ZTGD

Spider-Man is yet another outstanding title in Sony’s first party library. PS4 owners should not hesitate to snag it when it drops. The quality they put into these titles is impressive and Insomniac continues to prove they can deliver on big-budget titles. Even with its minor gripes I still thoroughly enjoyed my time with Spidey and the gang. Perhaps we will see another one in the years to come, but for now this is the best our web-slinger has been since the early days of the PS2 era.

The Messenger is a horrible name for a game that pays homage to Ninja Gaiden. Don’t let the name stop you, though. This is one of the best of its type and is worth checking out. I do wish it was more widely available across consoles, but Switch and PC owners should certainly not miss this one.

Madden NFL 19 is a solid outing this year, but again it is more a refinement than anything else. It feels like a game targeted at the usual players and not bringing in anyone new. I hope that the series ups their game next year and really brings back the thunder it can certainly have. I still have issues with some of the AI, and the commentary really makes me feel like I am playing last year’s game at times.

With its odd and yet striking visual style, State of Mind presents an intriguing world, in the precipice of a revolution. Following the exploits of a deeply flawed and complex character, the journey through the streets of Berlin is a fruitful one that I’m sure to remember. However, a myriad of pacing issues as well as a lack of interesting gameplay elements makes it very unlikely that I’ll be visiting the year of 2048 anytime soon. Perhaps we’ll see in thirty years.

Guacamelee 2 is a fantastic title. Fans of the first title will be thrilled that there’s more Guacamelee in the world, and there’s new mechanics and challenges to play with. New players should go back and experience the first Guacamelee and enjoy that, but there’s definitely enough backstory and tutorial in Guacamelee 2 to make any player comfortable with playing.

It is also great that Okami does not suffer from the dreaded ‘Switch Tax’, costing just $19.99, the same price as it is on the other current generation counterparts. Whether you fancy something a little different, or want to revisit a classic then grab yourself Okami and have a howling good time.

Dead Cells is most certainly a difficult game. It’s not going to take it easy on you, and it can get brutal at times, especially when making no progress in runs. While the game pushes for a speed run playthrough for the best possible outcome, it is important to know that rushing into a level can easily ruin a run for you. The fun is in the combat without a doubt, and any action fan will have a great time with this one. Even if you don’t normally enjoy Rogue-like style game, this is one of those you have to pick up.

Fighting EX Layer is a hard sell to casual fighting game fans. Its lack of modes is its biggest downfall. For those who grew up with Arika’s work though it is a pure joy to play. I hope they continue to support the game and add more and more content as it goes on. Perhaps it will be featured at EVO next year instead of just a side option. With the announcements of new characters, stages, and even crossover characters, the future looks bright. I just hope the momentum continues.

Capcom knocked it out of the park with Monster Hunter World. They finally brought it back to the consoles, and now all the PC players can finally enjoy it. It is one heck of a ride, and with the systems in place it can be one of the most rewarding experiences players can have. On top of all that, Capcom has already planned to bring a lot of the missions and special events to the PC version over time, and they’re all free.

Iconoclasts is a brilliant game that permeates from the amount of care and time put into it. It is by far one of the best of 2018, and I recommend everyone give it a go. It is now available on almost everything (still waiting on my XB1 version guys!) and even if you are as sick of the tried and true formula of so many other games in this genre, this one stands out.