2020 was a banner year for games, I think we can all agree on that – sure, the world was gripped by a pandemic, and none of us knew what the hell could possibly be thrown at us next, but at least we had some standout video games. Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Animal Crossing and Cyberpunk 2077 made headlines (some for the right reasons, some for the wrong reasons), but it was a little Atlus-published game from Vanillaware that would stay around in my head the longest.
And I know I’m not alone. A cursory look at any video game forum, social media site, or Discord server will back me up – I know it. Anyone that’s played 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim will agree, it’s one of those games that stays with you. It hangs around in your head for hours – days, weeks! – after you’ve finished it, rattling around and instantly becoming nostalgic whenever you think about it.
But why? Maybe it’s the perennially dusty classrooms and cosy back alleys in the game that make it feel like it’s been in my memory for years, or maybe it’s the one-two emotional gut punch it manages to pull off at least once per hour of playtime, but 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is an all-timer. It’s a game that I’d recommend even to people that don’t usually like text-heavy, story-lead games like this in the same way I’d recommend Neon Genesis Evangelion to people that don’t usually like anime – the transcends its genre (its genres, plural, even) and easily finds a place as one of the most narratively excellent games I’ve ever played.
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