SEGA-16. 2018 is about over. What's your GOTY's?

[Leynos]

It's preferred we are talking about games released in 2018 but if you played nothing released this year then go ahead and say your fave game you discovered this year even if it's from 1998 or 88 or whenever. I'm personally going to stick to 2018 released games.










In order for me.

Yakuza 6

2 Yakuza games released this year in the west. Kiwami 2 and Yakuza 6. Kiwami 2 was good but for me, Yakuza 6 felt far more personal and final. Which is fitting because this is it for Kazuma Kiryu. He is no more. Seeing Kiryu once again fight for the honor and protect a young child was a full circle of the first game. The game looked great and some of the stronger characters I saw in a while. As always. The drama is heavy and great. Where I really loved it is the side missions. This game doesn't have as many as Yakuza 0 (my fave game of last year) but it's loaded and my fave is by far the mascot one. I liked switching from the city we all know to a small fishing village where it had a more Shenmue feel to it.
I'm not 100% sold on the way Kiryu went out but overall Kiryu's last stand was a wild and fun ride.


Octopath Traveler

This is a Squaresoft RPG. Remember those? This feels like those SNES/PS1 era RPGs. It has no doubt the best soundtrack I heard this year. 8 characters and you see each persons personal story and journey. At first, it was jarring that the stories don't interconnect but you get used to it. Still would have been nice and maybe the games only real big flaw. Now much like those older games, it's a bit grind heavy and has some real challenge to it. It's not an easy game. Still, if you played enough classic RPGs, you know the formula. Stories vary in quality but Primrose deals in slavery and rape. So they can be a bit heavy at times and on the opposite side, there is Tressa. She is more what you expect. A teenager wanting to go on an adventure! Each story is unique. Man, that music? Have I mentioned the music? Because the music is seriously amazing. Oh, and of course we have to mention the art style. It looks a lot like Final Fantasy VI sprites in 3D. It looks amazing! Goes to show Unreal 4 doesn't always need to be realistic games.



Lastly, we have a tie. This is a first for me in recent years.

Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise & Xenoblade 2 Torna The Golden Country


I will start with Torna. I can't talk that much in depth because this is a prequel/expansion (stand alone at retail as well) to Xenoblade 2. Xenoblade 2 was a grand scale game as Xenoblade games typically are. Torna is a more focused and personal tale of events that lead into Xenoblade 2 500 years prior. This is the second game I know of Nomura designed a white-haired villain with a long Katana in Jin. Ok, well he is the villain in 2 and here a playable character. Alongside some others important to the story. I should say no more. Where Xenoblade 2 was this grand adventure and had a happy ending. Torna the exact opposite. Because I know the context of Xenoblade 2, that's why the story and characters make this game for me. The music is fantastic. I esp like the jazz overworld music. I can't say much more without spoiling anything.


Now onto Fist of the North Star. I need to confess. I have never seen anything of FOTN other than that horrible American movie from the 90s. I still wanted this game because of the Yakuza team. The results? It's a Yakuza game! This is 80s anime with the gore and damsels in distress in a Yakuza skin with some Mad Max driving thrown in. So in addition to a typical Yakuza like city. You have a giant overworld to drive in your buggy you can customize. You can collect materials to improve your buggy and you get treasures and such. Yes, you get into fights like any overworld. The game is so over the top to the point you can beat bad guys up with their own word bubbles. Many many MANY heads will explode. A lot of side missions. The arena to battle foes. Unlocking classic SEGA arcade games and even playing FOTN on Master System. The combat is great fun. Huge skill tree to customize your abilities. The tone of the game is of course Yakuza with 80s anime. You can play baseball using a motorcycle like a bat and swatting away bikers out of the park. The story is the weakest part. It's not as in-depth as a Yakuza game. It has the same style of writing just not the depth. There is so much to do. It's so much fun. I liked Last Battle on Genesis. I played FOTN on Master System. This is the best FOTN game I played. It prompted me to watch the older anime and films. Even when I finished the game and moved onto others. I kept checking back in for updates and to beat someone up. It's just so much fun.



Hnorable Mention is Warframe. Had this game been released this year,t would be my GOTY. Man I love this game on PC.


If a mod wants to fix the grammar on the title of the thread. Feel free. Or let it be so I can look like a goof like I deserve lol. I'm fine with it either way.

[gamevet]

Fallout 76.............Just kidding

I haven't played a ton of new games this year, so there wasn't a lot of games that I could compare to each other.

My GOTY is Far Cry 5. It's the best Far Cry game yet and I feel like it might be the best sand box game of it's kind.

I once thought that Breath of the Wild would be my game of the year, but I got bored with it before getting to the end. Everything just felt so wash, rinse, repeat when it came to advancing the story.

[Zygrunt]

Tanglewood and Dead Cells

[EyeDeeNo76]

Wreckfest - Bellowing V8 engine racing, good track feel and physics, able to remap shifting to right stick plus it looks and runs very well on my system. And yeah smashing the heck out stuff is fun too ha-ha. Steam says I have put 91 hours into it.

Oddly I think the only other game released in '18 was also published by THQ Nordic MX VS ATV All Out and appreciate that like wise but vehicle carnage gets the upper hand.

[profholt82]

While I played a number of games which were released in 2018, I am including all of the games which I played for the first time in 2018 on my list, regardless of the release date.

Return Fire - 3do
Holy crap, did I love this game. It's a strategy game in which you control numerous military vehicles with different strengths and weaknesses that you have to use to attack and destroy numerous enemy bases and defenses while they attack you. The end game is to capture their flag and return it to your base. There are numerous levels with incredibly diverse and creative maps. I had an absolute blast with this game.

Tekken 7 - XB1
The story mode in this game was excellent and it kept me riveted throughout. The gameplay is classic Tekken, but with some modern touches to make things even more intuitive. It was the perfect foray into the latest console generation. There are a ton of characters and game modes available as well, but like I said, it was the main story mode that had me hooked.

Rampart - Genesis
Somehow I missed this game back in the day. I knew of it, and saw the arcade game around, and saw the NES game on the rental shop wall, but was apparently never intrigued enough to give it a whirl. Well, I picked up a copy of the Genesis port early in 2018 and put a ton of time into it. It's another strategy game, but in this one, defense is the name of the game. You create a fortress and build walls, and use your cannons to fight off an armada. The game goes in times rounds, and in between these rounds, you must hurriedly rebuild the walls protect your fortress as best you can. It's intense and addictive. When I play it, I feel similar to the way I do while playing Gain Ground.

Wing Commander 3 - 3do
An amazing space shooter with a deep story and beautiful cut scenes. It features an excellent cast of actors which really brings the story to life. I realize there is now a big stigma against full motion video, but the main space shooter gameplay itself is separate from the FMV gameplay which is rather simple with point and click around the setting and choosing the phrase to use while interacting with other characters.

This part of the game is basically interactive cutscenes which is something I wouldn't mind in many modern games which feature long cutscenes that you have to sit through in order to follow the story. Great game. I plan on checking out the 4th iteration of the series on playstation in the near future.

Red Dead Redemption 2 - XB1
While the main story mode of this game has not really grabbed me, the attention to detail and immersive depth of this game more than make up for it. Hours go by without my even realizing when I go balls deep into Red Dead.

F1 2018 - XB1
While Super Monaco GP is probably still my favorite F1 game, I have really enjoyed my time with Codemasters' latest entry into the series. The brilliance of this game lies in its nearly infinite customization features. You can set it up to be a pure arcade racer or the purest, most indepth and punishing simulation ever made. And joining up with a low level team and building them up into a contender is incredibly rewarding.

Raiden V - XB1
Huge, lifelong fan of the Raiden series, and this latest installment did not disappoint. Fast paced, often times chaotic gameplay accompanied by a killer soundtrack makes for an awesome shoot em up. But the story is actually pretty cool as well which doesn't often happen in this style of game.

Return of Double Dragon - Snes
This game recieved a release on the super nintendo this year which included a cardboard box and everything. As a longtime DD fan, I bought it day one. And it didnt disappoint. I've had the original Super Double Dragon cart for probably 20 years, and have always enjoyed it. But this is a US release of the original Japanese game which includes a number of differences from the original US game which most importantly includes more moves and more levels.

Rock 'n' Roll Racing - Snes
Lots of fun. For whatever reason, I never got this game back in the day. I recall playing it at a friend's house on Genesis back in the 90s though. I plays like RC Pro Am, but features upgradable vehicles and a cool hard rock soundtrack. There's a whole futuristic theme as well where you travel to different planets between each level which gives it plenty of character.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 - XB1
Apparently people hated this game for some reason. I guess it was because of some online stuff where you run around and shoot each other like in the Call of Duty games. I wouldn't know. The story mode in this game was great. You play as a girl named Iden who begins the game as a member of the Empire, but becomes disillusioned with her superiors, and ends up joining the resistance. She's a heck of a great character, and the gameplay is mixed up throughout with space shooting levels, 3rd person shooter levels, some exploration and puzzle solving. I had a heck of time with this game and the story was a memorable one that fits right into the Star Wars universe.


Here are some honorable mentions that came to mind that I played this year and quite enjoyed, just not as much as the ones listed above.

Soul Calibur VI - XB1
Burnout Paradise Remastered - XB1
Granada - Genesis
Forza Horizon 4 - XB1
Top Gear 3000 - Snes
Dirt 4 - XB1
Railway Empire - XB1

[MrMatthews]

I didn’t actually play many “2018” games in 2018... so I think Mega Man 11 wins by default.

[ComradeOj]

Wreckfest - Bellowing V8 engine racing, good track feel and physics, able to remap shifting to right stick plus it looks and runs very well on my system. And yeah smashing the heck out stuff is fun too ha-ha. Steam says I have put 91 hours into it.

Oddly I think the only other game released in '18 was also published by THQ Nordic MX VS ATV All Out and appreciate that like wise but vehicle carnage gets the upper hand.

How has that game turned out so far? I've had a ton of fun with it in the past, but havn't played in a while. I was always racing the big American sedan driving as un-cleanly as possible. Hoping for a Linux port, as it runs kind of strangely in WINE.

I bought it as early access release in January 2014 back when it was "Next Car Game". Steam is showing 68 hours for me so far. I'm glad it seems have gotten a fully featured release. I remember a lot of worry in people on the forums in recent years about the game being abandoned or Bugbear going bankrupt.

[gamevet]

Star Wars Battlefront 2 - XB1
Apparently people hated this game for some reason. I guess it was because of some online stuff where you run around and shoot each other like in the Call of Duty games. I wouldn't know. The story mode in this game was great. You play as a girl named Iden who begins the game as a member of the Empire, but becomes disillusioned with her superiors, and ends up joining the resistance. She's a heck of a great character, and the gameplay is mixed up throughout with space shooting levels, 3rd person shooter levels, some exploration and puzzle solving. I had a heck of time with this game and the story was a memorable one that fits right into the Star Wars universe.

They hated it because the loot boxes were garbage. You pretty much had to pay to win good loot for the online game.

[Leynos]

Raiden V - XB1
Huge, lifelong fan of the Raiden series, and this latest installment did not disappoint. Fast paced, often times chaotic gameplay accompanied by a killer soundtrack makes for an awesome shoot em up. But the story is actually pretty cool as well which doesn't often happen in this style of game.

Try the directors cut of Raiden V on PS4.

I didn’t actually play many “2018” games in 2018... so I think Mega Man 11 wins by default.

Well,it did release in 2018. Mega Man's Sonic Mania moment.

[EyeDeeNo76]

How has that game turned out so far? I've had a ton of fun with it in the past, but havn't played in a while. I was always racing the big American sedan driving as un-cleanly as possible. Hoping for a Linux port, as it runs kind of strangely in WINE.

I bought it as early access release in January 2014 back when it was "Next Car Game". Steam is showing 68 hours for me so far. I'm glad it seems have gotten a fully featured release. I remember a lot of worry in people on the forums in recent years about the game being abandoned or Bugbear going bankrupt.

It's a blast happy to have it in my Steam library.

I know Bugbear had the game in early access for years but I try not to engage in anything beta but I could not stop looking at the game so when it was taken out of early access and released I jumped all over it. Wreckfest speaks to me on so many levels yeah the AI could use more work but how many games can that be said about... like two thirds of the time if you pass them on the outside of a turn they go kamikaze on you. The damage model can distort in hilariously unnatural ways ha-ha even with the driver too but can't ignore them once-in-the-lifetime moments that can be only achieved with such a nice physics simulation.
Yes sir the Rammer aka '86 Chevrolet Caprice was my first choice vehicle getting started but I have to say I've got a lot of seat time with the Starbeast aka '70 Buick Skylark and the RoadSlayer aka '73 Pontiac Firebird is a good fit for me. I wish I had access to the Bandit aka '71 Dodge Challenger but it was an exclusive to backers of the Deluxe Edition.

Looking forward to new content. The workshop is there but I would rather get it from Bugbear. Got to say though like what KillerAJD has done.


Edit: Gamevet, I've got Far Cry 5 on my radar but I can't shake the feeling of if you've played one Ubisoft game you've played them all.

[MrMatthews]

Well,it did release in 2018.

Yes... yes, I know.

The only 2018 games I played through this year were God of War and Mega Man 11. GoW is definitely not my GOTY.

[gamevet]

Edit: Gamevet, I've got Far Cry 5 on my radar but I can't shake the feeling of if you've played one Ubisoft game you've played them all.

Far Cry 5 lets you fly helicopters and air planes. It really changes how you can attack a town or base. There's also flying challenges. It's a much better game than 4.

[EyeDeeNo76]

Far Cry 5 lets you fly helicopters and air planes. It really changes how you can attack a town or base. There's also flying challenges. It's a much better game than 4.

Approaching an enemy base by the air is not something new as in Far Cry 3 had a hand glider in 4 (I still haven't played) it was a helicopter and the plane I think they were working on for The Crew 2 and thought hell lets throw this in too.

[gamevet]

Approaching an enemy base by the air is not something new as in Far Cry 3 had a hand glider in 4 (I still haven't played) it was a helicopter and the plane I think they were working on for The Crew 2 and thought hell lets throw this in too.

The helicopter in 4 was a single pilot copter (had to fly at a low altitude) like the one in the movie The Road Warrior. The helicopters in Far Cry 5 are legit copters, with several having a full armament of rockets and high caliber bullets. The same with the planes. You also can have dog rights with other planes and copters. There are companions that fly their own personal aircraft along side you, as well.

[Leynos]

Only Far Cry game I played is Blood Dragon and aside from the excellent soundtrack, I found that game to be rather dull. I just go from base to base doing the same repetitive boring shit. The missions in the world are pretty uninteresting as well. It was tired old boring Ubisoft open world design. Not touched a FC game since because of it. I loved the presentation and adore the music. It's boring to play.