Somehow just as good as 2017 :O
Single Player gaming standing strong
Expansion of the Open World
Mythologies re-explored
PS4 continued dominance
Too many games, so little time...
Yakuza 3 way
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"The original God of War was one of the games that made me aware that I am missing out on some really cool games by being a PC only gamer, built a strong case for me buying a PS2 and ultimately reintroduced me to console gaming. I actually managed to play every game in the series and followed it's evolution across all Playstation platforms (PS2, PSP, PS3 and now PS4). It's an icon of the platform, same as Halo is for Xbox. This new God of War is a whole new chapter for the franchise: changing mythologies, gameplay, exploring new themes and giving Kratos some much needed depth. It is one of the best and most refreshing "reboots" of sorts. The game is stellar and even with all it's changes it still manages to feels a lot like the old God of Wars, at times. But there is also a lot of new that might just sway over people that weren't so fond of the series before. This is the best and most personal story of all the series, with the best and most fleshed out characters. And it still provides amazing jaw dropping moments that only God of War can. The developers did the impossible here and crafted a game that is: a must buy for all PS4 owners, a bold reinvention of a popular franchise, a redemption story for the character of Kratos and a mature new tale of fatherhood rarely seen in the medium of video games." Game of the Year 2018 #TheSweetSpot: Having new areas of the map being revealed giving you and Atreas more places to venture to, kick ass and spend time together as father and son. Also the high production values and polish of the overall game.
Pros: + Amazing world that feels alive + The weather system and lighting is some of the best I've seen. + Very immersive and atmospheric + Great Characters and acting all over. + Story is the best Rockstar has made. + The music is the cherry on top of everything + Overall sound is also great + Crazy attention to detail + Plenty of other things to do in the world + Ending was pretty good and the Epilogue was a nice surprise (though it could have been more compact) + Read Dead Online has it's own story / side missions Cons: -The incredibly high bodycount and frequency of firefights towards the end of the story. - Holds your hands a bit too much during story missions - Some chapters aren't as good as others - Epilogue felt too drawn out with not enough great story moments or missions to keep it interesting for that long. - Having to go back and forth over great distances without any reliable form of fast travel can be tedious at times. #TheSweetSpot: Spending time in camp with your gang listening to their stories and watching them interact with one another while a storm is slowly rolling in changing the entire scenery making the world feel alive like no other.
+ Iceborn Expansion "This is the game I wanted ever since I played Monster Hunter Freedom 2 on the PSP. It's the ultimate monster hunting experience and quite possibly Capcom's best game this generation...so far. The game's story is nothing much but serves as a nice connective tissue for all the hunting you're about to be doing, and to be frank it's a solid effort. The hunts themselves are a blast especially with others and the rewards in the form of absolutely badass looking gear that you can craft is a compelling enough reason for you to be coming back. Finally, it's Monster Hunter's time to shine worldwide." #TheSweetSpot: Facing off a tough foe with the help of 3 other strangers trying to take it down only to have another monster enter the battle causing extra chaos and panic.
" Spider-man finally getting the Arkham treatment, this game is quite possibly the best Marvel branded game out there (maybe with a few exceptions) and will most likely pave the way for more quality Marvel releases in the future. In a few years we may look back at this as the Iron Man moment of the Marvel Gaming-verse. The one that started it all. Marvel's Spider-Man is a very well done video game, by far the best made Spider-Man game. It is also, I feel, Insomniac's best game to date. Swinging through an amazingly recreated New York city as Spidey is truly breathtaking and zen like, it never gets boring and you will never want to fast travel again. The combat is also nimble, hard hitting and satisfying. It's a joy to play. As a small negative I would say that the game is pretty much a collect-a-thon (though not as bad or as meaningless as in other titles) but you still feel good doing all the various "chores". The main story is very solid and has some hard hitting moment but it's no God of war or Red dead or Yakuza. You feel not only like Spider-Man but also like Peter Parker, in New York..saving the day and being a hero. This is a good experience
" It was very nice, and kind of fitting, to have both Ni No Kuni 2 and Dragon quest XI in the same year. While They both have a lot of similarities, they walk quite different paths. Dragon quest is far more traditional and doesn't try to innovate as much as Ni No Kuni, but it does end up executing on it's ideas much better. I found the story to be better, the characters, the sense of adventure and mystery, the world and the overall pacing. It's a game that I will remember more in the long run. The only element I think Ni No Kuni 2 does a bit better then Dragon quest XI, would be the combat system. Mainly because it's not turned based. The game is quite large and will require many hours to beat (took me 48h to beat the main quest) and if you enjoyed Dragon quest VIII you will definitely enjoy this one. Also, the epilogue is really satisfying. I do wish the soundtrack was a bit more memorable (and varied) and was symphonic just like DQ VIII's. Next to Persona 5, these 2 are undoubtedly the best JRPG's available on the PS4 yet."
+ Some DLC Pros: + Another solid entry in the franchise so soon after a great reboot. + Mercenaries add an extra layer of danger and tension + Hunting down the cult + Kassandra is one of the better protagonists of the series + Huge World with lots of verticality and diversity (land and sea) + Sea battles and sea exploration is back + The Greek world can look exceptionally pretty at times + Sneaking through encampments is still fun + Plenty of Loot to chase and keep things fresh + Dialogue tree and choices with consequences + Some cool "Boss" encounters + Story is pretty good and filled with twists + Most major side-quests are worth doing + Soundtrack is solid once again + Some of the ending are alright + Cool looking armor sets and weapons Cons: - Is very bloated (Quantity over quality). Didn't need to be this big. - Combat is still not as good as it could be and can lead to some awkward confrontations - A lot of the Synchronize points feel oddly placed - The game isn't really about assassin's anymore - The main story kind of just ends with little fanfare. And then you find out you aren't actually done.
"I liked the more intimate nature of this entry. The game follows only Kiryu this time, as he is on a very personal quest. Chronologically this is the last game that Kiryu will appear in as main protagonist, so it was nice that he received all the spotlight. The game also uses the new Dragon engine which makes the world seem not only prettier but also more seamless. The Combat felt simplified as well coming from Yakuza 0, but it was still enjoyable. But as always it's the story and characters that will keep you glued to your screen as in past entries. Or all the wacky side quests and plethora of mini games (or full fledged games like Virtua Fighter 5). Yakuza 6 delivers on all of them wonderfully."
Positives: + World is very beautiful and looks and feels like a genuine place + Some of the most realistic depictions of forests, Castles and countrysides in a game + Easy to get immersed because of the great atmosphere + Nights are pitch black and dangerous + Dedicated to a sense of realism (can be double edged) + Enemies can run in fear + Generally good voice acting and some solid writing and cutscenes at times + Story is quite good with quite a few memorable moments and quests + Some nice memorable characters + Music fits the era + Gets better the further you progress. Henry really grows on you as a character and a lot of the problems with the combat and other abilities die down. + Like some of the medieval inspired artwork that ornate the map or are featured in the codex + Lengthy and meaty in content Negatives: - Bugs and glitches that can ruin the immersion or ruin progress - Some stiff animations and jank - Lock picking, fighting and shooting a bow can be really off putting for a while before you get better at it. Making the beginning couple of hours really divisive. - The Auto Save system is pretty hit or miss. Game also freezes for a good couple of seconds when it happens. - Some annoying oversights (like bandits not having keys to their own chests) - While the hud and menu are stylish, they are not the most intuitive and are quite slow - Knocking out enemies from behind is quite broken - Easy to fail quests because of invisible timers. Could have given the player some hints as to what is timed and what isn't.
Positives: + The maps are overwhelming and impressive at the same time. Feels like you have so many options and don't know where to start. + Levels are packed with people and stuff + Great atmosphere in most of the locations + Hitman has a certain charm of it's own + Highly replayable + Different play-styles + Good visuals and performance considering the large and packed maps + Neat hint system if you want it + You can add the missions from Hitman 1 to the package Negatives: - Could use quick save and quick load buttons, considering how often you will be doing that (see Desperados 3) - Easy to miss out on the elusive targets which is a bummer for people jumping in later or just simply can't play anytime. - The main plot still doesn't really do much for me. - AI still has some kinks and can be exploited hard - Isn't worth the full price if you are not going to replay the maps - Ran into a crash that would happen all the time in the same spot
"One of my favorite indie games of the generation, loved the style that this game oozes. Every frame is gorgeous and worth hanging on your wall. Loved the journey and all the small choices you can make along the way, all the beautiful lands you see and characters you meet. Just an amazing package."