2018 was a really solid year for video games, and even though we're already about 2 weeks into the new year, I thought I'd look back at the games of 2018 that I enjoyed the most. I'll just make a quick clarification; the games on this list don't have to have released in 2018. This is about any game that I played this past year, and have a strong appreciation for.
Hollow Knight
My biggest motivation for getting Hollow Knight was by far the art style. In case it wasn't clear yet, I'm kind of a sucker for cute characters, so when I saw the knight for the first time, I was intrigued to say the least. In all honesty, I had never "really" played a Metroidvania game before this, but I have to say, I was blown away. One of my favorite things about a game is when I'm motivated to explore the environment, and Hollow Knight brought that motivation out through so many ways. Whether it was finding all of the charms, unlocking new power-ups, or just filling in the map, this game will bring out the explorer in everyone who plays it.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Yeah... I'm sure this is on almost everyone's list. It took me a little bit to get used to the changes to the mechanics, but after that, I was really satisfied with Smash Ultimate. There's just so much content in this game; from the fighters to the stages. I was probably the most satisfied with the World of Light story mode. My favorite story mode is still The Subspace Emissary from Brawl, but when the only playable character for the entire game is Kirby, I'm bound to love it. Each battle was really creative with its use of spirits, and having unique bosses from other Nintendo games (plus Rathalos) was an awesome idea. Can't wait for all the DLC to come out.
Wandersong
Everything about the feel of this game was delightful; the colors were bright and vibrant and the characters were lovable. My favorite part of Wandersong though was how they used the game's audio direction to drive the gameplay. The idea of a rhythm puzzle-platformer was one that I had never really thought of before, and on top of that, there was a really unique narrative. I think my only criticism would be about controlling the singing mechanic with a controller. There were times where it felt like selecting a note could've been a bit easier, but I assume that using a mouse would be more beneficial; I just got the game for Switch, so I didn't have a choice. Overall, Wandersong was a lot fun and innovative, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who likes any of the genres that it uses.
Celeste
While it's not my favorite game that I played this year, I think Celeste was probably the best game that I played that was released in 2018. I also find that there's one game every year that makes me want to tear my hair out, and while I played a lot of Cuphead this year, I also played a lot of it at the end of 2017, so Celeste was the winner. It continuously challenged me with some of the hardest platforming levels I've ever played, but one of the best parts about Celeste was how it addressed real issues involving depression and anxiety. For anyone who wants to create a hard-fun geared platforming experience, this game will serve as some of the best reference you can use.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
This was one of the many games that I got for Christmas this year, but it was the game I played the most out of all of them before the year ended, and I'm still playing it now. I really respect this game from a level design perspective. The story requires you to go back to levels that you've already been to, and go to different areas and complete new tasks that you need future abilities for. Like I said with Hollow Knight, I'm really big on exploring levels and finding their secrets, so I pretty much fell in love with this design choice. I feel like needing to go back to previous levels in a platformer makes the levels feel more meaningful, and meshes with the game's story and objectives very well. It makes me really excited to explore the other games in the Shantae series.
Well, as we say goodbye to gaming in 2018, it's looking like 2019 will be another great year. More than likely, this will be the year that I break into the industry once I graduate, so I can't wait to be apart of it all.