Alright, so this may be the simplest reload on this list, but it definitely qualifies in the stylish category. Not only is the super (double-barrel) shotgun iconic to the Doom series, but the Doom Slayer wields it with brutal feroc
Metal: Hellsinger combined two genres and executes them both with ease, being among the greats in both categories. Throughout your short jaunt through hell, you follow the titular Hellsinger and her Troy Baker-voiced companion, blasting your way through levels that look straight out of Doom. Unlike Doom, however, there’s nothing more important than keeping the beat, which is complemented by one of the best soundtracks we’ve heard in a game this year. There may not be too much beneath the surface with Metal: Hellsinger, but it’s a treat to see every aspect of a video game working in perfect synergy like t
Don’t let the visuals fool you, Gerda: A Flame in Winter is one of the most brutal games of the year. There is no winning, only survival. There is no strategizing, only hope and luck. Taking place in a German-occupied village in Denmark, you play as the titular heroine, Gerda, tasked with surviving and protecting your loved ones. There’s no combat because this is not a game about empowering you to live out a hero fantasy. The gameplay actively disempowers you, in fact. If you want Gerda to use a stat in conversation, you lose a point. She is an ordinary human being and will exert herself. She’s not made for this. Gerda might survive the trials she’s put through, but it’s up to you to see if her conscience will. Or if your values will make it through unscathed, for that mat
Gift shopping during the holidays can be a pretty tough task. Before you go hunting for the hottest products of the season and racing other customers to the best sales, it helps to have a good idea of what everyone on your list wants this year. But what if your list consists of a music-obsessed gravity lord or a hamster that operates a giant robotic wrecking b
We merely need a critical distance to recognise what this sort of representation actually means for the landscape, how it came about, and where it could go in the years to come. I’m delighted to see Pharah confirmed as a proud lesbian woman, regardless of the context in which it exists.
Voice lines and emotes sparked a flame of romance, and fans wasted no time turning this into something special. It warms my heart to this day, and Pharah’s reveal as a lesbian has already seen countless comics and pieces of art resurface that solidify how much this confirmation means to us. But thanks to Activision Blizzard being a heartless corporation that relies on LGBTQ+ representation to wash over its sins out of convenience rather than progress, our adoration has already been euthanized.
Inching its way past Magnolia by a small margin, Hydrangea is another Lifeweaver skin that brings very few new design elements to the table. The only real differences are a few color changes to the bionic petals on his back as well as the character’s pants, belt, and gaunt
New heroes were a major event, and I can still remember the bitter looks of jealousy on their faces as I attended BlizzCon and got to try out all the new things before anyone else. Before the live-service rot began to take effect and a needless sequel reared its head, Overwatch meant something to me. This investment also factored into its queer community at a time when no representation was confirmed in the game itself. It was all fanart, fanfics, and pairings birthed from our own imaginations. But we wouldn’t care so much if the game itself wasn’t brimming with potential.
One of the best DPS heroes in Overwatch 2, Tracer has had her abilities reduced like her Pulse Pistols ability. However, she is a skilled close-quarters combat fighter who can help overcome your enemies. Crosshairs remains to be the most ideal, allowing you to take advantage of her speed and tactics to evade atta
I wish I could put this higher, I really do. overwatch 2 Story Mode 2 is the most fun I’ve had in an already fantastic team-based shooter in years. The new characters, 5v5, the fine-tuning – it’s all perfect. But I cannot justify praising the game any more than this when its terrible monetization actively ruins your experience with the gameplay. As it stands, it is mechanically some of the most fun I’ve had this year, it could have just been so much m
The petals also have a subtle pattern near the tips of each blade that are not missing from a few other variations. All in all, this is far from the worst skin to be stuck wearing until you amass enough money to unlock something more visually appeal
I’ll save you the time, there’s no Elden Ring here. I’m one of the few freaks who never got around to playing it this year, mainly because I was too busy catching up on all the games I was meant to play in 2021. I’m pretty surprised I even played enough games to participate this year, and they still let me make a list! I love my