characters is just... so good. it ties everything together and i wish it was longer. it also gives us the 4th verse of the song AND a kickass final battle song... i couldn't be happier.
I feel like i need to stress something... everyone knows i love Falcom games.... Honestly i love Fire Emblem just as much... the only reason this isn't number one is because of falcom.
So without further ado.... the top Two games are

2. Trails of Cold Steel

Cold steel Is a great game. It takes my favourite elements from other games (mostly persona and the Tales of games) and slaps an amazing soundtrack on it. The characters are great, the story is great, it does a great job of adding to the lore of the other 'kiseki' line of games.
I love this game... while the cliffhanger ending isn't quite as heartbreaking as Trails in the sky First chapter it still had all my emotions running high.
Not to mention i spent the entirety of the game trying to prove myself wrong.... only to be correct and full of tears by the end.
However it wasn't the best game this year.... that honour goes to!

1. Trails of Cold Steel 2

.... so Fates gets considered one game cause it's on one cart for me... this is on two disks that were sold like... 6 months apart.... so it's different then fates.
cause i say so.
PLUS...Cold steel 2 is barely the same game....
I mean is still has elements from games i like, a kickass Soundtrack, great characters a heartbreaking ending... but it's so different.
and unfortunately i can't even hint to what is so different cause that would be a spoiler and i am trying to keep these spoiler free.
all i can say is that i hope the translation for Cold Steel 3 (which is set to be released in japan next autumn) is simple and quick... granted I'm not going to mind waiting for this gem.

So yeah.... a lot of very similar games this year but honestly for me this year was amazing for video games. reminded me why i love the medium so much.
but here is hoping next year i at least have 10 titles.... shouldn't be too hard right... i mean the 3rd is coming out.... persona 5, gravity rush 2.... possibly Ys VIII.... should be good. (plus i should beat FFXV and Xanadu next sometime in early 2017)

However this year wasn't perfect... time for some of the years disappointments (anime and Video games)