A Year in Review - 2018.

[kashell]

Favorite 2018 Release: The Alliance Alive. It was such a surprising game. It felt like a mixture of old, new, classic, and fresh. I had low expectations due to The Legend of Legacy, but they were squashed by the time I finished the first hour of The Alliance Alive. Runner ups: 7'Scarlet and Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology.

Least Favorite 2018 Release: Secret of Mana for the PlayStation 4. A buggy, bland and banal remake of a childhood favorite. It shows how far Square has fallen, and how little they care about their non-FF franchises and their fans. Runner up: Kirby Battle Royale.

Favorite Game Played in 2018: There are many, but I'll give it to my replay of Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter. I already liked the game, but this replay solidified it in my top three. Truly an amazing game that shows what it means to take risks. Runner ups: the choices from the favorite 2018 release category, as well as Shining the Holy Ark.

Least Favorite Game Played in 2018: Again, there are many. But, I'll go with Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. This series...*shakes head* So much wasted potential. Runner ups: Contact, Tao's Adventure, Ray Gigant.

Sleeper Hit of 2018: Death Mark. Holy moly this game is wonderful, but it completely slipped my radar. It combines the best of visual novel, point-and-click adventure, and a touch of role-playing into a unique and terrifying package.

Favorite Gaming Moment in 2018: The true ending in 7'Scarlet. I've gone through more VNs this year than any other, but none of them had that emotional impact like the one in 7'Scarlet.

Proudest Collection Accomplishment of 2018: I found some great stuff at Retropalooza, but my favorite find from the year has been getting my CIB copy of MS Saga: New Dawn. I was just killing time before meeting some friends and wandered into a used media store. There the game was - one I've wanted to play for years.

[kypherion]

Er, by your statement are you saying I can put smash in there?

Favorite 2018 Release: Smash Bros. Ultimate. I've always been a crazy fan for Castlevania, and have beaten the DS games multiple times (5 for Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin) along with Aria of Sorrow many times, beaten the original on NES etc. so Simon's inclusion along with Richter basically sold this to me. I've always been a Ganondorf main/fan as well so I was interested in June when I saw his trailer video because his OOT appearance is really good. Richter really sold it for me because not only was it Castlevania but also because I've never played Rondo of Blood, only played as Richter in SOTN and Portrait of Ruin so using the Belmonts in my favorite fighting game series was an instant hit for me. Also because I'm related to the Belmont name IRL 

Least Favorite 2018 Release: Fortnite

Favorite Game Played in 2018: Touhou Luna Nights - The game is in early access and only finished up to stage 3 but what's there is awesome. The game makes excellent use of the time slowing and completely stopping mechanic, along with interesting physics in stopped time with knives that were previously thrown being able to be used as a platformer. It's totally awesome but unless you're a diehard MetroidVania (more vania for me) fan wait for the $11.99 tag to go for $9ish on a steam sale. Rock solid and reminds me of DIO 

Least Favorite Game Played in 2018: The one match of Fortnite I was forced to play.

Sleeper Hit of 2018: What's a sleeper hit? A game I missed/ignored? Then Devil May Cry 1. I knew about DMC from UMVC3 and Dante's inclusion but wasn't interested until a friend told me about it. I played through it and the game rocked! Feels like a Resident Evil game with swords and has great controls!

Favorite Gaming Moment in 2018: On SSBM Netplay I landed an offstage Falcon Punch (you can see that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO3dFbCVsE8). Never had a crazy cool moment like this, only a down-air with Ganon offstage.

Proudest Collection Accomplishment of 2018: Okay this one's pretty good. I was w/ NickAwesome at a game swap and we spotted a silver PS2 Slim with all the cords and a controller along with Star Ocean: Till the End of Time CIB (also greatest hits) and in good condition all for $20! I didn't have any cash on me at the time but NickAwesome spotted me some money because he knew of how good of a deal it was (even though I didn't).

[kashell]

Er, by your statement are you saying I can put smash in there?

You can put whatever game you want there. Or put something there now and change it later. The choices are yours!

[tripredacus]

Since I am not active in the current gen, I rarely ever play anything from the current year, so I think I am 1/1 on this, only having played one game I think that came out this year.

Favorite 2018 Release: Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Proudest Collection Accomplishment of 2018: Reached 400 individual Sega Genesis releases from the US.

[vivigamer]

Favorite Game Played in 2018: Yakuza Kiwami 2 - The game to tie the gap between the PS2 games, now I can play all the series on PS3 hardware onwards which is great! Hoping that we get them Yakuza 3, 4 & 5 ports on PS4 soon too!

Least Favorite Game Played in 2018: The Quiet Man - Great concept, but didn't live up to PS2's The Bouncer at all!

Sleeper Hit of 2018: A Way Out - A fantastic Co-op experience!

Favorite Gaming Moment in 2018: At being surprised how good World of Final Fantasy actually was, glad I gave it a chance!

Proudest Collection Accomplishment of 2018: Star Ocean: The Second Story on PS1 - One of them titles I've wanted for years! Beat it too!!
I also snagged a 360 console which I sold the games to make my money back. I have a collection which I am very content with now

[chrismb]

Favorite 2018 Release: Red Dead Redemption II without a doubt. I haven't yet finished it (chapter 4) but everything about this game is just perfect to me. Red Dead Redemption is in my top 3 favorite games of all time so I had sky high hopes for this game and it didn't disappoint me at all. If RDR2 didn't came out this year it would go to Detroit Become Human. It was another game that I had be waiting for for a long time and I absolutely adored it. I also haven't yet played a lot of the good games that came out this year (Spider Man, Assassin's Creed Odissey, Shadow of the Tomb Raider...) but they'll definitely be on my 2019 list.

Least Favorite 2018 Release: As I said haven't played a lot of 2018 games so I don't really have one.

Favorite Game Played in 2018: I've played way too much amazing game this year to have one favorite. The most memorable games I've played this year are RDR 1 and 2, the Uncharted serie, the Assassin's Creed serie, Watch Dogs 1 and 2, Mass Effect Andromeda, Mafia 3, the Yakuza serie from 1 to 5, the GTA serie, A Way Out, Heavy Rain, Detroit Become Human, The Last Guardian, Beyond Two Souls, the NBA Street serie and The Witcher 3. Choosing between these games is just impossible.

Least Favorite Game Played in 2018: Nba Live 14

Sleeper Hit of 2018: A Way Out is really underrated tbh. I played it alone with 2 controllers so I was really dedicated lol. I've been waiting for this game for a long time and it didn't disappoint me (except the end, while it wasn't a bad ending I wish it had multiple endings with a least one that ended well).

Favorite Gaming Moment in 2018: Replaying Red Dead Redemption 1, so many memories from when I got it and first played it. Also starting Red Dead 2 was one of the best feeling, just finally being able to play it and have a new rockstar game to play.

[mark1982]

Favorite 2018 Release: God of War - Such an emotional journey. Loved every bit of it. Santa Monica Studios definitely has a real winner here.

Least Favorite 2018 Release: Finding out Fallout 76 is strictly an online game.. I'm not too fond of games going the route of always online. I heard the game is getting fantastic reviews.. - Here's hoping Bethesda learn their lesson when the next Elder Scrolls comes out ( wink, wink, nudge, nudge ) Let's keep it a traditional single player game eh? Throw in some co-op, but lets not get carried away like that heaping mess called Fallout 76.

Favorite Game Played in 2018: God of War ( see above ) & Octopath Traveler - Such a beautiful game with a lovely narrative.

Least Favorite Game Played in 2018: Mass Effect: Andromeda - What a disappointment.. Played it after the patch too, such a let down after the trilogy.

Sleeper Hit of 2018: The Messenger on the Switch, I just thought it was a simple side scroller going in, talk about a challenging game with depth, loved it!

Favorite Gaming Moment in 2018: Full reveal of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice at E3 with Miyazaki at the helm... so goood..

Proudest Collection Accomplishment of 2018: Finally got time to dig out my Japan Sega Saturn and Sega Mega-CD collection out of storage, being able to go through and catalogue it again 

[kevininja]

Favorite 2018 Release: Spider-Man | I liked it so much that I beat and platinumed it in 3 days! Spidey felt really good to control, combat was fun and the story was actually really good!

Least Favorite 2018 Release: The Warmind DLC for Destiny 2. Really damn short but it had some cool setpieces and the boss fight at the end was pretty neat. That's about it.

Favorite Game Played in 2018: Shadowrun: Dragonfall | Just started playing the Shadowrun games this year and I already liked Returns, but this one blew it out of the water. I genuinely liked almost all of my companions and the game was just a lot of fun!

Least Favorite Game Played in 2018: A tie between Escape Rosecliff Island and BlubBlub: Quest of the Blob. The first a really goddamn repetitive Hidden Object game that just recycled levels and the second one being a platformer where the jumping was fucking terrible.

Sleeper Hit of 2018: Haven't played enough 2018 releases to comment on this one.

Favorite Gaming Moment in 2018: Beating Dead Space 3 in co-op with a friend.

Proudest Collection Accomplishment of 2018: Got a bunch of GBA games for good prices this year. Complete copies of Medabots: Metabee, Medabots AX: Rokusho Ver. and A Link to the Past + Four Swords (cart + manual).

[NickAwesome]

Favorite 2018 Release:  Dragon Quest XI.  This is the most fun I had with a game all year, excited to finally finish it over winter break. I enjoyed God of War as well.
 
Least Favorite 2018 Release: Far Cry 5.  By no means a bad game, I was just severely disappointed.  I loved 3, but it seems like every game after has just tried to capture the magic of 3 and copy it instead of evolving into better gameplay and narrative experiences.  So much potential and it was so boring... Far Cry 4 was a bummer too

Favorite Game Played in 2018:  Dragonforce for Saturn.  This game truly hooked me and was so different than anything I've ever played.  I loved the 100 v 100 battles and the strategy involved.  I did not have a Saturn as a kid, so it's been a lot of fun checking out all the best games for the system and see what I missed out on.  Hollow Knight is a close second.

Least Favorite Game Played in 2018:  I played a lot of games that I didn't care for this year, but hard to think of one that really left a sour taste in my mouth other than Far Cry.  Okay I thought of one- Chasm.  Also a game that I was supremely disappointed in.  A metroidvania procedurally generated game sounds awesome, but this game is just not fun.  It was delayed for over 5 years, and it shows.  If this game would have come out 3-4 years ago, it would have likely played a lot better, but now it just feels so dated compared to games like Hollow Knight and similar. 

Sleeper Hit of 2018:  Astrobot Rescue Mission- This is the best VR experience available, on any system right now.  Anyone with PSVR must check this out.

Favorite Gaming Moment in 2018:  Booting up and playing Spyro Reignited Trilogy for the first time.  Wow, they did such a great job and it was so much fun to get to experience some of the best games from my childhood with updated everything. 

Proudest Collection Accomplishment of 2018: I got so many amazing things this year for my collection but my best find was probably getting an Atari Jaguar and a working CD attachment with a bunch of complete in box games in immaculate shape.   

[bunnybear]

Here are my submissions. Only a few categories, because that all I can reliably answer based on my gaming patterns this year.

Favorite 2018 Release: Tie: Under Night In-Birth EXE:Late[st] or Enter the Gungeon.

Sleeper Hit of 2018: Tie: 428 Shibuya Scramble or Splasher.

Favorite Gaming Moment in 2018: All the Japanese developed insanity of the (lack of) plot, coupled with maddening old school controls and obtuse in game goals, of Bunny Must Die! Chelsea and the 7 Devils. This is the only game I’ve played in years that gave the the dreaded Nintendo thumb. My finger pads hurt just thinking about it.

Proudest Collection Accomplishment of 2018: Finding a CIB copy of Sky Gunner (a game I had played back in 2002 but stupidly never bought) for only 30 USD at the Seattle Retro Gaming Expo after MJR’s mention of it in his cursed “Hidden Gems” video caused the price to shoot up to near triple digit levels for many, many months. Even now the game hasn’t gone back to its pre-Jesus baseline.

[sworddude]

Favorite 2018 Release: smash ultimate

Least Favorite 2018 Release: haven't played any bad games this year to be honest.

Favorite Game Played in 2018: smash ultimate

Proudest Collection Accomplishment of 2018: This year was pretty great in terms of collecting I've scored a few very high end holy grails for cheap that was pretty awesome.

In terms of personal collection adds.

Ntc exclusive stuff for snes but especially in the sega department was pretty sweet especially musha. Not to mention that I managed to score 2 of the 4 sega games that I want the most this year gunstar heroes and shinobi III and finally that my cib nes collection has actually reached an somewhat decent size.

As far as nostalgia goes recovering the mario kart ds phat bundle in excellent shape most defintely a blast from the past for me as one of the very few things that I actually threw away/ sold

In terms of collection adds just as great of a year as 2017 for me personally.

[shfan]

Favorite 2018 Release: This one's a bit odd, but I've played very few games released this year, going with Metal Max Xeno - it's extremely old skool, but it still kept me hooked till the end.

Least Favorite 2018 Release: Dynasty Warriors 9, what a pile of poo. Omega Force has been slowly tinkering with Warriors games for years, but they keep messing about around the edges instead of figuring out how to make the battles more intense and varied, this time it's a dull as dishwater open world.

Favorite Game Played in 2018: Rabi Ribi (PS4)

Least Favorite Game Played in 2018: Probably The Order 1889 - a game so boring I quit before the actual game began.

Sleeper Hit of 2018: Metal Max Xeno

Favorite Gaming Moment in 2018: Rabi Ribi.. in general. Just discovering the varied game areas, hidden loot, bullet-hell bosses, it was just a massive gaming love-in all the way through, love it.

Proudest Collection Accomplishment of 2018: Favourite find would be an import copy of Raw Danger! for the PS2. Other than that my biggest success was trimming down my collection so that it actually resembles my gaming tastes, so much crud gotten rid of.