Whilst I have done some end of year/start of year-style posts recently, I have been feeling as though not all of my thoughts on 2020 have been wrapped up, particularly in terms of gaming. So, once seeing McKenna Talks About Games take part in The End of Year Gaming Tag – created by Blogging with Dragons – it seemed a really great and informal, way for me to fix this. Yes, I know it is now early January, but it still applies right? Ah, well I have started now, so I am going through with it aha! Who said there was rules; oh wait, there are some:
The Rules
- Thank the person who tagged you and link to their post.
- Link to the original creator: Kate @ Blogging with Dragons
- Answer the questions.
- Tag however many people as you want!
The Questions
1. What Are You Currently Playing?
As ever with me, that is quite a complex question, aha! I tend to have lots of games on the go at the same time, which is something I hope to improve at in 2021. On my Xbox Series S I am currently playing lots of FIFA 20 and Forza Horizon 4, as well as just starting on Sea of Thieves with friends (all via Game Pass)! Meanwhile, on PlayStation I am partway through the intriguing Control, whilst on Switch I still need to finish Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Then just to add the cherry on top, I am finishing up my Virtual Console runs of Pokémon Red & Crystal on my 3DS XL! Seriously, I am going to get better at managing my games…
2. Are There Any Games You Started This Year That You Need To Finish?
To lead on from the first question, that applies to Control and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. I was enjoying both but got pulled away by various other games and life events, and am hoping to get back to them shortly!
3. Is There A New Release Or Update You’re Still Waiting For?
Being a fan of The Legend of Zelda, the sequel to Breath of the Wild is – shock – a game I am very excited for. I mean, the hints at a darker story, the potential for more of a focus on dungeons, maybe a link to Twilight Princess… OH, AND PRINCESS ZELDA HAS SHORT HAIR. Could Princess Zelda be in this game as a playable character? In similarly hopeful/speculative fashion, it would be great to get some news on the Metroid series in 2021; Metroid Prime 4 has to release eventually, right? Finally, there is the hope for Captain Toad in Smash, which I am so confident about that it might not even count as a prediction. You will see…
4. Any Other Games You Want To Play Before The End Of The Year?
This is one of the questions that applies less now I am doing this in early January 2021, however I shall say that the Xbox Game Pass library has so many games on it I hope to get to in the future, whether that be catching up on AAA releases such as the Halo series or delving into independent games such as Dungeon of the Endless. I also have stacks of games I have bought but not started yet because I make bad financial decisions, but let’s gloss over that for now… Haha!
5. What Game That Was Announced This Year Has You Most Excited?
Ooh this is a tough question, and is one of either Horizon Forbidden West, Resident Evil Village, or Mass Effect. For the latter, I think that we know so little plays against it for now, so it is a choice out of the other two. Resident Evil Village could go either way; the switch to first-person in Resident Evil 7: biohazard impressed me but did not entirely win me over, so I have some caution over it. I had been waiting for a sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn – a game I adore – for a while, and to finally get that announcement was an exciting moment (it seems spectacular, too!). So for me, I would say Horizon Forbidden West!
6. What Is Your Favorite Achievement/Trophy That You’ve Obtained This Year?
-SPOILERS FOR RESIDENT EVIL 3– I think in terms of sheer rewarding feeling, the Trophy for completing Resident Evil 3 on the hardest difficulty setting – Inferno – was my favourite. Most of the Inferno run, whilst tough, I found to be relatively straightforward, but the final fight against Nemesis? Wow. The difficulty spike is ridiculous, and you need to be so accurate with your dodges, movement, and timing to even survive past the first few seconds, let alone beat them! Yet I never lost determination or enjoyment of the fight; the satisfaction from victory was immense!
7. Did You Purchase Any New Consoles Or Upgrades That Made A Difference In Your Gaming This Year?
The most recent Let’s Chat has been about my purchase of the new Xbox Series S, the cheaper next-generation option from Microsoft, which I have been enjoying a lot; after not having an Xbox One, there is a lot of catching up to do! In addition, with the help of my friends, I have purchased the parts to build a PC, which I shall be building this month. Watch this space for more details on that…
8. Have You Changed Any Of Your Gaming Habits This Year?
With 2020 being such a disrupted and different year, my gaming habits changed quite significantly. I have been playing the Switch much more in TV mode than I used to – previously almost all of my Switch game time was handheld, for example whilst on my London tube commute, but a combination of being home more and also the development of drift on my system has altered how I play. Furthermore, opening myself to the digital distribution of Game Pass has been new to me. As well as this, as I have mentioned before, my friends and I have sought out multiple multiplayer games this year for the communal aspect, which has resulted in me experiencing brand new releases such as Spellbreak and also going back to games such as Apex Legends.
9. What Is Your Favorite Character Of The Year?
2020 was the year I dived into the Resident Evil series, and through that education one character stood out as my favourite: Jill Valentine, a determined, inquisitive, and conflicted character who is a delight to play as, and is even the lead character in my favourite game in the series, the 2020 remake of Resident Evil 3! Which is also…
10. What Is Your Personal Game Of The Year And Why?
Resident Evil 3! I have already gone into detail on this in the Games of the Year article on this site, which also includes picks from other people; I recommend you have a read! An excerpt from that article:
If you are after a showcase for the content itself, not the amount of content, being the crucial factor, 3 is a spectacular example. The distinct way it combines the best parts of the action and horror elements of the Resident Evil franchise makes it – in my opinion – the pinnacle of the series, and my favourite gaming experience of 2020.
11. Have You Already Started Making Gaming Plans For 2021?
Roughly, yeah! My plan is to incorporate my writing and content-making more into how I play, for example with more frequent entries into the Gaming Photo Album feature (which I recently posted a piece for on Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition). After experimenting with streaming and video making, I plan to do that more as well once my set-up is sorted out (which is part of why I am building that new PC). There is a lot to be excited and optimistic for in 2021! I hope you stick around for the ride.
Thanks to McKenna Talks About Games for the open invitation, and to Kate @ Blogging with Dragons for setting this all up in the first place! This was a fun way to wrap up my gaming thoughts for 2020. I hope you all have an amazing day!
WCRobinson 
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