Knock knock. What's that? Oh, it's 2022 about to kick down your door and hit you with the undeniable truth that 2021 is over and that time's arrow marches forward. Enough about that existential dread - let's talk hot takes.
Here on TheGamer, we have the hottest takes possible. So while you're avoiding that end-of-year fear, read up on randomising Pokemon, Gran Turismo Sport's lasting legacy, and how Mister Chief should have been left in the bin. Happy New Year, folks.
The Matrix Resurrections Resents Us All, And It's Right To
The first feature we want to highlight this week comes from editor-in-chief Stacey Henley, who discusses The Matrix Resurrections' clear resentment of the legacy its left on pretty much every industry. Stacey argues that the original Matrix is simply too good and that gaming has taken from it gleefully without truly delving into its themes, as well as arguing that it resents just being viewed as a trans film. The Matrix is many things, and resentful is apparently one of them.
Mister Chief Should Have Died With The REQ System
Next up, we have features editor and Halo hot-taker, Eric Switzer, this time discussing the recent re-introduction of Mister Chief and how he should have been left in the bin alongside the REQ System. For those who don't know, Mister Chief was introduced alongside Halo 5's infamous REQ System and used as a sarcastic explainer that shrugged off legitimate concerns about the game. Now he's back and being sold for $20 as if the whole REQ thing never happened.
Randomising Your Pokemon Game Makes It Much More Fun
Resident Pokemon expert (well, one of them anyway) Ben Sledge is up next to talk about how randomising your Pokemon game is much more fun than playing it regularly. That's not knocking how much fun Pokemon usually is, but Ben argues that using a randomiser makes things much more interesting by getting rid of the boring starters and ramping up the difficulty significantly. Who can plan ahead when every Pokemon is up to the roll of a dice?
Gran Turismo Sport (2017) Is My Favourite Game Of 2021
There have been plenty of great candidates for 2021's Game of the Year, from The Forgotten City to Psychonauts 2 (you were robbed, king), but news editor Lu-Hai Liang has a slightly different pick - Gran Turismo Sport. Lu-Hai bought Gran Turismo Sport earlier in the year on a whim and has since poured over a hundred hours into it and beat his first-ever Gran Turismo. It's also helped him battle real-life issues and guide him through a difficult year - that's about as good of a Game of the Year candidate as you can ask for.
Dragon Age 4 Needs To Respect Our Awful Choices
Finally, we have lead news editor and lead Dragon Age stan Rhiannon Bevan, who argues that Dragon Age 4 needs to respect the awful decisions we've made along the way. Rhiannon argues that since Inquisition's release, the community has learned the consequences of every choice and could have the world in the best state possible. That doesn't mean players want the easy life, though. As she so eloquently puts it, "We’re messy bitches, we love the drama".