ResetEra Games of the Year 2018 - Voting Thread (READ THE OP) [Ends Jan 20th 8:59am EST]

TubaZef · Dec 31, 2018

Wandersong - In these times of so much negativity going on, seeing a game so positive is great, I smiled during the whole game, it really helped me in some difficult times I had this year. But if that's not enough, it's a legitimate funny game full of good jokes and great dialogue. There's also some well-done commentary on video game clichés, violence and being a hero. And it's amazing how much the game accomplishes using pretty much just one mechanic (singing) for everything, there's a lot of variation in each level to keep your attention for the whole experience (which is quite big for an indie game, around 10 hours). Lot of love for this game <3
Celeste - Not just a charming and very well designed platformer, but using gameplay and difficulty to talk about depression and anxiety is a great feat. I'm glad this game got so much attention because it deserves.
DUSK - Finally a "retro" FPS that understand what being a retro FPS means, easily the best FPS I've played since DOOM (2016). Not only it get right the level design and the feel of 90s FPS but bring in a lot of cool new stuff that give it a personality. The latter levels are full of experimental ideas that make me wish I had made this game.
Return of The Obra Dinn - Pretty much the best detective game ever made. Clever mechanics that make you think and feel smart when figure out the solution with a very unique art-style.
The Missing: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Memories - The idea of hurting yourself as a game mechanic is pretty clever. The puzzles can be frustrating some times and it has a lot of flaws but the game manages to talk about some important themes that are rarely discussed in video games, and it does that so well that it deserves to be here. The ending is really something.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - All those years and Smash Bros keeps impressing me with how much attention to detail it has. Everything in the game seems to be tailored to make you nostalgic about the original games: the spirits, the songs, the classic mode with different thematic challenges for each character, the World of Light that got me hooked more than any game this year. Nintendo could've just ported Smash 4 for the Switch and I think everyone would be ok with it, but they went a lot farther than that. It's a game that makes me think "Holy shit, video games are cool".
Into The Breach - Very simple but clever strategy game, the FTL guys managed to make something even better, not much to talk about here. It's just very good.
The Messenger - Making levels for a linear game is not easy, making a Metroidvania is not easy, but making both at the same time? DAMN! Great old school ninja action with some nice humor!
Minit - Feels like A Link to The Past in small 1 minute chunks. And ALTTP is my favorite game of all time so... yeah, it's pretty fun for me.
The Iconoclasts - Some of the coolest boss battles (and there are a lot them) with some interesting characters and beautiful pixel-art, all made but one person.

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spam musubi · Dec 31, 2018

God of War - I hated the older games but this is a revolution. Brings the series to a whole new level.
Tetris Effect - I'M YOURS FOREVER. THERE IS NO END IN SIGHT FOR US
Celeste - Combining top notch platforming with great level design, art style, music and a heartfelt story. Best platformer ever?
Return of the Obra Dinn - Much has been said about how unique and creative this game is. It's all correct. Lucas Pope is a genius.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life - The Yakuza series is one of the best franchises in gaming and the new engine, QOL improvements and the send-off of Kiryu all make this one a memorable and worthy entry.
Dusk - This is the best Quake since Quake. Many have tried (including id themselves), but none have succeeded until now.
Into the Breach - Incredible design, endless replayability.
Astro Bot: Rescue Mission - Or, as some would say, "VR's Super Mario 64 Moment"
Hitman 2 - Even better than the previous one! These games are great, and they've iterated well on Hitman to make it more accessible, humorous, complex and well-designed.
Shadow of the Colossus - Fantastic remake of one of the best games of all time.

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El-Suave · Dec 31, 2018

God Of War - I have so much admiration for how bold this game is. It's close to perfection for me and it has revived the franchise and catapulted it onto my most anticipated spot for the next iteration.
Astro Bot Rescue Mission - What a showcase for what's possible in VR! Fantastically executed, it might have been my top game if we hadn't gotten a preview of how great it could be already with The Playroom VR.
Monster Hunter World - It has finally introduced me to the franchise and hooked me into spending time with it like no other game this year.
Valkyria Chronicles 4 - Sometimes delivering more of the same is exactly the right thing to do. I wanted a return to the grearness of the original formula and the game delivered on that. Great Switch port, too.
Hollow Knight - I discovered it this year on Switch and spent about 100 hours on it. Tremendous art and sound design, tight controls and so much value for the small price it costs. Almost too generous.
Yoku's Island Express - This Pinball/Metroidvania crossover is totally original and so much fun and relaxing to play. The graphic- and musical execution couldn't have turned out better and more fitting to the game world.
Marvel's Spider-Man - Traversing the city is so much fun, the story and characters are as interesting as they can be. The overall execution is so good that it compensates for the old fashioned apporoach to the open world.
Moss - A wonderfully designed entry into the dioarama style VR action adventure genre. The protagonist is super cute. Let's hope this becomes a franchise.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey - I like the introduction of choice to the AC formula. The world is beautiful and fun to play in. It has almost too many systems and mechanics and could even be a more lean.
Red Dead Redemption 2 - An incredibly big and polished open world, well crafted characters with tons of well acted dialogue. Unfortunately some design decisions sucked some fun out of playing it but you have to admire it regardless

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Prinny · Dec 31, 2018

Astro Bot: Rescue Mission - The most creative platformer since Mario Galaxy 2.
God of War - Excellent combat, story, cast and graphics.
Monster Hunter World - It has the potential to surpass Unite and 4U if it gets enough new content in Iceborne.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Celeste
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Octopath Traveler
World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth - The new zones are really fun to explore, especially Drustvar.
Persona 5: Dancing In Starlight
Beat Saber
Diablo III: The Eternal Collection
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition
Marvel's Spiderman
Red Dead Redemption 2
Dead Cells
Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings
Detroit: Become Human

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Trafalgar Law · Dec 31, 2018

God of War : Are you surprised boy ? My favourite game of the last 5 years tops the list. God of War is what games are meant to be in this day and age , deep fun and engaging graphics telling a great story in a beautiful world guided by endearing and compelling characters. It follows the hero ( I use this term loosely ) of the old God of war games , Kratos who tackles his biggest challenge yet , fatherhood , trying to guide his slightly estranged son Atreus on a journey to fulfil his dead mother's wish , but all is not what it seems and they come into conflict with the powerful gods of the norse pantheon on the journey becoming an epic tale of self-discovery , fatherhood and responsibility with lots and lots of hacking and slashing.
Astro Bot : I felt bad having to with either this game or tetris effect , cause they both are amazing and must have games for the PS VR, that encapsulate what gaming is supposed to be at it's core, FUN. Astro bot is a fun virtual reality platformer for the ps vr that you can sink hours into without noticing , gorgeous graphics with fun and intuitive gameplay , my gamers , you have to play and experience this game, a great experience
Red Dead Redemption 2 : Hop in losers we are going bounty hunting. The most ambitious title of the year should easily go to red dead redemption 2, with hundreds of millions spent to make this title, the end product is well worth the development cost, it is simply the deepest , most complex open world game ever made , with graphics that shine on any console you choose from( from ps4 and it's pro and xbox to it's more powerful xbox 1 x ). It tells the tales of outlaws dealing with changing wild wild west and has deep and amazing choices, great characters and solid gameplay, however the game is held back slightly from pure perfection with some of its mission design and structure as feel a bit dated and at time clunky controls. Never the less the overall package is outstanding and is meaty game worthy of being sunk the long hour it requires.
Super Smash Bros Ultimate : the biggest fighting series in the world is back and is chuck full of amazing well crafted fan service , by far the biggest and well developed fighting roster in the series ( over 70 playable characters ) , with beautiful graphics and fun gameplay to boot, . Just go play it , fun multiplayer game to play with family and friends and online that you can play for hours without getting bored of.
Spider-Man : Spider man the playstation 4 exclusive is simply a fun game. It captures the wonder and feel of being the world's most popular hero , spider-man. with great swinging controls and combat.A great story with fun dlc being released monthly to keep fans satisfied., although some missions do get dull and repetitive at points , the games highs however are more than enough to compensate for this , filled with all your favourite incarnation's of spider-man's costumes that you can try and enjoy. a strong contender for best superhero games ever with the Batman Arkham games , spider-man is a joy to play and behold that is a clear labour of love from the Insomniac studios with clear love for the titular hero.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey : the long running and storied franchise has a new location ancient Greek, well new time period, and follows dual protagonists of a sibling pair Kassandra and Alexios. It's a fun game with great naval exploration elements where you get to assassinate templars and do cool stuff, it however is plagued with micro transaction and grinding that dampens the experience a bit. Never the less it's a great game that is a good time.
Monster Hunter World : Monster hunter is a simple game, you hunt monsters. Simple it is ,boring it ain't. It's an open world JRPG action game set on island where you hunt different monsters for their unique properties to survive, gaining experience and tools to make your character stronger and access to unique weaponry depending on the scenario and what you have gained. With single player or multi player options you can go hunting however you choose , with a solid story mode campaign to boot. MH World is a jrpg gamer's delight.
Dragonball fighter Z : The biggest anime in the world got arguable the best fighting game of the year in dragonball foghter z. Simple but deep with beautiful 2d cell shaded graphics. Fighter Z has a refined roster of all the fan favourites from Goku , Piccolo , the Androids , teen Gohan and future trunks with a total of 21 ( plus 3 dlc characters) to choose from. It's not just a game for fans of dragonball , but for fighting game fans and gamers in general, with great mechanics and flashy graphics to go with it.
Shadow of the Colossus : A remake of a beloved ps2 game , shadow of colossus is a beautiful action adventure game with good platform puzzler elements with tight controls, beautiful character design and some of the best music you will find in gaming, it's a very complete experience telling a strong narrative of a young boy defeating the collossi, giant greek creatures of incredible might. However being a remake of an already amazing game held it back from being higher up my list.
No man's sky next : No man's sky in 2015 was a bit of a disappointment , the game, in 2018 no man's sky next is the game no man sky was meant to be , beautiful and fool of freedom and options to play, tons of beautiful planets to explore with unique fauna and flora to collect to survive as well good combat and trading. It's a great action adventure survival game that is worth your time and money.
Far Cry 5 ( PS4/PC/XBOX)
Return of obra dinn
Valkryia Chronicles 4 ( PS4, PC AND Nintendo Switch )
Tetris effect ( PS4 & PS VR ),

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Deleted member 13707 · Dec 31, 2018

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Only one word can truly describe this gaming museum: Unthinkable. I keep telling myself that Sakurai and his team cannot possibly raise their level up any higher, and they did it again. Every playable character is present and so are some welcome new faces, expansive campaign filled with clever interpretations of beloved video game characters, musical lexicon, there is truly no other game with such dedication, detail, and great love of the franchises they're molding into their impossible crossover. Game of the Year for sure. Gonna be occupying Switch consoles for years to come.
God of War - A little hesitant to pick this one up on release, but it lived up to its good press. Battles get crazy intense, and what little bosses they do have amaze and astound. An incredible reinvention of the main character complete with standard BOY upgrade. It's all such a seamless adventure. The game becomes 10 out of 10 with new weapons. And 11 out of 10 when you start cracking its tougher opponents.
Marvel's Spiderman - This may well be the best Spider-Man game. The team at Insomniac nailed control, combat, and the overall atmosphere that Spider-Man's universe demands. All the different upgrades and suits you get definitely added to the experience. Suiting up in memorable attire of Spider-Man's past is standard, but the reaching they do with the costume closet is so deep. It has just the right sense of humor, sense of urgency, and even a pinch of Spider-Sense in its DNA. Definitely felt like I was playing a Spider-Man movie at times. In short, a "Spectacular" superhero game.
Forza Horizon 4 - My journey with Forza Horizon started here. It's such an outstanding game to take your dream car, and rip up the ground below you blasting across highways, dirt, and even snow. You could be playing a different game every week with the weather changing, and some of the campaign adventures really demonstrate the dev team's love of older arcade racing titles. This entire game is love. Love for racing, love for cars, and love for fun.
Dragonball FighterZ - The best damn Dragon Ball game. Bar none. Arc System Works were the right people to get this done. Probably one of the better examples of "easier to pick up, difficult to master" out there in the fighting game realm, and practically every attack, motion, and jaw dropping finish is pulled straight from a manga panel. It was the game to watch whenever a big major tournament was taking place. And it's the game to play if you've ever enjoyed an episode of DBZ.
Celeste - I'm not quite done with this adventure, but it really is the most well calibrated of the challenging indie platformers. Controls are spot-on, level layout is never too punishing, and you can cover as much of the stage as you want to. In fact, it's a welcome change to not be as much of a "point A to point B" linear game as his colleagues. Keep flipping the casette while you're at it. The greatest test of your gaming skills await on your way up the mountain.
Detroit: Become Human - I've never been a big supporter of David Cage's work, but when some of your biggest critics must exclaim your game in a positive manner, something went right at Quantic Dream. The tree has never had so many branches, and while the story of rebellion against one's master has been done before, and some of the imagery is laughably blatant with its message, the story actually doesn't go that far off the rails, and be careful. Your main character numbers may shrink if your choices are radical enough. That "what if" curiosity will get the better of you with this one. Also, props to Hank. It's as badass as he is fun to be around.
Megaman 11 - The Blue Bomber is back. Any negative statement I could say about Number 11 is washed away by taking so many of the core gameplay elements and making them so buttery smooth to play. Good selection of useful weapons, memorable bosses, worthy challenge, and the Double Gear system is such a game changer. Right up there with the Slide and the Charge Shot in how much they enhance a Mega Man game in general.
Warriors Orochi 4 - You wanna talk about your "Everyone is Here!" games? Well look no farther. The largest cast in a Warriors game ever, the most fun new mechanic in the entirety of the franchise, the most epic story in the Orochi series, and some of the most endless fun I've ever had playing any title with a Warriors name on it. There is not only magic in the game, but there was magic making this game. And making it work so well.
Kirby Star Allies - A Kirby game that, much like wine, got better with age. At no additional cost, they added so many characters and modes to this game. It proved that good things come to those who wait. Fans of any Kirby game will have something to smile at. The fanservice is off the charts with this one thanks to the late additions to the cast. It helps that this one builds off of its previous titles with control, creative powers, and more importantly, co-op, which is highly encouraged if you want to see everything this game has to offer.

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Borowski · Dec 31, 2018

Trafalgar Law said:
14.Tetris effect ( PS4 & PS VR ),
13.Valkryia Chronicles 4 ( PS4, PC AND Nintendo Switch ) ,
12. Return of obra dinn
11. Far Cry 5 ( PS4/PC/XBOX)

10. No man's sky next ( PS4, ): No man's sky in 2015 was a bit of a disappointment , the game, in 2018 no man's sky next is the game no man sky was meant to be , beautiful and fool of freedom and options to play, tons of beautiful planets to explore with unique fauna and flora to collect to survive as well good combat and trading. It's a great action adventure survival game that is worth your time and money.

9. Shadow of the Colossus ( PS4 ) : A remake of a beloved ps2 game , shadow of colossus is a beautiful action adventure game with good platform puzzler elements with tight controls, beautiful character design and some of the best music you will find in gaming, it's a very complete experience telling a strong narrative of a young boy defeating the collossi, giant greek creatures of incredible might. However being a remake of an already amazing game held it back from being higher up my list.

8. Dragonball fighter Z ( PS4): The biggest anime in the world got arguable the best fighting game of the year in dragonball foghter z. Simple but deep with beautiful 2d cell shaded graphics. Fighter Z has a refined roster of all the fan favourites from Goku , Piccolo , the Androids , teen Gohan and future trunks with a total of 21 ( plus 3 dlc characters) to choose from. It's not just a game for fans of dragonball , but for fighting game fans and gamers in general, with great mechanics and flashy graphics to go with it.

7. Monster Hunter World ( PS4): Monster hunter is a simple game, you hunt monsters. Simple it is ,boring it ain't. It's an open world JRPG action game set on island where you hunt different monsters for their unique properties to survive, gaining experience and tools to make your character stronger and access to unique weaponry depending on the scenario and what you have gained. With single player or multi player options you can go hunting however you choose , with a solid story mode campaign to boot. MH World is a jrpg gamer's delight.

6. Assassin's Creed Odyssey ( PS4): the long running and storied franchise has a new location ancient Greek, well new time period, and follows dual protagonists of a sibling pair Kassandra and Alexios. It's a fun game with great naval exploration elements where you get to assassinate templars and do cool stuff, it however is plagued with micro transaction and grinding that dampens the experience a bit. Never the less it's a great game that is a good time.

5.Spider-Man (PS4): Spider man the playstation 4 exclusive is simply a fun game. It captures the wonder and feel of being the world's most popular hero , spider-man. with great swinging controls and combat.A great story with fun dlc being released monthly to keep fans satisfied., although some missions do get dull and repetitive at points , the games highs however are more than enough to compensate for this , filled with all your favourite incarnation's of spider-man's costumes that you can try and enjoy. a strong contender for best superhero games ever with the Batman Arkham games , spider-man is a joy to play and behold that is a clear labour of love from the Insomniac studios with clear love for the titular hero.

4. Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Nintendo Switch): the biggest fighting series in the world is back and is chuck full of amazing well crafted fan service , by far the biggest and well developed fighting roster in the series ( over 70 playable characters ) , with beautiful graphics and fun gameplay to boot, . Just go play it , fun multiplayer game to play with family and friends and online that you can play for hours without getting bored of.

3. Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4) : Hop in losers we are going bounty hunting. The most ambitious title of the year should easily go to red dead redemption 2, with hundreds of millions spent to make this title, the end product is well worth the development cost, it is simply the deepest , most complex open world game ever made , with graphics that shine on any console you choose from( from ps4 and it's pro and xbox to it's more powerful xbox 1 x ). It tells the tales of outlaws dealing with changing wild wild west and has deep and amazing choices, great characters and solid gameplay, however the game is held back slightly from pure perfection with some of its mission design and structure as feel a bit dated and at time clunky controls. Never the less the overall package is outstanding and is meaty game worthy of being sunk the long hour it requires.

2. Astro Bot ( PS VR ) : I felt bad having to with either this game or tetris effect , cause they both are amazing and must have games for the PS VR, that encapsulate what gaming is supposed to be at it's core, FUN. Astro bot is a fun virtual reality platformer for the ps vr that you can sink hours into without noticing , gorgeous graphics with fun and intuitive gameplay , my gamers , you have to play and experience this game, a great experience

1. God of War (PS4): Are you surprised boy ? My favourite game of the last 5 years tops the list. God of War is what games are meant to be in this day and age , deep fun and engaging graphics telling a great story in a beautiful world guided by endearing and compelling characters. It follows the hero ( I use this term loosely ) of the old God of war games , Kratos who tackles his biggest challenge yet , fatherhood , trying to guide his slightly estranged son Atreus on a journey to fulfil his dead mother's wish , but all is not what it seems and they come into conflict with the powerful gods of the norse pantheon on the journey becoming an epic tale of self-discovery , fatherhood and responsibility with lots and lots of hacking and slashing.

yeah sorry for the format or if it reads a little weird, it's my goty list from a nigerian magazine i write for ( https://www.ampedeverything.com/blog/2018-games-of-the-year)

Bonus list : 2019 games I am excited for : Jump Force , DMC 5 , Death Stranding, Kingdom Hearts 3 , Sekiro , Doom Eternal , Anthem and Rage 2.

Edit your post according to OP

Use the right order and editing tools

And you don't have to mention the platform. The Bot might not recognize it

Tuckin · Dec 31, 2018

God Of War - I've never cared about this series and then this came along and it has stuck with me all year. It made me care about Kratos.
Dragon Quest XI - Always wanted to get into mainline DQ and this game grabbed me.
Ashen - Always up for a Dark Souls style game. And I liked the constant companion help. Less stressful.
Spiderman - I was surprised by how good the story was.
Celeste - Challenging and heartfelt.
Red Dead Redemption 2 - Such a slow game but it's hard to not appreciate it.
Football Manager 2019 - Always addictive
Forza Horizon 4 - Wouldn't normally try these but thanks to Game Pass I've enjoyed it.
A Way Out - Fun little game played with the wife. Not great but fun.
State of Decay 2 - Mixed bag. Fun for a while but too repetitive.

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Trafalgar Law · Dec 31, 2018

Borowski said:
Edit your post according to OP

Use the right order and editing tools

And you don't have to mention the platform. The Bot might not recognize it

fixed and thank you

Borowski · Dec 31, 2018

Trafalgar Law said:
fixed and thank you

You're welcome, but it's not done yet lol

Remove the numbers and dots, bold the games , join the text and then use the "ordered list" tool, and without the platform

It should look like this :

Game A - Are you surprised boy ? My favourite game of the last 5 years tops the list. God of War is what games are meant to be in this day and age , deep fun and engaging graphics telling a great story in a beautiful world guided by endearing and compelling characters. It follows the hero ( I use this term loosely ) of the old God of war games , Kratos who tackles his biggest challenge yet , fatherhood , trying to guide his slightly estranged son Atreus on a journey to fulfil his dead mother's wish , but all is not what it seems and they come into conflict with the powerful gods of the norse pantheon on the journey becoming an epic tale of self-discovery , fatherhood and responsibility with lots and lots of hacking and slashing.
Game B - I felt bad having to with either this game or tetris effect , cause they both are amazing and must have games for the PS VR, that encapsulate what gaming is supposed to be at it's core, FUN. Astro bot is a fun virtual reality platformer for the ps vr that you can sink hours into without noticing , gorgeous graphics with fun and intuitive gameplay , my gamers , you have to play and experience this game, a great experience
Game C - Hop in losers we are going bounty hunting. The most ambitious title of the year should easily go to red dead redemption 2, with hundreds of millions spent to make this title, the end product is well worth the development cost, it is simply the deepest , most complex open world game ever made , with graphics that shine on any console you choose from( from ps4 and it's pro and xbox to it's more powerful xbox 1 x ). It tells the tales of outlaws dealing with changing wild wild west and has deep and amazing choices, great characters and solid gameplay, however the game is held back slightly from pure perfection with some of its mission design and structure as feel a bit dated and at time clunky controls. Never the less the overall package is outstanding and is meaty game worthy of being sunk the long hour it requires.

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Sloane Ranger · Dec 31, 2018

Kingdom Come Deliverance - This game is the first game in a long time that actually made me feel like I was role-playing instead of just collecting loot. Every side quest was compelling and added to the main story arc. My armor decisions mattered. Having to actually watch what your opponent is doing to try to win a sword fight, instead of pressing X behind them to win. Frame rate drops and pop-in were the ONLY things that marred this incredible game.
God of War
Hollow Knight
Red Dead Redemption 2 - Single Player was absolutely fun, a great follow-up to the original.
Subnautica
Mutant Year Zero
Dark Souls Remastered

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Confused Cheeseburger · Dec 31, 2018

Monster Boy is so good I have to change my top 10.

krossj · Dec 31, 2018

Octopath Traveler - The Battle system! How the characters played off one another in boss battles, figuring out weaknesses, extra jobs, special jobs, building up for one huge amount of damage, I really enjoyed it after having some skepticism at first with the demo. I got the impression that it was a lesser battle system in some ways than Bravely Defaults which I enjoyed muchly but the further I got in to the game you start to notice its more unique traits with how the break system varies things up especially in boss battles. Some challenging play around weaknesses and specific moves until you get the advance jobs and then things just sort of.. melt for the most part but the challenge to get those advance jobs was the highlight of the overall game, some enjoyable management in figuring out team set ups for those battles. Enjoyed the style of the visuals the developers went for. I felt the blend of the sprite work with the 3D worked really well along with the effects during battles and the map sections. The enemy design was well done and those creature and boss graphics were beautifully done. Overall it was very well executed and felt like a progression of older franchises taken in a number of different directions. It would be interesting to get more thoughts on the whole process further down the road and to see if Acquire and SE stick with this approach or continue to experiment with thier future games. That music is beautiful throughout, definitely my soundtrack of the year. The character themes brilliantly conveyed the motives of each character well and this also was the same for the Area themes. The frozen lands, Sun lands, story moments, change in battle music it all went so well with what was being conveyed with the visuals, characters and gameplay. Those chapter 4 themes that transitioned into the boss battle music were brilliantly done. It's so good to hear something like this again, it feels like a blend of older squaresoft games but with enough of a new approach to make it beautiful on its own. I really like how the stories of the different characters were all a bit more subtle than the whole 'the world is ending' sort of approach (for the most part). Even enjoying that sort of set up with other games in the genre in this instance it was refreshing for this type of game to go in a different direction. Some of the stories were very well done and they all resolved in an interesting way. Some filler chapters did occur to set up overall arcs but some really stood out for a variety of reasons, Olberic's chapter 3, Primrose's chapter 1,2 and 4, Tressa's chapter 4. It would have been interesting to see the characters come together like many people have mentioned but I felt fine with the individual stories by the end of all the chapters and never felt it to be a hinderance to the game as a whole it was more that I feel each character could have had a break from the standard game design structure for one chapter in their story. Perhaps just a break from the set up, dungeon, boss fight and conclusion flow the game had throughout. Similar to Olberics chapter 2 which at least offered a small change in the structure would have been a nice break, even some mini games within these chapters could have offered something to break things up a bit. I felt the chapters themselves were well paced and flowed well but something of a breather thrown in here and then would have been a welcome change to the overall structure. It feels like a game made by a team of people who really care about the genre from its roots. Sequels can be a hit or miss for me with games like this but in this case it would be nice to see more of these characters on the other hand a bunch of different characters with similar setting and mechanics, and even some further exploration of visual style would be cool with something totally new. Overall I'm just interested in what this team tries next because of how much I thourghly enjoyed this.
Into the Breach - I really enjoy tactical turn based games in general especially ones with the isometric/ map grid based structure but the caveat with this is that 'run' based games just have never really clicked with me. Rouge legacy and spelunky were ok but the structure eventually had me moving onto something else after not too long and I didn't play ftl for similar reasons. But this just clicked. The gameplay, figuring out the best actions to take so as your power resources aren't completely obliterated in one swift move and the general flow was just so much fun. The different options in mechs down the road keep the interest level up with new approaches being available. It has a number of cool environment factors that keep each run fresh along with the variety of weapons and upgrades. The visuals are really nicely done and the whole look and gameplay has kind of added to that 'a new advance wars would be fucking cool' vibe I've had for a while but this offers a brand new approach to the overall flow of the gameplay and makes it unique on its own. I've barely scratched the surface with the combination of custom and random mech squads so there is still a lot to explore but I've had a lot of fun thus far. More islands or a longer narrative based version would be cool to see in the future. It's a new approach to a genre that I really enjoy which i didn't think I would get into but it's been a really nice surprise, just a very well designed game.
Crosscode - This game is just fun. lots of elements from different games at play but executed so well together. The combat and variety of options are great and the mix up between this, the puzzles and exploration in between makes for a enjoyable combination. The puzzles at their best give you that rare Zelda like sense of achievement when they are solved and excluding a select few which can be a bit tedious with the setting up of perfect angles needed to light beacons (that second dungeon) they are really well designed so far. I'm not finished yet, making my way through it slowly but wanted it on my list because of how well designed and fun it is. It takes a lot from different games and combines in a manner which feels fresh. The flow and pacing especially early in the game is very well done introducing all the mechanics and side quest structure most of the game has while the dungeons are a great blend of all the aspects of the game and the boss battles within are so good! Even the regular enemies have some really unique game design elements. I'm looking forward to playing more and hope a lot more people try it out when it hits consoles.
Soul Calibur VI - I'm relatively trash at fighting games but I had such a good time with earlier entries in the series I decided to give it another go after a long hiatus. It is fun. It is much like those earlier entries and the changes haven't deterred it from what I enjoyed in the first place, the accessibility. Most fighting games feel inaccessible where as this just feels comfortable for me in a lot of ways, the move inputs, the 8 way run just sort of works for me not to mention the setting and more historical themes. So yeah if your a bit hesitant to jump into a fighting game this is quite fun to learn a character or two and jump in to.
Minit - Timed games are similar to run based games for me and they don't really work out in the enjoyment field but this is another one that clicked where others have not. Due to the micro progression of each run and how well those aspects of the game were designed, unlocking new start points, keeping weapons and coins etc it made the whole thing very enjoyable. The visual approach was great and the nods to Links Awakening throughout were well done. The music was brilliant, especially the Sabasaba Desert track and everything about the sword factory especially that final boss theme. It would be cool to see more stylistic games like this in general, this game took up that Boxboy fun stylish puzzle game mantle for me this year.

It's difficult to rank rereleases of games like Dark Souls Remastered and Shadow of the Colossus when the originals are up there with the rest of my favorites but I had a great time with both of these games again this year. The visual design in God of War, not finished and character action games are not my thing with a few exceptions but the art direction and models in this are insanely well done. Want to mention the Sega Ages Phantasy Star rerelease/ touch up also. Again not finished so haven't included it, just reached Abion and I'm enjoying it a lot even if I am getting confused with all the town names. Its great to see a rerelease with just enough adjustments to make it a bit more accessible, hope they do this with more sega rpgs.

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Borowski · Dec 31, 2018

krossj said:
1. Octopath Traveler - The Battle system! How the characters played off one another in boss battles, figuring out weaknesses, extra jobs, special jobs, building up for one huge amount of damage, I really enjoyed it after having some skepticism at first with the demo. I got the impression that it was a lesser battle system in some ways than Bravely Defaults which I enjoyed muchly but the further I got in to the game you start to notice its more unique traits with how the break system varies things up especially in boss battles. Some challenging play around weaknesses and specific moves until you get the advance jobs and then things just sort of.. melt for the most part but the challenge to get those advance jobs was the highlight of the overall game, some enjoyable management in figuring out team set ups for those battles.

I really enjoyed the style of the visuals the developers went for. I felt the blend of the sprite work with the 3D worked really well along with the effects during battles and the map sections. The enemy design was well done and those creature and boss graphics were beautifully done. Overall it was very well executed and felt like a progression of older franchises taken in a number of different directions. It would be interesting to get more thoughts on the whole process further down the road and to see if Acquire and SE stick with this approach or continue to experiment with thier future games.

That music is beautiful throughout, definitely my soundtrack of the year. The character themes brilliantly conveyed the motives of each character well and this also was the same for the Area themes. The frozen lands, Sun lands, story moments, change in battle music it all went so well with what was being conveyed with the visuals, characters and gameplay. Those chapter 4 themes that transitioned into the boss battle music were brilliantly done. It's so good to hear something like this again, it feels like a blend of older squaresoft games but with enough of a new approach to make it beautiful on its own.

I really like how the stories of the different characters were all a bit more subtle than the whole 'the world is ending' sort of approach (for the most part). Even enjoying that sort of set up with other games in the genre in this instance it was refreshing for this type of game to go in a different direction. Some of the stories were very well done and they all resolved in an interesting way. Some filler chapters did occur to set up overall arcs but some really stood out for a variety of reasons, Olberic's chapter 3, Primrose's chapter 1,2 and 4, Tressa's chapter 4. It would have been interesting to see the characters come together like many people have mentioned but I felt fine with the individual stories by the end of all the chapters and never felt it to be a hinderance to the game as a whole it was more that I feel each character could have had a break from the standard game design structure for one chapter in their story. Perhaps just a break from the set up, dungeon, boss fight and conclusion flow the game had throughout. Similar to Olberics chapter 2 which at least offered a small change in the structure would have been a nice break, even some mini games within these chapters could have offered something to break things up a bit. I felt the chapters themselves were well paced and flowed well but something of a breather thrown in here and then would have been a welcome change to the overall structure.

It feels like a game made by a team of people who really care about the genre from its roots. Sequels can be a hit or miss for me with games like this but in this case it would be nice to see more of these characters on the other hand a bunch of different characters with similar setting and mechanics, and even some further exploration of visual style would be cool with something totally new. Overall I'm just interested in what this team tries next because of how much I thourghly enjoyed this.

2. Into the breach - I really enjoy tactical turn based games in general especially ones with the isometric/ map grid based structure but the caveat with this is that 'run' based games just have never really clicked with me. Rouge legacy and spelunky were ok but the structure eventually had me moving onto something else after not too long and I didn't play ftl for similar reasons.

But this just clicked. The gameplay, figuring out the best actions to take so as your power resources aren't completely obliterated in one swift move and the general flow was just so much fun. The different options in mechs down the road keep the interest level up with new approaches being available. It has a number of cool environment factors that keep each run fresh along with the variety of weapons and upgrades.
The visuals are really nicely done and the whole look and gameplay has kind of added to that 'a new advance wars would be fucking cool' vibe I've had for a while but this offers a brand new approach to the overall flow of the gameplay and makes it unique on its own.
I've barely scratched the surface with the combination of custom and random mech squads so there is still a lot to explore but I've had a lot of fun thus far. More islands or a longer narrative based version would be cool to see in the future. It's a new approach to a genre that I really enjoy which i didn't think I would get into but it's been a really nice surprise, just a very well designed game.

3. Crosscode - This game is just fun. lots of elements from different games at play but executed so well together. The combat and variety of options are great and the mix up between this, the puzzles and exploration in between makes for a enjoyable combination. The puzzles at their best give you that rare Zelda like sense of achievement when they are solved and excluding a select few which can be a bit tedious with the setting up of perfect angles needed to light beacons (that second dungeon) they are really well designed so far. I'm not finished yet, making my way through it slowly but wanted it on my list because of how well designed and fun it is. It takes a lot from different games and combines in a manner which feels fresh. The flow and pacing especially early in the game is very well done introducing all the mechanics and side quest structure most of the game has while the dungeons are a great blend of all the aspects of the game and the boss battles within are so good! Even the regular enemies have some really unique game design elements. I'm looking forward to playing more and hope a lot more people try it out when it hits consoles.

4. Soul Calibur VI - I'm relatively trash at fighting games but I had such a good time with earlier entries in the series I decided to give it another go after a long hiatus. It is fun. It's much like those earlier entries and the changes haven't deterred it from what I enjoyed in the first place, the accessibility. Most fighting games feel inaccessible where as this just feels comfortable for me in a lot of ways, the move inputs, the 8 way run just sort of works for me not to mention the setting and more historical themes. So yeah if your a bit hesitant to jump into a fighting game this is quite fun to learn a character or two and jump in to.

5. Minit - Timed games are similar to run based games for me and they don't really work out in the enjoyment field but this is another one that clicked where others have not. Due to the micro progression of each run and how well those aspects of the game were designed, unlocking new start points, keeping weapons and coins etc it made the whole thing very enjoyable. The visual approach was great and the nods to Links Awakening throughout were well done. The music was brilliant, especially the Sabasaba Desert track and everything about the sword factory especially that final boss theme. It would be cool to see more stylistic games like this in general, this game took up that Boxboy fun stylish puzzle game mantle for me this year.

It's difficult to rank rereleases of games like Dark Souls Remastered and Shadow of the Colossus when the originals are up there with the rest of my favorites but I had a great time with both of these games again this year. The visual design in God of War, not finished and character action games are not my thing with a few exceptions but the art direction and models in this are insanely well done. Want to mention the Sega Ages Phantasy Star rerelease/ touch up also. Again not finished so haven't included it, just reached Abion and I'm enjoying it a lot even if I am getting confused with all the town names. Its great to see a rerelease with just enough adjustments to make it a bit more accessible, hope they do this with more sega rpgs.

Format your post using the "ordered list" tool

krossj · Dec 31, 2018

Borowski said:
Format your post using the "ordered list" tool

Fixed, thanks

VZ_Blade · Dec 31, 2018

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate -

Everyone in their heart knows
Viewing it up close or afar, its achievement shows.
Everyone is here, everyone's names are called
Riveting battles on the horizon the warriors brawl.
Youthful does Sakurai still look
On the other hand, the project his time, spirit, and stamina took.
No matter what modes that I choose to play
Excited melee and fun times are always to be made.
Incredible, refined, a loving tribute to video games I can tell
Shame that Nintendo's online is very much hell.
Home I did send the spirits go
Everything is a reference in WoL.
Really though, for as much as [and because] I love this game
Eager I am for Sakurai to hand it off with Ultimate and reach greater fame.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Torna The Golden Country - Nintendo gets DLC right 2018 edition part 2 w/ physical release. The improved battle system is more spontaneous than the main game's, giving it a more ARPG vibe. In addition, the various QoL changes shows me that Monolith Soft is willing to listen and change for the better. Of course, Monolith is still one of the best in the industry in world design - Torna is an absolute joy to explore. The sidequest padding is unfortunate, but I don't take much issue with it mainly due to the fact that they do add to the story and makes me feel closer to the people of Torna. And. THAT. MUSIC. WOW. All in all, I can't wait to see what Monolith Soft has to offer in the future.
Yakuza 0 - You know how in anime, the main characters are doing something important, and the next moment, they are off to some random funny tangent? This is what Yakuza feels like to me. One moment, I am desperately trying to navigate myself with in the organization with Kiryu and Majima. The next moment, I am off to help a kid to secure his copy of Dragon Quest III. I don't know what I was expecting for a story, but wow - there is one that constantly keeps me on the edge of my seat!
Red Dead Redemption 2 - Half of the time, I am in awe of the scale of the world and the story. The other half is spent on being baffled by a lot of the boneheaded design decisions. Regardless, Arthur Morgan's personal journey is one that will remain in my mind for a good while.
Monster Hunter: World - I feel like this is what Monster Hunter 4 would be if they have the power to fully realize their ideas. Yeah, there isn't a lot of content compared to past monster hunters. Yeah, a lot of monsters are from 1 and 2. However, Capcom nails what make MH special, and it is a good effort to bring the series into HD.
Forza Horizon 4 - Before Horizon, the only racing game I've played is Mario Kart. And now, Horizon is definitely on my radar whenever a new one comes out. Exploring the British countryside is easily one of my best gaming moments in 2018.
Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion - Nintendo gets DLC right 2018 edition part 1. Enjoyable stages + more lore + awesome final levels.
Shadow of the Colossus - Wow. That's how you do a remake. Having played the PS2 version for even a few hours really helped me realize just how impressive the overhaul is. Not only are the battles a sight to behold, they are also basically gigantic puzzles to be solved.
WILL: A Wonderful World - One of the bigger surprises for me personally. The main mechanic does get a bit stale in later parts, and some puzzles aren't really intuitive, but the music and the story more than make up for it.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus - A fun game with some pretty thought-provoking and relevant themes. Plus, who isn't down for killing fictional Nazis?

Honorable mentions aka games that would've made it to top 10 if I finished them

Okami HD
I gotta say… That beginning section is more handhold-y than even Skyward Sword. But the game really picks up after that so I am not complaining.

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
Playing this after World really makes me hope that the QoL changes can be carry over, but it's Monster Hunter. With way more monsters.

Tetris Effects
Really fun game.

Octopath Traveler
Although I am sort of hesitant to continue due to its repetitiveness, the game is still solid and would probably make it onto the GOTY list had I finish it.

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Jawbreaker · Dec 31, 2018

Astro Bot: Rescue Mission - A reimagining of the platforming genre. This is it — the next logical leap forward. The perspective play and sense of scale along with the ingenious camera not only highlights the advantages of VR but genuinely offers the genre a notable improvement that isn't merely gimmicky in the pejorative sense.

Much has been said and debated regarding Astro Bot: Rescue Mission being the "Mario 64 moment" for VR, and while it was mostly dismissed at first, I have to say it's a valid perspective. Much like Lakitu in Mario 64 ushered in a camera system that would be emulated and iterated upon by platformers from that point forward, Astro Bot's camera further advances the concept and appoints you, the player, as the camera itself, making for more precise platforming, better depth perception, and a wonderful sense of presence.

The mechanics are rather simple in the way you interact with enemies and the environments, but it's always highly engaging because you're given tools to play with, superb level design, and impeccable attention to detail that makes everything joyful and lively. Of course, it's all then elevated to the stratosphere by Team Asobi's masterful use of VR tech which, I think needs to be pointed out, cannot be divorced from the game because it's fundamentally part of what makes it the best platformer I've played since Super Mario Galaxy.

If I had to nitpick, my only issue would be the lack of music variety, but what's there is just as catchy as the best video game music this year. Just an utter delight to listen to.

With more charm than I can handle without grinning ear-to-ear, Sony Japan managed to deliver my favorite game of 2018. From the main levels to the varied, immensely fun challenge stages and creative bosses, it's a 10/10 through and through.
Monster Hunter: World
Marvel's Spider-Man
Dragon Quest XI
God of War
Red Dead Redemption 2
La-Mulana 2
Celeste
Tetris Effect
Shadow of the Colossus

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Jawmuncher · Dec 31, 2018

Deltarune Chapter 1 - Easily the biggest surprise of the year. Even with it being a free titles that is meant more to be a demo. Deltarune presents you with a 2 - 3 hour experience that rivals some of gamings best. This year there wasn't much that had me interested throughout. But Deltarune managed to do just that.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Detroit: Become Human

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Kindekuma · Dec 31, 2018

Monster Hunter World - I thought I was burnt out and done with Monster Hunter games. I couldn't rekindle my love with the series like I had with MHFU and Tri to later titles. But having friends to play online, the open world, and QoL changes were just so stand out. While post game content is lacking, I'm hoping the new content coming soon will draw me back in for much more.
Celeste - Straight up addicting gameplay that was challenging but never felt impossible. Wonderful music, responsive controls, and a good story to boot makes this a top contender on my list.
Tetris Effect - I was tired of the anime style of Puyo Puyo Tetris, but Tetris Effect has some STUNNING visuals, amazing music to accompany the gameplay, and the cool addition of Effect Mode. I bought a PSVR headset yesterday for this actually. I've had a stressful year, but coming home and just zoning out with Tetris Effect with studio headphones on is an amazing experience.
Super Smash Bros Ultimate - EVERYONE IS HERE! This line up is massive. It took me 12 hours to unlock everyone, and while I'm still working on World of Light. There's so much fucking content. Sakurai, get some sleep.
Hyper Light Drifter - Special Edition - HYPER LIGHT DRIFTER. C'mon man, I love this game. Seeing it on Switch with added content lovingly handled by Abylight makes this a must own. I've jokingly ~~harassed~~ messed around with Abylight on Twitter begging them to release the game back when they were working on it and much to my impatient waiting, they delivered. Love you guys!
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - Expand Dong now on Nintendo Switch.
Gris - I completed Gris today, actually. This game is strikingly beautiful. I love the art direction and aesthetics. The music is also lovely, "Karasu" is definitely my favorite track. While this game is very 'Journey'-like, there's definitely a lot more engaging moments instead of just walking in one direction. My only complaint is that there's some cool mechanics we don't get to develop as it's super short, and that there's a lack of replay value for something in these games.
Florence - I never would've thought I would have a mobile game on my top list, but I got Florence on here. It's incredibly short (under an hour, a half hour to ballpark). But what it does is tell a clear cohesive story with characters you easily become attached to. The visual style of the game is very appealing, I love the artwork and use of color. Using touch screen controls as part of the narrative works so much better than you think it honestly should. Devs knocked it out of the park on this one.

--------------------------------------
Honorable Mentions: These are games from this year I've played but have not yet completed which explains the absence from the main list.
1. God of War
2. Red Dead Redemption 2
3. Octopath Traveler
4. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country

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CosmicBolt · Dec 31, 2018

Dragon Ball FighterZ - Best Dragon Ball game in years, with incredible graphics and impressive mechanical depth, this is my GOTY.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Marvel's Spider-Man
Dragon Quest XI
God of War
Forza Horizon 4
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition

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aiswyda · Dec 31, 2018

Return of the Obra Dinn - A fantastic mystery with great logic puzzles that not only reward, but require you to think outside the box.
Octopath Traveler - 95% of this is the game I've wanted from SE for years. Everything, except the final boss, was fantastic and I can't wait to see the next game from the team.
Valkyria Chronicles 4 - Perfection of previous VC combat and great new content to make every map a delight to play.
Red Dead Redemption 2 - I ended up caring so much for Arthur, my horse, and some other members of the gang I'm willing to overlook some of the awful controls and bloat.
Katamari Damacy Reroll - It's Katamari. Enough said.
A Way Out - The co-op experience was so well done. Everything about the game played on building that co-op experience and made you care about the characters. I was really impressed by the care put into it and thoroughly enjoyed my playthrough.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Torna The Golden Country - XC2 combat is so fun and coupled with the exploration of old characters and fun new characters, it ended up being really enjoyable.
Sid Meier's Civilization VI - I feel the "one more turn" really hard. Have spent multiple nights up past 12am playing it.
Into the Breach - A tactics/rogue like game that's forgiving and short and fun; I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed struggling and succeeding.
Donut County - The cutest game about the horrors of gentrification ever created.

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Mauricio_Magus · Dec 31, 2018

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age - One of the best JRPGs of all time, easily.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Celeste
Deltarune Chapter 1
Monster Hunter World
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
Yakuza 0
Mega Man 11 - Mega Man is finally back.
Assault Spy - Great Indie game clearly inspired by DMC.

Games I wish I had given more time to consider: Hollow Knight and Tetris Effect.

Also, my real GOTY is a game from 2017 that I didn't play till 2018: The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd, one of the most incredible games I have ever played, easily in my top 10 of all time.

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ForgeForsaken · Dec 31, 2018

Trafalgar Law said:
1. God of War (PS4): Are you surprised boy ? My favourite game of the last 5 years tops the list. God of War is what games are meant to be in this day and age , deep fun and engaging graphics telling a great story in a beautiful world guided by endearing and compelling characters. It follows the hero ( I use this term loosely ) of the old God of war games , Kratos who tackles his biggest challenge yet , fatherhood , trying to guide his slightly estranged son Atreus on a journey to fulfil his dead mother's wish , but all is not what it seems and they come into conflict with the powerful gods of the norse pantheon on the journey becoming an epic tale of self-discovery , fatherhood and responsibility with lots and lots of hacking and slashing.

2. Astro Bot ( PS VR ) : I felt bad having to with either this game or tetris effect , cause they both are amazing and must have games for the PS VR, that encapsulate what gaming is supposed to be at it's core, FUN. Astro bot is a fun virtual reality platformer for the ps vr that you can sink hours into without noticing , gorgeous graphics with fun and intuitive gameplay , my gamers , you have to play and experience this game, a great experience

3. Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4) : Hop in losers we are going bounty hunting. The most ambitious title of the year should easily go to red dead redemption 2, with hundreds of millions spent to make this title, the end product is well worth the development cost, it is simply the deepest , most complex open world game ever made , with graphics that shine on any console you choose from( from ps4 and it's pro and xbox to it's more powerful xbox 1 x ). It tells the tales of outlaws dealing with changing wild wild west and has deep and amazing choices, great characters and solid gameplay, however the game is held back slightly from pure perfection with some of its mission design and structure as feel a bit dated and at time clunky controls. Never the less the overall package is outstanding and is meaty game worthy of being sunk the long hour it requires.
Bonus list : 2019 games I am excited for : Jump Force , DMC 5 , Death Stranding, Kingdom Hearts 3 , Sekiro , Doom Eternal , Anthem and Rage 2.

4. Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Nintendo Switch): the biggest fighting series in the world is back and is chuck full of amazing well crafted fan service , by far the biggest and well developed fighting roster in the series ( over 70 playable characters ) , with beautiful graphics and fun gameplay to boot, . Just go play it , fun multiplayer game to play with family and friends and online that you can play for hours without getting bored of.

5.Spider-Man (PS4): Spider man the playstation 4 exclusive is simply a fun game. It captures the wonder and feel of being the world's most popular hero , spider-man. with great swinging controls and combat.A great story with fun dlc being released monthly to keep fans satisfied., although some missions do get dull and repetitive at points , the games highs however are more than enough to compensate for this , filled with all your favourite incarnation's of spider-man's costumes that you can try and enjoy. a strong contender for best superhero games ever with the Batman Arkham games , spider-man is a joy to play and behold that is a clear labour of love from the Insomniac studios with clear love for the titular hero.

6. Assassin's Creed Odyssey ( PS4): the long running and storied franchise has a new location ancient Greek, well new time period, and follows dual protagonists of a sibling pair Kassandra and Alexios. It's a fun game with great naval exploration elements where you get to assassinate templars and do cool stuff, it however is plagued with micro transaction and grinding that dampens the experience a bit. Never the less it's a great game that is a good time.

7. Monster Hunter World ( PS4): Monster hunter is a simple game, you hunt monsters. Simple it is ,boring it ain't. It's an open world JRPG action game set on island where you hunt different monsters for their unique properties to survive, gaining experience and tools to make your character stronger and access to unique weaponry depending on the scenario and what you have gained. With single player or multi player options you can go hunting however you choose , with a solid story mode campaign to boot. MH World is a jrpg gamer's delight.

8. Dragonball fighter Z ( PS4): The biggest anime in the world got arguable the best fighting game of the year in dragonball foghter z. Simple but deep with beautiful 2d cell shaded graphics. Fighter Z has a refined roster of all the fan favourites from Goku , Piccolo , the Androids , teen Gohan and future trunks with a total of 21 ( plus 3 dlc characters) to choose from. It's not just a game for fans of dragonball , but for fighting game fans and gamers in general, with great mechanics and flashy graphics to go with it.

9. Shadow of the Colossus ( PS4 ) : A remake of a beloved ps2 game , shadow of colossus is a beautiful action adventure game with good platform puzzler elements with tight controls, beautiful character design and some of the best music you will find in gaming, it's a very complete experience telling a strong narrative of a young boy defeating the collossi, giant greek creatures of incredible might. However being a remake of an already amazing game held it back from being higher up my list.

10. No man's sky next ( PS4, ): No man's sky in 2015 was a bit of a disappointment , the game, in 2018 no man's sky next is the game no man sky was meant to be , beautiful and fool of freedom and options to play, tons of beautiful planets to explore with unique fauna and flora to collect to survive as well good combat and trading. It's a great action adventure survival game that is worth your time and money.

11. Far Cry 5 ( PS4/PC/XBOX)
12. Return of obra dinn
13.Valkryia Chronicles 4 ( PS4, PC AND Nintendo Switch )
14.Tetris effect ( PS4 & PS VR ),

You need to use an ordered list and probably lose platform after the title, check OP for formatting

Amibguous Cad · Dec 31, 2018

Monster Hunter World - You know, people tend to dismiss multiplayers games by saying "oh, well, if you're playing with friends, you'll find anything fun, but I think they significantly miss the mark. Some games are good at bringing people together, some games are good at facilitating relationships, and some aren't. And Monster Hunter World? Well, I didn't meet my current boyfriend in game, exactly, but a good deal of our online courtship happened in MHW. Hunts are just long enough to be a meaningful social interaction, there's plenty of downtime to voice chat about bullshit, the fights require lots of teamwork, you can have complimentary builds, and the game is so deep there's always something one person can be teaching another. MMOs have always been good for meeting people, but MHW is easily the best game I've ever played for bringing people together. And the game's great too!
Deltarune Chapter 1 - What can I say? I'll be thinking about these characters a decade from now. Can't wait to see the rest.
Artifact - The game's had a bumpy launch, there's no doubt about it. I can certainly understand why the monetization can rub some people the wrong way. But for me, unlimited free drafting is the killer app no other CCG has. In order to just play limited, I had to pay an upwards of $200 a year to Hearthstone. As far as I'm concerned, the $20 package in Artifact is a steal. And props to the game for changing course almost immediately and implementing some progression and free cards within a few weeks of launch. But in the end, it's telling that the only thing anyone has to say negative about Artifact involves the meta game, things outside the game, progression and monetization and features and so forth. Because the game itself? The person who developed the greatest game of all time, Magic: The Gathering, has had 25 years to perfect his craft, and it's all on display here. I have played this game daily, and I expect I will still be playing this game daily next year, and the year after that.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire - This was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed PoE1 as a throwback, but this took the series in some new directions. I certainly wasn't expecting this to be the anti-colonialist spiritual successor to Fallout: New Vegas that we never knew we wanted. The world is vibrant and interesting, the actors within it have believable flaws and perspectives, and deciding whether to side with the Dutch East India Company, imperialist China, Poynesian traditionalists, or, erm, Pirates was never an easy thing to do. And the ending was ballsy as all fuck.
Destiny 2: Forsaken - This game was quite bipolar. The start-to-finish level grind is better than it's ever been, and by some margin. New weapons, new weapon types, a reworking of the economy, new and better types of content, gambit... it's smooth like butter, and I can recommend it to almost anyone. They promised more hardcore content, however, and while I interpreted that as more (hardcore content), the devs apparently meant (more hardcore) content. For reasons that pass my understanding, they've made the level requirements for day one raiding so onerous that really only professionals who stream on day one can do it. The best gun in the game is gated behind an atrociously designed and overbearingly difficult platforming section. A multiplayer platforming section, with a very difficult fight at the end of it. I think this mission is precisely where I fell out of love with Destiny, failing over, and over, and over again to complete this platforming section, knowing every time I failed it made it more likely my teammates were going to fail, too. It was an atrocious experience. And for some reason, Bungie also thinks it's appropriate to gate the best PvP weapon in the game behind success in the... PvP mode. This is a bafflingly terrible design decision, but facing off against those 'prestige' weapons as I tried to make my own climb up the ladder was simply infuriating. If those are the direction Bungie intends to take the endgame, then I'm out. But hours 1-30 are still incredible.
Beat Saber - The Oculus isn't a game console that occasionally gives you a workout. It's a piece of exercise equipment that happens to play games. And nothing exemplifies that fact better than Beat Saber. I've been playing this daily for several months now, I've never gotten tired of it, and I'm finally getting regular cardio exercise. It helps that the game is the best rhythm game ever created, with more room for expressiveness than the clumsy old analog inputs of yore. Go get it!
Hollow Knight - Hornet is bae.
Into The Breach - Such a wonderful use of framing, such amazing music, and the strategy is not quite like anything else I've seen before. Here's to looking for a third game from this studio will knock it out of the park, too.
Prey: Mooncrash - Who thought the freshest take on roguelikes in years would come out of a AAA studio? I wish more studios would try remixing their basic gameplay like this- Arkane proves there's so much they can do.
Super Smash Bros Ultimate - It takes skill and effort to make fanservice this distilled. It's great for casuals, great for people gunning for the next evo, great online, great with people in your house, great all around.

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srtrestre · Jan 1, 2019

Good thing we have until the 20th because I'm going to have to think about this some. None of these games jump out at me in an obvious, no-brainer manner like Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey did last year.

Uraizen · Jan 1, 2019

Dragonball FighterZ - A treat for the eyes, a joy to play, a kickin' soundtrack, and more time than I can count easily makes this my GOTY.
Under Night in-Birth Exe:Late[st] - A very solid fighter with an emphasis on strong fundamentals.
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection - It has 3rd strike in it, I have no choice.
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle - Fun tag fighter with a lot of recognizable characters for me.
Monster Hunter World - I finally enjoyed a monster hunter and I see the appeal now.
The Missing: JJ Macfield and the Island of Memories - Awesome... just awesome.
Megadimension Neptunia VIIR - Good junk food.
Sunset Overdrive - Vibrant and colorful game that I finally got to play.
Yakuza 0 - KIRYU.
Forza Horizon 4 - Pretty good racer that gives me reason to keep coming back and play it.

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_Malus_ · Jan 1, 2019

God of War - Until GoW actually came out, I wasn't really interested in buying it... but damn am I glad I did! Playing through this game reminded me of the first time I played Resident Evil 4. The set pieces, the fun combat and the pacing: it was all top notch! Not to mention the great side content to be found in this game. This is a 10/10 experience, in almost every aspect.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Yes, this is the ultimate Smash Bros. experience. I am still overwhelemed by the amount of content this game offers. Every fighter is extremely fun to play and created faithfully to it's source material. I also feel like I haven't played on every stage yet... there are so many! Gameplay is addicting and fun as the series is known for, running at a much faster pace than Smash 4. Every Switch owner should have this game.
Detroit Become Human - After being disappointed with Beyond, I pretty much lost faith in QD to release a good interactive story experience ever again. But luckily, I have been proven wrong and I can say that Detroit offers the most stunning interactive story-telling I have ever seen in a videogame. All characters grew very much on me. I was especially invested in Connor's and Hank's storyline - they had a great chemistry. The huge amount of alternate story paths is unbelievable and it gives the game great replay value. Definitely a highlight for me this year.
Red Dead Redemption 2 - Only no. 4 because I still need to finish this game. I would say I am half-way through the story but what I have experienced so far was amazing! The world feels so alive with all the things you can do in it. I had no problem with it's slow-paced nature, since it gives the game a kind of realistic feel. I am pretty excited to see where this Western adventure will lead me.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Torna The Golden Country - This was better than the main game, to be honest. The battle system was so much more fun and the game had a more interesting story to tell, imo. Also, I liked that you had a set number of blades for this story, so leveling artes and filling out the affinity charts was more streamlined.
Hollow Knight - At first, I was very intimidated by the difficulty of this game. But as I got better, I got to appreciate Hollow Knight's world with it's hidden secrets and dark lore more and more. This indie game was a very memorable experience for me and I often think back of the time I have spent with it.
Celeste - What a masterpiece this game is. The way it teaches you it's mechanics is truly amazing. On top of that, I have never seen any other game dealing with the topic of depression so well before. I recommend everyone to check it out.
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle – Donkey Kong Adventure - Again, I liked this DLC way more than the main game. The way Donkey Kong can move around the field was a real game changer. Having so much movement options, it was possible to pull off even more cool moves in one turn (at least I felt so). Furthermore, it made me want a 3D DK game even more. :(
Night In The Woods - It may look cute from the outside, but Night In The Woods can get really dark and real in it's tone. Without a doubt, the main characters are the main attraction here. The dialouge writing is top notch and it's why I enjoyed every chapter of this game.
Katamari Damacy Reroll - I have never played Katamari before but I am glad I finally got the chance on Switch. It's controls are rather complicated at first but once you get the hang of it it's quite addicting. On top of that you get a very cool OST. It's a very nice little game to wrap up the year 2018. :)

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crazillo · Jan 1, 2019

God of War - Pure perfection in camera work and production values. Great gameplay on top
Divinity: Original Sin II - Defininitive Edition - best coop RPG I've played
Red Dead Redemption 2 - the playable Western movie with a believable world built around it
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Torna The Golden Country - great expansion to 2017's darkhorse GOTY
Kingdom Come: Deliverance - new, ambitious IP that truly delievered on 'no magic in a historical setting' - no bugs please next time
Octopath Traveler - fantastic artstyle and battle mechanics, repetitive story
Valkyria Chronicles 4 - there's nothing out there quite like Valkyria Chronicles 4, especially its gameplay
Ashen - there is more room for Soulslike games, even in a positive, new-born world
Prey: Mooncrash - Roguelike redefined, much replayability

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4KLobster · Jan 1, 2019

NiER Automata - environments can be a little bland, combat ends up being samey, but still, beyond the acclaimed music/songs, what a wonderful game, and the WTF end is fabulous! (n.b. played it on XBox)
The Witcher 3 Blood & Wine - yeah, vote will not count, but that is with Nier the best game/expansion I played this year, the story is quite nice (though not on par with Heart of Stone, which would have been quite the achievement) and the new sunny setting of Toussaint is great
Assassin's Creed Odyssey - gorgeous rendition of Ancient Greece and great PC (Kassandra is endearing, does not sport a supermodel face, does not have strangely huge breasts in relation to body frame, and can be roleplayed in afew nice ways, such as a no-nonsense mercenary with some sense of humour) helps a lot to get immersed into the game world. Gameplay is sightly above ok, complementing nicely the overgenerous content (n.b. far from having finished the game but played so little "2018" ones that ranking would not change much :)

Does not deserve any point but as far as actual 2018 releases are concerned, played Super Mario Party, quite funny with the kids, servicable simple games, no risk no glory plenty of money approach to game design...

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Cymbal Head · Jan 1, 2019

Beat Saber - PSVR quietly had an outstanding year (and hey, I wrote that sentence before the Verge article, so I'm keeping it in here), but this and my #3 are what convinced me to pull the trigger on a purchase. Beat Saber is the ultimate expression of a rhythm game, with a basic design so simple and expressive that it's impossible to imagine how it could be improved. The PSVR version's lack of custom tracks is a double-edged sword: obviously, it would be great to be able to import any song I want into the game, but on the other hand, I'm finding it nice to enjoy a curated experience without having to work to separate out the chaff. I'm not the kind of person who sticks with games for a long time, but I'll continue to play Beat Saber for as long as it's supported.
Astro Bot: Rescue Mission - Insert Mario 64 joke here. But seriously, Astro Bot is a something truly special that deserves to be experienced by as many people as possible. The amount of sheer creativity, joy, and polish in this game is almost unbelievable coming from a developer not named Nintendo. I laughed, I gasped, I waved at my controller, and I couldn't stop smiling.
Tetris Effect - Who could have guessed that the year's most powerful emotional journey would come in the form of a Tetris game? This game feels like a culmination of sorts for Tetsuya Miziguchi, marrying his quest for synesthesia to the original brain-altering video game, and it should come as no surprise that this is the soundtrack of the year. Now give me a vinyl release!
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom - This title caused a last-minute reshuffling of almost my entire ballot. After some strong word of mouth, almost entirely on Era, I decided to give Monster Boy a shot, and it didn't disappoint. This is a top-of-class metroidvania game that deserved to be played widely and remembered fondly. The lovely hand-drawn visuals and a fantastic soundtrack are nice, but what elevates Monster Boy is sheer design brilliance.
Marvel's Spiderman - I don't often play this type of AAA open-world action game, but when I do, Spider-Man is exactly what I'm looking for: a cinematic story, satisfying and expressive gameplay loop, and lots of little diversions to sink time into. It doesn't loom as large in my memory as I thought it might, but I got to 99% completion – which I'd never set out to do – so it must have done something right.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - If there was an award for Most Game, SSBU would be an easy frontrunner. After Smash 4 left me a little cold, I'm happy to say I'm having a wonderful time with Ultimate.
The Messenger - While I could take or leave the graphical gimmick, The Messenger shines with exquisite controls, some clever design, and more personality than you might expect.
Megaman 11 - After a long time in the wilderness, Mega Man has finally come home again. I'm heartened by the growing space for games with retro-inspired design that don't attempt to ape the aesthetics of a bygone era, and Mega Man 11 is a perfect example, adding new twists to the ancient formula that feel like a true continuation of the series.
Minit - Indie Zelda-likes are a dime a dozen nowadays, but Minit manages to distinguish itself by focusing on creating a tightly designed experience that manages to feel like a grand adventure despite being only a couple of hours long. It also manages to pack a ton of personality into those 60-second chunks.
The Hex - Pony Island came out of nowhere and blew straight into my top 10 games of 2016. The Hex sees developer Daniel Mullins mining similar meta territory and pulling some of the same tricks, but with an expanded and inventive gameplay scope. The Hex doesn't quite deliver the surprises of Pony Island, but it does contain some of the most audacious moments in gaming this year.

Honorable Mention:
Deltarune Chapter 1 - What a nice surprise. Despite being more of a demo or a prelude than a full-fledged release, Deltarune manages to be effective in the same ways as Undertale while promising a logical progression for the game's systems as well as a more nuanced take on its storytelling and themes. Plus, y'know, it just feels nice to see Undyne and Sans again.
Gris - I don't feel it's a stretch at all to say that this could be the most aesthetically arresting video game ever made. It also happens to be a nicely-paced, light puzzle platformer. Unfortunately, the there's not enough substance, either in the game design or the story, to make the experience stick. I played Gris in December and still nearly forgot about it when putting my ballot together.

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iconoclast · Jan 1, 2019

Ketsui Deathtiny - I wouldn't say arcade Ketsui is one of my favorite games, but Deathtiny certainly is. It's the best arrange mode I've played.
Psyvariar Delta - Nearly 20 years after its original release and there's still nothing quite like Psyvariar. Amazing game.
Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition - Necalli needs mad buffs
Capcom Beat em' Up Bundle - 1cc'd all of these. All great games, though the port itself is far from great. Why can't M2 do everything?
Monster Hunter World
Mega Man 11 - One of the best Mega Man games. Probably only loses to 2, 3, and 9.
Fire Pro Wrestling World - 10-15 years ago, this would probably be my #1 game. I'm practically a different person now, but Fire Pro is still the best wrestling series.
Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise - Yakuza with a FotNS skin and better combat. Probably makes it the best FotNS game by default.

There's still a bunch of stuff I'm interested in (428, Yakuza Kiwami 2, EDF5, Valkyria 4, Spider-Man, Shadow of the Colossus, finish DQ11) but I've been having a hard time justifying playing non-arcade games lately.

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OnanieBomb · Jan 1, 2019

I'm glad voting goes to the 20th because I just started Tetris Effect and whoboy. This is gonna be up there.

OnanieBomb · Jan 1, 2019

iconoclast said:
Ketsui Deathtiny - I wouldn't say arcade Ketsui is one of my favorite games, but Deathtiny certainly is. It's the best arrange mode I've played.

Psyvariar Delta - Nearly 20 years after its original release and there's still nothing quite like Psyvariar. Amazing game.

Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition - Necalli needs mad buffs

Capcom Beat em' Up Bundle - 1cc'd all of these. All great games, though the port itself is far from great. Why can't M2 do everything?

Monster Hunter World

Mega Man 11 - One of the best Mega Man games. Probably only loses to 2, 3, and 9.

Fire Pro Wrestling World - 10-15 years ago, this would probably be my #1 game. I'm practically a different person now, but Fire Pro is still the best wrestling series.

Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise - Yakuza with a FotNS skin and better combat. Probably makes it the best FotNS game by default.

There's still a bunch of stuff I'm interested in (428, Yakuza Kiwami 2, EDF5, Valkyria 4, Spider-Man, Shadow of the Colossus, finish DQ11) but I've been having a hard time justifying playing non-arcade games lately.

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Cool list! I was unaware of Psyvariar Delta.

Goodbye · Jan 1, 2019

God of War - Before 2018 started this was one of my most anticipated games but I only played it recently because I wanted to upgrade to a PS4 Pro before starting this game. The game is absolutely beautiful, from the areas you visit to the details on Kratos' armor, so I made the right decision to wait until I got to enjoy this in UHD HDR. The combat was a little weird for me at first due to the camera position that differs a lot from the original trilogy but after a while I got used to it. The story is absolutely amazing and heartwarming. This might sound crazy from a God of War video-game but it really is. For me the story and the way it is told makes it my favorite game of the year just above Hollow Knight.
Hollow Knight - Last year there was a little buzz surrounding this gorgeous indie game and when it suddenly got its Switch release I bought it without knowing a lot about the game. I'm not really into Metroidvania games, I haven't even played Super Metroid! (Resetera: <gasps>) so I didn't really know what I got myself into. While playing, the game guided me a bit in the beginning but then it set me free to do whatever I wanted. This freedom reminded me of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. There is absolutely no correct path to follow, just go wherever you want to go! If a boss is giving you a hard time, go find some upgrades. If you get lost, follow another path. If you get stuck, pay attention to your surroundings. Hollow Knight is gaming at its purest and I really urge everyone who hasn't played it before to at least try it for a couple of hours. You will thank me later.
Octopath Traveler - Octopath has been on my radar ever since it was announced. I fell in love with the art style and instantly knew this was going to be one game I just had to play on release. It did not disappoint. From the nostalgic art style to the superb soundtrack and from the exciting battle system to the eight totally different story lines, I loved it all.
Detroit: Become Human - Heavy Rain has a more compelling story, but Detroit is by far the superior game. It has way more different paths/choices and they are all more connected than before. I was shocked by my first ending when two of my favorite characters died! I just had to restart the final chapter to correct this. This happens rarely since I usually just stop playing once the credits have rolled.
Marvel's Spider-Man - A game I got for free because I upgraded to a PS4 Pro and Spider-Man was bundled with the machine. I loved swinging through New York and it was nice to see all the familiar faces even though some still have anger management issues with our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. I played this game when Stan Lee died and for me this was the best way to honor Lee for all his amazing work.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age - I love/hate Dragon Quest XI. As I said in my Detroit description, I usually stop playing after the credits roll. For Dragon Quest XI they decided to put a third chapter after the credits. Not an expansion, or dlc-like extra story, no, a continuation of the normal game. And not only that, the difficulty gets bumped to an insane level (I'm just a casual fool)... So, I quit. I saw the credits, but never finished this game. It could've been my GOTY, but nope, FU Dragon Quest. A number six spot for you since the first 55 hours were really good and I hope for more Dragon Quest in the future. Just don't make weird story decisions like this anymore. It ended perfectly.
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom - I didn't plan on playing this game since I didn't really like the first one. This sequel promised us more engaging gameplay, but I wasn't taking the risk at full price. But when an online store made a mistake and I got it for free as compensation, I got to play it on release. As expected the graphics were absolutely beautiful and the combat was indeed miles better than its predecessor. It's just not really engaging. The story is pretty weak and I didn't really enjoy the army battles. A fun game nevertheless.

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Borowski · Jan 1, 2019

4KLobster said:
NiER Automata - environments can be a little bland, combat ends up being samey, but still, beyond the acclaimed music/songs, what a wonderful game, and the WTF end is fabulous! (n.b. played it on XBox)

The Witcher 3 Blood & Wine - yeah, vote will not count, but that is with Nier the best game/expansion I played this year, the story is quite nice (though not on par with Heart of Stone, which would have been quite the achievement) and the new sunny setting of Toussaint is great

Does not deserve any point but as far as actual 2018 releases are concerned, played Super Matio Party, quite funny with the kids, servicable simple games, no risk no glory plenty of money approach to game design...

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Fix your game title because it might not be counted as is

It's NieR: Automata

Siresly · Jan 1, 2019

Wreckfest - Somewhat lacking, but Bugbear's accomodations for car smashing and driving like an asshole is hugely and uniquely joyous and satisfying.
Marvel's Spider-Man - I found it really fun and the ending kind of sad. The intro where you're flying was really pretty rad.
Red Dead Redemption 2 - Some excellent world crafting and a sour-faced idiot.
HITMAN 2 - Everyone agrees that it's more Hitman and that this is fine.
Forza Horizon 4 - It's become normal how consistently good these are.

Haven't gotten to or finished stuff like Detroit, God of War, Obra Dinn, Tetris Effect... Might before the deadline.

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Andrew J · Jan 1, 2019

Is anyone doing a best soundtrack voting thread this year?

Admiral Woofington · Jan 1, 2019

Red Dead Redemption 2 - Having not played many games outright released in 2018, but playing plenty of other titles, Red Dead Redemption 2 still stood out as the best title. Was it a perfect game? No. I still have issues with certain design choices for the movement of the player character, the shooting is still essentially forced to be a lock-on mechanic for the title since Rockstar somehow opted to not use the better combat system in Max Payne, the bounty/crime system is a joke at the best of times, the hunting system was made so convoluted and complicated I outright skipped it entirely save for legendary beasts, and I do not even want to get into the greedy Online monetary system. Having said that, this is still the best game of the year of those that I played. What it fails in the above list, it makes up in items I tend to appreciate. The freedom to do what I want when I want as I explore, extensive character customization, beautiful graphics to immerse myself with, an atmosphere unlike any other game, side characters that I grow to care and hate just as intended by the game, a main character that is now EASILY the best written character in ANY video game ever released, an original soundtrack so masterful it very much deserved the Soundtrack of the year award it has gotten, goofy side content and writing that could be main missions in many other titles, a level of detail on animation unlike many other developers, and some of the best writing and voice acting you can find in the whole industry. The original Red Dead Redemption is held by many as one of the best games of the 360/PS3 era, and RDR2 is no exception for the PS4 and XBO. Even surpassing the original on every step.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II - Look I am a relatively casual fan of the whole Trails series of titles. I have a whole backlog of titles from many different series in the family that I have yet to start and are waiting for me. But being as busy as I am, it's hard to find the time. But when I do play them, those games tend to rank somewhere in my top RPGs of all time. Trails of Coldsteel 2 was no exception. Yes, it's cheesy anime more often than not. But I like anime. And this game, alongside the first title, have slowly become my favorite JRPG series with Cold Steel 2 becoming my favorite JRPG of all time. I would not focus so much on the overall moment to moment story beats as those do not do it service. But I focus more on the incredibly fun combat system, the memorable characters I have now been playing with for 2 titles that are my jrpg besties for the resties, and the extensive world building from side character dialogue and from every single Trails title that is now culminating with the final titles of the Cold Steel series. It's a series that loves its fans, and the fans love it back.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire - I might get some backlash from this, but I did not enjoy the first Pillars title all that much on the issue of its massive difficulty even on easier settings. So when I started playing Pillars 2 and saw that the game was a little more forgiving on normal mode, I was ecstatic. And it's for a reason. Obsidian are masters of writing as far as western RPG developers go. Dialogue at the very least is their strong suit.... yet this game has issues which is why it did not rank as #1 or #2 for the year. The combat was a bit TOO easy and it did not take much to become overleveled. The plot compared to the first seemed a little underwhelming even considering the stakes and the presentation. And the ship fighting text based mechanics were so incredibly not fun I had to download a mod that would just let me ram onto an enemy ship so I could then do a regular battle. But as an overall package I still very much enjoyed the title, flaws and all. And now Obsidian is going on to make a bigger title, which is always something to look forward to.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - I suck at these games but man do I love playing them lmao. Always fun to talk smack and scream while playing with others. The fact Nintendo has the stones to charge for multiplayer to supposedly make it better and then releases this game's online probably brought it down a bit, but it is no lie that as far as the not-online content goes this is the definitive Smash experience.
Marvel's Spiderman - Spiderman 2 holds a very dear place in my heart both due to nostalgia and due to the swing mechanics. As many others I was worried that we would get yet another run of the mill Spiderman title when it was first announced. Instead we got the best Spiderman video game ever released, beating even the very beloved Spiderman 2 (for myself). The swing mechanics while not perfect and as invested on freedom as Spiderman 2, are still top notch and a basis to which the next title can improve upon. The story, fuuuuhged about it, among the most bombastic and fun in superhero game titles. And among Spiderman stories, it beats every other cheesy video game title. Peter Parker, Aunt May and the rest of the characters have among their best renditions in any media form save for possibly Miles Morales who is a better in character in Into the Spiderverse. The combat is something you need to likely always get back on and perfect since it can turn into such a cluster you cannot just always be good at it if enough time has passed; but when you are, it is so satisfying. The game has its faults. The side content was a quest of collect-a-thons, there was not enough variation in the city crimes and the game wanted you to do too many of them for unlocks, and the game could have used a bit more variety in gangs and enemies. Still, it ranks among the best of the year.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey - I still have not beaten this title, but it is a game that is worth putting on my list because it reignited my interest in the Assassin's Creed titles which I have not really touched since... like Assassin's Creed 3. I have many criticisms over the title, but it would be unfair to say that the overall package is not one of the biggest for your money in hours of content alone.
Celeste - I recently gave this title a try since I wanted to see what all the hype was about. My conclusion? I think it is a very charming, challeging platformer with a refined set of mechanics and precision to its movement and physics that just on that alone it deserved a spot in my list. I do not think it is Game of the Year by a longshot, particularly because so many were praising the story about mental illness and here I thought that it could have been much better written. The soundtrack as well did not do it for me as it did for others. I feel the game may have been hurt by the amount of praise I was seeing as I expected more because of it. Nevertheless, it is still a very good title and I do not regret my time with it.
Detroit: Become Human - I like David Cage's writing. I know that's like a sin to say on ERA since people cannot seem to stand his heavy handed and cheesy writing. But I can appreciate all levels in a spectrum of writing quality, and his is still fun and enjoyable in its own way. Detroit is probably his personal best title to date. Personally, I still prefer the amount of cheesy fun that Heavy Rain and Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit gave me vs Detroit. But I was enthralled from start to end. So good job. I want more.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 - I love Yakuza titles, even if I still think 0 was the best of the best. But this one brought back my cabaret manager mini game, and that immediately told me I had to rank it again since I spend so much god damn time in those mini games.
Octopath Traveler - I needed one more spot to fill in my top 10 of the year. Octopath traveler I never finished, but what I played was extremely gorgeous visually and in atmosphere + music so I feel that giving it the last spot in my list of titles is not the biggest sin considering I remember others liked it way more than I did.

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Proven · Jan 1, 2019

Admiral Woofington said:
Red Dead Redemption 2 - Having not played many games outright released in 2018, but playing plenty of other titles, Red Dead Redemption 2 still stood out as the best title. Was it a perfect game? No. I still have issues with certain design choices for the movement of the player character, the shooting is still essentially forced to be a lock-on mechanic for the title since Rockstar somehow opted to not use the better combat system in Max Payne, the bounty/crime system is a joke at the best of times, the hunting system was made so convoluted and complicated I outright skipped it entirely save for legendary beasts, and I do not even want to get into the greedy Online monetary system. Having said that, this is still the best game of the year of those that I played. What it fails in the above list, it makes up in items I tend to appreciate. The freedom to do what I want when I want as I explore, extensive character customization, beautiful graphics to immerse myself with, an atmosphere unlike any other game, side characters that I grow to care and hate just as intended by the game, a main character that is now EASILY the best written character in ANY video game ever released, an original soundtrack so masterful it very much deserved the Soundtrack of the year award it has gotten, goofy side content and writing that could be main missions in many other titles, a level of detail on animation unlike many other developers, and some of the best writing and voice acting you can find in the whole industry. The original Red Dead Redemption is held by many as one of the best games of the 360/PS3 era, and RDR2 is no exception for the PS4 and XBO. Even surpassing the original on every step.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II - Look I am a relatively casual fan of the whole Trails series of titles. I have a whole backlog of titles from many different series in the family that I have yet to start and are waiting for me. But being as busy as I am, it's hard to find the time. But when I do play them, those games tend to rank somewhere in my top RPGs of all time. Trails of Coldsteel 2 was no exception. Yes, it's cheesy anime more often than not. But I like anime. And this game, alongside the first title, have slowly become my favorite JRPG series with Cold Steel 2 becoming my favorite JRPG of all time. I would not focus so much on the overall moment to moment story beats as those do not do it service. But I focus more on the incredibly fun combat system, the memorable characters I have now been playing with for 2 titles that are my jrpg besties for the resties, and the extensive world building from side character dialogue and from every single Trails title that is now culminating with the final titles of the Cold Steel series. It's a series that loves its fans, and the fans love it back.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire - I might get some backlash from this, but I did not enjoy the first Pillars title all that much on the issue of its massive difficulty even on easier settings. So when I started playing Pillars 2 and saw that the game was a little more forgiving on normal mode, I was ecstatic. And it's for a reason. Obsidian are masters of writing as far as western RPG developers go. Dialogue at the very least is their strong suit.... yet this game has issues which is why it did not rank as #1 or #2 for the year. The combat was a bit TOO easy and it did not take much to become overleveled. The plot compared to the first seemed a little underwhelming even considering the stakes and the presentation. And the ship fighting text based mechanics were so incredibly not fun I had to download a mod that would just let me ram onto an enemy ship so I could then do a regular battle. But as an overall package I still very much enjoyed the title, flaws and all. And now Obsidian is going on to make a bigger title, which is always something to look forward to.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - I suck at these games but man do I love playing them lmao. Always fun to talk smack and scream while playing with others. The fact Nintendo has the stones to charge for multiplayer to supposedly make it better and then releases this game's online probably brought it down a bit, but it is no lie that as far as the not-online content goes this is the definitive Smash experience.

Marvel's Spiderman - Spiderman 2 holds a very dear place in my heart both due to nostalgia and due to the swing mechanics. As many others I was worried that we would get yet another run of the mill Spiderman title when it was first announced. Instead we got the best Spiderman video game ever released, beating even the very beloved Spiderman 2 (for myself). The swing mechanics while not perfect and as invested on freedom as Spiderman 2, are still top notch and a basis to which the next title can improve upon. The story, fuuuuhged about it, among the most bombastic and fun in superhero game titles. And among Spiderman stories, it beats every other cheesy video game title. Peter Parker, Aunt May and the rest of the characters have among their best renditions in any media form save for possibly Miles Morales who is a better in character in Into the Spiderverse. The combat is something you need to likely always get back on and perfect since it can turn into such a cluster you cannot just always be good at it if enough time has passed; but when you are, it is so satisfying. The game has its faults. The side content was a quest of collect-a-thons, there was not enough variation in the city crimes and the game wanted you to do too many of them for unlocks, and the game could have used a bit more variety in gangs and enemies. Still, it ranks among the best of the year.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey - I still have not beaten this title, but it is a game that is worth putting on my list because it reignited my interest in the Assassin's Creed titles which I have not really touched since... like Assassin's Creed 3. I have many criticisms over the title, but it would be unfair to say that the overall package is not one of the biggest for your money in hours of content alone.

Celeste - I recently gave this title a try since I wanted to see what all the hype was about. My conclusion? I think it is a very charming, challeging platformer with a refined set of mechanics and precision to its movement and physics that just on that alone it deserved a spot in my list. I do not think it is Game of the Year by a longshot, particularly because so many were praising the story about mental illness and here I thought that it could have been much better written. The soundtrack as well did not do it for me as it did for others. I feel the game may have been hurt by the amount of praise I was seeing as I expected more because of it. Nevertheless, it is still a very good title and I do not regret my time with it.

Detroit: Become Human - I like David Cage's writing. I know that's like a sin to say on ERA since people cannot seem to stand his heavy handed and cheesy writing. But I can appreciate all levels in a spectrum of writing quality, and his is still fun and enjoyable in its own way. Detroit is probably his personal best title to date. Personally, I still prefer the amount of cheesy fun that Heavy Rain and Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit gave me vs Detroit. But I was enthralled from start to end. So good job. I want more.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 - I love Yakuza titles, even if I still think 0 was the best of the best. But this one brought back my cabaret manager mini game, and that immediately told me I had to rank it again since I spend so much god damn time in those mini games.

Octopath Traveler - I needed one more spot to fill in my top 10 of the year. Octopath traveler I never finished, but what I played was extremely gorgeous visually and in atmosphere + music so I feel that giving it the last spot in my list of titles is not the biggest sin considering I remember others liked it way more than I did.

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Really nice write ups. Your RDR description is basically how I feel but I wasn't able to articulate it.

Tiamat · Jan 1, 2019

Red dead redemption 2 - this game was just a masterpiece, I loved everything about it. Story, gameplay , music and of course Graphics.
Forza Horizon 4 - sequel of the best racing game ever made, it does all better.
Dragon ball fighterz - what every fighting game and dbz lover needed.
Assassin's Creed Odysey - I love Ancient Greece, I love assassin's creed.
What else.
God of war- i loved the new gameplay and universe. Great game

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Keith Stat · Jan 1, 2019

God Of War - It is just the complete package. Incredible gameplay, captivating story and it's absolutely gorgeous and runs smoothly. It's my current GOTG. Very excited to play the sequel on the Playstation 5.
Red Dead Redemption 2 - This game is just insane. Maybe the best story I've ever enjoyed during a video game. This game has some Extraordinary highs but notably some weird lows. Controls are just ok, the game is obtuse in some circumstances and I constantly felt I wasn't doing things the way "they were supposed to be done." All that said, the detail and the things it does well it does better than maybe any game ever.
Yakuza 2 - Yakuza 0 hit me like a lightning bolt last year and I am forever grateful for that. While I didn't love 2 as much as 0 (enjoyed much more than Kiwami), it's everything I hoped for. Loved the story, loved the action and I loved the unique things only a Yakuza game can bring to the table. I mean, I spent hours teaching myself Mahjong and exploring every detail of this game. I'm playing the series in numbered order, so waiting on 6 for a while. It would almost assuredly be high up this list if I had played it.
Marvel's Spiderman - Traditionally, not much of comic book fan, but heard enough good things about it to take a chance on it when it went on sale. And man, am I glad about that! A surprisingly great story, crisp gameplay and a blast to explore a gorgeous version of NYC. Maybe the most "videogame ass videogame" I've played in a while with collecting things and checking boxes, but it was a joy throughout. A great foundation for the series going forward and I'm happy to be there day 1 for it.
Battlefield V - Plenty of drama with this game, but the one thing it has in spades is gameplay. 64 person conquest is a blast and the best version of it on these consoles. Gunplay is sublime, graphics are some of the best ever and it will be a game I will be excitedly playing much of 2019. Lack of a season pass is great, but the lack of content and "half-baked" release schedule did it no favors. With all that said, it should be steadily improving over time and a great game for someone to pick up for cheap down the line.
Burnout Paradise Remastered - I never played the original and just happened to pick this one up on during a heavy sale on a whim as I was jonesing for a driving game. Not the deepest game by any means, but just a total blast for some mindless driving fun.

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Shinrou · Jan 1, 2019

Monster Hunter World - New generation of MH. It is such a breath of fresh air to the series. While it's still quite light on the content, this is incredible groundwork for the incoming Iceborne.
God of War - Great game (mostly) from beginning to end. Only has some pacing issues on later parts.
Red Dead Redemption 2 - It was quite a slow burner. However I liked the narrative and atmosphere a lot. Quality only dips on one certain chapter.
Dead Cells - Very addictive game. Kinda lost it's charm once I "finished" it once. But I still intend to come back to it later.
Octopath Traveler - Although it has it's share of problems, I like the art style and almost all of the individual stories.

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Borowski · Jan 1, 2019

Tiamat said:
1. Red dead redemption 2 - this game was just a masterpiece, I loved everything about it. Story, gameplay , music and of course Graphics.

2. Forza Horizon 4 - sequel of the best racing game ever made, it does all better.

3. Dragon ball fighterz - what every fighting game and dbz lover needed.

4. Assassin's Creed Odysey - I love Ancient Greece, I love assassin's creed.
What else.

5. God of war- i loved the new gameplay and universe. Great game

fix your post using the ordered list

4KLobster · Jan 1, 2019

Borowski said:
Fix your game title because it might not be counted as is

It's NieR: Automata

Dear A2,
Yes, you're right, there is a semi-column lurking there.
I just copy-pasted from the Excel linked in the OP, maybe they omitted the : b/c some write it "NieR: Automata" and others "NieR:Automata" (Square website), so confuuuusing.

That being said, the Excel writing NiER instead of NieR is unacceptable ;)

Anyway, good catch!
Will use the Square version (and perilously ignore the Excel, not that important since most played it last year on PS4)... and also edit to add AC:O which I have now played enough to rank.

Cheers!

Borowski · Jan 1, 2019

4KLobster said:
Dear A2,
Yes, you're right, there is a semi-column lurking there.
I just copy-pasted from the Excel linked in the OP, maybe they omitted the : b/c some write it "NieR: Automata" and others "NieR:Automata" (Square website), so confuuuusing.

That being said, the Excel writing NiER instead of NieR is unacceptable ;)

Anyway, good catch!
Will use the Square version (and perilously ignore the Excel, not that important since most played it last year on PS4)... and also edit to add AC:O which I have now played enough to rank.

Cheers!

Glad you enjoy it, btw

My GOTY in 2017

Thuddert · Jan 1, 2019

While a lot of games have been released in 2018, I only played two so far. I've been far to busy going through games released. While technically I did play more games that got a release in 2018, I didn't play that version but an older one. Wouldn't feel right to me to put these games on the list. I'll give them a honourable mention instead.

Honourable Mentions

X. NieR: Automata

Played the PS4 version for the first time this year. It's themes about becoming human in midst of existential crisis is something that resonated deeply with me. Looking at how well the game has done, I was not alone 😭

X. Hollow Knight

This was my runner-up last year. The exploration in this metroid like game is superb and it features all the cutest bugs you can think about. It's kinda weird to see me gush about a game, only for the main stream to catch up on it a year later. Usually, it's the other way around. Anyway I'm glad it burrowed its way in the hearts of new nail masters.

X. Yakuza 0

Played it this year on PS4 and own it on PC as well. You're coming for Kiryu's Bizarre Adventure, but you're staying for Majima's character arc. Game is just filled with things to do like Pocket Car racing, which has an entire storyline on its own that continues in Kiwami or running your own Cabaret Club which is like half your playtime. With Yakuza 0 the gates are open and hopefully everyone can experience the entire franchise on PC soon.

X. 428: Shibuya Scramble

I haven't started playing this game, but I can still appreciate how a 2008 has found a western release in 2018 and make everyone that played it so excited I wanted to play it myself.

Runner-up

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon

Pleasantly surprised when this game dropped during the summer. Played it on my Vita in a few sessions. It's got that good part the old Castlevanias have, with a babby mode for people like me. The attention to detail in this game is just great with animations that make me sweat. It was ridiculous how good the bosses looked. Another thing that was absolutely ridiculous, the fact you can play through three different endings. This was just a spin-off game of a highly anticipated crowdfund game. It had no reason to be this good and yet here I am telling that yes, it is that good. For those that played through the classic vanias or the igarashi vanias, there's something there for you waiting to discover.

Game of the Year

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age

It was the game I was looking forward to the most in 2018. On every front my expectations were blown away. How well the artstyle fitted on the models. The level of detail on the monster animations. Every town being more captivating than the other. How every party member grows on you. Also to have Sylvando being Sylvando is not only great on its own, his positive influence in the world deserves praise on its own. The absolutely stellar English voice acting or the localization in general being so wonderful. Combat is so satisfying, loved it. Being able to experiment with characters skill trees was really neat. The story being so well written it could have been multiple fairy tales stuck together is definitely a strength of the game. Not everyone will feel the same way, but it definitely had a profound impact on me. It is my game of the year after all.

My advice to everyone playing it, how you pace yourself is very important. You don't want to burn out on such an incredible game. I have definitely thought quite a few times while playing this game, this is what a modern Chrono Trigger would look like. However that would be unfair towards Dragon Quest XI, because DQ11 is the better game in this case. Everyone that has smelled anything that resembles a rpg before, should play this game.

DQ11 was my first Dragon Quest game, but not the last. It was after all the start of a new age.

----------
The short version for bots and those that don't like reading, presented in a way none should present their lists because ranking games you like shouldn't be reliant on the position you put them on and it should really be about the content you write about anyway otherwise just vote in a ballot using a google form and also it takes out all the joy and excitement thinking about what a member has on his list if the first game on the list is the goty, so what I'm saying is if you have to have a ranking put it down in descending order and yes I just made a tl;dr a tl;dr post:

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon

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CJCW? · Jan 2, 2019

Celeste - A truly special game. The way that the story and gameplay reflect each others' themes is a good example of why I play games, and keep looking forward to new ones each year. Taking the frustration of tough platforming, and the determination needed to get through it, and comparing it with the similar feelings one goes through when dealing with depression and anxiety is a tough act to pull off. The fact this game does so, while having both be exceptional, is a real achievement. The gameplay is great, the story is great, and the marriage of both is even better.
Marvel's Spiderman - Finally a true successor to Spider-Man 2 from two generations back. They nailed the feel of swinging, and added a bunch of extra traversal options for Spidey too. Combat is definitely an Arkham rip-off, but not quite as smooth, though it more than gets the job done. The story is the real surprise, handling the Peter-Octavious relationship in a way I hadn't seen before, and actually caring about how MJ would feel about dating a superhero. I expect the sequel to be even better.
God of War - As a long-time fan, I never would have expected a redesign of the series to be like this, but it was an excellent choice to change it the way they did. Rarely does a game have both a good story and good combat, but this game excels in both. Really happy with how it turned out, and I'm pretty hyped to see the next set of games from Barlog.
Deltarune Chapter 1 - Man this was great. Taking Undertale and redesigning it around a totally different battle system, while keeping a lot of the same characters and all of the charm that the original had, is a hell of a feat. Great new characters added in too, especially Suzie. Really looking forward to the full release.
Dead Cells - Played maybe half of this over the year, but it's fantastic. The combat feels so smooth and the map design, despite being randomized, is usually quite good. Having a pointless run can feel terrible, but thankfully that happens less often. Looking forward to finishing it up this year.
Minit - Such a cool idea handled really well. I had one point where I was stuck and had to look it up online, but otherwise it makes the most of its concept. Nice to see such a different kind of game get made and get a lot of attention.
Moss - My first VR game ever! Really charming, cute game. Very simple in the way it plays, but VR really does make it feel a lot more interesting. Peering around a tiny diorama world made for mouse people is very cool.
Yoku's Island Express - More of a great idea than execution. Made it to the credits, but felt no urge to finish all the side stuff. Still, the first few hours are a lot of fun, before the difficulty of making exact shots becomes annoying.
Guacamelee! 2 - Haven't finished this one, but it's a good step-up from the first, which itself was really good. Sense of humor is less memey this time, which is nice. Combat still feels good and skill trees are a nice addition.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Only played like ten hours or so, since I just got it as a Christmas gift. Spirits is fun so far, but I don't have Nintendo online so multiplayer is local only for me. A little annoying how long it's taking to unlock everyone.

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zashga · Jan 2, 2019

Celeste - This game is so good I bought it and played in on Switch, including the extra content, then bought it again on PC so I could more easily try my hand at speedrunning, which I had never really done before. I adore the way Celeste plays, the way Celeste looks and sounds, and the story that Celeste tells. The way the game layers more and more mechanics that all feel integral and properly explored and feel great to use in combination with one another is sublime; this is one of the best platformers ever made.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - It's hard to believe that this time last year were still debtating whether this would be a new game or a port of Smash 4. The fear for fighting games with huge rosters is that balance will be busted and most of the characters will be useless. The genius of Smash Ultimate is how many of its 80ish characters are actually fun and viable to play. Add to that yet another incredible feast of fanservice (not that kind) beyond the characters themselves, and you have one of the biggest, best packages in gaming. Again.
Octopath Traveler - This is what I'm looking for in a classic JRPG. A fantastic score, great combat and job systems, endearing characters, fun exploration mechanics, and a striking visual style all contributed to making Octopath Traveler something special. While it's true many of the scenarios in the game are formulaic, I don't actually think that's a bad thing. I happen to quite like the staid JRPGs of previous generations, and I can (and did) stick with the town/dungeon/boss structure for close to a hundred hours playing this one. The strength of the combat system and especially the music made Octopath stick out as my favorite RPG of the year.
Into the Breach - An excellent strategy game with surprising depth and great, understated writing. The roguelike conceit--sending a single pilot onward to a whole new timeline, win or lose--is brilliant. Between the many flavors of mechs, bugs, missions, and items, you always feel like you're seeing something for the first time. Into the Breach is a no-brainer for anyone with an interest in turn-based strategy, and probably even for a lot of those who don't normally enjoy the genre.
Hollow Knight - Take two things I love--Metroidvanias, and Dark Souls--and mash them together, and you get a game that stands up with the best of both genres. Hollow Knight is a challenging, stylish game with a deceptive wealth of content to explore. This is one of the only games that makes good on its obvious Dark Souls inspiration, with effective world building and endearing side characters to meet, get attached to, and in some cases murder.
Exapunks - I only stumbled upon the immensely talented Zachtronics recently, and this year I ended up playing both TIS-100 and its newer, more stylish cousin, Exapunks. While I'm curious how well these games go over with people who aren't already programmers, they're definitely right up my alley. The story content in Exapunks (and Opus Magnum before it) is a nice bonus on top of the endlessly fun and creative logic puzzles that make up the actual game. Exapunks outdoes itself on side content, with Javascript-based custom level creation, a fully-realized in-universe game platform with in-game dev tools, and two puzzle minigames.
Wandersong - An interesting take on the puzzle-platformer that defined the indie space for so long. Wandersong is more like a PC adventure-platformer, with charming characters and writing and a fun papercraft visual style. The story is both touching and whimsical, with the plot resolving in possibly the most affecting denouement I've ever seen in a game. Highly recommended for anyone who likes the indie darlings of yesteryear or quality, emotional storytelling.
Dragon Quest XI - Another excellent, traditional JRPG. This one has been a long time coming, and it doesn't disappoint. The gameplay is all here: exploration, the series's trademark fairytale stories (big and small), and classic turn-based combat. The characters and especially monsters have a lot of personality and lavish attention to detail in their designs and animations; Toriyama's mark has never been clearer.
Monster Hunter World - Beautiful and bombastic, Monster Hunter World is the game the series has been building towards for a long time. Sadly, my Monster Hunter friends didn't make the jump to this one for whatever reason, so I didn't get to play it as much as I would've liked.
Dragonball FighterZ - Another game that I feel trapped on the outside looking in on; traditional fighting games have just never been my thing. Even so, the quality of Dragonball FighterZ is impossible to ignore. I bought it and dutifully got dunked on for a few weeks in glorious fashion. Regardless, this is easily the best-looking game I played all year and provided some incredible competitive moments for us spectators.
Deltarune Chapter 1 - Is it a full game? Whatever, it's another fantastic experience from Toby Fox. Fantastic sprite work, music, and writing make this something I'd love to see more of.
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk - Sort of a mean-spirited take on Etrian Odyssey. The combination of surprisingly huge lanyrinths, punishing combat system, quirky Tenpei Sato soundtrack, and high-res, moderately ecchi artwork was enough for me to sink dozens of hours into this game.
Moonlighter - As someone who loves Recettear, Moonlighter is right up my alley. This one places more emphasis on dungeoneering than shopkeeping, but it's still an interesting and fun take on the action RPG.
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom - Another solid Metroidvania. This is my first experience with the greater Wonder Boy universe, and it makes a strong first impression. The art is beautiful, and the soundtrack has some big names attached as well.
Fortnite: Battle Royale - I'm too old to be good at this game, but I still had a lot of fun playing this game with some of my old man friends. I even won a duos game one time, somehow.
Donut County - A delightful morsel of a game.
Kirby Star Allies - Not as interesting as Robobot, but it's another Kirby game. Those tend to be good, and this is no exception.
Artifact - An interesting, mechanically dense game. Something to keep an eye on next year and beyond to see how it develops.

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EGOMON · Jan 2, 2019

God of War - I was on the skeptical team about the new direction of GOW i actually loved the old games so i was afraid i won't like this one but from the get go i fell in love with it, one of the best games i played this generation from graphics to physics to gameplay and the amazing story, it was an amazing journey and i can't wait for the sequel the new setting is just full of potential.
Marvel's Spider-Man - The last good spider-man game i played was on PS2 and after all these years i forgot that amazing experience of slinging around the skyscrapers and sky diving to the street at mach speed until this came out, it brought out my old self yest i t had some issues but the sheer amount of fun just slinging around and the new combat system was worth it.
Detroit: Become Human - The story, the character and the setting are top notch
Shadow of the Colossus - One of my favorite games of all time, the beautiful world and puzzles are as good as ever.
Astrobot: Rescue Mission - I admit i don't have PSVR but i played this at my brother place and loved every single moment of it, i can't go back and play normal platformers this is the new standard.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 - My first Yakuza game was Yakuza 0 and i am grateful to NeoGAF for convicing me to buy it, cause after 0 i became the biggest Yakuza fan i have bought all the releases so far and Yukuza Kiwami 2 is the best Kiryu and Goro combo is unbeatable so damn charming and funny. The setting the and over the top combat is like nothing i ever experienced. Looking forward to buy the remastered version of 3, 4 and 5.
Monster Hunter: World - My first Monster Hunter game and needless to say i am fan, i spend over 400 hrs and i still go back between time to time. The game loop is solid it makes you want more. Yes i have been critical of Capcom handling the light contents releases and reskins but the game is simply one of the defining games for this console generation.
Earth Defense Force 5 - Yes this is one of my GOTY nothing beat EDF mindless fun i feel these games are the core of what video-games should be, EDF! EDF! EDF!

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Haikira · Jan 2, 2019

Celeste - "I don't...like...scaring myself."

A genuinely life changing experience for me. Not only does Celeste offer a nuanced look at anxiety and depression; it has something meaningful to say about the subject matter and it's helped me have a new outlook towards life.

Celeste is a polished, finely focused game, with a poignant narrative that works hand in hand with it's brilliant game-play.
God of War - "There are consequences to killing a God!"

The most recent installment of God of War takes an antiquated icon of gaming, fleshes him out, and gives him an interesting journey; all without abandoning the ideals of previous games or damaging the property, which is quite an achievement. Kratos' latest adventure is expansive, but also wholly focused.
Red Dead Redemption 2 - "We're bad men, but we ain't them."

Red Dead Redemption 2 tells a tragedy, and although on the surface it appears to be one of outlaws on the run from a society that no longer accepts them, it quickly becomes apparent it's about pride, arrogance, and the inability to escape your past. It's a story of ever desperation and determination in trying to see a better day, but instead only ever going from bad to worse.
Hitman 2 - "Do what you do best, man..."

Every bit the finely tuned puzzle stealth game the original was, but now even more ambitious.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - "We'll win this, I know we will!"
Prey: Mooncrash - "The moon is a harsh mistress. The longer you're here, the harder things are going to get for you. Let's get to work."
Marvel's Spiderman - "Love seeing you two together again! You always were my favorites."
Mutant Year Zero: Road To Eden
Octopath Traveler
Vermintide 2
Detroit: Become Human
Monster Hunter: World
Two Point Hospital
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Overcooked 2

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