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Top 20 Video Games of 2018, According to Critics
As the year comes to a close, it's time to look back at the best video games of 2018. This year has seen some of the biggest game releases of the console generation, including God of War and Red Dead Redemption 2. It was a good year to be a gamer, but it was also an excellent year to be a game reviewer: most of the big titles did not disappoint.
Although there is often a disconnect between fans and critics, this year saw both groups agreeing on titles more often than not. Sure, there were some games that critics hated and fans loved, and vice versa, but all in all (especially when it comes to the bigger AAA titles), these two often disparate groups saw eye to eye.
So, which 2018 video games did critics love the most? The results might surprise you, based on their Metacritic review scores. Here are the top 20 video games of 2018, as chosen by critics throughout the year.
20. TETRIS EFFECT
- RELEASE DATE: November 16
- PLATFORMS: PS4
- DEVELOPER: Monstars Inc., Resonair
- PUBLISHER: Enhance, Inc.
- METACRITIC SCORE: 89
Here is an example of how classic games really never go out of style. Tetris got an update in 2018 for the PS4 with Tetris Effect, allowing players to spend their time fitting differently-shaped blocks into a pattern, with stunning visuals and music. It's just another form of Tetris, but it was so good that critics did nothing but praise its backdrops, music, and animation. What set this version apart, though, is that it was PlayStation VR compatible, meaning that players could experience the familiar Tetris game in an entirely new and magical way. Reviewers referred to Tetris Effect as the best version of Tetris yet.
19. OWLBOY
- RELEASE DATE: April 10
- PLATFORMS: PS4
- DEVELOPER: D-Pad Studio
- PUBLISHER: D-Pad Studio
- METACRITIC SCORE: 89
Sometimes a simple platform game is all a player really needs. It's also sometimes what impresses reviewers the most, as is the case with Owlboy, which released this year on the PS4, as well as PC, Xbox One, and Switch. But it was the PS4 version that made critics sing. Reviewers found the game to be utterly captivating while providing a beautiful adventure in a dream-like world. Many suggested that PS4 was the best platform for the game, with the console allowing for smooth gameplay that looked incredible on the console. Other critics called the story both beautiful and emotional.
18. RETURN OF THE OBRA DINN
- RELEASE DATE: October 18
- PLATFORMS: PC
- DEVELOPER: 3909 LLC
- PUBLISHER: 3909 LLC
- METACRITIC SCORE: 89
Return of the Obra Dinn is a puzzle game by an indie developer that had all the critics talking about it. The unique graphics, along with the way that players have to use deductive reasoning and a special stopwatch to solve a mystery, had reviewers loving everything about it. Some critics called it one of the best murder mystery games of all time, while others praised the game's narrative. They also loved the game's atmosphere and music, along with its art style, which garnered it a nomination for The Game Awards 2018 for Best Art Direction and Best Independent Game.
17. OKAMI HD
- RELEASE DATE: August 9
- PLATFORMS: Switch
- DEVELOPER: Clover Studio
- PUBLISHER: Capcom
- METACRITIC SCORE: 89
What's old is new again, at least when it comes to Okami HD. The original game, known merely as Okami, first released way back in 2006 on PS2 and the Wii. It got a remaster on other platforms, although it didn't arrive in Nintendo Switch until 2018. That port, however, went over extremely well with critics. In a game that allows players to take on the role of a sun goddess who is in the form of a wolf, critics loved the way it ported to Switch, praising its graphics on the console, as well as its fluid controls.
