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ResetEra Games of the Year 2018 - Voting Thread (READ THE OP) [Ends Jan 20th 8:59am EST]
- Thread starter SweetNicole
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- Marvel's Spider-Man - This game told an impactful, original Peter Parker story in a great way
- God of War - The first boss fight is an all-timer for me. They somehow made me care about Kratos.
- Return of the Obra Dinn - Best Art Style of the year, incredible mystery, and the music cues gave me chills.
- Into The Breach - One of the best tactics games I've ever played
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - The event game that makes me go on Facebook and gather up the old pals
- Red Dead Redemption 2 - Arthur Morgan is the best Rockstar protagonist by a country mile
- Monster Hunter World - Amazing fidelity and they shaved enough of the rough edges off to finally get me into the series.
- Dragonball FighterZ - A love letter to a key part of my childhood, and fun as hell
- Celeste - Super Meat Boy with a story that actually means something
- Hitman 2 - Super creative scenarios and a tone that works
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- Epic Seven - This is probably the most surprising game of all time for me. Not because it's one of my favorite games ever, but because I had preconceived notions about what a Korean gacha game is, and this, at least so far, has made me look like a fool. The developers actually balance the characters. If a character is too strong, they nerf them. Too weak? Buff them up. The gameplay is deeper than any "big console/PC" jRPG with skills and synergy between units like you wouldn't believe. The production values are sky high. The meta systems are complex. The story and translation are top tier, especially for a gacha game. They dump premium currency on you like it's raining, and there's even a pity system in place so you are GUARANTEED THE LIMITED BANNER CHARACTER. Never have I seen this system implemented. Usually, you'll get a single banner character, or worse yet a SSR character that may or may not be who you want. Not here. You get that character, guaranteed. I've played dozens if not hundreds of gacha games, and this is the best I have ever experienced. Do yourself a favor and give this a shot, even if you don't like gacha gaming.
- Astro Bot Rescue Mission - If you haven't played this yet, and you have a PSVR: shame on you. This is one of the best platforming games ever made. Does it need VR? Yes. Did Mario 64 need 3D? Yes. Don't miss this classic game that never outstays it's welcome and is constantly throwing new surprises at you. A masterpiece in game design and proves that VR is a transformative experience.
- God of War - I was never a massive fan of the original series, but I enjoyed them well enough. God of War 2018 was an amazing experience, start to finish. The graphics were insane, the gameplay was slower than the previous games, which I appreciated. It was the complete package. Oh, and they made a kid character not suck. Except when he sucked. And he did. But it was on purpose.
- Marvel's Spider-Man - Probably the best Peter Parker ever depicted, with a surprisingly engaging story. Oh, and thwiping around New York. I mean, come on. It felt so good. Just a really fun game. Nothing mind-blowing, but man was it F.U.N.
- Beat Saber - We're playing, we're playing, we're playing Beat Saber. Bwah bwah, bwah bwah bwah bwah. Man I love this game. It's very, very light on content, but just the sheer fun you have with Beat Saber is something to behold. My wife and I fight over "IT'S MY TURN" every time we fire it up.
- Monster Hunter: World - My first dive into Monster Hunter, and wew was it a good time. While I sucked at it, hard, I appreciated the game series in a way I never have before. I love what they did with the series, and I can't wait to see more.
That's it. Played a lot more, but I really only like to give points to games I really enjoyed.
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- God of War - After being disappointed with Ascension, I went into the latest entry with somewhat low expectations. Nearly 60 ingame hours later, I as Kratos was heading back home, ready to turn in after a long, amazing journey. What came after left me yearning for more.
- Red Dead Redemption 2 - I can't remember the last time an open world had me so captivated that I spent hours just riding around, enjoying the view. Days would go by without making any progress with the game's story due to taking Arthur out hunting or simply exploring.
- Monster Hunter World - While I have played a couple of the previous MH games, MHW ended up being the first I completed. Out of any game I've played this year, this one was the most fun I had playing with friends.
- Dragon Ball FighterZ - It's the DB game I have always wanted. After being disappointed with the latest MvC, Arc Sys come and releases quite possibly my favorite fighter of all time.
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- Artifact: It's the only GOTY eligible game I played for a substantial amount of time. It's quite good and fun and it will only increase in fun as cards drop in price and new updates are added
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- God Of War - Clear cut winner for me. No other game had me engaged in all aspects, from the game itself to it's development. Amazing graphics and set-pieces and responsive controls with variety to suit any play style. One my top 10 of all time
- Marvel's Spider-Man - Became obsessed with it from the day it came out, until I finished it. A true marvel and landmark in my gaming history, that blends the world of video games and movies
- Hitman 2 - How can you improve one the most fun games of 2016? Make more of it!
- Battlefield V - The multiplayer is my current go-to game. It's improvements in squad play make every team action meaningful
- Detroit: Become Human - Best in it's genre, with good freedom of choice and graphics
- Donut County - A good surprise on a game that caught me with it's humor
- Tetris Effect - A nice spin to a classic
- Dragon Ball FighterZ - Finally a Dragon Ball game I really enjoyed
- Red Dead Redemption 2 - Everything I saw in the game is top notch. Playing it is a different story. Fuck the input lag and controls in general, and fuck the online grindfest. Stupidly long prologue (along with the other issues) prevent it from being higher in the list, as these really annoyed me
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- God of War - The first time a God of War game looked appealing to me and the first time I could play one from start to finish which was an absolute joy. The combat, father and son dynamic and overall direction was top drawer and I can't wait for more to come.
- Monster Hunter: World - I can't believe I'm putting this as my 2nd favourite of the year instead of 1st when Monster Hunter is my favourite franchise ever. This was just a joy to play with all the quality of life improvements and additions which make it for me the best MH yet.
- Marvel's Spider-Man - Despite its flaws, this was one hell of a ride. The traversal instantly grabbed me as Peter swung out of his apartment and from then on I was having a blast swinging through the city. A very well told story and well made game that should only get better with its sequel.
- Assassin's Creed Odyssey - This game was such a surprise to me after loathing all the other AC games I've played in the past. Whilst the combat and overall game design isn't anything special, I find that its core gameplay loop along with a very, very strong female MC makes this a really good time. I look forward to future entries of this franchise now.
- Tetris Effect - Sure, it's just Tetris, but this is the best Tetris yet. The audio and visual design make this a sensory experience and one of my favourites of the year. Love it.
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- God of War - God of War was an incredibly surprising game. Not only did it exceed my expectations by a country mile, it ended up being one of the best games ever made and perhaps the true Citizen Kane of gaming.
- Marvel's Spider-Man - The best Spider-Man game ever made and truly a masterpiece of gameplay and storytelling.
- Red Dead Redemption 2
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- Celeste - The year peaked when it began. Beautiful music mixed with great game feel and a touching narrative makes it one of the best indies out there
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Still chipping away at it thanks to the abundance of single player content which fixes a big problem i had with Smash 4.
- Hollow Knight - Probably the best game of the year, but I docked it a bit due to a pretty massive bug I encountered and that it's not entirely new. It's an incredible experience
- The Messenger - not as polished as the two best indie games of the year, but the air hop is one of the best mechanics I've seen in a game.
- Bayonetta 2 - game of the year; every year
- Wandersong - it's a feel good adventure from beginning to end.
- Fortnite - played it for 100 hours, it's honestly pretty great mixing the best parts of competitive multiplayer and open world games. Some kid said I stink at the game over his friend's mic, so I had to dock some points
- God of War - I love traditional Zelda so it's a surprise that the reboot took the franchise there. Didn't like exploration being so limited, but it's really polished and probably the best AAA game of the year
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Your games must be bolded
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- Monster Hunter World - I like Monster Hunter, but I could have never imagined what the latest entry had in store for me. Early rumors had fans angry about the change, but I remained hopeful and I'm glad it paid off in a huge way. MHW, when compared to previous titles, strives for accessibility yet does not forget fans of the franchise. The campaign is beefy, giving solo players lots to do in the lead up to the finale. The story, while mediocre, has been presented with greater effort than any title prior. The online lobby system could use work, but multiplayer from a gameplay perspective represents some of the best this year has had to offer. The catalyst for the success of the franchise has always been a combination of handhelds and local co-op play. Capcom could have easily stayed with this thought in mind, but decided to take a huge risk especially given previous titles didn't fair well outside Japan. The series offers up a lot of firsts and there is a reason why many decided to make this Monster Hunter their first.
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- Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age - The "HD JRPG" we all wanted back then. It took Square a while but they finally nailed it. Ironically a breath of fresh air now that the genre has morphed into something else entirely or was relegated to low budget titles with yearly addition. A huge surprise.
- Dragon Ball Fighterz - Waited for this game forever ever since I was a kid. While not perfect, it's quite impressive for a first try. And I did get my fav character :p .
- Red Dead Redemption 2 - As someone who loves Adventure games and Role playing games, RDR 2 completely satisfied me. I wasn't looking for some frenetic shooter so no disappointment there for me. Loved it, and the story / characters were incredibly powerful.
- Spiderman - Designed like an old game, with a huge budget behind it, and Insomniac's talent, the gameplay ended up so addictive and the story remained interesting the whole way through, a short epic adventure.
- Detroit : Become Human - This is the peak of adventure / interactive story games, that had been ran to the ground with the mediocre Telltale games. The amount of choices and outcomes is absolutely insane. Loved the game.
- Shadow of the Colossus - Wonderful journey.
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- Hollow Knight - I played my fair share of games this year, but Hollow Knight is the only one that really stood out to be as truly, utterly fantastic, and a new all time favorite for me. What sets this game apart from other Metroidvanias is its incredibly rich world. You're not just exploring a nameless environment. You're traveling through a world with a history, with a culture, with a past, present, and a future. Games like Metroid are praised for their sense of isolation, but what I love about Hollow Knight is that it's exactly the opposite. This is a world filled with memorable characters who care about this world and who each have their own stories and ambitions. Hollow Knight's world is a world you can fall in love with because of how many interesting people and stories can be found in it. And to top it off: this game is huge. There's so much to do, so many places to explore, so many secrets to find and challenges to overcome. There's just so much of a good thing here.
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- God of War - Really close between this and Spider-Man. They both have super rich combat that I love but GoW gets the edge because of its lack of repetition. This applies to everything from combat encounters to environments to character dialogue to just the general forward momentum of the story. I never felt like i was treading water or repeating some open world checklist item. Every side quest i organically found and followed because I wanted to not because I wanted a platinum (which I got anyway). The relationship development has perfect pacing. When I compare it to red dead which constantly repeats story beats and goes almost nowhere character wise from beginning to end this is just so much nicer to experience. I've brushed over the combat though it's so damn fantastic. I've never been so engrossed as when I would get on a roll using magic and Atreus and his animals and then return the axe to hit them in the back. Like damn I just love the weight of that axe! Can not wait for the sequel yet I feel perfectly content after beating the Harpie queen. I felt like I had made my own epic poem by the end. An odyssey for gaming
- Spider-Man - lots of the same compliments but some of the side stuff got a little repetitive. The world is also just New York. It's a beautiful New York but it's not nearly as flooring as the lake, the other realms, and the elaborate mines and buildings and mountains from GoW. I do love the combat and the story rivals GoW with excellently developed characters and gradually rolled out arcs and a satisfactory finish. The voice acting in both games is so damn fantastic.
- Dragon Ball FighterZ - Ok ok I know the guy with this username is contractually obligated to put this game on his list but hey I absolutely love it so sue me. Still gotta get back to it and try the dlc but I actually got good at a fighting game for once. That 530,000 BP trophy drove me absolutely up a wall. Like I might have actually had a stroke while going for it but damn was it satisfying to get. Like with that last victory I ran around the room screaming lol. The story mode kinda sucked but I love playing team matches and if and when I catch up on my backlog I'd love to play some of era on it.
- Assassin's Creed Odyssey - A great open world. Still a little peeved at it that it didn't register every region for the trophy but not enough that I have forgotten all those amazing little side quests I went on. Quite a bit bloated but hey there's enough good in there to make me have a good time most times I booted it up.
- Detroit Become Human - I still love heavy rain more but this is a close second in QD games. Connor is awesome.
- Shadow of the Colossus - great reliving this and holy cow what an improvement. Love having a smooth running version of this game now
- Red Dead Redemption 2 - Really fun overall but damn does the story get repetitive. The gameplay is very basic as well. My favorite part was doing the side quests and the random encounters. Also going around the city and gambling in salloons was fun. There were a few annoyances like lack of fast travel to camp and when my horse would bump someone and suddenly I have to drop everything and ride out of town to pay off the bounty and get the mission givers to calm down.
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Let me check - I know we're still editing the vote tool itself (since 2.0 required some formatting changes), so VoteBot might not technically be working just yet.
- Into the Breach - Combat puzzle perfection. There's not an ounce of fat on this game; every mechanic, visual cue, and element of the interface has been optimized to make this one of the greatest strategy games ever made.
- Return of the Obra Dinn - Part historical horror fiction, part logic puzzle, part mystery game, I don't think we've ever seen anything quite like it. I can't remember the last time a game made me pay such close attention to an NPC's shoes, friends, and nationality.
- God of War - Weighty combat, excellent writing, and side content that was both fun and meaningful helped make this the new high water mark of this series. Can't wait for the inevitable sequel.
- Hitman 2 - "More Hitman" would have been good enough for me, but IOI outdid themselves with the ability to import ALL of Hitman 1 into this game, smart gameplay tweaks, and well-designed levels; Mumbai is maybe the best single level in any game I've played this year.
- Marvel's Spiderman - Will fill in later
- Red Dead Redemption 2 - This lumbering giant of a game is too long and loses the plot thread more than once, but its highs are soaring and it raises the bar for detail and responsiveness in a AAA open world.
- Dead Cells - Will fill in later
- Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire - Will fill in later
- Minit - Does absolutely everything it can with its gameplay hook. I enjoyed it enough to gun for all of the trophies, which add some fun restrictions and challenges that are still fun due to the length.
- The Messenger - An hour or two in, it's a fun-if-unremarkable Ninja Gaiden. But then THAT happens, and an entirely different game appears.
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- Red Dead Redemption 2 - Only on chapter 5 but its solidified. Incredible dialogue, story, mission structure, world design, density, colour palette, characters, side activities and even a decent online mode.
- God Of War - Great story with incredible visuals and creating one of the most unique triple A combat experiences and weapons. Never felt bored using the leviathan axe. Perfect amount of intricate areas and gifts to reward you with puzzle solving
- Monster Hunter World - Infinite replay value with satisfying combat, great visuals.
- Spiderman - finally a spider man story that actually had real heart and focused on peter Parker as spider man. Great fluid combat with a fantastic main story and good chunk of side activities too do. Exploring an open world never felt so good.
- Smash Bros Ultimate- Its every smash bros combined and more, what else is there too say?
- Yakuza Kiwami 2 - A great story with some odd pacing, an okay combat system that felt like a step down from previous entries, great visuals and amount of side content.
- Warhammer Vermintide 2 - Perfected the left. 4 dead formula with a great levelling up system, visuals, and crunchy combat.
- Shadow Of The Colossus - A great game remade with modern visuals and still holds up.
- Octopath Traveller - Fun combat, but stories were way to long and mission structure was super repetitive.
- Free Space since nothing deserves a 10 spot
Dishonourable mention : DBZ Fighter (Love DBZ, not the kind of fighting mechanics im good at) and Farcry 5 (Boring and uninspired world, dull weapons and mechanics, slow moving and poorly constructed story and side missions)
Whats shocking is that these are literally the only 10 games ive played in 2018 that released, but each was so packed that i didnt have time to catch up on the other games that i really want to play ( dragon quest, valkyria chronicles 4, hitman 2, forza, assassins creed, battkefield V )
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- God of War - As someone who loves the old games and would've been perfectly happy with more of the same, I'm glad SSM was given a chance to take a risk and move the franchise in a new direction. It paid off in spades as this is not only the best GoW, but one of the best games ever made. It's also tied with SotC as my favorite game of all time. It's really that damn good.
- Marvel's Spider-Man - Pure fun. Insomniac delivered and gave me exactly what I wanted in a Spidey game. It's such a joy to play and has a story that rivals anything in the movies. Also, Yuri Lowenthal's Peter is the best yet, and his acting is incredible.
- Shadow of the Colossus - A remake of this game was something I always wanted, but never thought I'd see. It was a pipe dream that actually became reality.
- Beat Saber - This game is a legit VR killer app. I'm playing on PS4 and it's amazing with the songs packaged in. I can only imagine how much more I'd be addicted if I could use my own music. Also, the game seems like you could legit shed some weight, at least on the higher song difficulties.
- The Gardens Between
- Forza Horizon 4
- Donut County
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- God of War - I loved the first 3 games in the series and was a bit nervous about the new direction but I had nothing to worry about because Cory is a fantastic game director and brought gow to a whole new level. The gameplay and story were both incredible. Probably my favourite game of this generation.
- Marvel's Spider-Man - Spider-Man is my favourite comic book character and Insomniac brought him to video game form perfectly. The webslinging was "amazing" . The combat and story were also both stellar.
- Astrobot: Rescue Mission - I purchased a psvr in September not knowing anything about the game releasing so when I seen all the great reviews i decided to get the game and I'm so glad I did because wow it was wonderful and just so charming and a joy to play. All I want is more vr games like this.
- Celeste - Beautiful artstyle is really all I need to say but the gameplay was also fantastic and so too was the music.
- PixelJunk Monsters 2 - I really love tower defense games and the original PixelJunk Monsters was one of my favorite games of last generation. The sequel is equally as great.
- Detroit: Become Human - I'm a sucker for a Quantic Dream game and this one certainly didn't dissapoint. I love all the different paths the story can take and graphically the game was gorgeous.
- Red Dead Redemption 2 - I assumed this would be my top game but it just didn't click with me that much however it was still an extraordinary game with a compelling story and great graphics but I just found some of the gameplay a little tedious.
- Into the Breach - A very great strategy game with a fantastic soundtrack. I almost forgot about this fame because it released so early in 2018 but it deserves a spot on my list just for the great game design.
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance - I was excited for this game from the first day it was announced. I love RPGs based in this time period. The combat system was great I really enjoyed it. The story was okay with what I thought was a disappointing ending. What really took away from the experience was the number of bugs I ran into however even with these negatives I still loved the game and can't wait to see where this story goes next.
- Pathfinder: Kingmaker - This felt like an oldschool rpg that I absolutely enjoyed it basically attempted to bring the pathfinder ruleset as accurately as possible to a video game which I admired. It didn't have a overwhelmingly positive impression on me but I still enjoyed my time playing the game.
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- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - This game surprised the hell out of me. I'm usually not very fanatical about the Smash Bros. series, casually playing but this game in particular struck a very poignant chord with me. I can see myself playing SO MUCH of this game, and it being portable sweetens that even more.
- Azur Lane - This is a mobile game, but since it's release it's probably the game I've put the most time into this year. It manages to be a really neat and cute game while throwing historical information and references in. YoStar also manages to be incredibly generous with collaborations, free content and premium currency, which is something unusual nowadays with mobile games.
- Red Dead Redemption 2 - My most anticipated game this year, and what a doozy it is. It currently stands at my favorite Rockstar game, due to just the mass of things to do in the game combined with the stellar acting performances and the beautiful world thats been built.
- Marvel's Spiderman - This game really surprised me! Spiderman has always been my favorite superhero but I wasn't sure how the game was going to go, especially because of how past Spiderman games have been. Going in cautiously optimistic, my opitimism was rewarded tenfold. A gorgeous looking game, with just the right amount of things to do and, of course, awesome webswinging!
- Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux - Strange Journey has been my favorite SMT game since its release, so I was very excited that it was getting remade on the 3DS. Thankfully Atlus did a very good job with it, including the original story as I loved it along with an alternate path with its own endings, making the game very replayable, and in return, me happy that I can play even more. :)
- Deltarune Chapter 1 - I think this game made me realize how much I loved Undertale. It's hard for me to go into it without spoiling, but I'll just say that it's a generous and very well made first chapter and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. Even if it doesn't go anywhere from here, I'm still glad it was made.
- Katamari Damacy Reroll - I'm so glad this was remade! It has been years since I have played the original Katamari Damacy, and this release was shocking for me. I'm very pleased with how it controls on Switch, and that it's made playing it again more accessable for me. I think the only thing I dislike is the funny English dub for the cutscenes has been removed, but the Japanese voices are more than servicable.
- Far Cry 5 - For the first 2/3 of Far Cry 5 it was tentatively my GOTY. And I loved almost all the time I spent with the game, but the ending unfortunatley really soured it for me and made it so I didn't even want to go back and finish sidequests. However before that point it is still a very good game, probably my favorite Far Cry game.
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- Game A - your thoughts
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Not :
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- Marvel's Spider-Man - Insomniac's superhero epic is fantastic on nearly every front, with a top-notch story that synthesizes everything we've come to love about Peter Parker over the years, finely-tuned web-slinging controls, and engaging combat that challenges players to stay airborne and think like Spider-Man. It's simply the best superhero game ever made.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Ultimate is the definitive entry in Nintendo's famous platform fighting series, featuring a mind-boggling amount of content, deep fighting mechanics, and the best single-player offering in Smash Bros. history. Online play leaves something to be desired, but it's still a step-up from past entries.
- Shadow of the Colossus - While Shadow of the Colossus occasionally feels dated, this remake's visual upgrades and control tweaks go a long way to help make the classic PS2 game stand the test of time.
- Celeste - I'm not a big fan of Super Meat Boy-style platformers, but Celeste has everything I thought was missing from this sub-genre. Its jumping and climbing mechanics feel expressive and empowering even when its levels are brutally restrictive, and its presentation goes the extra mile to ease player frustration and tie those feelings into a broader narrative.
- God of War - Although I think God of War's combat has some rough edges, I had a great time playing around with some of its mechanics, and I found the story and spectacle more satisfying than previous entries. It took a character I once loathed and gave me reasons to care about his adventure, and for that Sony Santa Monica has earned a new fan.
- Spyro Reignited Trilogy - This much-anticipated remake did not disappoint. Spyro's charming presentation and simply sweet mechanics held up beautifully over time, and I'm looking forward to whatever comes next for the little dragon.
- Hitman 2 - Hitman 2 offers more of what made its predecessor unique and fun, and it still stands out as one of the generation's best stealth games. It's a darkly comic game with a lot of potential for slapstick shenanigans.
- Pokemon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go Eevee! - Although I can't say I was clamoring for another return to Kanto, Pokemon Let's Go makes some welcome changes to Pokemon's core mechanics that I'd like to see carry forward into later entries.
- Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Dragon Quest XI is a pleasant RPG that executes the fundamentals of the genre very well. Square-Enix played it safe on this entry, but I still regard it as one of the better Dragon Quest games, and the best one in over a decade.
- Octopath Traveller - A visually unique homage to RPGs of yesteryear, Octopath Traveller doesn't quite match up to the all-time greats, but a lot of fun can be had exploring its world and learning the ins and outs of its combat system.
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During College I took Spanish 101. This class was an unmitigated disaster for me as it was at 10am 3 times a week and given my partying status at that time, was way too early. I sat in the back w/ the other degenerates while the eager kids sat up front, answering questions and generally giving a shit. Near the end of the semester the teacher made us all research a Latin American country and give a presentation in front of the class. The first day of presentations, a red-headed lady went first and proceeding to give her entire presentation in Spanish. This wasn't a requirement, but she felt the need to go above and beyond to set the bar extremely high. While she presented, I looked around at my fellow degenerates and we all agreed that we hated this person.---
- Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
- Octopath Traveler
- Iconoclasts
- Where the Water Tastes Like Wine
- Gris
- Return of the Obra Dinn
- ZeroRanger
- God of War
- Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
- Celeste
Game of the Year
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
The curse of being a Dragon Quest fan is forever struggling to find the right words to describe what it is about these games that make them so truly exceptional. It's easy to start off with the usual truisms: DQXI has a surprisingly thematic narrative, subtly and delicately penned by an expert writer who understands that the most effective storytelling is often understated rather than trumpeted from the rooftops, comprised of nuances and subtle flourishes that suggest rather than explain. Like its predecessors, it features a meticulously balanced turn-based combat system that provides strategic encounters and thrilling suspense; it boasts a fully-realized world of gorgeous locales and incredible vistas; and it contains a thoughtful progression system that balances party customization with efficiency and fun.
But, while all of those individual components are an important part of the Dragon Quest identity, the core of the series' appeal is something more nebulous, a more inscrutable concept that transcends all of these parts and binds them together into a whole. All of the strong elements of DQXI don't merely work; more importantly, they work together, specifically feeding into one another and self-reinforcing each other until they seem to disappear into a mix, replaced by a general feeling of satisfaction that infuses every nook and cranny of the game. That cohesion is the key to Dragon Quest; not that it is good in many ways, but that it is good in one way that manifests in many ways. It is a singular experience where nothing feels out of place, and everything works in service of the broader feel of the game, that atmosphere of adventure and understated human drama that has always characterized Dragon Quest.
But where DQXI differentiates itself, not just from its predecessors but also from the vast majority of other JRPGs, is in just how polished those individual elements are. It is one thing to say that the gameplay feeds into the scenario design, which feeds into the plot, which feeds into the character arcs, and so forth; but quite another to suggest that all of these elements, even taken separately, are of the absolute highest quality. But that is indeed the case here, and other than the soundtrack (which, despite a lot of controversy, is overall serviceable), the game has a universal sheen over every part of it, a glow of meticulous care that exudes from every component and which makes the act of playing it an absolute joy. This is the tightest that Dragon Quest has ever been in terms of its core game design, from the carefully-paced and constantly evolving scenario design, to the sensible streamlining and retooling of the combat mechanics, and even to such seemingly minor subsystems as the crafting, which consists of a wonderful minigame that provides some of the most exciting moments in the game. To say that a game is greater than the sum of its parts carries a connotation that the parts themselves are lacking in some way; DQXI is a game where those parts are already of the highest standard, and taken together they grow even greater. The total effect is one of astounding quality and incredible consistency; this is one of only three JRPGs to which I would give a perfect score with no hesitation (the other two are Chrono Trigger and Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne).
While the overarching story and its fascinating themes can't be fully discussed without spoiling key moments of the game (and, at any rate, that discussion really extends beyond the scope of this write-up), I can say with utter certainty that I've rarely played a game that commits to its themes with such precision and ambition. DQXI is a story about the value of time from the perspective of one who is looking back on that time, either with satisfaction or regret; it is a story about time that is lost, that has disappeared into the past, and what that lost time means to those who must move away from the past and look to the future. It is a story about the road not traveled, the quiet uncertainty we all share about our difficult decisions, the mistakes that we have made, and whether or not things could've turned out differently had we, ourselves, been different people. All of that time, all of those experiences that never came to be - what can we do when we have lost them? What should we do? In both small, personal vignettes and in sweeping plot twists, DQXI asks these questions and challenges us to consider what it means to "lose" time, and what it means to subsequently recover that time - if, indeed, it can be recovered at all.
Dragon Quest XI is a stunning achievement, a landmark both in its genre and in long-form video game storytelling, and a masterful assortment of elements meticulously crafted into a cohesive, powerful whole. It is fun and often funny, gorgeous and often grand, heartwarming and, at times, heartbreaking; it is, in a word, Dragon Quest writ large, and it is the best game of 2018 hands down.
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Runner-Up Game of the Year
Octopath Traveler
Like Dragon Quest XI, Octopath Traveler is that rare game which sets out, from the beginning, to be greater than the sum of its parts. The notion of having eight shorter stories advance alongside one another may be an interesting concept, but at its core it is purely a structural decision - neither good nor bad, merely interesting. Octopath's greatest strengths lie not in that structure in and of itself, but in how the game utilizes that structure to weave an overarching narrative that is thematically focused, a narrative that doesn't drown out the individual stories but rather emerges organically as a shared experience developed, in different ways, by each of them.
The game offers the freedom to pursue eight stories, but it also suggests that we aren't exploring eight different stories, but rather one archetypal story told in eight different ways. Such narrative syncretism is apparent even from the brilliant title "Octopath Traveler." Note the singular, rather than plural, "traveler" - it is the player who is this "Octopath Traveler," an invisible anthropologist accompanying this band of characters, inhabiting each of them (the "Octopath") from time to time, and studying the ways in which they interact with the wonderfully vibrant world in which they roam. The player is the perfect traveler, one that wafts effortlessly to and fro across geographical, political, and economic lines to observe society at its most beautiful, its most sinister, its most hopeful and hopeless, its most peaceful and belligerent. And each time, this traveler takes a little piece of each experience with it.
It is no coincidence that these thematic and structural ambitions coexist with the various innovative path actions, particularly Inquire/Scrutinize; the characters, and by extension the player, are intended to exist within this world, and not simply pass through it as a series of pit stops along the path of a mythic journey. Octopath Traveler is a game in which the NPC greeting the player at the entrance to the town is a migrant having a hard time adapting to life in a close-knit community; where guards and other armored men loafing around the tavern are mercenaries displaced by the end of war and the existential crisis that peace brings to a professional soldier. Plagues, wars, and various other calamities have caused numerous peoples to uproot in diasporas that lead them far and wide across the realm. All of these little worldbuilding details are intended to be uncovered, puzzle-like, in the player's gradual understanding of this world and its cultural heritage. Every path action develops this understanding, one NPC at a time; and the total effect is both thematically compelling and mechanically engaging.
Mechanical depth is, indeed, the excellent foundation upon which these themes and narratives are built. Octopath, far from a gameplay-lite storytelling experiment, boasts an incredibly polished and satisfying turn-based combat system that utilizes simple mechanics and concepts to add nuance and strategy to each battle. The Boost and Break mechanics operate in a devilish synergy to provide an intuitive but unpredictable flow to combat, where strategy can be developed and executed with precision but enemies nevertheless have constant options for disrupting the player and introducing a bit of entropy into the machine. Preparation itself is often half the battle, and the game's twist on the classical job system provides a fantastic framework within which to play around - all within some sensible limitations, such as a one-character-per-secondary-job limit, that prevent the player from outright breaking the game.
In its bold thematic ambitions, unique plot structure, dazzling presentation, and incredibly polished gameplay mechanics, Octopath Traveler both summarizes the strengths of the classical JRPG and provides an inspiring vision of new strengths to come. The recurring imagery of travelers winding their way through the countryside is fitting for a game that seems to stand at a crossroads for the genre, one foot in its past and one in its future; and here, in the present, is this singular, remarkable game, one that I have no doubt will endure as a modern classic. Were it not for the heavyweight JRPG peer that is Dragon Quest XI, it would be the best game of the year.
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Indie Game of the Year
Iconoclasts
Iconoclasts is not a game without its rough edges. In fact, compared to virtually everything else on this ballot that isn't Where the Water Tastes Like Wine (discussed right below), it is arguably a "worse" game in a more objective consideration of all its strengths and all its comparative weaknesses.
However, Iconoclasts overleaps many of those relative shortcomings with gusto because, ultimately, many of them go hand-in-hand with the game's biggest strength: it was made by one person. Those rough edges themselves are the counterpart to the eccentricities of the game, memorable quirks that exist largely because the game as a whole was birthed from the mind of a single individual.
Iconoclasts is one of the latest in that illustrious legacy of bizarre but fantastic indie games that emerged from the monumental blood, sweat, tears, and imagination of a single person - in this case, Joakim "Konjak" Sandberg. While it shares the action-game DNA of Konjak's earlier work - notably Noitu Love - it fuses these satisfying combat mechanics with Metroid-like world design and, perhaps most importantly, its rather involved story.
What truly sets Iconoclasts apart from its Metroid-like indie peers is indeed this story, a fascinating tale of individualism against the "machine" of society that twists and turns with all the idiosyncrasies that one would associate with a singular creative vision. It is precisely the strangeness of this narrative, and the way in which these admittedly time-tested themes are uniquely conveyed, that make the game memorable and one whose final act lingers long after the credits roll. As its title indicates, "Iconoclasts" isn't concerned just with rebellion; it is, rather, a game where idols are indeed broken, where broad social structures are questioned, and where moments that should lead to revelation and ascendance instead provide nothing but existential hollowness. That existentialism is the melancholic underbelly of this vibrant world filled with colorful characters and eye-catching locales; it is that thematic uneasiness that imbues all of the platforming, the puzzle-solving, the advancing of the plot, and the exploring of this world with its artistic edge.
Beyond the narrative itself, the game plays exceptionally well, with the core gameplay coated in luscious sprite-work and a groovy soundtrack that features, among other things, a stunning arrangement of the Moonlight Sonata. The puzzles strike that delicate balance between challenge and frustration, keeping you on your toes without keeping you stuck in one place for too long.
While those more conventionally "gamey" elements are great, the real star - as discussed above - is the story and its assortment of quirky characters, and the way that Konjak's focused creative vision peers through every aspect of the game and delivers a riveting story in its own idiosyncratic, but endearing, way. Iconoclasts is an impressive, inspiring work of indie game-making and creative storytelling in general, and it is my overall pick for indie game of the year.
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Best Narrative/Storytelling of the Year
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine ("WTWTLW") is perhaps the most important game of the year. While it unfortunately didn't receive much sustained attention in the gaming press, its accomplishments in terms of its production history are as notable as the finished game itself. It is a game comprised of countless short stories, anchored by a unique cast of fellow drifters and storytellers during the American Great Depression, in which each character is written by a different author. This astoundingly diverse and ambitious team consists of talented writers from many demographics: women, African-Americans, European immigrants, and countless others contributed their own unique voices to this wonderful game, building a tapestry of authentic storytelling that illuminates many of the most marginalized groups living on the fringes of mainstream American society throughout the early 20th-century. Rather than lost and forgotten to the vicissitudes of history, WTWTLW unearths these pregnant seeds of human experience and allows them to flourish, capturing a sharp, melancholic, but ultimately hopeful look at characters who continue to get by in whatever way they can.
That quality of storytelling is, indeed, the greatest strength on display here - though there are certainly others. The art style is striking and memorable, the hard lines calling to mind wood block prints and the colors evoking an America that lies somewhere between the modern world and a mythic yesteryear. The game itself finds the player backpacking around the country on a quaint world map, whistling and hitchhiking along the way, as the aimless path of a vagabond leads through town after town, city after city, and - most importantly - story after story. The stories themselves are a combination of original material, and those culled from a vast amount of anthropological research into the folktales and fables of the time. It is, in a word, a love letter to American history, told not through the dusty pages of history books about old white men, but rather through oral histories and cherished tales passed down in all the many cultures that comprise the great American mosaic.
While I could discuss the gameplay in more detail, and give a brief overview of the core mechanics (you essentially collect stories and then tell them to characters based on their preferences in order to make them open up to you and befriend you), I suspect that anyone interested in this sort of game has heard enough to consider giving it a shot, irrespective of whatever the core gameplay entails. There is nothing else like Where the Water Tastes Like Wine, and it is one of the most underappreciated triumphs of the year, as well as a monumental cultural achievement. In a time where American society has become increasingly factionalized and antagonistic, this game is a panacea of togetherness, a bold and breathlessly artistic compendium of rich native storytelling from voices that may sound different, and may speak of different things, but which are all distinctly American.
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Best Art Direction/Visual Design of the Year
Gris
Given that this entry of the ballot is listed under "Best Art Design/Visual Direction of the Year," words can only convey so much that isn't conveyed by the majestic screenshot above. Gris is the most recent entry on this list (it released less than a week ago), but it is unquestionably one of the most striking and emotionally resonant experiences of the year, due in large part to its watercolor aesthetic and the pure artistry of its world. The game features an abstract, impressionistic narrative in the style of Journey and Abzu, dealing with themes of loss, despair, acceptance, and hope (in this respect it often feels like a more ethereal counterpart to Celeste). The gameplay consists largely of running/platforming with light puzzle solving, and it succeeds in keeping puzzles engaging without emphasizing them to the extent that it detracts from the delicate mood and vibrant dreamscapes. To say any more would be to impute my own interpretations onto the work, and therefore I'll leave it be. It is an easy inclusion and one of the best games of the year.
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Most Interesting Concept of the Year: Return of the Obra Dinn
Return of the Obra Dinn is without a doubt one of the smartest games of the year. It is essentially a crime reconstruction procedural, all set on an atmospheric ship conveyed through an absolutely brilliant art direction. The main activity of the game involves utilizing clues to reenact a crime scene, determining what happened, how, and perhaps most importantly, why. The same crisp, steady attention to dialogue and narrative as was present in Papers Please are also present here, and the game turns what is essentially a heavily-modified game of Clue into a terse, intelligent thriller where nothing but the limits of your wits stands between you and unraveling the mystery of the Obra Dinn. It is to crime reconstruction procedurals what Papers Please was to civil service simulators: something you never thought of, never expected to work, and yet somehow it does with flying colors. Lucas Pope is 2-for-2 with extraordinary, experimental gaming experiences, and all the buzz around Obra Dinn as an indie darling for the year is utterly well-deserved.
Hidden Gem of the Year: ZeroRanger
If you've heard anything about ZeroRanger, you've probably heard that it's the Undertale of STGs. I'm not a fan of comparative shorthands like that, but in this case it's fairly warranted. ZeroRanger is a seismic shift in STG (otherwise known as "shmups") storytelling and one of the most interesting narrative experiments of the year, one with the customary mindscrews leading to fascinating insights into the act of playing games and what it means to progress, to live, to die, to start over, and do all those other things that your character does in the broader framework of "playing a game." To say anymore would do the game a disservice. Play this game to see the state of the art for STG storytelling, one of the most underappreciated narratives of the year, and a damn fine STG in terms of its core mechanics and level design.
Best AAA Release of the Year: God of War
The rest of Era will cover me on this one. I'll just say that it's not often that I truly feel a AAA game resonates with me in the way that I associate with titles like indie games or more niche RPGs. Loved the combat, loved the setting, loved the technical achievements (especially the "single-shot" framing), and I loved the bigger storytelling moments that landed masterfully.
Biggest Surprise of the Year: Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
I hadn't played an Assassin's Creed game since AC2, and essentially picked up Odyssey on a whim due to my interest in the Ancient Greek setting. What I discovered was one of my favorite open-world experiences of the generation (and, by extension, pretty much of all time at this point), a stunning recreation of a setting that I cherish with a careful balance of action, exploration, climbing, riding, sailing, and everything in between. After completing the main narrative, I still find myself returning to Odyssey to explore more of the map and soak in the extraordinary sights as I meander about, through babbling creeks, bustling cities and imposing cliffs, all framed by a wonderful main character (Kassandra) and a surprisingly touching story of familial loyalty in a complicated world. It is content rich, expansive, impressive, and most importantly, some of the most fun I've had all year. Will stick around for many more ACs to come, and I've already moved backwards to catch up with Origins (which I'm also enjoying).
Best Level Design of the Year: Celeste
Celeste emerged early in the year as a frontrunner for GOTY come awards season, and its a testament to its quality that that sentiment is still going strong nearly twelve months later. While much has been written and discussed about its powerful themes and incredible soundtrack, at its core the game, as an extreme platformer, lives or dies by its game mechanics and level design; and in this respect, Celeste is a stunning testament to its developers' talent, featuring devilishly tricky platforming that never runs out of creative new ideas or new twists on earlier concepts. As a total package, it is unquestionably one of the best indie releases in recent memory, and one that earned every bit of praise lavished on it.
2 years later I started dating a red head and we began to share college war stories. After some digging we quickly realized that we were in the same Spanish 101 class and that she was the red head who had shamed all of us degenerates in the class w/ her all Spanish, completely over the top presentation. She had remembered me as the guy who didn't make any copies of the map of his Latin American country and actually passed around a single map around the class, the only person to do this. I also got a D- in the class (Which was actually considered passing, exactly a 65)
Needless to say, I eventually married that woman, but I just wanted to share the story because as I read the rules and began formulating what I would post, you had to go and write this incredible piece, and I applaud you for that. Bravo
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I think so
- DLC, including expansion packs, are eligible to be voted on as long as it's playable. Destiny: Curse of Osiris is eligible. Horse Armor is not.
User Banned (1 Week): Sexism and inappropriate commentary
- Octopath Traveler ; Each character has four chapters to their story and the game as a whole sucks at the beginning so pretty much the first two chapters each because you're supposed to exploit enemy weaknesses but lack the party composition to do so and you're far too weak to deal with regular mobs at a reasonable pace and it's so effing slow because they have such high HP and you hit for pennies but I'm glad the devs had the foresight to allow early gamebreaking by allowing you to steal good equipment that can carry you for a good while but you're subject to low rates like I'm talking 3-6% so there's save scumming involved but it's oh so worth it and alleviates the slog of the earlygame somewhat but later on you get other classes to use and they feel so good to use and you can do some really broken stuff and it's really fun that's why Octopath is my GOTY. Primrose best girl
- Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country ; Employs the most natural evolution of its Xenoblade 2's combat system and retroactively makes the story better as a whole. I already knew things weren't gonna go well and I still couldn't handle it. I felt like my heart was getting Torna part :(
- The Alliance Alive ; After the disappointing The Legend of Legacy (yeah I know, that's the name, I am not kidding) from the same developers, they redeemed themselves with TAA.
- Shining Resonance Refrain ; I like how there's a model viewer where I can look up girls' skirts and check out how fancy their panties are. Also has genuinely funny character events. Truly has some really head scratching boss fights. They hit hard enough to wipe AI party members in two hits max and the AI is dumb enough to walk into attacks headon. So at worst you have to solo the fights yourself. Luckily the MC can transform into a dragon and he's OP AF and all you gotta do is mash A and use other buttons as necessary. I didn't care enough to explore crazy builds for everyone but meh. The story isn't anything to write home about and the gameplay systems is all wack. I am not sure if I like the game. I think I do, but I think I shouldn't. Plenty of good waifus though. Sonia best girl.
- Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings ; You spend half of the game using the same weak bombs and equipment then you get hit by a boss where your old stuff doesn't fly anymore. Pretty awful progression unlike the Atelier of old. Partly because of how easy it is to avoid enemies that are clearly above your paygrade due to how open the worlds are. The hardon for open world games is a plague. But that's maybe my fault for choosing to run past a lot of enemies whereas in previous games and how tight the areas where it was clear that I'd have to upgrade my adventuring tools before I can further progress. In this game, there was no urgency to do so.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ; I am so sad about Zero Suit Samus. I miss her tiddies. She got dem leg muscles now tho. WEW. Also has the worst Zelda design. I think she's cute tho. Fam, those idle animations. But still the worst. Plugin that ALBW and pretty much all 2D Zelda games suck except Four Swords Adventures. Bring back TP Zelda! Smash Wii U had the dumb technical idea of sharing data across all accounts so I didn't play that one as much because someone else already did everything there is to do. Here, I can take my time playing Classic and World of Light and whatever to unlock stuff.
x. Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology ; Same as above. PS, the new art is better than the old art.
x. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate ; Same as above x2. No worries about not being there at launch. Well, I'd have preferred being there at the beginning but if 3U on Wii U was any indication I'd have no problem jumping in a year later and play with an active community.
x. Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland DX ; The first version of this game on PS3 was arguably the worst out of all the Atelier games to come out on the system, but the second release with updated everything makes it a much better game.
x. Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland DX ; Even with the improvements in Rorona, Totori is still the better game.
x. Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland DX ; And finally, piling on further improvements in the series, Meruru remains the best Atelier I've played ever since.
x. Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII ; RIP campaign.
x. Shadow of the Tomb Raider ; Good stuff.
So unabashedly anime ~
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- Dark Souls Remastered - The second greatest game of all time gets a re-release with an updated summoning system that makes teaming up with friends less obtuse and frustrating (73 hours played)
- Monster Hunter World - Finally a Monster Hunter on PC, initial control issues aside, this is a great installment, each weapon type feels like its own game (280 hours played)
- Dragon Quest XI - Finally a Dragon Quest on PC, insane amount of content, wish you could skip all the cutscenes even on the first playthrough though (162 hours played)
- Dead Cells - Marvellous rogue-lite that has a sense of style all its own. Plus mod support means there'll always be more content than you can shake a Sadism mutated Blood Sword at (80 hours played)
- Ashen - Minimalistic Dark Souls but also not. Fun but currently lacking in replayability (23 hours played)
I didn't really play anything else that released this year so I've only got these five to list.
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Am I missing something here? I think I can use anything but I edited the comment just in case
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You need to use the Ordered List function (see the OP) - if you look at the other entries you'll see how the list is indented - that's because of the Ordered List function
TheBaldwin you too
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- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Huge fan of Smash and this one just does everything right for me, barring one or two frustrating fights the single player is exactly what I wanted for the first time, the changes to the gameplay are almost completely for the better and it just feels significantly better to play than Wii U did. Everything looks far better than it has before with most stages being completely remade. Lives up to its name. Its soundtrack also helped me get through finals week so bonus points for that.
- God of War - This one is pretty unique for me as unlike Smash I wasn't expecting to like it very much going in. I generally don't enjoy games that are super story focused on account of having to deal with frequent cutscenes that put a halt to the gameplay and, usually, pushing realism before gameplay. God of War was different though, it managed to tell its story largely without stopping the game, and when it did you usually got something new out of it such as new arrows or a new weapon. I ended up really enjoying the game while also getting invested in the story, something that I really hadn't done before with a game.
- Dragon Quest 11 - This is just a good time, plain and simple, it's an incredibly meaty game and an excellent modern take on old school JRPG's.
- Monster Hunter World - While I enjoyed the 3DS/Wii U games quite a bit I'd been waiting for Monster Hunter to have a significant modernization for quite some time, and it really paid off with this one. The combat feels better than ever and the monsters look stunning, while I had a few issues with endgame content(hopefully Iceborne fixes this) and how it handled post release monsters and hunts, this is still nearly everything I wanted out of a modern Monster Hunter.
- Hitman 2 - Hitman 2 is basically Hitman 1 with a few tweaks and additions as well as even better levels, and I wouldn't want it any other way.
- Marvel's Spiderman - "This game really makes you feel like Spiderman" - every single review. It's not wrong though the gameplay is incredibly good, if it had kept up with more original feeling content all the way through this likely would have likely been my #2 or #3.
- Octopath Traveler - This is another game that, if it had just managed to do a few things better could've been my #2 or #3, the combat system, graphics, and music are legitimately incredible, if we did individual categories I would place it at the top in every single one of those. Most of the quest design, story, and dungeon crawling? not so much.
- Celeste - I'm a big fan of games that try to tell a story through the gameplay itself, and Celeste does a really great job of this, don't really have anything negative to say about if I liked 2D platformers more this would probably top my list.
- Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion - Only DLC on my list but it's a good one, it's incredibly charming and amazingly over the top at times. It's made by the team that designed the shrines for Breath of the Wild and it shows, the levels are all just bite sized enough to justify the number of them but still quite high quality.
- Deltarune - This one kinda came out of nowhere but what's there is amazing. While it definitely feels like a demo it's a really crazy demo, I expect the full game to end up in my top 3 whenever it releases.
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- Forza Horizon 4 - A masterclass in the racing genre, and the best racing game in a decade. I can on very long about why its so good, but to keep it short, it's all Horizon 3 was, with a robust season mechanic, a much better designed open world with more verticality, a route creator (which could really read to imaginative and out of the box routes), a better done online, now becoming more of a GaaS type game (with regular content updates and improvements post launch, but except you can also play completely offline and without a connection if you want to). Its among the greats of the genre such as Gran Turismo 4 and the Burnout series.
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- Red Dead Redemption 2 - This game had so much stuff to do and easter eggs to find it was crazy while keeping the quality all the way through. Loved every second of the 70 hour campaign.
- Marvel's Spider-Man - Tied for the best super hero game of all time with Arkham series.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - World of Light lasted me 30 hours, and the multiplayer will exceed that greatly for me. This will be my go to MP game for a long time.
- God of War - Loved every second of this. Could have used more boss fights, but left me excited for what's next.
- Pokemon Let's Go - Thought it would of been a toned down Pokemon game, but it ended up giving me more challenge than alot of the fights from the mainline games ever did. Hope we get more Let's Go! spinoffs of other regions in the future.
- Two Point Hospital - It's Theme Hospital loaded with charm and fun challenges from the original Theme Hospital people.
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 - Enjoyed playing this with friends same as the first game. Really scratches that L4D itch.
- Battlefield V - A few up and downs with it. Not really liking the tank controls but the gun play feels real good.
- Monster Hunter: World - Quality of life changes have been great and have been playing a bunch of it with my friend. Can't wait for the expansion next year.
- Dragon Quest XI - Simple but fun. The post game was really hype for me for where I hope they are heading for the next game.
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Looking at the vote so far, God of War is off to a strong start, and Red Dead to a lesser extent. Dragon Quest XI is exceeding my expectations, while Smash and Spider-Man aren't quite meeting them.
- Red Dead Redemption 2 - Red Dead Redemption 2 is frequently ponderous, mundane and slow-roasted. People have and will bounce off of it. However, as the next project following the most successful game of all time, RDR2's unflinching deliberation is beguiling, courageous and engrossing. Red Dead Redemption 2 presents the single best big budget role playing experience available this generation. Having a home, a family, a place to care about and care for, a nexus point among a world of glorious detail, webs everything together masterfully. With its incredible cast of characters and wisely diffuse narrative layers, I have never been so immersed. I spent so many times waking up in camp with coffee and doing rounds. I sat in saloons watching the local politics of towns churn. Whether it's wading through the bayou or taking that big left turn onto Valentine's main street, RDR2's world breaths more convincingly than any before it. Yes, the gunplay is flawed (but satisfying) and the conditions of its creation are starkly problematic, but Red Dead Redemption 2's density of surprises and sense place rank it amongst the best open world games ever made.
- God of War - I always found Good of War to be a boring stalwart of the industry, the Guns 'n' Roses of video games. It seemed immutable in its mind-numbing machismo. Enter God of War 2018, essentially a reboot of the series. Suddenly, Kratos is redeemable because he's irredeemable and actively self-aware. In the booming father aesthetic of games, Kratos and Atreus stand out because they really don't know each other. They are both trying to reach a center with polarized magnetization. This earnest coming of age is couched in an astonishingly bold rework of the franchise. Gone are the mashfests of the PS2. Instead, GOW2018 presents combat that mixes elements of Resident Evil and Dark Souls into the fold. It presents environments for a sense of place not inconsequential staging. This reimagining of God of War is a masterpiece and an all-time action great.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Ultimate is almost drunk with content. Over 70 fighters, nearly 1000 music tracks, a whole rpg, dungeon crawling, event based single player, and an untouchable multiplayer core. You almost have to spell it all out just to digest. It may not be the most initially new Smash Bros., but it's depth makes that irrelevant. The contiguous playability of Ultimate provides the most addictive game loop of any Smash Bros. game to date. It is the purest fun of any game I played in 2018 and that joy is only exceeded by its absurd generosity. Despite the flaws of its online functionality, Ultimate's scope is truly unmatched by any other fighting game in the history of the genre.
- Marvel's Spiderman - Marvel's Spiderman is, without a doubt, the best spiderman game of all time. What could have been an enjoyable, if slightly forgettable, Ubisoft facsimile actually elevates that mold. There are tons of collectibles, but Spiderman is such a sublimely playable experience that it washes away any residual cynicism. Spiderman has the very best movement of any game this generation. The absolute soaring freedom of swinging over the towering stacks of Harlem into the grit of Hell's Kitchen is transportive. In addition, you have a fantastic story with great setpieces and genuinely great combat. To that end, the combat in Spiderman is the very best of its Batman/Assassin's Creed contemporaries. Insomniac really scrapes the sky with their adoration of the spiderman franchise, and it just shines so fantastically throughout all the game's layers, even at its few boilerplate moments.
- Shadow of the Colossus - Shadow of the Colossus Remake is literally Shadow of the Colossus at its core, and yet, it feels new. For this particular game, this balance is critical. Fumito Ueda's games are so singular and salient, that changing much of anything might extinguish their spark. The visual overhaul is all the game needed. Given how much of the game is carried by its aesthetic, the audiovisual changes here feel like a reinterpretation of a painting. The colossi battles feel bigger and more overwhelming in their scope. The world elicits a similar feeling of isolation, but instead of minimalism, it's conveyed through contrasting absence with rich detail. It's an ambitious thing, recognizing why a game is special and intentionally working to preserve and retrofit it in the right ways. Bluepoint Games have outdone themselves here.
- Hollow Knight - Hollow Knight is one of the greatest Metroidvanias of all time. Exploring its gloomy overworld, its strong Allan Poe strands mixed into The Cure, is a reward in itself. The orienteering, the need to explore more, is insatiable. Hollow Knight's sense of mystery and atmosphere elevate it to a shockingly comprehensive debut game.
- Monster Boy And The Cursed Kingdom - One of the finest 2d platformers of 2018, if not the entire generation. Incredible visuals and great music ultimately take a backseat to game design that invokes the gold standard of another era. Its toolset and philosophy of pacing is simply incredible. Cursed Kingdom feels like a game you can trust which makes its puzzles and platforming consistently intuitive. Barring a final section that might ask a bit too much, Cursed Kingdom is a brilliantly executed platformer bursting with ideas.
- Monster Hunter World - Monster Hunter World never forgets why you're ultimately there. You are there to bludgeon big monsters, spin them into stronger weapons, and bludgeon bigger monsters. The biomes, pathways, and bestial hierarchies governing its giant environments are elaborate staging for the hunt. That pure feeling of exhilaration, tracking down the beast and confronting it, always remains. Like all good gameloops, the act of battling these giant beasts is just satisfying on an atomic level. Monster Hunter is an even bolder mission statement from Capcom, they are here to reclaim their legacy.
- Celeste - Celeste is a technically flawless platformer. Beyond its humble but charming visuals, Celeste features extraordinary 2d platforming design. The tightness of its room to room challenges are pixel perfect. Combine this pristine platforming with a contemporary, resonant story and you have one of the finest examples in the genre.
- Into The Breach - Part tactical strategy, part pinball puzzler, Into The Breach is a brilliant game about micro stakes. Every turn can make or break you and figuring out the best way to maximize an inherited situation is gripping. Into the Breach is a fundamentally different approach to tactical strategy that employs puzzle solving as much as tactical wargaming. Also, it's basically a Pacific Rim kaiju destruction simulator.
- Return Of The Obra Dinn - Truly an novel take on the puzzler. Obra Dinn is a brilliant detective grid that combines non-linear storytelling and a smart, succinct, ruleset. Very few flaws take away from a genuinely original game.
- Yakuza 6 - The end of the Kiryu saga was satisfyingly hammy and human. The Yakuza team has once again found an unorthodox nexus of crime drama, soap opera and shonen anime. Yakuza 6 once again creates a fascinating still life of Japan and the paradox of a mobster with an unbreakable moral center.
- Donut County - This pocket-sized, inverse Katamari is essentially fantastic style with just enough substance. Its simple but satisfying hole-collecting mechanic is enjoyable and tactile for DC's entire runtime. Bolstered tremendously by mostly strong writing and one of the best soundtracks of the year, Donut County is a breezy, zen experience that remains consistently delightful throughout.
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- Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu - A bit of nostalgia, a bit of charming visusls, the updated soundtrack; the game hit all the right notes and ended as one of my most played Pokémon games in years.
- Astro Bot Rescue Mission - The alleged Super Mario 64 moment...except it actually was! Felt like playing a Mario game, but inside the game,walking behind Mario.
- Marvel's Spider-Man - Superhero game in an open city. It may not do anything unique, but it does everything damn well. The traversal, the story, the action.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Everything and the kitchen sink! Everything that made Smash great over the years, together and polished even more.
- Call of Duty Black Ops IIII - Focusing on multiplayer only was the right move, as it was the most fun and fastest CoD game in years.
- Octopath Traveler - Classic look and score, fun if a bit grindy,
- Mega Man 11 - Glad to have Mega Man back, into what made him great.
- Nintendo Labo Variety Kit - Love doing handcrafts, so this was a no brainer. Had a great time with it...if only I had more space to store everything, I'd get the other kits.
- Spyro Reignited Trilogy - An amazingly well crafted remake of the originals.
- Super Mario Party - Such a blast with others, brought back so many great memories and feelings.If onky there were more boards.
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- Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Dragon Quest 11 is a masterpiece of game. The combat is one of the most fun that I ever had in a RPG, the characters and the party are amazing, the story is really interesting, the game is beautiful and the music is quite good overall. Not to even mention the beautiful artstyle, great Toriyama designs and the overworld that we have. Definitely my favorite Dragon Quest and also one of my favorite games of this generation and forever. I played over 150 hours on the game including post-game and had great time on it
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - I was unsure if Smash or DQ would be my game of the year since those were definitely my favorite games on the year but I chose it on it's place since Smash will have more votes. And for a good reason. As many know, this is the Ultimate game on the franchise. It's bloated on content with every character, almost every stage, more than 800 music, beautiful graphics, pretty good modes overall and a great single player offer. I only played single player and no online in my 50 hours of playthrought and I couldn't be more satisfied. The new method of unlocking characters is also one of my favorite things which I love to do, much like the Adventure mode and the spirits which were introduced here and I really liked them. Overall, this game has so much care that it's impressive.
- The Messenger - Definitely one of the best indie games of the year, The Messenger is one of the most fun games that I ever played. The controls are really precise, the abilities are great, the music is great, the art is great, the characters are really charismatic and funny. Damn, I loved this game and I even made 100%.
- Hollow Knight - Also one of my darlings of this year, Hollow Knight is also one the most difficult games that I played. I'm not someone who plays games for difficult so for quite some time I was uncertain if I should buy it. Well, I bought it and loved the game. The artstyle is really beautiful, the controls are really precise, the progression is great. Overall a great game.
- Dragon Ball FighterZ - After the end of Budokai Tenkaichi 3 and Budokai 3, I always wanted a new dragon ball sequel to those. Many sequels came for Tenkaichi with 3D arena battles, with Xenoverse being it's successor which I didn't like it but I also wanted a sequel to Budokai, which I never had. Well, at least until 2018, even if very different. I'm not a big fan of fighting games except some here and there but beyond being a really fun game, it had many fanservice of the franchise and it was looking great as well.
- Kirby Star Allies -
- Mario Tennis Aces -
- Octopath Traveler -
- Dandara -
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- Octahedron - Another shining example of arcade perfection in a genre that deserves far more limelight. In an instant, it easy to see that every single detail of the game was meticulously crafted, from the evolving platforming mechanics, to the varied level designs, to the entire audiovisual presentation.
- GRIS - I finished this one just in the nick of time on New Year's Eve, and it was all I could have hoped for. From the moment I found it a few years back, I had the feeling it could shape up to be something special, so I pretty much avoided everything I could until release. You don't see this level of artistry very often in games. It looks and sounds incredible, and while the gameplay was short and sweet, it was engaging throughout.
- Shape of the World - I was hyped for Shape of the World, so when it came to Kickstarter, I instantly threw my money at it. It got panned by many of the critics because they wanted it to be something it wasn't, but if you love the idea of a creative, vivid, abstract, mellow, concise first person exploration game, the few hours you spend with it just may be sublime.
- FAR: Lone Sails - This is another concise experience that relies heavily on its art and atmosphere. The sidescrolling puzzler has some breathtakingly beautiful moments, and excellently conveys the scale of the journey that the player witnesses.
- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission - I was a huge VR skeptic. I tried PSVR at launch when a friend bought it and thought Thumper was amazing in VR, but I still had my doubts about the platform. After picking one up for myself for Christmas and spending some time with Astro Bot, I'm now a believer. It takes the 30 year old platforming genre and does something completely new with it. It just wouldn't be the same as a 2 dimensional game. I can't wait to spend some time with Moss next.
- Moss - Moss just assured me that the VR isn't a one hit wonder. The character of Quill is even more charming and endearing in 3 dimensional space. It felt like I was on a journey with my very own pet mouse. Albeit a short adventure, it was fantastic throughout.
- Guacamelee! 2 - More of the same, but s few cool new things like Pollo Power. The art style and music are still top notch, and its chocked full of jokes and references. Yet with a lot of similarities to the original, and a less interesting cast of villians, I didn't leave as floored this time.
- Yoku's Island Express - A truly unique merge of pinball and metroidvania. Despite a few minor flaws, the world and its characters were charming and whimsical throughout.
- Membrane - A sidescrolling platformer to satisfy the lego-building, engineers of the world. Creating your own platforms in a game - like here or in Trine or Octahedron - is always satisfying. Levels progress nicely and collecting everything is a worthy challenge that often requires quite a bit of ingenuity. The quirky story and psychedelic presentation were enjoyable as well.
- Hollow Knight - I originally picked it up on PC but it didn't play very well so I awaited the release on PS4. (Coincidentally I bought a Switch around the same time the PS4 version finally released.) The large metroidvania world, and the visual style of everything made exploration enjoyable, but the difficulty was slightly offputting due to the roguelike, Dark Souls-like influences. Because of that frustration, I gave up on platinuming it.
Honorable Mentions:
Wired - This was a shockingly surprising, completely free puzzle game that I found thanks to Indie-Era. It was actually created as a teaching tool for Ohm's Law and electrical circuits, and it found clever ways to convey how voltage, current, and resistance are related. As a guy who had to learn that stuff when installing my own car audio system, I really enjoyed it. The story and cinematics also take you on a journey, that despite some brillant foreshadowing, I didn't expect.
God of War - For everything God of War did right, there was something else that I missed. The world, lore, tone, varied environments, and Valkyrie fights were great, but, just as I feared from the moment it was revealed, many of the features of the old hack-and-slash formula were absent. Scale wasn't as grand. Boss fights weren't anywhere near as memorable. And I still prefer the combo-chaining nature of the combat of the Chains. Due to massive budgets, AAA games these days have got too big to fail. In doing so most of them just feel less inspired, unique, and creative than their indie counterparts. Outside of wanting to see how the Norse world ties into the Greek world - and hopefully the Egyptian world - I'm not exactly clamoring for the inevitable sequel.
Donut County
Tough Growth
PLANET ALPHA
Unravel Two
Aegis Defenders
Wandersong
Notable Games that are in my backlog:
Just Shapes & Beats
The Gardens Between
Pool Panic
Below
Celeste
Dead Cells
Tetris Effect
Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze
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Here's my abbeviated list.
Did not play but want to: Detroit, Guacamelee! 2, Dead Cells
Disappointments: Ni No Kuni 2, Mario Tennis Aces, Pokemon Let's Go
Was a bit of a weird year for me, I typically play 20-30 new games but I found myself playing a lot of online multiplayer of older games like Diablo 3, Splatoon 2, Rocket League, The Division, Destiny, Alienation, etc. Just the nature of the beast, had a lot going on in my life this year and could only fit in a few new games.
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- Red Dead Redemption 2 - Great score, story, and world building. Really got lost in the game and didn't want to stop playing.
- God of War - really fun combat, spectacle, and exploration held back by a clunky RPG system
- Into the Breach - absolutely brilliant strategy game that makes you feel like a total genius
- Hollow Knight - great metroidvania that too a while to sink it's teeth into for me but really grabbed hold and didn't let go. I'm usually not a fan of combat oriented metroidvania games but I do have to put it on the same tier as Guacamelee! in that category
- Spider-man - Had a hard time placing this one on my list. Fantastic story and game-play but maybe not as groundbreaking as God of War and RDR2. I can't help but compare it to the traversal mechanics in the Infamous games which I think still edge out Spider-Man. Story-wise was much better but nothing ground-breaking in video games. Such a great game overall but held back by the common complaints of stealth sections, mundane puzzle mechanics, etc.
- Destiny 2: Forsaken - always a sucker for more Destiny although my enthusiasm has waned for it and I did not attempt the raid. I really loved the new Gambit mode.
- Fortnite - somewhere around February/March the game passed me by and I could no longer be competitive, I enjoyed my time with it but I can't even boot it up anymore without becoming frustrated by my lack of skill, but I can't ignore the fun we had when we were still competitive before it became too popular
Did not play but want to: Detroit, Guacamelee! 2, Dead Cells
Disappointments: Ni No Kuni 2, Mario Tennis Aces, Pokemon Let's Go
Was a bit of a weird year for me, I typically play 20-30 new games but I found myself playing a lot of online multiplayer of older games like Diablo 3, Splatoon 2, Rocket League, The Division, Destiny, Alienation, etc. Just the nature of the beast, had a lot going on in my life this year and could only fit in a few new games.
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- Astro Bot: Rescue Mission - Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I will be playing a game that makes me feel like I am a kid again. From its brilliant level design, the sheer creativity, the beautiful visual design to its wonderful soundtrack, the pitch perfect pacing and phenomenal boss battles, if ever there was a word to describe Astrobot in one word it would be Magic. Pure Magic
- God of War - An action adventure game to remember. The game actually made me give a shit about Kratos without sacrificing the primal feedback loop of the old games. Ripping shit up feels as good as ever but the only difference now is that it is wrapped around an emotional core that grounds the game. The combat system is one of the best combat systems in a third person game period. There is nothing combat wise I have played this gen that feels more impactful then Kratos catching the axe mid -air and slamming it to the ground or performing the Executioner's Cleave. The Leviathan Axe is one of gaming's greatest weapons.
- Marvel's Spider-Man - The game is a joy to play. The game probably has the best traversal in an open world ever. Pitch perfect 'Game Feel'. One of the rare games where I did not bother using Fast Travel nor did I want Fast Travel.
- Shadow of the Colossus - One of the greatest games ever made gets one of the greatest remakes of all time. Fumito Ueda is a freaking genius and if ever I get chance to meet a gaming director it would be him. Hands down my favorite gaming director of all time. The only reason why I have kept this lower on this list is because in the end it is still just a remake. I have played this game many times before
- Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - One of the best 2D platformers ever made. What is there not to like?
More to follow
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- Octopath Traveler - surely a game with flaws, but one that I think makes up for them with great settings, music and characters. The mechanics in this game are something I really respect as an ambitious game, the non linear design I hope is built up in future games. There are so many great ideas within this game, if they just iron it out a bit I think there is a real contender for a genre defining game.
- Monster Hunter: World - My surprise hit of the year, was never really into Monster Hunter, but I really got into this one, probably cause of the improvements to the QoL features. I had a lot of fun playing with friends and the game has a ton of personality. The only reason I dont think this would be my goty is I found it not as fun to play by myself, it was fine just not something I would set out to do. Otherwise, it was a fantastic experience.
- Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight - The followup to the greatest game ever, P5 DSN gives you more persona, but with dancing. The gameplay and the music is great, the social links are a great addition to the series. I actually liked the writing for the most part. Nobody else will vote for it, I will champion it though.
- Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight - The exact same thing as P5 DSN, but now with P3, the 2nd goat.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Probably the best Smash ever, there is so much content here and most of it is fantastic. There are a couple of issues here and there like the online that will cause you to punch your switch out of frustration, so buy a screen protector. It has great characters, amazing modes that you cant play online, a crazy amount of stages that isnt pokefloats, and tons of music. Also Joker is coming in 2019, so its going to get even better.
- Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country - I feel really bad I didnt vote for XC2 last year since I didnt try it out, but Torna is a great expansion to the game. It feels like a substantial addition to give context to the events of XC2. Amazing game, amazing expansion, the story and characters are fantastic, the game shouldnt be passed up.
- Yakuza 6: The Song of Life - Yakuza 6 brings all the craziness of the series down to the conclusion of Kiryu's story. Im not quite done with this one so im not ranking it higher, but it is an amazing series that Im sad I hadnt gotten into sooner.
- Red Dead Redemption 2 - The one thing I will say about RDR2 is that its probably the most ambitious game ever, there are so many ideas, but its held back by those ideas not working well together. Its a technically amazing game, but one that im kind of over already. It deserves a mention none the less.
- Spider-Man - An amazing sense of scale and brings a new type of quality for games from other media. Spiderman is up there with arkham and really has some of the best movement mechanics is video games. You really feel like youre spiderman.
- BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle - Persona and RWBY, it lacks in areas, but its a fun time when your opponent isnt just spamming a cheap move.
- God of War - Havent played a second of this even though I own it, thought it deserved a mention even if its getting 0 points.
- Soulcalibur VI - Super fun creation system and the combat feels like a good sc game. I dont know if it will ever catch the spark that 2 and 4 had on me, but it deserves some praise none the less.
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- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - There is not a single game I have more fun playing than Smash, and Ultimate is the greatest the franchise has to offer. I think it's easy, as people tuned into the gaming industry, to get caught up in ambition and spectacle. We can walk away from an event like E3 2018 impressed with a lot of games, but overlook Smash because its core gameplay is familiar to us. Super Smash Bros. is a known quantity, sure, but there's a reason there isn't any other game like it. Compliments to the roster size and options have saturated forums and reviews, so what I want to focus on, and get across to anybody reading this, is the sheer polish to the core gameplay. You could take out a lot of what Ultimate offers, and it would still be amazing. The gameplay is that good.
Smash Bros. has a camera further away from the fighters than nearly any other fighting game, but that doesn't stop every fighter and every move those fighters are equipped with from being clear and FEELING good. There are few mechanics not perfectly clear after demonstration and, even so, the game has unimaginable depth. You can learn Smash by watching because its design is good enough to communicate every idea it necessary to its players and audiences. That camera I mentioned earlier, it accounts for an enhanced distance between fighters, combine that with a focus on movement options and Smash encourages creativity. When I play Smash, I don't feel like I need to know all the perfect strings and special inputs, I easily step into the shoes of a character and do what I want to with them. It's wild. It accomplishes this feeling better than most games in any genre, for me.
Ultimate is my #1 this year. Pile on a 74 character roster, endless stages and music, and a cute side mode in WoL/Spirits designed to evoke memories of other games (it's essentially over 1000 inside jokes) and I don't think anybody can deny that this is a masterpiece.
- God of War - Sometimes you can really tell when a creator has a passion and executes on their vision for a product. I don't feel like there is any filler in God of War. The game does more than respect my time, it cherishes it. I am just as enthralled with God of War when I'm sidling through a crevice in a cave as I am in the midst of combat. I care about what the characters have to say because I care about them, not simply the information they hold. There's an artist's touch here. It's obvious, but hard to pin down every single way it touched and affected my journey-- I was just IN it.
A lesson learned in the game is something along the lines of the mindset one must possess to be a God. There's a kind of confidence there and it's present in the gameplay. Being Kratos isn't just about being strong. It's about being strong-willed and decisive. I found that the games challenges were not as dexterous as they were methodical. I needed a plan and, once I understood my enemy, I would triumph.
All that said, there is an inherent joy in the world and systems that Sony Santa Monica created. It's visually interesting, varied, and the simple act of throwing Kratos' axe and watching it fly back is as fun as it is useful. This is a game full of intention without any pretension. God of War represents the future of cinematic video games and I cannot wait to see more.
- Marvel's Spider-Man - It's funny, I'm not in love with the web-swinging in this game. For my tastes it's too hard to fail, too directed, and just plain easy. I don't feel like I have room to be creative and the game would rather I just "figure it out" for the best result, and I did pretty quickly. As far as my critiques of this game go...That might be it?
So, what did I love in this game? Okay, first you've got Yuri Lowenthal getting in there and voicing Peter Parker and THWIP wouldn't you know it, it's not weird for even a second! Second, you've got this relationship-plot going on in the background between Peter and MJ the entire game and BLAMMO I'm feeling it. There's so much power in what is unsaid between the two and I feel for the maybe-love-maybe-not situation. There's one particular scene mostly done through texts that I think is genius. Third, that's the combat. Insomniac went above and beyond and said "hey, you can do everything a Spider can and WAY MORE HERE ARE SOME GADGETS ARE THEY REAL IDK HAVE FUN!!" Fourth, the city. God damn. Do they need to change a thing? If THIS is what they have to build off of going forward then it's hard to even imagine what will come next.
I love this game, I love Spider-Man, I don't even care that I didn't like the swinging.
- Celeste - Celeste did this beautiful thing and merged the structure and style of their game with the player's experience playing it. The game talks to you and expects you to open up and talk back. It's special, it wears its heart on it's sleeve, beneath which is an amazingly fun platform game. Celeste is an easy game to recommend, hell, I'm ready to write essays on it. I don't know if this will be true for any other game on this list, but I can easily say that Celeste is a game everyone should play.
Rather than ramble on about its emotional resonance I'm just going to say this: play it. Experience it. You won't regret it.
- Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! - I like Pokemon, and I loved this game. Let's Go is funny because, more than any other Pokemon game, it lets you just do whatever it is you want to do. Want to catch Pokemon? Okay, there they are! Want to ONLY CATCH Psyducks, go for it! Want to run around all of them and just battle trainers, sure, that's totally fine. It's the most directed Pokemon game to date and, and this is why I say it's funny, people aren't seeing the forest through the trees. I don't miss wild battles, I can do nearly the exact same thing elsewhere whenever I want to. I don't miss the excluded Pokemon because I know they're coming and, thanks to the Gen 1 restriction, a large group of my friends were more than happy to jump in. I don't even miss the online functionality of past games because, if I want to trade or battle, I'm supposed to actually TALK to another human being.
Pokemon Let's Go is a perfect, updated remake of Yellow because it's trying to achieve the same goals that game did. It's welcoming new players with open arms and supplying them with the means to go on the Pokemon adventure that they want to go on. For me, this is the definitive version of Kanto.
Plus, did you see the way you can ride Snorlax!?
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