Recently, there’s been a trend surrounding something called ‘About Me – Video Games‘. Technically, it’s part of an entire series of things just generally called ‘About Me‘. The idea is that you have a graphic comprised of twenty empty boxes, and your job is to select something that can fit within each box. For the ‘About Me – Video Games‘ grid, each of those boxes needs to be filled with a video game.
The catch? You can’t reuse a game in more than one box…even if you really, really want to.
It ends up becoming a much more thought-provoking and entertaining endeavor that you might think at first glance, as you start having to hone in on recognizing your truly favorite parts of the video games that mean the most to you.
My best friend tipped me off to this trend a little while ago, and I put together my own grid after some determination. Let’s go through it, shall we?
Favorite Game ~ Xenoblade Chronicles
This was is extremely self-explanatory, and should be expected from anyone who has spent even a bit of time reading this blog. The most interesting thing about this placement is how hard it made settling on a pick for some of the other squares, since if I’d have had no restrictions, Xenoblade Chronicles would’ve taken several categories.
Best Story ~ Valkyria Chronicles
To a certain extent, Valkyria Chronicles isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel. It’s an anime-infused World War II story. But that’s also why it’s awesome. You get all the nail-biting tension and acts of heroism from a classic war story, mixed with the drama and stakes of anime. It also doesn’t shy away from embracing both halves of its greater whole, leading to more memorable characters than you’d typically get in a war story, and more dark and shocking moments than you’d typically see in anime. Fantastic ending too.
Favorite Art Style ~ Honkai Star Rail
I do really enjoy the art style of Honkai Star Rail. It’s got a unique and flashy flair that never gets old. However, I did primarily place it here in recognition of its overall visuals. It’s a pretty game to being with, but when those cutscenes kick in? It elevates to an entirely new dimension. Honkai Star Rail is almost painfully beautiful with its animated cutscenes that wouldn’t look out of place (and in many ways surpass) the animation quality you’d find in an expensive cinema blockbuster.
Biggest Personal Impact ~ Overwatch
This conversation has come up multiple times on this blog, so I won’t talk your ear off about why Overwatch wins this spot. It’s the reason I got a PlayStation, which has led me to many amazing franchises that I never would’ve discovered otherwise (in fact, over half of the games that make up this grid are games I’d have never played with Overwatch pushing me to get a PlayStation). I also put a crazy amount of hours into this game making memories with friends that I’ll cherish forever.
Best Combat ~ Fire Emblem Engage
I could’ve put just about any Fire Emblem game on here, just because there’s something so addicting about the grid-based gameplay loop that those games utilize (bless whoever invented the idea of the weapon triangle). I decided to go with Engage because it’s, frankly, the best combat in the series. The emblem rings and their engage abilities, the vast class and weapon variety, the most challenging and entertaining boss fights in the series…Engage just gets it all right when it comes to combat.
Overhated ~ Metroid Other M
I wrote an entire article about how much I love Metroid Other M, so it shouldn’t be a shocker to see it here on my grid. This game tends to only be remembered (and usually poorly) because of its story, and thus people end up missing out on a game that is a ton of fun to play, has a really unique vibe, and a fun soundtrack. And then on top of that, the story isn’t even that bad to begin with, with the vast majority of people’s complaints stemming from misunderstanding plot elements, having misplace expectations, or thinly-veiled sexism. More people need to give this game a genuine chance.
Underrated ~ Kid Icarus Uprising
Kid Icarus Uprising is still on my personal Top 10 list of favorite games of all time, and yet it seems like a tragically low number of people have actually experienced this game. That’s such a shame, because it’s one of the best titles to ever release on the 3DS (which is twice as crazy considering it was an early release on the system, they really came out of the gate swinging). I have never understood the hang-up people have with the controls, and it’s a bit annoying to think that the controls alone are why people shy away from giving this fantastic and absurdly content-stuffed game a try.
Overrated ~ Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
It’s practically akin to sacrilege to ever say anything bad about a FromSoft game on the internet, but this blog isn’t The Contrarian Corner for nothing. I think Sekiro is a deeply flawed game with several massive issues, and it boggles my mind that people don’t bring up those flaws anywhere near as often as they should. Is the core gameplay fun? Yeah, it is, and I guess that’s enough for some people. Not me, though. I just can’t look past how aggressively lazy this game is, with how it endlessly reuses enemies, minibosses, and even major story bosses. Not to mention how you revisit a few levels multiple times over. I was eagerly ready to finish this game by the time I neared the finale.
Needs A Remake ~ Super Mario Sunshine
There was a point in time where Super Mario Sunshine was my favorite Mario game ever. I think it mostly came from a bit of childhood stubbornness and wanting to feel like a cool kid for liking the oft-overlooked Mario game, or it was because I really treasured my GameCube and its games. Now that I’m older…yeah, this game is a mess. Mario controls weird, the camera isn’t great, a lot of design choices are baffling, and it’s the most linear 3D Mario game ever. It’s got immaculate cozy vibes and a fun atmosphere, though, and I do like the FLUDD water jetpack. I think a remake has the chance to really turn this into a gem.
Criminally Overlooked ~ Dreams
Could it be? A mention of Dreams for the umpteenth time on The Contrarian Corner, because I simply can’t pass up an opportunity to talk about Dreams whenever I possibly can? I do indeed think that’s what is happening again! And hey, I can’t help it. Dreams is astoundingly good, and the knowledge that it’ll eventually fade away into the void when the servers get shut down one day, and millions of gamers will have never even tried it? It really does make me sad. Dreams is a never-ending playground of fun, and I just wish more people gave it a try.
Favorite Protagonist ~ Rise of the Tomb Raider
When she first debuted, a lot of people liked Lara Croft for…well, let’s call it ‘less than respectful‘ reasons. And it took a really long time for her to be anything more than just…that. Thankfully, with the Crystal Dynamics reboot of Tomb Raider, we finally got a Lara who truly stands on her own as a fantastic character without being constantly sexualized and visually exploited. The Lara from this trilogy (and from Rise of the Tomb Raider specifically) is one of the most enjoyable protagonists to play as in a game like this, and her development through the story is such a joy.
Favorite Antagonist ~ Danganronpa Ultra Despair Girls
If you have a good memory, you’ll recall that my actual favorite video game protagonist of all time comes from this game (not that Lara Croft isn’t a cool substitute for this grid of mine). But between the protagonist (Komaru) and the antagonist (Monaca), the choice was clear. There was no way I couldn’t use Danganronpa Ultra Despair Girls‘ slot on this grid to give Monaca the spotlight. The devil given human flesh, Monaca is the most twisted and evil villain to ever show up in a video game (who isn’t also ludicrously extreme just for shock value). There’s no depravity this psycho won’t commit, and there’s such a palpable twisted joy to her actions that make it impossible to look away no matter how hard you may want to.
Best Soundtrack ~ Xenoblade Chronicles 3
This was another easy category to pick a game for, since I’ve already talked at length about how Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has my favorite soundtrack in all of gaming. It makes logical sense, I suppose, given that music itself is a huge theme of the game in-universe, so it’s no surprise the soundtrack would be amazing. Every Xenoblade game has a masterpiece of a soundtrack, but this one is just elevated that little bit higher thanks to some fantastic recurring leitmotifs, a huge array of genres and styles, and that persistent flute usage that gives me goosebumps each time I hear it.
Best Multiplayer ~ Monster Hunter World
Capcom’s insistence on implementing the most convoluted, obtuse, and annoying menus and sub-systems that need to be conquered to play multiplayer aside…Monster Hunter is such a good multiplayer series. And with World‘s jump into the next-gen with modern consoles, multiplayer was never easier to participate in and enjoy. There’s a reason this game made it onto my earlier list of most-played games, and almost all of that was spent battling beasties alongside my best friends in this game’s multiplayer. Does Monster Hunter have a good story? No. Is it fundamentally a repetitive game? Yes. Does any of that matter when you’re having this much fun with your friends? Not at all!
Not Usually My Thing, But… ~ God of War Ragnarok
I never played the original God of War games, and I never played the first entry in the PS4 reboot/pseudo-sequel either. I had no plans to play this one either, until a YouTuber I liked played the game and posted a few videos of it. It’s the fault of my own unwitting ignorance, but what I saw astounded me. Exploration? Moments of quiet? A really interesting story with some amazing cinematography and acting? Suffice to say, I just had to try it…and it was awesome. God of War Ragnarok is one of my all-time favorite PlayStation exclusives, and I never would’ve even conceived of that idea just a few years ago.
Turn My Brain Off ~ Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition
Now, let’s be clear that the name of this category isn’t intended to be an insult, or a mocking descriptor. There’s nothing wrong with giving your intense mental processors a rest with some simple fun, and Hyrule Warriors is the epitome of that philosophy. It’s perhaps the most content-stuffed video game ever created, paired alongside one of the easiest-to-understand control schemes and gameplay loops imaginable. Press buttons, defeat huge hordes of enemies, reap rewards. Rinse and repeat. I could play Hyrule Warriors for hundreds of hours and feel a total state of zen-like bliss the entire time. You might not think a game about mowing down thousands of monsters with big explosions and sword sweeps would be simple and relaxing, but it is!
Best With Friends ~ Super Smash Bros Ultimate
For basically as long as I can remember, Super Smash Bros has always been my go-to party game. The games aren’t devoid of single player content (goodness knows how many hours I put into Brawl, even outside of the dedicated Subspace Emissary campaign mode), but the core formula is intended for playing with friends. And boy howdy do I love playing this game with friends! I think I’ll be playing Smash Bros games until the day I die, especially the feature-rich and roster-stacked Ultimate. If I have buddies alongside me who also enjoy Smash Bros, I will actually need to be forcibly pried away from the tv to stop playing!
Best Retro Game ~ Shining Force
To be honest, Shining Force was deserving of a spot on this list just for being the game to introduce me to the Fire Emblem series (albeit years and years later in my life). That being said, it is a really solid title on its own. It’s got all that grid-based tactical combat goodness, some fun tunes, a story filled with impossibly bizarre twists (an evil circus, anyone?), and a cast of characters that are short on the character part of that equation, but plenty of fun to grow in strength and send forth into battle. It is also filled with strange little secrets tucked into every nook, owing to your ability to explore towns and castles in between major battles.
Nostalgic Childhood Game ~ Super Mario 64
It’s the game that my memories consider to be the first video game that I ever played, so of course Super Mario 64 had to take this spot. I have a ton of fond memories of spending hours upon hours getting lost in this game and its worlds that, while charmingly quaint now, felt massive in scope to my child self. It felt like every time I turned the console on, I’d somehow discover something brand new in this game. Finally conquering this game and seeing the credits roll was one of the most formative and cathartic gaming experiences of my youth.
Game Everyone Should Play ~ What Remains of Edith Finch
It’s not the first time I’ve mentioned What Remains of Edith Finch on this blog, but I really don’t talk about this game enough. It needs its own dedicated article eventually, because this is a game that I earnestly believe anyone and everyone should play at some point in their lives. It’s pretty simple, it’s not too long, and it doesn’t require a whole lot more than just walking around and exploring a bit. And yet, it’s a transformative experience that will stick with you for a long time, and probably wring quite a bit of emotion out of you before the credits roll. It’s such a beautiful game.
By the way, if you wanted to give this ‘About Me – Video Games‘ grid a try for yourself, you can find it HERE!
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