20 Best Video Games Of 2018

2. Celeste

Sometimes a game comes along and accomplishes something we didn't even know the medium was missing.

Turns out, in Celeste's case, it's a meaningful, powerful dissection of depression, anxiety and negative headspaces - only for the entirety of the game to turn the experience into one of the most life-affirming lessons in gaming history.

By writing a character as doubting and relatable as Madeline, only to twin her struggles with that of climbing a mountain by way of ultra-hard pixel platform sections, every part of gameplay gets bolstered by what she's going through.

Sans spoilers, the way creative lead Matt Thorson portrays the challenges of negative emotion; how they can be harnessed, conquered and used to strengthen the individual, is exemplary, and this game's closing rush of intricate pathways, game mechanics, visuals and score is possibly the year's finest moment.

Celeste is truly special, and I guarantee you'll be better off as a human being for getting through it.