As 2018 comes to a close, we look at all the great games of the year that left a lasting impression on us. Below is my personal top ten list of the best games of 2018:
- Northgard
Northgard is a PC game that went under everyone’s radar this past year. It offers a great Viking RTS experience that reminds of classic titles from the same genre. It offers a solo story mode, single-player skirmishes, and online competitive play. You must battle through enemies, food shortages, and even surviving the brisk winter weather. There are many elements to enjoy within Northgard and mastering it online will present many challenges.
- Detroit: Become Human
When gamers think of branching story lines and how your decisions impact the plot, the first title that comes to mind is Detroit: Become Human. It is a visually stunning experience where character development plays an integral role throughout as the choices you make define their actions and will determine if they survive until the very end.
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is the result of a successful Kickstarter campaign that attracted much attention from its initial announcement until today. They content to release content to expand upon the already near-perfect medieval experience. It prides itself in offering a realistic first-person experience where every combat engagement needs to be well thought out to ensure your survival. You can easily get lost in the Kingdom of Bohemia as you take part in the many quests that the game has to offer.
- The Forest
The Forest only recently arrived on PS4 while having a successful response on PC. It offers a survival experience that resembles the movie The Descent. Your plane crashes on a remote island where you, and your friends if playing multiplayer, will have to cut down trees, find a source of fresh water, and build weapons, to survive. You will quickly uncover that you are not alone on the island as cannibal creatures dwell within caves that need to be explored in order to recover items that will greatly aid you as you progress. The Forest is a great multiplayer game to enjoy with your friends.
- Astro Bot Rescue Mission
Astro Bot Rescue Mission was not only the best VR experience in 2018, but it offers up the best VR experience I have enjoyed to date. It is the definition of VR enjoyment and Japan Studio perfectly executed innovative gameplay mechanics to deliver countless memorable moments from beginning to end. It was difficult to put the PS VR headset down at times as you wanted to continue exploring and rescuing the lost astro bots scattered across the five worlds.
- GRIS
GRIS has only been out for a short period of time, but it is already receiving well-deserved praise for its 2D platforming adventure that is stunning through its visual art style and the peaceful soundtrack. GRIS will also take you on an emotional journey as she looks to restore order within her world. The initial blank canvas is slowly brought back to life as you discover colours that alter the world and visual presentation. Although it is short, it leaves a lasting impression.
- Marvel’s Spider-Man
Marvel’s Spider-Man is the best Spidey game to date as it offers enjoyable combat, a large open-world to explore, and a cast and story that rivals all the Spider-Man theatrical releases. Quite simply, it is beyond enjoyable and continues to keep us entertain as new content is delivered. When simple environment traversal through web-slinging is entertaining, you know you have created a game of the year contender.
- Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 falls within my top 3 favourite games of the year and each individual one is a game of the year in its own regard. Here we see another masterpiece being crafted by Rockstar Games where players will spend countless hours exploring the world while engaging in the story line of Arthur Morgan. It presents a cinematic open world experience that delivers a countless memorable moments while being an outlaw.
- God of War
God of War altered the previous hack-n-slash gameplay of previous installments to a much more sophisticated adventure. The introduction of a new and more mature God of War experience resulted in the bond of father and son that is prevalent from the introduction of the game until the very end. This is a must-play title for PS4 as it offers an action-packed emotional journey that is better received than most films.
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Having studied Classical Civilizations at the University of Toronto, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey has been the game I have been waiting for all my life. It perfectly encapsulates you within ancient Greece and the many toils that occurred throughout the turbulent years of the Peloponnesian War. Odyssey truly is a game that offers a lasting experience as there are countless activities to enjoy throughout your 100+ hour adventure.
