Never fear! My annual "My Favorite PC Games of the Year" post is still coming at the end of December. This year, I've decided to give the free-to-play titles I played in 2018 their own list as this will give them their own place to shine, and let me feature more traditional games in the annual list.
Obviously, as with the recurring feature, I certainly haven't played every free-to-play title currently available, so a game's absence here should not be taken as an indication of its quality.
With that said, let's do this!
Honorable Mentions
Being very busy this year writing, publishing, and promoting my second novel, I didn't have as much time as I typically do to play games. As a result, there were a few that, while I enjoyed them quite a bit, I simply wasn't able to thoroughly evaluate, or spend as much time with them as I'd prefer to before ranking and recommending them. Those are listed here.
By the way, if any of you are curious about my new book, here's a short video about it:
Atlas Reactor
Those of you who've been consumers of my gaming-related content for a while no-doubt know that "Atlas Reactor" is one of my all-time favorite games. It also has the distinction of being my "game of the year" for 2016. As such, I couldn't in good conscience make a list of top, free-to-play games without including it.
I've said it before and I'll say it again to anyone who will listen to reason. If you haven't played "Atlas Reactor," you're seriously missing out on one of the best games ever made. Do yourself a favor and give it a try.
Atlas Reactor (via Steam)
Ring of Elysium
If not for its unique, arctic environment and its novel traversal mechanics, "Ring of Elysium" (RoE) would be just another PUBG clone. Fortunately for it, those two standout features, combined with a generally-solid technical implementation, despite being firmly entrenched in the midst of its Early Access process, make RoE the most refreshing Battle Royale game I played in 2018.
Ring of Elysium (via Steam)
Deceit
There are a lot of horror-themed games out there. There are also a lot of asymmetrical PvP games. There are even a few games about secretly working against a group of "co-op" players– ever since "The Ship" popularized that particular concept years ago; however, if you want a free-to-play game that combines all those elements, "Deceit" is likely the game for you. Whether you're playing with, or against, friends, or total strangers, this game is a blast, assuming that your nerves can take it.
Deceit (via Steam)
Warframe
If you're on the hunt for an ever-evolving, co-op friendly, free-to-play, action experience, "Warframe" is still the king of that particular castle. If you've never played it, or haven't played in a while, its more recent updates and refinements are definitely worth a look.
Warframe (via Steam)
#5 - Realm Royale
I'm generally not a huge fan of Battle Royale (BR) games, especially those that simply regurgitate the gameplay and concepts of the mods and early titles that pioneered the genre. Having said that, if I were going to seriously play a BR game, "Realm Royale" is the one I'd likely choose. From its colorful and generally-appealing esthetic, to its polished and refined gameplay, to its handful of innovative features, such as its forging system, which, among other things, allows for teammate revives, there's a lot to like about this game, and I'd say just enough to elevate it above its many BR rivals.
Realm Royale (via Steam)
#4 - Ironsight
Do you think Call of Duty is a slow-paced FPS for babies? If so, you may want to give "Ironsight" a try. Sporting a custom game engine that was built from the ground up specifically to support its ultra-fast-paced gameplay, "Ironsight," if nothing else, is an impressive technical achievement, which continues to evolve as it marches toward its release from open beta. I'm a big fan of this game, despite being terrible at it, and would definitely recommend it to fans of twitch-oriented, skill-based first person shooters.
Ironsight (Official Site)
#3 - Eternal Card Game
In my opinion, this is the best Collectable Card Game (free to play or otherwise) currently available. The gameplay, the modes, the business model, combined with the level of polish in its presentation make "Eternal Card Game" an easy title to recommend, and a standout in a very crowded genre.
Eternal Card Game (via Steam)
#2 - Black Squad
I'm a sucker for a good, modern military FPS and "Black Squad" delivers just that. There are definitely still some occasional problems with matchmaking, client/server performance, and hit registration, but for an Early Access title, it's a generally solid, fun game that I often enjoy playing with friends.
Black Squad (via Steam)
#1 - Paladins
Without a doubt, "Paladins" is the best team-oriented, free to play, hero shooter I've played. If you like that style of gameplay, you're probably already playing it, but for those unaware, "Paladins" is absolutely worth a look.
Paladins (via Steam)
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