Hi everybody! Justin here and welcome to the first Otaku Mind of 2019. Since we’re taking a final look at 2018 I thought it be fun to count down my pick for the top 11 video games. Why top 11? Because even when I’m not in character I like to go one step beyond. 2018 was in my opinion a roller coaster of a year for the video game industry. While we weren’t getting GOTY candidates every month like 2017, we still got good titles on the PS4, the Switch and . . .did I mention the PS4? Yeah, I’m still not buying an Xbox 1 so this list will be a little bias but let’s be honest, did Microsoft even release a game on that system that was worth buying? No, didn’t think so. Well I think I’ve pissed off enough fanboys so here we go, these are my picks for the top 11 video games of 2018.
#11. Megaman 11
I’m not ashamed to admit that I turned 30 last year but you know who else turned 30? Everyone’s favorite Blue Bomber, the one and only Megaman, and Capcom celebrated by giving us Megaman 11. Megaman 11 was a good call back to the old school Megaman games I played as a child with a fresh set of paint and animation. While the game may not have been all that long, there was still a level of challenge and fun to do it that you couldn’t help but enjoy. The game also dives a little bit more into the past of Dr. Light and Dr. Wily as well as introduce a new mechanic to the series for all new strategies and gameplay. A good game for fans and new fans alike, and a nice way to celebrate the Blue Bomber himself. Respect.
#10. Super Mario Party
It has been a long time since I played a Mario Party game so going into this game I was a little nervous on what I would find. What I discovered was an enjoyable and entertaining game. Out of all the Mario Parties I’ve played, this one was hands down the best in my opinion. I loved all the characters, the minigames, and I liked how each one has their own die. This game also features the best use of the Switch’s motion controllers I’ve seen today as the game is very responsive to the controller and your movements. While the maps may be smaller and few, there’s a bunch of other activities to keep you occupied, and it’s a fun game to play with your friends at parties.
#9. Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom
The sequel to one of my all-time favorite RPGs. Revenant Kingdom introduces a new set of characters with an all-new story about following your ideals and working hard to see them through. While this game is a bit more traditional than its predecessor, I actually did find myself getting more invested in the characters, their story, their struggles, and political themes than I did the first game. Everything about this game just bought a smile to my face. Whether I was exploring this gorgeous world and its various kingdoms, fighting monsters using their new and easy combat system, or finding citizens to help manage and expand my kingdom. I was enjoying every minute of this game. Despite Studio Ghibli not helping out with this game, the game is still beautiful visually and really makes you feel like you’ve been transported to another world. This game was a good follow-up to the White Witch and I hope to see Level-5 continue this game series in the future.
#8. Valkyria Chronicles 4
After the disaster that was Valkyria Revolution, everyone (myself included) were worried about the future of the Valkyria series. Luckily, Revolution was viwed as an attempted spin-off from the main series and VC4 returns the series to it’s original turned based military strategy game. Taking place around the same time as the first game, we focus on a new squad who are taking the fight directly to the empire by invading their territory and attacking them directly. While there’s little to nothing new in this game from its predecessors, the game still manages to be fun with its enjoyable cast of characters who each have their own side stories, challenging maps and battles, and philosophical aspects about war and the tragedies that come along with it. Out of all the sequels to the series I’ve seen, this was by far my favorite and the one that really felt like a true sequel to the first game. Now even though I enjoyed this setting of WW2 I feel like they’ve overstayed their welcome and I’m hoping that for the next game we can move away from this war and instead start focusing on a different war to present new ideas and themes.
#7. Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee
The Pokémon game that bought me out of retirement. A reboot of Red & Blue with the catching mechanics from Pokémon Go that still manages to separate itself from its predecessors and be its own thing. If you hadn’t played any of the new Pokémon games like me, this game was a good refresher and reminds of you why you liked the games so much and just how fun they can be. While I do wish we were allowed to fight the wild Pokémon more I did like the catching system and being able to see all the wild Pokémon out in the open did make catching all the more fun and enjoyable. The best feature is of course your partner Pokémon. Whether it be Pikachu or Eevee, you’ll easily fall in love with your partner because of how cute, adorable, and reliable they are and the bond you develop with them through your journey. Will they make the other regions DLC in the foreseeable future or will they be greedy and make more Let’s Go games for each region knowing we’ll buy them? The gamer inside me wishes and hopes they’ll go with the selfless choice but the businessman inside me says they’ll pick the ladder. Whatever choice they decide I still like this series of games and would like to continue my Pokémon journey in the other regions.
#6. Yakuza 6: Song of Life
One of my regrets from 2017 was that I never got a chance to play Yakuza 0. The game looked fun and cool but with so many good games coming out that year, I never got a chance to pick it up. So, when Yakuza 6 came out I decided to pick it up and after playing it all I gotta say is, I missed out on so much. Seriously, this game was not only action-packed but it had a really good story, an enjoyable fighting system, and well-written and interesting characters. It’s not just the main character who’s interesting, it’s every character you come across in the game. Kiryu has quickly become one of my favorite male characters of all time and even if you haven’t picked up a Yakuza game, this game gives you a quick overview of the other games to catch you up on what’s going on. This whole game just felt like a good crime-drama that has you glued to the story and its characters from beginning to end as the main theme of this game is family and how far you’re willing to go to protect them while also following the your ideals. This game marked the end of series protagonist Kiryu’s story and it ends on a good note befitting the Dragon of Dojima. It can be over the top and silly but at the same time emotional and serious. This game was so good that me and my friend instantly became fans of the series and I actually went out of my way to go back and play Yakuza 0, Kiwami 1, and I’m currently playing Kiwami 2. Speaking of Kiwami 2, that also gets an honorable mention here. Kiwami 2 is the remastered version of Yakuza 2 and takes place a year after the events of the first game. Kiryu returns to the dark underworld of the Yakuza in order to stop an all-out gang war between the Tojo clan and their rival group the Omi Alliance. Next to 0, this game probably has the best story, characters, side missions, and minigames the series has to offer and just like the previous games I’ve played so far is a lot of fun to play. This game also continues fan favorite Goro’s story from 0 as a face from the past returns and their fate is intertwined with each other once again. Without giving too much away here, let’s just say this story adds a whole new layer of character to our favorite mad dog. If you haven’t played the Yakuza games and you own a PS4 definitely check these games out, they’re really good and worth your time.
#5. Octopath Traveler
8 characters, 8 stories, 8 paths, and an endless amount of possibilities to keep you entertained. Octopath manages to succeed where a lot of games fail and that’s give us multiple stories that are all good with well-written and interesting characters in each one. Each traveler has their own personality, story, and skill that separates them from the other travelers such as being able to steal/purchase items off of NPCs, gather intel, tame monsters, and even bring followers into battle with you. They’re all so good that the hardest choice you’ll make is deciding which character you want to start off with. Should you go with Olberic the knight who failed to protect his kingdom, Primrose the dancer out for revenge, Cyrus the studious teacher on a quest for knowledge, Theroin the theft on a journey of redemption, Alfyn the traveling apothecary who wants to help people, H’aanit the badass huntress out to find her master, Ophilla on a pilgrimage for her church, or Tressa the young merchant on a journey to travel and see the world? No matter who you choose to start off with, the other travelers will join your party and you’ll be able to complete their stories as well. While Theroin was my favorite character, the best story has to go to Primrose. The game looks like an old-school pixelated FF game which may be off putting to some gamers out there, but in my opinion it looks amazing and serves as a reminder that graphics aren’t everything in a game and shows us how old school RPGs still have much to teach us and how we can still learn from them.
#4. Spiderman
It’s the Spiderman game we’ve been waiting for. Not since Spiderman 2 has there been a Spiderman game that not only hits your expectations, it actually goes above and beyond your expectations. When you pick up this game you feel like Spiderman, the web-swinging is great and so smooth and fun that you’ll easily lose yourself just swinging all around New York performing tricks in the sky with grace and beauty that only Spiderman can do. This game is kind of like Marvel’s answer to the Arkham games of Batman. It’s a game that could have easily failed but there was so much passion, love, and energy put into this game that it became a success and I’m sure Stan Lee himself was proud of this game and gave it his seal of approval. In the words of Stan himself, excelsior.
#3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
I haven’t been this excited for Smash Bros. since Brawl for the Wii. Sakurai and his team really went all out here as every character from the previous games returns along with newcomers who are a welcome addition as well. I really don’t feel like I need to say much about this game as the whole concept and idea speaks for itself on why this game was so much fun and worth picking up. This game has possibly the best fighting roster out of any fighting game I’ve ever played as well as some of the best music and locations as well. The World of Light story was also good and epic and is something I hope the Smash games continue to do in the future. With the announcement of Joker from P5 being the first of dlc characters set to come out, Smash Bros. Ultimate is sure to keep us surprised and keep us entertained for a very long time and will go down as being one of the best fighting games of all time.
#2. Red Dead Redemption
Rockstar’s Wild West hit made a return and not only did it live up to the hype but it left the prequel out to dry. The visuals are amazing here as we get some of the best graphics the PS4 has to offer. Combine that with excellent music, fun gameplay, and an amazing story and you have yourself a game that pushes the boundaries on what a video game is, what it can be, and what it should be. Rockstar once again raises the bar on video games and shows us just how much of a masterpiece they can make.
And number 1. . .
#1. God of War
It had to be this game. It was really tough deciding between this game and Redemption, but I’ve been a fan of God of War longer and I just found this game all the more enjoyable to play. After his vengeance against the gods of Olympus, we see that Kratos now lives out his life as a man in the land of Norse mythology where he goes on a quest with his son in this harsh environment all while trying to protect him but at the same time teach his son to defend himself and not make the same mistakes he made. Despite Kratos’s attitude you really do get drawn into the father/son relationship he has with the boy. He wants his son to grow up strong and independent but at the same time he wants to save him from committing the same mistakes he made in the past all while trying to stop himself from making more mistakes in the present. The combat is of course awesome. It’s hard hitting, brutal, over the top, and so much fun to watch and see. The land of the Norse is rich and beautiful with creative monsters and cool weapons to have and use in battle. With the many Easter eggs in this game there’s definitely going to be a sequel and I can’t wait to play. God of War may be number one but don’t let that take away anything from Redemption. These two games were phenomenal and will serve as the gold standard for 2018 as well as the bar for 2019 to beat.
And that’s my list. If I left any out, let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you Wednesday as the new season of Project Nitsuj begins.
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