Best Indie: What Remains of Edith Finch
I got this free on the Epic store, and what a deal that was. A walking simulator, What Remains of Edith Finch is an excellent piece of magical realism about the sole survivor of a family who returns to the familial home to contemplate their relationship with death. This game features some of the most memorable sequences I've ever experienced in a video game, including a lengthy daydream that happens in a cannery. You experience the deaths of all of the Finches, including many children, and while that's more than a little distasteful, this is the first video game I've played that really hit me like a good piece of literary fiction.
Best Expansion/Sequel: Prey: Mooncrash
Arkane is my favorite studio, and Mooncrash was more than just more Prey (although more Prey would've been just fine). An immersive simulator with roguelite elements, you play as several different characters repeating the same arena, with the goal being to escape in one playthrough with each character. You might use your engineer to unlock a door for your security guard, or leave a gun for your hacker. Basically, you get to experience Prey through several different builds, and the playthroughs taking place in the same arena with the same limited resources led to many interesting choices. A cheap addendum to Prey, and well worth its cost.
A retro shooter reminiscent of Blood and Quake, Dusk features old school labyrinthine level design and hordes of enemies to mow down at blazing speeds. Although not as good as the games that inspired it, Dusk makes me think that modern shooters have abandoned too many of the design conventions of the 90's golden age. Get ready to find key cards and pentagrams.
Subnautica reminds you how terrible the unknown can be. Ostensibly not a horror title, Subnautica is the best survival game I've ever played and a great experience, although you definitely need to pull up a wiki to figure out some sections. The end game is disappointing, but those first few hours are unlike anything else in gaming. You truly feel as though you're in an alien ocean. Also another title I got free from the Epic store.
This was a surprise. I didn't even plan on purchasing Fallen Order, since I've been boycotting EA for years, but it received good reviews and looked like it would scratch that Star Wars itch that I didn't know I had. A Soulslike, Fallen Order has an excellent combat system and richly detailed worlds. The backtracking can be a pain, but it's so good I didn't mind replaying sections. The boss battles are epic as well. A worthy successor to the Jedi Knight franchise. Likely to be a more satisfying Star Wars experiences than The Rise of Skywalker.
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