As mentioned in my previous post, I've had far less time to play games this year than in years past but I've still managed to come up with a solid "top 10" for you folks to peruse.
Regular readers know the drill by now, and it's especially true this year. A game's absence from this list should not be taken as an indication of its quality.
I also want to address the elephant in the room for long-term readers who my be wondering why "DayZ" didn't make the list despite its release from Early Access purgatory. Be sure to check out my video review below for details.
That said, let's light this candle!
#10 - Overkill's The Walking Dead
Of all the games I played in 2018, "Overkill's The Walking Dead" (OTWD) is the one I have the most mixed feelings about. On one hand, there are several elements of the experience that I genuinely enjoy, such as its progression systems, or various esthetic and gameplay elements in the game's environments. On the other hand, copious technical issues, combined with OTWD's in my mind unreasonably-high, AAA price tag, have given me pause when it comes to broadly recommending it. Still, this is a title worth keeping an eye on for fans of co-op-focused, first-person, zombie games.
Overkill's The Walking Dead (via Steam)
#9 - The Forest
I'm a sucker for a good co-op game. I also have a bit of a soft spot for open-world, sandbox, survival titles, so "The Forest," with its progression-focused, environment-based narrative elements is a game that had little difficulty drawing my friends and I into its world. Sporting some of the creepiest and most lifelike AI enemies I've seen in a game in ages, "The Forest" has a lot going for it, regardless of a few immersion-breaking technical issues. As a final caution, it's worth noting that the game's overall tendency to obfuscate information about its environment, and the best way to proceed through it, might compel players to spend an inordinate amount of time consulting wikis and other external sources as opposed to discovering things through organic gameplay.
The Forest (via Steam)
#8 - Dark Quest II
A co-op friendly, turn-based, dungeon crawler with light RPG elements at a reasonable price, you say? Sign me up!
Dark Quest II (via Steam)
#7 - Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War
Were you disappointed by "Civilization: Beyond Earth?" Have you been craving a sci-fi themed, grand strategy game that's simple and straightforward enough to play casually, yet possessing enough mechanical depth to accommodate more sophisticated tastes and moods? If so, "Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War" is a game you should probably play.
Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War (via Steam)
#6 - Wreckfest
It may not be an all-encompassing racing experience, but as a title that focuses squarely on a fun, frenetic sub-genre featuring full-contact motorsports with a heavy emphasis on the demolition of one's opponents, "Wreckfest" has no equal.
Wreckfest (via Steam)
#5 - Metal Gear Survive
Don't mind the haters. This game is awesome! If you love open-world, survival-themed experiences with a, frankly, more coherent narrative than most of the Kojima-helmed Metal Gear titles, give this game a fair chance. For what it's worth, if co-op had been enabled for the full campaign, and not just the instance-based missions, which are still fun to play with friends, "Metal Gear Survive" would have easily made the top three on this list, and had a real shot at being my game of the year.
Metal Gear Survive (via Steam)
#4 - Battlefield V
For a long time now, I've been hoping for Electronic Arts and DICE to return to the past glory they achieved with "Battlefield: Bad Company 2," which still ranks as one of my all-time favorite games. While "Battlefield V" (BFV) has yet to equal the splendor of that sublime experience, I can honestly say it's as close as they've come to hitting the mark so far. It will likely be a full year before we see BFV's "final form" but I'm happy to once again find myself on the Battlefield train as I believe it's finally, at long last become a ride worth taking again, and enthusiastically recommending to others.
Battlefield V (via Origin)
#3 - Far Cry 5
Ever since playing the first game and experiencing its visual prowess, I've consistently felt that the Far Cry series was on the verge of greatness. Sadly, there was always something missing from each effort, be it a co-op campaign, inspired environmental and mission design, or a compelling narrative and cast of characters. For me, "Far Cry 5" is the first in the series to finally "get it all right." There's so much to like about this game, from its tone, to its pacing, to its superb esthetics, I really struggle to find much to complain about with this one. Sure, limiting co-op to two players, particularly in the Arcade mode seems a little arbitrary and some in-game activities are certainly better than others, but overall, I would highly recommend "Far Cry 5" to anyone in search of a fun, polished, co-op friendly, first-person shooter experience.
Far Cry 5 (via Steam)
#2 - Jagged Alliance: Rage!
As a big fan of the Jagged Alliance series, I approached "Jagged Alliance: Rage!" (JAR) with a certain amount of trepidation. Being familiar with Cliffhanger Productions' previous title, "Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown," which recurring readers will note was #2 on my 2015 list, I felt reasonably confident that JAR would be a solid, co-op friendly, tactical, turn-based strategy experience. Still, I was worried that the relatively small team at Cliffhanger might have trouble capturing the essence of the IP and applying it to the sort of games they make. Fortunately, I need not have feared as JAR has proven to be a refreshing and welcome experience that I've thoroughly enjoyed in my 20+ hours with it so far. If a modern re-skin of "Jagged Alliance 2" is the only thing that would satisfy you, you'd do well to give JAR a wide birth; however, fans of the series open to some new ideas, and eager to share a Jagged Alliance-like adventure with a friend, will almost certainly find a lot to love.
Jagged Alliance: Rage! (via Steam)
#1 - For the King
"For the King" is a nearly-perfect game. Play it. Love it. Thank me later. Seriously. I could go on and on about the many wonderful aspects of this title and do my utmost to pick nits regarding it all day, but your time and money would be far better spent just playing "For the King" and experiencing for yourself what a charming, well-executed, satisfying, fully-featured, reasonably-priced game should be.
For the King (via Steam)
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