PixlBit

2018 came and went and to be honest, I just didn't really feel this year. There were some fine games that came out, sure, but as opposed to last year where my top 10 list had left out games I adored, I had a hard time thinking up a top 5 list worthy enough. Granted, if I put in more time into Red Dead Redemption 2, Soul Calibur 6, and a few other games that might change, but I still feel original games were lacking. What wasn't lacking, however, were the games I missed out on before and played for the first time. So I'm gonna tack on a list from other years as well as they represented what I played better than just the new games. And I'll be mixing them with my other games this year as well to give an idea of what I enjoyed more than others.

10. Okami

While I haven't beat this yet, I do finally get the appeal of Okami. The paintbrush mechanic, while not perfect, has some creative implementation and there's a lot of style and charm to the world. Is it on par with the best Zelda has to offer? No, but it's still a worthy alternative. Also the Switch Joycon motion controls are a great way to play it.

9. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Despite Dawn of Sorrow being my favorite in the series, I had never played its predecessor Aria before. And it was basically what I expected: A proto version of that game minus the gimmicks of the DS game. While the lack of gimmicks is an unquestionable edge over its sequel, I felt every other aspect, from the castle to the powers to the loot, were better in the DS game. Still, it retained enough to be a delight to play from start to finish.

8. Marvel's Spider-Man

I reviewed this game (check it out if you didn't before) and my opinion remains unchanged on it. It takes many trendy gameplay mechanics and fits them into the Spider-Man universe very well while delivering on an addicting web swinging mechanic and a pretty fun, if uneven, Spider-Man story. I can't wait to see where Insomniac goes from here.

7. Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu

Like Spider-Man, my opinion is unchanged from my review. Yet also like Spider-Man, I'm excited for the future this entry will bring to the series. A Let's Go game in the Johto region has me drooling, being able to iron out the more tedious or annoying elements (though this is Nintendo so that might not happen) while offering more substantial post game content.

6. Astro Bot Rescue Mission

I bought a Playstation VR. And I can safely recommend this product because Astro Bot is without a doubt the killer app for the machine. Structurally, it feels like a slower paced version of Mario 3D Land/World, with a focus on rescuing hidden robot friends. Yet all the VR gimmicks create a wonderfully unique experience and one of the more enjoyable 3D platformers I've played. Plus I love these cute little robots and definitely want to see them in more games in the future.

5. Celeste

For the longest time this was my Game of the Year. Which is odd because even though I love indie games, they never win that for me. But Celeste was as close to perfect as I could ask for. The level design was phenomenal, offering gamers wanting to play through it a reasonable challenge and those seeking a tougher experience a plethora of collectables with brutally difficult, yet seldom unfair, ways to get them. The story also really resonated with me, dealing with depression and anxiety in a smart way that blended well with the core gameplay. I was pulling for this one at The Game Awards, and really was just happy to see it nominated.

4. Castlevania Bloodlines

I didn't want to put two from the same series on the list, but the two styles of Castlevania are different enough that I'm fine with both appearing on this list. And despite Bloodlines' reputation of being in the shadow of Super Castlevania IV and Rondo of Blood, this ended up being my favorite of the classic games. The game felt like it wasn't afraid to take risks while the two characters offered a strong amount of replay value. It's pretty tragic Konami hasn't rereleased this.

3. Super Smash Bros Ultimate

My favorite game of 2018 and really, it couldn't be anything else. This is the perfect Smash Bros experience. The Classic Mode has been tailored to offer a different experience with each character, giving immense replay value. World of Light is a fun RPG take on the formula with some brutally difficult challenges. The multiplayer settings allow you to create exactly the Smash experience you want, whether it be a wonderful chaotic mess or just you and your wits against your opponents. I can't recommend this title enough.

2. Mega Man X4

I knew this game was good, but I didn't know it was THIS good. I'm talking top 5 of the 5th console generation good. Sure, the story makes no sense, but the voice acting is that perfect amount of terrible where it doesn't need to be good. And either way, the gameplay is the star here. Both X and Zero have vastly different playstyles, with X offering a more defensive, user friendly approach while Zero rewards aggressive yet skilled playstyles. While the motorcycle segment was a dud, every other level was a delight from start to finish and bosses had that perfect Mega Man challenge where they felt beatable even without their weaknesses or upgrades, yet offered a strong challenge no matter what. The X Collection is worth buying for this game alone.

1. Final Fantasy XII

So it finally happened. I love a Final Fantasy game. I'd tried to get into the series before. The NES games felt too archaic for my tastes. IV and VI had a graphical style that I disliked enough to keep me from being invested in the story and combat which did not resonate with me. VIII is the most I've hated an RPG while IX is the most I've been bored with an RPG. And while I enjoyed VII and what I played of X, they didn't seem to be the cream of the RPG crop. 

Yet once I fully grasped the gambits and leveling system for XII, I was hooked. I couldn't stop fighting enemies and was always ecstatic to learn a new spell or equip a new piece of armor. My head is swimming with possibilities on how I can customize my characters differently on replays. And the funniest thing is, I barely remember anything about the story. I like the cast decently, I remember the areas and how some related to the plot, but it was the gameplay that kept me coming back. Even though Square immediately pivoted away from this formula, I would love nothing more than for them to return to it with XV's scope and scale. I loved my time with it and am sure I'll love it again returning to it upon my inevitable replay.