I know a lot of people talk about how 2017 is one of the great years in gaming but as far as I’m concerned, with the release of games like God of War, Spider-Man, and Red Dead Redemption 2, 2018 is just as great. It was the release of these great AAA titles that resulted in me, unfortunately, missing out on a few great games that I hope to find time for in 2019.

Two Point Hospital

Platforms: PC/Mac

Release Date: August 30

Simulations (Civ 5, The Sims 4, Cities: Skyline) is one of my favorite genres and anytime I manage to find one of these games that, one, looks great, and two is on Mac (yes, I’m that guy) I often jump at the opportunity to play it. With so many games that came out in in 2018 being such big time stealers though, I had to make the difficult choice of missing out on specific titles. Two Point Hospital is a game that I will absolutely take up hours and hours of my life and that’s honestly the only reason I missed out on this incredible looking title. With so many dead spots currently happening through out the gaming calendar, I’m hoping to finally have the free time to start up my own hospital of start curing diseases like light headed-ness, an illness where a patient has a literal lightbulb for a head.

Return of the Obra Dinn

Platforms: PC/Mac

Release Date: October 18

I’m going to be honest with you, I’m not entirely sure what this game is. I think it’s a puzzle game that takes place on a boat… maybe. The only thing that really matters about Return of the Obra Dinn is that it’s made Lucas Pope, the man responsible for the amazing game Papers, Please. Knowing that Lucas Pope has made a new game is all I need to get excited for a game. Unfortunately, it came out during a time in the year when I just couldn’t find time to jump aboard but one of my biggest gaming goals for 2019 is to find time for this game.

Into the Breach

Platforms: PC/Mac, Switch

Release Date: February 27

If I’m being honest, Into the Breach is a game that doesn’t really appeal to me. It’s simply why I never picked it up throughout the year, but with so many people in the gaming industry continuously speaking so highly on it, I just feel like I may have missed out on an all-time great. Then again, I didn’t love developer Subset Games previous title FTL and that was another title that everyone seemed to love. With that said though, I think it would be a real dis-service to myself if I never sat down and played what so many consider a great game

Graveyard Keeper

Platforms: PC/Mac, Xbox One

Release Date: August 15

I love Stardew Valley. It’s one of my favorite games of all-time. Graveyard Keeper looks like Stardew Valley but instead of running a farm, you run, well, a graveyard. The only reason I missed out on this is because I kept waiting for it to come to PS4 and as of the time this article goes up it’s still locked away on PC/Mac and Xbox One. Looks like I might have to finally bite the bullet and download this baby on Mac because I have wanted to play it since it released back in August.

Parkitect

Platforms: PC/Mac

Release Date: November 29

Like I talked about with Two Point Hospital, I love this genre and with Parkitect, the game gives players so much control. Not only can the rides be designed however players want, but individual buildings like concession stands can be customized to help players design specific settings or themes for their parks. Whether it’s setting up a Disney Land style park with different themes (lands) or designing an entire park around one specific theme like Westworld, the game is so customizable that those options are there as long as you’re willing to put in the work. Basically, the game looks amazing. If you haven’t picked it up, go get it!

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Release Date: December 4

Witcher 3 is one of my favorite games of all-time and I was completely gutted that, because of its release date, I just wasn’t able to pick it up, but with great reviews, the gameplay being tied to the incredibly fun card game Gwent, and the story being set in the world of Witcher guarantees that when I eventually find time to play, I know I’m going to love it.

The Yakuza Franchise

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4

Release Date: 2018

As another year passes, my frustration level continues to rise. The fact that I still have not taken the deep dive into the Yakuza franchise is just crazy to me. Growing up I loved classic beat ’em ups like the Streets of Rage franchise and in terms of gameplay, the Yakuza franchise is the evolution of that genre. Whether it’s Yakuza Zero, One, Two, or the recently released Six there’s so many great Yakuza games out there to play and I’m just living life incorrectly by not playing them.