The last month of the year, the last Game of the Month! I noticed that this year it got harder to pick a game of the month, as I stuck with games a lot longer then I usually do. I played Breath of the Wild for a long time, am still playing it on and off. I stayed with Stardew Valley for quite some time, and I’m still playing Pocket Camp.
Not only did I stick longer with the games on hand, but this also meant that my wallet took less of a beating: I didn’t buy as many games as I usually tend to do. A nice side effect!
In December I got my daily dosage of Animal Crossing Pocket Camp plus I played two games on my Switch. Not a lot of variety there! My Vita hasn’t been played in months, my 3DS devices lay dormant. Though that might change as Santa kindly brought me Style Boutique 3 Styling Star. I do look forward to playing the game that Vic gave such high praise ( find her review here) but I do have to be in a certain mood to play the fashionista.
Game of the Month: Xenoblade Chronicles 2
For now I’m still trying to get ahead in the story of my Game of the Month December: Xenoblade Chronicles 2! I bought the game on a hunch, bought the physical game so that I could sell it if I didn’t like it. I can safely say there’s no chance of that though, as I really like it. The story-telling is amazing, the characters are very likable and I love the scale of things to explore. The fighting takes some getting used to though. I’ve put my first thoughts on the site in this article.
Have to find the Portal
The other game I played on my Switch is Portal Knights. I’m pretty sure the Switch is the last console the game has been released on, it as it seemed to have a lot in common with Dragon Quest Builders which I adored.
Portal Knights is s good game, confusing at times too. At least it is for me. The building is good, gathering the ingredients is nice and there’s a great sense of exploration. You never know what world will open up next, plus the game features seasonal events. I was bummed that I couldn’t participate as I couldn’t make any yellow portal blocks yet. But I do love games that add seasonal elements.
Portal Knights isn’t expensive, only $29,95, which isn’t much for this full game with online features. For now you can only download it, though Europe will be getting a physical version this February.
Looking back in time, these are the December Games that IÂ choose in the past years:
2015 Atelier Ayesha Plus: the Alchemist of Dusk
Ayesha is so naïve and sweet, without it being irritating, and you just want to cheer her on, on her journey to unravel the mysteries of her disappeared little sister Nio. All the fun of the series is incorporated, the synthesizing, exploring, good story line and interactions with other characters, each with their own background story. The graphics are really breathtaking, such a dreamy wonderfully detailed world! Find a review for this favorite game of mine here.
2016 Pokémon Sun and Moon
This game was much anticipated, but it’s not just the fan base that welcomed it. This game was serving as a point of entry for people that have thoroughly enjoyed Pokémon Go. And I must say the developers managed to make it a fresh new game.The familiar gyms were gone, instead you go island hopping to your next challenge.
Yvonne, I’m so happy to hear that you are still enjoying Xenoblade Chronicles 2! I saw your earlier post but I know that opinions of a super-long game like that can change over time. Really happy to hear it as the reviews of it have been all over the place, depending on who you ask.
It’s definitely a challenging game with a ton of depth, some of which I think was a liiittle over the top, but overall the storytelling is really fun and the gameplay flows so nicely. Playing for 20 minutes or 2 hours yields their own set of rewards. Excellent game and I’m glad to hear it’s worked its way into your game of the month 😀
I recently got Xenoblade 2, so yeah! I’m enjoying my venture through Alrest so far! The characters are indeed likable. The music is also beautiful. Like, wow. I’ve heard great game soundtracks, but Xenoblade 2? WOW.
The combat does take getting used to, but I’ve been having loads of fun with it! It’s very satisfying to get some good combos, and salvaging? Also a fun feature. I love how Rex’s normal job isn’t just a side detail about him, and does go into gameplay a bit.
Couldn’t agree with you more. I do feel as if this game isn’t getting the attention it deserves though.
I am glad you are enjoying Xenoblade 2. I just beat it last night and it was quite a ride (one that lasted for 75 hours). The combat system is indeed quite a lot to take in, but once you learn all its twists it’s just plain awesome.
I will make sure to read those impressions you linked to.
I’m some 15 hours in now, and I’m getting the hang of things. Mostly. The high level monsters are a problem at times. All of a sudden you come across one that knock you out with one blow as you are passing by. But overall, a great experience!
Yeah, that has been a problem in all Xenoblade games. And it’s very annoying.