How I Spent My 2018 - GAMES

On the whole 2018 hasn't exactly been a great year for humanity has it? We all thought 2017 was pretty shitty but then 2018 seemed to just come out windmilling at us until we were beaten into submission. The white rhino went extinct, Russian double agents were getting poisoned, there was the odd mass shooting, and just then there was just the general abysmal world of politics ranging from assassinations to economies crippled to whatever the fuck Trump felt like saying or tweeting that day.

Me on the other hand, I went to Florida, so my 2018 was pretty sweet. I also got some cool new tees while I was out there. One of them has this print of some kids talking to an alien and it says "don't talk to strangers". What a fucking riot. I also bought an Elvis Christmas tree ornament. You ever seen an Elvis Christmas tree ornament? Well I saw one and I bought it - it cost me $8 from Cracker Barrel and there were two different varieties. Pictured is the Elvis that I bought with HP Baxxter of Scooter fame.

The most ambitious crossover event in history.

So what was there for people in Florida buying Elvis Christmas tree ornaments to enjoy about 2018? Well there were a few things really - lovely, sweet, distracting things to uplift your spirits for a couple of days or so until the harsh reality of the world began creeping in around you again. I can't comment on all of the things 2018 had to offer as I haven't experienced them all myself to give you an honest opinion, but hopefully I'll be able to talk about a few things that may have somehow slipped you by this year. So without further adieu, let's start with the games of 2018.

- Darkest Dungeons - iOS, PC, PS4, PSVita, Switch, XBONE - 18th January -

Thanks to the likes of Dark Souls there has been a wave of "this game is like so hard you'll just like, die so many times"games in recent years, however it isn't the difficulty of Dark Souls that makes it such an endearing title - it's the method in which the difficulty is handled, such as how you learn to overcome it, how you must get under the game's skin and learn its mechanics to better stand a chance of survival. This investment makes your eventual overcoming of the challenges you must face all the more satisfying as you truly feel you've earnt your victory rather than relying on luck alone. Darkest Dungeons shares this same approach, and because of this it makes for a fantastic gameplay experience.

The game is two years old now but the recent Switch port of this year was too tantalising to pass up, as Darkest Dungeons functions wonderfully as a handheld game. Plot isn't a main focus of the game so jumping in and out sees no drawbacks, minus perhaps forgetting your game plan when returning to a dungeon mid-explored. The premise is simple enough - recruit a party of warriors to brave the dungeons of a region of your own naming, plunder treasures and complete objectives, and try to ensure your characters survive long enough to level up so that you can tackle even tougher dungeons. Combat can become extremely distressing, as the more time is spent in a dungeon the more your party succumb to the stress and terror of their surroundings, sometimes mentally breaking and taking their frustrations out on other party members, or in extreme cases dying of fright. Dying is certainly something you want to avoid in Darkest Dungeons too, as once a party member is dead, they're dead for good, so you'll have to recruit a new party member and begin the grueling process of building their experience all over again. The game seems to hate you, and that just makes you love it more.

Should you play it? If you have the nerves to brave it, I'd strongly recommend it.

- Shadow of the Colossus - PS4 - 7th February -

What can I say about Team Ico and their output that hasn't already been said by many critics before me? Their games have a certain whimsical and mythological feel to them, and with only 3 titles to their name and almost no imitators they're truly a wholly unique playing experience. None quite like Shadow of the Colossus though, the studio's swansong which saw a PS4 remaster release this year. You play as a young hero named Wander who has broken into the Forbidden Lands in order to resurrect his lady friend Mono. In order to resurrect Mono, Wander must to travel to various points in the Forbidden Land then seek out and slay colossal beasts that dwell there in order to release their power; a power which can be used by a disembodied god who claims he can revive Mona.

The slaying of colossi is the game's main selling point, and it's as fun today as it was on the original PS2 release. With limited stamina you must climb each colossal and find its weak point, which you must then stab mercilessly with your sword again and again until the colossal is dead. Some colossi have multiple weak points, while others are only revealed via your actions in the environment, but in every case it's a bittersweet joy when you finally take down your foe - sure you did what you're supposed to do but after a while you do start to feel a little guilty as the camera cuts to these mighty beasts falling to the ground in their final breaths. Some of them don't even attack you unless you hit them first. You monster.

Should you play it? Yup! If you're game for a bit of giant slaying and don't mind an occasionally jumpy camera then you really should give it a whirl.

- Kirby Star Allies - Switch - 16th March -

Kirby games are great, but Kirby games which can be played with friends are even greater. Star Allies is one of these games, so I was very happy to see upon its release that I could enjoy some sofa times with my pals. Things on screen can get a little hectic in the later stages for sure, but this is a staple across all Nintendo multiplayer platformers; that frantic search for your character on a screen exploding with colour has just become part of the experience. In the early stages you're able to give each other the space you need and help each other out of any jams you may encounter, however by the last third of the game it's an on-screen free for all as everyone fucks everyone over to ensure their survival. Kirby, Mario Party, Mario Kart, Super Smash, they've all been engineered to tarnish your friendships.

Allow me to step away from this for a moment though to give my verdict on Star Allies - it's an entertaining and gorgeous entry into the Kirby series, though I'd be pushed to think of a previous installment that wasn't. There's plenty of fun to be had mixing and matching the different abilities Kirby can absorb from his opponents, and it's even more fun tinkering with puzzles and obstacles you'll come across with said abilities. So yeah, it's good.

Should you play it? If you enjoy Nintendo platformers and you enjoy Kirby games it's a no-brainer really. It gives exactly what's advertised on the tin.

- Ni No Kuni 2 - PC, PS4 - 23rd March -

I loved Ni No Kuni 1, it was a magical game that truly made you feel as though you were venturing through a Studio Ghibli film rich with interesting characters and environments. I therefore expected likewise from Ni No Kuni 2, however this time round I felt sorely disappointed. The Ghibli input is absent from this sequel, and it is almost instantly noticeable from just how bad the story starts, it stumbles onto the screen like a drunk into a baby shower and things do not get much better from here on - much like if a drunk did stumble into a baby shower. The plot is barely present throughout your play through, and what is there is your typical cliche fantasy affair that is so bland and predictable that I found myself disregarding the main quest line for a good ten hours with little to no drawback when I eventually returned to it. Weak dialogue is made even more grating by the terrible voice acting, such as that of protagonist Evan Pettiwhisker of Ding Dong Dell (I shit you not), which led me to mute the game for most of my play time and just play Luca Turilli over the silence.

The gameplay is poorly paced with some questionable decisions in how it plays out - for example at one point I found myself having to play as party members who I didn't really like simply because they were somehow ten levels ahead of my main party, and I didn't intend to waste hours grinding to get them to a suitable level for the main quest. How were characters who had seen no combat higher levelled than the characters I'd been playing as the entire game? Why did some enemies only a few levels below me kill me in three hits whereas ones higher than me struggled? How was I still under-levelled despite completing all side quests up until a certain point in the story? These are the questions I often found myself asking when entering the second half of Ni No Kuni 2, and frankly no answer could change my opinion that this game was a mess with only a few glimmers of brilliance. There was also a kingdom building minigame with pre-set areas for your buildings and real-time countdowns to level them up. Great stuff.

Should you play it? I completed the game and at times I dare say I enjoyed it, but as an overall experience this was a huge let down, especially when set against its far superior predecessor. Snatch it up when it's at about £15 or don't bother at all.

- Yakuza 6 : Song of Life - PS4 - 17th April -

Man, what an end to the ballad of Kiryu Kazuma. The Yakuza games have always been spectacular, but 6 certainly exceeds expectations to make this final entry the series one to remember. Sporting a souped up new engine, new areas to explore and a dozen of fun new features, Yakuza 6 was the blast I'd come to expect from the franchise - a perfect blend of comedy and tragedy, with a sprinkling of just plain weird.

The story is gripping right from the start as per, though the events of the final act certainly surpass the insanity already set high by previous installments - I won't ruin anything but I can guarantee the great on-going mystery running through the plot will definitely not be anything you're expecting. You have your usual fine selection of wonderfully strange and heart-warming side quests, and there's even new minigames and activities, such as feeding cats until they like you enough to move into a cat cafe you visit, or reacting to a baby's facial expressions and prompts to give it the specific kinds of attention it would like. The combat is also more fluid than ever, with my favourite addition yet - smashing enemies through shop windows and continuing to kick their asses once inside.

Should you play it? Yes, however I'd strongly recommend visiting the other installments first. Minus 3-5 every game is now on the PS4, and there are currently plans to bring these final three titles to the console in a HD remaster, so it is certainly a good time to play these games.

- God of War - PS4 - 20th April -

God of War is one of my favourite videogame franchises of all time. Nothing makes you feel quite as invincible as playing as the angriest man of all time as he tears his way through all who oppose him to achieve his goal, even if that means the end of the world around him. I thought Kratos' saga was done and dusted following the events of the 3rd game, but I was surprised and somewhat cautious when the follow-up prequel games were released, but they turned out to be absolute delights. I was cautious again when, after years of silence on the Ghost of Sparta front, a soft reboot of the franchise was announced and would see a significant overhaul of what I'd come to expect from the God of War games.

I can safely say however that once again my cautions were for nothing, as Santa Monica absolutely knocked it out of the park with this game. The combat system had a significant overhaul - gone were the day of blindly thrashing at a hoard of enemies, instead I now had to tread carefully across the battlefields, fighting enemies that were more than capable of wiping Kratos out if I wasn't paying close attention. The story was absolutely terrific, eclipsing everything that had come before it, and the continual long-shot of the camera was a spark of genius that was pulled off flawlessly. God of War pulls off a lot of things flawlessly in fact; great gambles were taken here, and every single one paid out. With hyper-masculinity taking a drop in popularity in recent times, it makes me very happy to see Kratos and his saga have managed to stand above the rest and adapt to secure his place in modern times as a deep and complex character worth following.

Should you play it? You'd be a fool not to. This is quite possibly my game of the year and I should imagine it is for many others, too.

- Donkey Kong Country : Tropical Freeze - Switch, Wii U - 5th May -

I ended up buying my Wii U late into it's life cycle, so I only picked up the essentials before migrating to the Switch. This meant that Donkey Kong Country was sadly overlooked on its maiden console release, however like many other Wii U titles it has now eventually found itself re-homed on the Switch. I refused to pay full price for Mario Kart or Zelda after having just paid that for them on the Wii U with little to no differences in the content, but with DK I was willing to cough up seeing as to me it was technically a new game.

I'm glad I did too, because Tropical Freeze was great fun. The final island was an absolute bastard in terms of its sudden difficulty spike but it did nothing to dampen my spirits when playing. With plenty of collectible items hidden about the levels, most of which require instant reactions before they're gone, I had a satisfying incentive to revisit some areas a couple of times to feed my inner completionist, though sadly you get nothing more than bragging rights for this. Something I picked up on and greatly enjoyed was that with the game's occasional dependence on speed and on-rails sections I often got a Sonic vibe from Tropical Freeze, the good kind of Sonic vibe too, which should be shameful for Sega given that not only do they now have to hire indie studios to successfully make their Sonic games, but their old competitor is capable of using their old formula with ease also. Still though, Sega does have Yakuza now, so I can overlook their failings.

Should you play it? Much like with Star Allies, if you like either Nintendo or Donkey Kong you're pretty much a shoe in for a good time.

- Pixeljunk Monsters 2 - PC, PS4, Switch - 25th May -

Pixeljunk Monsters 1 was one of my favourite indie games from the PS3 era. Around about the time I got my PS3 I'd landed myself a little part time job and my first debit card, so this whole new frontier of indie games presented before me on the baby-faced PSN store was a very inciting place for me. £5 games I picked up here and there came and went, but there was always a desire to return to Monsters. 10 years later I even had my first experience with the offline multiplayer which proved equally a treat. Don't know how I missed it for almost a decade seeing as though it's on the main fucking menu, though.

It's no surprise then I lost my shit when Monsters 2 was announced out of nowhere at E3 this year, and upon it's release I snatched it up and I was hooked all over again. With a wonderful new art style, new towers, environments, and monsters, everything felt so fresh yet with just enough familiarity to prevent me feeling lost in this re-invention of the game. There was also now a nifty third person camera option which, although somewhat a hindered when attempting a perfect run, proved a lot of fun when just dicking about in between waves. Monsters was never broken and therefore never needed fixing, so the developers instead put their efforts into just giving it a new paint job and a few go-faster racing stripes and flame decals, and I think we can all agree that even the most perfect products can be improved with go-faster stripes and flame decals.

Should you play it? Absolutely - it's a challenging game with plenty of replay value. Be prepared for the frustration that comes with a near perfect run being destroyed in the final moments however, it happens a lot.

- Lumines Remastered - PC, PS4, Switch, XBONE - 6th June -

In 2017 we saw the remastered releases of three of the PSP's strongest exclusive titles, being Loco Roco 1 and 2, and Patapon. While I'm still waiting for the promised release of a Patapon 2 remaster for a 2018 release (which is looking less and less given we only have a few more days of 2018 remaining...) I was happy to accept a consolation prize of a Lumines Remastered release. Sticking with tradition I decided to purchase it for the Switch to enjoy it once again in handheld mode, effectively becoming a traitor to the Sony brand that birthed it in the process, and frankly I'm happy with my decision as holding this game in my hands once again reminded me just how enjoyable and challenging a puzzler Lumines is. I hadn't touched it, nor admittedly given it much thought since I was 13, but quickly the memories came flooding back, as I plunged straight into the challenge mode in an attempt to instantly unlock all the skins. I managed about seven, there was apparently still a lot of rust on the gears.

The game is a simple enough premise, drop your block of four bricks onto the grid and try to join up four of the same colour bricks in a solid block in order to remove those blocks from the grid. It sounds simple enough, and initially it is, but as the game's pacing fluctuates across levels, and as bricks begin to change shape and colour, the challenge really begins to creep up on you. Before long your grid is six bricks high and you're panicking as the next block begins to drop, causing you to scramble and desperately decide on the best possible placement to get you out of the predicament. It's a great concept and the ability to pick it up and put down whenever you please makes it an essential for anyone with a Switch who wants a few more pick up and go titles. I did begin to remember what enraged me so much about the game when I was a kid though, such as when placing bricks to form a full blockhaving to wait until a sweeping line cycling across the grid scans over them - which would be fine but if you place your blocks at just the wrong moment the sweeper will only remove half of those blocks, which can be devastating when you'd planned to put another block on top which is now unable to do anything of use other than give you more shit to clear. Also unlike challenge mode the puzzles, missions, and even versus modes can sometimes feel as though your victory is down to luck rather than skill, as a main factor into whether you win or lose seems to rest heavily on what blocks you're presented with. Is it enough to dampen the enjoyment though? No. Also the music is very nice.

Should you play it? Aye, I just wonder if they'll now release that second Lumines game that had Black Eyed Peas and Gwen Stefani on it. I'd still buy it.

- Octopath Traveller - Switch - 13th July -

Octopath was sold to me as a love letter to the old JRPGs of yore, so I was very excited to see how that would turn out. I was even more excited when a timed 3-hour demo was dropped on the eShop, so I picked it up and gave it a go. It was maybe an hour or so in when I realised this was not the game I'd hoped for. I wasn't a fan of the dialogue, the story seemed dull and quickly became a frustrating plod keeping me from trying out the combat, and even then the action side of things wasn't all that spectacular once I got down to it. The combat was so drawn out and uninteresting that any victory I scored gave me no sense of accomplishment or satisfaction - just a hollow empty feeling that works as an overall description of my opinion of this game. I didn't even make it to the demo's time limit end. I guess I expect every JRPG to be up to the standard of Shining Force II, but that's simply impossible because Shining Force II is a masterpiece. My seemingly never-ending hunt for its equal continues.

Should you play it? I wouldn't recommend it. There's a demo though so you can always make up your own mind I guess.

- Yakuza Kiwami 2 - PS4 - 28th August -

Last year saw the release of two Yakuza titles in one year and I felt very spoilt by it, and then 2018 came along and Sega did it again. Baby Boomers are right, we really don't know how good we have things nowadays. Kiwami 2 is the updated re-make of Yakuza 2 from the PS2, and like its predecessor Kiwami 1 it honours the original whilst adding new features and ideas introduced in later installments. Kiwami 2 greatly exceeds 1 in these respects, as it features much, much more extra material that helps it in rivaling even the series finale Yakuza 6.

Players are treated to a whole new mini-campaign featuring fan favourite Majima, and in the game's main Kiryu campaign there is a welcome return to the Cabaret Manager minigame, which is so in-depth it could class as it's own standalone title, and there is also the clan battle game which was only just introduced in Yakuza 6. These extra features found within Kiwami 2 almost make it feel like a best-of of the series' greatest mini-games and secondary campaigns, bringing together as much of Yakuza's best piss-abouts into one neat package. This game plays in the recent engine used in Yakuza 6 too, so you can still smack fools through shop windows which is rad.

Should you play it? I don't think there'll come a day where I won't recommend a Yakuza title.

.:: GAME OF THE YEAR ::.

Hands down the best game of 2018 that I've played is God of War. It pains me to not give the title to Yakuza 6 seeing as it was a loving farewell to the Dragon of Dojima, and despite it being a solid title with little to no criticisms it just couldn't hold out against the flawless return by the Ghost of Sparta. I genuinely cannot find a complaint against it, there is only awe at how incredible it was. I'll be late to the party with Red Dead, Spider-man, and Spyro this Christmas, but I highly doubt even Rockstar's universally acclaimed cowboy simulator could match this.

.:: RUNNER UP ::.

Yakuza Kiwami 2. 6 just can't catch a break. Sadly though like its rumble against God of War, it failed not because of any specific flaws, but because it just simply wasn't as good as its challenger to the throne. Kiwami 2 did what 6 did and then some, and for that reason it had only fairly gone the extra mile to snag the runner up award.

That's all for today, watch out for the next installment in the coming days, looking at the films of 2018. Toodles!