2018’s Top 3 Video Games – and a Sneak Peek into 2019

2018 has undoubtedly been a great year for the global gaming community. Our favourite games kept getting better and better, eSports saw another major boost in popularity with many new tournaments and impressive prize pools announced – and of course, new exciting releases have kept us busy throughout the year. Here are our top 3 picks for the year that just ended, and a sneak peek at the titles we are most excited to play in 2019.

3. God of War

God of War has topped many lists this year, and for good reason: it features everything you loved about the franchise and added quite a few elements that made it even more enjoyable to play. Released five years after the last major instalment in the series, it picks off right where we left off, but only as a pretext to embark on a completely different direction in terms of narrative. Moving away from the Greek mythology landscape that has served as the game’s setting in the previous years, God of War finds Kratos and his young son Atreus on completely uncharted territory, as they immerse themselves in a world of Norse legends. With movies like Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok and the TV series Vikings having amassed such a following, the game’s narrative – Kratos, now a family man in Midgard, journey through Jotunheim to fulfill his dying wife’s wish, battle Baldur sent by Odin, and reveal that Ragnarok is underway – sounds oddly familiar.

Yet, when it comes to its gameplay, the game has surprised and delighted fans worldwide with the changes it introduced. Most notably, Kratos (still the only playable character, although he is accompanied by Atreus and the player can sometimes control him passively, too) now wields the Leviathan Axe, a magical battle axe as a signature weapon. The game also expands into incorporating more RPG elements, and adds another over-the-shoulder camera angle for the player’s convenience. With this game, Kratos hopes to make a new beginning in a harsh and unforgiving new world. And the franchise also gets to start anew by elevating every aspect that has made it so popular – and then some. From its graphics to its gameplay, God of War has been widely beloved by gamers.

2. Red Dead Redemption 2

This is another game that takes inspiration from a setting where every man is out for themselves – and one that again seems very close to heart: the Wild West. From the masterminds behind Westworld and the critically acclaimed Netflix TV series Godless to more traditional online games with a Wild West theme like Heart of the Frontier and RDR2’s own predecessor Red Dead Redemption that was released in 2010, the western seems to be making a comeback. RDR2 picks up right where RDR left off, only now we are following gunslinger Arthur Morgan around as he tries to survive as an outlaw while law enforcement and rival gangs hunt him down.

Set some 10 years before the original RDR, the game also follows John Marston, the original protagonist as he makes his way through the game’s open world environment that pays tribute to the Wild West. Developed by the team behind Grand Theft Auto, RDR2 is everything we love about a good western, with stunning graphics and a great range of gameplay, from shootouts to over-arching missions and even mini-games. RDR2 conveys just the right sense for its setting: that sense of exploration and adventure across the American Frontier.

1. Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey

The Assassin’s Creed series needs no introduction. Showcasing the rivalry between the Assassins and the Templars that goes back centuries, the series has been widely acclaimed for its engaging story, captivating gameplay, and amazing visuals. As we explore the lives of Desmond Miles’ ancestors and fellow Assassins, the series has taken us on a journey through time, from the Third Crusade and the Italian Renaissance to the Colonial Era and the French Revolution. The franchise even saw a film starring Michael Fassbender as Desmond and Marion Cotillard, released in 2016.

After a successful reboot in Ancient Egypt thanks to 2017’s Assassin’s Creed: Origins, 2018’s Odyssey took us to Ancient Greece, during the time of the Peloponnesian War. For the first time in the series, the player gets to choose whether to play as Alexios or his sister Kassandra, as he roams around a magnificent and stunningly designed free world of unprecedented scale – which has led to reviewers proclaiming it the most impressive Assassin’s Creed instalment so far. An astonishingly well-developed and polished stealth action adventure title that offers the player what seems like endless possibilities to explore, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey more than deserves the top spot in our top three.

2019 Comes Bearing Gifts

That’s not all. With new titles underway, 2019 promises to be every bit as exciting as 2018 – if not more. We are eagerly waiting for Resident Evil 2, the sequel of the survival horror Capcom legend that is set in a zombie apocalypse to splash our screens with blood at the end of January. The Elder Scrolls: Blades, the new title in the Elder Scrolls series that was developed especially for mobile devices, will also drop sometime in early 2019.

Those who prefer something a bit more light-hearted will be delighted to know that Kingdom Hearts 3 is set to be released in the first month of 2019 – who doesn’t want to see Elsa from Frozen and Wreck-It-Ralph join forces with Sora and Riku? Not to mention The Division 2, which is set to revamp the third-person-shooter genre, post-apocalyptic and radioactive-mutant-filled stealth FPS Metro: Exodus, or BioWare’s new gem, Anthem, an online multiplayer game that combines TPS and RPG in an open world environment.With so many amazing titles coming up, suit up, customize your gear to level up your gaming experience, and just enjoy playing!

I'm the editorial writer for DroidHorizon. You'll find my content varies in the technology, science, & lifestyle categories.

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