December 16 - 22

Section: 

IMAGE(https://www.gamerswithjobs.com/files/pictures/pictures/picture-13445.jpg)   Felix “Almost there...” Threepaper

Welcome, and happy “Arguing about Star Wars” week! I, for one, am looking forward to (and totally not pre-emptively exhausted by) the internet discussion about how The Rise of Skywalker either saves or ruins Star Wars, and by extension, our childhoods and sense of selves.

I wonder if the release schedule is just naturally winding down after a big 3 months, or if everyone is steering clear of 19-20 December because of the new Star Wars, and the sheer Force of merch that will Awaken and be Unleashed? This is also the time of year when we start to look back upon the games of 2019, and work out which of them deserve a number between 1 and 10 next to their name.

One of the weird things about Steam’s near-total lack of vetting what is sold on its platform is that you get topical games. You know how a lot of people hold SNL to a lower standard of quality because it’s topical, and they only get a week do to each show? This doesn’t translate well to videogames. It takes more than a week to make a game, so something topical usually has some very basic mechanics wrapped up in a catchphrase ripped from the headlines. This week’s topical game is OK Boomer, a rudimentary horde shooter. It’s not so much trying to say anything, as it is hoping that you’ll buy a sub-standard game because it mentions a meme. As a Gen-Xer, I’m often pressed into the generation wars—the one thing Millennials and Boomers can agree on is how much Gen-Xers suck—but this game ain’t it.

Wattam is the latest from Keita Takahashi, the designer of Katamari Damacy and Noby Noby Boy. He says there’s too many games based on conflict and fighting, so he makes games that foster a sense of play without those dynamics. Wattam is a friendship game. You start out as the mayor of an empty town who wants to make friends. As you help people in odd but sweet ways, new friends will join your town and your roster of playable characters. The vibe is exploration and whimsy, rather than high scores and a compelling story.

The very delightful Untitled Goose Game honks its way on to non-Switch platforms this week and would make a nice gift for a gamer of any age.

Borderlands 3 gets an expansion: Moxxi's Heist of the Handsome Jackpot. It’s a raid on Handsome Jack’s casino, with new enemies and Legendary loot, but not new Vault Hunter classes or skill trees.

3M SPAIN FOUNDATION - STEM+VR is an educational PSVR experience. It has 4 scenarios, one each for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It’s designed for groups of 3 to learn and collaborate to complete challenges. While I can’t fault the intent, it looks weird seeing an educational product clearly made for middle-school kids festooned with Sony’s typical disclaimers that kids 12 and under should not use VR.

I’ll give a GOTW to Wattam for looking for its fun in a different place and embracing the whimsy. Too often in video games, we focus on the results rather than the journey. Kudos to Wattam for positing that being fun and kind is its own reward.

Here's the list, now in release-date order!

PC

  • 12-16

  • Galactic Management
  • Jinga Online
  • Billion Beat
  • I Can't Believe It's Not Gambling 2(K)
  • Eternal Battlefield
  • Racer Simulator
  • Bomber Fox
  • Bottler3000
  • Tales of Beasteria
  • Ground War
  • Particulate
  • Slippery Sausage
  • World of relish
  • Sapper
  • 12-17

  • Wattam
  • Potata
  • The Sims 4: Discover University
  • Magical Princess
  • Bloody trains
  • Realms of Darkness
  • Aery VR
  • Impossiball - Gamers Challenge
  • KILL THE EMOJI - THE REMAKE
  • Endless Ski
  • ROAD HOMEWARD: Open world
  • Woodle Tree 2: Deluxe+
  • Periodic Deliveries
  • Tsumi Teki Dai Shichi Shou
  • TERMINAL
  • Escape the Ninja Room
  • Tiamat's Drink
  • Frontline: The Great Patriotic War
  • Planet Zoo: Arctic Pack
  • Merge Towers
  • 12-18

  • Survival Hell
  • Zombie Season
  • Orbital Shipyards
  • Tip of the Spear: Task Force Elite
  • Pizza Time Explosion
  • Fighting Moore
  • TOTALLY BASEBALL
  • Fight of Animals
  • Mineirinho Director's Cut
  • Cave to Kingdom
  • SWEATER? OK! - The Dilogy
  • War Robots: Planet Defender
  • Ninja Run
  • Gachi Heroes 2: Flexboll
  • Swing Dunk
  • HoloSprint
  • 12-19

  • TO4: Tactical Operations
  • The Rainbow World
  • Ambienz
  • Elf Manor
  • Craft Elements
  • PuPaiPo Space Deluxe
  • Reika Memory
  • Bokuten - Why I Became an Angel
  • Borderlands 3: Moxxi's Heist of the Handsome Jackpot
  • Airborne: Trials
  • Veggie Killer Remastered
  • DEUS EX MACHINA: Stage Zero
  • The Good Time Garden
  • Summoner VR
  • Moves
  • Monster Hunter VR
  • Cold wires
  • Space Digger
  • Defending Frontiers
  • The Pyramid Prison
  • Rebound Ball
  • Drone Racer
  • Hexon (LuteGames)
  • The Magician's Workshop
  • 12-20

  • Hand And Stone
  • Gnome Rampage
  • Troll Control
  • Vector Light
  • Time Fragments: 24h in Capua
  • Outpost
  • Lem-Amaze!
  • SoulfulLand
  • Inferna
  • Dance With Zombies
  • nStations
  • One-Eyed Lee and the Dinner Party
  • PyroNinja: Fire Dodge
  • Remember
  • Oh Jeez, Oh No, My Rabbits Are Gone!
  • The Shenanigans of Cherry and Trix
  • New Year's Eve: 2020
  • REFUGE
  • Necro Wars
  • Reincarnated As A Monster
  • OMON Girl: Bottle Royal
  • OK Boomer
  • Concept 20
  • The Sword
  • STATIONflow
  • Physical Glitch
  • Terra Alia
  • Wrecker
  • Strike!OvulationDivine Fist! Rebellion to Extinction!
  • The Pirate Queen
  • Grimalkin: Solar Defense Force
  • 12-22

  • The Alchemist's House

PS4

  • 12-16

  • Treasure Rangers
  • 12-17

  • Wattam
  • XPOSED
  • Hellmut: The Badass from Hell
  • Demon Pit
  • The Sims 4: Discover University
  • Straimium Immortaly
  • XenoRaptor
  • Tamashii
  • Demons with Shotguns
  • Party Trivia
  • Artpulse
  • Iro Hero
  • Mini Motor Racing X
  • SACRALITH: The Archer's Tale
  • Word Maze by POWGI
  • Untitled Goose Game
  • 12-18

  • 3M SPAIN FOUNDATION - STEM+VR
  • 12-19

  • Borderlands 3: Moxxi's Heist of the Handsome Jackpot
  • Regions Of Ruin
  • bayala - the game
  • 12-20

  • The Inner Friend
  • DreamBall
  • Soccer Pinball
  • Unit 4

Xbox One

  • 12-17

  • The Sims 4: Discover University
  • Untitled Goose Game
  • 12-19

  • Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX
  • Borderlands 3: Moxxi's Heist of the Handsome Jackpot
  • 12-20

  • Cold Silence
  • Aery: Little Bird Adventure

Switch

  • 12-16

  • Travel Mosaics: A Paris Tour
  • 12-17

  • Rift Keeper
  • 12-19

  • Mirror
  • Dual Brain Vol.1: Calculation
  • bayala - the game
  • Melbits World
  • JDM Racing
  • KUUKIYOMI: Consider It!
  • 12-20

  • Farabel
  • 60 Parsecs!

Comments

Tales of Beasteria might end up with a lawsuit on their hands if Bamco ever gets wind of the game. Pretty sure they own every right under the sun to the words "Tales of".

I'm curious about Wattam. I sure hope it turns out decent, unlike Noby Noby which was just weird beyond the point of being interesting.

I thought it was a typo of another Tales... game port.

Felix - just wanted to drop a line and say how much I appreciate this feature each week. I look forward to it every week. Everyone involved with it should be commended. Thank you!

Aww, thanks tboon, much appreciated!

I couldn't do it without Antichulius as the editor.

Thanks for the shout out.

Let’s be clear on the lions share of the load, though. Felix does awesome work every week. I’m pleased he stepped up to carry the torch of this feature, and happy to do my part to keep it running as well.

No no, see, you have to buy Wattam to play friends.