From left: Red Dead Redemption 2, A Way Out, God of War, Spider-Man, Detroit: Become Human. Photos / supplied
From left: Red Dead Redemption 2, A Way Out, God of War, Spider-Man, Detroit: Become Human. Photos / supplied
5. A Way Out
A Way Out. Photo / supplied
At first, the setting seemed familiar, and the characters came across as cliched. But A Way Out quickly proved itself to be worthy of a game of the year mention. Why? Teamwork. You needed a mate - online, or preferably, beside you, on the couch - to help navigate the treacherous path out of prison. Thanks to the game's use of split-screen, that meant teamwork: combining your skills to pass a shiv between prison cells, hiding in washing baskets, warning of approaching guards, and, in one thrillingly tense set piece, coordinating a back-to-back walk up a wall. Once you got out, things got even more complicated - but we won't spoil A Way Out's ending here. It's one you need to experience for yourself. - Chris Schulz
Detroit: Become Human tells a rich, multi-layered story about the plight of sentient robots in the not-so-distant future, yet it manages to hit very close to home. The neo-noir choice-based adventure game, where all the decisions you make can have grave consequences, really puts the pressure on. It's hard to not become emotionally attached to each of the three android characters and their individual and intertwining stories, considering at every step you're the one pulling the strings. This game is beautiful and ambitious, and with more than 1000 different combinations causing a multitude of endings, it will give you hours of thrilling game play. - Rachel Bache
3. Spider-Man
Playstation's Spider-Man. Photo / supplied
Action, comedy and drama: Spider-Man, Playstation's second big exclusive of the year after God of War, had it all - and more. The mix of challenging tasks to conquer and varied super villains to take down keeps this game interesting and entertaining, and with extra downloadable content still rolling out, the adventures just keep going. Spider-Man's open Manhattan Island world – packed with amazingly nerdy Marvel Universe references - is stunning to look at and perfect for web-swing through. It's easily one of the most enjoyable games to play this year and, finally, did justice to a beloved superhero. - Rachel Bache
2. Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2. Photo / supplied
You have to admire a game studio so confident in its graphical superiority that it forces players to stop and just stare at scenery. In Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2, you'll spend hours looking at sweeping vistas, taking in lakeside settings, admiring fauna, and cooing over the way trees part when you move through them. You'll spend just as much time riding the game's incredibly animated horses across RDR2's very large map. When it happens, that makes the game's action, based around morally-conflicted hero Arthur Morgan, all the more intense and impressive. RDR2 is a peaceful, beautiful, and incredibly serene game - except for the bits when it isn't. - Chris Schulz
1. God of War
God of War. Photo / supplied
Do you like monsters? Are you itching for epic battles against skeleton zombies, lumbering trolls and serpent beasts? Then God of War is the game for you. Everything about War was huge, from the biceps on Kratos, the game's reluctant warrior, to the Titanic-sized foes he's forced to face, and that axe he swings to take them all down. But the best thing about God of War isn't big at all. It's Atreus, Kratos' son, your trusty sidekick who gives God of War as much heart as you can handle. Yes, it's a game full of crushing blows that hits you right in the feels. - Chris Schulz
