Editors’ Choice: Why Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is One of the Best Games of 2018

Editors’ Choice: Why Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is One of the Best Games of 2018

Ubisoft elevates the series to new heights with a bold and captivatingly human experience.

Editors’ Choice: Why Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is One of the Best Games of 2018

In every Assassin’s Creed game, there is a moment where the assassin clambers up to some high-reaching vista — a tower, a balcony, maybe even a ship’s mast — and briefly focuses their eagle eye on the land below them before bounding forward into a leap of faith.

The thrill is usually in the leap, a reflection of the quick, fluid, sneaky gameplay that was once the foundation of the series. With Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the thrill is now in the climb, and the expansive beauty that waits at the top as a reward.

Editors’ Choice: Why Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is One of the Best Games of 2018

I’m a longtime fan of Ubisoft’s history-hopping stealth series, even with its various tweaks and mechanical changes through the years. Some entries took bold, broader strokes like Black Flag or last year’s Origins, but Odyssey tosses red paint all over the canvas to create something familiar but lusciously fresh. The world of Ancient Greece is a sight to behold, and it’s gleaming with new opportunity at every corner.

Rather than simply chasing vengeance or upholding tradition, Odyssey is a journey of action and choice. There’s not yet a brotherhood or creed to follow. Instead, you are bound to your own ambitions, whatever that may mean. You’re a mercenary with big dreams, exiled from Sparta with a whole world ahead of you waiting to be explored. For me that meant playing as a witty and empathetic Kassandra, fighting against man or myth to reunite her family. For others that could mean taking a more bloodthirsty approach, seeking revenge and nothing more. Others might fight for brutish glory on the field of battle and arena. Even still, others might ignore the clash of armies and instead head out on the open sea as a pirate. Each quest is a choice, and those choices reflect throughout the entire game and open doors unlike ever before. The series has always allowed for exploration aside from the story, but in Odyssey even the main quest branches out in ways had me giddily criss-crossing my way across the map, discovering new adventures and secrets.

Editors’ Choice: Why Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is One of the Best Games of 2018

The series similarly reinvents itself by ditching what was once thought of as the essence of being an Assassin: the Hidden Blade. I’ll admit even I was a bit wary of this change heading into Odyssey… until I kicked my first enemy off a hill with a Spartan Kick. The shift to special moves weaved alongside the history of your new main weapon, the Spear of Leonidas, is a natural one for the series, and it gave me a shot of adrenaline with each enemy encounter. Combat becomes a flurry of flexibility and stealth is absolutely still a mainstay, but the broader skill set makes for more engaging and strategic combat, from the smallest animal encounter to full scale conquest battles.

Editors’ Choice: Why Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is One of the Best Games of 2018

What makes Odyssey such a standout is its rich and captivatingly human characters. Kassandra is genuinely funny, and a total delight to play as no matter what tone you choose to pursue. I’ve sailed right past objectives and docks on my sea galley The Adrestia just to listen to my naval captain Barnabas and the ancient historian Herodotus squabble about fact or fiction. I romanced a randy old woman who originally had me fetching aphrodisiacs for her poor, exhausted husband (who similarly begged me to, uh… give his wife a hand). Even when the main quest branches off into smaller tasks, they lead to characters each on a bewitching journey of their own. In a world with so much to do, it’s these moments that keep me coming back for hours with no end in sight.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey elevates the entire series to new heights, making it a joy for loyal fans and a brilliant entry point for folks that just didn’t even know where to begin with previous entries. It’s easily one of the best games this year, and a knockout in the decade-long franchise.

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PlayStation Developers Choose Their Most Anticipated PS4 Games for 2019 and Beyond

PlayStation Developers Choose Their Most Anticipated PS4 Games for 2019 and Beyond

Featuring The Last of Us Part II, Resident Evil 2, Anthem, Dreams and more!

PlayStation Developers Choose Their Most Anticipated PS4 Games for 2019 and Beyond

While we’re spending the holidays happily sinking time into our favorite PS4 games of the past year (or revisiting some classics), we already have an eye on what’s to come for our console. And we’re not the only ones.

Even while they’re busy working on their own projects, our favorite developers are also looking forward to seeing what their colleagues across other studios have been working on. We reached out to ask them what they personally cannot wait to play and why.

1. The Last of Us Part II

As chosen by…

“Ellie is back, and I can’t wait to find out what happened to her since The Last of Us. How did she evolve, being a teenager in such circumstances? How did the harsh world impact her? Has the world around her changed? So many questions!”

Angie Smets, Executive Producer, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Guerrilla

“Naughty Dog are excellent storytellers. I absolutely loved The Last of Us and can’t wait to lose myself in the sequel!”

Adam Badowski, Director, Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt RED

“Hands down The Last of Us Part II. Anything from Naughty Dog should be the top of anyone’s list at this point, but The Last of Us was such an incredible journey and I can’t wait to see what comes next.”

Alex Barnes, Designer, The Persistence, Firesprite

2. Resident Evil 2

As chosen by…

“Resident Evil 2 Remake will be one I won’t want to miss. I spent so many hours on the original one on PS1 but I could never unlock the Tofu Survivor. My gamer life’s biggest drama.”

Nic Doucet, Creative Director, Astro Bot Rescue Mission Japan Studio

3. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

As chosen by…

“I love all of From Software’s games and am chomping at the bit for this. I loved playing Tenchu: Stealth Assassins when it came out on the original PlayStation so I’m super hyped about this one!”

Emily Newton Dunn, Systems Designer, Dreams, Media Molecule

“I can’t wait to play it!”

Kazunori Kadoi, Director, Resident Evil 2, Capcom

“As a fan of From Software and Bloodborne, in particular, I’m looking forward to Sekiro: Shadow’s Die Twice.”

Tam Armstrong, Co-founder, Moss, Polyarc

“Without a doubt, I’m most excited about Sekiro on PS4 next year. I’m using its release as a deadline because I know work is going to take a hit when I start playing!”

Derek Yu, Creator, Spelunky 2

4. Dreams

As chosen by…

“Dreams has made it to some people’s ‘Most Anticipated Games’ lists for multiple years; at least true for me since The Last Guardian came out. This is going to be worth the wait.”

Shuhei Yoshida, President, Worldwide Studios

5. Ghost of Tsushima

As chosen by…

“The gameplay shown by the devs from Sucker Punch was stunning! The environments look beautiful, the lighting sets the mood perfectly and the combat looks just as fierce as samurai sword fighting should be — absolutely brutal. The studio also managed to capture the atmosphere I expect from a game in this setting. I can’t wait to play it!”

Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, Game Director, Thronebreaker: Witcher Tales, CD Projetk Red

“I’m very interested in seeing how a historical game set in Japan developed by Sucker Punch Productions will unfold.”

Hiroyuki Sakamoto, Game Director, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Sega

“I was a big fan of Tenchu back on the PS1, both the gameplay and the universe. So I’m super excited for a good Feudal Japanese universe to explore in Ghost of Tsushima. Probably the hypest hype I’ve had in recent hypes.”

Steve Filby, Producer, Dead Cells, Motion Twin

“The combat looks incredible while the visuals and the world we get to explore are breathtaking. An open world action game of this caliber set in feudal Japan is a dream come true.”

Yoshinori Takahashi, Director, Soul Calibur VI, Bandai Namco

6. Catherine Full Body

As chosen by…

“With a new character joining the cast, I’m interested in seeing how the story and feel of the gameplay will change and be reconstructed from the last game.”

Ryousuke Horii, Planner, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Sega

7. Death Stranding

As chosen by…

“Hideo Kojima has always been a huge inspiration for me and I can’t help but to tune both eyes and ears in the direction of any project with his name on it. I respect him and his team’s unconventional approach to their games and always striving to do something unique. Death Stranding is no different, and it has prompted many conversations with my friends and family and the game is not even out yet! Hideo and his team are working on a very intriguing new universe and I am looking forward to learning more about it.”

Damoun Shabestari, Creative Producer, Firewall Zero Hour, First Contact Entertainment

8. Anthem

As chosen by…

“I can’t wait to try the game and, most importantly, see what kind of long-term gameplay loop they’ve crafted!”

Yuya Tokuda, Director, Monster Hunter World, Capcom

9. Kingdom Hearts III

As chosen by…

“Without a doubt, Kingdom Hearts III. I’ve always been a huge fan of the worlds of Disney and Square Enix coming together, and this one—which now features Pixar movie characters and settings—has me super excited.”

Bryan Intihar, Creative Director, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Insomniac Games

10. Cyberpunk 2077

As chosen by…

“Assuming that I ever finish Red Dead Redemption 2, this is the world I want to get lost in next. At E3 this year I watched an interview with one of the designers (I think it was Miles Tost) from CD Projekt RED and just seeing how excited he was about all the systems and detailed world design that are in the game was infectious. The longer gameplay reveal just completely blew me away and I can’t wait to make my own way in that world.”

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Editors’ Choice: Why Tetris Effect is One of 2018’s Best Games

Editors’ Choice: Why Tetris Effect is One of 2018’s Best Games

The purity of a classic puzzler, intertwined with mesmerizing multi-sensory effects, is an unbeatable combination.

Editors’ Choice: Why Tetris Effect is One of 2018’s Best Games

A rebuild of a 34-year-old puzzle game on a console powerhouse doesn’t scream game of the year, does it? And yet here we are. And rightly so. Tetris Effect is an utterly compelling game for PS4, whether experienced in PS VR or not.

The puzzler’s purity is unquestionably why it’s as playable in 2018 as it was back in 1984. But there’s a coldness to that perfection — it’s as clinical as a chess game or mathematical equation. Tetris Effect reinvigorates all aspects of the classic with new rhythm-action mechanics that breathe life into the formula without robbing the original concept of its elegance.

The concept is simple, the effect intoxicating as Alexey Pajitnov’s timeless work is reinterpreted by celebrated game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi. The latter takes a lifetime of experimentation with interactive, multi-sensory experiences and lets himself and his team run wild to extraordinary effect.

This is a collaborative dynamic you didn’t see coming. Far from a Frankenstein’s monster: this is as electrifying as a Beethoven/Beyoncé mashup. Tetris has never felt so alive.

Mizuguchi has pedigree in this genre and there’s much of his celebrated PSP puzzler Lumines here. The main spine of Tetris Effect is Journey mode: multiple levels — grouped into playlist-style stages — each with a carefully curated pairing of unique visualizer and original song. The track listing is eclectic, the visuals beautifully abstract.

Every level is reactive to how you play. Tetromino turns add to the song’s beat and ignite an accompanying visual spark, line-clears evolve the level’s look while also increasing the backing track’s tempo and complexity. You’re always chasing high scores, but simultaneously you’re artist, DJ and music video producer.

Cleared lines turn into electronic fish shoals that swim away. A tetromino tap ignites neon light trails onto a quiet city street or cause a sea of drums to beat in unison. Line clear-cued sunrises reveal a sky of twinkling hot air balloons or cause weary desert wanderers to transition into astronauts joyriding on the moon.

Everything is connected and all constructed to further immerse you in a puzzle-solving trance, rewarding you for every success or pushing you to correct any mistake with visual and audio motifs.

You chase multipliers both for the long-term satisfaction of a leaderboard entry and the immediate fix of another sensory explosion. Every change causes eyes to widen, heart to race. Every beat pulsed out of your DualShock 4 is echoed by a nodding head, a tapping foot. It’s mesmerizing, euphoric.

Yet even when you beat Journey mode, there’s reason to return. The longevity of Tetris Effect and the reason it’s now daily routine for me to fire the game up is Effect mode, an all-encompassing label for multiple gameplay variations and community events.

The variations each offer a unique spin on traditional Tetris gameplay (clear 40 lines as fast as you can in Sprint, eradicate ‘dark’ blocks in Purify, or survive random effects in Mystery, for example).

But crucially each highlights your current best score and top grade. It’s a simple but enticing detail: most evenings I’ll scroll through to see which mode I’ll try to do better in (spoiler: it’s the insanely fast Master mode. It’s always Master mode). It’s perfect for three minutes or three hours.

The routine is similar at weekends, but with one key addition: Weekend Rituals. Certain modes will be activated as ‘events’ for 48 hours only, with any points earned across them added to a cumulative total as you — and every other player on the planet — try and hit a high score milestone before the clock runs out.

While other online games idolize single victors, it’s lovely to see Tetris Effect celebrate community achievement, with the game’s social feed name-checking each contribution. It feels rewarding to be part of a larger whole, feeding a competitive urge to be the contributor with the biggest points share and giving me a reason to try out different modes.

Overall, it’s a brilliantly conceived package. Pure. Beautiful. Alive. It’s equally joyous, addictive, stressful, chilled, manic. It’s hard to discuss Tetris Effect without slipping into seemingly contradictory superlatives. Yet these juxtapositions happily coexist here, perfectly locking into place like well-placed-tetrominos.

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What was your favorite game of 2018? Click here to vote in the PlayStation.Blog Game of the Year 2018 Awards!

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The Best PS4 Games of 2018 You Might Not Have Heard of, Chosen by Top PlayStation Developers

The Best PS4 Games of 2018 You Might Not Have Heard of, Chosen by Top PlayStation Developers

Top developers share their personal gaming highlights from the past 12 months, including Dead Cells, Minit, Pixel Ripped 1989 and more

The Best PS4 Games of 2018 You Might Not Have Heard of, Chosen by Top PlayStation Developers

It’s the dilemma we face every single year. Too many great games, so little time. So, need a refresher course in what came out this year? Or just looking for personal recommendations from those that know gaming inside-out? Us too. That’s why we asked a selection of PlayStation developers for their personal recommendations of the lesser-known PS4 games released in 2018

1. Gorogoa

As chosen by…

“I’ve never played a game like this before. Very original and elegant puzzle game, set in a mysterious world that is beautifully crafted. The game’s story touches on themes of magic and ambiguity. It unfolds while you use shapes, color, and physics to discover how each scene is connected to another.”

Angie Smets, Executive Producer, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Guerrilla

2. Dead Cells

As chosen by…

“It has a very addictive gameplay between Dark Souls and Castlevania with a well-executed visual style. Infuriating at times but it has that ‘one more go’ thing going.”

Nic Doucet, Creative Director, Astro Bot Rescue Mission Japan Studio

“It’s a fantastic rogue-like dungeon crawler with great combat, lots to explore and a really stylish way of sign posting the fun to come. Great progression system too! Love it!”

Emily Newton Dunn, Systems Designer, Dreams, Media Molecule

“It’s very interesting to see a game which captures the same unique feeling I have when playing the Dark Souls series — failing the challenge presented before you, knowing exactly what you did wrong and also how to do it better next time. These types of games make you truly work to come out victorious and bring great satisfaction when you do.”

Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, Game Director, Thronebreaker: Witcher Tales, CD Projetk Red

“I love Dead Cells! I cannot stop playing Dead Cells because of the ultra tight controls and deep combat with gorgeous visuals. The game keeps you on your toes with a world that changes and the number of biomes with unique enemies. It’s addicting in the best way possible, I’m still hunting for the last remaining Runes! Oh and Slashers are intense!”

Damoun Shabestari, Creative Producer, Firewall Zero Hour, First Contact Entertainment

“If you didn’t get to play Dead Cells yet, go check it out for their brilliant mechanic progression (and everything else).”

Tam Armstrong, Co-founder, Moss, Polyarc

“One of the best indie titles of this year is, without doubt, Dead Cells. This game is a gorgeous 2D action game with fluid animations and a killer gameplay that combines the best elements from metroidvania games and roguelikes.”

Yoshinori Takahashi, Director, Soul Calibur VI, Bandai Namco

3. Pixel Ripped 1989

As chosen by…

“You are in a classroom, holding a handheld game system trying to play it while the teacher is looking the other way, all in VR. This is a PS VR gem of 2018, from a developer in Brazil.”

Shuhei Yoshida, President, Worldwide Studios

“I think Pixel Ripped 1989 is well worth a play on PSVR. It triggered some great retro nostalgia in me!”

Stuart Tilley, Game Director, The Persistence, Firesprite

4. Tetris Effect

As chosen by…

“I don’t know if this fits the definition of an indie game, but in terms of games that are not your typical AAA game experience, I really loved Tetris Effect.”

Kazunori Kadoi, Director, Resident Evil 2, Capcom

“It takes a widely known game, Tetris, and introduces a whole new experience by utilizing the latest technologies with precision and polish. Anybody can play it and can experience the fascinating elements firsthand, and it is something I recommend to everyone.”

Ryousuke Horii, Planner, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Sega

“I’m usually don’t play puzzles games, but I can’t recommend Tetris Effect enough. This game is just as relaxing as it is mesmerizing, and over the holidays I can’t wait to try it out in PS VR!”

Bryan Intihar, Creative Director, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Insomniac Games

5. Owlboy

As chosen by…

“Definitely check out Owlboy if you haven’t already – it’s a lovingly crafted 2D pixel-art action adventure, with great action and gameplay mechanics.”

Hideaki Itsuno, Director, Devil May Cry 5, Capcom

6. Abzu

As chosen by…

“This game released in Japan earlier this year and really makes you think about the methods that games use to present moving experiences. I am very impressed with how the game is set up, so that regardless of being a casual or seasoned gamer, without detailed explanation, the game will draw you into its gorgeous world instantly.”

Hiroyuki Sakamoto, Game Director, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Sega

7. Apollo 11 VR

As chosen by…

“I don’t know if you can call this indie but in terms of something people might have missed, I thought Apollo 11 VR showed how we can push the potential of VR even further. It was both immersive and educational, so I hope that it gets more attention and we can get something like it again with a bigger budget.”

Yuya Tokuda, Director, Monster Hunter World, Capcom

8. Minit

As chosen by…

“Definitely check out Minit if you haven’t already – it’s just a fun, scrappy, inventive little game.”

Derek Yu, Creator, Spelunky 2

9. Guacamelee 2

As chosen by…

“I had an absolute blast with the first one and its expansions, so I was excited for the sequel and I think that the peeps at Drinkbox did a really really great job, well worth a playthrough.”

Steve Filby, Producer, Dead Cells, Motion Twin

10. Yoku’s Island Express

As chosen by…

“This beautiful game exudes pure joy from the moment it boots it up. It is addictive, imaginative and has tons of depth as the ‘open world pinball adventure’ mechanics open up. It was clearly a work of passion and the love in every corner of its inventive world just shines out. I have recommended this game to so many people this year, and each and every person that tried it loved it just as much as I did.”

Dominic Robilliard, Creative Director, Concrete Genie, Pixelopus

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