While I think 2018 has been a bit of a slowdown so far from just how fantastic 2017 was right out the gates, there have still been a few great games out that I think will go on to rank as some of my favorite experiences on their respective systems, and really, maybe even of the generation.
With the first half of 2018 now wrapped up, I figured it was time to take stock of what everyone's favorite games so far are. Make sure to specify what your reasons for your choices are.
As for me, here's my list; please note that this is not in any order.
God of War (PS4)
Cory Barlog led Sony Santa Monica to give Kratos and God of War the reinvention of a lifetime. God of War swaps out the Greek trappings of the series for Norse, switches up the camera angle, and gives Kratos a beard and a son; more that that, however, it completely rethinks what God of War is supposed to be, restructuring the game as an action RPG, rejigging the combat to be slower, more methodical, but no less brutal, and putting Kratos in a full world for him to explore at his leisure. It manages to nail such an incredible amount of things right the first time that it's actually astonishing. I have my fair share of problems with the game- I dislike the camera angle, the boss variety is truly lacking, enemy variety starts to sag in the second half of the game, and its pacing is hugely inconsistent. And yet in spite of all this, God of War, to me, feels like a monumental achievement, and definitely one of the best games Sony has put out this generation- which is really saying something.
Monster Hunter World (PS4)
I was hoping against hope that Monster Hunter World would be great, but even I couldn't have imagined the extent to which it would exceed my wildest expectations from the game and the series. Taking the Monster Hunter formula, trimming down the unnecessary fluff, retaining all the depth and nuance the series is so beloved for, and finally reinventing Monster Hunter for the HD generation, Monster Hunter World is a glorious achievement that kept me glued to my PS4 for months and months and months on end. Hundreds of hours into the game, I still have no complaints from it- I legitimately think it is as close to perfect as a game gets. Really, my only complaint from it right now is that there wasn't more of it- that's how you know Capcom got this right.
Hollow Knight (Switch)
I've actually just started this yesterday, so it's way too early to tell where on my list it will land (which is also one of the reasons I have so far refrained from ranking this list)- but god damn is this game sublime. Everything, from the art style, to the atmosphere, to the storytelling, to the tight level design, to the precise control, to how finely tuned the combat is, everything in this game is absolutely perfect. I'm very early in, and it's already bowled me over, even before I've had a chance to see it truly pull no punches- I can only hope the rest of this gem will be every bit as captivating as the early hours have been. If it is, then this may end up becoming my favorite game of the year.
Detective Pikachu (3DS)
I... actually really like this game. Unironically so. It's charming and sweet, and really wittily written, with some surprisingly adult humor thrown in there. I love the characters, I like how the central plot unfolds, though it's a bit predictable, and the voice acting is top notch. It's a great effort, and I'm a bit bummed more people haven't had a chance to play this, because of Nintendo's unending wisdom in launching a new 3DS game in 2018. I do hope it gets a Switch port eventually- while I have a fair few issues with it (it's way too easy, which makes it very short, and some of the cases feel like just fluff), I think it's a title that most people will find themselves pleasantly surprised at just how much they enjoy it.
With the first half of 2018 now wrapped up, I figured it was time to take stock of what everyone's favorite games so far are. Make sure to specify what your reasons for your choices are.
As for me, here's my list; please note that this is not in any order.
God of War (PS4)
Cory Barlog led Sony Santa Monica to give Kratos and God of War the reinvention of a lifetime. God of War swaps out the Greek trappings of the series for Norse, switches up the camera angle, and gives Kratos a beard and a son; more that that, however, it completely rethinks what God of War is supposed to be, restructuring the game as an action RPG, rejigging the combat to be slower, more methodical, but no less brutal, and putting Kratos in a full world for him to explore at his leisure. It manages to nail such an incredible amount of things right the first time that it's actually astonishing. I have my fair share of problems with the game- I dislike the camera angle, the boss variety is truly lacking, enemy variety starts to sag in the second half of the game, and its pacing is hugely inconsistent. And yet in spite of all this, God of War, to me, feels like a monumental achievement, and definitely one of the best games Sony has put out this generation- which is really saying something.
Monster Hunter World (PS4)
I was hoping against hope that Monster Hunter World would be great, but even I couldn't have imagined the extent to which it would exceed my wildest expectations from the game and the series. Taking the Monster Hunter formula, trimming down the unnecessary fluff, retaining all the depth and nuance the series is so beloved for, and finally reinventing Monster Hunter for the HD generation, Monster Hunter World is a glorious achievement that kept me glued to my PS4 for months and months and months on end. Hundreds of hours into the game, I still have no complaints from it- I legitimately think it is as close to perfect as a game gets. Really, my only complaint from it right now is that there wasn't more of it- that's how you know Capcom got this right.
Hollow Knight (Switch)
I've actually just started this yesterday, so it's way too early to tell where on my list it will land (which is also one of the reasons I have so far refrained from ranking this list)- but god damn is this game sublime. Everything, from the art style, to the atmosphere, to the storytelling, to the tight level design, to the precise control, to how finely tuned the combat is, everything in this game is absolutely perfect. I'm very early in, and it's already bowled me over, even before I've had a chance to see it truly pull no punches- I can only hope the rest of this gem will be every bit as captivating as the early hours have been. If it is, then this may end up becoming my favorite game of the year.
Detective Pikachu (3DS)
I... actually really like this game. Unironically so. It's charming and sweet, and really wittily written, with some surprisingly adult humor thrown in there. I love the characters, I like how the central plot unfolds, though it's a bit predictable, and the voice acting is top notch. It's a great effort, and I'm a bit bummed more people haven't had a chance to play this, because of Nintendo's unending wisdom in launching a new 3DS game in 2018. I do hope it gets a Switch port eventually- while I have a fair few issues with it (it's way too easy, which makes it very short, and some of the cases feel like just fluff), I think it's a title that most people will find themselves pleasantly surprised at just how much they enjoy it.
