Nick: Bounty Battle
In theory, Bounty Battle should have been awesome. Make a Smash Bros-esque fighting game using popular characters from a wide variety of indie titles and let the masses rejoice. Except there was no rejoicing to be had. First the release pushed back multiple times, but even with that extra time to polish things up, Bounty Battle just felt incredibly unpolished. The visuals, the controls, the modes… basically everything after the game’s introductory movie just fell flat.
Pierre-Yves: Hellpoint
Hellpoint is the second Soulslike or Soulsborne on my list. It had EVERYTHING that it needed to be amazing from dark passageways through a derelict space station to creepy enemies and hordes that could come through once the station rotated in the direction of a black hole. Unfortunately, things just didn’t quite click whether it was from hitboxes or just the general lack of impact from certain enemies such as being hit from a massive beast and you wouldn’t even flinch or acknowledge the hit until you saw your health tank. I’m hoping to give Hellpoint another try down the line once it’s had a bit more work done on it, but unfortunately, for this year, Hellpoint is sitting in this category.
Richard: Is it Wrong to try and pick up girls in the dungeon: Infinite Combate
So, I’m gonna ignore the fact Is It Wrong to Try and Pick Up Girls in the Dungeon? Familia Myth Infinite Combate essentially has two subtitles and just say that playing this game is time I’ll never get back. Very rarely, if ever, have I gotten 100% in a game and hated myself for it. The gameplay is amusing for all of 10 minutes, then just gets repetitive and boring, inventory and weapon shop progression between characters is separated (which is one of the dumbest conscious decisions I’ve ever seen in video game development), the bonus dungeons were the biggest cop out I’ve ever seen (and that’s saying a lot), and the game is way too short. The main game can be completed in under an hour. As someone who likes the source material (Danmachi), I was pretty excited. Now? Now I’m going to pick through any other titles with a fine tooth comb because of how disappointing this was.
