2019 is here, but 2018 had some great moments in popular culture. Avengers: Infinity War was released, Fortnite became a phenomenon, Brooklyn Nine-Nine was canceled but was resurrected because of such of an outpouring of fan support, and so many more great things.
In the year of games, it is arguably one of the best years in video games some say. We had the best Spider-Man game made, we had the best story-driven game that some say, we had one of the best platformers that tells a vital and much needed story, and VR got a huge boost with so many great games. However, we all have our own ten favorite games that define the year, and here are mine.
1) God of War
God of War is absolutely the best game I’ve played last year. God of War was always a series I was entertained by, but it was never truly memorable in my mind as the years went on. Sure, some parts of the original games are great, but nothing is ever truly memorable about the overall character of Kratos except his beginnings as a character. In God of War 2018 though, the story is truly excellent, the gameplay is excellent, the leveling and gear system is my favorite in awhile from games. The dynamic between Kratos and Atreus is amazing and is so heart tugging throughout the entire story arc. The environments are the best I’ve seen of the Playstation 4 era. There is so much color variation that makes the environments truly pop and outstanding to look at. It truly revolutionizes cinematics as well in video games with the one-shot take throughout the entire game. That fact is truly something to marvel at with a look at the future of video games. This game also revolutionizes a series that was thought to be bland and would never return, but returned as one of the best story-driven games ever, and I am so ready for the sequel, or whatever is next from this team.
2) Spider-Man
Spider-Man by Insomniac is a testament to how great Insomniac has been over their history. They released Spyro the Dragon trilogy on the Playstation 1, which was one of the best games on the Playstation 1. Ratchet & Clank is a mainstay for Playstation since its inception, that Insomniac continues to return to. However, Spider-Man has set the tone for the future of Insomniac. The gameplay is as fluid as Spider-Man should feel and plays just like how your dreams of a perfect Spider-Man game is, and how many people felt like Spider-Man 2 was. Peter Parker is probably best integrated into Spider-Man's’ hardships I have seen. New York feels like New York. New York is ever changing making it its own character. The story is exceptionally well done for Insomniac’s first go into the Spider-Man universe. The surprises are shockingly well placed into the future of the franchise, and impacts all of the character’s morals. The characters are all well thought out into how they all fit into this world and what would their own story arcs be. Miles Morales is a great incarnation of him as his first video game appearance. Mary Jane Watson is a good addition to the gameplay itself when you play as her. Those moments do not feel they break the pace of the story for myself. They do feel like they however do crack the pace of the story. Not a huge deal, but playing as her is a good change of usual pace for a Spider-Man game. The villains are all layered and you understand their intentions. The rise and falls of characters are wonderfully executed and might be some of the best pieces of villainy storytelling I’ve seen in awhile. Spider-Man 2 by Insomniac is going to be one of my most anticipated games during the year of release.
3) Celeste
Going into 2018, I heard about Celeste, but did not think much of it when I saw it. However, when the reviews started to come in and say it will probably be one of the best Indie games of the year and also tells an impactful story, I had to play it. I loved the platforming of it. The music was truly memorable and still an album I love to listen to. However, the overall message of the game is incredible and easily my favorite game I played on the Switch this year. The message is all about getting over fears, depression, anxiety, and accepting all of these aspects of yourself to make you a better person, no matter how hard it is, through climbing a mountain. This message resonates with me so heavily, and the characters are so memorable too. Madeline is dealing with her depression and her own self doubt and anxiety, but is always willing to continue to climb up the mountain to prove herself. Celeste’s puzzles are challenging, and you will die many times. The game encourages this. “Be proud of your death count. You are learning.” Overall, I died almost 1400 times. So I learned a bit too much in my opinion. However, Celeste is one of my favorite 2D platformers I’ve played in my life.
4) Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu
When Pokemon Let’s Go was announced, I was very excited to have a Pokemon game on the Switch, but was curious how the Pokemon Go aspect was going to be integrated. Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow, were some of the first games I ever played, so there was a tad bit of skepticism in me. However, I loved every second of playing this game. The catching aspect from Pokemon Go is perfectly utilized and makes wild Pokemon battles not missed for a second. Because of this new mechanic, I wanted to catch more Pokemon I never bothered to catch before and actively put them in my regular rotation like Mr. Mime, or a Machoke. The absence of wild Pokemon battles are now balanced out by having a lot more trainers. Sometimes though, this could be a detriment to the game’s pacing battling over ten straight trainers to get to a new area. The game now features more of a cinematic aspect with short cutscenes that make the games feel a lot more personality driven which I heavily adored. 2019 is bringing us the next true mainline Pokemon game for the Nintendo Switch, and after this game, I am mentally ready already.
5) The Messenger
The Messenger is a Ninja Gaiden-esque game that has a tremendous sense of personality and humor. It has some of my favorite music of the year, and also has some of the best 2D level design I have seen this year. The bosses are challenging, yet exceptionally rewarding when you get past them. Each boss has its own unique challenge and all their designs are something to truly marvel at, especially towards the end. The switch between 8-bit and 16-bit, which comes later in the game, is a great twist to solving puzzles throughout each level that you return to. The levels are beautifully designed, art wise. They don’t feel generic compared to similar games. As the game progresses, you feel each new challenge you can accomplish with a normal amount of difficulty, and rewarding each time you go across a difficult area. The Messenger has been one of my favorite games in the Ninja Gaiden-esque genre I’ve played.
6) Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Spyro was one of the greatest series in my youthful childhood eyes. I loved Spyro’s personality later in the series, and loved the environments of the trilogy in general they created. Even with Playstation 1 graphics. When the Reignited Trilogy was rumored, and later announced, I was too excited to my heart’s content. The overall game is beautiful. The developers, Toys for Bob, really excelled in how much love they brought into all of these games. The platforming holds up decently compared to the onslaught of platforming games that have come out recently. The animations given to Spyro and Sparx are all beautiful and gives them a lot more personality other than just talking. If Toys For Bob make a new Spyro game, I would be ready to see what they can do with this franchise after playing all three of these games that show their love for this franchise.
7) Hyper Light Drifter
Hyper Light Drifter came out to the Switch this year after being released on multiple platforms earlier, but that does not mean I played it during those times. So it is on the list! However, Hyper Light Drifter is truly a gorgeous isometric independent game. Environments are carefully constructed to embrace exploration and it rewards you for this by giving you extra currency for gadgets and extra health packets. The gameplay was fluid and intense making you think of aspects of your strategy of conquering each room, or different enemies. The bosses are diverse and beautifully designed to fit into this post-apocalyptic world the developers created. They can be one boss coming at your with such fury writhing in their sword making you attack with quickness and awareness, while the other is shooting arrows from afar and making you play close when the chance comes, but mostly far away.
8) Mario Tennis Aces
Mario Tennis Aces was my first online game I got heavily invested in. I played a lot of Mario Power Tennis on the Gamecube. So when Aces was announced for the Switch I was hopeful for a good game unlike the last Mario Tennis game on the Wii U. Nintendo delivered on that, and has continued to support the game with brand new characters to experiment with. Aces was the perfect balance of competition and fun. I went through so many online tournaments and learned each time what I was succeeding in and what I was not, to improve on in the next game. The new mechanics; zone speed and zone shots are interesting additions that make the game more of a strategy game between the opponent, even if tennis is already a technical game where you need to know where to place your shots. Aces makes you be competent with multiple characters instead of just one, to truly understand all of the different character types when facing against them. Tricky characters like Boo and Rosalina can curve their shots with greatness, while characters like Bowser and the all-mighty Chain Chomp can launch the ball like a rocket. Another new addition to the game is having multiple rackets in one match, meaning if you are hit with a Zone Shot and do not counter correctly, you will lose a health bar on your racket, or even entirely missing a character’s special shot will eliminate one of your rackets. This game will be put into my rotation for years to come most likely.
9) Beat Saber
VR and I have had a rough relationship over the past year and a half. I do not actively want to play Playstation VR due to the fact of the amount of setup you have to do. Also, a lot of the games were not very awesome, until this year. One of the games I am talking about is Beat Saber, which is a music rhythm game. I found out about Beat Saber through Facebook back in the beginning of the year and was instantly in need of it. However, it was never out on Playstation VR, until November. When I received it as a gift, I was in love as I knew I would. Beat Saber’s rhythm mechanics are so beautifully utilized. You swipe each cube as it comes to you, and it is so immersive. It is very easy to learn and so fun. All the songs included are upbeat and very catchy since you play them a lot. The controllers are lightsabers essentially and that makes this game so much better when you interlock them before, or after, the songs. I am excited to repeatedly play Beat Saber from time to time over 2019 to experience how fun this is to show friends and family.
10) Moss
Moss, by Polyarc, is a truly delightful VR game. It resembles a story book you would read as a child and it truly wears that aesthetic excellently. The main character, Quill, is a true delightful character with so much cheerfulness and has a great emotional arc towards the entire game. The story overall is rather basic, but does hit on some heart strings at times. The environments are great to look at just when you want to take a short breather. The gameplay is easy to wrap your head around. There are puzzles that are easy to traverse through and are not going to exert your brain, or give you any frustration of sort. If you are stuck, it will be only for a short time, since you will probably have a eureka moment The VR elements are pretty unique and clever for how they have evolved since VR’s inception. You control Quill with your controller, while you move objects around also with the controller. If you are stuck on a puzzle, it might be because you are just sitting down and not seeing the entire area. So standing up is sometimes vital to get a good view of certain things which was a surprising and great element. VR is a crazy technology that has definitely been on the rise in 2018, and should have a bright future with games like Moss and Beat Saber.
2018 was one of the best years for games I have experiences as a fan of games. They had some of the most heart-wrenching moments I’ve experienced in my life. The moments in Celeste, Spider-Man, and God of War, and all of the other games on the list will all stick with me for a very long time. I am truly excited for the future of games after all of these have paved the way for excellence in the industry as a whole.
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