Game Review: Duke - Nuclear Winter

Welcome to the end of 2021 fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Okay, that’s not exactly true. We still have a few days before 2022 is upon us, so it stands to reason that I got my annual holiday review tradition. Sadly, I didn’t have access to any Christmas anime, nor did I think of listening to any Christmas albums. Then out of nowhere, a weird idea lit up in my head, and I decided to pursue said weird idea. The subject of today is actually a personal tradition of mine, as I’ve been playing this expansion to one of the most iconic FPS titles for over a decade. An expansion that, while certainly not the best that was made, still has the kind of character & personality that could only have come from the 1990s. So, load up your shotgun with the finest buckshot, put on your ugliest Christmas sweater, and enjoy my review for Duke: Nuclear Winter. Let’s begin!

Development History
And here is where things are rather strange for this expansion pack. The developer for Nuclear Winter, aka Simply Silly Software, has a background that is just bizarre. As stated by the Duke Nukem Wiki:

“Simply Silly Software is a development company that was probably established sometime in the 90's by Joe Wilcox and are one of the three companies to be involved with the Duke Nukem 3D expansions; the other two being WizardWorks and Sunstorm Interactive; both of which are now defunct. Simply Silly Software's most notable product is the 1997 Duke: Nuclear Winter expansion for Duke Nukem 3D. They also developed the D! frontend for Doom, Heretic, and Hexen, the Doom DeathManger replacement Doom/Master, the Doom/Heretic to Hexen pwad converter CONV2HEX and sold them to WizardWorks for inclusion on the D!ZONE and H!ZONE discs. They also deleloped the Shadow Warrior frontend Shuriken and the Blood network front-end, 'BloodBath'. Aside from developing Duke: Nuclear Winter and Duke Nukem, Doom, Heretic, and Hexen add-ons details on the company are scarce which is unusual considering they made an expansion for the immensely popular Duke Nukem 3D. Due to so little information being available it's unknown if the company still exists but they are most likely defunct as nothing has been heard from them since; however despite their inactivity unlike WizardWorks and Sunstorm Interactive there isn't any information to confirm if they are defunct or not.”

So that is the brief history of Simple Silly Software, As to how they got the job to make Nuclear Winter, I don’t know. As to how they were popular enough that 3D Realms contacted them for the job.....that’ll probably be one of gaming’s biggest mysteries.

In-Game Story
From the Duke Nukem wiki:

“Santa Claus has been captured and brainwashed by the aliens that Duke previously defeated. To make matters worse, the aliens are now supported by an enemy force calling themselves the Feminist Elven Militia. Duke Nukem must travel to the North Pole in order to stop the brainwashed Santa Claus and his manipulative captors.”

This is not a joke. That is the story of this expansion pack. The main game had a basic story, and Nuclear Winter is the same in that regard. It is a little tasteless with the inclusion of the “Feminist” elven militia (Calling them “Feminist” seems like a super cheap shot, despite there being absolutely no feminism in the game), but it’s pretty much harmless.

Gameplay
The gameplay is almost exactly the same as DN3D. Kill things, find keys for doors, look for secrets, complete simple puzzles, etc. However, Nuclear Winter introduces small subtle things that give the game a holiday touch. In addition to base enemies that have a seasonal makeover, there are 6 brand new enemies that you can only find in Nuclear Winter. 3 are fundamentally complete reskins of base enemies with tweaked attacks (The Frosted Battle Mobile are reskined Pig Cop Tanks, Flying Frosty is basically the Assault Commander if he was a snowman, and Santa Claus is a reskined Dukebot from multiplayer), but the other 3 are brand new. There are the Snowmen, who are stationary, but their snowball attack can distort your aim if you’re too close. Finally, there’s the Grunt & Groan elves of the militia. The Grunt wields dual machine guns (A rare variant that looks like the normal version uses rapid dual shrinkers instead), while the Groan is packing a shotgun (Weird sidenote: The Groan doesn’t wear pants). The Grunt & Groan introduce the perhaps the most interesting mechanic of Nuclear Winter, and that is the presents! The Grunt & Groan have a chance upon death to drop a present, and the content inside is random but helpful. It could be Pistol/Shotgun/Ripper ammo, armor, or health. I do love the fact that as you walk over a present, there’s a cute unwrapping sound, and while they don’t show up all the time, they can on occasion genuinely help a fight.

If there’s one big complaint I have, it’s with the opening levels. One of the biggest criticisms of Nuclear Winter is that the beginning levels are basically the 2nd & 1st levels of L.A. Meltdown, and you play through them backwards. This is most definitely a lazy move, as they fundamentally function like the base versions. There are some level changes here & there, but for the most part Deja Vu & Where It All Began are the exact same as Red Light District and Hollywood Holocaust.....just with a holiday coat of paint.

Another complaint, but much smaller in scale, would be the music. On the one hand, it’s exceptionally cute, and easily fits with the Christmas theme for incredibly obvious reasons. The problem is, the music isn’t exactly original to Nuclear Winter. From what little info is out there (Mostly from Civvie 11's 2018 Christmas Grabbag Video), the MIDI music files were taken from some Geocities website that were normally used for custom Doom WADs, and instead were used for this Duke expansion. It adds to the further “Lazy” feel of the whole package, but I give a hint of slack since the resources were already available.

Graphics
Duke: Nuclear Winter has basically the same graphics engine as DN3D, but with the addition of holiday themed textures & animations. The reskined enemies for the most part work, as do the brand new targets to take aim at. Everything else.......varies. Some of the textures work surprisingly well, but there are others that clash too much with the level design. There are also some snow textures brought in to make things more Christmas-ey, but if I recall correctly they came from a fanmade expansion released after DN3D. I’m not completely sure on that, so take it with a pinch of salt.

Other
If you’d like to see this expansion in action, then click on the link below:

Duke: Nuclear Winter (Walkthrough)

One other thing. Nuclear Winter, along with Duke It Out In D.C. & Duke Caribbean: Life’s A Beach is no longer available on Steam (Through the Megaton Edition), but it can still be found on Zoom-Platform's Duke Nukem 3D Atomic Edition. Though it’s unclear why Nuclear Winter didn’t get a re-release when World Tour came out, Duke It Out In D.C. & Duke Caribbean: Life’s A Beach didn’t come back because of so-called content in the expansions that was considered borderline "sexist and racist" by the publishing team. I will not open up that can of worms, since it’s close to the most wonderful day of the year, and I’m in good spirits. Ironically, despite being taken off Steam back in 2016, if you still had the Megaton Edition it was never taken away from your library.

Overall Impression & Rating
Duke: Nuclear Winter.......is definitely the worst out of the three expansion packs. This definitely feels rushed, lazy, and the few good things it does having going for it are rather flawed. In comparison to Duke It Out In D.C. & Duke Caribbean: Life’s A Beach, it’s rather hard to believe that Nuclear Winter was official. However, I can’t deny that I actually have a bit of fun when playing this. Sure, it’s not that great, but it’s become a personal Christmas tradition for me on Christmas Eve. Right before I go to bed, I load it up, and enjoy a little bit of seasonal mayhem before thinking of sugar plums dancing in my head. Nuclear Winter may not be good, but it is most definitely a curiosity that you should at least watch if you have the time.

Duke: Nuclear Winter gets a 6 out of 10, but it makes me smile as if it was an 8 out of 10.

And that was my review for Duke: Nuclear Winter, and by extent the last review of 2021. This was definitely a better year than the disease-ridden hellscape that was 2020, and while things were still rough, it was much easier to move through things. I’m taking a break for the next few weeks to celebrate the holidays with my folks, so have a Merry Chrismahanakwanzaa, and a Happy New Year! Let’s have an awesome 2022!



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If you want just the soundtrack, click on the link below:

Duke: Nuclear Winter OST

The Top 5 Typical Christmas Albums

Seasons Greetings fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Much like last year, I don’t have a top 5 movies of the year list, and it’s very obvious as to why. Probably by next year, I may finally get a top 5 movies list up for you all to enjoy! In the meantime, it’s the holiday season, so why not talk about a few more album that are typical of this time of year? However, since this year was a little more normal than 2020, I won’t be talking about weirder records. This time around, I want to talk the more typical Christmas albums. The albums that are well established in the pantheon of the holidays, and the ones we often think of when we enjoy the season. So, grab a big comfy blanket, get a nice warm cup of cocoa or tea, and enjoy my list of the top 5 typical Christmas albums. Let’s begin!

5) The Very Best of Lou Monte (Song)

We begin the list with a rather odd choice, and one that may not be typical for some of you. Italian American singer Lou Monte was always played in my Dad’s household, and while not a Holiday/Christmas musician per se, he has done a number of songs in that style. Lou always has a great ton of energy when he sings, and even if you don’t like the seasonal tracks on this compilation, everything else will be up your alley. So why not embrace your inner Italian, and listen to some Lou Monte!?

4) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Soundtrack (Song)

Much like a typical movie soundtrack, a Christmas film’s soundtrack can be just as memorable, and one from the older generation that’s a classic would be the one for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer! Even though the older generation is more familiar with this feature that some of the newer ones, those from a certain time (Like myself) will probably recognize the music as well. A lot of the songs are very simple: none of them ever go over 3 minutes, but there’s a shocking amount of love & care in each of them. The emotions go in a variety of directions, but you all feel them under a nice gentle snowfall. Certainly a classic set of songs, but my generation has a Christmas movie we call our own as well!

3) The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack (Song)

What Rudolph to the generations before mine, The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack is to mine and past that. For almost 30 years, the saga of Jack Skellington wanting to bring his own brand of Holiday magic to the world has been nothing short of demented awesomeness! With this kind of warped story, it pays to have someone equally strange craft some classically spooky songs, and that’s exactly what Danny Elfman did! Across 20 classic songs (On the original version), we’re told a warped and demented tale. One in which can be used not only for Halloween, but for Christmas as well. Even though my generation & the ones after are definitely the target audience of this film, there’s plenty of older people that definitely find something about The Nightmare Before Christmas that they can enjoy as well.

2) Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve (Song)

Heavy Metal & Christmas goes together like peanut butter & jelly, American politics & corruption, and rum & fruit juices. It may seem silly at first, but it’s funny to hear the holidays alongside pounding guitar & drums, not to mention occasionally loud vocal work. Trans-Siberian Orchestra is all of that, yet not. Though firmly in the realm of Christmas, their metallic roots with Savatage (Sample here) still come to the forefront when the Prog metal elements show up. Not only that, but there’s Blues, a little bit of Jazz, and even a hint of Gospel throughout the holiday festivities! The Ghosts of Christmas Eve has managed to age incredibly well since it’s release back in 1999, and both older & newer generations still enjoy it to this day. However, as wondrous and badass as this record is, there is another that’s just a little bit better.....and you may laugh as to what it is.

1) John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together (Song)

Go ahead. Laugh. I totally get it.

I’m just going to come out & say it: I’m not a folk guy. Never have been, and outside some of Devin Townsend’s material, I never will be. However, the one lone exception to this would be John Denver’s collaboration with the Muppets. I actually reviewed this album nearly 4 years ago (Link here), so I won’t repeat too much in this post. I will say that John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together is one of the most important album in my family’s life. Every Christmas (Most of them to be honest), we play this as we decorate the tree & do other seasonal things around the house. Just the sheer amount of love & soul not just from John Denver, but from the Muppets as well, is an incredible thing to feel. Even on the off time where a song takes a more hysterical turn, there’s a warmth that’s felt. Like I said at the beginning, I’m not a folk guy in any way, but for one month out of the year.....I can make an exception.

And these were what I consider to be the top 5 typical Christmas albums. There are definitely way more out there, but these are the ones that came to my mind first, and so they got onto the list. Well, I got one last review for 2021 next Monday.....and it may be the strangest thing I’ve looked at yet. See you soon!



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If you’d like to know what I thought were the more atypical Christmas albums, then click on the link below:

The Top 5 Atypical Christmas Albums

Also, if you’d also like to listen to these albums, then click on the links below:

The Very Best of Lou Monte

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Soundtrack

The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve

John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together

The Top 5 Albums of 2021

December freezes on fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

2021 was certainly a way better year than the plague-ridden wasteland that was 2020. So to celebrate, I’m showing off the best that this year provided! This was a disturbingly easy list to make: 3 of these albums came from January to February, and one of my honorable mentions was released back in April. This made picking out the rest to be oddly difficult, but in the end I pulled through. On top of that, this was a year of legends, so expect to see some familiar old-school faces on this list. So with that out of the way, here are the top 5 best albums of 2021. Enjoy!

5) Accept - Too Mean To Die (Song)

It’s been quite sometime since I sat down and properly listened to an Accept album. Not since when I bought Restless & Wild years ago did I put aside some time to listen to these Teutonic Titans, so when previews & singles started to come out for their 16th studio album, I knew that I would eventually have it course through my ears. I’m happy to say that it was a very enjoyable time! It might not do anything new when compare to their albums in the 2010s, but I didn’t feel bored in any way. The band are still on key when it comes to instrumentation and singing, and the production behind Too Mean To Die is wonderful. Not a single slipup or rough audio patch can be heard, and while I wouldn’t consider this release to be an essential Accept record, I can say that your fix for Germanic metal will easily be sated with this release!

4) Moonspell - Hermitage (Song)

The last time we encountered Moonspell (Outside of the Sin/Pecado & Memorial re-releases from 2019 and 2020), it was through their ode to the infamous Lisbon Earthquake & Portugal at large with 1755 back in 2017. It was grand, it was daring, and it was most definitely Portugese! So, when news came around that they were getting ready for a new album, the hype was real, and this was all during the plague-ridden year of 2020 no less. Then on the 26th of February of 2021, Hermitage was released. A more stripped-down experience than the album before it, the record also comes at what some consider to be Moonspell’s twilight years. Fernando Ribeiro has said in a few interviews that the band isn’t getting any younger, and hints that they may slow things down after this release. This mix of feelings has helped to create what is the band’s most thoughtful & perhaps darkest and/or cynical album in their entire career, but much like Obsidian from Paradise Lost, the more serious nature is oddly needed even in a year that’s better than the last one. If you found the language barrier issue of 1755 to be a problem, then you’ll find Hermitage to be a big improvement!

3) Alice Cooper - Detroit Stories (Song)

Not even a plague could keep one of the icons of Shock Rock & Metal down for the count! Forgoing the more supernatural/shock aspects prevalent on much of his work, and instead embracing the city that he once called home & it’s musical history, Alice Cooper created the beast that is Detroit Stories. A little bit of Motown, some Rock ‘n’ Roll, and a sprinkle of a few other genres that came out of the Motor City were all sources of inspiration for Alice. This means that there’s literarily something for everybody on Detroit Stories, and while you could argue that there’s no solid theme.....it wouldn’t be an ode to Detroit if it was nice & neat!

2) U.D.O. - Game Over (Song) & Beast In Black - Dark Connection (Song)

The only, and I mean only, reason that U.D.O.’s 17th studio album is at number 2 instead of number one is that it’s regressed somewhat. Not in terms of quality though, as this album is just as good as the behemoth that was We Are One! The band don’t have the force that is the Das Musikkorps der Bundeswehr backing them this time around, but they’re still cranking out Heavy Metal that’s simultaneously old school & modern at the same time. Virtually every song on here is awesome, and I dare anyone to accuse any of the tracks on Game Over of being bad. I say regressed because they backed away from the more social-political stance that was so prevalent on their last record. A lot of the subject matter on here seems to be more in line with stuff off of Steelfactory & many other CDs before it, rather than singing about the social issues that were seemingly everywhere at the time (And now by extent) for another output. Regardless, Game Over is still a badass sonic assault on the ears, and I for one have no regrets listening to it!

And then we got Beast In Black. The new rightful heirs to the title of “Beast”, Anton Kabanen’s 2nd band is everything that his former compatriots Battle Beast used to be, and cranked up past 11 with the knob broken off! Back in 2019 they launched From Hell With Love onto store shelves the world over, and the mix of 80s nostalgia & cheese, geekery, and Power Metal kept people hooked. So when it came to 2021 and their new release Dark Connection, all I have to say is that their 3rd outing is damn fantastic! Taking things a little more in the electronic/keyboard direction, it matches with the Sci-Fi flavorings that this release has to offer. There’s still plenty of fantasy elements here and there, and the usual references to Berserk is accounted for, but this record is chalked to the brim with references to classic Science Fiction & Cyberpunk. The ONLY reason that Dark Connection doesn’t make it to no. 1 is that the music there just edges out over this, but that in no ways diminishes how damn good this album is!

Before we get to my number 1, let’s go over some honorable mentions. The two albums here this year are certainly interesting. One is from an up & comer back in April that I mentioned at the beginning of this list, and the other is from a band I’ve talked about once before back in 2019. Anyways, here are 2021's honorable mentions!

HM1) Avaland - Theater of Sorcery (Song)

I didn’t want to put this brand new band here. While they aren’t legends right now, these lovely Frenchmen have the potential to be metallic titans later on down the road. Much like Finnish Power Metal badasses Everfrost, Avaland created their own universe to sing about, as well as slathering a massively thick coat of both Symphonic Power & Melodic Heavy Metal over the whole damn thing! While I do find the over-abundance of guest vocalists something of an issue, it in no way blunts the impact that Theater of Sorcery will have on any listener. As founder Adrien G. Gzagg has said, he plans on taking this show on the road, completed with a giant metal/rock opera filled to the brim with various voices singing to the heavens. If Avaland come to the states, you sure as hell can bet that I’ll have a seat!

HM2) A Pale Horse Named Death - Infernum in Terra (Song)

The last time I talked about the spiritual successor to Type-O Negative, it was about their 3rd album, When The World Becomes Undone. It had been about six years since their last release when the album came out in 2019, and while the mild Grunge vibes and more mixed reaction gave the release a not-as-good reputation, I still managed to have some fun with it. So, when it came to the band’s 4th record.....I was genuinely surprised. Though a tiny sliver of the previously mentioned Grunge vibes still linger, A Pale Horse Named Death have delivered what is perhaps the most Doom Metal laden album to date. On top of that, they also crafted the most Type-O Negative release with Infernum in Terra, as there’s a healthy presence of Gothic Metal atmosphere also. I find it so baffling that many reviews of this band tend to be negative, when it’s records like this that bring back the Goth legends of old and fill that decade-plus hole after Pete Steele passed away back in 2010. Regardless, if APHND’s 3rd outing wasn’t what you were looking for, then maybe this one might be more to what you want.

1) Ministry - Moral Hygiene (Song) & Mastodon - Hushed And Grim (Song)

I still stand by what I said in 2018: Amerikkkant was one of the best albums of that year. It came out at the right time, and for the most part reflected that period of time quite well. Looking back in hindsight however, I’ve come to realize the faults more & more with each listen. Uncle Al may be too on the nose when it came to the issues he covered, some of the instrumentation/vocal work isn’t quite as good as it could be, etc. Because of it’s faults, it certainly divided the fanbase, and gained the band a few ignorant critics. So when the group’s 15th studio album Moral Hygiene came out back at the beginning of October this year, a lot of fan’s & critic’s fears were laid to rest. Moral Hygeine is a far stronger, far more potent, and seemingly less reactionary than Ministry’s 2018 output. Sure, the material on here still isn’t very subtle, and the stench of Donald Trump isn’t completely gone (Despite not having much of a presence on Amerikkkant), but Al Jourgenson & Co seems much more confident on this album than perhaps anything since 2012. If Amerikkkant disappointed you in any way, then I can tell you that you’ll have a great time with Moral Hygiene.

We also have the Prog Metal juggernaut that is Mastodon. Back in 2017 I highly praised their full-length classic that was Emperor of Sand, as well as their mini-monster that was Cold Dark Place. Both releases were really well done, and helped me become a fan. Casual, but a fan regardless. For a while I thought that nothing after these two would ever be able to top them.......and then Hushed And Grim comes out. If you were a fan of Cold Dark Place, and appreciated the more serious nature of that bite-sized release, then you’ll easily enjoy this. Clocking in at nearly 90 minutes (1 hour, 26 minutes, and 17 seconds. The longest album in their career.), the quartet from Georgia continued exploring a variety of emotions like on EOS & CDP, and paid tribute to their longtime manager & dear friend Nick John at the same time (Passed away from pancreatic cancer back in 2018). Though certainly a little soul-crushing at points, there’s also something weirdly life-affirming at the same time with what’s on this record. I can’t say anything else, other than to give Hushed And Grim a go!

And these were my top 5 albums of 2021. Again, it was easy to get together at first, but when that challenge came in, it became fun to try to fill everything else out. Anyways, I got two final posts for this year, so join me this Friday for some Christmas albums.....that are a bit more normal than some. See you then!




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If you’d like to look at what I thought the best albums were of last year, check out the link below:

Top 5 Albums of 2020

The Top 5 Games of 2021

Happy beginning of December fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Well, we did it! Somehow, we managed to survive 2021 and all of it’s various troubles & pitfalls. Personally, this year seemed a bit more bearable than the plague-ridden bullcrap of 2020. Make no mistake, this year had it’s own set of problems, but for whatever reason things just felt....better. I don’t know how, but moving through 2021 felt a little bit easier than going through the year before, and not quite as soul crushing. So, to celebrate this occasion, let’s take a look at what I thought the best games of the year were. This list shares a little bit in common with the one I made for 2019: mainly, the fact that many of the titles on here are FPS games. However, I got a twist or two for 2021's list that will certainly surprise some of you. So, without further delay, here are my top 5 games of 2021! Enjoy!

5) Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War (Video)

Call of Duty seems to have been on something of a return to form of sorts in recent titles. The reboot of the Modern Warfare series brought back a lot of the trilogy’s grittiness, and the 4th (Technically the 5th if you count Black Ops 4) entry in the Black Ops series hearkens back to it’s earliest outings. In many ways, Cold War shares the flexibility of how the story moves ala Black Ops 2, not to mention the cast of characters you’ll get attached to. On top of that, the multiplayer continues the enhanced customization that was established in the MW reboot, it adds onto Warzone’s excellent gameplay, and the Zombies mode is just fantastic. If you’re a disciple of the ways of Black Ops, then join the cold war if you haven’t already!

4) Mortal Shell - Steam Edition (Video)

Now this was a game I was excited for!

Unlike Borderlands 3, I wasn’t upset that this ode to Dark Souls was a year exclusive to the Epic Game Store. Cold Symmetry is a smaller studio, and they probably needed the financial help, and thus I can’t complain. So when it finally came out back in August, I quickly picked it & the DLC on the same day, and hot damn was it worth it. Mortal Shell might go by quicker when compared to a release in the Souls trilogy (Along with Bloodborne & Sekiro), but it makes up for that by having tight yet well developed gameplay, and a world that’s varied and unique despite it’s small size. This game may be  faster than the series it takes inspiration from, but it’s still well worth your time.

3) Arthurian Legends (Video)

So this is a game that came out of nowhere!

I’ve only known about this game since near the end of October. In fact, it was due to an accidental discovery in my “Suggestions” on Youtube that I ever found it (Due to the Alpha Beta Gamer channel. I’ll mention the channel again in the Honorable Mentions). I downloaded the 2-level demo, and practically fell in love with it right then & there. Then just a few days afterwards, I bought the game for just a little over 12 dollars......and it was worth every single penny! Despite being the first title from a relatively obscure studio (Scolaro Games), it’s very obvious that they know what they’re doing. Taking on the more fantastical elements of the Arthurian Legends (Hence the game’s name), the game is another wonderful addition to the classic FPS boom in recent years, rightfully earning a place among titles like Dusk or Ion Fury. If you have some change lying around, why not give Arthurian Legends a go!?

2) Quake: 25th Anniversary (Video)

Hard to believe that one of the FPS titans turned 25 years old back in June. My 9 year old self in 1996 was blown away by how it looked, how fast it could be, and how it played. Though I hold Duke Nukem 3d in much higher regard, I still get some huge nostalgia vibes when I play this Industrial meets Lovecraft first person shooter. Cut to this past August, and a free 25th anniversary edition comes out with force! Updated graphics & textures, original soundtrack, and all of the expansion packs (Including a brand new one made) are within this delicious FPS buffet! Playing through everything brought back a lot of childhood memories & nostalgia, and for those who grew up with it back then will get that effect also. For those who didn’t, the 25th Anniversary of Quake is a great portal into the gaming past. From a time when things seemed simple, and we didn’t have all of the drama we have now. For the older generation looking for a nostalgia blast, or for the newer generation that never played games like this, Quake’s 25th anniversary is for you!

Before we get to my number one game of the year, I wanted to go over some honorable mentions. The two titles here couldn’t be any more opposite of each other: One is funny, sexy, and oddly charming, while the other harkens back to one of the grittiest FPS titles of the late 90s. So, with that said, here are my honorable mentions of 2021.

HM1) Futa Fix: Dine & Dash (Video)

Possibly one of the most absurd games I’ve ever come across!

Ironically enough, this American made visual novel came out right near the end of 2020. The 21st of December, as a matter of fact. Now, this has a bunch of stuff I like: cute girls/women, futa (Don’t judge), an absolutely absurd story, and a surprising amount of cleverness behind the entire spectacle. What puts Futa Fix in the honorable mentions is twofold: the story is the same with multiple playthroughs (There’s a good ending & bad ending), and the sex most of the time is okay at best. As problematic as that sounds, I genuinely encourage people to give this novel a go. It’s definitely not for everybody, and I can easily understand why some would drop this like a bad habit & delete it, but this absurd yet charming tale is something to possibly consider.

HM2) Cultic Demo (Video)

Not since the “Honorable Mentions” section all the way back in 2014 have I ever talked about a game demo, but lo & behold this beauty showed up a few months back! I actually found this thing by accident on Youtube thanks to the Alpha Beta Gamer channel (Link here). Much like New Blood Interactive’s 2018 masterpiece Dusk, Cultic’s demo is another heartfelt tribute to the cult classic Blood. Dark, brooding, gory, and fast-paced, this slice of FPS cheesecake bring back the spirit of the 90s, but with a decent touch of modern technology, it’s sure to be a hit when the whole thing comes out.

1) Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery (Video)

Last year I ended my list with Doom Eternal & the re-release of Doom 64. Two of the most highly anticipated games of 2020, and rightfully so. This year? I’m ending this on a title a lot of you might not have heard of. Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery. Developed by the Taiwanese game group Silver Lining Studio, this game is the exact opposite of the two FPS releases I mentioned above. Behind the Frame is calm, soothing, relaxing, charming, and has a mild Ghibli-esque look in terms of it’s visuals and animation. The puzzles you solve are fun but not terribly complex, and the story is easy to get into. It does play for a short amount of time (I beat it in an hour & 6 minutes if I recall correctly), but it doesn’t feel like it goes by too fast, and there’s definitely some encouragement to go through a second time (Maybe even a 3rd or 4th if you’re trying to grab all the achievements). If you want something to soothe the soul & warm the heart, especially after the kind of year 2020 & this year was, you can’t go wrong with Behind the Frame!

And those were the top 5 games of 2021. This was certainly an interesting mix of games, as there’s something for everybody on this list. Fantasy, 80s Cold War, a return of a legend, you name it! So, I’ll see you all next Monday, for I have quite the list of top 5 albums this year. See you then!


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If you’d like to look at what I thought the best games were of last year, check out the link below:

Top 5 Games of 2020