Wow. What a year for games. That's all I can say. I struggled.... struggled with this list and I'm still not sure I have them in the right order (it varies depending on what mind frame you catch me in), but this is what I'm going with. For now.
This isn’t intended to be an end-all be-all list of the best games that came out in 2018, so please don’t take my omission of (insert your personal favorite game of 2018 here) as a personal insult. This is just a list of my favorite games I’ve played this year. I know I missed some great ones on a variety of consoles, but since I didn’t get a chance to play everything that was released, I can only go from what I experienced.
But that’s a great problem to have.
I couldn’t be happier that there are a ton of games out there my friends raved about that I didn’t get to or have the chance to play. I’m not angry that people fell in love with Celeste or Super Smash Brothers, two games that I didn’t get to play but have dear friends raving about them non-stop. There are so many games out there, enough to drive everyone to their own personal state of fandom, and I love it.
That being said, I did wanna give props where props are due. Games gave me hundreds of hours of enjoyment this year, telling incredible stories, providing me with endless belly laughs, and - as opposed to the image of a gamer holed up in a dark room alone, covered in a layer of Cheet-O dust and reeling from a Mountain Dew Red hangover - the chance to get together and reconnect with friends in ways that movies, TV, book clubs, bowling nights and board games didn’t.
To those of you who worked in the gaming industry this year, regardless of the part you played… Thank you. Just… thank you.
Thanks especially to…
#10 THE WALKING DEAD: THE FINAL SEASON (Episodes 1 & 2)
Well… this title couldn’t have been any more fitting, huh? Or is it? What was one of the most-anticipated releases of the year was overshadowed by the company that made the game going under after two of the four episodes were released. The shock and heartbreak of the announcement only mirrored emotions felt in the game. Telltale always excelled at keeping you on the edge of your seat while telling a gripping story, and this time around was no exception.
I connected with some characters. I refused to console others because I was so mad at them. I was angered when some of my favorites got hurt, happy when those I loathed followed suit, and talked to the screen when I saw choices being made that I knew wouldn’t bode well for anyone. All of this was possible, of course, because Telltale told a story that drew me in and made me try my darndest to make everything turn out OK.
Yes, news has since broken of another studio picking up the pieces and releasing the final chapters but this still felt like an ending. An ending that was too abrupt. An ending that took me out of the game and made me wonder and concerned for those working hard (too hard, it turned out) behind the scenes to keep people entertained. Telltale, you brought us some amazing stories over the years, and yes...we will remember that.
#9 MOSS
I never “got” VR until I tried it for myself. There’s such a huge difference between the experience you get playing on a screen and playing inside the VR headset, I’ve given up on trying to explain it. I can’t. I just can’t. And Moss is a perfect example.
I watched the trailer on the PS Store and thought, “Maybe one day,” but I heard such great things about the game, I decided to give it a whirl. And man… the internet did not lead me wrong on this one.
Once you’re inside the beautiful storybook world that is Moss, you’ll never look at platform puzzlers the same way again. The game is available in the standard non-VR format but I think you'd be missing out on the true experience of the game. Yes, the puzzles are clever and fun and the fairy tale story is a real page-turner (literally) but I can't imagine being in this world without really being in this world. The stakes are raised when you're standing right next to everything that's happening in a way that's truly unique to the format. I've re-visited many times since finishing the game and I'm already eager to return again.
#8 FORZA HORIZON 4
Besides Mario Kart, racing games aren't really my thing. Unless they're in the Forza Horizon series. As it turns out, I'm kind of an FH fanatic and when each new one releases, I go nuts like a greedy kid who's just returned home from a killer night trick-or-treating. Screw saving this candy and making it last.... IMMA EAT IT ALL TONIGHT. And that's exactly what I did.
This game dropped and I in turn dropped everything else. Sorry, Overwatch (you knew I'd be back though, didn't you? And I indeed returned, didn't I? See? We good?), but for a few weeks, I lived and breathed my souped-up VW bug with the classic Herbie custom paint job. And when I wasn't seeking out Bonus Boards to smash or scouring the countryside for hidden barns or racing against my pals - and their Drivatars - online, I was farming for experience points by keeping a tab open on my web browser 24/7 watching Mixer streams of the game.
I initially scoffed at the idea of seasons in the game but once I experienced them - and the new Free-For-All Forzathon events, I couldn't get enough. And to make it all the better, I'm a Game Pass subscriber and it wasn't until I got to play this game for free (well, not free, since Game Pass isn't free, but you know what I mean) that I truly understood the powerful value of the Xbox offering. A win on so many levels.
#7 DEAD CELLS
Dead Cells is a game I shouldn't have liked. It has everything that I usually shy away from. Side-scrollers? Nah, not really my thing anymore. I don't have the dexterity to maneuver like I should. Retro game visuals? Again, no thanks. I lived through it the first time around, I'm completely happy with the incredible visuals that come with games like Detroit: Become Human or Red Dead Redemption 2, thank you very much. Dying starts you over from the very beginning? NO. WAY.
So why did I try it out? I'll be honest with you. My friend Jared recommended it. I like Jared. Jared and I play Overwatch together on a fairly regular basis and we have similar tastes in games. So when he told me I should give it a shot, knowing my reservations going into it, I trusted him.
And Jared was right.
And now it's #7 on my Top 10 list.
Boy, was Jared right.
I loved this game. It was nothing like I expected and with each venture into the game I found myself slightly better equipped, slightly more skilled, and even hatching somewhat of a plan of attack. Death comes fast and easy in the game, but although you re-start at the start with each resurrection, you're not exactly starting from scratch and so you venture in again slightly bolder...slightly tentative...and definitely more determined.
Dead Cells is the Lay's potato chips of games, because you can't try just one. This is an "OK, for real, this time is my last time" game, and of course it never is. Addictive. Exciting. Compelling. There is nothing dead about these cells at all.
#6 JACKBOX PARTY PACK 5
I mean....there's no way Jackbox Games is gonna release a party pack and it won't show up on my yearly top ten list. You know that already, right?
This time, however.... this time they've really outdone themselves. I'll go out on a limb and say JPP5 may very well be their best, most-solid party pack to date. Maybe I'm a bit biased, as You Don't Know Jack is one of my favorite games of all time, and I danced like Dilly O'Drien trying to shake termites when I learned a new iteration of the game would be included. They did not disappoint, re-configuring favorites like Dis or Dat and the Jack Attack to accommodate streamers in the cleverest of ways.
Split the Room tackles the nostalgia of The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents by inviting players to create a number of situations that are so difficult to choose a path, the answers literally split the room. Huge props to Tim Sniffen, the voice of the feline host, whose nonchalant I'd-Rather-Be-Doing-Anything-Else-Besides-Hosting delivery is hilarious perfection.
Patently Stupid asks players to come up with a series of problems and then, in true Get Rich Quick Seminar style, asks you to find an AMAZING solution and present it to the group. The first time I watched this game being played, I didn't know how well it would translate to online play, but my fears were quelled the first time around.
Zeeple Dome is the only game in the bunch that is not suited for online play (the lag in your Twitch stream will kill it) but that doesn't take away from the fun you can have with the friends who won't leave your couch. Fast-paced and frenetic, it's a game that will have everyone screaming so loudly, the cat won't stop glaring at you for the following week.
And then, of course, comes fan favorite, Mad Verse City. Somewhere between Mad Libs and improv games comes this musical rhyming battle that is without a doubt one of the funniest things I've seen in a while (funny friends with the ability to rhyme not included). Some people may scoff at first ("I can't rap!") but have no fear. Once they grab the mic, they're usually the last one to wanna put it back down.
Kudos to the amazing Jackbox writers and the genius mind of Andy Poland (who created all of the music) on a game really really well done.
#5 GOD OF WAR
OK...now things are getting tough. I can already hear the groans when people see that God of War isn't even in my top three of the year and trust me...I totally understand. This game was amazing. AMAZING. It was epic. It was intense. It was beautiful. It was wonderfully crafted, superbly acted, and wonderfully directed. And it's only #5 on my list this year. THAT is how good 2018 was, folks.
This game was my first experience in the series and because of that, I was a bit concerned I'd be lost. Yes, there's some backstory you could read up on before jumping in (which I did), but even with the nods and callbacks to previous installments, there's no need to worry about being in over your head. This is a story told so well and an experience so wonderfully captivating, knowing the details is just gravy.
Despite where it lands on this list, God of War contains my very favorite gaming moment of 2018. Early on in the game you meet and fight a character named Baldur. That by itself doesn't sound like much, but what a meeting. What a fight. What a finish to a fight. And then what a continuation of the fight. It's incredible and even though I struggled to make it through to the end (my biggest beef with the game was how difficult I found it at times which is my own fault. See... I'm not very good at games and my pride refuses to let me play on easy mode so I only have myself to blame), I was smiling and laughing and continuously being wow-ed with every punch taken, every tree smashed, and every rock split. It's a first encounter I won't soon forget.
#4 BEAT SABER
And now for something completely different.
I'd been waiting for Beat Saber to come to PSVR ever since I saw the first clip of it on YouTube and was immediately jealous that those pesky PC kids had a cool toy that I wanted but...just.. couldn't... have.
And then the heavens parted, the game was bestowed upon us, and it was good.
You don't understand how good it was.
I've always been a fan of rhythm games but this was like nothing I'd experienced before. Not only does the VR aspect add a new dimension to the proceedings (quite literally), but the original music is nothing to be scoffed at and each song could find airtime in mainstream radio.
Because this isn't a dancing game, it immediately removes the "moving like a white guy" stigma that caused a lot of my friends to shy away from games like Just Dance and there are no "my fingers can't do that" excuses that deterred friends from wanting to give Guitar Hero a go.
Anyone can swing a saber (and who doesn't want to?) and this has quickly become a favorite among guests in the Placencia household. With a variety of difficulty levels and modifications to choose from, there's something here for everyone, and a combination of local and online leader boards give you something to brag about - or shoot for - when no one else is around.
#3 RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2
Yes, this game is as huge as you've heard. Some have turned that into a complaint but I've never been one to moan about too much of a good thing. You wanna give me 16 pounds of chocolate mousse? I'll take it. Of course, I won't eat it all in one sitting, and I shouldn't. But that's what a fridge is for and I'll come back to it day after day after day after day until it's gone.
And yes, I just compared Red Dead Redemption 2 to too much chocolate mousse (in a good way).
This game isn't intended to be finished in an afternoon or a weekend or even a week. RDR2 is like a classic Western with a slow burn. You're meant to take your time. Savor it. Think about it. Ponder it. And yes, then shoot a bunch of dudes in the head.
The story is good, the characters fleshed out nicely (Good Heavens, I loved hating Micah) and the performances...man the performances. Kudos to the actors, animators, and directors that elevated the words given to them to the next level. The pauses. The stutters. The frustration. The quick sideways glances that said more than a monologue could.
And the ending. The ending I knew was coming and prolonged for as long as I could. The ending that was nothing less than beautiful. Beautifully animated. Beautifully written. Beautifully performed. Resonant. Heartbreaking. Beautiful.
But there's still more to do. Much...much...much more to do. Don't complain because the game is so big and you don't have much gaming time. That's a horrible reason to be critical. Be happy that you have something this good to return to for weeks and weeks and weeks to come.
#2 DETROIT: BECOME HUMAN
For the majority of 2018, Detroit: Become Human was my GOTY. The animation was incredible; like none I'd ever seen. The acting was second to none (Whenever Clancy Brown makes an appearance, I know I'm in for a heck of a time. And Lance Henriksen? Oh man!) But at the end of the day, what got this self-professed lover of story was the writing.
Detroit doesn't just offer you one story but one of a seemingly bajillion possible stories. I've replayed this game countless times and there are still threads that have yet to be tugged upon, outcomes that have yet to be played, and scenarios that have gone unseen.
At the end of each chapter, after you finish playing as one of the three main characters, you're presented with a flowchart of your choices. What leaves you confounded is not where your decisions left you, but where they could have taken you. I found myself flabbergasted at the number of possible outcomes and as I returned to the game and made alternate decisions, couldn't wrap my head around how in the world the writing team managed to juggle so many balls and keep them from dropping to the ground.
The stakes are high in this game, and if you accidentally kill a character off too early, there are moments, scenes, and even chapters that can go missed. The scope of this game is massive, much more so than one may realize even after playing through for the first time. It's when you pick it up again and unlock an entirely new scene that you truly begin to grasp how deep it all goes. The Butterfly Effect is in full swing here, and you never know what slightest variable will affect something that takes place six chapters down the road.
It's a wonderful feat in storytelling and I picture the writer's room looking much like a detective's office one might find in the game: Post-It notes, photos, white board scribbles and yards of string connecting them all in a massive spider web. Just...wow.
And hey, speaking of spider webs...
#1 MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN
I mean... come on.
From the opening scene when you sling on your web for the first time, how can you not feel your heart race, your palms get sweaty, and utter out loud to no one, "Ohhhh man!" It - and the rest of the game - is a rush like I haven't experienced in a long, long time.
Everything just clicked. There were surprises (Oh wait, you don't play only as Spider-Man?), laughs (a special nod to Darin De Paul as the voice of J. Jonah Jameson, whose broadcasts kept me smirking as I swung from one end of Manhattan to the next), and twists (Oh snap...they're gonna go THERE with the story?).
This game had it all. Puzzles (I was so genuinely happy to discover there were puzzles!), hidden objects (Sorry, Citizens in Peril, but I'll be right with you. I have backpacks to collect), characters I knew (I hated how fond I grew of Doctor Octavius, knowing whom he would eventually become), and of course, fighting. Can we just talk for a sec about how good the fighting felt? Yes, the controls were a lot to take in and it took me a while to get the training wheels kicked off but once I did... man, it felt good. Bring on the Saber goons with their little jet packs and the Demons with their little glow sticks. I. Got this. And those finishing moves? The combination of a triangle and circle never felt so glorious.
But once again, as I am want to do, I boil it down to the writing and storytelling. In Red Dead I felt the acting out-performed the writing and Detroit was the opposite, but with Spider-Man everything was firing on all cylinders. I read an article in Entertainment Weekly that called this game the best Spider-Man movie to have been released and I've since stolen and repeated that line numerous times in sharing my description of the game with others. The attention to detail was impressive, from the design of Manhattan (I admit I tracked down the actual address of my apartment from when I lived in the city) to the articles, clippings, and journals I don't usually read in games but this time marveled (haha) in the way they added more depth to the story and character motivations.
The highs were high and the lows were low and I loved every moment of it. I felt every punch, every betrayal, and every yearning to make everything turn out as good as possible for everyone. I wasn't playing a game. I wasn't playing as Spider-Man. Insomniac did exactly what they had set out to do because you guys... I was Spider-Man.