Man, what a year 2018 was. This may have been the best year for gaming I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of. Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox all notched their own successes in 2018, but the overall star of the year goes to the many great games we got to play. So while we here at Duel Screens do a Nintendo podcast, we rarely get to talk about the other games we enjoy throughout the year. So here are my favorite games from 2018 starting with honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions: Monster Hunter: World & Aftercharge
Monster Hunter: World was one of those games I despised playing alone, but when Andy joined the fray it was infinitely more fun. I loved my time with it, but only when playing with a friend. Thus why it is an honorable mention.
Another game that makes the Honorable Mention list is a game that is not out just yet (launches Jan 10th on Xbox and PC), but I played a bit of the beta. That game is Aftercharge. We had Laurent Mercure fromt the team at Chainsawsome Games on the show last year and the concept is really cool: you play as a team of three invisible robots trying to destroy things, or three indestructible hunters trying to kill the robots. It was a helluva good time and one of my favorite gaming experiences, however fleeting it was. You can watch my twitch stream of it below:
Now that we got the honorable mentions out of the way – it is time for the meat and potatoes of the show – My Favorites of 2018.
God of War (PS4)
Wow. I don’t really remember a game blowing my away like God of War did. I would consider myself a lukewarm fan of the God of War series of old, but this God of War evolved into something truly remarkable. There is nothing quite like throwing the Leviathan Ax, and the one shot camera style was absolutely remarkable. Literally every single moment of that game I was with mouth agape and in awe. BOY! What a game!
Moonlighter (Switch)
Moonlighter took me by complete surprise. This game was nowhere near my radar, but Andy had lined up Javi Gimenez of Digital Sun Games as a guest on Nintendo Duel Screens, so I had to play the game to be prepared for the show. I am incredibly happy I did. The game has you exploring deep procedurally generated dungeons in search of materials and loot, but not for you to just throw away and what not, but for you to sell in your own shop in town. It is a perfect mix of action and sim that had my eyes bleary playing way into the night. If you have not played this game, absolutely pick it up.
West of Loathing (Switch)
West of Loathing game to PC in 2017 but made its home console debut on the Switch in 2018. This was another game I would not have played if it wasn’t for the developer being a guest on our show. This is a JRPG that takes place in a western…with stick figure art. The end result here is a surprisingly deep and absolutely hilarious gaming experience. I sank dozens of hours into this world, bopping from location to location in search of the next silly item or character. The game is so jam packed with hilarity that every single moment of playing this was met with at least a chuckle. Comedy in video games is very tough to do, but West of Loathing absolutely hits this out of the park. Oh and did I mention its actually fun to play?
Marvel’s Spider-Man (PS4)
Speaking of fun to play – DEAR GOD IS SPIDER-MAN FUN. Sure, Spider-Man has some flaws: pacing is a little off, side quests can become repetitive, etc. But the combat and moment to moment game-play is second to none. I 100% this game within a week, got the Platinum trophy (which I almost never do) and bought all the DLC, just because of how much FUN Spider-Man is to play. The story was gripping and exciting. Kicking bad guys in the mouth was rewarding and gorgeous. The NYC they created here is the absolute best version in any video game I have ever seen. Insomniac made me forget all about what I knew about the characters of Peter Parker and Spider-Man and let me have an adventure that had me grinning from ear to ear the entire time.
Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Switch)
I never owned a Smash Bros game. Not that I didn’t enjoy playing them, I just never felt compelled to actually own one. This time I felt like I probably should as I do co-host a Nintendo podcast and all that jazz. So my co-host here Andy so generously got me a copy and it has proved very difficult to put down. World of Light has me absolutely addicted, while simultaneously making me better at the game with each challenge. I am learning how to use so many different characters at the same time as learning to master a select few. I believe the kids call them “mains” as it were. Smash Bros is the Ultimate game to play with my friends and family, and has been my go-to game to lay down and play after a hard day’s work. There is just so much to do and every bit of it is a blast.
Alwa’s Awakening (Switch)
This game came across my twitter feed one day and it drew me in immediately. This is a game that looks ripped out of the NES era of gaming. Nostalgia isn’t the only trick up this game’s sleeve, though. A deep labyrinthine metroid-vania style map, fun puzzle mechanics, and smart platforming make this one a really charming and fun title. We also had the developers on Nintendo Duel Screens if you want to hear all about Alwa’s Awakening.
Fire Pro Wrestling World (PS4)
Wrestling games used to be my jam back in the day. I purchased my N64 and my Game Cube just for the next wrestling game. I was severely disappointed in that Game Cube game, by the way, but that is neither here nor there. The Fire Pro Wrestling games, for whatever reason, have eluded me for way too long. I have grown tired of the stale WWE offerings from 2K and was looking for a deep, yet accessible wrasslin’ game. FPWW is a crowning achievement in that realm. The crazy addictive game-play, which I admit takes some getting used to, is phenomenally rewarding, the deep creative suite is mind boggling, and the match types are overwhelming. I had an absolute blast with this one.
Pokemon Let’s Go: Pikachu/Eevee (Switch)
I will be honest here, I wasn’t expecting much from Let’s Go. That isn’t to say I was upset it was coming out. I was actually excited. The whole concept seemed fresh to me: a re-telling of Pokemon Yellow, with new mechanics and updated visuals/sounds. I had kind of grown tired of the typical Pokemon formula in recent memory and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I adored Let’s Go. It simplified systems that had ballooned in recent iterations, made catching Pokemon fun instead of a chore, and took me down memory lane in a sweet and endearing way. The best thing that Pokemon Let’s Go did? It reignited my desire for proper Pokemon, intensifying my hype for generation 8 in 2019…hopefully. You can check out my thoughts on the game in my review here.
Full Metal Furies (Switch)
This was another game I would not have known about if it wasn’t for having the developer on as a guest. Originally we wanted Teddy Lee on to talk Rogue Legacy (another excellent title), but as soon as he pitched Full Metal Furies to Andy and I we knew we had to get it. And get it we did. Full Metal Furies is an excellent beat ’em up with characters that have unique pay styles and a fun leveling system. The game can be a challenge and online multiplayer ups the fun factor tenfold. If you are a fan of games like TMNT, Viewtful Joe etc, but want more depth and diversity in challenge, you need to own Full Metal Furies.
Bonus: Old Game I Discovered in 2018 – The Battle for Polytopia (Mobile)
So back when we had Mike Keogh on the show to talk Pizza Titan Ultra, we did our usual “what we are playing” segment. Mike suggested checking out this game Polytopia. It is a Civ-light game that I wound up playing nearly every single day on the train since then. It is the perfect one handed mobile experience when holding onto the poles of the subway cart. I wound up sinking about $10 into the game to unlock some new tribes to try out, and played dozens of matches online against friends. I adore this game and it is addictive. Pick it up if you are into Civ and looking for something easy to play, but hard to master.
