Yes, you read that right: “games”.
A lot of gaming sites give away just one GOTY and a whole bunch of other awards like Best Action, Best Adventure and so on. To us, having just one game of the year doesn't showcase enough of the industry's innovation and creative brilliance. Also, we couldn't pick just one GOTY because there are a lot of great games.
But before we get going, it's time for some special mentions.
The game that got big:
FORTNITE BATTLE ROYALE
Whether or not you’re a fan, there’s no denying the meteoric rise of Fortnite. These days, Fortnite is no longer just a game, but a cultural phenomenon that has filtered through to the mainstream. Even your ordinary non-gaming citizen casually walking the streets has heard of “fork knife” thanks to its fans and the hundreds of popular streamers on YouTube and Twitch who’ve made it the mainstay of their online presence. Developers Epic Games have powered through lawsuits, leaving its peers and predecessors behind in the dust and shattering concurrent player counts worldwide with a free-to-play model that’s attracted gamers of all stripes by the hundreds of thousands.
The game that’s still going strong:
OVERWATCH
In game terms, two and a half years is quite a long time for multiplayer games to remain live. Even though developers are continuing to push that limit with increasingly inventive games, Overwatch is perhaps the best example of a veteran game still going strong. Many multiplayer games fall by the wayside thanks to their player counts going into freefall, and only the best stick around to hold positions in an ever-changing market. Overwatch’s diverse cast of heroes, poppy cartoon style and team-focused gameplay have won over a loyal and dedicated fanbase of players both competitive and casual, cosplayers and fan artists that most games are rightfully jealous of.
The game devs that listened to their fans (eventually):
EA DICE, STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT II
It was difficult to miss the microtransaction controversy that erupted just before Battlefront II’s launch last year. After a lengthy online battle between outraged Star Wars fans and studio executives, a battle which made the news and allegedly forced an intervention by Disney, EA backed down. For months, the game was left microtransaction-free but in a kind of grindy limbo that put off players who hadn’t already jumped ship shortly before release. But slowly and surely, Battlefront II has turned around, gradually adding fixes, bug patches and new content for players who stuck around. The addition of new skins for troopers and heroes, and the introduction of fan-favourite characters General Grievous and Obi Wan Kenobi are all milestones for a game set to have a promising 2019, thanks to the passionate developers at DICE who seem more than eager to engage with equally passionate online gaming communities.
So, anyways this is the part you've been waiting for.
7. ASSASSIN’S CREED: ODYSSEY
Odyssey is a game that more than lives up to its name. A 60 hour adventure spanning the whole of Ancient Greece, with a standout story and memorable characters, it marks the franchise’s highest point and its successful evolution into a fully fledged RPG series. While it doesn’t hit quite as hard as the other games on our list in terms of innovative gameplay or nuanced storytelling, it still more than deserves a place on our list this year.
6. DRAGON BALL FIGHTERZ
One of the few fighter games to really stand out from the rest. From some past experiences with fighting games, they tend to get frustrating when you don’t know the moves or combos, but Dragon Ball: FighterZ overcomes that hurdle and is great fun for anyone of any skill level. The game is incredibly fast paced and a ton of fun. Another standout feature is the art style. It retains the 2D anime feel that we all love from the show, which makes the game even more immersive.
5. DETROIT: BECOME HUMAN
An engaging story-driven art piece, with excellent performances from its main cast and a story that seems to branch infinitely, Detroit: Become Human earns its place on our list for taking that distinctive Quantic Dream style gameplay and going further than any of their games have ever gone. A wonderfully tactile and substantial control scheme puts the player at the helm of a deeply engaging interactive movie that demands to be experienced over and over again.
4. CELESTE
A stubborn little indie game, Celeste has a wonderfully homemade handcrafted feel that sets it far apart from other games on our list, which are high quality licensed productions. Celeste makes an excellent case for games to be treated as art, packing an emotional punch many games twice its size lack. A brutally punishing platformer, this is one of those rare games that also has something important to say, contributing to the conversation surrounding mental health problems and addressing the stigma surrounding them. A powerful testament to the innovation and talent of indie studios and game jam participants.
3. RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2
As the prequel to Red Dead Redemption, this game has told a story we never thought could surpass what we got from the first game, but it defied expectations and gave so much more on top of it. The details in the game are nearly mind blowing. The chemistry between the characters is very natural, no one seemed out of place and all of it was quite believable. Every character, even the random encountered characters, had depth in them which added a layer of immersion in the game to truly believe the world is alive and real.
2. GOD OF WAR
This is how a reboot should be done. The gameplay is fantastic, and the combat more than brutal enough to live up to franchise traditions, but God of War has more than just gory combat this time. With a story of surprising depth that’s intricately woven into rich Norse mythology, and a showcase of impressive visuals and gameplay mechanics, this reboot sequel is easily the best game in the whole franchise. A stunning return to the forefront of single-player gaming by Santa Monica Studios.
1. MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN
Spider-Man is the best kind of video game: one that understands the kind of power fantasy many gamers crave, and then goes above and beyond to deliver exactly that, free from the weight of controversy, microtransactions and noisy loot-boxes. It gives off an aura of unbridled optimism and sheer goodness, the perfect antithesis to the live service, always-online model that seems to be all too common in the gaming industry today. A rollercoaster story that honours its title character and addictive gameplay makes for a superhero game that should be part of every PlayStation owner’s collection.
Welp, that's all for 2018 folks. A Happy New Year from all of us! We'll be back next year and bringing you more cool stuff to read and watch...
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