GTMTM '18: Laser League, *Almost* One of the Big "League"s

Laser League

In 2009, a startup game studio calling itself Riot Games released a little game called League of Legends. It was relatively well received at the time, but with constant game updates and canny business strategy, LoL grew to become one of the biggest games in the world.

In 2015, a different independent developer released their second attempt at an idea so simple it's amazing no one else did it first: car soccer. Thanks in part to a hyped beta period and a free download for PlayStation Plus members, Rocket League exploded out of the gate, and rose to also be one of the biggest games in the world.

In an alternate 2018, yet another indie studio released the final, worthy conclusion to the League trilogy: Laser League. In that 2018--one that looks very much like ours but with just 3 key differences--Laser League found success on the same level as the first two games in this smash hit trilogy, with huge player numbers, constant press coverage, and countless stream views. But we didn't get that 2018. Instead, we got one of the saddest Steam charts I've ever seen:

GTMTM '18: Marvel's Spider-Man, The Friendly Neighborhood Videogame

Marvel's Spider-Man

If Overwatch is the world I want to live in, Spider-Man is the man I want to be in that world. Never has that been more true than after playing this game. I knew I was excited for Marvel's Spider-Man, but as launch drew closer, I realized Spider-Man means more to me than I'd ever admitted to anyone--including myself. Marvel's Spider-Man is a game that's meant to be as much about Peter Parker at it is about Spider-Man; similarly, my story of Marvel's Spider-Man is as much about life without a controller as it is about playing the game itself.

**SORT OF SPOILERS BUT NOT REALLY**

GTMTM '18: Overwatch, the Party Cannon of Video Games

Overwatch

I've hitched my hype cart to a lot of games over the years, gushing my enthusiasm to everyone around me to try and get them on board. Some have worked out (Witcher 3, Metal Gear V), and others not so much (No Man's Sky, Fallout 4). After all of that, though, I think Overwatch is still my proudest bet. Right from the first time I saw that Pixar-looking trailer and explored the whole website that went up all at once in November 2014, I could feel that something special was happening. And from that first reveal all the way through launch in May 2016 to today, Overwatch has only grown more important to me. It became an even bigger deal in my life this year because of the launch of the Overwatch League, in more ways than I could have ever expected.

GTMTM '18: Darkness Rises, a Truly 21st-Century Fantasy

pobbles, my main Darkness Rises character.

Darkness Rises

What if a free-to-play mobile game was designed to make you feel like a rich whale playing a free-to-play mobile game, and it was crazy generous with premium currency, made the grind feel like you were always progressing in huge leaps and bounds, and told you all over the place, all the time just how powerful and awesome you are? For people who pre-registered at least, that's exactly what Darkness Rises turned out to be.

The Games That Mattered to Me in 2018

You've seen me list every game I've played in a year before, and even keep track of how much time and money I spent playing every game, but this year I wanted to do something different. After last year, I was tired of keeping track of every little thing and felt like it was distracting me from the experiences I wanted to have with games. So this year, you're getting a much shorter list: the games I played in 2018 that actually mattered to me (GTMTM).

These are the games that made an actual impact on my life--the ones I thought about even when I wasn't playing them, the ones that made me feel something strongly, the ones I talked to people about and shared and loved. There's not real scientific or consistent criteria for what made this list, and that's the whole point. Each for its own reasons, these are the 9 games that actually mattered to me in 2018, in chronological order of when I decided they were going to be on this list:

1. God of War
2. Darkness Rises
3. Overwatch
4. Marvel's Spider-Man
5. Laser League
6. Red Dead Redemption 2
7. Celeste
8. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
9. Keyforge

And that's it. I'm sure I played 100+ games again this year, just like previous years, but these are the ones that really meant something to me.

But what do these games mean to me, exactly? Let's discuss. Over the next 10 days, I'll publish a new post every day about the next game on the list, ending with an "Honorary Mentions" and conclusions post. I'll come back and update this post with links each day. As you can see, you can start right now with God of War. Enjoy, and let me know which games mattered to you in 2018!

GTMTM '18: God of War, the Best Play I've Ever Gamed

The infamous Sigrún. Screenshot: Kotaku

God of War

This is the only God of War game I have played, and to be honest, I never thought I would touch any game in this franchise. I always thought these games looked gross, and then when I watched Anita Sarkeesian's videos, I was beyond repulsed.

But right from the first reveal, this game was different. In particular, I was continually impressed by the game's new director, Cory Barlog. He seemed to have a very different concept for this franchise, and to be a genuine, passionate, and creative guy, and it showed in every trailer and clip released before launch. Finally, when the reviews came in and were almost universally gushing, I decided to give it a shot.

**SPOILERS OR WHATEVER**

2017: Every Second and Every Penny of Gaming

Like every year, the year 2017 had 12 months. And I spent one of those months playing games. One month, 18 minutes, and 26 seconds, to be exact.

In 2016, I kept track of every game I played. People liked it, so in 2017, I upped the ante and kept track of every second and every penny spent on games--both videogames and tabletop games. If you like games and want to keep liking them and playing them happily, don't do this.

If you don't care about words and just want my data, go for it.

If you care a little bit about words, but not too much, I get it. Here's my main point: games should entertain, inspire, or both at all times. If a game is just dragging you along or employing you in repetitive tasks just for "rewards," stop playing. Get what you want out of your time and your life, don't get tricked out of it by someone else's greed.

If you care about words enough to read a lot of words, please, come with me....