Year in rewind: Best video games of 2018
2018 has been great for gaming.
With the launch of a number of blockbuster titles, 2018 has been a big year for the video game industry which has, over the past few months, grown to become bigger than ever. Compared to last year, games this year have improved in terms of graphics as well as storylines.
Let's take a look at the best we've seen this year.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Arguably the biggest, and definitely the most anticipated game of the year, Red Dead Redemption 2 is one title that has been extremely well received by critics and fans alike.
This open world game from Rockstar Studios has been 8 years in the making — but it is every bit worth the wait.
Unlike the busy streets of fictional Los Santos as seen in GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2 takes gamers through an epic historical drama set in the Old West where a group of outlaws is left to chart their path in the difficult times.
From bear hunting, chasing bandits, fighting murderous serial killers and more, the game has much to do beyond its main missions.
And that, along with its majestically drawn scenic locations is what breathes life into Red Dead Redemption 2.
Forza Horizon 4
The fourth iteration in the Forza Horizon series is not only the best Forza game yet, but arguably, the best open world racing experience ever seen on consoles and PCs in the history of the genre.
Set in Great Britain, Forza Horizon 4 sees Microsoft and Playground Games take gamers on a trail that follows the country's most iconic roads and locations. However, it's the introduction of a new feature, Forza Life, that sets this game apart from anything else we've seen before.
The particular mode would allow gamers to buy virtual houses across Great Britain in the game, enjoy the different locations — even experience the ever-changing weather in the country all in life-like graphics.
Far Cry 5
From the studios of French video game publisher Ubisoft comes this latest game, Far Cry 5.
This highly politicised game plays into the heart of the churn that the world is experiencing currently and in the process, touches on the growing gun culture and the rise of white supremacists in rural United States.
Unlike the previous games in the series, which took players on a journey of exotic locales in South America or the dizzying heights of Himalayas, Far Cry 5 brings its gun-slinging mayhem to the fictional Hope county in modern-day Montana – a western state in the United States – which faces the threat of being overrun by a White militant cult.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Another big game we saw this year was Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
The latest in the long-running series, and the successor to Assassin’s Creed Origins, this game, however, is different from all Assassin's Creed games that have been announced before it.
In terms of the storyline, the game is set 400 years before the brotherhood – a crucial element present in all other Assassin's Creed titles.
But instead of that, the new game sees players being given greater freedom through a new choice-based system where they rely on their own moral compasses, rather than the creed's defined idea of right and wrong.
The game is also the first where you can choose between two Spartan assassins – one male and one female. They are called Alexios and Kassandra.
Though not impacting the storyline, the choice between the two does impact the gameplay to a certain extent.
Shadow of The Tomb Raider
The latest game in the long-running franchise focuses on the last leg of Lara Croft's story of how she became the Tomb Raider.
This final chapter in the Tomb Raider's origin story sees Lara fight through jungles and climb the pyramids in search of hidden treasures.
Released on Xbox One, Playstation 4 and PC on September 14, 2018, the final game of the origins trio sees Lara Croft face off against the shadowy Trinity organisation.
Developed by a new game studio, Eidos Montreal, the game also features new game mechanics that set it apart from the titles in the past.