My Top 10 Favorite Games of 2018

As usual with any Top 10 of the year I've done, I am going to open this by saying these are just the games I personally enjoyed the most and isn't really an objective list at all. I will also add in that there are a couple games that one may expect to see that won't be showing up, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Spiderman. The former is a series that just never appealed to me, so I never picked it up, the latter being a game I just never got around to playing.

I do want to add in I almost didn't want to do a full top 10, because I walked away largely disappointed this year. I'm not saying there weren't good games, there were a couple great ones, but in other years any game below my number 6 spot this time is a game that never would have gotten a consideration for the top ten.

There are also only two games I liked that got cut from this years list, Deep Space Waifu: Fantasy and Mario Party 10. Normally I have a long list than this but.... yeah there were only twelve releases I played this year I liked. Also a few games I didn't like but didn't hate either, so will be making neither this list or my worst list: Kingdom Come: Deliverance, The Alliance Alive, Pathfinder: Kingmaker, 20XX.

With all that out of the way time to get on with the list.

10.) Shotgun Legend

The game is basically The Legend of Zelda on the NES if Link used a shotgun instead of a sword. There are some things that make it unique, but that's the basic idea. It's a small five dollar game that can offer a decent challenge at times, a few good lines, and some solid gameplay.

It wouldn't have worked as a higher priced game, but for such a cheap game you definitely get your money's worth.

9.) Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology

Radiant Historia is a game I also played when it first launched but never got around to finishing it until the Perfect Chronology remake came out. Originally I was a bit burnt out because the game seemed to promise a lot more then it did with multiple timelines, there were only two. Going into it without that expectation defiantly helps the experience.

That said the game never really gets all that interesting, especially with how obvious some of the twists down the line are, and overall a lot of plot points are just silly. Still, the game offers some fun combat, a few interesting characters, and some solid art design. It's a solid game worth picking up if you have a 3DS.

8.) Secret of Mana Remake

My playthrough of the original on the SNES Classic and then the Remake did make me rethink my memories of this game. While still good, it doesn't really live up to the hype it has, and the Remake actually does a few things worse. Unless it was patched, the miss ratio in the last dungeon is insane, the additional dialogue about the Knight that Thanos captured kind of cheapens that plotline by making him seem way to perfect a person, and the new designs are hit and miss.

That said, it's still Secret of Mana, and the game is a classic for a reason, even if it's not one that lives up to the hype.

7.) Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth: Hackers Memories

The game basically rips off all of its mechanics from the last Cyber Sleuth and just takes place from the point of view of a different Digimon Trainer. The story isn't quite as interesting, and neither are the characters. But at the same time it's a rip off of a really good game, so.... yeah it's still fun mechanically.

…Are you beginning to see what I mean when I said I kind of didn't want to do a Top 10 this year?

6.) Super Smash Brothers Ultimate

Despite issues with how padded the length of Story of Light was, it was a great addition to the Smash formula, giving you a different and enjoyable way to unlock characters. The game features a few new modes and things to do while giving you every character that has ever been in a Smash Game before, plus a few new ones.

The only thing not keeping this higher on the list is I was never a huge fan of the fighting game genre, so this series has always been ranked a little lower for me in general. Still, it's a great game to play with some friends and it's always fun to see Jigglypuff wreck some of Nintendo's most threatening villains.

5.) Katamari Reroll

I would love to see this succeed just so we get a new Katamari. There isn't really a genre you could tag on to this game that would feel appropriate, and it's a franchise that doesn't really have any copycats or even anything remotely like it. The remake of the original Katamari is great and all these years later it feels just as bizarre as the first time I played it.

Unique gameplay and a bizarre sense of humor, Katamari is definitely a great title too pick up if you want an experience you simply can't get elsewhere.

4.) God of War

I had some issues with God of War, like how much the combat was slowed down and how unlikable Kratos's son is. But at the same time seeing Kratos struggle with being a father was actually really fascinating, and the world is full of fantastic characters and story elements.

And while I wasn't as fond of the slowed down gameplay, it was still a lot of fun. The more tactical feel works in the game's favor, and there are a good variety of abilities to keep things feeling fresh through the games run.

The game also looks amazing, as you would expect from God of War. There isn't a bad looking place in the entire game, and the visuals do amazing at always at helping to set the mood and tone the game is going for.

I mean the final twist of the game is amazingly stupid, but that's a spoiler so I”ll avoid going into details here.

3.) Dragon Quest XI

This is one of those times I feel like an old man yelling at the children, but for some reason, I also disagree with my fellow old men. I do not think Dragon Quest XI is anywhere near the best Dragon Quest game, but despite that, it is still a fun title.

While there are many plot points that have me pulling my hair in frustrations, there are fantastic characters like Jake and Erik (Who is my spirit animal in this game) and a solid turn-based Combat System. The ability to use duel techs (I will never call them anything else) with characters is fun, and I like the customizability of the combat and characters.

The game is a solid RPG that is worth your time, just try not to let the insane hype get to you. I feel in a few years the game will be liked, but won't be looked back on with nearly the same level of zeal it is now.

2.) Cross Code

This game really did come out of nowhere for me, I had no idea what it was before going in. I got a story that was a bit of a mixed bag. Overall the characters were fantastic, though many narrative aspects of the game were head-scratching. Not because I didn't understand them, but because a lot of people involved are really, really stupid, though that would involve spoilers. The short version is the great characters and moments carry the narrative, whereas the actual plot has a few too many problems to sink your teeth into it.

The real fun comes in very fast and smooth gameplay, and some of the best Puzzles I have played through in a game for years. There is a good variety of puzzles and enemies, though side quests are a bit lacking. Controls are very simple, but at the same time offer a great amount of variety and customization, especially when paired with all the abilities you can get from upgrades and equipment.

This is definitely the biggest surprise of me this year, and really is a bit of a beacon of light this year.

1.) Octopath Traveler

I am always a sucker for a good retro styled game, and I was so happy Octopath came out good. After the studios previous outing with I Am Setsuna, I was left a bit worried. The game had a lot of promise, but just couldn't deliver on any of it, though it was clear there were talent and Passion there. It was fantastic to see that actually come through with Octopath Traveler.

That said, I was easily one of the more critical reviews of the game that seemed to have come out. I took issues with how unrelated the various storylines were, despite the bizarre attempt to tie them all together at the end, and how out of place the thief character felt in the group.

But the problems of the game, however many, didn't stop the great parts of the game from shining through. The unique way you break enemies by striking their weaknesses, multiple times in some cases, the great boss fights, and the volume of ways to customize your characters, the gameplay is just fantastic.

And with a couple of exceptions, the characters and their individual stories are great, though a bit hindered by too little time in each plotline. I give the game all the credit I can for doing so much with so little time though. Though some of the best parts are the character dialogue between people during different missions. My favorite is seeing Primrose, a character who uses her beauty and charm to win the whiles of certain targets, try and fail horribly to flirt with H'annit. Seeing her fumble so badly despite her skill set comes across as charming, funny, and it feels like she genuinely likes H'annit.

Octopath is an excellent example of a game that, despite its flaws, is able to shine because of all that it does right. This is probably the best reason to own a Switch right now.