A Video Game Thanksgiving: What We’re Thankful For

Thank you readers, viewers, and community members for making 2019 such a memorable year for us at Epilogue Gaming. To show our gratitude, we have compiled a list of video game things we are thankful for. Let us know in the comments or the Epilogue Gaming Discord what has made you thankful in the year 2019. 

Written by Ben Vollmer

We’re likely in the last full year of a console generation, and there is a lot to be thankful for. We have a new Pokemon game on the Nintendo Switch, a wonderfully remade Resident Evil 2 that still stands as my game of the year, and a back-breakingly difficult old-school platformer in Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair. But while we have had wonderful game after wonderful game to choose from this year, the thing I’m most thankful for is that we have three consoles that all provide different and valuable features.

Let’s start with the Xbox One, which has inarguably had the weakest effect on the market since its inception. Since Phil Spencer took over for Xbox, they have focused their efforts toward pro-consumer features like backwards compatibility, accessibility, and the Xbox Gamepass – something so good that I hope it sets the standard for future streaming services. Being able to play the improved Mass Effect on my big screen has briefly filled the Citadel-sized hole in my heart that comes from a lack of remaster (Let’s hope that next year I am writing about the Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster we are are all thankful for)

Of course, the Playstation 4 has been a brutal force in the game industry. It surpassed 100 million sales in the same year that the company’s legendary president, Shuhei Yoshida, stepped down from his position. The incredible sales has led to Sony fully investing in its first-party titles, and while they didn’t deliver a ton of them in 2019, there is a buzz in the air for what is sure to be a dominant 2020. In a marketplace where consoles have become just as much a service as a physical space, I’m so glad that Sony has decided to focus on the games. 

Lastly, I am thankful for the Nintendo Switch. I’ll be honest: when Nintendo announced that they were moving forward with a home console/mobile console hybrid, I thought my dreams of the Zelda, Mario, and Pokemon franchises taking the next big step in their respective evolutions was going to be put on hold. Instead, we have arguably gotten the best game from all three franchises since its release. Just this year, I’ve loved playing Cadence of Hyrule, Astral Chain, Tetris 99, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses on the go. At this point, I’m just left aching that I can’t take my PS4 or Xbox One games on the road with me, either

Written by Marcos Carmona 

This year has been one hell of a ride. It’s no secret that fighting games are my favorite games to play and this year has been more than generous with granting me not just a selection of fighters to play, but a newfound horde of fighting game players to smoke. Games like UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late, Dragonball FighterZ, Street Fighter V, and Tekken 7 all got new content to dive into. We also got new fighting games to play like Samurai Shodown, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, and Mortal Kombat 11. It’s a beautiful time to be a fighting game fan and I’m forever thankful to the friends, family, and loved ones we all get to enjoy beating face with. 

Outside of fighting games, one of the biggest releases from this year was Fire Emblem: Three Houses and sweet Christmas did I fall in love with it. Being able to play it on the go thanks to the Nintendo Switch was a huge part of it, yes, but Three Houses was definitely the biggest gaming surprise I was met with this year and I doubt I’ll get enough of it. 

This year had entries to franchises that I’ve come to love from childhood that were either only titled from myths or memes. The first was Devil May Cry V. After not hearing from Dante for years a lot of us stopped waiting, but after that fateful Microsoft Press Conference was E3 2018 we learned that Devil May Cry V wasn’t just real, but was going to be insane. Falling in love with the cheesy, the outlandish, the insane, and mostly, the stylish aura that the Devil May Cry series wears all over again was an experience only Dante and the crew could deliver.

Finally, this year brought me a game that I still tear up about when I remind myself about it. Kingdom Hearts 3 was probably the most important game release I had the luxury to enjoy. Years of growing with Sora, Donald, Goofy, Riku, Mickey, Aqua, Terra, Axel, and everyone really was celebrated in this game. It was an end to a saga that I waited over a decade for and upon finishing it, I’m pretty sure I cried a decade’s worth of tears through the credits and well after. There’s no better way to explain what I felt other than it was a dream come true. No amount of words would do justice to the gratitude I feel for Kingdom Hearts, but I think I made a good attempt.

Written by Flora Eloise

I am thankful that this year has been packed with compelling indie games, so much that I have nearly ignored most mainstream AAA releases in the process. It fills my heart to see new, young, small creators find success, and 2019 has been a friend to many smaller developers. My favorite game in this regard was Untitled Goose Game, which took over the internet in a way that I can’t say I’ve ever seen a game do before. It also became the first game that I properly speedran, waddling down my completion time to less than 10 minutes. 

Two of the best indie games released this year were anchored around music. The catchiest game I played this year was Sayonara Wild Hearts, a playable pop album that entranced me from the moment I pressed play. It’s such a compelling experience that I immediately replayed it – something I never do. The other musical game I loved was Cadence of Hyrule, the rhythm-based Zelda spinoff that brings a new level of replayability to the Zelda IP. I am very grateful to Nintendo for licensing out the Zelda name, because Cadence of Hyrule is a delight.

There are far too many indies that deserve honorable mention. One of the most thoughtful games I played this year was Neo Cab, whose ambiance sticks with me months after playing it. Ape Out was a romp with an unmistakable art style coupled with a spontaneous and reactive jazzy soundtrack. Heart of the Woods was a magical visual novel which reminded me how important LGBTQ+ representation is in video games. And Erica, though technically not indie, was crafted by a lovingly small team and brought brilliant life to the sorely underexplored FMV genre of games – which could use all the attention it can get. With these games in mind, and considering the small size of the teams behind each, I am deeply grateful for the diversity of beautiful and challenging experiences that I have played this year.

Though I praise these small teams, I am also grateful for some of this year’s more prestigious and well-known releases. Control was a psychological thriller with the best video game building ever designed. Dreams is an unbelievable sandbox by which players and developers build shareable games. Ring Fit Adventure is an absurd and addictive exercise game, experimenting with ludonarrative concepts that only Nintendo would dare to explore. And of course, I would be remiss not to mention the game that I was most anticipating this year, Death Stranding. 

I am also thankful for Anthem. The memes have been self-suppliant.

My deepest gratitude lies with the Epilogue Gaming community, who helped raise well over $2,000 in each charity event we organized for the Able Gamers charity. You have also helped us grow our Patreon, which in turn has enabled us to reevaluate how we focus on games in 2020 and beyond. Thanks to everyone who involves themselves with Epilogue. You truly brighten our lives each and every day. 

Written by Artemis Liu

I’m thankful for the many releases that graced us this year – from the long awaited releases, to games I originally had little interest in, but was drawn into once I sat down and played them. Some of my top contenders consist of Catherine: Full Body, Devil May Cry V, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Gato Roboto, Baba is You, and even some games with drastic content updates such as Street Fighter V and Stardew Valley.

While I had plenty of experiences with new games from this year, I also spent a large amount of time with games that were released in previous years. Some of the most noteworthy games for me were Gris, NieR, NieR: Automata, Ori and the Blind Forest, and even Yakuza 0. Each of these games tells a story that left me feeling completely emotional weeks after I had completed them. The gameplay, art style, and music are all breathtaking and unique for each title.

Despite the port being a little rocky, I’m happy that Journey released on PC and iOS this year. Being part of the community since 2013, it’s amazing and heartwarming to see those without the Playstation line of consoles finally play one of my most cherished games of all time. I hope the game and the community continue to thrive for years to come. I’m also looking forward to the day where I can finally play Sky with those who I once walked the sands with in Journey.

The last thing I am thankful for is the release of Kind Words. A simple concept at its core, but it’s honestly been therapeutic for me, more than I can ever express. While I only really boot it up once or twice a week now, I still look forward to checking in on it. Kindness and empathy from internet strangers has helped me, and I hope that my letters have helped them too.

Written by Andy Webb

This year has been one of the busiest years of my life. I’ve delved deeper and deeper into what makes games so special not only in a broad sense by observing the medium but on an extremely personal level by honing my competitive edge across multiple games, namely shooters and Clone Hero. With Halo‘s imminent release to PC, I look back at my competitive history with a wide, toothy grin. I am so thankful for competition. There has always been a burning rivalry between me and myself, and this year has been a sort of return to form for me with Apex Legends, Call of Duty, Pokemon, a greater investment in Clone Hero, and soon to be an obsession with Halo again.

Not only have I been actively playing, but I have been an avid consumer with regards to competition. I am extremely grateful for the fighting game community (FGC) and their exquisite display of some of the fiercest, most passionate gaming of this generation. I’ve spent many weekends with family and friends spectating historic battles like Sonicfox vs Goichi in DBFZ, Leffen vs Salem in Smash Bros Ultimate, MSB vs Seggo in Rivals of Aether, Arslan vs Knee in Tekken 7. The level of gameplay, the raw talent, and the unrivaled passion are beyond inspiring.

I am also thankful for the increasing amount of quality games coverage and discussion happening across the board for gaming culture. My life is shaped heavily around games. It would be a travesty to say nothing about that which has informed most of my life. I hope we continue, here in EG and elsewhere, to build communities that care about the present and the future of gaming

Written by Nina Salenius

I could go into a long explanation about how many things have changed in my life in the past year. Having finished school and earned a permanent position in a field of work that is challenging, the way I spend my time and how I interact with people has changed. I have less time to play and that has had an influence on my love of video games.

If I could pick themes that I’m thankful for in video games in 2019, they would be things I’ve missed, emotional experiences and friendships. While many of the EG staff are thankful for new and exciting things happening in the video industry, I’ve taken a look back at games that I for one reason or another had not played yet. One that immediately comes to mind is The Last of Us. While I had seen multiple let’s plays of the game, nothing compares to finally having control of the characters and experiencing the events they go through myself. The strong storytelling and incredibly talented voice acting make me emotional every time. Speaking of emotional, I also had to say goodbye to a series I’ve loved since the beginning, namely Telltale’s The Walking Dead. While I’m sad Clementine’s story has ended, I’m thankful for the fact that I got the chance to finish that story with her this year. With the collapse of Telltale, we were almost robbed of that ending.

I’m also thankful for the experience that is the indie game Gris. While not a 2019 release, I personally played it in January and came out of it crying like a newborn baby. No other game has rendered me useless and unable to function for hours afterwards. The game expresses grief, sadness and struggling with depression through sounds and breathtaking watercolour visuals. Without a single spoken word or any written dialogue, Gris gave a voice to all of those emotions I had not allowed myself to show for years. I was raised to believe mental health issues are a weakness and it has taken me decades to get away from that mentality. I’m thankful that I was in a place in my life where I felt safe and strong enough to just let go while and after playing the game. And I’m thankful for those people who shared that moment with me, thanks to streaming and by simply playing the same game. “I love that a game can connect people” is what I said after the end credits, while we were discussing the impact it had and how it connected us.

Those connections with people are the ones I’m the most thankful for this year. Video games are the single reason why I met some of my dearest friends years ago and new friends this year. Say what you will about online friendships, but I have never met more genuine, kind and caring people than those I’ve met thanks to video games. There is nothing better than playing a great co-op game like A Way Out with one of your best friends and discovering you think differently in some ways, yet work perfectly together and have a blast in the process. Not to mention I played Minecraft properly for the first time this year and fell in love with it, thanks to the great company I had while playing. To summarize, I’m thankful for what little precious time I have to spend with my friends, playing my favorite games.

Written by Zach Rogers

As we quickly approach the end of the year and the end of the decade, I find myself looking back over the past year and realizing just how much my life has changed for the better. Having the support of friends and family, I was able to quit my nightmarish job so that I could go back to school to pursue a career in film. I also became more active in the Epilogue Gaming community. 

This year has been filled to the brim with wonderful games. One of the most significant games that I had the pleasure of experiencing was Kingdom Hearts 3. I grew up playing and beating Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts 2 more times than I care to admit. I became enamored with the series and eagerly awaited for the next main installment for several years. When it finally released in January, I fell in love with series once again and had a smile on my face from beginning to end. 

Another game that I am thankful for is Days Gone. I remember seeing a trailer for the game back in 2017 during E3. The biker aesthetic and an uncontrollable horde of zombies felt perfect to me. When it finally released in 2019, I fell in love with a world that oddly felt like home. I spent countless hours just driving around and embracing a gorgeous world made by such a small group of developers. Characters like Deacon St. John and Boozer reminded me of some of my friends and I wanted nothing but happiness for them. The game does have its problems and it’s certainly not for everyone. But it is hands down one of my favorite games to come out in 2019.

This year also brought forth a lot of games that I never had the chance of experiencing when they first came out. Through the encouragement of streaming, I had the pleasure of playing games like Undertale. Playing though the different routes of Undertale is unlike any other experience out there. I went in with low expectations because I couldn’t believe a game like Undertale existed. But it does! From the first joke to the insanely memorable soundtrack, Undertale shot through the ranks to become one of my favorite games of all time. My only regret is that I can’t experience it again for the first time. 

This year has provided me with plenty of experiences to be thankful for, but one thing in particular that I am beyond thankful for is Epilogue Gaming. I joined this community back in 2018 through some mutual friends, but I didn’t have the courage to truly immerse myself in the community until this year. Epilogue Gaming is unlike any other community that I have been a part of. People from all walks of life came together and crafted this beautiful place that feels like a second home. I’ve met so many amazing people during my time here and I expect to meet even more in the future. But I want to take a moment to thank Flora and Ben. I expressed an interest in writing for them and they gave me a chance to do it. It wasn’t a perfect article, but they gave someone that they barely knew the chance to try something new and exciting. Since then, I’ve written a few articles, participated in several events, been brought on to staff, and recently organized the Epilogue Gaming Speedrunning Event. I am truly grateful to both of them for giving me that chance. I look forward to working on many more projects together in the future.

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