We’ve seen the best of various genres this week. We explored the games that made racing feel alive, we delved into worlds with stunning art design and listened closely to those video games that managed to produce audio adventures. Which game is truly the best though? In 2018, there was no shortage of competitors, as the tail end of this console generation resulted in the cream truly rising to the top of a delicious brew of well designed games which captured our interest and our attention.

There are those games who use their visuals to tell more innovative narratives, games who twist and deconstruct familiar shapes and instead create a world that looks far more unique. Whether it was fan service, updated nostalgia or emotional splashes of paint, these were the games of 2018 that succeeded in creating distinctive works of art.

For a franchise that was knocking on death’s door a mere decade ago, fighting games have certainly come a long way in the last couple of years. 2018 may go down in history as one of the finest year’s for the genre, as the pickings may have been slim but the games on offer were benchmarks in two-fisted action. Here’s a look at the best that the genre had to offer, as well as 2018’s overall king of the ring.

The Game Awards has a heck of a job this year to select the very best of the best. Here’s a look at the categories and nominees this year, which include a few surprises.

You have to remember one thing about Dragon Ball villains: Frieza may have been cool, but his brother was Cooler.

The video game industry may have plenty of Overwatch tournaments, DOTA championships and at least a half dozen CS: GO events to tune into every year, but there is always will be only one fighting game championship that draws in thumbs and eyeballs from all over the world: EVO. Taking place from the original Sin City once again, the Las Vegas event is gearing up for its biggest year yet as old rivals and new challengers hit the scene.

Goku vs Vegeta in the Saiyan saga is still the benchmark for a blockbuster fight done right. It’s brutal, colourful and effortlessly combined cunning with mountain-leveling energy attacks that were unlike anything I’d ever seen before. I’ve got a massive soft spot in my heart for that battle, which is probably why I’m excited to see another Goku and Vegeta rock the Shenron in Dragon Ball FighterZ.

Much like in previous years, EVO 2018 will have several games from the genre on the floor. Champions from Tekken, Street Fighter and Super Smash Bros. will all compete for glory next month, but here’s the shocker: Street Fighter V isn’t the game that’s drawing the most entrants this year. In a stunning reversal, it’s Arc System Works and Bandai Namco that have the most popular game around this year, in the form of Dragon Ball FighterZ.