Some years it is hard to pick my number one. Some years it's easy. This is one of those easy years.
Here are some honorable mentions that I haven't played enough to put it on the top ten, but might have ended up on it if I had gotten more time with them: Ashen, X4: Foundations, The Missing, Monster Hunter World, Donut County, Spider-Man
Not only my favorite games of this year, but probably one of my favorite games of all time. It has everything I have wanted from a free-roam game. That includes the survival mechanics and slow pace. The weird focus on having a lot of things to do, from feeding, brushing and patting your horse to the ability to say "Hello, partner" to any random person you meet. The graphics are gorgeous, and have almost taken my breath away several times. The acting is superb. The music is beautiful. The story, while more or less a standard redemption story, is good. It made me tear up several times, and I still have a pit in my stomach because of things that happens towards the end. I am going to play this for a long time, on and off, because I just want to be in that world. I love this game, and I feel they made it specifically for me.
I have liked every Zachtronics game I have played, never beaten one of them. This is the first one I managed to get in on early enough to get the physical edition. And I am so glad I did! Having the physical Zines and everything adds a layer to an already great game. It might also be a bit easier than their other games, because I actually beat this one.
One of those games I knew I needed when I saw it way back, without really knowing what it was about. Maybe one of my strangest and coolest "holy shit!" game this year. Play it.
It's more Hitman (2016). Don't need to say more than that I think.
While I love Planet Coaster, Parkitect has the things PC lacks. A more robust strategic game, with less building custom stuff. It does have a more robust building custom stuff deal going on than I thought it would have though, so I think this might be the better game. Once I have gotten further in the campaign I will start a new park trying to recreate my (quite bad) Dark Souls Land from Planet Coaster.
Haven't really played on since the Wii one, so it has been a lot of fun playing this one. Still haven't unlocked more than half the roster, and will most likely never play anything resembling competitive play. Got my girlfriend playing this with me, which gives it bonus points!
I love Theme Hospital, and this is a new Theme Hospital. It's that easy. Still haven't beaten the campaign, because of all the other damn games coming out this year. But I am so glad I now have a new Theme Hospital I can jump into whenever I want.
Only played this the months after it came out, and was so fun when I did. Mostly played it alone, but when I managed to get my brothers along it really shone. I am sure we will someday feel the need to kill rats again, and I know this game will be there for us then.
This did not grab me as much as it has for other people. Sure, it's fun and all, but it lacks something that keeps me coming back. Only beaten one boss, and I am not sure if I will ever go back. Was fun while I played it though.
It's out on Switch, so it's a 2018 game! One of my favorite games of all time, still so damn good. Started all over again on Switch, but hasn't had much time to play it. Sadly. Only on 10th because it's technically not this years game. But on 10th because it is damn good.
