So it's that time of year again: lists of the past year throughout. I'm no exception: this is the fifth time I'm posting a ranked lists of the best video games I've played in 2018.
Previous entries: 2017,2016,2015,2014
Before I get to my best games, I should mention a few things that I've already mentioned in previous blogs and posts. Sort of a summary:
1) android games. I've mentioned this last year, and that trend hasn't died down. Rather the contrary: I'm discovering so much great mobile games that it's not even funny anymore. Last year I got a gdp win, this year I got a gpd xd+ (basically the same thing, but without keyboard and with android rather than windows). I was hesitant at first, but it turned out the best gaming handheld I've ever had. Granted: about half of it is emulation, but android games that can't be made to work with buttons are the exception rather than the rule.
2) linux. I've been on and off the fence on trying linux distros. Then valve released proton, and I've made the plunge. I simply cannot overstate how great proton is; it just about doubles the total amount of steam games, and that number is even higher if you don't count only having to make small tweaks to get a game working. On top of that: playonlinux also got pretty user-friendly. While the main exception is in the AAA-segment (meaning: it's not something I advice often), it more than suits my needs.
The result of this: I've pretty much lost track of how many games I've played. This also has to do with proton and android: I tried many games of my backlog, just to file a report on it on protondb.com. Does that count? I also pirated a few games for the sole purpose of attempting to getting it to run on linux. And on android, I've installed appsales. Result: temporary free games and seriously discounted prices for more than I knew existed. And I got to point out that only a small minority were ones I'd label as 'pay to win'.
I also have to point out that I've really started to grow fond of virtual board games and programming games. As such, there are more mentions of this on my list, for the simple reason that this is a list of the games that I have played. It is NOT a "best games of this year" list (heck...it's only accidental if the games are released this game in the first place).
Final point: my steam library surpassed 1000 games, and my GoG and android library are gaining traction as well. So even the worst game on this list is one I would thumb up. The ones I don't mention are either terrible, I couldn't get to run or are just not my taste. I know I went from a top 20 in my first years to 40 in this year, but that's because I just played a shitton of games.
That said...the runners-up (in random order):
diamo XL
invert
alhambra
abalone
shadow tactics
bonanza the duel
puzzle station
craft the world
chess
dreaming sarah
mysterium
painter's guild
geometry dash
chime sharp
Z
canabalt
light
warzone
marvelous; another treasure island
sally's law
8-bit army
reigns: majety
poly bridge
geometry wars 3
frederic resurrection of music
knock-knock
endless legend
12 is better than 6
lost journey
SW Galactic battlegrounds
rima
lords of waterdeep
tigris & euphrates
seasons after fall
mekorama
hotline miami 2: wrong number
colorzze
four sided fantasy
vvvvv
8-bit armies
Upward, lonely robot
Everything
40. Tabletop simulator (windows)
This is one I can not NOT mention, but at the same time don't want to praise too much. This is basically all board games ever created. However: a game that does everything excels at nothing. I didn't expect the community to just hack in AI or do anything but scan images of their board games, but even so...this game is butt-ugly in so many ways and has such a terrible UI it's not even funny (why is even a game manual so hard to come by?). And because it basically throws you all the pieces of a board game at you and says "here...now have fun" I don't even like it to simply try out a board game. But truth be told: I'm very, very happy it exists. There should be a sequel or - even better - some competition in this field, but having tabletop simulator beats the tool not existing at all.
39. Rollers of the realm (linux)
One of my first "let's check out proton"-games. The premisse is pretty wacky: a combination of RPG and pinball. It's certainly fun, and it's head and shoulders over pinball games "with an RPG element". It's fluid, fun and entertaining.
38. zelda: link's awakening (android/GBC)
This one obviously would've been much higher if this was the first time I've played it. But even so: using my gpd xd+ and an emulator, this is the best version of the game I've played (yay savestates. And yay, going from "opening console" to "gaming" in less than 10 seconds)
37. grandpa's table (android)
One of the many games I picked up on android on discount.I thought it'd entertain me for, say, half an hour, but spent much more time on it. It's a puzzle game in the style of quell: you move some diamonds around on a preset mazelike board, attempting to put them all together. With bonus points if you can do that on specific spots. Now...this game is ugly as hell, but where most of these games go all "now try this with less moves!" on you, this bonus system is much more relaxing. It's also much deeper than I'd give the graphics credit for.
36. battle chef brigade deluxe (windows/linux)
If there were awards for "weirdest video genre blends", I'd nominate this game: it mixes (2D) monster hunter combat with match-3 gem puzzles. And yes, this makes it work! It's sort of hilarious in that aspect.
35. le havre inland port (android/linux)
Digidiced quickly became my favorite porters for digital board games. They keep the (decent) interface between games, making things easier. On top of that, they always have full compatibility between the windows, linux, android and iOS versions of games. On Le havre inland port, I looked back on this game as "okay-ish". But more recently I tried the PC version that was part of a humble bundle, and remembered how original yet fitting this resource management game really is. It's still "okay-ish", but that's not a bad thing when compared to great other games.
34. terra mystica (android)
...and we directly get to the next digidiced one. This is, by far, the most complex board game (and perhaps game in general) that I know. Different resources, a strange handling of power, different roles, board manipulation...it makes sense, and I WANT to learn how to properly play this game because it looks so good on all aspects...but it's just so darn complex that I can't get my head around it...yet.
33.pocket city (android)
When saying "sim city alternative", most people say "cities: skylines", and rightfully so. But when I heard about a sim city 2000 hommage on android, I had to try it. And I admit I initially feared the leveling/experience system was a means for pay to win or stupid waiting lines. Neither of those are true. From what I can tell, this is the real sequel to sim city 2000. And on android, no less.
32. planetary annihilation: titans (windows)
Are there still modern RTS'es being made? Why, yes. Planetary annihilation is one of them. I hear that one of the other games in the franchise is terrible for some reason, but titans is pretty solid. It's also a bit easy, but that might be me.
31. juanito arcade mayhem (windows)
This game had me at "super pang clone", which...let's be honest: what this game really is. There is some theming from other video games, but to be honest I found the storyline mostly rather...childish. The gameplay is pretty decent, though, which is all that really matters.
30. hey, that's my fish (android)
Whenever gamers tout that android doesn't have decent games, I always assume that they either haven't tried out any non-free games, or that they aren't the target audience. This fits the latter group: it's a family game. Yes, you can play it solo against computers and yes, it's still fun. But this game is bonkers when you play it with 3 or 4 others on android. You each control 2 to 4 pinguins on a hexagonal board. Some of these hexes have fish on them, which you'll collect one you move there. The thing is: on every move, the starting position sinks. So this nice filled board quickly falls away into nothing. So the rules are extremely simple (I play this with my 8-year old cousin), but it has some very deep tactics. A very good investment for a couple bucks when you've got a tablet.
29. Minite (linux)
Okay, I admit: I had higher hopes for this game than it turned out to be. Would this be the next Braid? The next undertale? Well...perhaps to some. The premisse is that you die every sixty seconds, but you respawn with what you collected. It's good, fun to play and has some very funny characters and evocative situations. It is, however, also very short and I don't know what the black&white was supposed to add. So...a bit middle of the road.
28. The sequence(android)
This little program game shouldn't be on the list. It's small, it's abstract, and the UI could some use. But despite being a mobile game through and true, this one certainly has depth. Maybe not as much as some other programming games, but much more than I'd give it credit for. Honestly: if you want to know what "programming games" really are, you could do a whole lot worse than the sequence.
27. Tsuro (android)
Okay...I could fill up a list of "best board games" by now. This is a by the number conversion, but it so happens to be by one of the best filler/gateway board games out there. Basically: all participants get three square cards containing two paths on each side. Your action: rotate one tile as you fit and put it on the board next to your pawn, then all pawns adjacent to it must travel the paths (so at least you). The board quickly fills up with spaghetti. Your goal is to stay on the board longer than others. If it sounds complex, then that's my fault: it's simple enough to have everyone playing as soon as they see one or two turns played.
26. Reigns: game of thrones(android)
Earlier this year I played reigns: majesty. The idea was that you get a whole bunch of decisions, and you can either swipe left or right, basically answering yes or no. There are four meters that are influenced by your answer. If either's too high or too low (say...your stance with the population), you lose. It was an interesting idea (tindr for royalties, basically) that, unfortunately, wore off rather quickly.
...and then devolver digital made a game of thrones version of the game. The premisse is the same, but with all the characters from the books/television. Result: it was as close as a "must have" gets to me.
25. Furi (linux)
This was one of the dozens of games I tried to get working on linux (proton). Was it because I had to learn how to use parameters to get it working properly (it initially had weird artifacts, which didn't really stood out as this game has a VERY WEIRD theme) that I gave this more credit? In any case: this is...erm...it's somewhat between a 3D fighting game and a bullet hell shooter. You are a prisoner that has to fight a number of bosses to earn your freedom. On paper, I would've said that you can't have a meal that's just sause (even if it's awesomesause). Furi proves that games that have just great boss battles can very well consist of "just great boss battles". It's extremely hard, though.
24. Onitama (android)
I was looking forward to this game being released...and then it turns out to have a cost of 0 bucks. This board game is best described as "a concise version of chess". You and your opponent each have 5 pawns on a 5x5 board. You also each have 2 movement tiles and a fifth that you'll get after using one. You see: these cards determine how you can move your pawns. And if you use it, you'll pass that movement card to your opponent's reserve. The goal: either kill the fat pawn of your opponent OR move one of your pawns to the middle of the back row of your opponent.
So...all relatively simple in theory, but oh boy does this game have deep mechanics. You can play this on your phone against an opponent as well as against computer. So if you're an avid chess player: check out this game!
23. Rusted warfare (android)
Let's see...this RTS game strands 9 places higher than planetary annihilation (which, in turn, pushes 8-bit armies off the list ). The reason: THIS is the game that captures the original C&C feeling. Honestly: forget about what EA tried to pull. If you liked the original command and conquer, you'll love this game. It has somewhat different mechanics, but in a way it is BECAUSE the game looks so basic that it works.
And while this game is also on steam (and most likely handles better there), it is absolutely a blast to play on a touchscreen. RTS developers: steal ideas from this game!
22. hidden folks (android)
It's a stroke of genius: just program the "Where's Waldo?" books (okay...a lookalike) on android. As you can understand, a tablet is the perfect medium for this: you can scroll, pinch zoom and basically click whenever you find anything from the list below. The pictures are somewhat crude, but have some genuinely funny stuff happening in 'em. The main reason for this inclusion is, strangely enough, the sounds. Everything (or almost everything) is human made. Cars beeping, electricity wirring, the grunts of the peeps...it's so clearly amateuristic, yet so hilariously funny.
21. Dandara (android)
This one took me by surprise. I can't honestly say metroidvania, because it is much better than the genre would suggest. The visuals, the sound, the storyline...it takes all the best of the genre, adds some dark souls difficulty on it and - last but not least - its own feature. Dandara is the result. But before you rush out to the store, I've got to mention that feature: there is no gravity. And unfortunately, it doesn't play nice with external controllers on android (my only real beef with it, aside that it drains my battery fast). But the game is designed to be played with touchscreen. So...I won't blame gamers who condemn the game for that, as it certainly has a tough learning curve. But even so: this game is an absolute gem.
20. Doki doki literature club (windows)
Okay, I started playing this because it was free and was gathering a hype. It was good. For a free game even very great, but that's not a huge factor in this list. DDLC is a virtual novel that has you "dating" the all-female literature club members. It reminded me quite a bit of the anime series chobits: it's sweet and romantic, but the male protagonist (that's you) has no clue on how to read women.
The game is adults only, but not in the way that you probably think (if you fit the audience: go play it already!). I admit that that is the main reason it's on this list: it's like there are two short games stringed together, and both help you to keep reading/playing. If you want to know more, you can check my gbatemp review of the game.
19. Rayman jungle run & fiesta run (android)
Remember super mario run? Well...screw that game. I got this on sale, but even full price these games are cheaper, better, longer and don't require you to be online all the time. And what this is? A perfect continuation of the console rayman games. While one could classify this as an endless runner, the fact that Rayman can float and punch makes it at best something between platformer and a runner. That probably means that it won't work (or not well) on low-end phones, but on my nvidia shield and gpd xd+ everything was flawless. To those saying that mobile only has crippled ports...these two games (which I count as one, as they're so similar) prove those sayers wrong.
18. Starcraft 2: legacy of the void (windows)
When I started playing this early 2018, I assumed it'd make for game of the year. Protoss is my favorite SC2 race and for some reason I had always postponed that last episode. Unfortunately, I only like PLAYING protoss. The missions were great (I'd say "blizzard quality", but that term has eroded somewhat since), but why is everyone in that race so fucking arrogant/heroic/serious? These clowns can't even go to the toilet without booming how they are fulfilling their destiny. The result was...certainly not bad (again: I really like playing them), but I honestly had better playing experiences.
17. Isle of skye (android)
So...a virtual board game from asmodee, created by digidiced, that plays out like carcassonne? To you that most likely doesn't say much, but to me that's a triple whammy of goodness. And it certainly didn't disappoint. Every game has 4 different goals that score you points during six rounds. In those rounds, you bid for tiles that you place to your tableau in a way that they (hopefully) fulfill those goals and/or score you money for future bids. What surprised me most is not just that this is mainly a bidding game, but that estimating how to price your tiles is more fun than I would've given it credit. I haven't played the physical board game, but I really like it. And perhaps the virtual board game is better, because there's quite some bookkeeping the game does for you.
16. Sproggiwood (android)
You liked playing as the bard in Crypt of the necrodancer? Then this game is for you: it's a turn-based roguelite game where you play as a random character that's being abducted by this Sproggi character that has you going through procedurally-generated dungeons. Aside the fun 'quick' turn base play (think nova-101 or the mentioned Crypt of the necrodancer) and characters that play out very differently but all interesting, this game oozes charm at every corner. In terms of casual roguelites, this might just be my top game of all time (not that I know that many that fit those two genres ).
15. Offworld trading company (windows)
I very nearly dismissed this because I think I played it mostly last year. But this is a great game, and that is just because it really is "an RTS without vehicles". You see...whenever I attempt to play something like civilization I just want to build to crush my enemies (whaddaya mean, civilized? I wanna WIN, damnit!). This game hears me and provides something that at best looks like a futuristic city builder. What it really is, is a cutthroat attempt to overthrow your enemies through economical means. Build fast on the correct routes, earn what you need to build stuff that gains even more resources, and thwart your enemies in every way EXCEPT sending out military. I'm very willing to admit I totally suck at this game except against novice enemies. But playing it is so very damn satisfying!
14. Jaipur (android)
A card trading game. You and your opponents take turns either picking up exactly one good (of five open ones) in hand, trading more than one good with the table, or selling all goods from hand. This is a board game that is very simple to teach, but it's amazing how deep this concept goes. The prices, you see, shift per good, AND you get an increasing bonus if you sell more than 3 of the same kind. This puts you in all sorts of dilemmas: do you pick up one extra good to what you already have? Do you trade two other cards for that card AND that high value one? Would it be better to sell this good before your opponent does (and thus gets a better price)?
On top of nice visuals and good AI, the game offers a campaign modus that lets you capture different regions, build up an Indian castle/temple and even unlock different mods for the game (meaning: different prices, less or more starting goods, starting hands, ...). So for hardly a couple bucks, you can have more than a few hours worth of game, and that's not even taking a head-to-head into account.
13. Lost vikings 1&2 (android/SNES)
Why, yes, I have used my gpd xd for emulation purposes. Among others, I've played through the gameboy versions of donkey kong classic, super mario land 1&2, Wario land and Link's awakening. Maybe it's the short nature of the lost viking games (these levels can be tough and long). Maybe it's the fact that rewinding and restarting is easier than ever. Maybe it's been so long that I've forgotten these puzzles completely and therefore play it as if they're new games. Fact is: I've so thoroughly enjoyed playing through these games that they rightfully deserve this spot. Blizzard sure isn't what it was back then.
12. Ticket to earth (android)
Last year I nominated freecell quest as the follow-up to puzzle quest in terms of a game that mixes storyline and a puzzle-kind of combat. Well...ticket to earth blows freecell quest out of the water at the very least on the story element. The turn based battles play out on boards filled with 4 randomized symbols. During your turn, you have two actions to either run over the same kinds of symbols, attack or use a special power. You charge up both your attacks and special power meters by going over as many symbols as possible, and since opponents follow the same rules you can do tactical things like retreat out of range. Perhaps on paper it looks a bit nonsense (it's literally better if you can run around half the board than to directly attack), but it plays out so incredibly well. It has RPG elements that allow you to change your power or boost your health or attack status with certain symbols, so it quickly starts making sense. And as if that wasn't enough, you get a great story to boot: you play as a few colonists on a terraformed planet that face a prison outbreak and have to stop the chaos from spreading. So really: THIS is the sort of game that truly combines story and puzzle elements.
I do have to note that this is a hard one to judge as I discovered it only very recently. As such, it's much closer to memory (which might affect it in a more than positive way).
11. Onirim (android)
This game got on my radar as the solitaire cardgame that it really is. Then asmodee made an app out of it. For the price of zero dollars. And that immediately puts it on a solid "best free games ever" nominee. Or at least head and shoulders above what passes for free on android. The goal of the game is to unlock all doors by laying down cards by color. Aside one of four colors, cards have also 3 symbols (sun, moon or key), and you can never play two of the same symbol directly after each other. So there's a slight dilemma in how you play your cards, as your hand is limited and you lose if the deck is empty. On top of that, there are nightmare cards in the deck that'll also work against you. The key cards help against these, which furthers the dilemma on whether you play keys or keep them. All in all: a very simple but very engaging game, enhanced more by the beautiful theming.
There are three expansions to it that make it somewhat less light but not less fun.
10. Age of rivals (android)
If for no other reason, you should try this game as a reminder that a bunch of - on paper - terrible ideas can still make a good game if they're executed well enough. If I hadn't given this game a fair chance, it would have never passed my red flags. Collectible card games? Sorry, but magic: the gathering was too much of a money sink to go down that rabbit hole. Oh, wait...it doesn't even HAVE DLC. A game where all you do is pick one out of four games, and then exchange the remains with your opponent who'll do the same? Sounds boring. Oh, wait...there's an entire intricacy of reasons why cards can be good or bad. A civilizations game where you have to balance your civilization with military? Meh...no thanks. Oh, wait...this one does it RIGHT. Honestly...this game is almost ridiculously weird in how it turns my concepts of gaming on its head. I mean...it's a drafting game with only minimal graphics and totally different reasons, and yet I'd say that it encapsulates what I like so much about magic: the gathering (the deckbuilding where you attempt to combo out to the best of your abilities). I mostly wrote this review on it to collect my own thoughts on it, but as you can read I'm still curious. How does one MAKE a game like this? How come it is as good as it is? I honestly don't know. But I do know that once you get through the complex learning curve, it's one hell of a strategy & tactical game out there.
9. Cardinal chains (android)
Like Lyne, this is the sort of game someone just HAD to make on android: a connect-the-dots game. Your goal is to fill all the squares on the board by starting at the starting position(s) and either connecting horizontally or vertically to a square with either the same or a higher number. It's simple, easy to learn, starts and plays fast, it can be played with one hand...and it has a ****load of levels. 500, to be precise, and no, they're not churned out by a computer. I know this list is pretty weird (I mean...how can you compare this to today's AAA-line-up?), but in terms of fun-per-buck, I honestly think this scores higher. Heck...I even managed to get my nephew addicted to it just by showing it to him.
8. Monument valley 1&2 (android)
Yes, I know: the hype train is long gone for these journey-like Escher-perspective games. I just played them this year. And while much shorter than I had hoped for, they didn't leave me untouched. Great games, the both of 'em.
7. Cosmic express (android)
since I've got 'appsales' on my tablet and phone, some games just get up on my radar that I would otherwise never have heard about. This one's almost painful: after skimming over some ravingly good reviews I almost incidentally learned that this was by the same author (Benjamin - Draknek - Davis) as "A good snowman is hard to build". Which also happens to be the same author as Sokobond. These games are extremely simple in concept (sokobond and Snowman only have four direction buttons), yet are downright brilliant in design. I bought cosmic express, and this is no exception. What you have to do is lay train tracks on a grid in such a way that it can pick up aliens, drop them at their respective houses and end at the exit part of the level. The trick is that you cannot overlap. I repeat: you cannot overlap the tracks. It's almost ridiculous how often I'd just start saying "yeah, this is easy"...and then end up getting stuck somewhere. I admit that this can be a very frustrating experience, but at the same time it's on your phone and there is no time pressure. I've played this in 2-minute intervals and in some instances for about half an hour. But combined? About ten hours, maybe. Great hours.
6. Frostpunk (windows)
This one's courtesy by gbatemp, of all places. I had placed a few reviews of games of my own, and then Chary asked whether I wanted to review this. I certainly did. I have to admit I'm glad that I liked the game, as it's more fun to write about good games than mediocre ones. And this one certainly is a curious one: a roguelike city-building game set in a frozen steampunk world. And it pulls it off amazingly well. Admitted: having to start over isn't fun, especially not if everyone was freezing to the point where you were thrown out before. But I always restarted with a "this time I'll do it better!" approach.
Granted: it doesn't play that well on proton, but that's just the burden of being on linux, I guess.
5. Patchwork (android)
One of my discoveries this year is of digidiced games. These guys produce digital board games that all share a similar interface and that has cross-platform play across all platforms they're rolling their games on (which is a lot, btw). While I've purchased the majority of their line-up (see also: isle of skye), Patchwork is IMHO their flagship. This also has to do with the fact that the board game it's based on is one of the highest rated family games in the world, but it goes well beyond that. The game - which is sort of an abstract economic race game - plays smooth, has aesthetics that can stack up to nintendo's epic yarn series and an AI that's more than a match for any human you'll play. Oh, right: I've made a full gbatemp review on it.
PS: indian summer and cottage garden are also good and fun games. They're just too similar to warrant a spot on this list. Besides: Patchwork is the best of these three.
4. Unreal, UT, UT2004 (linux)
What would it take for me to switch to linux? Why, my favorite games needed to be playable, of course. Even though it's been at least five years since I've played 'em, this was what would make or break linux. It made it: Unreal and UT (or UT99) work flawlessly through proton, and are as great - or better - than ever. UT2004 (my al time favorite game)...not so much. Oh, it starts and plays, allright. But as a multi-year veteran, those hitches were inexcusable. Luckily, the game is...somewhat native-ish to linux. That is, if you jump through some hoops for the serial key and provide some extra files provided in a patch, then you can get it to work more properly. And what was meant as a "just see how it works" just went on, and on, and on.
I honestly can say that these three are among my favorite games of all time, so they would easily pick the top spots. But because other games should get a fighting chance, I added some "better" games that just wowed me much more than I anticipated.
3. Mr shifty (windows)
I played hotline Miami 2 and was a bit underwhelmed. So I went and played 12 is better than 6, which is the same thing in the wild west. Fun game, but not spectacular (bow and arrows are so overpowered it's hilarious). And then I played Mr. Shifty. Almost from the start, this pushed all the right buttons for me. For starters: it is NOT a simple hotline miami wannabe. At best, it's a combination of such a game with a classic 'double dragon' style beat 'em up. Combine that with a shift/teleportation ability and you've got a recipe for awesome. One steam reviewer correctly pointed out that you're basically roleplaying as Nightcrawler in the beginning of the 2nd X-men movie. But on top of the gameplay, it is very clear that the developers had a lot of fun creating the game. Your enemies usually have guns, but you can pick up objects like bricks, flower pots and even wads of money to throw and stun or insta-kill your enemies. The plot has all these hilarious subplots and the awesome kind of villain. Things get all the more hectic and hilarious as things go on (think teleporting walls and explosive barrels), but it never comes at the cost of repetition. All in all...I think I flew through this game in one or two sittings, and I just want to play it more right now.
2. Opus magnum (linux)
Zachtronics makes two sorts of games. These weird kind of programming games and a sort of "build your own machine" games. Opus magnum (link to extended review) is the latter part, though it technically is also the former. You see, the goal is to create a combination of machines that picks up atoms (okay: marbles), fuses, splits and/or transforms them according to the requirements of the level. And if that sounds abstract, simply google "opus magnum gifs": these sell the game more than anything else. This game is pretty much what spacechem should have been: not limited by a finite amount of space or materials, although it does rate the end result on that. It's a puzzle game, but rather than having one hidden answer, this game is like lego in that you are tasked to build something that works. It's most likely not for everyone, but for those that it is: this game will suck you in and accelerate time to the point that hours will just fly by unnoticed.
1. Race for the galaxy (android)
I rated this game 9.3 in my gbatemp review of it, and if I'm honest: that might still be too low. Not only did I bought all three expansions for it, but I printed out the cards in the vain hope to teach it to my girlfriend in the hopes of playing it together (RftG is originally a card game). That didn't happen, but my love for this game isn't diminished. And that's pretty remarkable, as there is no real progression in it, and each game takes about 10-15 minutes (the app...the card game obviously takes longer) and has little enemy interaction. So what is it that makes this game so great? The synergy. The cards you play are investments to generate more cards and points in the upcoming future. Each decision you make in this game matters, and it's almost indescribable to play a card and see how it'll affect the rest of your empire.
On the technical aspect, it is also perfect: the icons take some getting used to but are extremely convenient once learned, the game is smooth, fast and the AI is top notch. All that is missing is it's sequel (roll for the galaxy), which...really should be getting an app, as my girlfriend also doesn't want to play the board game with me.[/B]
Previous entries: 2017,2016,2015,2014
Before I get to my best games, I should mention a few things that I've already mentioned in previous blogs and posts. Sort of a summary:
1) android games. I've mentioned this last year, and that trend hasn't died down. Rather the contrary: I'm discovering so much great mobile games that it's not even funny anymore. Last year I got a gdp win, this year I got a gpd xd+ (basically the same thing, but without keyboard and with android rather than windows). I was hesitant at first, but it turned out the best gaming handheld I've ever had. Granted: about half of it is emulation, but android games that can't be made to work with buttons are the exception rather than the rule.
2) linux. I've been on and off the fence on trying linux distros. Then valve released proton, and I've made the plunge. I simply cannot overstate how great proton is; it just about doubles the total amount of steam games, and that number is even higher if you don't count only having to make small tweaks to get a game working. On top of that: playonlinux also got pretty user-friendly. While the main exception is in the AAA-segment (meaning: it's not something I advice often), it more than suits my needs.
The result of this: I've pretty much lost track of how many games I've played. This also has to do with proton and android: I tried many games of my backlog, just to file a report on it on protondb.com. Does that count? I also pirated a few games for the sole purpose of attempting to getting it to run on linux. And on android, I've installed appsales. Result: temporary free games and seriously discounted prices for more than I knew existed. And I got to point out that only a small minority were ones I'd label as 'pay to win'.
I also have to point out that I've really started to grow fond of virtual board games and programming games. As such, there are more mentions of this on my list, for the simple reason that this is a list of the games that I have played. It is NOT a "best games of this year" list (heck...it's only accidental if the games are released this game in the first place).
Final point: my steam library surpassed 1000 games, and my GoG and android library are gaining traction as well. So even the worst game on this list is one I would thumb up. The ones I don't mention are either terrible, I couldn't get to run or are just not my taste. I know I went from a top 20 in my first years to 40 in this year, but that's because I just played a shitton of games.
That said...the runners-up (in random order):
diamo XL
invert
alhambra
abalone
shadow tactics
bonanza the duel
puzzle station
craft the world
chess
dreaming sarah
mysterium
painter's guild
geometry dash
chime sharp
Z
canabalt
light
warzone
marvelous; another treasure island
sally's law
8-bit army
reigns: majety
poly bridge
geometry wars 3
frederic resurrection of music
knock-knock
endless legend
12 is better than 6
lost journey
SW Galactic battlegrounds
rima
lords of waterdeep
tigris & euphrates
seasons after fall
mekorama
hotline miami 2: wrong number
colorzze
four sided fantasy
vvvvv
8-bit armies
Upward, lonely robot
Everything
My top games:
40. Tabletop simulator (windows)
This is one I can not NOT mention, but at the same time don't want to praise too much. This is basically all board games ever created. However: a game that does everything excels at nothing. I didn't expect the community to just hack in AI or do anything but scan images of their board games, but even so...this game is butt-ugly in so many ways and has such a terrible UI it's not even funny (why is even a game manual so hard to come by?). And because it basically throws you all the pieces of a board game at you and says "here...now have fun" I don't even like it to simply try out a board game. But truth be told: I'm very, very happy it exists. There should be a sequel or - even better - some competition in this field, but having tabletop simulator beats the tool not existing at all.
39. Rollers of the realm (linux)
One of my first "let's check out proton"-games. The premisse is pretty wacky: a combination of RPG and pinball. It's certainly fun, and it's head and shoulders over pinball games "with an RPG element". It's fluid, fun and entertaining.
38. zelda: link's awakening (android/GBC)
This one obviously would've been much higher if this was the first time I've played it. But even so: using my gpd xd+ and an emulator, this is the best version of the game I've played (yay savestates. And yay, going from "opening console" to "gaming" in less than 10 seconds)
37. grandpa's table (android)
One of the many games I picked up on android on discount.I thought it'd entertain me for, say, half an hour, but spent much more time on it. It's a puzzle game in the style of quell: you move some diamonds around on a preset mazelike board, attempting to put them all together. With bonus points if you can do that on specific spots. Now...this game is ugly as hell, but where most of these games go all "now try this with less moves!" on you, this bonus system is much more relaxing. It's also much deeper than I'd give the graphics credit for.
36. battle chef brigade deluxe (windows/linux)
If there were awards for "weirdest video genre blends", I'd nominate this game: it mixes (2D) monster hunter combat with match-3 gem puzzles. And yes, this makes it work! It's sort of hilarious in that aspect.
35. le havre inland port (android/linux)
Digidiced quickly became my favorite porters for digital board games. They keep the (decent) interface between games, making things easier. On top of that, they always have full compatibility between the windows, linux, android and iOS versions of games. On Le havre inland port, I looked back on this game as "okay-ish". But more recently I tried the PC version that was part of a humble bundle, and remembered how original yet fitting this resource management game really is. It's still "okay-ish", but that's not a bad thing when compared to great other games.
34. terra mystica (android)
...and we directly get to the next digidiced one. This is, by far, the most complex board game (and perhaps game in general) that I know. Different resources, a strange handling of power, different roles, board manipulation...it makes sense, and I WANT to learn how to properly play this game because it looks so good on all aspects...but it's just so darn complex that I can't get my head around it...yet.
33.pocket city (android)
When saying "sim city alternative", most people say "cities: skylines", and rightfully so. But when I heard about a sim city 2000 hommage on android, I had to try it. And I admit I initially feared the leveling/experience system was a means for pay to win or stupid waiting lines. Neither of those are true. From what I can tell, this is the real sequel to sim city 2000. And on android, no less.
32. planetary annihilation: titans (windows)
Are there still modern RTS'es being made? Why, yes. Planetary annihilation is one of them. I hear that one of the other games in the franchise is terrible for some reason, but titans is pretty solid. It's also a bit easy, but that might be me.
31. juanito arcade mayhem (windows)
This game had me at "super pang clone", which...let's be honest: what this game really is. There is some theming from other video games, but to be honest I found the storyline mostly rather...childish. The gameplay is pretty decent, though, which is all that really matters.
30. hey, that's my fish (android)
Whenever gamers tout that android doesn't have decent games, I always assume that they either haven't tried out any non-free games, or that they aren't the target audience. This fits the latter group: it's a family game. Yes, you can play it solo against computers and yes, it's still fun. But this game is bonkers when you play it with 3 or 4 others on android. You each control 2 to 4 pinguins on a hexagonal board. Some of these hexes have fish on them, which you'll collect one you move there. The thing is: on every move, the starting position sinks. So this nice filled board quickly falls away into nothing. So the rules are extremely simple (I play this with my 8-year old cousin), but it has some very deep tactics. A very good investment for a couple bucks when you've got a tablet.
29. Minite (linux)
Okay, I admit: I had higher hopes for this game than it turned out to be. Would this be the next Braid? The next undertale? Well...perhaps to some. The premisse is that you die every sixty seconds, but you respawn with what you collected. It's good, fun to play and has some very funny characters and evocative situations. It is, however, also very short and I don't know what the black&white was supposed to add. So...a bit middle of the road.
28. The sequence(android)
This little program game shouldn't be on the list. It's small, it's abstract, and the UI could some use. But despite being a mobile game through and true, this one certainly has depth. Maybe not as much as some other programming games, but much more than I'd give it credit for. Honestly: if you want to know what "programming games" really are, you could do a whole lot worse than the sequence.
27. Tsuro (android)
Okay...I could fill up a list of "best board games" by now. This is a by the number conversion, but it so happens to be by one of the best filler/gateway board games out there. Basically: all participants get three square cards containing two paths on each side. Your action: rotate one tile as you fit and put it on the board next to your pawn, then all pawns adjacent to it must travel the paths (so at least you). The board quickly fills up with spaghetti. Your goal is to stay on the board longer than others. If it sounds complex, then that's my fault: it's simple enough to have everyone playing as soon as they see one or two turns played.
26. Reigns: game of thrones(android)
Earlier this year I played reigns: majesty. The idea was that you get a whole bunch of decisions, and you can either swipe left or right, basically answering yes or no. There are four meters that are influenced by your answer. If either's too high or too low (say...your stance with the population), you lose. It was an interesting idea (tindr for royalties, basically) that, unfortunately, wore off rather quickly.
...and then devolver digital made a game of thrones version of the game. The premisse is the same, but with all the characters from the books/television. Result: it was as close as a "must have" gets to me.
25. Furi (linux)
This was one of the dozens of games I tried to get working on linux (proton). Was it because I had to learn how to use parameters to get it working properly (it initially had weird artifacts, which didn't really stood out as this game has a VERY WEIRD theme) that I gave this more credit? In any case: this is...erm...it's somewhat between a 3D fighting game and a bullet hell shooter. You are a prisoner that has to fight a number of bosses to earn your freedom. On paper, I would've said that you can't have a meal that's just sause (even if it's awesomesause). Furi proves that games that have just great boss battles can very well consist of "just great boss battles". It's extremely hard, though.
24. Onitama (android)
I was looking forward to this game being released...and then it turns out to have a cost of 0 bucks. This board game is best described as "a concise version of chess". You and your opponent each have 5 pawns on a 5x5 board. You also each have 2 movement tiles and a fifth that you'll get after using one. You see: these cards determine how you can move your pawns. And if you use it, you'll pass that movement card to your opponent's reserve. The goal: either kill the fat pawn of your opponent OR move one of your pawns to the middle of the back row of your opponent.
So...all relatively simple in theory, but oh boy does this game have deep mechanics. You can play this on your phone against an opponent as well as against computer. So if you're an avid chess player: check out this game!
23. Rusted warfare (android)
Let's see...this RTS game strands 9 places higher than planetary annihilation (which, in turn, pushes 8-bit armies off the list
). The reason: THIS is the game that captures the original C&C feeling. Honestly: forget about what EA tried to pull. If you liked the original command and conquer, you'll love this game. It has somewhat different mechanics, but in a way it is BECAUSE the game looks so basic that it works.And while this game is also on steam (and most likely handles better there), it is absolutely a blast to play on a touchscreen. RTS developers: steal ideas from this game!
22. hidden folks (android)
It's a stroke of genius: just program the "Where's Waldo?" books (okay...a lookalike) on android. As you can understand, a tablet is the perfect medium for this: you can scroll, pinch zoom and basically click whenever you find anything from the list below. The pictures are somewhat crude, but have some genuinely funny stuff happening in 'em. The main reason for this inclusion is, strangely enough, the sounds. Everything (or almost everything) is human made. Cars beeping, electricity wirring, the grunts of the peeps...it's so clearly amateuristic, yet so hilariously funny.
21. Dandara (android)
This one took me by surprise. I can't honestly say metroidvania, because it is much better than the genre would suggest. The visuals, the sound, the storyline...it takes all the best of the genre, adds some dark souls difficulty on it and - last but not least - its own feature. Dandara is the result. But before you rush out to the store, I've got to mention that feature: there is no gravity. And unfortunately, it doesn't play nice with external controllers on android (my only real beef with it, aside that it drains my battery fast). But the game is designed to be played with touchscreen. So...I won't blame gamers who condemn the game for that, as it certainly has a tough learning curve. But even so: this game is an absolute gem.
20. Doki doki literature club (windows)
Okay, I started playing this because it was free and was gathering a hype. It was good. For a free game even very great, but that's not a huge factor in this list. DDLC is a virtual novel that has you "dating" the all-female literature club members. It reminded me quite a bit of the anime series chobits: it's sweet and romantic, but the male protagonist (that's you) has no clue on how to read women.
The game is adults only, but not in the way that you probably think (if you fit the audience: go play it already!). I admit that that is the main reason it's on this list: it's like there are two short games stringed together, and both help you to keep reading/playing. If you want to know more, you can check my gbatemp review of the game.
19. Rayman jungle run & fiesta run (android)
Remember super mario run? Well...screw that game. I got this on sale, but even full price these games are cheaper, better, longer and don't require you to be online all the time. And what this is? A perfect continuation of the console rayman games. While one could classify this as an endless runner, the fact that Rayman can float and punch makes it at best something between platformer and a runner. That probably means that it won't work (or not well) on low-end phones, but on my nvidia shield and gpd xd+ everything was flawless. To those saying that mobile only has crippled ports...these two games (which I count as one, as they're so similar) prove those sayers wrong.
18. Starcraft 2: legacy of the void (windows)
When I started playing this early 2018, I assumed it'd make for game of the year. Protoss is my favorite SC2 race and for some reason I had always postponed that last episode. Unfortunately, I only like PLAYING protoss. The missions were great (I'd say "blizzard quality", but that term has eroded somewhat since), but why is everyone in that race so fucking arrogant/heroic/serious? These clowns can't even go to the toilet without booming how they are fulfilling their destiny. The result was...certainly not bad (again: I really like playing them), but I honestly had better playing experiences.
17. Isle of skye (android)
So...a virtual board game from asmodee, created by digidiced, that plays out like carcassonne? To you that most likely doesn't say much, but to me that's a triple whammy of goodness. And it certainly didn't disappoint. Every game has 4 different goals that score you points during six rounds. In those rounds, you bid for tiles that you place to your tableau in a way that they (hopefully) fulfill those goals and/or score you money for future bids. What surprised me most is not just that this is mainly a bidding game, but that estimating how to price your tiles is more fun than I would've given it credit. I haven't played the physical board game, but I really like it. And perhaps the virtual board game is better, because there's quite some bookkeeping the game does for you.
16. Sproggiwood (android)
You liked playing as the bard in Crypt of the necrodancer? Then this game is for you: it's a turn-based roguelite game where you play as a random character that's being abducted by this Sproggi character that has you going through procedurally-generated dungeons. Aside the fun 'quick' turn base play (think nova-101 or the mentioned Crypt of the necrodancer) and characters that play out very differently but all interesting, this game oozes charm at every corner. In terms of casual roguelites, this might just be my top game of all time (not that I know that many that fit those two genres
).15. Offworld trading company (windows)
I very nearly dismissed this because I think I played it mostly last year. But this is a great game, and that is just because it really is "an RTS without vehicles". You see...whenever I attempt to play something like civilization I just want to build to crush my enemies (whaddaya mean, civilized? I wanna WIN, damnit!). This game hears me and provides something that at best looks like a futuristic city builder. What it really is, is a cutthroat attempt to overthrow your enemies through economical means. Build fast on the correct routes, earn what you need to build stuff that gains even more resources, and thwart your enemies in every way EXCEPT sending out military. I'm very willing to admit I totally suck at this game except against novice enemies. But playing it is so very damn satisfying!
14. Jaipur (android)
A card trading game. You and your opponents take turns either picking up exactly one good (of five open ones) in hand, trading more than one good with the table, or selling all goods from hand. This is a board game that is very simple to teach, but it's amazing how deep this concept goes. The prices, you see, shift per good, AND you get an increasing bonus if you sell more than 3 of the same kind. This puts you in all sorts of dilemmas: do you pick up one extra good to what you already have? Do you trade two other cards for that card AND that high value one? Would it be better to sell this good before your opponent does (and thus gets a better price)?
On top of nice visuals and good AI, the game offers a campaign modus that lets you capture different regions, build up an Indian castle/temple and even unlock different mods for the game (meaning: different prices, less or more starting goods, starting hands, ...). So for hardly a couple bucks, you can have more than a few hours worth of game, and that's not even taking a head-to-head into account.
13. Lost vikings 1&2 (android/SNES)
Why, yes, I have used my gpd xd for emulation purposes. Among others, I've played through the gameboy versions of donkey kong classic, super mario land 1&2, Wario land and Link's awakening. Maybe it's the short nature of the lost viking games (these levels can be tough and long). Maybe it's the fact that rewinding and restarting is easier than ever. Maybe it's been so long that I've forgotten these puzzles completely and therefore play it as if they're new games. Fact is: I've so thoroughly enjoyed playing through these games that they rightfully deserve this spot. Blizzard sure isn't what it was back then.
12. Ticket to earth (android)
Last year I nominated freecell quest as the follow-up to puzzle quest in terms of a game that mixes storyline and a puzzle-kind of combat. Well...ticket to earth blows freecell quest out of the water at the very least on the story element. The turn based battles play out on boards filled with 4 randomized symbols. During your turn, you have two actions to either run over the same kinds of symbols, attack or use a special power. You charge up both your attacks and special power meters by going over as many symbols as possible, and since opponents follow the same rules you can do tactical things like retreat out of range. Perhaps on paper it looks a bit nonsense (it's literally better if you can run around half the board than to directly attack), but it plays out so incredibly well. It has RPG elements that allow you to change your power or boost your health or attack status with certain symbols, so it quickly starts making sense. And as if that wasn't enough, you get a great story to boot: you play as a few colonists on a terraformed planet that face a prison outbreak and have to stop the chaos from spreading. So really: THIS is the sort of game that truly combines story and puzzle elements.
I do have to note that this is a hard one to judge as I discovered it only very recently. As such, it's much closer to memory (which might affect it in a more than positive way).
11. Onirim (android)
This game got on my radar as the solitaire cardgame that it really is. Then asmodee made an app out of it. For the price of zero dollars. And that immediately puts it on a solid "best free games ever" nominee. Or at least head and shoulders above what passes for free on android. The goal of the game is to unlock all doors by laying down cards by color. Aside one of four colors, cards have also 3 symbols (sun, moon or key), and you can never play two of the same symbol directly after each other. So there's a slight dilemma in how you play your cards, as your hand is limited and you lose if the deck is empty. On top of that, there are nightmare cards in the deck that'll also work against you. The key cards help against these, which furthers the dilemma on whether you play keys or keep them. All in all: a very simple but very engaging game, enhanced more by the beautiful theming.
There are three expansions to it that make it somewhat less light but not less fun.
10. Age of rivals (android)
If for no other reason, you should try this game as a reminder that a bunch of - on paper - terrible ideas can still make a good game if they're executed well enough. If I hadn't given this game a fair chance, it would have never passed my red flags. Collectible card games? Sorry, but magic: the gathering was too much of a money sink to go down that rabbit hole. Oh, wait...it doesn't even HAVE DLC. A game where all you do is pick one out of four games, and then exchange the remains with your opponent who'll do the same? Sounds boring. Oh, wait...there's an entire intricacy of reasons why cards can be good or bad. A civilizations game where you have to balance your civilization with military? Meh...no thanks. Oh, wait...this one does it RIGHT. Honestly...this game is almost ridiculously weird in how it turns my concepts of gaming on its head. I mean...it's a drafting game with only minimal graphics and totally different reasons, and yet I'd say that it encapsulates what I like so much about magic: the gathering (the deckbuilding where you attempt to combo out to the best of your abilities). I mostly wrote this review on it to collect my own thoughts on it, but as you can read I'm still curious. How does one MAKE a game like this? How come it is as good as it is? I honestly don't know. But I do know that once you get through the complex learning curve, it's one hell of a strategy & tactical game out there.
9. Cardinal chains (android)
Like Lyne, this is the sort of game someone just HAD to make on android: a connect-the-dots game. Your goal is to fill all the squares on the board by starting at the starting position(s) and either connecting horizontally or vertically to a square with either the same or a higher number. It's simple, easy to learn, starts and plays fast, it can be played with one hand...and it has a ****load of levels. 500, to be precise, and no, they're not churned out by a computer. I know this list is pretty weird (I mean...how can you compare this to today's AAA-line-up?), but in terms of fun-per-buck, I honestly think this scores higher. Heck...I even managed to get my nephew addicted to it just by showing it to him.
8. Monument valley 1&2 (android)
Yes, I know: the hype train is long gone for these journey-like Escher-perspective games. I just played them this year. And while much shorter than I had hoped for, they didn't leave me untouched. Great games, the both of 'em.
7. Cosmic express (android)
since I've got 'appsales' on my tablet and phone, some games just get up on my radar that I would otherwise never have heard about. This one's almost painful: after skimming over some ravingly good reviews I almost incidentally learned that this was by the same author (Benjamin - Draknek - Davis) as "A good snowman is hard to build". Which also happens to be the same author as Sokobond. These games are extremely simple in concept (sokobond and Snowman only have four direction buttons), yet are downright brilliant in design. I bought cosmic express, and this is no exception. What you have to do is lay train tracks on a grid in such a way that it can pick up aliens, drop them at their respective houses and end at the exit part of the level. The trick is that you cannot overlap. I repeat: you cannot overlap the tracks. It's almost ridiculous how often I'd just start saying "yeah, this is easy"...and then end up getting stuck somewhere. I admit that this can be a very frustrating experience, but at the same time it's on your phone and there is no time pressure. I've played this in 2-minute intervals and in some instances for about half an hour. But combined? About ten hours, maybe. Great hours.
6. Frostpunk (windows)
This one's courtesy by gbatemp, of all places. I had placed a few reviews of games of my own, and then Chary asked whether I wanted to review this. I certainly did. I have to admit I'm glad that I liked the game, as it's more fun to write about good games than mediocre ones. And this one certainly is a curious one: a roguelike city-building game set in a frozen steampunk world. And it pulls it off amazingly well. Admitted: having to start over isn't fun, especially not if everyone was freezing to the point where you were thrown out before. But I always restarted with a "this time I'll do it better!" approach.
Granted: it doesn't play that well on proton, but that's just the burden of being on linux, I guess.
5. Patchwork (android)
One of my discoveries this year is of digidiced games. These guys produce digital board games that all share a similar interface and that has cross-platform play across all platforms they're rolling their games on (which is a lot, btw). While I've purchased the majority of their line-up (see also: isle of skye), Patchwork is IMHO their flagship. This also has to do with the fact that the board game it's based on is one of the highest rated family games in the world, but it goes well beyond that. The game - which is sort of an abstract economic race game - plays smooth, has aesthetics that can stack up to nintendo's epic yarn series and an AI that's more than a match for any human you'll play. Oh, right: I've made a full gbatemp review on it.
PS: indian summer and cottage garden are also good and fun games. They're just too similar to warrant a spot on this list. Besides: Patchwork is the best of these three.
4. Unreal, UT, UT2004 (linux)
What would it take for me to switch to linux? Why, my favorite games needed to be playable, of course. Even though it's been at least five years since I've played 'em, this was what would make or break linux. It made it: Unreal and UT (or UT99) work flawlessly through proton, and are as great - or better - than ever. UT2004 (my al time favorite game)...not so much. Oh, it starts and plays, allright. But as a multi-year veteran, those hitches were inexcusable. Luckily, the game is...somewhat native-ish to linux. That is, if you jump through some hoops for the serial key and provide some extra files provided in a patch, then you can get it to work more properly. And what was meant as a "just see how it works" just went on, and on, and on.
I honestly can say that these three are among my favorite games of all time, so they would easily pick the top spots. But because other games should get a fighting chance, I added some "better" games that just wowed me much more than I anticipated.
3. Mr shifty (windows)
I played hotline Miami 2 and was a bit underwhelmed. So I went and played 12 is better than 6, which is the same thing in the wild west. Fun game, but not spectacular (bow and arrows are so overpowered it's hilarious). And then I played Mr. Shifty. Almost from the start, this pushed all the right buttons for me. For starters: it is NOT a simple hotline miami wannabe. At best, it's a combination of such a game with a classic 'double dragon' style beat 'em up. Combine that with a shift/teleportation ability and you've got a recipe for awesome. One steam reviewer correctly pointed out that you're basically roleplaying as Nightcrawler in the beginning of the 2nd X-men movie. But on top of the gameplay, it is very clear that the developers had a lot of fun creating the game. Your enemies usually have guns, but you can pick up objects like bricks, flower pots and even wads of money to throw and stun or insta-kill your enemies. The plot has all these hilarious subplots and the awesome kind of villain. Things get all the more hectic and hilarious as things go on (think teleporting walls and explosive barrels), but it never comes at the cost of repetition. All in all...I think I flew through this game in one or two sittings, and I just want to play it more right now.
2. Opus magnum (linux)
Zachtronics makes two sorts of games. These weird kind of programming games and a sort of "build your own machine" games. Opus magnum (link to extended review) is the latter part, though it technically is also the former. You see, the goal is to create a combination of machines that picks up atoms (okay: marbles), fuses, splits and/or transforms them according to the requirements of the level. And if that sounds abstract, simply google "opus magnum gifs": these sell the game more than anything else. This game is pretty much what spacechem should have been: not limited by a finite amount of space or materials, although it does rate the end result on that. It's a puzzle game, but rather than having one hidden answer, this game is like lego in that you are tasked to build something that works. It's most likely not for everyone, but for those that it is: this game will suck you in and accelerate time to the point that hours will just fly by unnoticed.
1. Race for the galaxy (android)
I rated this game 9.3 in my gbatemp review of it, and if I'm honest: that might still be too low. Not only did I bought all three expansions for it, but I printed out the cards in the vain hope to teach it to my girlfriend in the hopes of playing it together (RftG is originally a card game). That didn't happen, but my love for this game isn't diminished. And that's pretty remarkable, as there is no real progression in it, and each game takes about 10-15 minutes (the app...the card game obviously takes longer) and has little enemy interaction. So what is it that makes this game so great? The synergy. The cards you play are investments to generate more cards and points in the upcoming future. Each decision you make in this game matters, and it's almost indescribable to play a card and see how it'll affect the rest of your empire.
On the technical aspect, it is also perfect: the icons take some getting used to but are extremely convenient once learned, the game is smooth, fast and the AI is top notch. All that is missing is it's sequel (roll for the galaxy), which...really should be getting an app, as my girlfriend also doesn't want to play the board game with me.
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