2018 is coming to end it’s the time for more lists. While we still have a handful of movies and music albums yet to be released, essentially every video game worth noting is now out, so that’s topic I’ll tackle first.

This has been an incredible year for gaming, with massive hits like Red Dead Redemption II and Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, as well as indie hits like Dead Cells and Celeste being spread throughout the year. Usually, I end up placing two or three games that I’m not too crazy about at the end of my list in order to fill up space, but this year I had no trouble finding ten games that I felt passionate about.

This list may be altered over the course of the next month

10. Florence

Indie developer Annapurna Interactive released this tiny iOS game and I didn’t even hear about it until months later. Florence is more of an interactive comic than it is a game, but the hour-long experience is so poignant that it earned a spot on this list. The game chronicles the life of a single girl as she falls in and out of love with an aspiring cellist, and you progress the story by completing very light puzzles. It may not seem like much, but the stunning soundtrack, art, and interactivity make it well worth your time.

9. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Is it just another Call of Duty game? Sure, but that’s not a bad thing. Black Ops 4 has the fast-paced action of recent titles like Advanced Warfare and Black Ops 3  but does away with wall running and boost jumping, making the game more grounded like the classic CoD titles. Additionally, the inclusion of the battle royale mode is awesome. It may be inevitable that every video game capitalizes on Fortnite’s success, but Black Ops 4 is currently the best version out there as it combines the intense survival with the tight gunplay of CoD.

8. Hitman 2

For a while, we thought we’d never see another Hitman game as publisher Square Enix dropped long-time developer IO Interactive last year. Luckily, the studio went independent and maintained the rights to the franchise and we were graced with a sequel.  Like the previous entry, the game thrusts you into large maps and presents you with unlimited ways to execute your targets. This open-ended format can be difficult to master at first, but when you get there it can lead to some of the most ridiculously hillarious moments in gaming. While Hitman 2 is largely similar to the 2016 reboot, Hitman, it is still one of the best games to come out this year.

7. A Way Out

Another indie game to make the list, A Way Out is one of the most unique games I’ve ever played. The game tells the story of two guys trying to escape from prison and return to their families. The catch- you have to play with a friend because you each control a character and play through their individual stories at the same time. It may be a little clunky at times, but A Way Out is so creative that it’s an experience I’ll never forget.

6. Detroit: Become Human

Controversial director David Cage returned with yet another “interactive story”- type game, and it’s easily his best to date. Detroit follows the stories of the three different androids in the titular city, as they get caught up in the growing tensions between machines and the humans that own them. Although the premise may not be that original and a little heavy-handed, the deeply written characters and tension of certain scenes make Detroit: Become Human one of the best story-based games of the generation.

5. Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey

The Assassin’s Creed series saw a much-needed restyling with last years AC: Origins, and Odyssey takes it even further. Set in ancient Greece in the midst of the Pelopenessian War, the game follows a protagonist (either Kassandra or Alexios depending on who you choose at the beginning) as they search for their family across the country. Odyssey everything great about previous titles: massive wilderness areas from III,  ship combat with dozens of islands to explore from Black Flag and the updated gameplay style from Origins. On top of that, there are numerous nemesis systems, side activities, and branching choices that make this unlike any Assassin’s Creed before it. There’s a lot to take in with this game, but it stands with some of the greatest RPGs of the decade.

4. Celeste

Celeste not the type of game that I would normally be in to. Retro/sidescroller/platformer games may hold my attention for an hour or two, but I typically lose interest after one sitting. Celeste is different. Once I got into it I had to beat it. The game is one of the most difficult I’ve played, as you have to be surgically precise with your jumps and movement, so finishing a level was incredibly rewarding. I found my self beyond frustrated at times, but I couldn’t help but tell myself “just one more try” every time I failed. The narrative is also a cool bonus, as it tackles the protaganists insecurities and mental health in visual ways that fit with the gameplay. This may not to be everyones cup of tea, but its a game I will remember for a long, long time.

3. Far Cry 5

Some people really didn’t like the latest outing from Ubisoft’s Far Cry franchise. They thought it was more of the same gameplay and the tone of the story constantly shifted from dark to goofy. They’re probably correct. But I don’t care. For me, Far Cry games have always been a blast to play and Far Cry 5 is no exception. Exploring the massive map, infiltrating bases and blowing up vehicles has never been more fun. The story is also crazy. The story of a Waco-like religious doomsday cult militantly taking over a section of the northern midwest is fascinating, and it has some of the craziest moments I’ve ever seen in a game. Sure, there are side missions that come across as dumb and corny compared to the larger story, but its not enough to hurt the game for me.

2. Spider-Man

I’ve talked about my top two games a lot on my blog already, so I’ll keep these ones brief.

Spider-Man is a fantastic super-hero game that took me by surprise. It’s fun, engaging and captures the true Spider-Man feel that I grew up loving. Read More: https://michelsmediaminute.com/2018/09/19/insomniacs-spider-man-and-the-future-of-superhero-video-games/

1. Red Dead Redemption II

Red Dead Redemption II is perfect. It’s immersive, fun, heartbreaking, funny and intense at the same time. It’s nothing short of a masterpiece, and that is why it’s my game of the year, game of the generation and probably my favorite game ever made. Read More: https://michelsmediaminute.com/2018/11/01/red-dead-redemption-ii-a-masterpiece-in-game-design/