A week or two ago I took you through some of the games I felt were the worst video games in 2018. There were a variety of reasons included for why those games made that list, ranging from the games just being broken to the games just being boring.

Today, we're going in the opposite direction. Today, we are going to look at some of the best games of 2018. The list, with one exception is in no real particular order. I will try to keep it brief since this is probably already a month out of date by the time this goes live. I only include games that I played here. I do not own a Nintendo Switch, nor box One, nor PlayStation VR, so no exclusives appearing on those platforms will appear here.


2018 Game of the Year – God of War
Of all the games I played in 2018, only God of War managed to stick with me for any considerable amount of time. The combat was great, if a bit repetitive at times. The soundtrack was incredible. The setting and environment were largely gorgeous and I loved how the main hub area evolved as the game progressed, opening up more areas to access. The story beats were on point, with special mention to that one scene that harkens back to Kratos's past. It legitimately gave me chills the first time I experienced it.

God of War was also the only game in 2018 that I enjoyed enough to fully complete. It probably helped that there were not any Trophies requiring that you complete the game on the hardest difficulty. Some of those Valkyrie fights and optional challenge areas were already tough enough.

It was just a really damn fun game. I came away from God of War feeling extremely satisfied yet still eager for more. This was even after the over 30 hours I just spent playing it. It has also been multiple months since I last played it, but I still cannot seem to stop calling random characters "Boy" while playing games that are not at all related to God of War.


2018's Other Amazing Games
Final Fantasy XV: Windows Edition
I played Final Fantasy XV back when it first came out on the PlayStation 4. It wasn't a 'bad' game per se, but it was certainly lacking. The move to the PC brought with it more stable performance, better visuals, and all of the gameplay improving updates that were made to the PlayStation 4 release in the months following its launch. It was a far more complete package than the game was when it first launched on the PS4 and I had a much more enjoyable time going through it as a result.


Warhammer: Vermintide 2
This is just a really solid and fun co-op game. If you liked the first game, or like games similar to Left 4 Dead, then chances are you will love this. It keeps players hooked with a robust loot reward system and class customization options.


A Way Out
This co-op only title was played through in one sitting with a friend. It offered a very engaging and emotional story of two men on the run from the law. The split view offers a look at both characters at all times, giving both players insight into the characters, their stories, their similarities, and their differences.


Beat Saber
If you own VR, Beat Saber is probably the first game you'll want to show off to all of your non-VR fans. It doesn't push graphical boundaries, but it does offer a great showcase of the technology that players of all skill levels can enjoy. The best part is that it's available for both PC and PlayStation VR.


Wreckfest
This game had a long development road (no pun intended), but it was finally released in 2018. If you like your racing games with a healthy helping of destruction, this is the game for you. The progression and unlock system is a bit sluggish though.


Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
A tremendous farewell to Kiryu. True to the other titles in the franchise, Yakuza 6 is full of action, wild plotlines, tons of side-content, and many memorable faces. Feel free to read TGN's full review of Yakuza 6.


Detroit: Become Human
I mean, it's the first game from David Cage that I started and actually liked enough to complete. That's saying a lot. It was entertaining and a bit thought provoking, even if the parallels to real-world racism were SUPER obvious. Seeing the ways in which the game branches at multiple locations almost makes me want to return for a second play-through.


Vampyr
An engaging action-RPG experience with the emphasis being more on the RPG side. I loved the world created here by developer DONTNOD. I quite enjoyed the moral balance between the duties to save lives as a doctor and the urge to grow strong as a vampire. There are multiple ways that key issues can be resolved, which keeps the door open for a replay or two.

Feel free to read our full review for additional details.


Yakuza Kiwami 2
In my review, I called this "the best Yakuza game to date." I meant it then and I still mean it now. Yakuza Kiwami 2 offers up so much content that it will easily take you a few dozen hours to experience everything. Fans already consider Yakuza 2 to be one of the best in the franchise. The Kiwami version just cranks it all up to 11. Let us not forget that you punch tigers in this game.


Forza Horizon 4
Probably the best racing game I've ever played. The big star here isn't the wide assortment of cars or races, it's the ever changing British landscape thanks to the regularly changing seasons. If you slept on Forza Horizon 3, be sure not to make the same mistake with this one.


Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Odyssey feels like a natural progression for the Assassin's Creed franchise. There was already a ton of content available for the game from the start and Ubisoft has done a fine job supporting the game with additional content in the months that followed. I just wish the combat had a bit more weight to it.


No Man's Sky
Technically this is a 2018 release only for Xbox One players. However, given the massive improvements made to the game since its initial release, I feel like No Man's Sky deserves a spot here for all platforms. If you haven't played the game since it's horrific initial offering, you really should go check it out now. It really feels like an entirely new game and one that delivers on most of its promises. Don't forget to bring a couple of friends along with you, because actual multiplayer is now included and it's pretty great.


Hitman 2
It's more Hitman. If you liked the content offered in 2016, you'll love this game. It doesn't really change things up too much, which is both good and bad. It's still a solid game with a lot of replay value.


Prey: Mooncrash
I loved the original release of Prey. Mooncrash puts your Prey skills to the test. The game is parts rogue-like, parts procedurally generated, and all fun. You must complete a series of tasks as different characters within one over-arching time limit. A not-quite-perma-death system is in place. Characters can die and they are out of the picture for good for the rest of the run. If time expires and you didn't complete your tasks, that's it. It is game over and you must start again. Thankfully, you do get to have some upgrades carry over between runs, meaning that your next go should maybe be a bit easier, or so you hope. Each run is different. In addition, the longer you take, the harder the game gets. It's a race against time and it's simultaneously anxiety inducing as it is thrilling.


Destiny 2: Forsaken
Destiny 2 needed more content. With the release of Forsaken, the game not only got the content it needed, but it is not quite finished delivering just yet. At least one part of the Forsaken story is still going on to this day by way of a "time-loop" quest line that repeats every three weeks. The dialogue changes but the action remains the same. Fans, including myself, are eager to see what will happen to break the cycle.


Battlefield V
Simply put: This is the best Battlefield game in years. If Battlefield 1 put you off for whatever reason, you really need to take a look at Battlefield V. Just this past week alone, my friends and I have played until the wee hours of the morning on multiple days. Really, my biggest complaint would be that I wish the game had shipped with more maps. It should be noted that I'm really only talking about the multiplayer here. I haven't actually touched the game's single player campaign, but I will... eventually.