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| An indie year. |
2018 was a pretty good one though if you ask me, it hasn't been that exciting coming off of the high heels of 2017's stellar library of games. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed 2018's excellent lineup but to be honest, I wasn't feeling the big-budget releases this year. Instead, I took a liking to some of the indie offerings instead. If you've been following me for a while, then you'll know I've been covering tons of indie games this year. I usually play indies when I'm a bit burned-out from the much bigger, open-world type of games, but I didn't think I'll be playing them all year. Anyway, 2018 was a year full of comebacks, stellar debuts, and falls from graces. Today, I'll be listing some of my favorite games of the year in a Top 10 format. For reference sake, I've linked my reviews for each game in case you're interested in reading more about a specific game. Without any delay, here we go:
#10 - Octopath Traveler (Square Enix)
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| 8 travelers, 8 paths, your choice. |
Part of the recent retro revival wave of recent years, Octopath Traveler pays homage to 16-bit RPG games of old while adding new to the genre. From the start, you have 8 characters to play as in any order you wish and while I yearn for a unified narrative, still I felt that some of their standalone stories do hold up well. Despite the simple-looking gameplay, it remains a challenging endeavor with tough boss fights. Octopath is my favorite RPG on the Switch so far and if Square Enix is to serious, then I can't wait for more Octopath-inspired games in the future.
#9- God of War (Santa Monica)
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| Dad of boi. |
The move to drastically change the character of Kratos could have been a controversial one if executed poorly, but the folks at studio Santa Monica managed to genuinely create an emotional take on the iconic character by making him a father who must guide his young son. Pitted in the lands of Norse gods, Kratos and his son, Atreous, must survive the onslaught of incoming enemies while also bonding with each other on the way. Making things exciting is the visceral combat and jaw-dropping set-pieces. God of War is a comeback for the series and I just can't wait to see what's next for the duo.
#8- Marvel's Spider-Man (Insomniac Games)
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| A much-need return for Spidey. |
Insomniac Games' long-awaited take on the famous Webslinger was nothing short of a success, it basically has it all. A engaging narrative, interesting characters, solid gameplay, and fun open-world, Marvel's Spider-Man is the best Spider-Man game to have come out in a while. The amount of care and respect that went into handling the Spider-Man legacy is admirable and it stands as among the best PS4 games of the year. I'm really excited to see what Insomniac has in store next for Spidey and here's hoping it's just as good.
#7- Celeste (Matt Makes Games)
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| Face your fears. |
Celeste was one of the toughest games I've played this year. The 2D platforming might seem simple at first but a few levels in and thing start to get demanding.... just like Madeline's outlandish quest to climb a mountain. Despite its cutesy look, Celeste has a thoughtful story that's accompanied by some wacky yet likable characters. Without a doubt, the best game developer Matt Makes Games has released yet.
#6- Forgotton Anne (ThroughLine Games)
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| A anime-inspired adventure. |
I legitimately thought that Forgotton Anne was a big-budget game when first I saw the previews, especially when Square Enix was publishing it. To my surprise, it was a small-scale project headed by ThroughLine Games. Featuring a Studio Ghibli-inspired look, we follow the titular Anne as she explores and interacts with the world around her by solving puzzles in 2D. With an emotionally heavy story to boot, Forgotton Anne has to be one of the touching games I've played all year and a hidden gem as well.
#5- CrossCode (Radical Fish Games)
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| Jam-packed with content. |
When I first played CrossCode, I started to notice that the gap between AAA games and indies is slowly getting thinner. I used to think that indie game were just a 5-6 hour endeavor but CrossCode proved me wrong. An action game with heavy emphasis in its RPG mechanics, CrossCode is a lengthy and challenging adventure full of likeable characters and neat moments. What surprised me the most was the fact that it took me over 50 hours to beat, which is great value considering it's $20 price. Easily, one of my favorite RPGs of the year.
#4- Yakuza Kiwami 2 (Sega)
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| High-octane action. |
After last year's stellar Yakuza 0 made me a huge fan of the niche series, I couldn't wait to get my hands on more of these games and Sega has been gracefully releasing them over the past months. A story of romance and thrills, it hooks you in with some explosive action moments and engaging characters. Yakuza Kiwami 2 is not only an excellent remake of the original Yakuza 2, but one the best action games I've played all year.
#3- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo)
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| A Smash hit. |
2018 has been a fantastic year for my Switch. Not only did I enjoyed the retro-inspired Octopath, but I indulged myself in the excellent Hollow Knight and then came Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The best one by far, Ultimate boasts great gameplay accompanied by an large roster and selection of stages. There's time-sinking experience to be had in Spirits mode and the game is massive already At this point I shouldn't be saying more, it's Smash Bros.!
#2- The Messenger (Sabotage)
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| Sweet ninja action. |
I really loved The Messenger. From amount of character and charm of setting to the time-warping platforming gameplay, it was a surprise, considering that I bought it on a whim at first. Just like every other indie these days, it packs stunning retro-inspired visuals and catchy soundtrack. Despite a few flaws, The Messenger remains one among my favorite indie offerings of the year.
GAME OF THE YEAR 2018
Iconoclasts (Joakim Sandberg)
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| Fun, entertaining, and special. |
Something just clicked when I first played Iconoclasts. I loved the snappy platforming as well as the challenging bosses and while the soundtrack left me dry sometimes, it was my favorite experience of the year by far. Iconoclasts tells a mature story full of insightful themes that few indies, let alone big-budget games, manage to execute well. It may seem counter-intuitive when you look at the game's gorgeously detailed visuals, but appearances can be deceiving after all. Like many games on the list, it's full of passion and dedication, which was fascinating to me since it was a one-developer game. The more I look back at Iconoclasts each time, the more I adore it. I just LOVE this game so much that it easily is my Game of the Year. A special thanks for developer Joakim Sandberg for making such a fantastic experience.
Despite not being as exciting as last year, 2018 was an emotionally special year for me since I celebrated AcidGameReviews turning 5 years old! It has been a long and shaky ride and I hope I'll still be around to review more games for years to come. Aaaaaaaaaaand that's a warp for 2018. I'll see you guys next year and make sure to have fun in the holidays!
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