The Best, Worst and Blandest of 2021 (Zero Punctuation)

Summary

In this humorous and insightful video, the speaker reflects on the best, worst, and blandest games of 2021 with witty commentary and sarcasm. From the unexpected delight of 'The Artful Escape' to the soul-crushing disappointment of 'Balan Wonderworld', the speaker critiques games with a mix of sharp humor and personal anecdotes. They also mention their new audiobook, 'Existentially Challenged', and share their thoughts on the current state of gaming. The video is a comedic yet thought-provoking exploration of the gaming industry's highlights and lowlights from the past year.

Takeaways

• 😀 The new audiobook titled *Existentially Challenged* is available on Audible.com from December 9th, and it is a supernatural murder mystery.
• 😀 The book is a sequel to *Differently Morphous* and currently only available as an audiobook, though a print version will release next year.
• 😀 The audiobook is narrated by the author themselves.
• 😀 The author humorously addresses common questions, including confirming they do not wear the same hat in real life as they do in the audiobook.
• 😀 The author reflects on the feeling that saying 'Happy New Year' feels inappropriate in the current times, instead opting for 'New Year'.
• 😀 The author expresses disappointment with the gaming year of 2021, mentioning that most games lacked excitement or innovation, contrasting it with past years.
• 😀 *The Artful Escape* surprised the author, earning a spot in the Top 5, but they found it lacking in gameplay depth.
• 😀 *Resident Evil Village* is described as a blend of good and bad, feeling like a dream that goes off-track, offering no strong feelings either way.
• 😀 *Twelve Minutes* is criticized for a poor ending, which undermines its earlier potential despite a solid build-up.
• 😀 *Persona 5 Strikers* makes it to the author's 4th best list, though they acknowledge it's self-indulgence as it's a game mainly for fans.
• 😀 The game *Kena: Bridge of Spirits* is described as bland, featuring a generic design and somewhat uninspired spiritual theme.
• 😀 *The Good Life* by SWERY is deemed poorly designed but still holds some charm, demonstrating how bad design can still be somewhat endearing.
• 😀 *It Takes Two* is praised for its variety and tight design but criticized for weak writing and excessive bad dialogue, limiting its rank.
• 😀 *Back 4 Blood* and other games are noted as reflections of a past era, showing a lack of innovation in the industry, as indie games continue to imitate older trends.
• 😀 *Oddworld Soulstorm* is criticized for failing to improve upon the original *Abe's Exoddus*, with unnecessary additions like crafting systems and robot fights.
• 😀 *Deathloop* and *Twelve Minutes* are dismissed, with the author praising *The Forgotten City* for its solid writing and improved execution of time loop themes.
• 😀 *Outriders* is deemed forgettable and bland, with the author admitting to losing interest in it during their review.
• 😀 *Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood* is singled out as the second worst game of 2021, described as inept yet with the best of intentions.
• 😀 *Psychonauts 2* is recognized as a solid sequel, expanding upon the original, though the author still feels it falls short compared to an original IP.
• 😀 *Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond* is called the blandest game of 2021 due to its lackluster VR experience in the World War 2 shooter genre.
• 😀 *Balan Wonderworld* is identified as the worst game of 2021, with its baffling design choices and earnestness making it fascinatingly bad.

Q & A

What is the new book available on Audible about?

The new book is called 'Existentially Challenged', a hilarious supernatural murder mystery set in a world where the British government has declassified the existence of magic.

Is 'Existentially Challenged' a standalone book or a sequel?

'Existentially Challenged' is a sequel to the book 'Differently Morphous'.

When will 'Existentially Challenged' be available in print?

'Existentially Challenged' will be available in print sometime next year.

Who is reading the audiobook of 'Existentially Challenged'?

The audiobook of 'Existentially Challenged' is read by the author.

What is the author’s view on the greeting 'Happy New Year'?

The author feels that 'Happy New Year' feels inappropriate these days and prefers to simply say 'New year'.

What was the author's experience with picking the best games of 2021?

The author found it difficult to pick the best games of 2021, as nothing particularly exciting stood out compared to previous years. They describe the task as comparable to choosing the most acoustically satisfying bath-time farts.

Which game surprised the author in 2021 and made it to the list?

The author was surprised by 'The Artful Escape', which transitioned from bland to a psychedelic rock odyssey, though it was ranked 5th best.

What is the author's opinion on Resident Evil Village?

The author describes Resident Evil Village as bland, with some good bits but also rehashed ideas. The game left them feeling indifferent, like a dream that starts off interesting but becomes confusing and unmemorable.

Why does the author rank 'Twelve Minutes' as the 5th Worst game of 2021?

The author ranks 'Twelve Minutes' as the 5th worst because, while they enjoyed the game up until the end, the conclusion undermined everything that had come before it.

Which game did the author rank 2nd Worst and why?

The author ranks 'Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood' as the 2nd worst game, citing it as a refreshingly bad game with a lack of redeeming qualities, despite its earnestness.

What was the author's overall opinion of 'Psychonauts 2'?

'Psychonauts 2' is praised for being engaging and imaginative, expanding on the original game, though the author notes that being a sequel to a PS2-era game keeps their enthusiasm in check.

Which game does the author describe as the 'Blandest Game' of 2021?

The author ranks 'Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond' as the blandest game of 2021, criticizing its lack of innovation and the fact that it felt like just another World War 2 shooter in VR.

How does the author feel about the state of video games as a whole in 2021?

The author expresses disappointment in the state of video games, feeling that many games lack ambition and are simply remakes of older titles with little innovation, pointing to the growing trend of games like 'Back 4 Blood' and 'Prince of Persia' remakes.