Top 5 games I played in 2018

Another year is almost over. 2018 certainly didn't disappoint when it came to game releases. However, I didn't play a heck of a lot this year. In fact, the tally of nine games completed (at the time of posting, at least) is officially the lowest since I started keeping track in 2013. For long periods of this year, I just didn't feel like playing anything. That said, quality is what matters over quantity, and there was no lack of the former in the games I got around to completing.

Without further ado, here is my Top 5 list for 2018...

List items

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  1. Marvel's Spider-Man

  If you've been following my activity on Twitter this year, this should come as no surprise to you. I played the heck out of this game. I nearly 100%'d it, in fact. There was just so much to do, and it felt satisfying. Why was I so captivated by the game? A number of reasons...

  Firstly, I thought the combat was very well done. As you might know from previous lists (or even the blogs I used to do), I don't always get along with combat systems. Sometimes, they're just too difficult for me to get to grips with. However, Spider-Man's combat wasn't a problem. In fact, they've somehow managed to allow players to easily fight using his trademark webs, swinging, and gadgets. Aside from some enemies that require the use of certain skills, you can fight how you want. You can even try fancy stuff if you want, but you're not forced to.

  Secondly, I really enjoyed the storyline. It had all the things I've came to expect from a superhero narrative; specifically anything from Marvel. When they're not out saving the world, superheroes have their own lives. That's been particularly prevalent for Spider-Man across a variety of media. I think the game does a good job of capturing that. It was also fun to see various Spider-Man villains appear in new situations. I recognised a lot of them from the 90s cartoon, which is where my interest in Spider-Man started. I always found the villains fun in a way that other shows at the time didn't quite manage (although I admittedly didn't give Batman a fair crack).

  Last of all, I had a great time with the side-activities. Much like my experience with the Mordor games, it felt good to complete them. For competing them, you get points to spend toward improving/unlocking gadgets or costumes, so it's worthwhile. Spidey's banter in those activities helped a lot, too. Aside from the crime activities, all of them had unique taunts towards the enemies. I thought that was a really nice touch, and just about sums up what makes it my game of the year. A lot of love clearly went into its creation.

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  2. God of War

  I will be upfront and say this is the first game I've played in the franchise. The previous games didn't appeal to me, for reasons I mentioned in the Spider-Man section. However, ever since this instalment first appeared at E3, it had my interest. It looked as though they were going for a more story-driven experience with exploration, as opposed to the hack and slash gameplay of the previous games...and it didn't disappoint.

  Like Spider-Man, the combat has depth, but you don't have to go too deep into it. There were a few parts that gave me trouble at first, but nothing that felt like I was banging my head against a wall. Just the right level for it to be a challenge, and not a restricting barrier.

  Throughout the story, Kratos and Atreus go through a lot of character development. It's done in a nice and gradual way. For the sake of spoilers, I can't really go into too much detail, but I really liked the changes they go through. I liked the overall cast, too. All of them played their part.

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  3. Prey

  This was kindly gifted to me by a friend last Christmas, as it was on my Steam wishlist. I thoroughly enjoyed playing it, as it was very 'me'. I'm really into sci-fi settings and electronic music; something that Prey delivers on both fronts. I also liked the mood throughout the game, and it had a lot of fun mechanics to play around with. As for the 'true' ending, I recommend pursuing it. It's well worth it, in my opinion.

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  4. Tales of Berseria

  In recent times, I haven't played a heck of a lot of JRPGs. As I like to see games through to completion before starting any others, they're a big commitment to have (even if free time is something I'm not particularly short of). However, I'd heard good things about Tales of Berseria, so I decided to jump into it. I'm glad I did. It was easily one of the best JRPGs I've ever played. The storyline and its characters had me hooked. There was plenty of side-quests to do, all of which had their own benefits. There was also a lot of optional dialogue to flesh out the characters, which I really appreciated.

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  5. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

  I really enjoyed the first instalment of the reboot, so playing this was a no-brainer. While I didn't think it was as impactful as its predecessor, there's still a lot to like. You get to see more of an alternate world under Nazi rule, along with the fight against it. The game introduces a lot of new weapons and tech, too. It's pretty much an evolution of the previous game. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it doesn't need to. If you enjoyed The New Order, be sure to play it.