Welcome back to part three of our 2018 Games of the Year rundown. Missed out on the previous stages? Click here for part one or here for part two to check out more great games from the year. Things are starting to heat up as we creep closer to that top ten, so read on to find out which games took places 15-11 on our list:
AllGamers’s 2018 Games of the Year #15-11
15. Monster Hunter: World
Writer: Chris Higgins
Wow, 2018 was a long year. It honestly feels like a lifetime ago that I was chasing massive lizards through caves and treetops trying to rip scales off them to make a new Spring/Summer wardrobe. Those were some good times, teaming up against dragons the size of buildings, learning how to master ridiculous aerial combos all in pursuit of the ultimate fashion. Some iffy online processes (joining your friends should be drop-in/out in 2018) and lack of reason to keep playing deep into the end-game (beyond pride of being the apex predator) means this wasn't in our regular gaming rotation later this year. But it was a stellar start to a really strong year regardless.
14. Minit
Writer: Chris Higgins
It’s been quite a good year for short indie gems with extremely well-defined gimmicks (see yesterday’s Donut County placement). Minit does more in single-minute bursts of gameplay than a lot of this year’s AAA offerings managed over hundreds of hours. A sense of unbridled exploration, the wonder of mystery and a surprisingly detailed 1-bit art style only rivalled by fellow indie traveler Return of the Obra Dinn (regretfully missing from this our end of year accolades owing to its PC-only release).
If you’re a few coins richer after digging in your stocking this Christmas morn, you could do little better than picking up Minit. What would you do if you only had a minute left to live? Probably smash a few crabs and take on an evil sword factory, tbqhwy.
13. Dragon Ball FighterZ
Writer: Henry Stenhouse
The competitive fighting game scene is known for its established franchises. Street Fighter, Guilty Gear, Tekken and Smash have all been around for a long time, and while new IPs like Skullgirls and Injustice can make an entrance, rarely do we see the fervor that Dragon Ball FighterZ evoked.
Pairing one of the most famous anime franchises of all time with the fighter development experience of Arc System Works was a recipe for success, and resulted in DBFZ drawing more attendants at EVO 2017 than Street Fighter 5. While that hype has simmered down since, it’s a feat that few games have managed in the tournament’s long history. DBFZ is a superb fighter at both pro and casual levels, and one that we hope will stick around to cement its place in the scene.
12. Sea of Thieves
Writer: Chris Higgins
The inexorable march of time has never been more apparent to me than when I think back on the relatively scant seconds I spent on the high seas earlier this year. Since a threadbare launch (which I thought highlighted the innate satisfaction of the game’s core sailing), the Sea of Thieves has become ever more populated with dangers and ever less populated with other pirates.
No doubt cannibalised by the kraken of Fortnite, the additions to the game more than make up for the significant exodus of players but it all adds up to the lonesome experience of a sailor’s life at sea. Sea of Thieves still veers wildly between relaxing scavenger hunt and then – upon actually finding good loot – an obscenely tense game of cat and mouse where the slightest movement on the horizon sends you blubbering below deck. And for that, it deserves at least a few pieces of eight.
11. Moonlighter
Writer: Henry Stenhouse
Indie games have been on a pretty good run in 2018, but few captured us with their charm quite as well as Digital Sun’s Moonlighter. Part zelda-style dungeon crawling, part price-guessing and shopkeeping, Moonlighter is the epitome of feel-good, wholesome gaming. Watching as your shop expands and takes on staff over the course of the game is immensely satisfying.
Raiding through dungeons for weapons and artifacts is good fun, but it was in managing our store that we fell in love. Estimating the value of each item, fending off thieves and resupplying shelves is a cathartic experience, especially when accompanied by such an excellent score. It’s hard to deny that the art and music are a big part of the appeal, but when they make such a wonderful combination, we’re not complaining.
Tomorrow we head into the upper half of our top ten games for the year, so make sure you check back then!
