Celeste
Coming in at number three is Celeste, developed by Matt Makes Games. Celeste takes a story about climbing a mountain and infuses it with all the pain, frustration and exultation of an actual mountain journey. You’ll weep, you’ll howl, you’ll cheer. Most importantly, you won’t be able to put it down once you pick it up. This platformer will have you working to master it for no other reason then the satisfaction of the task completed. If you haven’t played it yet, now’s the time.
Dead CellsÂ
Number 2 is Dead Cells, brought to us by Motion Twin. It seems like 2018 was a big year for Metroidvania games. There were amazing titles and utterly forgettable ones. But there was no title that both represented and elevated the genre like Dead Cells. This is a pure and perfect expression of a well-established concept that by all rights should have faded to the background by now. What else can we do to explore this concept, you know? Yet Motion Twin found a way to keep the conversation fresh. This is a tough, relentless game that will dig its hooks in deep and never let go.
Octopath Taveler
And finally, at number one, Octopath Traveler, by Square Enix, is our top pick for the best pixel art of 2018. For all of its flaws, this is a game that elevates the very concept of pixel art. Not only is Octopath jammed with gorgeous sprite work, but every scene is set up like a tilt-shifted diorama. Your party, along with every one of the enemies, have been crafted with care and attention, ensuring that each fight is both memorable and breathtaking in its own way. Octopath Traveler honors the history of pixel art while pioneering new developments in the genre. For this, and so many other reasons, Octopath Traveler gets our top spot as 2018’s best pixel art.
Stay tuned for another riveting installment of the Game of the Year Awards here at COGconnected.