Game of the Year
And More
Games I enjoyed this year
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
The Thrill of the Fight
HITMAN
Super Smash Bros: Ultimate
Lance A Lot
The Forest
Dead Effect 2 VR
Moonlighter
Far Cry 5
Fallout 4 VR
Prey
Super Mario: Odyssey
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Mario Tennis: Aces
Mario v Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
Diablo 3
Dead Cells
Talisman: Digital Edition
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Middle Earth: Shadow of War
Stick Fight: The Game
Vermintide II
Her Story
God of War
Detroit: Become Human
Uncharted 4
Games that I was disappointed in this year
Planet Coaster
The Elder Scrolls: Online
Bullets and More VR - BAM
MegaMan X5
Grand Theft Auto 5
Skyrim VR
Sports Bar VR
Super Mario Party
Enter the Gungeon
Hunt: Showdown
Games that I rediscovered/kept enjoying this year
Overwatch
Gauntlet: Slayer Edition
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Rocket League
Rec Room VR
Superhot VR
Drawful 2
Duck Game
Speedrunners
Fortnite
TOP 11 GAMES OF 2018
11. Vermintide II
End Times: Vermintide (the first one) was anything but revolutionary, but it sure was damn fun. Basically Left 4 Dead but in the Warhammer universe. Vermintide II only improves on that, and fixes the issues the first one had with loot drops. My only complaint was that the "skills" that you unlock are slow to come.
10. Detroit: Become Human
I'm a sucker for an engaging story with some fun dialog and good choice trees. So I really enjoyed David Cage's latest outing. I know I'm in the minority, but hey, it's my opinion, shut up.
9. Lance A Lot
Imagine riding a rocket with a lance, and jousting with other people. It's an absolute riot with 4 people playing locally. The over-the-top soundtrack and hard-to-control rockets add to the fun instead of detract from it.
8. Uncharted 4
Some of the best storytelling in Video Games. As with previous games, the gunplay combines with the climbing seamlessly and makes for some amazing moments where you have to thing vertically. The climbing segments drag on sometimes, but never terribly long, and never cease to amaze with setpieces. Uncharted 4 was better than most movies I saw this year, and it makes the list because its gameplay is sublime too.
7. HITMAN
IO Interactive has redeemed themselves after the train wreck that was Hitman: Absolution. It has open-ended sprawling levels that are filled to the brim with interesting happenings that you can take advantage of. The levels feel alive, and the reuse for additional content doesn't feel repetitive.
6. Mario Tennis: Aces
My wife and I have had so much fun with this game. It's our new go-to game when we want to have some fun. Normally she's not as good at games as I am, but with the addition of an AI that's somewhat competent, but messes up, she can hold her own with me by being strategic, and hedging her super-moves on certain plays. I didn't realize how deeply strategic and fun a Tennis Game could be. It plays like a fighting game complete with special and super moves. For my full review: click here
5. Dead Cells
Dead Cells is one of the only Roguelike games I've truly enjoyed. The combat is sublime, streamlined, easy to control, and makes you feel like a badass. There's no unfairness (well, maybe except when you're trying to use a shield). Dead Cells is a near-perfect game. Incredibly well-executed, everything is a challenge, nothing is trivial, but it has a very nice difficulty curve. It plays a lot like Dark Souls, except fast paced and side-scrolling. When you die, it's sort-of am "oh, well", let's see what weapons I can find next run", or maybe "ah, well at least I can go try that other way". I'm also intrigued by the atmospheric story, and want to discover more about what happened on this island.
4. God of War
This game is proof that a large adventure game can be successful without being loaded with microtransactions. And not only was it very successful, it is incredibly good. Mark Brown did a great video on the weapon used in God of War, the Leviathan Axe, and it illustrates how much polish and game design prowess is in this. The story and the back-and-forth between Kratos and the "boy" only add to the amazing setting and story to tie you along towards each fight. This is one of the few games that I never felt bored playing, was completely satisfied at the end, yet still wanted more after it was over.
3. Super Mario: Odyssey
If you've been wanting a game like Super Mario 64 since 1996, this might be able to scratch your itch. It goes back to the collecting of stars (moons in this case) from open sprawling levels on a globe-trotting adventure around the mario-themed globe. The great part about this is that you still get the intense challenges like bosses to earn moons, but those net you 3 moons at a time, while there are smaller puzzles and hidden moons scattered around the whole level. Each one feels well-crafted, polished, and unique. It also introduces enough new mechanics to feel fresh and new. 2019 is going to be the year I pick this back up and get all of the moons.
2. Super Smash Brothers: Ultimate
This game has been so much fun, and I haven't even played it with friends that much. If you enjoy Super Smash Bros. then this is by far the best one. The characters feel balanced, and the action is smooth and fun. There are so many modes to smash. The adventure mode is amazing, and provided me with hours and hours of entertainment. It makes me feel like a kid again. My only complaint is that the online system feels very... 2008.
Game of the Year:
1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
This game was the Game of the Year 2017 for many people, but I didn't own a Switch until 2018, so here it is. I didn't know how this game could possibly be good enough to end up on so many game of the year lists (especially after the disappointing Skyward Sword), but now I get it. Like Super Mario: Odyssey, there's so much to do, and it all feels polished. The one mechanic that absolutely makes this game is the climbing system. See that mountain? You can try to climb it, if you have enough stamina. Oops, you fell, better wait until you've leveled up your stamina. People complain about the weapon durability system, but I felt like it encouraged you to use different weapons, and it didn't bother me much. The ominous nature of the villain, as well as the characters that drive the story in small cutscenes serve to further improve the atmosphere of the game. If this is the way Zelda games will be for the foreseeable future, bring them on.
