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Monster Hunter: World opened my eyes to a game I've always looked at from a distance and wondered how anyone could find fun. It seemed overly complicated and system heavy for no good reason and I just didn't understand the cult status. While it still is pretty system heavy, aspects of the game were streamlined to help newcomers along and I definitely appreciated the changes as I understand them.
What strikes me most about this game is how dynamic all of the encounters with the monsters feel. While moving about you could stumble across your target fighting with another apex predator. You may decide to use that to your advantage and pick them apart as they fight each other or scare one off and have a standoff with the target alone. I found my self in endless different variations of fights with the same monsters but no two encounters felt too similar to be boring. And the world that these creatures lived within felt alive and interesting to be in, with beautiful flora and smaller fauna moving about the world, it felt quite alive.
The structure of the game was also very engaging to me, working your way up the food chain to the larger and more dangerous monsters was very satisfying. Taking all of the monster parts you've accumulated and crafting your next set of armor and weapon to move up another rung and overcome the next challenge.
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2018 was a tough year for me, aside from many other things I was laid off from my job of 10 years. I suddenly found myself with a more free time then I have had as an adult while I was looking for another job. Just days after that Forza Horizon 4 was released and I am very thankful it was, I was able to keep my mind off things.
I'm a big fan of racing games and have always enjoyed the Forza franchise. including the Horizon installments so I knew I would find this fun. I have to say this is one of the most entertaining racing games I have ever played. The game handles insanely well, which is expected because the teams at Playground and Turn 10 have nailed that for years. The meld arcade and simulation very well, which makes for some intense racing moments. Split second decisions make or break clean runs and the roll back in the single player makes for an enjoyable campaign experience that doesn't frustrate. The game features a pretty great structure, similar to its predecessors with some of the set piece races being quite stunning.
The game looks great, and runs relatively smoothly even on the older Xbox One. The most impressive addition this year is the changing of the seasons. Not only does this change the landscape and give it four distinct looks but it also has gameplay implications like snow, ice and rain changing driving conditions.
A final achievement in its crown is the multiplayer, it was integrated well into open world driving and if you wanted to have a more traditional race you could do so. I often found myself only doing the public events during certain play session, having enough variety and being novel enough to keep me entertained. Its a remarkable package which gave me hours of fun, I think its safe to say most racing game fans could find something to enjoy.
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The first Vermintide came out of nowhere to me, I'm not a Warhammer person so I really hadn't heard anything of the game. When I saw it was Left 4 Dead with a different wrapper I knew it was probably my type of game, and it was. It was rough in some spots and it really just didn't fully click with me. This time around was much different and it sunk hooks deep into me. It followed a very similar formula but was refined and iterated on in ways that made it much easier to get me on board.
The game is set in a most depressing universe and it oozes with character, the whole aesthetic while not pleasant in anyway is still enjoyable. The enemies are disgusting and vile looking and dispatching them by the hundreds is extremely satisfying. The maps are also well crafted and feel vastly different in setting and often have unique set piece moments or bosses to further differentiate them. Its a very realized world and its easy to become immersed, the dialogue itself is deeply soaked in its lore.
What really locks this game into being one of the best games of the year is its infectious gameplay. Like its inspiration Left 4 Dead, you run the same missions over and over on higher difficulties as you become more skilled. The big difference is Vermintide has a persistent skill tree and gear which set this both above and apart from similar game before it. Each playable character is customizable and you can brandish your weapon of choice and style your character to your liking with a robust skill tree. There is also a very deep loot system that offers recycling and modification of weapons and armor. Vermintide has amazing depth for something that seems so straightforward on the surface.
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Black Ops was always my favorite sub franchise in the Call of Duty war chest, I enjoyed the covert nature of the stories and the special operations vibe. So when this was announced with no campaign I was a bit shocked and uncertain if I would even get it. Well like normal I broke down and got it and was not disappointed though I will say I would have loved another block buster campaign.
As you might expect the multiplayer was solid and pretty much checks all the boxes you would expect. The new mode Blackout that was introduced was Treyarch's iteration on the Battle Royale formula and was the bread and butter for BO4. The focus on gunfights and smooth controls is a welcome change from the building aspects of Fortnite and the brokenness that is PUBG.
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Celeste feels incredible. A games feel is incredibly important to me, it tends to stand out if something doesn't feel right while playing. The better it handles the more time I am willing to give it and the easy it is to see it to completion and perhaps I might even try a second play through.
Celeste's main aspect it has going for it is its tight responsive controls, the game challenges you but rarely frustrate you. Seldom do you find yourself missing a jump and thinking it was the games fault, you really feel in control of the character. By the time the game concludes you are bouncing around the screen and pulling of jump combos that seem impossible.
The look is also quite charming, though admittedly I am a sucker for pixel graphics when they are done well. The levels all look uniquely different and provide a spin on something existing or add an entirely new element that keeps the game mechanically fresh throughout. The story was interesting and definitely touched on some tough subjects but ultimately had a positive spin which was nice to see to its conclusion. Put all of this together with a great soundtrack and Celeste just so happens to be one of the best platformers I have played to date.
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I've been a fan of Dragon Ball since the 90s, I found the good natured and slightly naïve Goku relatable and was excited whenever I happened to catch it on TV. It was my first experience with any non American cartoons and it instantly struck me as both odd and extremely entertaining. This interest only intensified when Dragon Ball Z made its way to the US and I can honestly say was my introduction to Anime and Japanese culture in general. Though when it came to video games that love often left me disappointed. I have had my fun with DBZ games over the years, Budokai being my personal favorite, but they were generally rough around the edges at their best.
Dragon Ball FighterZ finally did the franchise some serious justice. The visual style alone takes it light years beyond its predecessors. It nails everything about the look and feel of the show, down to minor details and shout outs. The characters look and animate great, it captures the intensity of a DBZ fight with over the top visuals of some of your favorite moves and powers. To top that off, it plays fantastic. I love fighting games but I am not very talented when it comes to playing them, and I can still find myself pulling off visually pleasing combos and flashy super moves pretty regularly. However watching professionals play is something else, it actually looks like a showdown you might find in the series and is just as intense.
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I love pinball. I grew up at a time when pizza places and small business might have a pinball tables or arcade cabinets you could play with while you waited to be served. I would always have to play a table if one was on site, admittedly drawn to the flashing lights and thematic n sound effects. So my appreciation for the game goes a long ways back, and I'm critical of any game that uses those mechanics in their game. Over the years plenty of games have presented variations of the pinball hybrid, like Sonic Spinball and Rollers of the Realm with limited success in my opinion. Yoku seems to have figured the formula out a tad better and has proved the most enjoyable experience yet with a pinball hybrid.
I particularly enjoyed the happy vibrant vibe the game gives off, the music and the art give a tropical paradise like feel and it really comes together well. The game seems to figure out great ways to incorporate pinball mechanics into a platformer/adventure type game, though moments can be frustrating if you cant nail a series of shots to progress. That was hardly enough of an issue to prevent me from seeing this one all the way through. Yoku was a charming and uplifting experience and would always put me into a better place after playing it for a bit.
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Though Onrush isn't particularly a racing game it certainly set its hooks into me for similar reasons. It requires split second decision making, picking lines and intense competition, all what drive my enjoyment of racing games. However its in its differences that I think the game finds some unique entertainment to be found. Matches are not won by being the fastest alone, but rather much much destruction you can cause while maintaining that speed. Its extremely satisfying to take out multiple enemies going far to fast and narrowly avoiding destruction yourself.
The aesthetics are fun and fit well with the whole extreme sports motif, the characters and vehicles all follow suit making for a well realized look. The cars also have unique powers and characteristics, they all play similarly but with enough differences that experimenting can be fun. It also handles incredibly well, rarely do you feel like the game was unfair, though there are some instances in which you swear you had the better angle on the opponent and you are they one knocked out. What a great time killer.
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