The year 2020 is finally coming to the end and what a ride it has been. With all of the negative things that this year has brought into our lives, all I can think about is what has helped me through these trying times. My family of course is at the top of my list but then I also must thank the thing that helped keep me sane; PC GAMING.
This year brought a lot of great games to the PC and some that fell way short. Between everything going on in the real world, having the ability to virtually dive into a game, and let out my anguish, pain, frustration, and emotions was an absolute necessity. In all honesty, the PC has become the therapist that I didn’t have to pay extra for. Each game that I had the privilege of playing gave me some joy and relief rather if it was an MMORPG, FPS, or even a brawl for all. I have put a lot of thought into it and with all the games this year that has come out, I have picked what I think are the 3 must-have games that have given me the most this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6UrdUAZ7wM
First up, would have to be Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout. This game is about as fun and nerve-racking as any brawler or battle royale game out there. You are one of many hopeful jellybeans that run, jump and climb your way through candy-coated mini-games to reach the crown of victory. If you ever had the opportunity to watch the Japanese game show Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (MXC) and ever wanted a chance to experience the fun without the harm, this is your game. Each match features a maximum of five rounds of 5 mini-games randomly chosen from 25 that will have you crash through walls, jump over holes, grab eggs to put them in nets, and all from the comfort of your chair.
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout visually has a very clean look, pulsating with a gleeful soundtrack, and has more than a satisfying sound design. Each of your Jellybeans gets to earn a chance at new items to battle in from a Hot Dog costume to a new color or pattern on your Jellybean coating. As you battle to the death, your Jellybean lets out some of the cutest and annoying sounds from coos, to whoops to even wees.
The controls on the PC for Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout are simple to master but don’t think that gives you the advantage to win the game. No matter how much you studied or memorized each mini-game, it all comes down to pure luck. Due to everyone else playing and when the match begins and the chaos unfolds, there is no strategy. You just have to run and pray that you make it before someone else.
One of the greatest things about this game is not only is it fun for me but my whole family. Even my 10-year-old daughter has a chance at beating me when the 60 Jellybeans are released into the world of chaos running. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout has brought me so much laughter and joy, and some anxiety that this game should be on anyone’s PC to enjoy. Feel free to check out Contributing Editor Ricardo Negron’s thoughts on the game too.
The second game that I have recently had the privilege of playing is The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos. This is by far the most hilarious and difficult tactical RPG that I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing. The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos is like sitting around with your best friends who have had a long day that just want to play a game, but they don’t want to be all serious about it. They just want to relax, talk bullshit to each other, and just have a great time doing so.
Your group is made up of individuals who, if left to their own devices would surely perish within moments in any adventure. Yet when they work together, their willingness to be stubborn and fight amongst their selves and a good amount of unbelievable dumb luck seems to help get them to complete quests repeatedly. This trope of characters has come together to find a statue in this dungeon that none of them really can remember how to say. As they explore this vast dungeon, they come across traps, puzzles to solve, enemy encounters, and they basically just enjoy insulting the hell out of each other.
From the constant batter to the name of the gear you find like there is a sword that you get for the Barbarian that is called the Lame-Ass sword, with a description to let you know how lame it really is. The Thief later finds a pair of Daggers of Betrayal, which states these make great back massagers for your friends. The combat is thought-provoking and sometimes drives you nuts if you don’t take into consideration the different angles you could be attacked from.
The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos is a hilarious and outrageous fun-filled game. The constant banter and the fights make this game ever consuming. This game is a blast to play and should be on anyone’s list of games who just want to sit down and enjoy some relaxing, hilarious, sexual innuendo tactical role-playing fun. There are hours and hours of enjoyment that will keep you not only entertained but waiting to hear what they may say next.
Finally, my third choice is none other than Genshin Impact, or what I call my Zelda’s Breath of the Wild – Anime Edition. The gacha system in Genshin Impact is by far the greatest thing going for it. This is a system where you have random chance draws for real-world money for obtaining weapons and characters without having to put a chokehold on your game progression. Genshin Impact can go toe-to-toe with any AAA game released this year, and the best part is that it is completely free.
You get the joy of discovering this open-world by climbing, swimming, and gliding around looking for treasure chests, items to collect, mini-dungeons, and hoards and hoards or creatures to pummel. The design and flow of the game not only keeps you entertained but it feels as though you are creating your cinematic with the gameplay. The cell animation is on point and some of the best work that I have ever had the chance to play, and I never got the feeling of it being a limit.
As you play through this world, you will unlock playable characters for your six-person roster. Each one has a specific element and weapon type. Now, this is something to remember since the enemies you’ll encounter will also have different elements to them. This means you don’t want to build a team of Fire to take on a Fire boss as the damage would be pointless. So, you will need to change up your squad to get the best benefit in each fight, and you will have to do this often. Genshin Impact is a fun-filled MMO-RPG that is visually astounding and fun to play with multiple play styles to adapt to on the fly to keep from ever being bored.
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is available on Steam now for $19.99 for the standard edition and then they also have 2 other bundles as well. The All in Bundle for $39.97 and the Collector’s Edition for $29.99.
The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos is available on Steam for $34.99 for the standard edition while the Collector’s Edition is available for $49.97 and includes a soundtrack and goodies pack.
Genshin Impact is available to download for your PC for FREE right here. You can also get it for FREE on PS4, Android, and IOS.
