With so many celebrations of the end of the decade, we at Trophy Unlocked decided we may as well throw our own hat into the ring with a list of our own. However, we noticed that pretty much every list we saw treated 2020 as the start of a new decade instead of the end of one, hence our declaration of the Actual End of the Decade. Unlike our previous Highlights lists, however, we went in with specific criteria in mind for each category:
- Only one film per year per category (divided between live-action and animated)
- Up to two games per year per category (based on different experiences)
- Can only choose from films and games actually released in each year
- Films and games are only eligible for their original release year
Martin Scorsese has made a well-earned reputation as a director that explores the darker side of the human experience. However, he proved with Hugo that he could also make a really great young adult fantasy, based on the book by Brian Selznick. The story revolves around Hugo Cabret, an orphaned boy who lives in the shadows of the railway station until he meets Isabelle, the granddaughter of Georges Méliès. Méliès, the innovative silent film director, has been now forgotten and is reduced to operating a toy booth in the railway station. The acting is superb across the board but the biggest surprise may be Sacha Baron Cohen, who plays Inspector Gustave Dasté, a wounded war vet who is searching for Hugo.
Based on a true story, Ben Affleck directs and stars in this film about a CIA plan to sneak out six U.S. Embassy officials who have taken up residence in the Canadian consulate during the Iranian Hostage crisis. The cover story revolves around scouting for locations for a science fiction film to be called Argo. Even though we know that they get out of the country, the film manages to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.
Gravity (2013)
This heart-pounding adventure is a tour de force for Sandra Bullock, who stars as Ryan Stone, a U.S. astronaut who gets caught in a catastrophic event in space that takes the lives of the astronauts she’s with and destroys her way home. Trapped and alone, Ryan must figure out how to save herself from certain death and return to Earth. George Clooney appears in a supporting role as Matt Kowalski, a fellow astronaut who sacrifices himself so Ryan can survive.
Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Alejandro G. Iñárritu directs this behind the scenes look at a Hollywood actor, Riggan Thomson, played by Michael Keaton, trying to save his career and himself with an ill-advised stint on Broadway. As an actor, Riggan is haunted by his film portrayal of a superhero, Birdman, a legacy that he is trying but fails to shake. The film is made to look like it was filmed in one continuous shot and the musical score by Antonio Sánchez is unforgettable. Zach Galifianakis gives a surprisingly strong and understated performance as Jake, Riggan's best friend and lawyer.
The Martian (2015)
When a mission to Mars has to be scrapped, one astronaut, Mark Watney, is accidentally left behind. While a rescue mission is planned, Mark, a botanist, must figure out how to survive on the barren Red planet. The film is gripping, smart, thrilling and surprisingly funny.
The untold story of three brilliant Black women, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, who had crucial roles in the development of NASA. But bigotry and prejudice keep them from getting all of the recognition that they deserve at the time. Great acting and historical significance make this a must-see film.
Guillermo del Toro always wanted to direct a Creature from the Black Lagoon film but when denied that, he invents a similar character that he places in the middle of the Cold War. The result is that a character that might have been B-movie fodder is elevated to Best Picture status. Sally Hawkins gives a truly powerful and gutsy performance as a deaf charwoman who develops an interspecies love affair with the creature that is being held for experiments in the lab where she works.
A bit of an underdog selection, the film features two very strong performances by Steve Coogan as Stan Laurel, and John C. Reilly as Oliver Hardy. Stan and Ollie follows the comedic duo on their last hurrah, a tour of the British Isles. The film gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the relationship of the two men with each other and with their wives. Ultimately sad, the film features reenactments of some of the pair’s best bits and if you close one eye, you might believe you’re actually seeing the originals perform. A melancholy Valentine to one of cinema’s greatest comedy teams.
Towards the end of World War I, two Lance Corporals, William "Will" Schofield and Thomas "Tom" Blake, are dispatched to relay a message to thwart a doomed planned advancement of troops. Their mission will take them behind enemy lines and into harm’s way. The film is edited in such a way that it appears to be one continuous shot; given the scope of the film, this is a truly impressive endeavor. It also functions to help the viewer relate to these men on their mission. A great adventure told in a very interesting way.
Although we only saw two live-action films this year, we feel confident in choosing Sonic the Hedgehog, which continued the upward trend of better video game adaptations. While not perfect, the story and characters are both fun enough that we’ve readily watched it multiple times. The ending and exciting mid-credits sequence also make room for a sequel that we’re looking forward to.
Worst Live-Action Films
While Cowboys & Aliens gives you exactly what it says it will, it’s not a very memorable film. Not even the likes of Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford could save a sloppy mashup of sci-fi and western elements.
Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
Snow White and the Huntsman tries its hand at adapting the Snow White story and doesn’t quite land. It’s already hard to believe that Kristen Stewart would be fairer than Charlize Theron at the time, but the film has a lot of weird imagery and a story that doesn’t really stick with you years later.
Right from the get-go, Man of Steel had doomed the DCEU with an overly dark tone that takes Superman just a bit too seriously. If it spent more time on the hopeful side of Superman and less on the forced tragedies that befall him, then it might have been a better film. For now, however, it seems that the character is best seen in animation.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Sony’s second attempt at a Spider-Man franchise started off on shaky ground with The Amazing Spider-Man, but The Amazing Spider-Man 2 somehow plunged to further depths. The awful script tries too hard at creating a cinematic universe over telling a good story and what story it does have doesn’t make much sense. The romance aspect kind of worked, but only because director Marc Webb has a better handle on romance than superheroes.
If you thought the 2005 Fantastic Four movie was bad, the 2015 incarnation, known to some as Fant4stic, makes that film look great by comparison. Awful writing, directing and special effects make this film a fantastic bore, especially since it takes far too long for the characters to receive their powers. You’ll have a much better time with the 2005 version.
Suicide Squad has an interesting concept, using supervillains as expandable units in secret black-ops missions, but the team’s big screen debut is a complete and utter mess. Some serviceable acting is undercut by a plot riddled with holes and nonsensical events, plus some really atrocious editing and pacing. We highly recommend watching Batman: Assault on Arkham instead.
Sharknado 5: Global Swarming (2017)
The Sharknado series rode high on the wave of the “so bad, it’s good” quality of the original, but leaning into it just made future installments “so bad, it’s bad”. Case in point, Sharknado 5. It has it all: awful and nonsensical writing, wooden acting and special effects so bad that they couldn’t even be bothered to chroma key properly. A completely frustrating watch through and through.
Among its many issues, Venom suffers the most from poor pacing and a lack of direction. Venom’s arc doesn’t feel natural in any way and the fight scenes suffer from poor texturing that makes the symbiotes look completely fake at some point. It still made enough money to justify a sequel involving Carnage, but there’s no telling how long an ambiguously connected series of Spider-Man offshoots can carry itself without Spider-Man.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
We’re not sure how controversial this pick is, but it feels justified because unlike other bad films that came out in 2019, we felt absolutely nothing during our screening of The Rise of Skywalker. By itself, the film suffers from poor storytelling with plot elements that come completely out of nowhere or felt unearned (not to mention the important message was only heard in a Fortnite event of all places). Taken within context of the other two Star Wars sequel trilogy films, The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, it serves as a cautionary tale of what happens when you throw millions of dollars at a project of this scale without so much as a solid plan.
??? (2020)
We only saw one other live-action film this year, Wonder Woman 1984, but considered it more of a disappointment than outright bad. If there’s a film you believe is worthy of this spot, please let us know.
Best Animated Films
Dreamworks Animation’s follow-up to the acclaimed Kung Fu Panda, which marked the studio’s shift away from Shrek clones, is more ambitious than its predecessor. Kung Fu Panda 2’s villain, Lord Shen, is highly memorable, with a more threatening presence and a tragic connection to Po’s past. More complex themes are also handled very maturely and the stellar animation and voice acting help this film stand the test of time.
For a while, video game movies couldn’t get much better than Wreck-It Ralph, an emotional and well-written film about a villain tired of living out his thankless role day after day. Though this film did start trends that Disney would eventually copy to death, Wreck-It Ralph did them better and in a way that fit the story’s themes. Even if you find other video game films lackluster, this one is an easy recommendation.
The Wind Rises (2013)
If The Wind Rises had stayed as Hayao Miyazaki’s final film, we’d say he went out on a high note. While a biopic of a WWII fighter plane designer may seem contentious for some, its meditation on the beauty of creation versus the corruption of reality feels like a fitting sendoff and is a subject worthy of continued discussion. Strong writing and beautiful animation make this emotional journey worth at least one viewing.
The initial ads for The LEGO Movie made us wary, but the final result really surprised us. Its animation took full advantage of the possibilities of LEGO and a lot of heart and passion went into a story that felt like far more than merely an advertisement, but a celebration of the brand as a whole. One twist near the end of the film really paints the rest of the film in a new light and it’s worth watching to find out how.
Although Pixar’s quality fluctuates past a certain point, Inside Out is one of their better releases in recent years. The film’s unique spin on visualizing emotions, a difficult task in itself, does an incredible job at showcasing how we overlook the importance of sadness in processing dramatic changes in our lives. After at least one viewing, you may even start imagining what the inside of your own mind looks like.
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
Although it released in the same year as the highly-acclaimed Zootopia, Kubo and the Two Strings stuck with us. Elements of Japanese mythology are expertly woven into a highly emotional story with some of the best effects ever seen in a stop-motion film. This level of quality in an overlooked medium doesn’t come around very often and this film deserves more attention.
While declaring director Makoto Shinkai the next Hayao Miyazaki might be hyperbolic, Your Name. is worth watching nonetheless. This unique romantic tale about a boy and a girl who swap bodies stays highly engaging and has a big twist that leads to a climax that’ll keep viewers on the edge of their seat. Even after multiple viewings, the emotions stay strong.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Where most of Sony Pictures Animation’s projects are hit and miss, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse truly stands out. The well-written story doubles as a love letter to Spider-Man that works well as part of its message, but the visuals really help set it apart from any other animated film, blending CG, traditional animation and comic book tones. All of these strong elements make for a film that’s easily worth multiple viewings.
Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal – Tales of Savagery (2019)
While including a film comprised of four episodes of a TV show might seem like cheating, the theatrical release of Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal displayed the creator’s mastery of visual storytelling with beautiful traditional animation and a distinct lack of spoken dialogue. While this version could only be viewed for a single week, the show itself is easily worth your time.
In a year of more lackluster animated films, Soul carried that special Pixar magic that elevated it above even the studio’s own Onward. Well-written characters and an interesting take on the human soul help deliver a powerful message about appreciating the little things in life. Be sure to pair this one with Burrow, the short that would have originally preceded Soul in the theater.
Worst Animated Films
Cars 2 will forever have a reputation as Pixar’s first dud. The original Cars always felt like the weak link in their library, but Mater overstays his welcome as the sequel’s protagonist and the homage to spy movies doesn’t quite gel well with the major racing event in the background. Thankfully, Pixar has since made better movies.
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012)
While the first Madagascar film was decent and its sequel not quite as good, Madagascar 3 falls a bit short. The “afro circus” gag was a bit overdone to the point that the advertising put a laser focus on it, though that aside the uneven story feels like it was trying to speedrun whatever franchise plans they had. The penguins remain the only saving grace of the movie, however even that’s not worth the price of admission.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013)
The first Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs film did a serviceable job at expanding upon the ideas of the original book to make it a feature-length presentation, especially for an early Sony Pictures Animation film. Its sequel, however, is a bit more aimless. The main villain, an obvious exaggeration of the late Steve Jobs, has some potential as a foil for Flint Lockwood, however he, much like the film’s premise, comes completely out of nowhere. At least the animation was good.
??? (2014)
We didn’t see very many animated films from this year and of what we did see, they were at worst mediocre. If there was a film that we missed that would easily fit in this slot, we’d love to hear it.
Minions (2015)
While Illumination had a good hit with Despicable Me, none of their successive releases have recaptured the magic that made it great. Unfortunately, the Minions from that film became a breakout hit and resulted in Minions, a weak and obvious cash grab with the sole aim of milking the popularity of characters who can only carry a short at best. With a sequel already on the way, we don’t look forward to seeing their likeness inescapably plastered on absolutely everything once again.
Ice Age: Collision Course (2016)
If you need proof that Ice Age had overstayed its welcome, look further than Collision Course, the fifth and hopefully final theatrical outing. A far-fetched premise, an overabundance of characters and an over-reliance on modern references make this one an absolute slog to sit through. Not even Scrat could save this one.
Creativity is not a word we would associate with The Emoji Movie, as its story shamelessly and lazily rips off much better films, including Wreck-It Ralph and The LEGO Movie, and doesn’t even take full advantage of its own premise. Insultingly good animation does nothing to distract from the brazen product placement that really drives the plot, with several apps like Just Dance and Candy Crush disguising themselves as plot points. If you value your time, don’t even bother with this one.
Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
Although we understood the intended message behind Ralph Breaks the Internet, the writing felt weak in comparison to the inventive original. Besides ignoring the original lore for the sake of starting the plot, this film shows a surprisingly ignorant view of some prominent websites like YouTube and eBay and an extended Oh My Disney! sequence feels more like an excuse to plug Disney’s various properties. While perhaps not as bad as the similar The Emoji Movie, it’s still not an easy recommendation.
Scooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island (2019)
Perhaps Warner Bros. already made a mistake by releasing a sequel to Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island in the first place, but the prospect of a sequel proved too tempting to pass up on. Rather than honor what made the original DTV film work, however, this sequel showed how far the DTV films have fallen in quality. If you liked the original film on any level, don’t bother with this one.
As if one bad Scooby-Doo film wasn’t enough, we have one originally intended for a theatrical release. Though we liked the idea of the film enough that we bought it during its initial digital release, the end result felt cold and calculated, as well as more of a blatant attempt at starting a cinematic universe than actually celebrating Scooby-Doo. Maybe we’ll get a good theatrical film in the franchise one day, but this certainly isn’t it.
Best Video Games
The Batman: Arkham series is generally solid, but of the entries from the 2010s, Arkham City truly stands out. Its more complex storyline and manageable open world gameplay lead to some memorable moments, including the iconic fight with Mr. Freeze. With incredible combat and a wealth of secrets, including conversations with Calendar Man, it’ll keep you playing for a long time.
Portal 2 is an unnecessary sequel that manages to expand on and even surpass its predecessor. The story, despite having its share of memetic lines, is actually fairly engaging and the puzzle mechanics expand upon those of the original Portal in new and exciting ways. The music is quite good as well and can stick with you long after your initial playthrough.
In a generally more lackluster year, with some exceptions, Spec Ops: The Line stands out as an unforgettable experience. Although the core gameplay falls into more generic third-person shooter territory, its narrative design and storytelling effectively deliver a powerful message about the player’s role in the cycle of violence in a way that only video games can. Although it could have handled one of its more powerful moments better, it’s a game we don’t mind revisiting, since we discover something new on every playthrough.
While the core gameplay loop isn’t too inspired, the storytelling in The Last of Us more than makes up for it and stands the test of time. The powerful bonding tale between Joel and Ellie in their year-long journey across a post-apocalyptic America has some unforgettable characters and iconic moments that lead up to a perfectly open-ended conclusion. A must-play for every PlayStation owner, especially the Remastered version on PS4.
The Stanley Parable (2013)
The interactive fiction genre of games is a more contentious one, though The Stanley Parable demonstrates what it’s really capable of in the right hands. The gameplay and narrative manage to explore player choice to varying degrees, such that it creates seemingly endless replay value as you try and explore every possible corner of the game to see how it takes every possible action into account.
Sunset Overdrive (2014)
While plenty of other great games came out in 2014, Sunset Overdrive is an overlooked gem from Insomniac. Everything about the game’s design revolves around having fun, down to the hilariously ridiculous storyline and unique combination of third-person shooter and Tony Hawk-style traversal and exploration. It may have some rough edges, but it’s definitely worth your time.
Indie games like Undertale don’t come around very often. While not a perfect masterpiece, this game breaks new ground in how it handles player choice and traditional game mechanics. Every single player action, including whether or not they kill monsters, is accounted for and even the act of saving and loading comes up as a plot point. Its great gameplay, characters, setting and music make for a game that sticks with you long after playing it.
Ori and the Blind Forest (2015)
Perhaps one of the better reasons to own an Xbox, Ori and the Blind Forest has an enchanting visual direction that ties in well with its story and sometimes challenging Metroidvania gameplay. Some of its shortcomings at launch, such as the lack of fast travel, were fixed in the Definitive Edition, making it an objectively better experience, though some of its ideas would also be expanded upon in its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, despite some of its own janky elements.
Doom (2016)
In a time when “modernization” meant a lackluster follow-up to a classic, Doom (2016) did it right by going back to the series’ roots and bringing old-school gameplay into a new era and updating it in all the right ways. Playing an FPS game in this style, including its more minimalist story and fire soundtrack by Mick Gordon, felt like a real breath of fresh air compared to its competition and it’s no wonder it later received a sequel, Doom Eternal. Highly recommended for those seeking fast-paced demon slaying.
The Witness has some very creative first-person puzzle gameplay with a lot of variety, some of which can even change how you view the island on which it is set. A guide may be required for some of the more challenging puzzles depending on one’s skill level, though it is really good for giving yourself a mental workout.
Persona 5 felt like a breath of fresh air for RPGs. A well-executed story with memorable characters goes nicely with a highly interactive world and incredible turn-based combat that eliminates tedious menus in favor of single button presses. Add in a strong sense of style and a catchy acid jazz soundtrack and you’ll find that 100 hours passes by quickly.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (2017)
The first in a line of many that would come after, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy set the stage for modern video game remasters, recreating every asset of the first three games to fit more in line with modern standards, keeping the experience intact while introducing some much-needed quality-of-life changes. The result is a genuinely fun package that serves as the perfect reintroduction to the world of Crash Bandicoot, so much so that a remaster of Crash Team Racing soon followed, as did a proper Crash Bandicoot 4. If you’ve never played a Crash Bandicoot game before, this is the best place to start.
Kratos’ story continues in God of War (2018) in a way that stays true to his rejection of blind revenge at the end of God of War III and sees him trying to start a new life while his past catches up to him. The Norse setting offers new possibilities for the series going forward and while the gameplay does need some fine tuning, it feels fresh compared to the increasingly repetitive nature of the original series. With an ominous finale and Ragnarök on the way in the sequel, we look forward to seeing where this story is headed.
After the more lukewarm DmC: Devil May Cry, Devil May Cry 5 returns to the original continuity with a storyline that feels like a celebration of the series, bridging them all together in a very satisfying way. It also features incredible gameplay, with three different characters that all feel unique from each other while introducing awesome new weapons and creative strategies. Combine that with the best dynamic soundtrack and visuals of the series to date and you have a purely fun game that’s hard to put down.
The Tetris series has seen a lot more experimentation in recent years, among them Tetris 99. While the idea of a Tetris battle royale game sounds ridiculous on paper, the core mechanics of Tetris translate surprisingly well to the genre, allowing for short bursts of online gameplay that reward skill and don’t involve micro-transactions. The regular Maximus Cups, in which you can unlock Nintendo-based themes, provide some good incentive to keep playing, though the game can get addicting to play on its own merits.
Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020)
When compared with the original Final Fantasy VII from 1997, Remake is a dramatic overhaul. Despite some hiccups, the Active Time Battle system translates the combat impressively into a 3D space, the graphics are breathtaking and the music shows that Nobuo Uematsu’s still got it. Admittedly, they could have trimmed out some of the additional story and gameplay elements and improved some of the writing towards the end. However, it’s still a great game overall and it’ll be interesting to see where they take future parts of Remake from here.
The latest new IP from Sucker Punch follows the samurai Jin Sakai on his journey to save Japan from a Mongol invasion, during which he faces an inner struggle with the inherently self-destructive nature of the samurai code of honor. While it doesn’t blow open world games out of the water, the compelling storyline and the breadth of side content coupled with the beautiful scenery and historical accuracy make up for this. The recently-added Legends multiplayer mode increases the replay value of the game, though the main campaign alone is a worthwhile experience.
Worst Video Games
MindJack (2011)
MindJack’s concept sounded great on paper, hacking your enemies and taking control of them, but it turned out so much worse in practice. A poorly-written story was one thing, but it doesn’t go far enough with the actual Mind Jacking to help it stand out and the shooting mechanics and enemy AI are rather unremarkable. If you want a game with a similar concept but pulled off far more successfully, go play Super Mario Odyssey instead.
Much like the protagonist, NeverDead falls apart at the seams, with an uninspired story and repetitive gameplay where the main gimmick feels more frustrating than fun, culminating in an emotionally draining final boss fight. Not even Megadeth’s original song written specifically for the game, “Never Dead”, could save this mess.
Even if you have little to no experience with the Top Cow comic, The Darkness is a decent first-person shooter with some interesting shadow and dual-wielding mechanics as well as a compelling story. The Darkness II features the rather awesome mechanic of quad-wielding, however it is otherwise bogged down by some more awkwardly-executed mechanics and a story that’s a major step backwards for Jackie Estacado’s character development, with some rather cringy dialogue that sounds like what a teenager thinks “mature” is. If you are a fan of either the original comic or the first game, this one is a hard pass.
Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I Don’t Know! (2013)
Adventure Time sounds like the perfect IP for a roguelike, but the end result was underwhelming. Apart from the weak story, the gameplay actively punishes the player for playing it, with a system that discourages exploring dungeons for too long and an unnecessary “candy tax” that prevents players from actually saving up money for when they really need it. Combine that with surprisingly frequent crashes that erase as much as an hour of progress and you have a game that’s hard to play and harder to recommend.
Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (2014)
Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark is a perfect example of how stapling a poorly-made movie tie-in game to a mediocre non-High Moon entry in the Cybertron game series simply doesn’t work. The idea of a crossover between two Transformers universes is an interesting idea that has been explored in fan club fiction, however, as one of the earliest mainstream attempts at this, the game executes it in a way that neither universe actually interacts with each other and the movie tie-in portion of the package somehow manages to contradict the movie on which it is based. While the gameplay is a little unpolished despite taking cues from Fall of Cybertron, it hamfists a wholly unnecessary lootbox system and the visuals leave a lot to be desired, contributing to what is easily one of the worst Transformers games ever made.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 (2015)
Although the Tony Hawk series had gradually declined in quality after Underground 2, Pro Skater 5 proved itself the absolute nadir of the franchise, with spectacularly awful and repetitive gameplay in a rushed and bug-filled package. It’s fortunate that Pro Skater 1 + 2 came along five years later and rescued the series from oblivion, otherwise this game would be the last painful image anyone would have of it.
Street Fighter V [Launch] (2016)
Street Fighter V may be in a better place right now, but at launch it was a complete mess. A complete lack of a Story mode or proper Arcade mode, grindy Fight Money system and small launch roster plagued this game and made it hard to really enjoy. I didn’t really stick around much after that, but if they ever release a version with all of the DLC on-disc, it might be worth another shot.
Bendy and the Ink Machine (2017)
As with other games on this section of our list, a great concept fell apart from some undercooked aspects of the development. In this case, Bendy’s episodic release worked against it, with an unfocused narrative and inconsistent gameplay style. The PS4 version also had bugs that made enjoying it difficult or made unlocking a post-game item and special room impossible. The passion was admirable, but better planning might have helped.
Playing a game as a deaf protagonist sounds interesting, but The Quiet Man executed this concept quite horribly. It’s one thing that it had an incoherent script, but the poor gameplay sealed the deal, with underexplained mechanics and missing animations abound. Finishing it notably lets you play it again with sound, but it doesn’t improve the experience all that much.
The current Gears of War trilogy, starting with Gears of War 4, had some promise, but Gears 5 promptly threw it out the window. A messy story, a poorly-conceived late game choice and barely innovative and buggy gameplay, including a series of bugs that nearly made the ending unplayable, collectively lower any expectations for the inevitable Gears 6.
The Last of Us Part II isn’t the worst game ever made, but the legitimately impressive technical achievements and accessibility innovations can’t save a generic and poorly-paced story, with copy-paste gameplay to boot. Perhaps with better direction, this unnecessary sequel could have avoided many of its biggest issues that already make it such a hard recommendation.
Overrated
Gone Home (2013)
While Gone Home more or less ushered in a new genre of video games and development style, the actual story didn’t quite match the horror mystery atmosphere and doesn’t take full advantage of the medium. It felt more like an interactive novel at times and the payoff felt a bit too mundane for the buildup. It’s also a bit overpriced for the amount of content, meaning it’s only really worth buying during a sale.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
When we finally saw this film, we didn’t quite understand all the hype surrounding it. It has great visuals, but that’s all it really had going for it, as the story felt rather unsubstantial. At its core it’s a two-hour chase scene, but not much really happens apart from driving one way and then driving all the way back, wasting highly valuable water along the way. Not awful, but not great either.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
Although Three Billboards received critical praise, and even a nomination for Best Picture at the 2018 Academy Awards, its unconventional storytelling leaves much to be desired. It feels less like a full story and more of a feature-length second act building up to a third that never arrives. One major twist towards the end, while perhaps more realistic, doesn’t feel that satisfying as a story and makes the time spent feel rather pointless.
Black Panther is actually a good movie, and it’s great that the black community had representation in such a major production, but it wasn’t Best Picture material and wasn’t even the best MCU film from that year (we felt that honor went to Avengers: Infinity War). We appreciated it more on a second viewing, but it didn’t change our opinion that much, as it still hit the same major story beats of other MCU films up to that point, including a villain that’s a glorified reskin of the hero. It’s still worth a watch, but it’s worth tempering your expectations.
Parasite was well-acted and had great dialogue, but the sheer amount of hype we heard going in resulted in a more underwhelming experience. The famous twist in the middle relies on a rather contrived setup and certain developments didn’t make much sense. It’s worth watching once, but we wouldn’t eagerly watch it again.
Underrated
An overlooked animated film about the friendship between a mouse and a bear despite all odds against them. The emotional storytelling is backed by some enchanting watercolor-inspired visuals that give it a more timeless quality, one that holds up nearly a decade after its initial release.
Killer Instinct (2013)
Amongst the other major fighting games, Killer Instinct (2013) has once again dropped off the radar. It’s a shame really, considering the unique and interesting cast of characters and fun combo-based fighting system, plus the incredible score by Mick Gordon and, later, Celldweller and Atlas Plug. It would great if the series could somehow get in the spotlight once more, but until then we recommend the Definitive Edition of this title, as it comes with the entire roster of characters.
Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse (2014)
Even with the increased attention the Shantae games have gathered in recent years, Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse doesn’t come up very often in discussions of platformers. Besides its great story of a temporary truce between arch-enemies, the different islands are designed very well and hide plenty of secrets that will keep you playing, especially for achieving the best ending. Beating it also unlocks a mode that’s perfect for speedrunning, which alone provides great replay value.
Considering the great comedic talent of Key and Peele, it’s a shame that Keanu couldn’t find its audience. A fun storyline packed with plenty of smart humor doesn’t come along very often and the comedic duo are great at portraying average people who find themselves far out of their comfort zones in search of a missing cat. It’s a great laugh-out-loud time.
The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017)
While not perfect, The Hitman’s Bodyguard proved itself a sleeper hit thanks to the surprisingly great chemistry of Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson more or less playing the most well-known versions of themselves. That alone makes it worth a watch.
Carrion may
not have been on everyone’s radar after its initial Devolver Direct reveal, but
this indie title capitalizes well on its reverse-horror premise. Unlike most
other horror games, you play as a monster escaping a facility in a well-paced
Metroidvania with a minimal, but engaging storyline. Though short, it’s just
the right length to satisfy that craving for something new.
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