The Best, the Worst, and the WOAH of 2018 and beyond

So I wanted to do separate videos going over the best and worst of 2018, but time is not on my side, and so I'm going to knock this out here, and let you know what I loved, what I hated, and what I'm looking forward to down the line. So let's begin.

So let's get the trash out of the way shall we? For the worst games, I only have 5, because I want to bring up the shit, but I want to focus more on the good, so let's begin.

Top 5 WORST games of 2018!

5. Dynasty Warriors 9

So DW9 is a series that has been going on for about 2 decades now, and for the most part, has a fandom that looks past some of the issues to actually enjoy said games. DW has always been a hack and slash game, with interesting characters, with interesting designs and weapons.

All of that is gone though in this pos.

The characters and personalities are watered down, certain characters don't even have their usual weapons, and it's a big, boring open world in a way it never was before. DW9 is a testament to why bigger, isn't always better. I didn't quite play this game, but I watched a few people play on streams, and I caught footage from other reviewers. I'll tell you this now, you couldn't pay me enough to try and force myself through that large, boring mess. Koei isn't exactly a small company, but from this product, you would have thought it was mad by 4 guys in someone's basement. All the good will, and fun things to do in game, are gone. Replaced by something far lazier, and something far more bland. Like replacing your ribs and mac and cheese, for some noodles with a Kraft single melted over the top of it. No all the way around.

4. The Quiet Man

The Quiet Man wasn't even on my radar, until Angry Joe and Jim Sterling started bitching about how much shit it really was. I watched videos, saw some livestream of it, and couldn't believe this was published by the same group that gave us such great titles like Final Fantasy, Deus Ex, and Kingdom Hearts. I'm all for new, interesting games, but this ain't it chief.

This game doesn't know what it wants to be, and that's the biggest issue. It wants to act "real" and "grounded" but has the main character not only doing ridiculous things, but goes into the realms of supernatural by the end. The game supposedly has two endings, I'm pretty sure most didn't bother to find that out, and good for them. The combat is slow, painful, and BORING. The best part of the game, is already three strikes and you're out. Dialogue and story are absolutely terrible, but what's worse, is that they try and recreate what it's like being deaf, which could have been interesting, but wound up being a stress test to see how much fun you could have with a game with no sound, clunky combat, and a confusing story. To make matters worse, they tried doing the TV/Game thing, and it made it EVEN worse! No, no all the way around. Games that got left off this list include Agony and We Happy Few, because those games were made by a dozen people, and even though they were really bad, could be slightly excused. Square should have looked at this thing and axed it from the start. When you have games like Yakuza and Fist of the North Star being infinitely better in terms of story and brawler mechanics, why would you ever pay for this turd? The scariest thing about this game, is it was created by Humanhead Studios. You know? The guys that created the great original Prey game. I don't know what happened between then, and now, but holy fuck. No's all around.

3. Metal Gear Survive

Like many of you, I forgot this game even came out in 2018. For as much good that came out, man this year did it's best to drag some shit out to play with. This game takes the worst parts of survival games, and puts only those very things, into this giant fucking waste. Now that Konami is without Kojima, they are doing their best to try and tarnish anything that was good from this license. They not only had most of the same team from the Phantom Pain, but they reused the same Fox Engine. All they had to do was focus on the mechanics and story, but for some reason, they couldn't be fucked with to do so. So instead, we have Buffalo Bill here parading around in the skin of a game most of us loved, and trying to say it belongs among the Metal Gear license. It doesn't. The game harasses you with timers about being hungry or thirsty, has brain dead zombie enemies, and there is just no fun to be had. With games like Left 4 Dead or even Dead Rising 3, the fun was taking out huge hoards of enemies with cool/unique weapons. None of that is here. Just stab these brain dead dolts through a little fence for hours upon hours, and try not to fall asleep. Oh yeah, they monetized extra save slots, as if ANYONE would play this game more than once. Do yourself a favor, don't ever play this, not even once. One day, maybe, just maybe, we might get a great Zone of Enders or Metal Gear game, but not with this upper management at Konami. Fuck this game.

2. Madden 19/2K Games

This game makes my skin crawl. No fucking joke. Why? Because I love football, but this game makes me almost hate it. The fact that EA has a monopoly on it, and that I don't know if we will ever see cease, makes me sad. 2K Games use to be the hero in all of this, but with Zelnick, king dingus dongus himself, having more and more MTX shoved into every nook and cranny of the basketball game they have, he has shaped 2K to be the villain it once tried to defeat. I don't know if I'm all that mad about them not being able to make a new 2K football game anymore. At least it died off when it was still cherished. 2K and EA are in a race with each other to see who can shove more MTX into their games first, and I'm frankly, quite tired of it. Sports fans, what are you doing? Stop buying their shit, or at least stop buying the 800 billion in MTX, it's the reason these games haven't moved forwards in years now. It's also so high on this list, for the simple fact that there are STILL bugs in these games, from 4-5 years ago. That's Bethesda levels of incompetence. It's no wonder why Bethesda decided to go forth, and make 76. They wanted a piece of the very pie they baked years back. That pie that clearly was baked with shit for filling, instead of chocolate. Each Madden game since like 08 has been nothing more then a roster update, it's time to fucking stop EA.

1. Fallout: 76

Are you even surprised? This game is on top of everyone's lists for a good reason. A studio with more than enough resources, who couldn't be fucked to make a game that at least fucking functions. They didn't help themselves at all by releasing patch after patch that did nothing but break the game more. FOV sliders that didn't work right, doxing customers when they put in a request after getting the wrong BAG, and even trying to add PVP that even made the people who were still around yell STOP! Even after they started to slightly tweak and fix those issues, just yesterday they reintroduced bugs they already squashed. Are you fucking kidding me?

Boring ass game loop, nothing worth note to collect, a nonexistent story, there isn't anything worthy of redeeming in this game. I heard some people talk about how they could take it off the shelves for a bit like Final Fantasy XIV did and try to fix the issues and resell it a year or two later like Square did. However, I don't think that's possible, because Bethesda hasn't come to grips with their ego still, and refuse to even own the fact that this game is a shit stain on gaming. This isn't art in any way. Games like Vampyr and Darksiders 3 were art in 2018. This was worse than the shit pie that EA or Konami forced down our throats. This was a giant shit cake. A shit cake that Bethesda is STILL trying to feed people.

New management is even more key here, because as much as I hate to see people get demoted or fired, it isn't fucking working. Fallout 4 was a bit sloppy, but had a ton of good things still about it. This game managed to take the worst aspects of 4 that everyone managed to put up with, and made a game out of them.

The biggest reason I want to be so hard on Bethesda, is because I've seen them do great work. So this amateur hour bullshit not only makes me scratch my head on what is really going on behind the scenes. I want them to succeed. Some of my favorite franchises have been published BY Bethesda. DOOM, Dishonored, and Wolfenstein being among them. I want to see you guys earn our trust again. I don't want you to forget this fuck up though, ever. If you want to see what I had to say, I made my first video review on this very game.

https://youtu.be/mGWfAoL_NQM

Top 10 BEST Games Of 2018

10. Spyro: Reignited Trilogy

Remakes have been pretty damn impressive these last couple of years. From Crash Bandicoot getting a fresh coat of paint, to Shadow of Colossus getting an overhaul nobody expected, but everyone loved. Sypro joined that group of solid remakes by changing nothing but the engine, and yet it soared. Why? Because original Spyro was king for a reason. It was just really fucking good. Toys For Bob don't have a ton of experience, but knocked this remake out of the park, and bringing a much beloved classic to the modern age. For more of my thoughts on this game, check out my review below or follow the tags!

https://sensei2312.wixsite.com/ontheshelf/single-post/2018/11/22/Spyro-Reignited-Trilogy-Review

9. Vampyr

Vampyr was a game that came out in June of 2018, and it kind of came under the radar. I wanted to review this game, as I picked it up day one, and I loved it, but with my previous job, I just never got around to it. I regret this every day. DONTNOD, the beautiful bastards who created the wonderful Life Is Strange series, decided they wanted more of an action game, and sort of succeeded. The main reason it is on the list, is the characters and the story. While the action be kind of clunky at times, the decision making in this game can be some of the hardest I've encountered in a game in quite some time. Choices that really do reverberate throughout your playthrough. I chose not to eat anyone through my playthrough, and found the game SO difficult. That sounds bad, but really it was great. It made every chance I had to feast on someone that much harder to look the other way as I was getting my ass kicked. The story and the lore are actually pretty well done, even if there is a bit of cheese from time to time. I blame the French to English translations. But it didn't take away from the generally positive experience with this game. Honestly this was a very highly underrated title that I did enjoy my time with. If I had a chance to review it, I'd have given it a solid 7/10. If you wanted to wait for a sale, I would understand, but it's honestly a really good B type game. If DONTNOD can keep improving their combat in their games, watch out, they will be a force to reckon with.

8. Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life and Yakuza 2 Remake

So, for anyone that really knows me, knows 2018 is the year that I fell in love with the Yakuza series. I completed nearly 100% of the trophies for Yakuza Kiwami, I've started playing Kiwami 2, and I played a bit of Yakuza 6. Now I know that Yakuza 6 is a separate story, and pretty much all the games do a great job of staying in their own lanes, but I didn't complete this game yet, because I didn't want my time with Kiriyu to end just yet, especially since I haven't gotten the chance to play all of the games yet. That should tell you something right off the bat. Kiriyu is such a well designed character, that has been deeply fleshed out over the course of now 7 games. The great balance of a serious character, in an otherwise goofy world, has always brought a ton of laughs, as well as a ton of emotion. Kiriyu has seen and done it all by this point, it's hard to believe there is still something that can catch him off guard. He's adopted a little girl, has had to fight and watch his best friend die, he's lived the Yakuza life, and was even kicked out and marked for death. The dude has lived through some shit, and to be honest, I haven't even touched on it all. But even after 7 games, they still find a way to precisely hit all that charm the other games have had. They haven't broken the mold, instead they have kept it mostly the same, but they have managed to keep changing the ingredients inside to keep each game fresh and unique. I have a lot more I have to say about Yakuza as a whole, but both 6 and the remake of 2 are stellar. They look the part, they play the part, and they give you a taste of the past, while giving Kiriyu a send off I think he deserves.

7. Detroit: Become Human

Another PlayStation game that I didn't check out when it first came out, but grabbed in like October because my roommate loved it so much. While I think Yakuza 6 is definitely the better game, I was able to complete a lot more of Detroit, so I feel that's what counts here in the end. I had more fun with the game then I thought I would. Detroit looks the part, but once again, there isn't a ton of action here. At this point what would you expect of a Quantic Dreams game? The choices and decisions of the game are fairly hard at first, coming up and making you decide in mere seconds what your response will be. Some how though, they get even harder as the game branches out. Characters are fairly well written, and are more then interesting enough. That's what's going to keep you playing honestly. Overall themes and lessons can sometimes be ham-fisted, but other times are beautifully well done. Although it isn't quite the game that God Of War is, or really even Yakuza 6, it still belongs on this list for the things it gets right, rather then the things it could have.

6. Dragon Ball FighterZ

FighterZ came out in January of 2018, and I won't lie, I thought it might wind up being bad. I'm glad I was wrong. January has been for a while, the place where both movie and games until lately, go to die. This game had a few issues with it's story, as really, there might have been a bit too much of it, fighting the same clones over and over again. The overarching story was good though, sometimes even great. Android 21 was an interesting enough character. However, the meat and potatoes of the game came with the actual fighting, which was excellent. 3v3 added something new and fresh to the series, as well as helped it stand out as something unique and interesting among all the fighting games out there today. Tons of different tourney modes, ladders, and both quickplay and ranked matches, this game has so MUCH content. It finished up it's last 2 characters late last year, and many hope that there is a season 2 pass of characters to come, as it's still massively popular to this day. Here's to hoping, and I'm glad DBZ is back in the best of ways. If you want to read more, I have a review for this very game on this blog.

https://sensei2312.wixsite.com/ontheshelf/single-post/2018/01/29/Dragon-Ball-FighterZ-Review-12918

5. Monster Hunter: World

January last year was a Hell of a month huh? This was a game I just didn't have time to review last year, sadly enough, because of my previous job working me 6 days a week. The game was also really long. There was such a huge amount of content in this game, that it was almost daunting. I put in nearly 60 hours into this game, and to be fair, I still didn't completely beat it. The monsters are huge, impressive, and so gorgeously detailed. The ability to team up with 3 other hunters and kill ginormous creatures, take their teeth, claws, and scales, and make amazing armor and weapons out of it is so freaking cool. This game brought in a slew of new fans, including myself. I can't wait for the expansion coming later this year, and there is still enough time for me to mop a few last missions to get ready for it all. The free content and missions are also awesome as well. Capcom seems to have made a HUGE shift in the way they not only make games, but how they support them too, and I'm here for all of it.

4. Forza Horizon 4

If you would have told me that a racing game would have made my top 10 list of 2018, I wouldn't have believed you. If you would have told me that a racing game made for Xbox would have made my top 10 AND snuck into the bottom 5, I would have called you a damn dirty liar, yet here we are. This game is just really good. I have always loved the Horizon series, but this game takes the series, to new heights. Changing seasons, tons of different tracks, 100's of cars, as well as weekly and daily events/challenges means that the world always feels fresh and fun. Combine that with a really great soundtrack and about a half a dozen or so story lines in which you could be a stunt driver, to the fastest taxi driver at Horizon, and you have yourself a nearly flawless game. Did I tell you the recreation of the English countryside is absolutely gorgeous? Well it is, one of the most detailed games to come out of 2018. I still jump into the game a few times a week, and that's they highest praise I can give a game. If you haven't checked this game out, pick it up on Game Pass, and if you want to read more, check out my review of the game.

https://sensei2312.wixsite.com/ontheshelf/single-post/2018/10/16/Forza-Horizon-4-Review-101618

3. Spiderman

Okay, so the last 3. Spiderman was a hoot to play, and deserves ever bit of this spot on the list. From the combat, to the story, to the swinging around from building to building, everything about this game was great. Some of the facial animations and graphics in general were phenomenal. Tons of Easter Eggs, and a gorgeous New York City, the one thing that held it back to just 3, was it's side content. Half of it was great, and the other half felt a bit phoned in. There is also some great DLC both free and paid that has been added to the game as well. I could talk all day about this wonderful game, but I have a review of it as well and you should check it out if you

https://sensei2312.wixsite.com/ontheshelf/single-post/2018/09/14/Is-Spiderman-back-to-being-amazing-Spiderman-2018-Review-91418

2. Red Dead Redemption 2

This one was a toss up honestly, because both 1 and 2 belong together side by side as the best that 2018 had to offer. Red Dead Redemption 2 had a fantastic story, but a lackluster Online mode that is still trying to get it's Online mode's economy right. Between this and the number one game on this list, it all came down to it's single player. This game was nearly my new gold standard, with it's fantastic characters, wonderful missions, and heartbreaking story. This doesn't even touch on the Easter Eggs and like 90 different animals to hunt and skin. The one thing that held it back was some of the story structure. So for now, it still remains one of the best games of 2018, and one of the best open world games ever made. If you want a bit more context, I made a video review! Go check it out!

https://youtu.be/5CoWrq-zaTc

1. God Of War (2018)

You knew it was coming. This was one of the best games ever made, and weirdly enough, it wasn't because it added anything terribly new to gaming, just the franchise. The third person, over the shoulder view was new to God Of Boy, and the other thing new? The emotional, fantastic story of a boy trying to learn what he really is, and a father, trying to learn to live with what he's done, and what he has become. The story is absolutely amazing, and only one of the reasons you should play this great game if you have a PS4. The Nordic setting was fantastic, the music was on point. The gameplay was fast and fresh. I wanted so badly to do a review on this game, but once again, my previous job, and the amount of content offered here, prevented me from doing one in a timely manner. I want to rectify this this year, for this game alone. While some tiny bits of the story structure could be tightened up if there was to be a sequel, for the most part, this is the one game that would get a 10/10 from me this year. The world was gorgeous, the characters well written, and the story just moving as a father and a son bond while trying to fulfill their loved ones last wish. God Of War is for sure the best game of 2018.

Games I'm looking forward to in 2019!

So a quick little list of the games I'm looking forward to in 2019, let me know what some of the games you are looking forward to! Are any on this list? Did I miss some of yours?

10. Gears Of War 5 - I'm a huge fan of the GoW series, and 4's story was good, even if the mp didn't stick with me like it did in previous entries. I'm hoping this can be a revival for it.

9. The Division 2 - I did have some enjoyment in the Division, but left it for a while because of the lackluster and sometimes frustrating endgame. They cleaned those up after a while, and hopefully can carry momentum and a good story into this sequel.

8. Resident Evil 2 Remake - I know this is out now, but when it was announced and I was looking at the date, I couldn't wait. I'm looking forward to talking about this classic game that traumatized my childhood.

7. Days Gone - I'm not usually one to get excited about zombie games, but this one has some interesting takes, looking more and more like a cross between TWD and 28 Days Later and I'm looking forward to it in April.

6. Crackdown 3 - I'm hoping this game, as well as Gears 5, can finally give us some really good Xbox titles, as the system only has like 5? and 60% of those are racing games. I'm hoping okay?

5. Sekrio: Shadows Die Twice - From Software's newest game looks amazing. I'm a huge Samurai nerd, and the trailers have only amped up my excitement going forward.

4. The Outer Worlds - The dudes who created Fallout: New Vegas, teaming up with the dudes who gave us the first 2 Fallouts? Sounds like a marriage from heaven. This game, plus 2 others in the top 3, should give us some great RPG/Apocalyptic action we sorely missed with Fallout: 76.

3. Rage 2 - The first Rage was alright. It ended right before it got good. However, with Avalanche Studios and ID Software teaming up to give us what looks like a satisfying sequel, sign me the fuck up.

2. Wolfenstein: Youngblood - This sort of spinoff is still under wraps for the most part, but I'm a huge fan of Old Blood, The New Order, and The New Colossus. Hell, the latter was my top game of 2017. So it stands to tell, I'm super pumped up for this one.

1. Metro: Exodus - Ignoring the silly shit going forward, this game still has me super hyped. So much so, I've played back through the previous 2 like 3 more times in the last week, finishing up achievements. This game has a week left till launch, and I'm so hyped up it feels like Christmas all over again.