Cowboys, gods or monsters? That’s the question when mulling who should be atop the video game food chain in 2018.

Not only did the Year of the Earth Dog start out strong for video-game lovers, it also ended on a high note thanks to an impressive lineup of titles across various genres. From adventure games and action titles to RPGs and fighting games, 2018 provided a veritable pupu platter of hits to choose from. That’s good news for self-professed video game omnivores such as yours truly, who enjoys playing various gaming genres.

On that note, here are my top 20 games for this year. As with all lists, this is based on my own personal tastes so please don’t take it as a personal affront to your family honor if a game you really, really, really like is either listed lower or (gasp) does not appear at all. I mean, just because a game you like might not be listed here doesn’t mean I think it’s bad. Chances are, I might not have even gotten to play it. As they say, it’s always important to look at things from other people’s point of view.

Now that we’ve stumbled upon the solution to world peace, let’s move on to the Technobubble 2018 Big Game List.

20. Overcooked 2: This game stresses the heck out of me with a capital HECK. Like cooking during the holidays, there comes a time while I’m chopping carrots while checking out multiple pots on the stove when I ask myself, “Why am I even doing this?” And yet I love it. It’s like Stockholm syndrome but less creepy. Overcooked 2 will test the reflexes, multi-tasking skills and teamwork of up to four people as they play the role of a cook in various kitchens from hell. The only thing missing is Gordon Ramsey.

19. Call of Duty Black Ops 4: Thanks to solid gameplay and an assortment of modes from head-on team battles to cooperative zombie extermination, COD BLOPS 4 arguably has the best multiplayer in the history of the popular FPS series. In fact, it might have even cracked my top 10 if it only came with a full-fledged campaign mode. Yeah, I’m a gaming dinosaur but I still value campaigns in my Call of Duty games.

18. Radiant Historia Perfect Chronology: Graphics aren’t everything and this remake is a testament to that. The 3DS might be on its last legs but this time-traveling JRPG hits all the right notes for fans of the genre’s more classic style, from an intriguing storyline to a solid turn-based battle system. If you love old-school JRPGs, you can’t miss this one.

17. Pokemon Let’s Go!Pickachu &Evee: If Pokemon Go made kissy faces with Pokemon Yellow, this would be the result. Pokemon Let’s Go combines the qualities of the mobile game with some of the classic franchise's concepts, creating one of the most accessible titles to date in the Pokemon series. The fact that you can play it on the go or on your TV makes it even better. Also, Eevee is criminally cute in this game and should be locked up in whatever the adorable version of Alcatraz is.

16. Guacamelee 2: Talk about Juan more time. This Guacamelee sequel lets you take on the role of the legendary luchador and his buddies once again as they battle the evil forces that threaten the Mexiverse. If you love Metroidvania-style games with a large, heaping dose of humor and co-op play to boot, this game will be muybueno.

15. Soulcalibur VI: Talk about a trip to memory lane. SC6 remakes the original Soulcalibur game with modern graphics for today’s 3D fighting game fans. This makes it a great introduction to the series for newcomers as well as a nostalgic romp for longtime Soulcalibur fans. Add a robust character creation mode that lets you come up with some crazy concoctions and there’s lots of fun to be had with this eternally told tale.

14. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate: Folks pining for the old-school tough-but-fair gameplay of Monster Hunter will love this pre-World bookend to the classic series. Not only is it packed to the gills with creatures to fight and weapons to wield, it also includes myriad hunting styles that literally change the game. Yes, it would’ve been great if it arrived a year and a half earlier than its release. But, hey, better late than never.

13. Yakuza 6 The Song of Life: The swan song for series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu serves up its trademark gangster storyline with a tweaked combat system in the nitty gritty streets of Kamurocho (which sorta-kinda looks like Tokyo’s Kabukicho). This is what happens when you combine Asian dramas with Virtua Fighter and add all sorts of zany side quests plus some slice-of-life hijinks to the mix.

12. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: This is Sparta! Seriously, the game pretty much goes through the heyday of the Spartans as you assume the role of a Spartan assassin gallivanting and meddling around Greece. Odyssey builds on the excellent AC Origins with a grand open world and added emphasis on more action-oriented combat. Add ship battles and a likable protagonist that can be specced out to suit your playstyle and this game will make you feel like you can Spartan kick almost anyone (actually, you can in this game).

11. Dead Cells: Part Metroidvania, part Dark Souls and part retro roguelike game, Dead Cells harkens back to a time when pixel graphics meant perfection and 3D worlds were but a twinkle in gamedom’s eye. Dead Cells is definitely aimed at folks who love the punishing difficulty of past side-scrolling action games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras and also see an unfair life as the fairest one of them all.

10. Marvel’s Spider-man: Hey, who put Arkham Batman in a Spidey suit and gave him a whimsical sense of humor? Seriously, though, I love the Batman Arkham games and this is the closest experience I’ve had to those games to date. From its sandbox gameplay, dialed-down combat and, arguably, the best web-swinging experience in a Spider-man game to date, Marvel’s Spider-man will have your spider senses tingling.

9. Valkyria Chronicles 4: Oh, my gosh they actually brought the classic Valkyria back. I guess all those offerings I made to the great Jobu inside a locker worked! After the underwhelming response to Valkyria Revolution, Sega does right by its fans and goes back to the series’ classic hybrid gameplay featuring turn-based combat combined with third person movement. Throw in its classic watercolor and colored pencil art style and you have the triumphant return of one of the most unique strategy RPG franchises out there.

8.Octopath Traveler: Like Johnny Cash’s thoughtful note to wife June on her 65th birthday, this game is a love letter to fans of old-school JRPGs. The story and turn-based gameplay uses a formula that will be familiar to genre aficionados. But it’s in the game’s unique combination of old-school pixel art with 3D graphics where the love truly shows, setting this game apart. It’s the gaming equivalent of a bouquet of roses for JRPG romantics.

7. Ni No Kuni 2: Is it me or does this list have an inordinate amount of JRPGs? Hey, I’m just glad that the genre is back. Like a moving animated movie that you can play, Ni No Kuni 2 wows with its trademark production values, including a Studio Ghibli-like art style and stellar voice acting. The journey of Evan from young sheltered prince to a great monarch who builds an impressive kingdom with his friends is a touching tale as well.

6. Dragon Ball FighterZ: Who’da thunk that a Dragon Ball game — that’s right, a Dragon Ball game — would knock down stalwart Street Fighter (or Marvel vs. Capcom) from the top of the fighting game genre pyramid. It just goes to show you what happens when you combined a beloved franchise with top-notch gameplay. The game also looks freaking good and plays like a Dragon Ball anime or cartoon. This one’s definitely way over 9,000.

5. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Hey look, another fighting game! Between this and the JRPG resurgence, it’s like the 1990s all over again! If Octopath is a love letter to JRPG fans, this one’s a love poem in iambic pentameter from Masahiro Sakurai to Smash Bros. aficionados. This entry includes EVERY character to ever appear in the series and adds newcomers to boot! Mario, Sonic, Mega Man, Simon Belmont, Solid Snake — they’re all here! Seriously, never ask the guy for anything ever again.

4. Dragon Quest XI: If Octopath is a love letter and SSBU is a love poem, DQXI is a bonafide romance novel to JRPG fans. The first proper Dragon Quest for a home console since DQVIII, Dragon Quest XI hits all the right notes for fans of the series, from its classic turn-based combat, Akira Toriyama art style and creator Yuji Horii’s charming and touching story. Like chicken soup on a chilly winter evening, this is comfort food for JRPG lovers.

3. Red Dead Redemption 2: This game is the epitome of taking a well-worn formula and polishing it to the utmost. Red Dead Redemption 2 takes all the good things about open-world adventuring, wraps it with gorgeous visuals and uses great storytelling to place a pretty bow on top. It’s like a finely honed katana blade that’s been folded over and over to near perfection. With cowboys.

2. God of War: Boy! There are great, well-polished games. Then you’ve got games that aren’t just well-polished but also take a big risk by reinventing themselves. The latest God of War is one of those rare games. This title abandons the solid yet admittedly tired formula that made the series popular, switches to a behind-the-back view often associated with third-person shooters and makes it work — and work well — for an action game. The result is a new take on God of War that feels fresh while still retaining the spirit from the old games. The switch in perspective also makes the action even more impactful with boss fights feeling especially epic. Add the dad of war story and you’ve got the best God of War game ever. I liked the previous games. I love this one.

Game of the Year: Monster Hunter World

I love Monster Hunter. I mean, I’ve been playing the thing way back when it was just a cult favorite and got slammed by western critics for being difficult and clunky.

It’s that perspective that makes me appreciate what Monster Hunter World accomplished even more. Monster Hunter is one of those games that hook you hard when things finally click. The problem is that you typically had to go through a good amount of suffering while getting unceremoniously clobbered by monsters before you reach that point. Unsurprisingly, many folks often quit before then.

Monster Hunter World changed all of that by improving the game’s visuals and production values to bring more people in while adding quality-of-life changes to help bridge that tough-yet-crucial introductory period until the game sinks its claws into the pleasure sensors of your brain and you finally “get it.” The result is not only the first massively successful Monster Hunter game outside of Japan but the best-selling game in Capcom’s history. Of all time. Ever.

Even with all the hunting game clones that have come out, there’s really no game like it. Yes, it likes to make you feel like a scrub just when your confidence is at an all-time high. But the sense of accomplishment from a tough, successful hunt just feels pulse-poundingly glorious. Add constant free updates since the game's release at a time when microtransactions and loot boxes are king and Monster Hunter World really does right by its community. I've sunk nearly 700 hours in this game and the scary part is it could've been way more if I didn't have a bazillion other games that I needed to check out. If you’ve never played a Monster Hunter game before, you owe it to yourself as a gamer to check this out.

Technobubble covers games, gadgets, technology and all things geek. Follow Technobubble poobah Jason Hidalgo’s shenanigans on Twitter @jasonhidalgo or his Tabiasobi Youtube channel.