The best PlayStation 4 games of 2018

The countdown is over and we’ve solidified our list for the top 50 games of 2018, which covers the gamut of big-name blockbusters and small-team triumphs. But we know it’s a pretty long list, so here are the picks that can be played on PlayStation 4 — which, no surprise given the platform’s position this generation, encompasses more than half the titles listed.

Out of our top 50 picks, 29 can be played on the PS4. Of those, five are exclusive to Sony’s platform: Shadow of the Colossus, Astro Bot Rescue Mission (for PlayStation VR), Marvel’s Spider-Man, Tetris Effect, and our #1 game of the year, God of War.

Speaking of, as for the inclusion of games like Shadow of the Colossus, which technically first came well before 2018, well, what we said in the top 50 post holds true here as well:

You may notice the inclusion of games that were either fully released or made available in Early Access prior to 2018. Because many games change from update to update, let alone year to year, we will include previously available games that receive a significant update within the year or become available on a platform that substantially impacts how that game is experienced. For example, Fortnite Battle Royale is included, ranked No. 13, because we feel its recent seasons were the first great game of 2018.

Don’t worry too much about the ranking. It’s a fun and light exercise. Ultimately, we recommend all of these games. That’s why we’ve included a bit on what makes each one special: so you can find the best games of 2018 for you.

Related, we’ve nixed the numbers from this because, out of the context of the top 50, the rankings lose their value.

If you’re looking for recommendations that expand beyond 2018, check out our essentials page for the all-time best PlayStation 4 games.

Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom

No, you needn’t have played the first Ni no Kuni to enjoy its sequel, a feverishly optimistic (and welcomingly naïve) Japanese role-playing game inspired, in part, by the works of Studio Ghibli. Its colorful animation conceals a rich but not overly complicated kingdom-management system that gives the adventure a grand sense of scope. A fairytale storyline gives its motley band of heroes a playful pep that feels anachronistic, if not flagrantly in conflict with our times.

Here’s Cameron Kunzelman’s take from our review: “There’s not a wasted breath or a plot point that doesn’t manage to pay off in a significant way. Ni no Kuni 2 is a solid contemporary JRPG that brings a lot of design ideas that I love into sharp, clear focus while staying entertaining and engaging throughout.”

—Chris Plante

Available on PlayStation 4 and Windows PC.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Lumines Remastered

None of the many sequels and ports for 2004’s Lumines stack up to the PlayStation Portable original, a marriage of high-fidelity graphics, pumping Japanese dance tracks and bright charm. That the original Lumines was portable made it all the more enjoyable.

Lumines Remastered, the franchise’s latest entry, is available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and most importantly, the Nintendo Switch. The Switch version captures and in some ways bests the feel of the original, with improved visuals and better controls on the Switch’s comparably more spacious Joy-Cons. All versions feature “trance vibration,” a term that series creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi popularized with another of his beloved games, Rez. Additional controllers can be paired to Lumines Remastered and turned into vibrating nodes, humming in rhythm with the game. The Joy-Con controllers fit in your pockets or underneath your toes, providing a subtle vibration that adds a little extra texture to the experience without feeling too weird.

If “trance vibration” isn’t your cup of ayahuasca tea, Lumines Remastered stands on its own as one of the best rhythm games ever made. We’ve waited over a decade for an experience to rival the original Lumines on PSP. It’s finally arrived.

—Jeff Ramos

Available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Get it here: PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Lumines Remastered left us hungry for DLC
• Tetsuya Mizuguchi on the creation of puzzle classic Lumines and its new remaster (via The Verge)

Fallout 76

Fallout 76 understands that an open world needs to be rewarding — not in terms of finding resources or new quests, but because the act of exploration itself should be engaging. Foregoing the skeleton-on-a-bed storytelling that worked so well in past games, Fallout 76’s landscape of wasteland West Virginia is speckled with descriptive mise-en-scènes. Every time I stumble on one, I feel like I’ve uncovered a secret about the world. I’ve found a birdhouse workshop, a gladiatorial arena and a household studded with cat-head wall plaques. That’s just a small slice of what’s on offer.

Fallout 76 can manage because there’s just so much good content; tons of enemies, buildings, quests, outfits. Sure there are no NPCs, but with the spice of online multiplayer added, I found I haven’t missed it much. The interactions I’ve experienced have been mostly kind — strangers showing off their bases or handing out desperately needed clean water. Occasionally they’ve been violent, but the wasteland is a dangerous place, and the repercussions for being murdered are pretty minor. More importantly, anything is possible in a virtual world, and Fallout 76 opens up the possibilities in a way few games do.

—Jenna Stoeber

Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop |

Read more:

• The Fallout 76 player who declared himself an endgame boss
• Fallout 76 beginner’s guide

Dragon Ball FighterZ

Through its various manga and anime incarnations, the world of Dragon Ball has defined an unmistakable look. While those versions of the series remain untouchable classics, the franchise has always been playing catch-up on the video game front. Thankfully, Dragon Ball FighterZ lives up to the series’ legacy and delivers one of the best fighting games of the year.

The game’s cel-shaded art style is a clear nod to the aesthetics of Dragon Ball’s illustrated and animated forms, even down to ripping the same angles from the manga and anime. The visual spectacle goes hand in hand with the game’s simplified control scheme, which turns experts and newcomers alike into players who can dish out damaging laser light shows with ease. These elements work together to deliver one of the most satisfying multiplayer experiences of the year and the Dragon Ball fighting game I’ve always dreamed of.

—Jeff Ramos

Available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Dragon Ball FighterZ review
• Dragon Ball FighterZ guide

The Gardens Between

The Gardens Between starts on a rainy night, with two middle-school-aged friends huddled together in a treehouse. A mysterious light transports them to a gorgeous, mystical world filled with islands populated by memories of their friendship. Each island is a towering puzzle; the tweens must work together to reach the top, but obstacles block the path. One character carries a lantern holding a mysterious light that can dispel fog and create bridges, while the other works magical machinery that can stop and reverse time.

Playing The Gardens Between feels like a lucid dream. The lack of control — I can’t directly choose where the characters go — and manipulation of time and memory can get a little trippy, but never overwhelmingly so. When I start to get frustrated by a difficult puzzle, I pause and observe the flow of time. Usually I’ll find my solution by watching time pass by.

The Gardens Between isn’t the first game to explore memory and growing up. It probably won’t be the last. But the visuals, story and bending of time harmonize in way that elevates the game, bringing new light to an overworked theme.

—Emily Heller

Available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC, Linux and Mac
Get it here: Amazon | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• The Gardens Between is a magical journey that’s well worth your time
• The Gardens Between is an unexpected lesson in theoretical physics (via The Verge)

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s multiplayer suite is both bigger and more refined than those of its predecessors. The traditional multiplayer and Zombies modes — two hallmarks of the Call of Duty franchise during the last decade — have been freed of the bloat accumulated over recent years, with developer Treyarch refocusing the central mechanics that give Call of Duty its iconic feel.

Rather than release another overwrought single-player campaign, Treyarch has invested in a huge multiplayer expansion. Blackout is battle royale with the signature Call of Duty shine. It’s faster and smoother than almost any other battle royale game. But where the mode really sets itself apart is the map. Each town in the massive space is taken from the multiplayer maps of previous Call of Duty games, ensuring it was designed to stand on its own as a full multiplayer map. It has a level of authorship that borrows from over a decade of top-notch multiplayer design, something its contemporaries haven’t matched.

Each of the three modes that make up Black Ops 4 could easily stand on its own as a worthwhile game, but together they prove that to survive this year and into the future, Call of Duty’s creators are wise to focus on what the series does best.

—Austen Goslin

Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Black Ops 4 shines, thanks to PUBG- and Fortnite-inspired Blackout
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout weapons and items guide

Moonlighter

Moonlighter answered a question I never thought to ask: Where do shopkeepers in adventure games find the items they sell in their stores? In this fantasy world, at least one shopkeeper works double duty as the kind of adventurer they serve in their store. This double life sets up one of the most lovable genre-mashups of the year: Moonlighter is more than an adventure-filled rogue-lite — it’s a retail sim, too.

To gather wares to sell, each night the main character journeys into the darkest depths of various dungeons, slaying beasts and collecting items. When he returns from his quests, those spoils become the next day’s inventory. As a shopkeeper, he needs to stock the shelves, speculate on pricing, entice customers with lovely decor and tackle would-be thieves. Whatever is left in his cash register that day becomes the purse he brings around town to the various weapons dealers, potion makers and more. With better gear, he can explore more dangerous dungeons, which beget better loot, which fetches higher prices in the shop and so on. It’s a compelling loop that oscillates between the part of my brain that seeks adventure and the part that believes in good ol’ fashioned entrepreneurship.

—Jeff Ramos

Available on Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Moonlighter takes shopkeepers on a dungeon-crawling adventure
• Moonlighter beginner’s guide

Donut County

Nine hundred ninety-nine feet below the Earth’s surface is a crackling campfire and a ragtag group of animals who lost their homes and loved ones to the holes terrorizing Donut County. Blame the disaster on BK, an extremely selfish — and extremely cute — raccoon with a nasty smartphone addiction.

Donut County invites plenty of comparisons to Katamari Damacy: A strange, unexplainable force descends on a town and its unwitting residents, consuming everything it comes across. But where chaos reaches literal new heights with Katamari, the holes that terrorize Donut County are silent, efficient and clean. Where Katamari giveth, Donut County taketh away.

The premise of the game is simple: Be a hole in the ground and swallow up as many things as you can while solving a few puzzles along the way. It’s oddly therapeutic.

The dialogue is witty, charming and funny. Texting BK is a joy. I spam him a duck emoji; he spams it right back. Between stages, I can review all the items I’ve swallowed as a hole in something called a Trashopedia. It lists a candle, for example, as a “really bad version of the sun. Tastes ok.”

As puzzle games go, Donut County is a sugary treat. Like any good donut, it’s short, sweet and best enjoyed in one sitting.

—Ashley Oh

Available on PlayStation 4, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One and Mac.
Get it here: PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Donut County is the hole in my heart I never want filled
• The Weirdest Game of 2018 Wanted You to Be Nothing at All (via GQ)

Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age

The makers of the Dragon Quest franchise like to play it safe. Under the direction of Yuji Horii, the creator of the iconic Japanese role-playing game, the games have gone where the audience goes, boomeranging from Nintendo to PlayStation to Nintendo and back again. Over more than three decades, they continue to tell tales of legendary heroes who battle evil to save their homelands or the entire world.

Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age staunchly sticks to many of the series’ formulas, for the better. It’s a grand role-playing game, spanning dozens of hours (as required by JRPG law) filled with turn-based battles against slimes, dragons, golems and other cute tongue-wagging monsters. I love it, for all its slavish adherence to the Dragon Quest formula. I love visiting charming towns, exploring the countryside with a party of endearing and sweet heroes, and vanquishing evil. Dragon Quest games have always had these things, and Echoes of an Elusive Age has more of them, in high fidelity and polished to a comfortable smoothness.

In our review of Dragon Quest 11, we rightly criticized the game for appealing largely to longtime Dragon Quest fans. It’s true; there are a great number of things in this game aimed squarely at the veteran Dragon Quest player. But that’s me, and it’s wonderful to slip back into the coziness of these worlds once again.

—Michael McWhertor

Available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | Target | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Yuji Horii on the legacy of Dragon Quest
• Dragon Quest 11 beginner’s guide

Shadow of the Colossus

Shadow of the Colossus is one of the best games on PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and now PlayStation 4. The 4K remake, produced by Austin, Texas’ own Bluepoint Games, is a respectful (but not too respectful) restoration of the classic. This isn’t a reboot, nor is it a light-touch upgrade. Instead, it’s akin to a modern performance of a classic script. Everything is there, just as you remember it, and yet it feels fresh and more present than actually returning to the PS2 original, a game that isn’t quite as smooth and pleasurable as we remember it.

In our review, I wrote, “The original’s bare-bones interface would rapidly be replaced by a decade of open-world games loaded with minimaps, health bars and countless on-screen prompts telling you precisely what to do, how to do it and when — only for that minimal interface to return to fashion again in the past year.” Shadow of the Colossus feels like it could have been made today, not because of what’s in the game, but what was purposefully left out.

—Chris Plante

Available on PlayStation 4.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Shadow of the Colossus guide
• Shadow of the Colossus remake puts the game’s artistic vision in the player’s hands

Subnautica

Subnautica first appeared on Steam Early Access in 2014, but didn’t get a formal, full release until this January. I remember years ago playing a promising but relatively thin and unfinished game that borrowed from previous construction hits like Minecraft while paving the way for the glut of survival games that would flood the market during its lengthy development. How wonderful to say that Subnautica in 2018 is richer and more mysterious than I could have expected, a sprawling and playful experience that captures the thrill of survival and exploration games while largely trimming away the busy work that has accumulated on the genre like biofouling on the belly of a boat.

In 2016, right in the thick of development, Subnautica’s director, Charlie Cleveland, responded to questions about why the game didn’t include guns. Cleveland, who had previously worked on first-person shooters, described a change of heart in reaction to the tragic Sandy Hook shooting. “I’ve never believed that video game violence creates more real-world violence,” Cleveland said. “But I couldn’t just sit by and ‘add more guns’ to the world either.

“So Subnautica is one vote towards a world with less guns. A reminder that there is another way forward. One where we use non-violent and more creative solutions to solve our problems. One where we are not at the top of the food chain.” The decision has fostered something beautiful, inspiring, different.

—Chris Plante

Available on Mac, Windows PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Subnautica review: The devil in the deep blue sea (via Eurogamer)
• Subnautica developer explains why he won’t add guns to the game (via Kotaku)

Dead Cells

Without losing focus, Dead Cells brings together no fewer than six different genres into a single adventure. It’s an incredible feat. Creating an excellent roguelike or Metroidvania is a challenge on its own, but Dead Cells shows a mastery of each form as well as its contemporaries dedicated to a single genre.

Some credit goes to the game’s roots in Early Access, where its developers used feedback to refine and revise their ideas. By the time the game officially launched, Dead Cells felt like a fully formed creature, rather than a half-finished Frankenstein creation.

Despite the complexity of its design, it’s friendly to newcomers, slowly introducing new mechanics rather than repeatedly hurling players into impossible fights. And thanks to numerous secrets and upgrades, each death feels less like a game over and more like a step toward progress.

In the end, Dead Cells feels like so many games we’ve loved, and yet, there’s nothing quite like it.

—Russ Frushtick

Available on Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One.
Get it here: Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Dead Cells on Switch is the Castlevania of Spelunkies
• Dead Cells beginner’s guide

Hitman 2

It isn’t inaccurate to describe Hitman 2 as “more Hitman,” but it is reductive. If anything, Hitman 2 is the culmination of its predecessor, rather than a cash-grab sequel. 2016’s episodic collection of open-world assassination locations has been cemented into a traditional stand-alone release, featuring all the additional back-of-the-box bullet points you’d expect. Smarter baddies! Sillier costumes! Mirrors that actually fog and reflect!

While the story is still barely intelligible, it’s the last thing on my mind as I explore Hitman 2’s sprawling environments, filling Agent 47’s bottomless pockets with everything he needs to distract and incapacitate anyone standing between him and his targets.

Every Hitman level is a giant puzzle box in which people, places and things are linked by what must be a rat’s nest of AI routines. Figuring out the connections between everything remains the most thrilling element of the game. The AI of the hundreds of people drifting through each set-piece isn’t realistic, nor should it be.

Hitman 2 doesn’t work like a simulation of a real-life assassination. How grim that would be! Hitman 2 works like Groundhog Day with considerably more murder. I’ve put enough hours into the games to be able to anticipate the reactions to every action — because I understand the interplay between the systems and mechanics, the NPCs and objects. The more I play, the more I learn about how these intricately layered contraptions function, how each person will behave. And once I know the rules, I can bend them to my will as I orchestrate the perfect hit.

—Samit Sarkar

Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Hitman 2 gives one of 2016’s best games a second shot at success
• The two ways we play Hitman 2

A Way Out

A Way Out may have frustrated some players with its ending. But the hours leading to the conclusion were by turns ludicrous, heartfelt, quirky and memorable. The split-screen co-op game veers between identities and styles with abandon, and that’s part of its charm.

The plot follows two escaped convicts on the run from every police officer in the world. And yet, the leads seem unconcerned when controlled by me and a friend. Might as well stop and play some baseball in the trailer park, right? Might as well try on hats in the house we’re robbing. Action movie set-pieces invariably follow these more playful sequences, destroying tonal consistency but giving players a lovable ride.

Leo and Vincent’s friendship still has a place in my heart, and though this game sure has its faults, I don’t regret my time with it one bit. Like people say, sometimes the journey is more important than the destination, especially when the journey features so many hats. Yes, that is exactly what they say.

—Simone de Rochefort

Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC.
Get it here: Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• A Way Out has a lot of flaws and a lot of heart
• A Way Out’s ending: was it worth it?

No Man’s Sky Next

The No Man’s Sky Next update is the game No Man’s Sky appeared to be in its early trailers and demos. Players have been given more freedom to explore the universe as they see fit, be it constructing an underwater bases or assembling a massive fleet of frigates. Crafting systems are revamped, the UI enhanced and new music added. You almost never lack something new to do or discover. And you can now truly play online with three other players — exploring the galaxy, transferring resources and building bases.

The addition of multiplayer has had an unexpected side effect: the need for a third-person camera option. This new angle reframes the game. Your explorer is now an avatar who can gesture, sport different looks and be photographed in the game’s fantastic photo mode. We enjoyed the solitude of No Man’s Sky right from the start, so the third-person camera feels like a dramatic enhancement. There’s something about seeing our own character on a vast, unpopulated planet that nails the game’s impeccable sense of isolation and the vastness of space. The update that finally brings players together also makes it easier to feel like the only being in the entire universe.

—Clayton Ashley

Available on PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• No Man’s Sky Next is an astonishing update, but don’t expect a brand-new game
• No Man’s Sky Next: The best and worst new features

Prey: Mooncrash

In 2017, Bethesda released a handful of deep and inventive single-player games, including Prey, The Evil Within 2 and a stand-alone expansion to Dishonored 2. Though critically lauded, none of them sold especially well, raising questions about the sustainability of smartly designed single-player games, particularly those in the so-called immersive sim genre. Since then, some fans and critics have speculated on what the developers of these projects might be forced to create to stay alive. Vapid first-person shooters? Cynical battle royale modes? Match-three apps?

Prey: Mooncrash is our first look at the future of immersive sims, and it’s unquestionably influenced by the rise of Twitch streams, with its pseudo-procedurally generated design emphasizing player expression and unexpected scenarios. In one playthrough, I had nearly escaped the game’s moon base when I found myself cornered by a gang of roaming enemies with telekinetic powers. I decided to wait them out in an air vent, but I made too much noise. Rather than wait for me outside, the enemies used their powers to detonate the gas lines in the vent, causing the pipes to spew fire. As I tried to escape, their telekinesis ability lifted me into the air, pressing me against the ceiling of the vent, allowing the fire to roast me like a pig on a spit.

Mooncrash hasn’t been made easier or less complex to appease a broader audience. Its semi-permadeath sessions encourage you to actually use all your fancy skills, rather than sitting on them for the perfect occasion. And its goals are refreshingly opaque, inviting players to discover how its elaborate systems work over the course of dozens of hourlong playthroughs — or to learn with help from a Twitch chat audience. That is to say, it’s a single-player game that might be better played with others watching, providing insight from their own playthroughs.

If Prey: Mooncrash hints at the future of Bethesda’s single-player and immersive sim projects, there’s reason to be comforted and excited about the future of the genre and its creators. (Though its commercial viability remains a question mark.)

—Chris Plante

Available on PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One.
Get it here: Walmart

Read more:

• Mooncrash Is Everything That’s Great About Prey (via Waypoint)
• Prey’s Mooncrash DLC Is Better Than The Main Game (via Kotaku)

Destiny 2: Forsaken

A year after Destiny 2’s release, the Forsaken expansion reinvented the entire game. Bungie completely re-engineered the weapons system to offer more flexibility and increased access to powerful guns like shotguns and sniper rifles. The flow of every combat encounter feels different, yet the series’ fantastic gunplay remains intact.

Forsaken also adds two new environments and Destiny’s best raid to date. PvP and the new hybrid PvEvP mode, Gambit, are faster and more enjoyable than the Guardian-on-Guardian combat of years past. Forsaken pours a foundation that the team at Bungie can build upon for years to come, starting with its new approach to seasonal content in the upcoming Annual Pass.

—Ryan Gilliam

Available on PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Destiny 2: Forsaken is the Destiny I’ve waited four years to play
• Tips for jumping into Forsaken, Destiny 2’s new expansion

Moss

In so many ways, playing Moss is like vacationing in a storybook. I take on the role of the Reader, a powerful force that the residents of Moss can sense but not see. I come across a tiny mouse named Quill who is on a quest to save her uncle, after their kingdom was overthrown by a fire-breathing snake. As the Reader, my job is to solve puzzles and clear obstacles to aid Quill in her journey.

Magic radiates from every corner of the game: Pulling a handle from the ground renders a tower of stone steps. Pushing and pulling objects feels like an act of wizardry — wisps of light follow my path, as if from a magic wand. There are tiny libraries, mouse-sized pubs and rich forests, each worth the few minutes rest to pause and marvel at their details.

Moss’ creators have built each scene like large dioramas. Had I not stood up, leaned forward or looked left to right, I would’ve missed so many more lovingly crafted details along my adventure. Polyarc Games uses VR fostering a sense of intimacy, to build a protectiveness of its lead character. Like its central characters, Moss is a game of small things that make a big impact.

—Ashley Oh

Available on PlayStation VR and Windows PC.
Get it here: Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Moss review: a small step for a mouse, a giant leap for VR
• Gaming’s favorite VR mouse uses sign language in the cutest way

Astro Bot Rescue Mission

Astro Bot Rescue Mission is a platformer that has me moving as much as its adorable robot hero. To fully explore levels, I have to maneuver my body to peek around corners and swivel my head to find new ledges. At one point, I headbutt the air in my world to move a crane into place in the game world, helping my bot cross a chasm.

The physicality feels like a natural extension of the “gamer lean” — the sensation of tilting while, say, going around corners in Mario Kart. It’s intuitive; the game is seamless and well-designed so that it’s always clear how I should bend or stand or tilt my head, without feeling too easy or dumbed down.

As a result, Astro Bot is the first VR platformer that feels like not just a good VR game, but a good game beyond its sub-category. Combined with the expressive character designs and peppy music, Astro Bot Rescue Mission is a complete joy to play — if not a little exhausting.

—Jenna Stoeber

Available on PlayStation VR.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Astro Bot is another example of how great platformers can be in VR
• PlayStation VR has a killer app, but it’s getting buried by 2018’s biggest games

Minit

Unlike in other adventure games, where exploring vast landscapes and poring over the tiny details of the surroundings is the norm, every second counts in Minit. The main character dies every minute, only to get another chance at the moment. It’s like Majora’s Mask and Groundhog Day but, well, you know, shorter.

The hero makes gradual progress by reaching checkpoints from which death restarts the adventure. Progress, die, restart from the beginning, apply what you learned, reach a checkpoint, die, restart a little further in the quest, and repeat.

Tasks are simple enough to be completed in 60 seconds, whether that’s finding the perfect radio station for a stranger, listening to an old man’s story or solving the mystery behind the cursed sword that has plagued the hero’s hometown.

With the finite amount of life there is to live, mundane tasks turn into monumental undertakings. Each new life becomes a fresh opportunity to learn more secrets or find more money to buy new sneakers. Most modern games expect players to do a bit of everything at once; Minit succeeds because it focuses on one thing at a time. Progress, it shows, is incremental and deliberate.

—Jeff Ramos

Available on Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC.
Get it here: PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Minit is a 60-second adventure you’ll want to play for hours
• 60-second killer Minit is a perfect game for speedrunning

Fortnite Battle Royale

Don’t worry about being late to Fortnite Battle Royale. The creators of this colorful and constructive twist on the battle royale formula ensure that new players have plenty of chances to jump on board as they constantly reimagine and retool the map, weapons and modes. The most dramatic changes take place across seasons, in a fashion reminiscent of Blizzard’s Hearthstone model. Over a couple of months, players progress through the ranks, unlocking new costumes, gliders and bonuses. And when the season wraps, everybody returns to zero. Of course, none of these upgrades and rewards give players an advantage on the battlefield, so if you don’t care about cosmetics, there’s no wrong time to start — or a reason to spend money.

Whether you come to Fortnite through a console, a PC or a smartphone, the items and experience you earn are persistent. (Unless you play on PlayStation.) We’ve found ourselves rotating where we play, enjoying a week on an iPhone, then craving the precision of mouse and keyboard, then spending a week on the couch with an Xbox controller in our hand. PUBG revolutionized this genre, but Fortnite is quietly revolutionizing the fashion in which big video games seamlessly exist wherever you wish to play them. And it’s free!

The game technically launched in beta in 2017. It’s unclear if it will ever graduate from being “early access,” as that status makes the process of releasing regular patches and updates easier, particularly on consoles with complicated publishing contracts. But beneath all that legal stuff that gets in the weeds is the kernel of what made Fortnite Battle Royale uniquely special this year: the use of game updates as an interactive group storytelling device. The 2018 seasons told a exciting, confusing, messy and surreal story fueled by a handful of sci-fi plots that have fueled countless B-movies. The meta-story of Fortnite has lost some of its energy — entropy! — but at its peak, the game felt all encompassing.

—Chris Plante

Available on iOS, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One.
Get it here: PlayStation Store

Read more:

• How to practice Fortnite like Ninja
• Fortnite cross-platform crossplay guide

Hollow Knight

Yes, we know Hollow Knight first came out in 2017. We’re ashamed to admit it, but most of us never actually played it last year. That changed when the game arrived on Switch this summer, and I realized just how big of a mistake that was.

I adore Metroidvania games, and, quite simply, Hollow Knight is the greatest the genre has ever produced. The game’s design, from its sprawling map to its bespoke customization system to its countless boss fights, is peerless. Better than Symphony of the Night, better than Super Metroid, better than Bloodborne. That quality is matched by a haunting score and hand-drawn visuals that look ripped from the pages of a Tim Burton sketchpad. It’s a feast.

And on the Switch, it has found a truly perfect home. Hollow Knight’s length and difficulty are made far more palpable when you’re able to trawl the depths of the bug kingdom on the go. As a bonus, the game has only gotten bigger with a handful of free updates over the last year. If you’ve got the stomach for it, you’ll find an unforgettable experience awaiting you.

—Russ Frushtick

Available on Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One.
Get it here: PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Hollow Knight beginner’s guide
• The 12 best indie metroidvania games

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Exploration, combat, stealth, role-playing progression and dialogue choice make up the core activities in this giant open world, but its kinetic elements don’t entirely do it justice.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is a teeming saga of the Peloponnesian War, loaded with likable, believable characters, both fictional and drawn from history. Moody marine hues and bright Hellenic contrasts create an eye-pleasing world of mountains, meadows, cities and islands.

The story twists a warm familial reunion narrative with a cold, hard search for vengeance against an evil cult. Hidden shipwrecks, mythical beasts, combat arenas and creepy tombs add to a sense of a fantastical, expansive world.

Ubisoft built the Assassin’s Creed series on its big, dense open worlds. But Odyssey’s world feels like a turning point, loosening its focus on muted historical settings seen from grimny rooftops, and instead embracing vibrant colors, mythological beasts, and sprawling swaths of ocean and countryside.

—Colin Campbell

Available on PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• In Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Kassandra is better than Alexios
• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey tries for moral introspection in new DLC

Marvel’s Spider-Man

Marvel’s Spider-Man achieves something rare among licensed games: it goes toe-to-toe with its lead character’s two blockbuster movies this year in terms of quality, while not directly tying into either. The PS4 exclusive takes inspiration from Spider-Man’s significant history in comic books, movies, television shows and games, but established canon doesn’t prevent the writers from taking their own risks.

Sure, the plot’s a little predictable, and yet while I could predict each beat, so little of the final experience felt rote or uninspired. It does just enough to subvert expectations, while also providing the opportunity to zip around a world so familiar and established.

—Ben Kuchera

Available on PlayStation 4.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | Target | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• A brief history of Spider-Man games
• What Spider-Man PS4 gets right (and wrong) about New York City

Monster Hunter: World

Here’s Polygon’s Chelsea Stark laying out everything you need to know about Monster Hunter: World: “To answer the three most pressing questions around Monster Hunter: World: Yes, its creators have made a notoriously inaccessible franchise into something that, if not totally accessible, somewhat resembles it. Yes, it’s still filled with countless menus and tough-to-parse mythos. And yes, this game lets you be best friends with a cat.”

There’s a BFF cat — what else can I add that might convince you to give Monster Hunter: World a try? You demand more? For fans of Capcom games who haven’t leapt into this daunting franchise, Monster Hunter: World carries a bounty of goofy cameos. The game has received post-launch updates featuring characters from Street Fighter, Devil May Cry and Mega Man. For non-Capcom fans, the guest stars complement the abundance of other additions, from new quests to humongous beasts. Monster Hunter: World was a great game at release. With each month, it’s only gotten better.

—Chris Plante

Available on PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Monster Hunter: World guide
• 10 things Monster Hunter: World doesn’t tell you

Red Dead Redemption 2

When Rockstar Games released the original Red Dead Redemption eight years ago, critics jokingly dubbed it Grand Theft Horse. The creators of the open-world Western shrewdly transported the power fantasies and juvenile social commentary of the Grand Theft Auto series to the American Southwest of 1911. Its sequel, released this year on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, unexpectedly stands as a counterpoint to both its predecessor and the Grand Theft Auto series.

Rockstar’s notorious satire has been replaced with a straightforward ensemble piece for Red Dead Redemption 2, and the previous game’s Southwest setting swapped out for the American South, blurring the story’s genre between Western and historical drama. It’s still a power fantasy, but the developers often toy with players’ assumptions. When I find myself horseless in the mountains, for example, I discover it will be a very long and dull walk home — one I probably won’t survive, what with all the criminals and deadly critters. The game is slower, stranger and, for better and worse, more confident in its storytelling, an ambitious albeit flawed exploration of life in the American South following the Civil War.

Before the game’s release, comments by one of Rockstar’s co-founders about the amount of overtime employees worked in order to finish the game raised questions about the ethics of creating these massive open-world games. Actually playing Red Dead Redemption 2 shows the limitations that come with such an endeavor. Here is a beautiful, surprising world. At its worst, it feels like an argument between hundreds of creative people, all of whom have a slightly different idea for this one hulking thing. At its best, it feels like a novel — a patient, cohesive, sweeping trip in another person’s boots.

—Chris Plante

Available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Best games 2018: Red Dead Redemption 2
• Check out our dedicated Red Dead Redemption hub for guides, videos, essays and more

Celeste

Matt Thorson’s follow-up to TowerFall takes one move from the competitive multiplayer game (its buoyant jump) and mines it for every fleck of creativity, like a chef creating a prix fixe menu around a single, delicious and flexible ingredient. Celeste is a challenging platformer, in the line of Mario or Meat Boy, but notably, it includes tools to modify and alleviate the difficulty. You can slow the game speed, turn on invincibility or skip chapters. Thorson’s game doesn’t judge players for how they experience his work. And for those who want a more difficult experience, collectible strawberries are tucked throughout the world of Celeste, typically in precarious places, provoking highly skilled players to pursue challenge for no greater reason than “it’s fun.”

The decision to trim the stress from a notoriously stressful genre pairs well with Celeste’s story, which plunges into the shadowy trauma of anxiety, depression and meeting the expectations of those we love most. A charming art style and an uplifting score hold everything together, like a warm sweater or a bear hug. Life is hard enough, Celeste seems to say, there’s nothing wrong in asking for help.

—Chris Plante

Available on Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC.
Get it here: PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Best games 2018: Celeste is a beautiful metaphor for overcoming the lies your brain tells you
• Celeste will make you better at every game

Tetris Effect

For the past three decades, people have zoned out with the help of Tetris. The classic, nigh-perfect puzzle game demands unwavering attention, particularly at higher speeds. To excel at Tetris is to tune out the rest of the world.

Tetris Effect wants you to tune in; don’t just play Tetris, experience it. The PlayStation 4 game bathes the time-tested classic Tetris with showers of light and music. Every turn and drop of a puzzle piece cues a wind-blown chime, a tinkle of jazzy piano keys or the hum of a blue whale. Music builds and flows as you clear lines and stages. Tetris Effect exchanges the Soviet bloc architecture and catchy folk tune “Korobeiniki” of the classic Game Boy game for something closer to an electronic music festival held in a Frank Gehry building.

Gazing upon a desert sunset, walking through pristine snow and chilling with dolphins are so sensually rich on their own, it’s easy to overlook the simple fact that Tetris Effect is also a damn good puzzle game. Its additions ultimately don’t distract from the game; they complement it, reminding us what an addictive, pleasurable and transportive experience a game of Tetris can be.

—Michael McWhertor

Available on PlayStation 4.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more:

• Best games 2018: Tetris Effect’s concept proves that is indeed possible to make a near-perfect game even better
• Tetris Effect has been in development for six years

God of War

God of War is a methodical reimagining of the action franchise. Rather than ignoring its past with a top-to-bottom reboot, God of War is a sequel that’s in dialogue with both the actions of its characters and its previous creators. But plenty has been said about where the entry fits alongside its predecessors. Mentioned less is how well God of War stands on its own, working just fine without the baggage of its prequels. You get the sense, a couple dozen hours into the adventure, that it was created by massive fans of all sorts of other games: The campaign takes inspiration from the Tomb Raider and Doom reboots, Dark Souls, Shadow of the Colossus and even Call of Duty — the widely praised ax throwing combat, for example, places a first-person shooter reticle within a third-person action game, creating something unique and fresh.

Before we changed our reviews program, we scored the game a 10. But a perfect score doesn’t mean a perfect game. (Does such a thing even exist?) One of the pleasures of a game as big and ambitious as God of War is that it inspires great criticism. Deorbital hosted a set of pieces, including this great read on the series’ unique and complicated place within games from Jackson Tyler. Hamish Black produced a video praising the game’s companion, Atreus. And Bullet Points Monthly published its own series of interesting critiques. God of War feels like a game we’ll remember as a distinctly 2018 product: a glossy testament to the astonishing artistry and craft of games at this moment, and a reminder of how much room the medium still has to grow.

—Chris Plante

Available on PlayStation 4.
Get it here: Walmart | Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PlayStation Store

Read more

• God of War guide and walkthrough
• Watch God of War’s voice of Kratos tell bad dad jokes

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