Top 10 Games of 2018.

What's up?

I hope you had a good Christmas and a wonderful new year!
Now that the festive season has come to a close, I'm seeing a myriad of 'Top 10' posts all over social media giving praise to all the games, TV shows, movies and albums that came out this year. Not unlike 2017 this past year was, in my opinion, one of the best on record in the  realm of video games, so I wanted to use this platform by documenting my favourite games of this year, in a classic, unimaginative top 10 list.

Now it must be apparent by now that I am in fact not IGN or Gamespot. Despite this shocking revelation bringing some obvious shortcomings, this also means that I don't have to try and be objective with this list. Instead, the games presented here are the games I enjoyed the most this year, and no matter how silly some of the picks are, I make precisely zero apologies for this list, so here we go.

10. Octopath Traveler

With numerous excellent games releasing in 2018, I feel pretty confident in saying I got around to playing most of the games I wanted to get to. Octopath Traveler, developed by Square Enix, was one of the very few I wish I had more time with, however, as work and life caught up to me this summer. Although I'm only a mere 10 hours into the game's lengthy campaign, it's evident that Octopath should be firmly in my ever-increasing backlog moving into 2019.
Like the name suggests, you play as 8 different characters, all with their own quest you, the player, must help them achieve.
Artistically, Octopath Traveler boasts a 'HD-2D' graphical aesthetic, which manages to pay homage to the games that inspired it (think Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, etc) while also creating something truly unique.
This game is gorgeous, and make no mistake, the beauty is more than skin deep, as the combat mechanics are some of the best I've used in a turn-based RPG. Encounters feel tense and stakes are always high. The combat feels familiar, but by weaving in a strategic layer with the 'Break' system encounters with enemies never feel repetitive.
First impressions of the story were relatively lukewarm, however with over 70 hours more to potentially sink into Octopath, it has all the narrative potential to keep me invested when I inevitably pick it back up.

9. A Way Out

As part of EA's 'Originals' scheme, A Way Out is an independent game developed by Hazelight Studios and published by EA. Set in 1972, A Way Out follows Vincent and Leo, two prisoners who make it their goal to escape prison and get revenge on a mutual enemy. Being specifically designed for split-screen multiplayer (and unplayable at all in singleplayer), each player controls one of the two main protagonists. The dialogue between our two anti-heroes is witty and entertaining, even managing to tug at  the heart strings on more than one occasion on it's way to the  unexpected conclusion.
Across the game's short narrative Vincent and Leo devise a plan of escape, and the cooperative nature of the gameplay manages to stay fresh throughout. You'll be working in synchronisation, competing against each other and having each other's backs in tense situations.
Nobody said breaking out was easy.


8. Red Dead Redemption II

Aside from the battle for #1 in my list, Red Dead Redemption II was by far the hardest to place.
It's clear that Rockstar, responsible for the GTA series, Bully and Max Payne 3, worked impossibly hard in development (some would say too hard) to get this game to achieve the outstanding polish it ended up with. Despite this, the outdated, slow and confusing gameplay holds this game back from achieving greatness.
The attention to detail in the colossal open world is unlike anything I've ever seen, the narrative introduces us to a wealth of interesting characters and situations, and the overall presentation sets the gold standard for AAA titles moving forward. I loved existing in the world Red Dead Redemption II creates, and watching Arthur Morgan's story unfold before my eyes was a pleasure to witness. However, the design decision to prioritise realism over enjoyment felt like a step back for the developer. GTA: Vice City worked so well because the world, while a parody of 80's Miami, felt somewhat real, but also fun to explore, while Red Dead II fails to weave enjoyable gameplay mechanics to the amazing animations and realism within the game's sprawling open world.
That said, the technical feat that Rockstar has achieved and the gripping narrative presented here deserved a place on my list, even if it fails to break into the top 5.


7. Spyro: The Reignited Trilogy

There are very few PS1 games that can stand the test of time.
In an attempt to rekindle the magic of 2017's Crash Bandicoot: 'N' Sane Trilogy, developer Toys for Bob took yet another beloved PS1 character and gave him a much needed makeover. In this outing, the first 3 classic Spyro games are fully remastered and repackaged in 1080p and a PS4 or XBOX One box.
I was never a huge fan of the 'Spyro' series as it always felt like they were nothing more than another uninteresting platformer fronted by a cute protagonist designed to sell Sony's new console to excitable kids around the world. However, after diving into the remaster, I forgot all about my past grievances with the series as I was immediately consumed by enjoyment and playfulness.
Often in 3D platformers it quickly becomes cumbersome to repeatedly try (and fail) to make an jump while fighting the annoying camera. Here, however, the gameplay and movement of the little purple dragon feels fast and buttery smooth, so repetitive gameplay is no longer a turn off, instead it's a welcome challenge.
Spyro: The Reignited Trilogy managed to unlock a childish love of gaming unlike any other game this year, and for that it deserves my #7 spot.


6. Detroit: Become Human

Quantic Dreams titles of recent years have been rather a mixed bag. While 2010's Heavy Rain felt engaging, tense and morally greyer than the game's colour palette, 2013's Beyond Two Souls felt clunky, disorganised and a chore to play.
Thankfully, David Cage (director of Heavy Rain, Beyond Two Souls and now Detroit: Become Human) has made the jump to PS4 with arguably his best work to date.
Assuming the role of 3 Androids, players are introduced to the future of American city, Detroit. Here, the company Cyberlife have created androids designed to assist humans in their daily activities. Our story is lead by Connor, an emotionless detective, Kara, an android tasked with general housework who is then thrown into a world of uncertainty and Marcus, a stoic, yet compassionate android who leads a revolution against humanity.
Describing the narrative of Detroit: Become Human is tricky, as the game's primary drawing factor is choice. Every decision you make, every action you take and every agonising decision you bite your nails over can drastically effect the story. The story beats, while uncertain, are always exciting and rarely disappoint on it's way to the thrilling conclusion.
Whichever conclusion you get, that is.


5. Florence

Being a huge advocate for PlayStation and a new and proud owner of a Nintendo Switch this year, Florence was a pleasant deviation from my usual gaming setup. Finding a home on mobile platforms, Florence released in February of 2018, and was immediately met with critical acclaim. Usually, mobile games are a calamitous display of corporate opportunism designed to extract your hard earned cash through the use of a flashy, yet blatantly uninspired gameplay engine.
Instead of following the norms of mobile gaming, Florence uses the limitations of the platform to work in it's favour, telling a touching, yet simplistic story about the giddy excitement of a new relationship and the crushing feeling when things start to deteriorate.
The gameplay doesn't strive to be overly complicated and the graphics don't push the mobile capabilities to the edge. Instead the youthful art style, passive mechanics and gorgeous soundtrack gives the game a feeling of calmness and tranquillity throughout it's ~45 minute runtime.
Florence represents everything mobile gaming is not, yet is also a perfect example of what it can and should be moving forward.


4. Assassins Creed Odyssey

Ubisoft has turned a major corner in recent years. I absolutely loved Watch_Dogs 2 and while previous entries in the Assassins Creed series never did much for me I absolutely fell in love with 2017's 'reboot' Assassins Creed Origins. Returning briefly to their annual schedule, Ubisoft returned with a lengthy trip through ancient Greece fronted by 2 potential protagonists. While both Alexios and Kassandra are both given the same dialogue and story decisions, I read somewhere about how playing as Kassandra gives the game an extra layer of empathy and engagement in the story, and after putting ~25 hours into the game I couldn't agree more.
Kassandra is an exceptional character, and the way she reacts to the world around her makes for some of the game's best moments, be it from interacting with NPC's, hunting wild animals or simply traversing the luscious Greek setting.
Assassins Creed Odyssey is one of the few games of this generation that can demand over 90 hours to attain the platinum trophy and never feel like it was being too taxing. I loved existing in this world and if you give it a shot, you will to.


3. God of War
I have no problem saying that if I were creating an objective list of the best games of this year Santa Monica's 4th console instalment in the God of War series would skyrocket to #1 in a heartbeat.
God of War is simply amazing, and it's a travesty that it has to sit at #3 on this list, but there were 2 other games I simply liked playing more.
Kratos was never a super compelling character, Greek mythology was beginning to feel repetitive and the hack and slash combat God of War is so well known for feet like a forgotten relic in a sea of 'Soulsbourne' hype. Sony Santa Monica addressed all these issues and gripes with 2018's 'God of War'. The world felt new and exciting, yet rich with lore and the characters we are introduced to, both new and old, felt so seamlessly integrated into the new Norse setting. Coinciding with the immersive environment and near flawless gameplay is a story that is both gut-wrenching with heartbreaking moments and enthralling with some of the best action scenes to be found in gaming that somehow feel both epic in scale and intimate in storytelling.
A true classic for the ages.


2. Spider-Man

Insomniac's Spider-Man delivers everything you could ever ask for in a superhero game. A narrative to rival that of any MCU movie or comic, a main character that is relatable, yet awe-inspiring, and gameplay that simply did not get old, even on the quest to collect the game's platinum trophy. Movement is something that is so very important in games, yet is rarely executed effectively in AAA titles (I'm looking at you, Red Dead Redemption 2). Insomniac are masters of making a game feel fun to play, through the use of fluid traversal and movement, which makes the developer so damn perfect to produce a game about our favourite web-slinger.
The story, in my opinion, is an absolute standout here. While it doesn't do anything super experimental, it takes inspiration from the comics, movies and cartoons to create what is, for my money, the best Spider-Man story outside of the pages of comics.
I've already written a pretty detailed review on just why Spider-Man is so worthy of your time, so if you want a more in depth look at how Spider-Man got to #2 on this list you know where to go.
With this game, Avengers: Infinity War and the exceptional Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, it's been quite the busy year for your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.


1. Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

Okay this one might warrant a slight apology, chiefly because there are so many games to release this year that are objectively better than Level 5's follow-up to the excellent Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. However, I'm hard pressed to think of a game this year that had me engrossed in the game's world like Ni No Kuni did this year. I play games for story, and despite some obvious shortcomings in the narrative department, the kooky cast of characters and the superb world-building kept me invested for the 40+ hours I sunk into the game in March of 2018. The combat, while very simplistic and frustratingly easy, was flashy, mindless fun and never outstayed it's welcome, even in intense grinding sessions late in the game.
Compared to other JRPG's as of late, Ni No Kuni II offered so much bang for your buck. The story presented was pure enjoyment, and served to introduce us to a number of interesting locations on the extensive and detailed map, from the glitz and glamour of Goldpaw to the peaceful tranquillity of Hydropolis and beyond. The game's superb (and criminally underrated) soundtrack gave a sense of style, scope and character while the art style continues to deliver the charm the series is so well known for.
With the newly released story DLC still top of my backlog, I'm chomping at the bit to jump back into what is, my Game of the Year for 2018.


So that's it!
2018 has been a hell of a year for games, and with titles such as The Division 2, Days Gone, Kingdom Hearts III and Crackdown 3 all set for release in 2019, the future has never looked brighter.


Until then, GG.


Billy.