Each month, Critically Sane will select, from the releases in that month, a game that is worthy of our prestigious game of the month award, and a few runners up that are worthy of recognition. These games will form the basis of our GOTY discussion later on in the year. On to February!
Game of the Month: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a near-perfect 2D platformer that ranks among the best in the series. In fact, it could be the best DKC since the original, and, removed from the view of rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia, Tropical Freeze is a superior game from top to bottom. Although it is only six worlds long, the constantly-evolving dynamic levels feel alive, and most of them are quite memorable. Come prepared for a challenge, though. The difficulty ramps up quickly and rarely lets up. You will die frequently by the time you reach the second world, and by the sixth world you may explode into a murderous rage. But you will keep picking the controller back up for one more go, and there is nothing quite like the satisfaction of beating a difficult level and getting to see what’s next. Just pray it’s a mine cart level and not a rocket barrel level (one of the few major blemishes in an otherwise great game). February may have been a slow month, but Tropical Freeze earns its recognition as a game of the month title and would still be a contender against stiffer competition.
Runner-Up: Bravely Default
Final Fantasy was once the king of the RPG. Over the last few entries though the series has lost a bit of its luster, to the point that some fans are claiming the series has died. If it is dead though, the series heart and soul has moved to Square Enix’s latest 3DS effort, Bravely Default. The story flows around crystals featuring four charming (if stereotypical) characters, and offers all the charm that the older Final Fantasy games did before the series moved on to become the showcase for Square’s immense talent as top tier animators. But the reason it is here as the runner-up to Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is because it offers up a simplistic, yet intriguing battle system that sees the never-used Defend option finally get a purpose, proving that when done right, turn-based combat is still a fun and viable option for RPGs. With its classic gameplay and story, Bravely Default is a throwback to the classic Final Fantasy titles of the SNES era and also the Final Fantasy title we’ve all been waiting for.
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