As we enter the last month of the year, there are a few recurring December activities ahead. It’s the time for eating good food, playing in the snow, and preparing resolutions (to be abandoned after 2 weeks).
Additionally, it’s a time of reflection and thanksgiving. That is, reflecting on what a great year of video games we were blessed with and being thankful that more are on the way in 2019!
On November 9th, 2018, The Game Awards announced its nominees for 2018 Game of the Year. Later this week, on December 6th, the winner will be announced!
We won’t just see the most outstanding game of the past 12 months. Winners from several categories ranging from best independent game to best art direction will be released.
A brief history
In 2013, game journalist and show producer Geoff Keighley transitioned from Spike TV’s Spike Video Game Awards. He contacted several industries leaders and decided to create a better experience to showcase the year’s best in gaming.
In 2014, The Game Awards had its inaugural award show. Here are the winners of the past four years.
- (2014) Dragon Age: Inquisition (PC, Xbox 360 and One, PlayStation 3 and 4)
- (2015) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4)
- (2016) Overwatch (PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4)
- (2017) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Wii U)
Now that you know your history, let’s jump right into the nominees!
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Released: October 5 | Genre: Action RPG
Metacritic: PC (87), PS4 (82), XBone (87)
First debuting on the PC and the consoles of last generation, Ubisoft has built up quite the catalog of Assassin’s Creed games. 2018’s version covers the Peloponnesian War and is the biggest of the series.
Whether or not bigger has equated to better in this entry has been met with mixed reviews. But to fans of open world adventures, Odyssey is sure to not let you down. It may be remembered as an evolutionary step for the series as a whole.
Celeste
Released: January 25 | Genre: Platformer
Metacritic: PC (88), PS4 (91), XBone (94), Switch (92)
If you’ve played Meatboy or Give Up, Robot, you’ll feel right at home with Celeste. This platformer tests your hand-eye coordination with devastating level design and clever dash mechanics.
While you’re bound to die a lot, completing a level is extremely satisfying! As you progress through more challenging levels, you will need to learn from each lost life to plan your way to success.
God of War
Released: April 20 | Genre: Action-Adventure
Metacritic: PS4 (94)
Boy! For the first time in the series, Kratos is joined by a companion in his quest. Interestingly, the small child is his son! It’s strange to imagine this killing machine as a parent, but the development of the characters pulls you in to very intimate moments.
Critics have praised the use of a continuous camera, which adds to the dramatic fights against towering beasts. God of War was able to achieve the daunting task of reinventing itself while still staying true to its roots.
YFor a real challenge, play on the hardest difficulty which will present you with an unforgivingly challenging experience reminiscent of the Dark Souls series.
The graphics are amazing and the battle animations are impressively smooth. The unlockables allow for great customization and it’s easy to get entrenched in the story said to be far and away the best of the series.
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Released: September 7 | Genre: Action-Adventure
Metacritic: PS4 (87)
The teaser trailer of the newest spider-man left fans in awe, anxiously awaiting it’s release. Each action sequence made you feel as though you were wearing the spidey suit.
Another PS4 exclusive, Marvel’s Spider-Man lived up to the hype. While the ‘boat people‘ look very 90s-esque, the rest of the city looks great as you fly gracefully through the air.
Reminiscent of Batman Arkham Knight, you can take down baddies with lightning quick combos. As expected, there are tons of web-based abilities to play around with as you learn the ropes.
Monster Hunter: World
Released: January 26 (PS4, Xbone), August 9 (PC) | Genre: Action RPG
Metacritic: PC (88), PS4 (90), Xbone (90)
Monster Hunter really captures what the essence of an action RPG should be. Gathering resources and materials, training and leveling up your character with the end goal of taking down a massive beast.
After harvesting what’s left of its corpse, you rinse and repeat. Your armor, weaponry, and attributes improve along the way. What more could you possibly want?
In this entry, Capcom has really built a world to be admired. If you are new to the series, the learning curve may be a bit steep. However, to those that give it enough time, you will be rewarded with one of the best experiences of 2018.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Released: October 26 | Genre: Action-Adventure
Metacritic: PS4 (97), Xbone (97)
When Rockstar releases a game, it may be agreed that it has a place on this list. The unofficial kings of open world gaming, RDR 2 continues the trend of offering an immense world. There are captivating main and side characters all apart of an engagingly long story.
It’s critics will point to its lack of maturity in combat, as the shooting mechanics are somewhat behind the industry average. Regardless, the deadeye system is darn fun.
Whether it’s hunting, gambling, crafting, dueling, or just exploring the frontier on horseback, Red Dead Redemption’s 2 attention to detail on virtually every level amounts to an experience that simply should not be skipped. With the amount of side missions, challenges, and collectibles scattered across arguably the biggest map in gaming history, you won’t soon be putting it down.
TAG Picks
Fred
From everything I’ve heard, I think God of War takes this one. I haven’t played it myself but the way people describe it’s can’t-put-down-ability factor, there is a good chance that it takes the crown.
The character development is deep enough that you’ll feel like you really get to know each person’s personality. You also get to customize armor and abilities to make the experience your own.
Julian
Considering the timing of its release, it’s nigh perfect reviews, and the release of its online mode which, if history repeats itself, could stand by itself as a legit contender for game of the year, Red Dead Redemption 2 seems like the obvious choice for Game of the Year. While I think God of War has a chance at an upset, there is no denying that Rockstar has once again graced us with a step in video gaming history.
How about you?
Do you agree with either of our selections? Do you think another nominee should have won? Or perhaps the committee got it completely wrong and a game not mentioned was more deserving.
Fallout 76 or Black Ops 4? More story driven games such as Detroit: Become Human or A Way Out? Or what about the incoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? Tell us below!
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