In this wrap-up, What’s A Geek! presents 2018 in games! Our staff put in their most-recommended games for the past year! After all, we’re just about to open 2019 – but that doesn’t mean there’s no more room for games for us! What game made an impact to you this year?

2018 in Games!

God Of War

If you’ve been gaming this 2018, you’ve likely heard of God Of War. And if you haven’t tried the game yet, we’ll say this now – it deserved all the praise it got. God Of War offers such a new approach to the franchise that it can stun veterans to its more dynamic mechanics. Likewise, it can also surprise newcomers to how a single player experience can deliver such a captivating story.

Kratos is now the Dad Of War, with Atreus being, well, the Boy Of War. Kratos, now older and arguably tired, takes on a new adventure with Atreus. Unlike other entries in the franchise, this two-character experience adds another dimension to Kratos, that being of a father. Veterans will find the addition of Atreus an interesting mix. This allows players to not only fight with Kratos, but also approach stories with a bit of tactical finesse. Meanwhile, newcomers to the franchise may find God Of War quite a good break from all the popular multiplayer-focused releases of the year.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Rockstar takes a break from Grand Theft Auto and delivers a much-awaited sequel with Red Dead Redemption 2. Players will travel back to the Wild West in a fictional 1899. Gamers will be taking control of Arthur Morgan and his dealings with rival gangs, the government, and other factions. John Marston from the first game also returns with his own story. Rockstar captivates with an interesting story, which gaming nowadays may be in dire need of.

Vets from the first game will be delighted with the return of its interactive open world. Not only that, but elements such as the bounty system, the honor rating, and unique NPC options make for quite the immersive singleplayer experience. If you feel a bit dried out with Grand Theft Auto, #RDR2 can be a good break. You can even try out the beta version of its multiplayer mode, dubbed Red Dead Online. Whether or not Red Dead Online can be as huge a hit as GTA Online was, no one exactly can tell for now.

Monster Hunter: World

We’ve mentioned Monster Hunter: World before, and we’ll mention it again. If you’re looking for a good Monster Hunter experience, World will definitely fit the bill. If you’ve ever wanted to hunt monsters with an assortment of weapons, this game will catch your heart. And if you’ve ever wanted to make awesome gear from body parts of your enemies, World‘s aesthetic definitely reflects this.

Vets and newcomers alike will find the game easy to familiarize. Of course, “familiarize” can be interpreted in a number of ways. The game should not be considered easy in any way. However, the mechanics remain straightforward enough to offer decent challenges for both newcomers and veteran players. Not only that, but the game can be both fun in both singleplayer and multiplayer. However, if you’re trying this for the first time, multiplayer will definitely be the way to go. After all, what better way to approach a monster hunting game than with a hunting party?

Marvel’s Spider-Man

The popularity of the Batman: Arkham games proved superhero games can be successful. Insomniac Games takes this a step further with Marvel’s Spider-Man. Fans who look at the game and see its critical praise have no reason to doubt the title. Others might say its open-world design needs work, but its mechanics and approach to story definitely captivated a lot of gamers. Why, it’s always awesome to control Spider-Man web-swinging around New York!

Fans of the webslinger will find themselves controlling Peter Parker. As the costume suggests, this iteration of Spider-Man has no connection with existing media in the franchise. This method allowed Insomniac Games to get free reign on adapting villains and storylines to their overarching plot. As such, Spider-Man in the game can meet interesting iterations of classic villains such as Tombstone, Screwball, Taskmaster, Shocker, Vulture, Scorpion, Rhino, Electro, and Mr. Negative. You enter the game as Peter Parker with eight years of Spider-Man-ing on his belt, which adds an interesting layer to the narrative.

Detroit: Become Human

Quantic Dream released Detroit: Become Human to favorable reviews. The praise remains much-deserved, especially if you want to take on a story involving androids, artificial intelligence, and sentience. Detroit lets players explore the lives of three (3) androids, all of which deal with various issues and themes revolving the subject matter. The narrative adventure allows players to decide the fate of the characters, with choices having an impact on who lives or who dies as the story progresses.

Kara deals with life as a sentient android after escaping from her owner. Connor deals with his job of hunting down sentient androids. Markus deals with his “mission” of “freeing” other androids. Players have three perspectives to explore, all of which make up for quite an interesting game. The title did receive criticism for its take on thematic and historical allegories (among other aspects of its gameplay). However, it’s perhaps precisely because of these dynamic approaches to themes that make Detroit worthy the experience.

Dragon Ball FighterZ

If you’re clamoring for a new fighting game to try, Dragon Ball FighterZ might be for you. Arc System Works unleashes a new Dragon Ball experience with this 2D fighter. And you know what? It really delivered. It just got released last September 2018 to critical acclaim, with a lot of people saying it’s one of the best fighting games of all time. Perhaps what captivated both fans and newcomers was the game’s approach to fast-paced fighting, accessible controls, and quite the challenging skill curve.

Not only that, it has a singleplayer mode with a story entertaining enough to pass the time. Meanwhile, its multiplayer mode allows you to test your skills against various players across all skill levels. Fighters range from staples like Goku and Vegeta, to other Z-Fighters like Krillin and even Yamcha. Interestingly, all of these fighters have a fighting chance against each other. Videos exist of fighters dominating others with characters you don’t normally expect! Prepare your Senzu beans for this one!

Mega Man 11

Mega Man 11 fulfills the Megaman fan’s wish of having an actual sequel in the original franchise. This gives players a refreshing break from series such as X, Legends, Battle Network, Zero, ZX, and Star Force. Finally, players can don the blue suit and fight Robot Masters in a mix of both old and new approaches to the franchise. Players will immediately notice things in the game, including 2.5D graphics and voice acting. Gameplay largely remains the same, with classic moves such as Mega Buster, acquiring new weapons, and having to defeat eight (8) Robot Masters.

The title offers new features, though. The Double Gear system adds unique twists to the game’s mechanics. The Speed Gear allows Mega Man to dodge attacks thanks to slowing down time. Meanwhile, the Power Gear enhances Mega Man’s weapons. These gears overheat, though, so players ought to use these wisely. If you want another platformer to play, Mega Man 11 will definitely fulfill that itch for you.

Cap 2018 With A High Score!

Just because 2019 looms over the horizon doesn’t mean you don’t have to play games this year. In fact, the above proves a lot of games can make it to the minds and hearts of readers to make a lasting impact. What title made it to your 2018 in games list?