Sentient Pixels

Outer Wilds was my biggest disappointment in gaming in 2020. Not because it was a bad game, but just the opposite. If I had finished it by myself, I would possibly have said that it was one of the greatest games ever made. Unfortunately, I got so frustrated with not being able to progress at one point that I gave in and spoiled the whole thing for myself. Now it's too late: I don't feel the need to go back and play what's left, now that I know what's in store. Nevertheless, it was so brilliant when I was trying to solve everything by myself. A sublime experience.

When you read reviews of Witcher 3, you come across at least two tendencies among reviewers: there will be those who will claim that they're very old gamers, and rarely have they come across a game that is so lavish and so generous. The other kind of reviewer will grudgingly accept the wonders of Witcher 3, but also admit to boredom before long. I fall somewhat in both categories: for someone who has tried to play various kinds of games in many genres, it's astounding how the Witcher 3 seems to do so much right all at once. There is exploration, conversations, crafting, combat. Then there is the story, which has perhaps some of the best writing in a video game I've ever seen. But I have been bored with this game as well, and this largely when I have rushed through it and approached it like I would a game like Arkham City. That is playing it all wrong. While the difficulty in the game can be adjusted to suit your needs, this is a game that demands that you experience it