Our staff had a busy 2018. We wrote hundreds of news stories, interviews, reviews, previews, and more. We covered the biggest events in the industry, including the Electronic Entertainment Expo and the Game Developer’s Conference. Honestly, at the end of year, it’s hard to remember just exactly what we wrote in 2018.
But some stories stand out for us. So, to celebrate our work in 2018, each of us selected our two favorite pieces of our own from the year. You can find them below. Please read them if you feel so inclined, and we look forward to seeing you all in 2019!
Managing editor Jason Wilson
The D20 Beat: Kingdoms of Amalur and its incredible world may have a future
Kingdoms of Amalur was one fantasy RPG franchise we assumed was dead forever. Well, turns out the series may have a future with THQ Nordic.
Above: The Kings of Leon.
Far Cry 5 cult adviser reveals how these fanatics thrive: Follow the money
Far Cry 5’s villain is an American cult leader. Rick Alan Ross advised Ubisoft on the creation of its fictional cult, and he explained to us how these lunatics are able to thrive in our own backyard.
Lead writer Dean Takahashi
Star Citizen interview — Why Chris Roberts raised another $46 million to finish sci-fi universe
Star Citizen is the crowdfunded game that just keeps on, well, getting funded. And then, on top of over $200 million raised from fans, Star Citizen director Chris Roberts goes out secures an additional $46 million in venture capital.
Above: Avenger Titan ship in Star Citizen.
Red Dead Redemption 2: A deep dive into Rockstar’s game design
Rockstar’s latest is one of the most technically impressive games ever made. Rob Nelson, co-head of Rockstar’s Edinburgh studio, goes into detail on Red Dead Redemption 2’s design in this interview.
PC gaming editor Jeffery Grubb
Dead Cells is making me embrace the cheese
Dead Cells is a difficult game, but you can make things easier on yourself by … well, we don’t call it cheating. But it’s not exactly playing fair, either. And it’s all alright, because Dead Cells wants you to embrace the cheese.
Above: The Dead Cells vendor.
Eco’s player-driven economy let me create a financial meltdown
Eco is like Minecraft but with a persistent multiplayer world driven by complicated systems, including economy. This story is about how Jeff became mad with capitalistic power.
Reviews editor Mike Minotti
Disney’s big Millennium Falcon ride faces a classic game design problem: balancing difficulty
Disney is building giant Star Wars lands in Anaheim and Orlando, and a Millennium Falcon ride is going to be one of the major highlights in both parks. But this attraction is as much a video game as it is a ride.
Above: Don’t look back.
The RetroBeat: Mega Man 11’s caretakers explain why the series had such a long break
The Mega Man franchise was on ice for years. The men behind Mega Man 11 explain the long hiatus and why it was time to bring the Blue Bomber back.
PC Gaming guest post editor Rowan Kaiser
The infuriating design of Pathfinder: Kingmaker shows the value of a Dungeon Master
Pathfinder: Kingmaker can be confusing and aimless. It makes you miss the presence of a Dungeon Master, someone that could guide your experience.
Above: Pathfinder: Kingmaker.
Heroes of the Storm eulogy: For once, Blizzard couldn’t balance the casual and competitive
Blizzard is scaling back development of its crossover MOBA and cancelling major esports for the game in 2019. We mourn Heroes of the Storm’s coming end and wonder why the game never found the usual Blizzard-sized success.
