{"id":71198,"date":"2018-12-21T18:20:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-21T18:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gamasutra.com\/view\/news\/333397"},"modified":"2018-12-21T18:20:00","modified_gmt":"2018-12-21T18:20:00","slug":"gamasutras-best-of-2018-kris-grafts-top-7-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2018\/12\/21\/gamasutras-best-of-2018-kris-grafts-top-7-games\/","title":{"rendered":"Gamasutra&#8217;s Best of 2018: Kris Graft&#8217;s top 7 games"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Kris Graft (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/krisgraft\">@krisgraft<\/a>) is editor-in-chief, Gamasutra<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-09f0105c-7fff-afb4-5e44-17abd5391d97\">Hey! It&#8217;s another annual top games list! I approach these things like a mix-tape that&#8217;s meant to highlight games that are excellent, but also that give some kind of insight into my own tastes, with the hope that other people might find something they&#8217;d enjoy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-09f0105c-7fff-afb4-5e44-17abd5391d97\">I&#8217;ll be honest, I don&#8217;t look forward to doing these because they don&#8217;t come easy. I could tell you right away <\/span>which games I enjoyed this year, but for me to cogently explain why &#8212; that saps the last ounces of brainpower I have left after an entire year of following the game industry.<\/p>\n<p><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-09f0105c-7fff-afb4-5e44-17abd5391d97\">Every year in performing this thought exercise, I look back at the list I make, and every year without fail, a theme or two subconsciously arises. This year I gravitated toward two kinds of games:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-09f0105c-7fff-afb4-5e44-17abd5391d97\">Ones that had themes of hope and perseverance in the face of difficult situations<\/span><\/li>\n<p>&#013; <\/p>\n<li><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-09f0105c-7fff-afb4-5e44-17abd5391d97\">Ones that radiated\u00a0pure joy<\/span><\/li>\n<p>&#013;\n<\/ul>\n<p>Thank you, dear readers, for reading and writing on Gamasutra!\u00a0Here are the games that brought hope and joy during what felt like a very long year.<\/p>\n<p><em>List is in alphabetical order.<\/em><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" height=\"363\" src=\"http:\/\/www.sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/gamasutras-best-of-2018-kris-grafts-top-7-games.jpg\" width=\"646\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-21e008e5-7fff-3ba3-0a36-09711eacc513\">When <\/span><em>Celeste<\/em> first came out this year, I played it for maybe a half hour, and then stopped. I just wasn&#8217;t in the mood for yet another hard-as-hell platformer.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-21e008e5-7fff-3ba3-0a36-09711eacc513\">It wasn&#8217;t until I picked it\u00a0back up at the end of the year when I completely fell in love with it, and appreciated what it was doing. Yes, the game is difficult. But the way the story addresses that difficulty, and emboldens the player to <\/span><em>keep climbing<\/em>,\u00a0is absolutely brilliant. <em>Celeste<\/em> shows us that we can be our own worst enemy, but that &#8220;enemy&#8221; is still an innate part of who we are. And having a friend or two help you realize that along the way never hurts.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-21e008e5-7fff-3ba3-0a36-09711eacc513\">Mechanically, it&#8217;s a simple concept for a player to understand. Jump, dash, and grab. The game masterfully introduces players to the traversal mechanics, then sprinkles in new level design elements where players have to use those basic skills in new ways. It all just feels perfect.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" height=\"363\" src=\"http:\/\/www.sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/gamasutras-best-of-2018-kris-grafts-top-7-games-1.jpg\" width=\"646\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span>Something about <\/span><em>Forza Horizon 4<\/em> took me back to when I would get excited about racing games. Even though\u00a0it&#8217;s obviously more advanced than the arcade racers that I obsessed over back in the 90s, <em>Forza\u00a0Horizon 4<\/em> was able to capture the sheer joy I&#8217;d experience back then.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-21e008e5-7fff-3ba3-0a36-09711eacc513\">It wasn&#8217;t just the weekly change of seasons that were introduced this year\u00a0or the new online features or the fact that the graphics are good enough to make you weep. The game&#8217;s main draw is\u00a0a driving feel that&#8217;s the best this side of the original <\/span><em>Sega Rally<\/em> (or at least how I <em>remember<\/em> that game feeling); a feel that I can only describe as &#8220;fast and buttery.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>Forza Horizon 4<\/em> is the culmination of years of fine tuning in that regard. This is a racing game made by people who understand what makes a realistic racing simulator gratifying, and what makes an arcade racer just fun, in equal measure.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong><span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" height=\"363\" src=\"http:\/\/www.sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/gamasutras-best-of-2018-kris-grafts-top-7-games-2.jpg\" width=\"646\" \/><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-21e008e5-7fff-3ba3-0a36-09711eacc513\"><em>Frostpunk<\/em> <\/span>is what happens when you take the human condition, turn it into metrics and variables, and plug those into a system meant to test your own personal values. Many games&#8217; narratives <em>tell<\/em> the player about tough decisions and\u00a0insurmountable odds.\u00a0<em>Frostpunk<\/em>\u00a0instead places the weight of these narrative devices on the shoulders of the player, providing a sense of\u00a0gravitas and purpose unlike any game I&#8217;ve played. It all feels &#8212; in a literal sense &#8212; meaningful.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-21e008e5-7fff-3ba3-0a36-09711eacc513\">The &#8220;mechanical&#8221; approach to this kind of storytelling makes <em>Frostpunk<\/em> that much more interesting. There&#8217;s\u00a0<\/span><span>this\u00a0idea that\u00a0&#8220;softer&#8221; mechanics are a better fit\u00a0for narrative-focused games, while\u00a0&#8220;harder&#8221; mechanics in system-heavy games like <em>Frostpunk\u00a0<\/em>are less-equipped to tell a story with as great of impact. <\/span><em>Frostpunk<\/em> masterfully disproves that notion and shows a less-traveled path that game designers should closely examine.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/www.sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/gamasutras-best-of-2018-kris-grafts-top-7-games-3.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-21e008e5-7fff-3ba3-0a36-09711eacc513\">Into the Breach<\/span><\/em> is difficult, and wants to end you. But the game&#8217;s systems are so readable and transparent, you typically know how the next turn or two are going to shake out. That puts a certain amount of accountability on the player &#8212; you have (nearly) all the information you need, it&#8217;s just up to you to properly decipher the situation at hand and limit the extra risk that upcoming variables might present.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-21e008e5-7fff-3ba3-0a36-09711eacc513\">If I want to get philosophical about it (I guess I do), I found <\/span><em>Into the Breach<\/em> to be about preservation of self for the benefit of others; this is a game more about defense than offense, about keeping yourself alive so you can keep others alive. It&#8217;s incredibly well-done.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/www.sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/gamasutras-best-of-2018-kris-grafts-top-7-games-4.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span><em>Jurassic World Evolution<\/em> captured my attention much more effectively than Frontier Developments&#8217; earlier console-centric park simulator,\u00a0<\/span><em>Zoo Tycoon<\/em>. One reason is that caring for a herd of triceratops is, for me personally, more rewarding than cleaning up elephant poop.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-21e008e5-7fff-3ba3-0a36-09711eacc513\">Another other reason that <\/span><em>Jurassic World Evolution<\/em> is on this list is because of the satisfaction I got when I was able to get all the game&#8217;s layered,\u00a0intersecting systems to play nice. When the <span>brachiosauruses<\/span> are peacefully grazing in their pens with the perfect amount of water and trees (yes, the forest:water ratio matters), when the <span>orinthomimids<\/span> have enough peers to where they&#8217;re socializing, and when the <span>velociraptors<\/span> aren&#8217;t running rampant eating visitors, it&#8217;s a state of pure balance that&#8217;s supremely satisfying.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">That said, when a <span>T-rex<\/span> gets loose and gulps down a park visitor&#8230;that hasn&#8217;t gotten old yet either.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/www.sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/gamasutras-best-of-2018-kris-grafts-top-7-games.png\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-47cdf5e8-7fff-0d5a-4733-84f06f343d08\">I first played the demo for Lucas Pope&#8217;s <\/span><em>Return of the Obra Dinn<\/em> a few years ago. Even in its smaller, bite-sized demo form, I immediately fell in love with Macintosh Plus-inspired graphics, and its concept of a\u00a0mystery-adventure aboard a derelict ship.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-47cdf5e8-7fff-0d5a-4733-84f06f343d08\">The final version of the game impressively <a href=\"http:\/\/gamasutra.com\/view\/news\/331151\/For_Lucas_Pope_Return_of_the_Obra_Dinn_was_a_bunch_of_appealing_design_problems.php\">scaled up<\/a> that small demo in which you investigated just a few deaths, turning it\u00a0into a full-blown whodunnit with dozens of victims. It&#8217;s a twisted, webbed narrative where the individual\u00a0deaths of the Obra Dinn&#8217;s crew are fatefully, and beautifully, intertwined. I can only imagine the sprawling\u00a0flowcharts and Post-It notes\u00a0that littered\u00a0Lucas Pope&#8217;s workspace.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-47cdf5e8-7fff-0d5a-4733-84f06f343d08\">When playing <\/span><em>Return of the Obra Dinn<\/em>, you can feel the gentle hand of the designer dropping clues like breadcrumbs across the landscape of the narrative, each vignette of gruesome death turning the player into a voyeur of the past. <em>Return of the Obra Dinn<\/em> is unforgettable.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" height=\"364\" src=\"http:\/\/www.sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/gamasutras-best-of-2018-kris-grafts-top-7-games-5.jpg\" width=\"646\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span>In the run-up and launch of <\/span><em>Tetris Effect<\/em>, I formed a new pet peeve: people saying things like &#8216;it&#8217;s just re-skinned <em>Tetris<\/em>&#8216; or &#8216;do we really need another version of <em>Tetris<\/em>?&#8217;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-21e008e5-7fff-3ba3-0a36-09711eacc513\">For one, <\/span><em>Tetris<\/em> is a game\u00a0that humankind will be playing in some shape or form for the next <em>thousands of years<\/em>, barring any near- to mid-term self-destruction of our species. To say something is &#8220;just <em>Tetris<\/em>&#8221; is like saying &#8220;just the Ancient Pyramids&#8221; or &#8220;just the moon landing&#8221; or &#8220;just penicillin.&#8221; <em>Tetris<\/em> is a monumental\u00a0human achievement.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-21e008e5-7fff-3ba3-0a36-09711eacc513\">Ahem<\/span> ok where were we? <\/em>Oh yes,\u00a0<em>Tetris Effect<\/em>. <strong>Yes<\/strong> we do need another version of <em>Tetris\u00a0<\/em>&#8212; specifically this version. Tezuya Mizuguchi&#8217;s take on the game (which was directed by Takashi Ishihara) is surprisingly emotional, bringing together visuals, sound and music, and interactivity together perfectly, with a soulful sincerity unique to Mizuguchi&#8217;s work.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-21e008e5-7fff-3ba3-0a36-09711eacc513\">And don&#8217;t pass up on this if you don&#8217;t own PSVR &#8212; while that&#8217;s a great <em>Tetris Effect\u00a0<\/em>experience, the game doesn&#8217;t lose its\u00a0beauty\u00a0on a regular screen. Just turn the lights down, turn the sound up, and play yet another version of <\/span><em>Tetris<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kris Graft (@krisgraft) is editor-in-chief, Gamasutra Hey! It&#8217;s another annual top games list! I approach these things like a mix-tape that&#8217;s meant to highlight games that are excellent, but also that give some kind of insight into my own tastes, with the hope that other people might find something they&#8217;d enjoy. I&#8217;ll be honest, I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":71199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71198"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71198\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}