Top 10 Games I Played In 2018
Christ, this really was a year, huh? I didn’t get as much done as I wanted to in 2018. That includes getting through my backlog and staying up-to-date with the latest releases. But what’s new? And honestly, I’m fine with taking things at my own pace. I’ve been slowly encouraging myself to check fiction out as it naturally crosses my radar and piques my interest, rather than letting myself be dictated by release date schedules. That being said, I’m pretty sure everything on this list is actually from 2018, in contrast to every other Games I Played This Year list I’ve ever made before. So fuck me, I guess.
Whatever let’s just get on with it I’m not fooling anyone
The List
#10 – Firewall: Zero Hour
Virtual reality is still pretty neat, but I can’t deny that it’s been a struggle for me to find the motivation to play it. The mess of wires and the box that you need to set up with the damn thing just doesn’t fit anywhere nice on my TV stand and I feel like the worst kind of slob having that out on my floor all the time, especially when I already have a web of converters, splitters and capture cards lying around too.
But God, Firewall was so worth it. I haven’t been able to keep up with the modern first-person shooter community in terms of skill ever since I graduated from high school and I lost interest in putting in the time. Firewall is the great equalizer. This isn’t Call of Duty, this is paintball. This is Airsoft. Memories of all those military-themed Nerf wars I participated in as a little kid came flooding back.
If I had to talk about Firewall from a ~critical perspective~ I would have to admit that underneath the virtual reality immersion and plastic-gun control scheme, Firewall is a fairly-safe take on the round-based tactical FPS. But I think it’s to the game’s credit that the familiar mechanics and glacially-paced progression system are all easily forgiven after you spend a few rounds having a blast online. And I have to say, even though sometimes you run into real weirdos, the community tends to be pretty pleasant for this type of game.
#9 – Minit
Minit is adorable. Heavily inspired my Link’s Awakening, one of my favorite video games ever, Minit is the little shot of classic Zelda I needed after Breath of the Wild. Of course, there’s enough going on to differentiate it from its inspiration. Our bizarre-yet-lovable duck hero picks up a cursed sword that traps him in a loop of sorts – after 60 seconds, he dies and reawakens at his house. What follows is the longest item return of all time.
Well, it’s not too long. And that’s mostly a strength. You can easily beat Minit in a sitting or two. The world and its puzzles are all built to take advantage of the game’s 60-second timer. The designers manage to explore several different takes on time-based puzzles and challenges and close the curtain on the story before it overstays its welcome. Now that I’m working 40 hours a week consistently I really wish more games I was interested in did the same.
Minit also has a bit of a soft spot in my heart because it was the first game this year that I felt compelled to make a proper video review of. I worked through a lot of silly insecurities I had about myself as a video creator by making it, and I sincerely do believe that my enthusiasm for this game helped me get over some of that anxiety. It’s great. Pick it up.
#8 – SoulCalibur VI
i’m not apologizing for the image i used
SoulCalibur II and III were staples of my group of high school friends’ game nights. None of us liked IV, and while I liked V for its gameplay nobody else really cared by that point. We’re still trying to get everyone together to play VI in-person, but in the meantime I’ve really loved what I’ve played of this game with online friends and against randoms. Create-a-Soul is always a joy, too. Also, 2B is there.
I can’t shake the feeling this game would be a lot higher on this list if I had been able to put more time into it. This version of Nightmare (my SoulCal husband, only slightly beating out Zasalamel and Lizardman) is by far my favorite incarnation of the character. The added touch of corrupted-Siegfried being underneath the armor made me smile, too. Hell, everything about this game feels great and made by people who really love what came before. Even the new Rock-Paper-Scissors mechanic won me over despite my initial skepticism. This is a step in the right direction for the series. I hope there’s a bright future ahead for it.
#7 – Deltarune
I liked Undertale, but felt that there was a massive discrepancy in writing quality between the more-traditional drama (which I adored) and the edgier horror elements (which made me roll my eyes). Deltarune favors the former and mostly does away with the latter. Everything here, from the gameplay and story to the music and spritework feel like a worthy successor to the original. I ended up loving it a lot more than Undertale.
Without spoiling, I’m incredibly happy that Deltarune takes the time to interrogate the concept of pacifism in ways that are more tangible than its predecessor’s attempts. Deltarune introduces a party system and immediately toys with the concept in fun and provocative ways. Of course, Toby Fox’s witty dialogue also plays a significant role in breathing life and love into a world that’s similar yet just different enough to raise questions. Play Undertale and then check out Deltarune. It’s the best free game I’ve ever played.
#6 – Marvel’s Spider Man
I expected a game with exciting traversal mechanics and witty banter. I got that. What I didn’t expect was a story that would make me reflect on my own experience inappropriately developing a substitute father-figure in a work environment. It was interesting, to say the least.
I don’t have a lot more to say about this game other than I put it off for way too long (I still haven’t actually beaten it, but I’m mostly done) and that I can’t fault anyone for disliking it because it follows the AAA sandbox template to a T. The combat is fine. The suit powers are ridiculously unbalanced. Swinging around is exhilarating and kept things fun enough to keep my interest. In terms of side content, the actual checklist of things to do in this game is actually fairly manageable and I appreciate it for not going overboard on the optional activities.
#5 – Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Much like SoulCalibur VI, Smash Ultimate was a good return to form in my eyes. I don’t have it in my heart to call Smash 4 a bad game by any means (it was even in my Top 10 list for that year) but the further away we got from its launch the more disappointed I started to feel. Smash 4 felt a bit like Smash 3.5. Something about it lacked the personality the three games before it had. But in that regard, Smash Ultimate feels like a full-fledged sequel.
Between World of Light, the Spirit Board and a revamped online match system there’s just so much shit going on here that I care about compared to Smash 4. And because of Smash’s absurdly large playerbase, it’s incredibly easy to find a match with players of any skill level. I expect to get my ass kicked a lot when playing online in traditional fighters. In Smash, it’s a total roll of the dice. While it makes the game lack the spirit of self-improvement and training discipline I love about other fighters, I’ve never had an interest in playing Smash competitively anyways. I’ve had more than enough fun getting matched with three random players and seeing how the match plays out. I’m going to be playing this one well into 2019.
#4 – Spyro: Reignited Trilogy
This remake collection was everything I wanted and more. I love all three of the original Spyro games. They’re some of the earliest games I can remember playing. I was a little worried that their age would show even with the fresh coat of paint, but I was happy to be (mostly) proven wrong. Sure, the levels and platforming is a lot less impressive nowadays, but this is one of the few times I’ve felt that my heavily-biased childhood memories didn’t let me down.
#3 – Dragon Ball FighterZ
I’m really not sure what there is to say about this one that hasn’t already been said by everyone else. It’s beautiful, it’s fun, and it’s what I needed after Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite let me and many other hyper-fighter fans down. This game managed to take the team synthesis, aerial mobility and combo crafting of games like MvC but also slow things down enough to make a fighter that’s a bit more deliberate, intuitive and accessible to the average player. In my opinion, they succeeded on all counts.
Also, Cooler is there. :3
#2 – Monster Hunter: World
I’ve always thought of Monster Hunter as the perfect fusion of elements of several things that I feel like I should enjoy on paper but in practice can’t bring myself to. It’s a multiplayer RPG I don’t have to pay a subscription for or treat like a second job. It’s a repetitive loot-based experience where I’m actually invested in every new piece of equipment and makes me care about mastering the weapons I make. It’s an action game where you take on giant monsters that’s as slow or fast as you want it to be.
Even with MHW’s improvements in terms of accessibility, it’s still a beast of a game to learn. I really don’t blame anyone too intimidated or annoyed by the seemingly-impenetrable nature of it all from jumping in and trying it out. But what I can say is that once you know what you’re doing, it’s hard to find other games of this quality that give the player so many different ways to play that are all valid and enjoyable. Monster Hunter: World is what you want it to be. And for me, it was the comfort blanket I needed this year.
#1 – Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner: MARS
Part of me thinks it’s a bit of a bummer that my favorite “new” game of this year was a remake of a game I was already quite familiar with, but I’d be lying if I put anything else here. I cannot stress enough how much I love The 2nd Runner, and MARS giving players the option to experience it in virtual reality was like a childhood fantasy come true. Even though you can definitely tell the game was never initially designed with VR in mind, CyGames did an admirable job making it work and feel as immersive as I dreamed it would be.
But even outside of VR, the fact remains that 2nd Runner is one of the most lovingly-crafted mecha action games ever made. The new Pro control layout, initially designed as a workaround to the Dualshock 4’s lack of pressure-sensitive buttons, is a much more intuitive than the original control scheme. The redone textures and lighting are absolutely gorgeous, too. CyGames really raised the bar in what I expect from a remaster, and I feel like many of 2019’s rereleases are going to let me down as a result.
But, as a wise man once said, “Use power for the right things.” While I don’t have a lot of power in any sense of the term, I do at the very least have a tiny platform. As we head on in to 2019, I’m going to do my best to use that platform to highlight the cool experiences I have along the way. I hope I help you manage to find your own, too.
