Best games for any platform

Further down the page, you'll find lists of the year's best games so far for each individual platform. First, however, we look at the 10 best overall releases across all platforms from the first half of 2018. These are the highest-scoring new games (remasters/ports of older titles are excluded, as are compilations, episodic releases, and DLC) with at least 7 reviews from professional critics. If a particular game was released for multiple platforms, we only considered the version with the highest quantity of reviews.

Buy From Amazon #1: ▣ God of War

PS4 (exclusive) Part reboot, part sequel, this PS4 exclusive brings Sony's 13-year-old God of War franchise to new heights through a lengthy and emotional single-player story that incorporates Norse mythology and finds God of War's longtime protagonist Kratos developing his parenting (and battle axe) skills. It's now the #3 game of all time (ranked by Metascore) on the PS4.

Buy From Amazon #2: ▣ Celeste

XB1 / PC) Switch version (also available for PS4 Not bad for an indie, eh? After first impressing critics with his multiplayer archery combat game TowerFall, Matt Thorson (aka Matt Makes Games) returned in January with a very different but even better follow-up that blends very challenging 2D platforming with a delightful retro art style and even a bit of a narrative to tie everything together.

Buy From Amazon #3: ▣ Monster Hunter: World

PS4 version (also available for XB1 Monster Hunter was always a bit of a niche proposition outside of Japan. But no longer. The fifth main entry in Capcom's fantasy action/RPG series—and the first to get a simultaneous worldwide release—is a monster hit, with critics and gamers taking to its increased accessibility, vastly improved graphics, and deep open-world gameplay. A PC version could arrive before year's end.

#4: ▣ Into the Breach

PC (exclusive) The second release from the team behind the indie hit Faster Than Light is another winner. Breach is a turn-based strategy game featuring procedurally generated levels consisting of 8-by-8 grids. Your goal is to prevent what's left of humanity from being wiped out by rather dumb, insect-like aliens who tend to telegraph their moves in advance. To do so, you employ a squad of humongous mechs from the future. Is it hard? Of course.

Buy From Amazon #5: ▣ Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

PC version (console versions due later in 2018) Obsidian Entertainment's sequel to 2015's very well-received Pillars of Eternity, itself a sort-of (unofficial) reboot of the Baldur's Gate fantasy RPG series, is another crowdfunded hit. Deadfire is set in the same world as the original but is far more ambitious in scope, combining an excellent story with a ton of content. If you're looking for a single-player game to keep you busy for dozens of hours, you can do far worse.

#6: ▣ Subnautica

PC version (XB1 version due later in 2018) Another indie, Subnautica hails from Bay Area studio Unknown Worlds (Natural Selection 2). Their newest (and best) title is an open world, single-player survival/exploration game set in the ocean of an alien planet in the 22nd century.

Buy From Amazon #7: ▣ Dragon Ball FighterZ

PS4 version (also available for PC XB1 ; Switch version due later in 2018) The latest fighting game in the Dragon Ball franchise is the first console/PC game in the series to come from Arc System Works, best known for their Guilty Gear and BlazBlue games. You'll experience 2D fighting in chaotic 3-on-3 tag-team brawls, with an anime art style that feels faithful to the original source material.

#8: ▣ DJMax Respect

PS4 (exclusive) The latest in the DJMax rhythm game series—and the franchise's very first console installment—offers surprisingly tricky gameplay and over 100 songs (with even more available as DLC).

#9: ▣ Full Metal Furies

PC version (also available for XB1 Rogue Legacy creators Cellar Door Games return with a very different follow-up that is part co-op brawler, part puzzle-solving. Critics like the result (at least on PC), though gamers haven't seemed to catch on yet.

Best games by platform

Here are the highest-scoring titles released for each platform between January 1, 2018 and June 30, 2018. The only requirement for inclusion is a minimum of 7 reviews from critics.

PlayStation 4

Xbox One

Nintendo Swtich

PC

What do you think?

What are your favorite games of 2018 so far? Let us know in the comments section below.