Let's have some positivity! What is one of your favorite moments during a game from this year?

[makonero]

I feel like this board can sometimes really dig into negativity, and it's time to try and turn that around! There have been plenty of great games that have come out this year. What is a moment from one of them (or any game really) that's really stuck with you or made you happy?

Getting to play New Pokemon Snap at launch and diving in without a guide was incredible for me. Exploring things, sharing things in the OT that I'd seen that others hadn't, I haven't felt that sense of discovery since I was a kid. I played six hours the night it launched and while I'm getting too old to stay up past 3am, it was worth it. Just pure joy in a very happy game with fiendishly difficult puzzles to solve and an overwhelming amount of secrets. I felt like a kid again in the best way possible.

What about you, Era? Let's post our positive gaming stories!

 

[Kahhhhyle]

I didn't play Hades until this year, but beating each of the bosses the first time felt amazing. Theseus in particular was really annoying to me and it felt great when I was finally able to get past him... Even if he killed me the next 4 times in a row or whatever.

 

[ConvoyJon]

Beating the first boss in Returnal with barely a shred of health left got my blood pumping and led me to celebrate by popping off right after. Something about that moment just felt triumphant and I felt rather accomplished afterward.

 

[CloseTalker]

It Takes Two. So many moments, but the

Spoiler: It takes two end spoiler

Rainbow Road

homage at the end was transcendent.

 

[GamerJM]

During most of my FF8 playthrough, I didn't really understand how Junctions work, and had pretty low stats. I still managed to beat the Giant Cactuar optional boss and get the GF for that, and it felt awesome accomplishing that. I mostly just abused summons very carefully. After that I had to figure out junctions to proceed though lol.

 

[Desma]

Beating a gigantix in PSO2 NGS

A full 32 players room, and we barely managed to win.

 

[Weiss]

NieR Replicant not fucking up the inclusion of Ending E to the point where it makes the original story feel incomplete without it.

 

[JumbiePrime]

I didn't play The Vanishing of Ethan Carter till this year and ...wow.. an experience I won't soon forget . It was definitely something . I played on Switch so kinda nerfed but on PC I can only imagine .

 

[DrBillRiverman]

My favourite thing is playing RE8 and realising how dope the adaptive triggers are in PS5

 

[toadkarter]

I played through the entire Resident Evil series for the first time this year, culminating with playing Village on release date. What a wonderful ride that was, I had dismissed this series as being not for me for so long and that was definitely a mistake. Resident Evil 2 (PS1), REmake and Resident Evil 4 are games that I will without a doubt be revisiting in years to come.

Out of new releases, Hitman III caps off one of the best trilogies of last gen for me - I spent hours in the murder mystery mansion level. Incredibly clever map design as always and I am very much looking forward to seeing what the devs do with the 007 license.

This one isn't a new game, but I have just finished The Outer Wilds for the first time, and that really blew me away - I was glued to that game for three days straight, highly recommend it to everyone interested in space exploration type games.

 

[N.47H.4N]

Resident Evil 8

Spoiler

get eaten by the baby

 

[kamineko]

Getting the plat in yakuza like a dragon

particularly beating the true postgame dungeon. I felt like such a badass!

 

[ReddishGUI]

The path to and the actual fight with the 4th boss in Returnal.

 

[Fanuilos]

I appreciated RE8 for having different types of horror and the pacing. Doesn't feel overly long or padded except for maybe the last lord's area. There was a solid 2 month period there where I would just lay on my couch after working playing Monster Hunter Rise for hours. It was satisfying just having things click several hours into the game.

 

[Reckheim]

The path to and the actual fight with the 4th boss in Returnal.

Click to shrink...

yeh, this mine as well. Awesome moment.

 

[JigglesBunny]

Seeing Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart in person for the first time. My jaw hit the floor.

 

[y0shizawa]

Walking through a pocket dimension rift in ratchet and clank never gets old when it's as seamless as it is — definitely my highlight moment of the year

 

[Altezein]

The whole Intermission from FF7 Remake Intergrade (actually, watching Max play it because I still cant find a PS5 xD). That game brings me so much joy, can't wait to replay the entire game once I get a PS5

 

[Hzsn724]

I platinumed Resident Evil Village. That was just pure joy for every run.

 

[shadowman16]

The end segment of RE8. I just loved what they did with Ethan, totally made me do a 180 on his character.
Pretty much all of R&C Rift Apart - beautiful game that's a joy to explore the areas.
Returnals bosses - epic moments, boss 3 and 4 especially are so darn good.
100%ing Yakuza 6 - just because its a blast to play, and I always wanted to 100% it rather than "just" plat'ing the game.
GnG Resurrection (true final boss) - in traditional GnG fashion, a nice tough challenge that feels really satisfying when finally clearing the game for the second time.
GG Strive's netcode - just nice to play a fighter that loads quick and plays smooth online.

 

[CHC]

Getting lost in Hitman 3's Berlin nightclub. The whole thing just made me fall in love with the trilogy all over again and I went back and did pretty much every single challenge in the first two games as well. The game was really a great surrogate for travel during quarantine and busy online classes. Going to exotic places, parties, exploring the world.

 

[djinn]

Using Zelda to defeat Calamity Ganon in Age of Calamity. Felt awesome.

 

[Zuko]

I played Hellblade this year and the entire game minus some of the puzzles was an absolute masterpiece. Absolutely loved it, the developers, and the message. It's a reminder that a game doesnt have to be "fun" to be an outstanding experience.

 

[ghibli99]

The first few minutes of Chicory: A Colorful Tale kind of restored my faith in everything. :) It's just so wonderfully charming and you can tell it's made with care.

 

[Fanuilos]

Yoshi-P on stage in the reaper gear was dope too.

 

[Capra]

Resident Evil Village

Spoiler

When Heisenberg calls Chris a "boulder-punching asshole" and you realize Chris is apparently known throughout the RE universe for punching a boulder that one time.

 

[jerf]

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

Spoiler: Late game character quote

Clank: Holy [bleep]...
Ratchet: You said it, pal!

 

[Digital Savior]

Currently playing through Yakuza Like a Dragon. The whole game so far has been a delight. 30 hours in and I want to keep going. This is my first Yakuza game and it has been amazing.

Definitely one of my favorite turn based games in a long time.

 

[Quinton]

Seeing everything synergize nigh-flawlessly during a tough optional fight in Bravely Default 2.

 

[Wispmetas]

Nier Replicant ending E being incredible

 

[julia crawford]

A lot of moments in Paper Mario TOK, but this in particular was really really good.

Spoilers for a late game area.

Spoiler

 

[BriGuy]

Rounding up from December, but most of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. I wish I had a friend like Ichiban.

 

[hydruxo]

The build up and boss fight of the fourth biome in Returnal. The fight itself is incredible but the music....holy shit. So good.

Spoiler

Even better when you find out later in the game what real life song it's actually based off of and how it ties in with Selene's story.

 

[jwhit28]

I finished Yakuza Like a Dragon in January. It kept all the classic JRPG tropes I enjoy and got rid of most of the ones I'm tired of. I don't really mind if a game is as deep as a 16 bit Dragon Quest if it can give me a fresh environment and set of characters for JRPGs.

 

[Minty Freshness]

FF7R: Intermission - just all of it. More amazing music, Yuffie's combat and personality being perfect, much like how they handled the rest of the party in the main game, and that ending CG cutscene that just. kept. going!

Makes me so excited for Part 2, whenever it drops. Square has done a really good job with it so far, imo.

 

[haotshy]

I don't have a particular moment, but playing Beat Saber with custom songs has been such a joy for me. I especially love encountering new patterns that would have previously made my body and mind trip over each other and casually slicing my way through that section of the song. I need to give it more time, but Beat Saber honestly might be my favorite game.

 

[Mona]

securing Nier White Snow Edition

 

[spad3]

Hades spoilers:

Spoiler

Beating Hades with Extreme Measures 4 turned, with 16 heat. I legit screamed and stood up out of my chair after he went down on his third life

And then 100%ing the game with all achievements and prophecies.

Need to do 32 heat next but my mind isn't ready for that yet.

 

[touchfuzzy]

Can Advance Wars being revealed at the Nintendo Direct count? I had really given up and now it's back, I can't wait.

 

[TiagoCosta]

When I heard

Spoiler

Nao Toyama

sing in Jugdment, I had no idea she was in the game, quite a nice surprise.

 

[b3llydrum]

Exploring New Pokemon Snap with my partner was the greatest joy I've felt in a while.

 

[RoKKeR]

Nvm, not from "this" year,..

 

[Elster]

Beating the superbosses in FF7:Intermission, made me feel great! Also completing almost all content FFXIV has to offer with my friends this year has been neat, I've played since the 1.0 beta but I've never had such a large group of fun people to play with

 

[makonero]

Nvm, not from "this" year,..

Click to shrink...

Go ahead, I said in the OP it can be any game you've played this year

 

[Spring-Loaded]

The cutscene where you get the winter suit in Miles Morales, getting the black and gold suit, and using special attacks with the bodega suit

 

[H2intensity]

Yeah same as you OP... I just play New Pokemon Snap after getting burnout from Monster Hunter Rise (350hrs ++ lol). Its a pure joy playin New Pokemon Snap. Its relaxing, excitng and just pure fun seeing those Pokemon running around and discover new one.

 

[Boy]

Playing Final Fantasy 7 remake. I really like the characters in the game. even npcs, they always put me in a good mood.

 

[Einbroch]

Mr. Fixer escape section in Rivet & Kit.

 

[zulux21]

or made you happy?

Click to shrink...

I just had a son in Wildermyth, and in his first adventure he was about to be struck down and killed and I was given the option to jump into the attack and protect my son by shielding him with my body.

This made me happy.

We both survived, though my character now has perm health damage from the attack.

 

[Buzzkiller_20]

Throwing apples at Pokemon in New Pokemon Snap. No Pokemon sleeps peacefully when I'm around with apples.