Roundtable: The Best Games of 2018

Question: 2018 has been a flourishing year for video games. What do you consider to be the absolute best games of 2018? What makes your number one game special?

Marcos:

5. Kirby Star Allies
4. Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition
3. God of War
2. Dragonball FighterZ
1. Destiny 2: Forsaken (DLC)

Destiny 2’s launch was a mob rally constantly under fire from the mortified eyes of the general audience. It’s not a secret that Bungie had made many mistakes and even lied to their player base when releasing patches. By the time Forsaken was gearing up for launch they knew changes had to be made and apologies to be issued. The launch of Forsaken was a 32 gig overhaul of the game and a spark of the rekindling romance with its players. It greeted us with a beefy new campaign, an entirely new weapon and gear system, and a universe that was constantly being shaped by the players’ collective interference. Forsaken wasn’t just a fantastic smorgasbord or everflowing content, it was a promise to be better.

Blake:

5. Florence
4. Wandersong
3. Gris
2. Detroit: Become Human
1. A Way Out

A Way Out reinvented the wheel with regards to co-op. Not only is the gameplay entirely centered around a cooperative, split-screen mechanic, but the story unfolds entirely because of that mechanic. Josef Fares is one of the most inspiring game designers right now, and I honestly can’t wait for what comes next. A beautiful bonus is that the game only requires one purchase to be played by two people, which is surprisingly not limited to local multiplayer only. And the story has moments as heavy and deep as The Shawshank Redemption. Once you finish the story, you’ll want to play as the other character that your partner inhabited: instant replay value. I am simply grateful that this nearly perfect game exists in a time where I can play it, not only with friends, but to talk about it with others who have played it differently.

Daniel:

5. Monster Hunter: World
4. A Way Out
3. Detroit: Become Human
2. Octopath Traveler
1. God of War

God of War is my Game of the Year because it succinctly and remarkably polishes the aspects that define this year’s runner-ups in gaming, which kept me coming back for more – including platinum achievements and 2-3 additional playthroughs. With each playthrough, I loved every re-lived sequence just as much as the first time, constantly discovering new details as to the mysteries laid throughout the game for the player to explore and unveil in future titles, and fuels a hearty interest in Norse mythology itself. This game instantly demonstrates to us that the Kratos we knew is long gone, and has been replaced with a protagonist tempered by the many years (literally for us and narratively within the game’s timeline); he has had to think about who he is and what his purpose moving forward should be, which is mirrored in how the series has brilliantly re-invented itself as a whole. For all the reasons above and many I didn’t even begin to delve into, God of War wins above all for 2018 in my book.

Barry:

5. Marvel’s Spider-Man
4. The Messenger
3. Spyro Reignited Trilogy
2. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
1. Celeste

Celeste towers as a peak among the mountains that are the other games that came out this year. It came onto the scene as an unassuming sprite-based platformer, and thus many people (myself included) initially dismissed it. However, beneath that exterior is a masterpiece that appeals to all players. The main storyline explores mental illness in a unique way, constantly pushing you to get past the struggles you find – both mentally and in the difficulty it provides. Combine this with tight controls, gameplay that constantly evolves new ideas, and properly-implemented difficulty, and you have one of the greatest games of 2018, if not of all time.

Ben:

5. Civilization VI: Rise and Fall
4. Celeste
3. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
2. FAR: Lone Sails
1. God of War

Despite every other ounce of my list going against the grain this year, God of War is much too triumphant of a return for Kratos for me to put it anywhere else. There has been a lot of talk about games as art this year, but most of it has been in regards Celeste and Red Dead Redemption 2. It seems impossible, with the brilliant decision to design God of War around a single camera shot, to leave Sony Santa Monica’s work out of that decision. Building off of what the franchise does best in a tremendous sense of scale, thunderous score, and awe-inspiring graphical prowess, God of War tells this year’s most tightly written narrative. Much like last year’s Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, bringing new ambition to an old franchise wins game of the year for God of War. Let it be known that this was a very tough decision for me.

This Roundtable was written by Marcos Carmona, Blake Andrea, Daniel Herlehy, Barry Irick, and Ben Vollmer. Check back every other week for the latest Epilogue Gaming Roundtable. This roundtable was edited by Blake Andrea. Follow us and our thoughts on @EpilogueGames or @LudonarrativeFM on Twitter. If you’d like, consider supporting our work on Patreon for as little as $1 a month.