Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is an outstanding title to finish out the Switch's first year on the market, and it's a must-have title if you're a fan of RPGs and own the system.
If you haven't played Sun and Moon, or any entry in the series in a while, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon is a great place to pick up the series again.
I've rarely seen a game received such an extensive makeover while being so faithful to the source material.
So far Subnautica has been the outstanding title of 2018 for me. We're only a month in, but the time I've had with this game has been incredible, and I'm sure it will be a game I remember in December when the year is wrapping up.
I was able to get into this game in a way I've been unable to with adventure games for the last few years. It was a treat to play, and I can't wait for the remaining four episodes.
If you have a mid-to-high end PC, this is the way to experience this game, either if you're playing it for the first time or if you want to go through it a second time.
If you're a fan of puzzle games, rhythm games, or just chilling out with a game that gives more than it demands, I heartily recommend Lumines Remastered. It's a great addition to the Switch library and an excellent starting point for those who have never experienced the franchise before.
However, for those who have fallen in love with the genre, and grew up adoring Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and others, this game is the ultimate expression of the traditional JRPG.
It’s the best single-player Smash to date, and still retains the fantastic couch co-op the series is known for, but only time will tell if online functionality catches up to the rest of the game.
I heartily recommend Octopath Traveler to any RPG fan. Whether you cut your teeth playing Final Fantasy on SNES, or if you weren't even born yet, this game has a lot to offer. The narrative and character interaction leave a bit to be desired, but the overall quality of the game overshadows its deficiencies.
I personally loved that so much attention was paid to the single-player experience, and because of the depth of the story and fluid combat, I found this to be one of the most enjoyable fighting games I've ever played, adding a ton of features and a few new fighting mechanics that add just enough to the gameplay to make things interesting for long-time fans.
Anno 1800 is one of the most fun city-builders I’ve played in a long time.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is far from just an upscaling of the 3DS games. It’s an evolution for the series which makes it appealing and accessible even to those who aren’t crazy about strategy RPGs. It’s a great gateway for the genre and another excellent addition to the Switch library.
Ritual of the Night is one of the best games released so far this year, and even if you don’t love 2D platformers, the excellent exploration elements, movement, and combat are good enough to win anyone over.
As someone who loves adventure and puzzle games, Outer Wilds was a match made in heaven.
Even if you’re not huge on dungeon exploration Persona Q2 is a great game. It contains plenty of fanservice and references for fans of the main Persona titles and has a complex and rewarding combat and exploration loop that makes it worth playing even if it’s your first Persona game ever.
Astral Chain is a unique and beautiful game that excels at what it’s trying to do. It’s one of the best games of the year so far, and it makes me excited to see what the studio will come up with next.
However, that’s just the way expansions work, and in exchange for that mild inconvenience, you get another 20-30 hours of new content with the same high quality that generated critical acclaim for the game when it first released.
Telling Lies is like the best parts of an adventure game, a mystery novel, and an art nouveau movie all rolled up into one.
If you’ve ever wanted a Souls-like without most of the baggage that comes with playing one, Code Vein is right up your alley.