Top 10 games 2019

[bob]

So with it getting close to the end of the year, how about we have a formal thread for everyone's top 10 games of the year? 
 
I'm not that fussed about any hard-set rules for eligibility; if the game came out the end of last year, but you've spent most of the year playing it, that seems ok with me.
 
 
If you want to, you can also do a Top 10 of the decade. I'm not going to stop you. But do it here
if you do
 
 
 

[Happenstance]

I've been thinking about this as I usually love making these lists but I've played so few games this year that I think I'll struggle to make a top 5 2019 games list. I might try and figure one out later and then probably just make a top games I played this year regardless of release list.

[killthenet]

Similarly to @Happenstance I haven't played enough 2019 games to compile a top 10 but I'll definitely write up a post about my favourites at some point. 

Game of the decade sounds like a good idea too, will be hard to whittle it down though 

[drahkon]

I’ve finished 27 games this year:

• 19 PS4 games
• 6 PSVita games
• 2 Android games

And here’s my Top 10 of 2019 (I’ve chosen to disregard release dates and instead chose from all games I’ve completed this year)

 

Spoiler

VA-11 HALL-A
Probably the game with the weirdest name I’ve ever seen. A wonderful visual-novel with an intriguing premise and very interesting characters.

Spoiler

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
I enjoyed its campaign as much as I enjoyed Titanfall 2’s campaign. That’s all.

Spoiler

Spyro Reignited Trilogy
I remember playing the original (i.e. Spyro the Dragon) back in the day. The remake captures the charm perfectly and playing it I was immediately brought back to the past; to the time when life was simpler. With the trilogy I was able to play the two “sequels” and I can say: the entire package is a lot of fun.

Spoiler

Path of Exile
How can I not put this on the list with my love for Diablo III and, more importantly Diablo II: Lord of Destruction? Path of Exile’s skill system comes with a unique twist: You must socket skill-gems to your gear and with sheer endless combinations you can create lots of awesome builds. It’s a F2P game with cosmetic MTX and stash-related options to spend money that are just for convenience sake, but the microtransactions aren’t intrusive. Great game and I’m looking forward to the “sequel” next year.

Spoiler

The Outer Worlds
“It’s Fallout: New Vegas in space”. This is what I read several times before playing it and I have to say: That is quite the apt description. A great RPG that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Enjoyable from start to finish and highly recommended.

Spoiler

Yakuza 0
I’ve finally got myself to play a Yakuza game and I don’t regret it. Once I’ve gotten away from the fixation to complete all the side-quests I enjoyed it so much more. The story has twists and turns, the characters are incredible, and the game is wacky as can be. Loved it.

Spoiler

Borderlands 3
What a game this is. It’s the logical evolution of Borderlands 2. The gunplay feels great, the story is surprisingly good, and there is loot…lots and lots of loot. Some of the characters are a little “out there” but it’s generally a funny game. It’s also a blast in coop.

Spoiler

Monster Hunter World
The first Monster Hunter game that I enjoyed. It’s less restrictive than the handheld-instalments and feels right at home on more powerful systems. The gameplay loop is right up my alley. It’s also amazing how a simple change of your weapon completely alters battles. I will definitely pick up the expansion sometime next year.

Spoiler

Slay the Spire
“What? How? Why is this not your #1 game of 2019? Why can’t you shut the hell up about it? WHAT IS HAPPENING?”. Good questions. While I do think this might be a contender for my new favourite game of all time, there is one game this year that tops Slay the Spire. Still, this deck-building-roguelike can be described as: “simple to understand, hard to master”. The mechanics are easy to grasp but executing a great run isn’t as easy. Preparation, risk-management, your intelligence and a little luck determine the outcome of each run. An exceptionally crafted game with impeccable balance. BUY IT!

Spoiler

Death Stranding
Bold, revolutionary, polarizing, emotional. These are probably the most important words I can think of when I remember my time with Death Stranding. It made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me forget time, it completely absorbed me, it made me forget some of my issues, it made me painfully aware of others.
A game that you either love or hate. I really don’t think there’s something in between. I do, however, believe that you cannot and should not write it off without giving it a chance.
It’s a technical masterpiece that excels at combining setting, atmosphere, graphics, sound, music, gameplay and narrative. You can’t judge any of those by themselves. Everything is connected.

All in all, a great year of video gaming for me  My next chapter already began with the purchase of the Nintendo Switch. With this and the PS4 seemingly going out with a bang 2020 will be off to a great start  

Spoiler

FIFA 20 - Say what you want about EA but the Pro Clubs mode is one of the most fun I've ever had with a couple of mates.

Thumper - I'm still amazed that a "violent-rhythm-genre" now exists. It's an insane game, but very addictive and enjoyable.

Far Cry 5 - It's a Ubisoft open-world game and I loved it. But now it's another 2-3 years until I need another one of those.

Detroit: Become Human - A playable/interactive movie with some great themes.

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by drahkon

[Jonnas]

Yeah, the only 2019 games I played were Tetris 99, Block Stomper, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses (and the latter I only barely touched). Instead, I'll post my Top 10 games I played this year. (I am excluding Tekken and Soul Calibur, since I'm just playing them on borrowed time):

10. Adventures of Lolo - Quaint puzzle game. I find it inferior to the GB version, but it's still competent despite that.

10. Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice - Surprisingly improved compared to its predecessor, even if it's still got issues. It's also only meant for longtime fans of the series, but hey, personal list.

9. Crypt of the Necrodancer - Very fun roguelike. Unfortunate that the main story gets so hard near the end, but I love the idea of adding rhythm to Mystery-Dungeon-crawling

8. Furi - Despite this being so low on the list, I actually loved this game. Love the aesthetics, the challenge, the French voice acting... Still planning to play the Hard Mode.

7. Dragon Quest III - Finally got around to the true granddaddy of all JRPGs, and it did not disappoint. What a fun ride, and what a fun game, despite its obvious age. I loved doing that little roleplay with my party members' personalities, too.

6. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow - My re-entry into Metroidvania, and it was wild. Strictly improved gameplay from AoS, with a more fun aesthetic. I think it's what I needed. Julius mode is on the backburner for now.

5. Detention - Playing this game made for a very fun Halloween, but it is a legitimately fantastic game. Great visuals, ominous ambience, perfect length... It's earned this spot.

4. Severed - Probably the biggest surprise of the year. My brain knew this game was supposed to be good, but experiencing it was surreal. Never thought I'd think so highly of a first-person dungeon crawler, but here we are.

3. Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds - I literally just posted about it. It's a great Zelda game, and I don't need to say much more beyond that.

2. Garou: Mark of the Wolves - This one came in two "waves". First I bought it on PC and had a blast in experiencing, learning, and revisiting the game. Afterwards, I got it on the Switch, and it's now my go-to game to play on handheld while relaxing. The fact that I'm so comfortable with it is what convinced me that this was the 2nd best game of the year for me.

1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - It's the obvious choice. It's got Ridley, Simon Belmont, and Terry Bogard in it. Not only is this a serious contender for my favourite game of all time, it's with this game that I officially joined a competitive fighting scene. I wondered whether I should even consider this game, to be honest, it's unfair to all others... but I did start and finish WoL this year, so fuck it.

EDIT: I just remembered Ace Attorney! Luckily, it should be No.10, so I'll leave the previous entry struck, for reference.

Edited December 23, 2019 by Jonnas

[Aperson]

Yeah, I'm in a similar situation whereby the "new" games I played this year aren't even enough for a top 5. One of them was technically released this year but it was a port of an already existing game that just happened to come out on Switch this year so excluding that I think it was just three 2019 games being Kingdom Hearts III, Super Mario Maker 2 and Pokemon Sword which is a very low amount. Part of the reason is that I got into card games and unless Magic the Gathering Arena counts as a 2019 release then I don't think I can include anymore than that.

 

I played a lot of games this year, some of which were catching up from previous years. In the buildup to Kingdom Hearts III I was playing many of the spin-offs and this started a long string of RPG and action games I played which included NieR; Automata, Golden Sun: The Lost Age, Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna and Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age before moving onto other games like Hollow Knight, Pokemon Trading Card Game Online and Batman Arkham Asylum.

 

For games released in 2019 I would probably say Super Mario Maker 2 for game of the year, though only on a minor edge over Kingdom Hearts III and Pokemon Sword which while they are both great games and I enjoyed both, they haven't quite had the same staying power as Mario Maker 2 in terms of content and what you can do since I beat both in about a week and I didn't really feel compelled to return to Kingdom Hearts III after beating it and only did minor stuff in post-game for Pokemon Sword after finishing that game.

 

In terms of all games I played this year therefore my top 10 would be.

 

1. NieR: Automata - Best game I've played this year, this game is a masterpiece. I won't say anymore because I put it in my list for Game of the Decade.

2. Super Mario Maker 2 - The first game with a lot more options in level design. Except that in order to play it properly and share your levels online you need to pay for Nintendo's online subscription service.

3. Kingdom Hearts III - Probably the game I wanted to play on PS4 for the longest time and... I beat it in a week and the hardest difficulty wasn't even that challenging. Still, the game was very enjoyable and the Toy Story level was awesome.

4. Pokemon Sword/Shield - While it has taken several steps back from previous Pokemon games due to a very strong streamlining mindset that underlines everything that the game does, often going too far in the process of where it shouldn't be and the removal of a lot of content from previous games, Pokemon Sword and Shield are still surprisingly fun games and still capture the essense of Pokemon

5. Hollow Knight - I never quite finished this game due to wanting to get the true ending and struggling on the bosses that I need to defeat in order to finish it, this game surprised me after a slow start to become an incredibly endearing adventure game. The biggest credit I can give the developers is that it feels like I'm playing Metroid with a nail instead of a gun. The level design is really well done and the game is just huge with such a large map to explore. It also manages to be open ended like some of the earlier Metroid games. The better comparison though is probably Dark Souls, this game is basically a 2D Dark Souls.

6. Golden Sun: The Lost Age - I have my issues with the ending of this game but overall I enjoyed it more than the original game. The world map felt bigger to explore and there was a lot more to do in spite of effectively being the second half of what was supposed to be a larger RPG. 

7. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - A prequel that had a decent amount of content and didn't overstay it's welcome. Admittedly padded out by forcing you to do sidequests in certain sections of the game but as an addition to a much larger game it's certainly welcome.

8. Batman: Arkham Asylum - Finally got to play the game that redefined the superhero game. It's quite a short game as I found out, unexpectedly completing the game as of today. The combat is solid and the more Metroid like structure of the game's world leads to tighter level design although admittedly unlike Hollow Knight you are always made aware at all times where you need to go. The final boss fight might be the worst final boss I've ever faced in a video game, though Metroid Prime Federation Force gives competition on that fornt.

9. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age - The exploration in this game is terrific, the world map feels very interconnected and explorable and the game feels like a contemporary modern RPG in design similar to that of Xenoblade. With that in mind I have to ask... what happened to this game's plot? They set up a lot in the opening hours but I feel at some point the game kind of forgets about the plot and goes meandering about all over the place as an excuse for more exploration. A fairly major event happens halfway through the game but there are no real relevant major twists for the rest of the game with only one major revelation for the characters at the end of what essentially becomes the game's final dungeon, since the final boss' area is a bit different. Still, I think this game was the one that I spent the longest time when it comes to single player games playing through this year.

10. Magic The Gathering Arena - If you asked me at the beginning of the year that I would get back into card games and play a free to play game that has microtransactions in it a lot then I would be surprised seeing as the whole sentiment among long time gamers is stacked against these types of games. Turns out, in spite of a few technical issues Arena is really fun. The main gameplay really does a lot to bring the card game's original vision to a platform that can make it look like both players are castling spells at each other. Cards flash into play with special effects and in some cases fancy animations to go along with them. Major characters in the Magic universe are fully voiced and talk after you summon them. Outside of the gameplay, the wildcard system is really good for allowing you to acquire the kind of cards you want to build the decks you want and is overall much more useable that Pokemon TCG Online's systems. The inclusion of a draft mode gives you an additional challenge to save up for and allow you to pick out exactly the cards you want. The biggest problem with the game is, as ever when it comes to Free to Play games, the egregious monetization in the game. Thankfully none of it is required in order to build a card collection and create a top deck but the amount of time you have to put into the game to build a deck that could be considered top tier in the metagame is considerable especially considering you need 4 of every card to make a playable deck. Even then, if you're only interested in making your own deck ideas, you might find yourself limited by your card collection and only having one of a really good card which counteracts the playability of it.

 

MTG Arena was probably the game I spent most time on in 2019 but only because of getting back into card games again and I think all the others I played are in general higher quality.

[killthenet]

I've played through a lot less overall this year than I did last year, only getting through just over 20, but my ratio of 'new' games is actually higher than last year. My favourite is undoubtedly Shenmue III, for all it's flaws and clunkiness I adored my twenty or so hours with the game. The best moment for me was just after Ryo arrived in the port town of Niaowu and I checked into the hotel, as soon as I spotted the phone (and bought a few calling cards) I ran straight for it and called all the names in the contact list. It was a trip to get to speak to Nozomi, Tom, Fuku-san & Ine-san, definitely the most heartwarming moment of a very precious game - I hope Yu Suzuki gets to continue the saga. 

Of the other 2019 releases I played Sayonara Wild Hearts was probably the best, it only took an hour or so to beat but it was joyous the whole way through - I had a huge grin on my face throughout most of it. I had tipped BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! to be my GOTY when it was revealed and I definitely enjoyed it a lot but it felt a little too iterative to out do the previous entries. Life is Strange 2 is another one that I loved but didn't feel quite as connected to as the earlier games in the series though it deserves more attention than its been getting. 

Of the big hitters Resident Evil 2 is the only one I've managed to fit in, I never played the PS1 original so it was all new to me and I really liked it - hearing Mr X stomping around is genuinely terrifying - but the campaigns weren't different enough for it to win out against the other contenders. Luigi's Mansion 3 deserves a mention too but I had the same gripes with some of the boss fights as I had with Dark Moon, it was a well polished and charming experience though. 

I did manage to play a few of the best releases from the last couple of years too, Gris, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (the World of Light mode at least), and 11-11: Memories Retold (which I played through with my Dad) but my favourite of the bunch was Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - it drew me in to its world and the characters just as well as the first one did and I can't wait to play through the Torna expansion when I get the time. 

Spoiler

1. Shenmue III

2. Sayonara Wild Hearts

3. Life is Strange 2

4. Luigi's Mansion 3

5. Resident Evil 2

6. BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL!

7. Shovel Knight: King of Cards

8. The Touryst

9. Untitled Goose Game

Spoiler

Jan 2019: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate; Bury Me, My Love (Switch)

Feb 2019: Xenoblade Chronicles 2; Portal (PC)

Sept 2019: BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL!; Crypt of the Necrodancer (Switch); Gris (Switch); Resident Evil 2 (PS4); Untitled Goose Game (Switch); Sayonara Wild Hearts (Switch)

Oct 2019: DOOM '1993 (Switch); One Night Stand (Switch); Downwell (Switch)

Nov 2019: Luigi's Mansion 3; Katamari Damacy Reroll (Switch); Kirby's Dream Land 3 (SNES Online); 11-11: Memories Retold (PS4); Shenmue III (PS4); The Touryst

Dec 2019: Stunt Race FX (SNES Online); Life is Strange 2 (PS4); Shovel Knight: King of Cards (Switch)

I'm hoping to pick up Death Stranding, Jedi Fallen Order and Sekiro in the post-Xmas sales, they're the big releases I'm most keen to play through. I also need to buy Mario & Sonic at Tokyo 2020 at some point - I had meant to buy it at launch but I decided to buy a second copy of Shenmue III instead. 

Edited December 22, 2019 by killthenet

[Londragon]

Taken straight from the N-E Café Podcast, my Top 10 contains only Switch games, and here it is;

1. Wargroove
2. GRID: Autosport
3. Luigi's Mansion 3
4. Wolfenstein: Youngblood
5. Overwatch
6. Realm Royale
7. Ring Fit Adventure
8. Trials Rising
9. Super Mario Maker 2
10. Untitled Goose Game

Having only put a few hours into The Witcher and Fire Emblem, I can’t justify putting them into the best games yet.

[Ganepark32]

I've been mulling this over for the last week or so after trying out some of the games I'd missed through last year and I've finally settled on what my top 20 games of the year are. I've not managed to get round to everything (Observation, Heaven's Vault and Disco Elysium are probably 3 games that would have appeared on my list if I'd managed) but by and large, I've managed to play the majority of the big AAA games (not all to completipn) and I've managed to play a large number of the bigger indie games and some gems so my list definitely reflects a mix of both worlds. Unfortunately, neither Resident Evil 2 Remake or Sekiro make my list just purely on the basis that they're not games that I tend to gel with, even with trying both. Anyway, numbers 20 to 11 are as follows:

20. Luigi's Mansion 3
19. Lonely Mountains: Downhill
18. Astral Chain
17. Untitled Goose Game
16. Concrete Genie
15. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
14. Ape Out
13. Devil May Cry 5
12. Apex Legends
11. Life is Strange 2

Most of the games from 20-11 were games where I felt there was something missing for me or something holding the game back. For instance, Life is Strange 2 feels somewhat rushed in most episodes and so the story, while still heavy hitting, doesn't carry the same impact when it's rushing you through things in a short space of time. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, as another example, was a game I really enjoyed but when I think about it, I think of some of the weird choices they made, like enemies respawning after using meditation circles or the introduction of another character to your squad very late game with no expansion on it. They're all great for different reasons but not as good, I feel anyway, as the games that I've put in my top 10.

10. Katana Zero - Not the only game this year to follow the Hotline Miami template but the one I feel that executed it the best. A brilliant story, superb soundtrack and great gameplay with brilliant quirks, like bullet deflection and being able to slow time. I slept on the game for so long and I feel stupid for doing so because it really is a sharp and extremely well crafted game and easily one of the most replayable games this year.

9. Baba Is You - A simple yet unique puzzle game that very quickly makes you feel stupid. Pushing blocks of words about to manipulate the rules of the levels to open doors, use rocks as keys or push bushes out of the way, the game goes the length with a surprising amount of depth with such a simple hook and u lived every infuriating stressful second of it as I banged my head against walls trying to figure levels out. Yet in all that frustration, I never fell put of love with the game. It always brought a smile to my face and I continually jumped back in to play more and more every time.

8. A Short Hike - The game that has well and truly turned me off of the next Animal Crossing game. The lo-fi visual presentation shouldn't be a put off to any as the underlying game is a relaxing and captivating stroll through a beautiful landscape filled with great characters. It's got the narrative chops that Animal Crossing wishes it has without any of the nonsense of repeatedly building up a home that's become trite over however many games (I know a lot will disagree with that but I wholeheartedly feel Animal Crossing has become stale and should definitely take lessons from this game) while being just as relaxing and fun to explore and play. It was an unknown quantity until I came across it and I instantly feel in love with everything about it. Hopefully it comes to the Switch as more people need to experience this fantastic game.

7. Metro Exodus - There was a point when this was my game of the year. And yet here it is at number 7. That's not to speak poorly of the game but rather that the quality of games that would follow later in the year surpassed a game that I absolutely loved to bits. This final entry in the story of Artyom told a well rounded narrative that I felt maintained the games focus on stealth based first person shooter gameplay and threw in some truly great moments. Some didn't like the move to open world segments but these gave rise to new gameplay quirks that changed up the formula and kept the game feeling as claustrophobic ad the previous entries were because of how perilous the world was. It gave a satisfying end to Artyom's story and further consolidated in my mind that the Metro series is one of the best and most underappreciated FPS series ever.

6. Sayonara Wild Hearts - Annapurna Interactive really have been in a roll with the slew of games they've been publishing as of late. This one, from Simogo, is best summed up as a bright and vibrant album about heartbreak and moving on. It's an on rails game reminiscent of the likes of Rez and marries the beautiful visual style with a fantastic electronic soundtrack perfectly. It's gameplay might not be as deep as some of the games on this list yet it's some of the most enjoyable and instantly replayable, thanks in large part to the rush for high scores and better ranks but also just to experience some truly crazy moments such as a mech-wolf shooter segment and riding on a stream of vomit from a boss. Much like last year's A Garden Between, it's does a lot without any words from the characters and really is one of the most heartfelt and beautiful games of the year.

5. Slay the Spire - I'm not usually a fan of rogue likes/lites yet when I switched Slay the Spire on, my mind was instantly brought back to my late teenage years playing Baten Kaitos. I have such fond memories of that game and loved the cards based gameplay and so here was a game that focused solely on that. Sure, the long winded narrative was gone but what was left was the captivating and engrossing gameplay that pulls you in and demands just one more run. The 3 different characters and the numerous ways you can build out a deck for each as well as the random nature of the acts and enemies made for endless replayability and, as I said, urged just one more go after a failed run. Even when I've stepped away, I've only done so temporarily because I know I won't be long in coming back to have another go, this time as a different character from the last time or trying to nail that deck down and get into the flow to progress. It's a fantastic game that ill no doubt be playing through much of this year and beyond.

4. Control - I may be somewhat biased here as I'm a massive Remedy fanboy (Alan Wake will always have a place in my heart as one of the best 360 games ever). Still, Control was the culmination of everything Remedy had been working on up until now. The narrative heavy focus of Alan Wake mixed with the action focused gameplay of Quantum Break and Max Payne. It coalesced into one of the most captivating and intriguing gameplay experiences that twisted and turned, throwing any number of weird and wonderful ideas at you. Performance issues aside, this is the game I probably had the most fun playing gameplay wise because of the powers at your disposal. Couple that with a superb cast (Courtney Hope and Matthew Porretta did fantastic jobs as Jesse Faden and Dr. Casper Darling respectively), intriguing main and side narratives, an incredible aesthetic and one of the most standout moments of the generation in the Ashtray Maze and you have Remedy's magnum opus. I havent stopped thinking about the game since I finished and can't wait to jump back in for the expansions.

3. Death Stranding - Beyond playing a few demos, I've never played a Metal Gear title. I was well aware of what the name Kojima meant but I'd never experienced the work that carried his name and so I went in to Death Stranding knowing nothing other than it would be weird, that it might not all make sense and that I'd sit through a lot of cutscenes along the way. Yet, right off the bat, I understood what the game was going for. I got what it was trying to do and what it was saying with the not so subtle metaphors about connection and the world dying and such. I feel in love with the cast of characters, and even BB, and I loved the simplicity of the gameplay, allowing for a more contemplative experience. The soundtrack and performances definitely help there and really make the game unlike anything I've ever played. I hope I can carve out the time to get back to it and finish it because it was just such a brilliant experience that I'm well aware isn't for everyone. But for me, it's the kind of game that I can connect with and I love it.

2. A Plague Tale: Innocence - Another big surprise for the year. I knew nothing of this until a month or two before release but the trailers that Focus Home Interactive were putting out intrigued me. To me, Asobo was an unknown developer and I wondered whether the game would fall flat on its face but seeing the review scores on launch day proved me wrong and when I got back home after picking up later that day and started playing, it instantly grabbed me and I just wanted to see more and more of the game. The grim and horrific imagery, the rat swarms and the characterisations of both Hugo's struggle with his illness and Amicia's as she tries to come to terms with the loss of her parents and the starkness of the world around while trying to protect her brother was beautifully played and brought together a fantastic single player narrative experience that stood out amongst such a wide range of excellent games this year.

1. Outer Wilds - No other game has given me a true sense of wonder and accomplishment and so many wow moments as this one did in 2019. A quasi-Metroidvania, without the unlockable upgrades, crossed with Majora's Mask all contained within one of the most beautifully crafted settings, knowledge and freedom were your friends and allowed you to go anywhere in the game's solar system if you only knew how to get there and could get there in time. I died within the first minute of starting because of shear inquisitiveness. I would die many more times before it all came to an end and every one of those failed attempts, be it trying to get through caverns before they slowly filled up with sand blocking progress, crash landing onto a comet orbiting the sun or being eaten alive by giant Anglerfish, we're worth the conclusion. It's a game where the journey is as much a part of the game as the ending and uncovering secrets while being given free reign to explore this meticulously crafted system was an experience unlike anything I'd played in modern gaming. I've thought so much about the game since I finished in in late summer and how much I'd give to forget it all and experience it with new eyes and there's scant few games I'd want to do that with. A beautiful game through and through and my game of the year.

So there we have it. My top 20 for 2019. It really was a fantastic year for games of all variety and I can only hope 2020 can compete, not just in the bigger budget department but also in the indie space as this year really has left me with some truly fantastic memories from smaller as well as bigger games.

[Hero-of-Time]

It’s been a very hectic year for gaming. Even with my ability to play through lots of games I’ve still not been able to get through everything that I wanted to play. It’s taken me a while to go through the list and gather my thoughts about what I have played. Like last years list, games that feature are only those that I have played and finished and are only games that were released in 2019, with evidence showing that I have actually played what I said I have. Although, I couldn't find any pics for my Gears 5 completion so clearly i'm just lying about that entry.  I've also included a list of games that I think got forgotten by a lot of people, some of my favourites music in a game and disappointing games that I played.

Top 10 Games of 2019

Spoiler

 

A Plagues Tale: Innocence (PS4)

Spoiler

This was one of the biggest surprises of the year for me and from looking at other lists across the internet, it seems this was also the case for many others.

The way you have to guide Amicia and Hugo through the dark and depressing world is always an intense affair. Trying to plan your routes in order to avoid the guards, using different sources of lights to avoid the rats and using a simple sling to make your way through crowded areas always came with a high risk but satisfying reward.

The game isn’t for everyone though. If you hate being stealthy in games and despise getting what is essentially a game over if you get seen and caught, then the game isn’t for you. It does require a lot of patience and precise planning in order to make it through areas unnoticed.

I loved the relationship that Amicia and Hugo had with each other. I thought that the writers perfectly captured how annoying a younger sibling can be to an older one, even when faced with the events in the game. There were times where you could see Amicia was trying to have patience with her younger brother but eventually her own inexperience dealing with him broke through and tempers were lost.

This is one of those games/genres that on paper I really shouldn’t like. I’m not usually a fan of the whole get seen and it’s over mechanic but I was willing to give the game a try and broaden my horizons. I’m happy that I continue to do this with gaming.

Bloodstained 

Spoiler

Kickstater campaigns have gotten a bit of a bad reputation in recent years. Things like Mighty No. 9 failed to deliver and Shenmue III ended up being a relic of the past. There was a lot of concern about Bloodstained. During its development the game suffered from multiple delays and other studios had to come in and lend a hand to get the game out of the door. Thankfully what was released was an absolute classic ( unless you picked up the Switch version which was an absolute mess) and a game that made me fall in love with the Metroid style Castlevania games.

I couldn’t really compare the game with Symphony of the Night because I had never played the game before (something which I change not long after finishing this) but I instantly fell in love with platforming, music and gameplay of this game. Collecting different shards and picking abilities which suited my style of play was so much fun, as was traversing the world with the upgrades I unlocked. A Metroidvania type game is doing it’s job well when the player gets a new ability and then you become excited to back track to the area you remember where you can use it in. If the back and forth is a slog then the game hasn’t done its job well.

This was one of those games where I pretty much played it non-stop over the weekend and I ended up finishing it before I went back to work on the Monday. It completely had its hooks into me and I’m happy that I gave the game a chance because it opened the door to me playing the GBA Castlevania games that I download on the Wii U years ago but never got to grips with. After playing this game I can see why IGA is held up in such high regard.

Death Stranding

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Kojima, you beautiful SOB, you’ve done it again. This was a game that I was back and forth as to whether to buy or not. I’m not a big fan of huge, open world games that require exploring but this was done right and completely blew me away. With the story beats being engaging and with every delivery being an adventure, this meant that travelling from place to place was an absolute joy and a memorable experience. 

The way that the game connects players was done in such a clever way. You felt that you were living in a constantly connected world, with each player helping each other out. It was great to get to an area and see ladders had been placed by others, knowing that other players would struggle with what they struggled with and decided to help them out. The gaming community can be very toxic at times, with people arguing over the littlest of things and fanboy mentality taking control. This shows the good side of the hobby and brought out the best in those you played the game. The feeling of satisfaction when a Thumbs Up or Like notification popped up on your screen is something I’ve never experienced in a game before. At that moment you know someone has used something that you have built and have appreciated what you have done for them within their game.

A special mention has to go to the music in this game. Kojima has long been a fan of putting  licensed  music into his games. And most of the time when this happens it’s from unheard of or not very popular artists. This was the case again in Death Stranding and in fact it actually saved the band  Low Roar from ending up in the gutter. A story recently came out about how the band was struggling really badly and that Death Stranding essentially saved them and gave them more exposure than they ever thought possible.

The way that Kojima placed certain bits of music throughout the game meant that special moments will remain with me for a long time. There were times when I was struggling to get to my destination and the journey was really taking its toll on Sam and BB. Once I managed to push through the storms and reached the top of a high peak then a Low Roar song would kick in and a sense of tranquillity would come over me as I sat look over the horizon and contemplating what I had just accomplished with Sam and BB. The game is littered with these moments and the final one to happen in the game actually had me in tears. The final delivery you make, the sun peaking over the horizon as I scaled my last mountain and the beautiful song playing was quite an emotional experience.

The game is probably one of the most divisive games that has ever been created but those who gave it a chance did end up falling in love with it, just like I did. However, I do respect and understand the opinion of those who can't find the joy in this game.

Devil May Cry V

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Pull my devil trigger! What an absolute return to form this game was. Devil May Cry 4 was a pretty average game and a poor DMC game. You had multiple characters to play as but you were just playing through the same game twice, with very little variation other than the combat style used. You then had Ninja Theory take a shot at the franchise with DmC and that wasn’t what many fans wanted. I never did play the game because it wasn’t part of the proper timeline and had no interest in this weird spin-off.

When DMCV was finally announced and shown I had confidence that this would be the sequel I was waiting for since the third game and I was happy to find that I wasn’t disappointed. The fast paced action, the various characters to play as, the different battle styles on offer, stupidly fun boss battles and an amazing OST made for a fantastic adrenaline pumping game. Like DMC4, this game featured multiple protagonists but this time it was done right and it never felt tacked on or a cheap way to lengthen the game. With the success of this entry I have high hopes for the continuation of this series.

Final Fantasy VIII Remastered

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This is one of the most divisive Final Fantasy games out there. Some hate the characters, draw system and story while others absolutely love all of these things. I fall into the latter category. It’s a game that rewards people that look into how the battle system actually works, with players able to build characters who break the game very early on.

This remaster has had a great graphic haul when compared to the original. It’s not a HD port like Final Fantasy IX was, nor is it the HUGE update that Final Fantasy VII is. Instead that game falls somewhere in the middle. The characters no longer look like pixelated messes and instead have been upgraded to give them a cleaner look. Other QoL options, such as a speed up option, made grinding for magic and Triple Triad so much more fun. Stocking magic on each of the characters was a big turn off for many gamers but this improvement now makes it a non-issue.

The game still holds up stupidly well, with a fantastic musical score, beautiful locations and a story that sees the best character growth that I have seen for a main character in any Final Fantasy game. This version of the game is now available on most platforms and is well worth playing.

Kingdom Hearts III

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It was a loooooooooooooooooooooooong wait for this. After countless spin-offs, teases and prequels the final part of the Xehanort saga was finally released at the start of the year and I can honestly say that it was well worth the wait. I didn’t expect the game to deliver but man I was so wrong.

There were so many amazing moments in the game for fans who had stuck with the series for all of this time. The fan service was off the charts with this one. Many of these moments reduced me to tears, whether by sheer joy or seeing sad events unfold in front of me.

The game was a bittersweet experience. I absolutely loved my time with it but was gutted when it was finally over. It was one of those games where I felt completely lost and down in the dumps when my adventure was over. Thankfully Re:Mind is soon to be released and it will once again be time to return to the world of Kingdom Hearts. 

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (PS4)

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This one just snuck into my top 10. Not because of the competition but due to me not actually starting the game until after Christmas. It was a toss-up of playing either this or Gears 5 on release ( both came out at the same time ) and I went with the latter, which turned out to be a mistake on my part. I have made up for lost time though. Despite only starting this after Christmas I have blitzed the game and poured over 100 hours into it already. I think it’s the first Monster Hunter game since the PSP ones where I’ve had to play through it on my own and with randoms due to nobody else being bothered about it. Sad times.

The new ice based map (Hoarfrost) you get to explore was a very fitting setting to play through given the time of year. I was very surprised just how much of a difficulty increase there was in the new quests involving this map. Even though I had maxed out armour and weapons from my time with the base game, the new monsters still hit like a truck and took ages to bring down. The first few quests took it out of me as I had to get to grips with how to play the game again, as well as some of the new mechanics. It was good to have this expansion bring a bit of challenge back to the game.

Some of the new designs of the monsters are awesome to look at. The Elder Dragon called Namielle is one of the best looking beasts I have fought in any Monster Hunter game. It’s a cross between a dragon and a jellyfish. The battle against it is a one that keeps you on your toes. It fires water across the floor and they will electrify it during various phases in the battle. It’s such a cool fight. Namielle also dishes out one of the best looking armour sets, IMO. 

Some of the new mechanics on offer I didn’t really bother with until after I had seen the credits roll. Big mistake as they really could have helped me out earlier. The Clutch Claw game mechanic is an absolutely amazing addition to the game and one that I want to see being brought back into the next entries in the series. It adds another layer of strategy to a battle and allows the player to grapple onto the monster and the force the monster to go running and head butt into the nearest wall, which knocks it out for some easy hits. Yup, I could have used that earlier in the game. 

Resident Evil 2 Remake

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I was both ecstatic and hesitant when this game got announced. The original Resident Evil 2 is a game that I cherish very dearly and one that I hold up high as one of the best video games ever made. Hearing that the game was to be remade using modern day consoles was a dream come true but I was worried that this remake would come with some weird caveats. Luckily that wasn’t the case and Capcom hit it out of the park.

What Capcom managed to pull off with this game was nothing short of amazing. They somehow managed to create a game that felt completely fresh and up to modern day standards but also managed to retain the atmosphere and gameplay style of the original game. It’s a balancing act that they handled perfectly and I’m not sure that many other developers could have pulled it off.

Some of the new additions to the game were very welcome, such as the kidnapping of Sherry Birkin and the escape scene that followed soon after. Things like this never really felt out of place in the game and this little additions were great for players such as myself who know the original game inside and out.

What I did appreciate about this was that Capcom didn’t try to mess with the formula too much. We are in a time where publishers are pushing most AAA games to be open world experiences, giving the players far too much freedom in favour of good, solid level design. Capcom didn’t follow this trend with this this release and in doing so managed to create a tightly focused game that allowed for players to do multiple runs, get better times/ranks and unlock better weapons for your next run of the game. This is in keeping with the original games where higher ranks would dish out bonuses or in the case of Resident Evil 3, epilogues for characters not featured in that game.

Speaking of RE3, I can’t wait to see what upgrades that game has been given when the remake releases in April.

The Walking Dead: The Final Season (PS4)

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Clementine’s long and arduous journey finally came to an end this year. With the closure of Telltale studios it was touch and go for a while whether or not the game would actually get a release. Thankfully, Skybound came to the rescue and got the game out of the door.

The way the final chapter of the game was very well done and the game ended in a perfect way. Teaching AJ life lessons, trying my best to keep the group together, fending off attackers and those who would break up what Clem had…by the end of the game I was an emotional wreck and was in tears.

I always found it strange that I never watched any of the Walking Dead series and have no inclination to do so but I absolutely loved the games, the stories they told and the characters they brought to life. It’s been an incredible and very memorable journey these past 7 years and it’s a great example of how games have evolved from simply being about gameplay to something much, much more.

Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair (PS4)

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I was one of the few that really loved the first YL game. I thought they recaptured the 3D platformer era perfectly and was very happy with what they created. This wasn’t the case for many people and as such Playtonic decided to go back to the drawing board and pull from their experience of working on the Donkey Kong Country games. This resulted in one of the best 2D platform games in recent years.

The overworld in the game was a big surprise and I found myself loving the exploration aspect of it all. Trying to find the collectibles, creating shortcuts and unlocking hidden stages by manipulating the environments made traversing the world an absolute joy.

A special mention has to go the final level of the game. This really tests the player to see if they can put into practice everything they have learnt during the course of the game. The level is designed stupidly well and it never feels cheap or unfair. If you fail it’s because you did something wrong. It’s a level that certainly separates the men from the boys and is the cherry on top of an already fabulous game. 

 

Disappointing Games of 2019

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Days Gone (PS4)

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I quite like the past games that Sony Bend have made.  Back on the original PlayStation, the original Syphon Filter game was a fantastic alternative to Metal Gear Solid. Resistance: Retribution was a brilliant spin off of from the main franchise and put the PSP hardware to good use. Uncharted: Golden Abyss was a premier title for the Vita and managed to perfectly capture the feel of the franchise. Days Gone just wasn’t as fun as any of these games.

I found the world of Days Gone to be a dark and dreary place to traverse around. The characters were very uninteresting, the traversal boring and the graphics a bit hit and miss. I also wasn’t a fan of how dark and serious the game got at times, with scenes of torture being put on screen a few times. It’s something I had a hard time watching and honestly it’s a concern of mine when thinking about The Last of Us Part 2 and what that will bring to the table when it’s released.

On the plus side, the horde mechanics that the game presents are quite fun but the enemies become less of a threat once you figure out that you can take them out pretty quickly and easily with the right set up.

I would like to think this is one of those games where I would have enjoyed more if it wasn’t an open world game but given that I had issues with the characters and story I don’t think that this would have really help things.

I was worried that the studio may be in trouble over this. They used a large amount of time to release the game and it ended up getting average reviews. Although, going by what the Sacred Symbols guys were say, Sony PR screwed them over by given the game out far too early and before the game was actually fully patched, so reviewers were playing a broken game at that point. Even though I don’t care for the game I was happy to see the game selling very well and securing the jobs of those over at the studio.

Gears 5 (Xbox One)

I was pretty excited to play through this game, so much so that I bought myself another Xbox to play the game. It’s a series I’m a big fan of and one that I follow in both games and in the books. After finishing the game I thought it was good but as I thought about it more I found that I started to sour on the direction they have taken the game.

The open world sections of the game are completely unnecessary and they bring nothing new to the table. Gears has always been about moment to moment set pieces, all set in tightly packed corridors/areas, with plenty of wall bouncing to be had. It kept the game and narrative moving forward and a good pace. Adding the open world section to the game really disrupted the flow of it all and made the game worse off. Also, the open choice you get to make in the game was also a weird decision in my eyes.

Gears of War 4 made a mess of horde and it became a huge grind, taking up to 2 and a half hours to make through it all. I was hoping they would balance and fix this in the fifth game, hopefully getting back into the simplicity of Gears of War 3. Nope. If anything they made it worse by making all about different classes and each player having a specific role. This made it really hard to play with random gamers if they weren’t willing to talk or cooperate.

I was talking to a few of my friends about the game and it seems they shared the same opinion on the game. It was also quite telling that my Xbox friends list had hardly anyone playing Gears 5 a week or two after it released. These were all big Gears players but the game just didn’t work for them.

Life is Strange 2 (PS4)

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I loved the first LiS game and enjoyed the prequel that was released a year or so after it. I figured that this would have followed on from the strong story telling from those games and given me an interesting narrative to get my teeth into over the Christmas period. Sadly, that wasn’t the case at all.

I get the feeling that DontNod are a bunch of stoner, hippie type people.  Every game I’ve played of theirs so far has had these types of characters in them and quite frankly I’m a bit tired of them at this point. In the first 2 LiS games I didn’t really care for Chole’s character due to her sticking attitude and pothead ways and the same can be said with a lot of the characters in this game. I think the game is strongest when these young hippie types aren’t featured and other characters are given time to shine.

A big part of me not liking this game is that I didn’t really care for a lot of the political messages that were in the game. Don’t get me wrong, it’s admirable that developers are trying to use games to speak out about certain aspects of real life but for me I like to use games as a way to get away from real life. There’s far too much doom and gloom out there already without me having to put up with it whilst playing a game.

Pokemon Sword/Shield

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When Game Freak told us that they were making a mainline Pokemon game on the Switch most of us got excited about the possibilities of what the game would look and play like on a home console. We really should have known better and what Game Freak put out was a very half baked effort.

The Pokemon games have being getting easier and easier with each generation and these games they completely went all in. The games are devoid of any type of challenge and you can steam roll the story in around 12 hours, which is something that I ended up doing.

Graphically the game isn’t doing anything special and the animations for some of the Pokemon’s moves are pretty bad/laughable. The whole game just felt like a rush job and it was a far cry from what a lot of people wanted when they thought about Pokemon arriving on a home console. The amount of money that this franchise rakes in there is no excuse for the lack of evolution in the games and it goes to show that Game Freak would rather put out a safe, and average product than try and make a special and memorable game.

Despite this, I did end up becoming addicted to the post game grind and catching all of the Pokemon but I think that was more to do with me just trying to get more than 12 hours out of the game rather than the quality of what was on offer.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

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This was a game I initially enjoyed but as the game when on it became and bit of a grind to get to the end. The lack of fast travel really hurt the game and going from one end of the map to the other became a slog of a time, especially when there was very little variation between trips. It felt like the developers weren’t happy with just creating a tight 6-7 hours hour game and instead decided to try and pad the game out longer than it needed to be.

The game also had some issues with the way it ran. I had a hard crash on it when playing on a base PS4 and some of the areas did become choppy the longer I played it. Apparently this was some kind of memory leak issue that hadn’t been resolved and the longer you played the game the worse it started to run. Resetting the game fixed the issue ( I think it’s now been patched ) but it was something that could have been avoided had the game had more time in the oven.

I think the game did well as a starting block and I imagine that the sequel will build and improve upon many of the systems that were in place in this game but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed by what was on offer here. Even more so when I think that the game could have been a much better experience had it not been pushed out of the door to coincide with the release of the new film.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

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This was such a disappointment to me. I was initially excited about the game when it was first release but as more and more got shown my hype started to die down and the realisation set in that the original game is quite short and I know it like the back of my hand. This meant that unless Nintendo/Grezzo were going to shake things up with this remake then the game would pretty much be a carbon copy of the original game and sadly that is what happened.

I found the game to be quite lacking and the framerate issues, which to this day haven’t been fixed, were very jarring. I think this wouldn’t have been a problem had the game kept its tile style. Saying that, the isn’t a graphical powerhouse and the system really should be able to do better than this.

After completing the game I felt completely meh about the whole thing and much prefer the original GameBoy version over what was created here. I see the game as a wasted opportunity and I found that Cadence of Hyrule was the far better Zelda game that was released in 2019.

 

Forgotten Games of 2019

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Blaster Master Zero 2 (Switch)

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The original BMZ game is one of my favourite eShop games on the Switch. The blend of top down action segments with the Metroidvania style exploration, along with the lovely graphical style they used, made for a fantastic gaming experience. The sequel doesn’t try to do mix up the formula that much and instead just builds on what was already there. It’s a shame the game seems to have been overlooked.

Code Vein (PS4)

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This game was probably the biggest surprise of the year to me. I didn’t really have any interest in it and it wasn’t until I seen Jim Sterling do a video on it that I decided to pick it up. The game was stupidly fun to play through and it would be a great introduction to the Souls type games to any newcomer wanting to get into the genre. It is much easier than those games due to the AI partner that accompanies you on missions but that doesn’t take away from the experience. I ended up playing through the game 3 times in a row during the Christmas period because it was so much fun to do so.

Katana ZERO (Switch)

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I’m finding more and more that there are a lot of indie games that look pretty good in their reveal trailers but then fail to deliver to the expectations that said trailers set up. Katana Zero is not one of those cases. The gameplay loop of slowing down time, planning your moves and then rewinding if you fail is very satisfying.  This is basically John Wick in game form. The game also has a great soundtrack, with synth tunes being the order of the day.

ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove (PS4)

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I was overjoyed to hear that this franchise was coming back as a Kickstarter and I eagerly awaited its release. I was happy to find that the game was the true sequel to the original game that I had been waiting for all of these years. The guys who made the game recaptured the feeling of the original game and it’s something that the sequels never managed to do.  It played just like the Mega Drive game and it proves that I can play and enjoy roguelike games.

Yoshi’s Crafted World (Switch)

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This is a game that grew on me the more that I played it. Just playing the game from start to finish is a pretty bland, easy and short affair. The game really shines when you start delving into finding all of the collectibles and achieving 100% completion. I got over 30 hours out of the game by playing this way. Great game that rewards players who put the time into it. I’m quite shocked out how few people on here actually bought and played the game, especially as it is a 1st party title.

 

Favourite Game Music in 2019

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Here are a handful of tracks from the games that I played this year. To be honest I could just put the whole of the Death Stranding soundtrack on here and call it a day but I thought I would try to vary it a bit. Some of the music is from games that were released before 2019 but I only got round to playing this year. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 14, 2020 by Hero-of-Time