ResetEra Games of the Year 2019 - Voting Thread (READ THE OP) [Ends Jan 26th 8:59am EST]

benzopil · Jan 25, 2020

AI: The Somnium Files - The most loveable cast of 2019. Sometimes I keep rewatching the final credits scene and remember how I got there, after what these characters experienced. This is the game I will always recommend to everybody I know even if I'm sure they'll never play it. I love all these characters, all the voice actors who did an amazing job and of course the man, the myth, the legend Kotaro Uchikoshi. A fantastic game and the best game of the year.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - A fantastic metroidvania from the Master himself.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - One of the best games on Switch, a huge game with a lot of content.
Baba Is You - Genius.
Luigi's Mansion 3 - Charming.
Code Vein - Best character creator.
Apex Legends - Fun.
Arise: A Simple Story - Sad but wholesome.
Tetris 99 - The best free game that's not available for free.
Judgment - A nice bridge between Kiryu saga and Yakuza 7.

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Deleted member 5604 · Jan 25, 2020

Death Stranding - Never have I gone into a game expecting to dislike it heavily, only to come out on the other side with it as my Game of the Year and one of my favorite games of a generation. Everything gameplay/game world related from the previews seemed like it was intent on including stuff I don't like in games. Open World that's mostly empty? check. Repetitive missions? Check. Horror-ish elements? Check. Durability and stamina based mechanics? Check. The only reason I even played the game was because I had manage to nab a physical preorder for the game at 40% off and it would've been easy to make my money back or even profit after trying out the game. And I wanted to at least check out what crazy story/world kojima came up with and see long cutscenes with top notch presentation.

Little did I expect that whilst liking that aspect, it would actually be my least liked part of the game.And that all the things I dislike and hate were somehow brought together in a way to make something uniquely engaging. Where the simple act of going from point A to B in a game is usually to get to the next event/action/combat, was turned into the main hook/gameplay and it worked brilliantly. Death Stranding was my most played game of 2019, one of the most played games of the generation as well and is undoubtedly my Game of the Year.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - It may just be enough to say "it's a FROM game" but this game hit all the right notes for me. Stealth focus, fast skill based action, large variety of interesting bosses and great difficulty. The setting and the color palette was the most attractive one yet for me by FROM and finally a story told more up-front rather than hidden behind in item descriptions.
Devil May Cry 5 - DMC IS BACK!!! To be honest if I start listing out all the things I didn't like with this game, at a glance it would seem like it doesn't belong anywhere near my GOTY list. But the gameplay and the return of DMC goofiness more than made up for it and then some.
Sayonara Wild Hearts - A surprise to me for sure. When I first saw a bit of footage for the game I was definitely interested but it felt like a 'should be a a fun "just good" game.' And that's exactly what it was... at the beginning. Constantly evolving gameplay/visuals/mechanics that kept on surprising and kept the game fresh and fun along with a soundtrack which I could not find a flaw in made for a terrific journey in this story about a character hitting a low point in their life learning to love themselves again.
Kingdom Hearts 3 - The first Kingdom Hearts game I played to completion, featuring a fun (but a little too easy) battle system, terrific visuals/presentation, and one of the few games that nails fights with large bosses using existing normal gameplay instead of introducing new mechanics just for those fights. Despite a few glaring flaws, I had a really fun/jolly time with the game.
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled - I missed out on CTR when it was on PS1, I got it as a PS+ title on the PS3, but never really played it as I didn't put in time to get a grasp on the mechanics. So this remake coming out with a visual overhaul, some improvements to make the learning curve easier and a ton of content got me hooked and took the top spot of my favorite kart racer.

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Trejo · Jan 25, 2020

Resident Evil 2 - A brilliant reimagining of a beloved classic. They somehow managed to maintain its scary atmosphere while updating the game to modern standards.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - It's the Symphony of the Night sequel I'd been waiting a long, long time for. It has its flaws, but I found it difficult to care about any of them while playing it.
Devil May Cry 5 - Amazing presentation, slick action and over the top everything. What's not to love? Plus, after bordering on the precipice of shitty spin-off hell for a number of years it's a great feeling to know that the real DMC is back.
Control - After being somewhat disappointed by Quantum Break Remedy came back in a big way with this title. Not gonna lie, the Ashtray maze sequence alone is a big reason for its placement on this list.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - An actually good Star Wars game? Sign me up for that any day. Plus it's a Soulsborne-esque game that unskilled scrubs like me can actually play thanks to its difficulty options so yeah.
The Outer Worlds - Short and sweet. Nothing gave me as many warm fuzzy feelings as helping Parvati to ask someone out on a date. I just wanted her to be happy.
A Plague Tale: Innocence - Unfortunately the game's story lost some of its steam the more you discovered it imo but still, what a captivating title, all things considered.

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PinkCrayon · Jan 25, 2020

Red Dead Redemption 2 - After waiting a year I was worried that it might not live up to the hype. It didn't. Red Dead exceeded all my expectations. The sheer amount of detail in the world is staggering, and the fact that much of the protagonist dialogue is recorded twice is extremely impressive. Arthur Morgan is one of the best written characters ever to grace a video, and the story of the dissolution of his family is so much more mature than anything Rockstar has ever written.
Pathologic 2 - I feel bad about Pathologics placement on my list. It really should be number one, and it was, right up until December. Pathologic was going to be the anchor on my list by which every other game would be judged. When developers let go of their need to handhold players through every bit of content they created, they can embrace the player and trust them to navigate their creation, even when the world they created is as harsh and unforgiving as it could be.
Baba is You - Quite simply the best puzzle game I've ever played. Combined with the fact it was a type of logic based puzzling that i had never seen in a game before, I was enthralled from start to finish.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - FromSoft once again excels at what they do best. Similar to Pathologic, Sekiro demands the player meet them halfway, and will not allow you to proceed unless you do. I wish more games did this, and hopefully Sekiro's success will inspire other developers to follow its lead.
A Plague Tale: Innocence - Amazing visuals paired with good characters and story really prop up A Plague Tale despite its rather simplistic gameplay.
Metro Exodus - A common theme with the games I enjoyed this year: really damn good looking. Fantastic RTX implementation raises this already great looking game into amazing looking territory. The game itself felt like standard Metro fare, and I felt like it could have used a few more systems to make its more open structure more engaging.
Life is Strange 2 - Though a departure from the first game, LiS 2 feels much more ambitious and a bit more consistent, especially when taking into account the final episode. The only that was really holding it back was the lengthy release schedule.
Control - Solid gameplay that could have used more enemy variety, but the brutalist style, scp inspired story, and overall presentation push Control into the pantheon of Remedy games worthy of high praise.
Gears 5 - A solid entry in the aging franchise. Absolutely gorgeous, gameplay was tighter than ever, though some of the new innovations felt like they needed to be expanded upon a bit more.
Blasphemous - Yes, one of those. Pixel art. Metroidvania. Dark Souls. Fortunately, a very good one of those. Amazing style, lots of animation frames and satisfying parry and dodge combat.

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KefkaPalazzo · Jan 25, 2020

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - The best Fire Emblem yet in my opinion. I've played the last three or so, and really liked them, but didn't quite love them. The various refinements, particularly in the combat system, the removal of some of the more cringe-worthy aspects, and the interesting premise changed that for me. Team Blue Lions.
Disco Elysium - Man, talk about a game that came out of no where for me! I vaguely recall something about No Truce With The Furies from a while back, but knew nothing about this game until I saw the overwhelming positive response. Given that praise, I decided to give it a try, and I was absolutely delighted that I did. I was glued to this game throughout the 25 hours I put into it. I've always loved games that give you choice and respond to your actions accordingly, and this game might do that better than any game...ever. Here's hoping that more developers opt to create more smaller but responsive and realized game worlds in the future.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Finally, another truly great Star Wars game! First off, let me say that I was lucky enough not to experience any of the technical issues or glitches that I know many experienced, and was able to enjoy the game the way it was meant intended to be. Star Wars X Uncharted X Dark Souls. Epic set pieces, a rewarding combat system, and top notch story telling.
Resident Evil 2 - A wonderful remake and reimagining. They took the 2nd best Resident Evil game and made it...the 2nd best Resident Evil game. Let me try that again. They took a classic game from 20 years ago, and made a instant classic for the modern age. X gonna give it to ya.
Kingdom Hearts 3 - It finally happened. KH3 finally came out. You known, if i'm being objective and not subjective, this game is pretty flawed. It plays almost exactly like the PS2 games, be it refined and with many things expanded...but...what can I say, be it Nostalgia or whatever, I really loved playing this. It was a unapologetic love letter to fans of the series in many ways.
The Outer Worlds - For the first 10 hours or so of this game, this was a real contender for my GOTY. Despite there being a drop off in quality from that initial high, and a weak combat system in my opinion, this was still a really good WRPG with some memorable quests and characters. Parvati might be my favorite character of the year.
The Division 2 - My favorite "podcast game" of the year. It's strong mechanics and satisfying shooting, along with it's meaningless story made this perfect for mindlessly popping and shooting the bad guys and upgrading my gear. It's also one of the most technically impressive games of the year if you got the right PC for it.
Gears 5 - I've never been a major fan of the series other than the original, but I have liked the games. I'd say this was my favorite since the original. It's the classic Gears formula with some bold choices including an open world and more player choice that I think really helps refresh the experience. I still don't care much about the story, but I do like the characters and man oh man, this might be the best looking and sounding game of the year.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - More of this please. This game is basically just SOTN with a baffling amount of powers and upgrades to kill monsters with. The cooking system was the best of the year too.
A Plague Tale: Innocence - Another game that seemingly came out of no where. The unique premise, setting, and narrative make up for the by the numbers stealth gameplay and design.

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Sumio Mondo · Jan 25, 2020

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - My favourite game on the Switch, dethroning Mario Odyssey. The best Fire Emblem I've played yet. Very strong cast of characters that carry a surprisingly decent story (that's still not Yasumi Matsuno tier, but some of the writing is really good). All the skills and training makes the game incredibly addictive and all routes are worth playing, despite the repetition. Amazing music and really fun combat elevates the game also. At a time when Japanese SRPGs seem to be going away, it's great to see one doing so well and trying new things as well. And for that alone, it deserves my top spot.
Resident Evil 2 - Honestly went above and beyond my expectations. Been waiting for this since I played REmake back in the mid 2000s. Once again, Capcom came out and really shook the game up in new ways. Best part of it is that it doesn't erase the original RE2, just presents a new way of experiencing it. Mr. X steals the show here (whereas I feel that Birkin does in the original RE2) and is a threatening presence so much so that Nemesis really has a lot to live up to in the upcoming RE3 Remake. Capcom truly is back, no joke. A brilliant modern survival horror.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - A fast paced stealth/action masterpiece from Hidetaka Miyazaki. I've played a lot of From Software games, from the classic Armored Core series, to King's Field series on PS1 and PS2, to the Souls series, Bloodborne and obscurities like Echo Night Beyond and Kuon. This game will go down as one of their best games. Loved the combat system, took some time to get used to it, but once it clicks oh man, it really gets addictive. By the end I felt like a badass, the boss battles are some of the best in their long history. Miyazaki directed yet another great game, can't wait for Elden Ring.
Death Stranding - Just beat it this evening. What an experience. Loved the storyline (despite the pedantic nature of the storytelling), the music was phenomenal from start to very end, even enjoyed the ending greatly. I honestly feel a bit hollow that it's now all over. I think this is the best Kojima game since MGS3, quite honestly. Not always the biggest open world enthusiast but I loved what he did here, it felt fresh enough for me and loved the horror/thriller atmosphere. I've been a fan of Kojima's for a long time (Snatcher and MGS1) so have been hoping for a new IP from the man for a long time, it's just great to see him knock it out of the gate, since for me, Metal Gear was really dragging his work down. Bring on the next new projects, Kojima.
The Outer Worlds - At around 38 hours into it currently, I haven't beaten this game but have made a very big dent into it. Where I'm at now is this is one of my favourite games that Obsidian have made. Despite the heavy criticisms on here, I feel the gameplay systems connect together well, the characters are really fun and i love the Mass Effect meets Fallout: New Vegas atmosphere with some really underrated side quests and great writing. A fantastic science fiction RPG.
SaGa: Scarlet Grace: Ambitions - Square-Enix's best game of this gen (published and/or developed). A cult classic RPG in the making. Possibly the best game Kawazu and his team has ever made too. Low budget but with a lot of heart put into it. The combat system is S-tier turn based gameplay which requires a lot of thinking and strategy, not grinding. For all the talk about Tokyo RPG Factory bringing back the old school RPG feel, this game does it far better.
Devil May Cry 5 - One of the best combat systems I've played in Action game. Never finished it but definitely plan to return to it very soon and do so. I loved what I played of it and it is great to see one of Capcom's classic IPs return with such grace. Itsuno really delivered despite the long wait between 4 and 5. I even enjoyed playing as V, despite the criticism his play style attracted. Nero and Dante played incredibly well and the boss encounters are above anything Platinum Games have been able to produce this generation. I really hope other classic Capcom IPs get a return as great as this one.
Control - Remedy's return to form. My favourite third person shooter this gen, lots of cool powers to play around with. Really enjoyed the characters in this too.
Blazing Chrome - The best Contra sequel we could ever ask for. Indie game of the year.
Persona Q2 - Will definitely go down as one of the most underrated games in the Persona franchise. A really fun dungeon crawler and a soundtrack that I honestly thought was better than P5's. Really enjoyed it.

This was actually a really hard year for me, I liked all of these games a lot and couldn't figure out how to rank them, since they are such a wide variety of genres doing their own thing (and doing it, very well).

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Nameless · Jan 25, 2020

Pathologic 2 - A rusted-scalpel dissection of the notion 'games should be all about having fun', meticulously crafted to drown players in suffering and failure and utter hopelessness. This is far from a fun time, but if you're patient, and can put yourself in its uncomfortable headspace you'll be rewarded with one of the most ambitious, best written, disturbingly atmospheric and engrossing RPG-Horror experiences this generation — a game that sticks with you like the worst day of your life. It reminds me a bit of The Wire's. A lot like Simon's Baltimore, this strange town tucked away at the edge of The Steppe feels like a living-breathing(dying) character, one you get to know intimately through navigating its various systems, economies, cultures, institutions etc... You feel it when crime rises or the water supply fails. When things grow increasingly dire and food prices skyrocket . When there's just not enough healthcare for everyone, and that genuine sense of community starts too breakdown, and darker parts of the town's past begin to emerge.
Outer Wilds - The feelings of awe and wonder this game stirred in me are among the most intense I've felt in in any game...ever. It's an absolutely breathtaking cosmic sandbox full of danger, emotion, and mind-imploding revelations. It sent hurling through time, back to that space obsessed kid discovering Sagan, Asimov, and Baxter for the first time
Devil May Cry 5 - Can't recall the last time I felt more in control orcapable handling a character in a video game as I do Nero in DMC5. Even after 80 hours, the more I play the more layers of depth & nuance I unlock, the more in control and capable I feel.
Resident Evil 2 - Survival Horror perfected on Hardcore difficulties and quite possibly the best horror game this generation.
Control - Within the first few minutes I noticed a landscape painting that was eeriliy similar to one that hung in my grandmother's living room when I was a child. I just stared at it for minutes. Turns out that was a perfect tone-setter for Control.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - An intense test of will and attrition. As punishing as it is satisfying.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - I've admired FE from a distance for years, and it exceeded all expectations. Phenomenal and memorable cast. All Hail Edelgard!
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - I'm grateful to have this insane Fighter Jet Fantasy back in my life. It's intoxicating as ever, especially in VR.
Death Stranding - Proof I would walk through hell for Kojima and love it. Not sure if the world needs more slowburn delivery sims, but I'm glad this one exists.
A Plague Tale: Innocence - A little rough hahaha the edges the characters have a ton of heart and I can't get enough of sense of place and small narrative flourishes.

Honorable Mention:
Greedfall
Remnant From The Ashes
Observation
Code Vein
*Disco Elysium(haven'tactually played it yet, but it's 1000% my shit and I'm anticipating it retroactively being one of my 2019 standouts once I finally get my hands on it)

If I discover one game per year that resonates as deeply as either Outer Wilds or Pathologic 2 I consider that a win, so needless to say 2019 was a special one. Choosing between the two was brutal, but they're tied in my heart. Overall this is easily my most beloved Top 10 since 2015. Terrific close to a classic gaming decade.

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PC90 · Jan 25, 2020

Dragon Quest Builders 2 - The first game was almost my GotY in 2016, and with this game improving on all fronts makes it an easy choice for me.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Resident Evil 2
Tetris 99
Pokemon Sword
Mortal Kombat 11
A Short Hike
The Outer Worlds
Kingdom Hearts 3
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

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AuthenticM · Jan 25, 2020

Resident Evil 2 - When this game was announced back in 2015, I was firmly in the camp of "fixed camera angles or GTFO". I was convinced that an over-the-shoulder TPS like the later RE games would be incapable of recreating the pure survival-horror gameplay of the original game. Needless to say, I was completely wrong. The people who made Resident Evil 2 knew what they were doing. They managed to do what I thought was impossible, and I love them for it. My opinion of Resident Evil 2 is that it's one of the greatest games I have ever played, and it is currently in a head-to-head battle with Bloodborne as my game of the generation. As for 2019, it is my game of the year.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Sekiro is an amazingly-crafted game. The combat is tense and visceral unlike anything else on the market, including the Souls games. The combat is well-complemented by a fantastic world design that is super enjoyable to explore thanks to the protagonist's mobility. I very much hope From refines the formula by making a sequel.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 - This game has everything that the fans of the first one wanted: more mechanics, better combat, better exploration, and progression throughout the whole game. This game is bigger and better and eclipses the original in every way. I'm honestly not sure how a potential DQB3 could improve the formula, but I am nonetheless impatient to see one.
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers - I haven't finished this expansion yet, but what I have played so far has impressed me. Amazing music, great characters and writing, and just an all-around better presentation that anything that preceded it. I'm very much hoping that the future expansions will be as good as it is.
Death Stranding - Death Stranding has a lot of flaws, namely the completely uninteresting story and characters. It also takes a while to start and let the player make full use of what the game has to offer. But once it does, the core loop of this game is addicting. Who knew that walking the earth to build infrastructure could be so fun. I beat the game back in November, but as I am typing this, I went back to the game yesterday to build some more roads and ziplines to connect the settlements. This is a game that has everything to gain from a sequel. There is so much to improve here that I am convinced that we could see a jump in quality in the vein of Assassin's Creed 1 to 2.
Sayonara Wild Hearts - A neat little game that has a lot of style and heart. The music was fantastic.
Judgment - This game is pretty good, but it's a step down coming from Yakuza 0 and Kiwami 2. The story is good but not great, but the main letdown for me was the combat. Kiwami 2 perfected the Yakuza combat, but Judgment has some frustrating elements, such as constant knockdowns that take way too long to undo. Some of these things can be improved through skills, but the game doesn't communicate that to the player at all and I only discovered them at the very end of the game. That said, I still enjoyed my time with the game. There is a comforting feeling in walking the streets of Kamurocho; it feels like going home in some way. That was good enough to sustain me throughout the whole game.
Apex Legends - I don't really play first-person shooters anymore, but this game grabbed me for a little bit when it launched. I had never played a battle royale game, and Apex Legends proved to be a fantastic introduction to the subgenre for me. I would have probably played it a lot more had I had some friends to play it with.

**VoteBot: Thanks for participating in ResetEra GOTY 2019! You vote receipt is available here.**

**VoteBot: Thanks for participating in ResetEra GOTY 2019! You vote receipt is available here.**

eternalblue · Jan 25, 2020

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Please correct your spelling of Judgment without the e after g or VoteBot might not count it correctly and your vote for the game won't be counted.

PBalfredo · Jan 25, 2020

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Game of the Year as in "Best Game of the Year" as well as "The Game I Spent the Year Playing". I already loved Fire Emblem, but this one got its hooks in me more than any other game in the series. There is so much freedom and replayability, both from New Game+ and from being able to explore the different houses and the wonderful characters within them. Three Houses easily has the strongest character work of the series and I'm blown away with what they've managed to achieve. I'm on my fourth playthrough already, already planning my descent into Maddening difficulty for my next run and eagerly awaiting the Ashen Wolves DLC. I haven't fallen into a game this deep since Mass Effect 2, and I'm loving it. Edelgard was right. Black Eagles forever!
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - It really hit me how much I've missed this series and the special flair that the Strangereal provides. Tons of fun, killer soundtrack and even came with a version of AC5!
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - I loved the Igavanias and this delivers on that promise perfectly. Tons of exploration, customization and backdashing.
Ring Fit Adventure - Great way to get back into the rhythm of working out. The peripherals work way better than the balance board and allow for a wider range of exercises.
Remnant: From the Ashes - I love co-operative campaigns and this is the game I've been playing with my buds online. Shooting just feels good and even the base encounters in this game are a blast. Just fun to play.
Hypnospace Outlaw - Witty and fun, this game captures a time and place perfectly. It leverages its setting for both cleaver problem solving and telling an enduring story along the way.[/B]

Honorary Mention a.k.a. Games I Bought and I Bet They're Awesome, But I'm Still Playing Fire Emblem.
- Control
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- Indivisible
- The Sims 4: Discover University
- Outer Worlds

BanGy · Jan 25, 2020

eternalblue said:
Please correct your spelling of Judgment without the e after g or VoteBot might not count it correctly and your vote for the game won't be counted.

GOD DAMN IT I DID IT AGAIN.

AvernOffset · Jan 25, 2020

Disco Elysium - Disco effortlessly shifts from being laugh-out-loud funny to profoundly depressing to tense and thrilling without ever missing a beat. It's dense and weird, but it manages to stay grounded thanks to sharp writing, a cast of characters that feel deeply real, and its unique skill system that constantly provides context to help guide the player through its bizarre world. It's simply the best storytelling I've ever seen in a game.
Beat Saber - It's a simple concept executed perfectly.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - The combat is great, but what really stuck out to me about Sekiro was just how good From Software's storytelling has gotten. Sekiro's narrative is more straightforward than the Souls series', and it wound up making the experience even more impactful.
Slay the Spire - At first it's fun to just get synergistic decks working and do crazy combos. Once you know the cards and enemies though, the game's deeper strategic side begins to show, and it's a bottomless pit. StS feels like a game with endless room for improvement and optimization.
Devil May Cry 5 - It's still unreal to me that a game with this kind of production values can have combat so deep. This game shouldn't even exist.
Resident Evil 2 - As a spooky game, it's great. As an action game with a heavy focus on resource management, it's brilliant.
Amid Evil - The best arsenal I've ever seen in an FPS since Doom 2.
AI: The Somnium Files - The characters are delightful and the plot twists were gripping.
A Short Hike - It takes the fun of exploring a giant world and packs all of it down into less than 2 hours.
Wargroove - I wanted Advance Wars to come back. It did. It's exactly what I wanted.

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IDreamOfHime · Jan 25, 2020

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - A masterpiece of the genre and one of the most mature and well told stories in years, up there with the pillars of the genre like FF Tactics. The school timetable format lost focus towards the end, but all the other changes to the FE formula were for the better.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - The best 3d Metroid game since Echoes and the best Star Wars game ever made. Never before felt like a real Jedi or the the appreciation of a lightsaber. Sadly held back by technical hitches, crashes and various other bugs. The sequel will be an event.
Control - The best story and presentation of the year, paired with surprisingly remarkably fun gameplay. Some battles make you feel more like a Jedi that even Fallen Order did! Unfortunately the nuts and bolts holding the game together don't test as well with full system crashes and bad glitches spoiling some of the most powerful and important parts of the game.
Resident Evil 2 - Whichever character you choose, the 1st scenario is a powerhouse. Full of fantastic horror, overblown action, clever puzzles, and coupled with some of the best visuals ever seen on consoles. The 2nd scenario however disappoints with how little it pushes the envelope and only makes you wonder just how the revision of an already established masterpiece could be pushed further into something even more magnificent, as Capcom already managed to do with the 1st games remake. What there is can't be denied as great, but it could have been more.
Luigi's Mansion 3 - Luigi's finest hour. The most gorgeous game on Nintendo's little machine and some of the most genius levels in the Mario series. However, the padding is in your face and always feels a chore.
Pokemon Sword - An immature and boring story coupled with unimpressive graphics, but everything is lifted by the solid battle mechanics and bliss of semi-open world exploration. A baby step for the series, but one in the right direction.
Metro Exodus - Exodus is at its best when it's being classic Metro. Dark tunnels, bloody horror and facing overwhelming odds. It's at its worst when it's trying to be an open world survival game.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - A jolly and beautiful gem showing how a decades old classic is still relevant today. Surprisingly poor performance and a lack of new content hold it back.
Devil May Cry 5 - Dante and Nero's journeys are a gloriously bombastic welcome return to form, however V was not for me and neither was most of the game being set in what felt like the bloody copy and paste passages of the devils colon.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - Bad story, awful voice acting and tolerable graphics....but who cares? The game is basically SOTN2 and its awesome every time in leans harder into that.

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Vervain · Jan 25, 2020

Well, here we go. My list has shifted a little bit since I put one together for Rocket Chainsaw late last year, but not much has changed.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - 110 hours and 2 completed playthroughs later and Three Houses has grabbed me in a way that not many games can. It's fantastic characters, slice of life systems and fantastic tactical RPG combat all combine into a game that is easily my favourite of the year.
Resident Evil 2 - After years of being too anxiety ridden to complete a survival horror game, Resident Evil 2 was finally the game to break the cycle. It looks utterly amazing, the gameplay is tight and tension filled without ever feeling unfair and the puzzles all work wonderfully to break the gameplay rhythm up.
Control - I came to Control later than most, but I could barely set it down after I started. It had some of the highest highs of any game I played this year, but some unfortunately lacklustre combat encounters towards the end of the game dragged it down a little.
A Plague Tale: Innocence - You can feel the Jane at times and the level design isn't always great, but A Plague Tale: Innocence more than makes up for that with its storytelling. With some of the best written child characters I've seen and a story that does a fantastic job of both showing the dark sides of war and revelling in the lighter moments I was engaged from beginning to end.
Death Stranding - Say what you will about the weird batshit crazy story that often didn't make a whole lot of sense, Kohima has created one hell of a memorable game. I didn't expect the level of strategy required for the games mechanics, but Death Stranding's physics and mechanics were easily my favourite of the year. A little less focus on the Mules and a somewhat mote cohesive story likely would have pushed this higher.
The Outer Worlds - I haven't enjoyed an action RPG this much in quite a while. Between the story effortlessly blending irreverence and seriousness, the utterly fantastic characters (seriously, Parvati fucking rocks), and combat that was definitely more cohesive and interesting than Fallout (but could still use some work), Obsidian have crafted a great game and I can't wait to see more.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - I still remember playing the early stages of this on Gameboy Colour at a friends house. I never did get my own copy, but I've looked back on it with fondness. Nintendo did a great job bringing it into the present, with a fantastic style that modernises it, while staying true to the original. By god were those frame rate hitches annoying though.

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master15 · Jan 25, 2020

I didn't play a lot of games past year but here's how I would rank them;

Shenmue 3 - Almost two decades of anticipation, a franchise that was for all intents and purposes dead and buried then the miracle of E3's 2015 announcement happened. It's hard for me to being impartial judging this game but what they were able to achieve on such a limited budget is a testament to Suzuki's and team craft. Sure the story and characterization was weakest of series so far but the hope is now they have core elements established we can see a prospective Shenmue 4 reach the same heights achieved with 2. In the end despite rollercoaster of development and fan participation I'm happy to see Yu Suzuki back making games. I hope he can finally conclude Shenmue.
Judgment - First time playing Yakuza game from start to end. Thoroughly enjoyed my experience and makes me want to revisit previous entries.
Resident Evil 2 - Doesn't quite hit the high benchmark of Resident Evil remake on GameCube but an amazing game nonetheless.
Death Stranding - Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. I can't wait to see what Kojima does next but please give this man an editor.

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eternalblue · Jan 25, 2020

I didn't play as many games this year as I have in the last couple years, and there's several games that came out in 2019 that I just haven't had the chance to get to yet.

Days Gone - I honestly wasn't expecting a whole lot from this game, so it was really surprising how much I wound up enjoying this. Stumbling across a horde and running like hell, hoping to get to my bike before my stamina runs out was awesome.
Judgment - I still haven't quite beat this game, but so far it would win my favorite game story for 2019. There's issues with some of the gameplay mechanics, but there's so many game and friends to make, or main story to go back to, that they haven't bothered me too much.
A Plague Tale: Innocence - The characters and graphics really impressed me. The ending was really nuts compared to what I was expecting when I first started playing.
Dragon Quest 11 Definitive Edition - While the story and gameplay seem pretty simple, the characters are mostly very charming. I only wish this didn't feature yet another silent protagonist.
Kingdom Hearts 3 - I've only played the original 2 Kingdom Heart games from back when they were on PS2 and nothing else from the series since then. I enjoyed this more for the gameplay and getting to wander through some really nice-looking Disney worlds than the story or characters.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy - The first Phoenix Wright game's release was one of the catalysts for me buying a DS and was among my first games I got for it. I got and played through the second when it released, but for some reason only got as far as the first trial of the third when it came out. I finally got to play through the third game after replaying the first two in this release. Love the crazy characters and situations and now I feel I can finally move on to playing the next games in the series.
Untitled Goose Game - It's fun.

A couple other 2019 games that I played and beat, but don't feel are worthy as being considered games of the year are Star Wars: Fallen Order and Erica. I was overall pretty disappointed in both of them and while I'm hopeful that Fall Order might have an overall better sequel, I have no interest in ever experiencing Fallen Order again and regret paying full price for it. While the actors in Erica were fine, the story was a mess, possibly in part to them apparently redoing the casting and story that was originally shown in the first Erica trailer.

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WannabeSage · Jan 25, 2020

Disco Elysium - Years of waiting paid off. No truce with the furies. Just great.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Parry combat and "the devastated beauty" of medieval Japan have From continue their great track record.
Outer Wilds - I was slightly disappointed after the crazy hyping this game got but uniqueness of the exploration gameplay and great ending (and probably recency bias) elevate it behind the top duo.
Resident Evil 2 - My first "in" into the pre-RE4 world of Resident Evil and what a great, polished and intense "in" it was! Managing resources combined with satisfying combat against threatening enemies in gorgeous (and buttery smooth) Raccoon City. Would probably be higher if I had found the time to try hardcore playthrough.
Apex Legends - This became my multiplayer group's new game for the first half of 2019 replacing PUBG. Going back to other battle royales and not being able to slide down hills keeps disappointing me.
Slay the Spire - Never really played either roguelites nor deck builders but the concept and the ui are so clear and immediately satisfying that it was a pleasant introduction. I'll add that the weird fantasy world is fun, bet I would have had way less interest if it was just another generic elfs'n'orcs fest.
A Legionary's Life - Niche text and stats based RPG about being a roman soldier during the second punic war. Rising the ranks and collecting experience for the next run kept me coming back.
A Short Hike - Light-hearted exploration platformer. Wish it was longer but guess it's better to leave wanting more than feeling bloated.
Control - Mixed bag. Brilliant art desing, unique setting and psychic powers based combat but the story's unsatisfying, enemy variety lacking and upgrade system's superfluos. I have so many problems with the game but some parts shine so brightly that in the end I was compelled to finish it.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - Now this is the opposite of Control. Not much going on but everything's solid... although I'll admit a right moment of blazing through the sky evading fire or chasing a fighter and music hitting peak crescendo gives a glorious rush.

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Luigi87 · Jan 25, 2020

Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers - Went from a favourite Final Fantasy game to my absolute favourite. It finally made me care about the primary antagonists, the Ascians, and Emet-Selch is one of the best villains.
Kingdom Hearts 3 - Waited nearly 14 years for this game. Yes there were other main entries in-between, but waiting for a console entry, and for me it delivered. With as much hype as it had, I'm amazed it met and beat some expectations of mine.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Wonderful evolution of the Fire Emblem games. I wasn't sure how I would feel about the lack of battle triangle, but they made a very good system, and the characters are great.
Ring Fit Adventure - Gets me up and moving, and is incredibly polished. It's also very positive and encouraging. I can't say any negatives about the game.
Apex Legends - Unexpected amazing BR title to come out. Plus it's free. Incredibly polished, the Titanfall mobility just makes one feel like a badass.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - I always believed this game would be great. From the get go, I was never negative during its early development, and in the end it was indeed great.
Super Mario Maker 2 - It's more Mario Maker. Honestly what else can be said? It's just better.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - Great remake of a great game. Overworld framerate could be a tad annoying, but still a fun game.

Honorable Mention: NieR Automata. Finally played through it fully this year, and holy crap that was an experience. A must play title.

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100%TrophyMaster · Jan 25, 2020

Lots of great games in 2019–especially Souls style games which I love.

Death Stranding—this game was just perfect start to finish. Great open world, great story, great presentation. I bought this not really knowing what to think of it and I'm so glad I did.
The Surge 2–yeah it's not the most popular Souls game around these parts but I really enjoyed this sequel and it's recent DLC. The limb targeting system and the different types of weapons/armor that you can get are really well done. Bosses were great and the combat was fast and satisfying. I hope more Souls fans give this a try in the future
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order- Just a great game all around—I enjoyed how you could change difficulty on the fly and exploration was really fun. I hope they make a sequel in the same light with many more planets to explore.
Sekiro Shadows Die Twice—I didn't enjoy this as much as Dark Souls but it was just as challenging and rewarding. It really took me awhile to get used to the combat in this game but it was extremely enjoyable when it clicked.
Dragon Quest Builders 2–an underrated gem of a series. Combining building with RPG elements and story in the Dragon Quest world and you have a winner. I hope Square keeps cranking out this series because it is extremely fun.
Kingdom Hearts 3–I've always been a sucker for this series and this entry did not disappoint. I'm looking forward to starting the DLC soon and getting destroyed by the limitcut bosses lol
Code Vein—another Souls like which was extremely well done. Story was surprisingly good and I enjoyed my time with it.
Resident Evil 2 Remake—yeah so Mr.X gave me so much damn anxiety lol. I'm afraid of what Nemesis will do to me when RE3 remake comes out this year.
Bloodstained Ritual of the Night—a classic throwback that game me all the feels that SoTN did back in the day. Loved it.
The Outer Worlds—kind of felt like Fallout-lite. Enjoyed the characters and story although felt like the game would have benefited from having bigger areas to explore.

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Vic_Viper · Jan 25, 2020

eternalblue said:
Please correct your spelling of Judgment without the e after g or VoteBot might not count it correctly and your vote for the game won't be counted.

Are you serious lol? That's how they spelled it? Thanks btw.

Shadoken · Jan 25, 2020

eternalblue said:
Please correct your spelling of Judgment without the e after g or VoteBot might not count it correctly and your vote for the game won't be counted.

wtf I just noticed there wasn't an 'e' in the game title.

Edit : LOL I didn't know Judgement was spelled without an e in American English and is considered correct. smh.

Leeness · Jan 25, 2020

Maybe I should, just to give my number 1 a bit of a boost lol. I didn't get to play too much this year, but that's okay.

Kingdom Hearts 3 - I've been waiting for this since KH1. It delivered for me in spades. I had so much fun, I cried, I laughed. I loved. No matter how silly KH gets, it holds a special place in my heart and I grew up with it, and I'll love it and be with it until it's over.
Untitled Goose Game - HONK. ...needs a Canadian Goose skin.
Life is Strange 2 - The release timing was kind of meh and killed some momentum, and some things could have been expanded on more, but I really enjoyed this, I thought the themes were explored really well. I REALLY liked Sean as a protagonist. I thought he was really great.

Some games I have but haven't played yet unfortunately (Death Stranding, AI Somnium, Telling Lies). One day will get to them. Still haven't even played Nier Automata lol.

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Deleted member 179 · Jan 25, 2020

It was a bad year for me with games, going into a rut where nothing sounded good. However, I did still get some playtime in with some.

Apex Legends - The memories with Apex hold a very special place to me. It allowed me to reconnect with a friend who moved to Texas and we were playing damn near every day. When I broke up with my ex of 5 years, he and this game helped get me through it. The characters are fun, Respawn's gameplay is fantastic as always. This and Jedi have made me a certified fan of whatever they produce. This game was my number 3 entry. When I started typing about the memories related to it and how good it made me feel, I had to move it to #1. Hell, Tyler is playing it right now. Thank you Tyler.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - This game is what revived games for me again. Spending the end of the year in a rut, I got it on sale in December and it sucked me in. Yes, it's just a Souls-lite game, but it does Star Wars SO well. I thank this game for making me want to play again.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Sadly i did not finish this as I got burnt out, but I did put a hefty amount of time into it. The characters are fun, the sides and story are good, and it has made me appreciate the series/genre and want to get back and finish it, as well as to Awakening sitting on my shelf.
Kingdom Hearts III - The revival of a series I've been missing for a long time. I spent weeks leading up to it watching story recaps to catch up and it was pretty much what I wanted. I wasn't expecting the greatest game ever but I got the return and end of a story I love with a good game around it.
Untitled Goose Game - A cute little adventure with the world's biggest asshole. This game was a big surprise and a nice, short experience.
Tom Clancy's The Division 2 - Me and friend bought this on a whim and played it forever with a few other guys in town. Had a blast running missions with them and the gunplay is pretty good. However, I felt the UI and menus can get confusing over time, and some bullet sponge enemies got annoying. We ending up falling off once we hit postgame.

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Mechaplum · Jan 25, 2020

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne - An amazing expansion filled with beautiful new areas, a neat endgame mechanic and interesting monsters to fight. Post release support has been exemplary as well with free updates and events.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - A worth entry into the series with breathtaking OST and high quality graphics. Inclusion of VR modes sets it apart from other games in the genre.
Judgment - A nice addition to the Yakuza world, with a decent story and fantastic voice JP voice acting as usual.
Slay the Spire - The best card game I have played, and with the recent addition of the Watcher character cements it as one of the accessible and creative.
Dragon Quest 11 Definitive Edition - I have tried previous titles, but could not understand why they were so beloved. This title while not perfect at least schooled me in that regard. It is a comforting experience, much akin to watching entire seasons of anime.

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Prinny · Jan 25, 2020

Kingdom Hearts 3 - Best game in the series, super fun gameplay.
Monster Hunter Iceborne
The House in Fata Morgana
Devil May Cry 5 - Amazing combat.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - Best metroidvania of the last decade.
Luigi's Mansion 3
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Excellent cast.
AI: The Somnium Files
Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout
Ring Fit Adventure
Cadence of Hyrule
Sayonara Wild Hearts

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SxP · Jan 25, 2020

Dragon Quest Builders 2 - Expands and improves upon the first in every way. Adds a ton of quality-of-life improvements that make simply playing the game a lot less frustrating. The big story island are full of memorable and lovable characters and often surprisingly heartfelt stories. Overall, it's just a joy to explore, build, and interact with the characters and the world. And then after the story is over, you can grab all of your friends and build your ultimate paradise.
Tetris Effect - Playing Tetris has never been this fun. The soundtrack and the effects elevate the game to a whole different level. Often I lost myself in pure visual and audio heaven. The final level in Journey mode is one of the best experiences one can have with a video game.
Civilization 6: Gathering Storm - The best version of Civilization yet. Adds a ton of depth in terms of city and district placement and makes your choices in the beginning of the game still meaningful in the later parts of the game when climate change sets in. The Grievances system also makes the Diplomacy more transparent, something which has always been a weak point of the series. It's even easier to lose yourself and just play one more turn…
Luigi's Mansion 3 - The first Luigi's Mansion I've played, and it was a joy. In standard Nintendo fashion, it manages to keep surprising you with inventive ideas, whether small or large. It kept me hooked until the very last minute.
Control - The atmosphere is unmatched among games released this year. The story manages to intrigue, helped by a combination of quirky characters and a slow escalating mystery. The gameplay is mostly fun, having a good variation of gun types and paranormal powers that you can combine in many ways. Often felt like a breath of fresh air. However, it eludes greatness due to the checkpoint system, uninspired and often suddenly very difficult bosses, and the many performance problems that still plague the game.
The Outer Worlds - A game with a lot of ups and downs. There are some real gems of quests and characters in this game, foremost of them Parvati and her personal quests. On the other hand,. It never manages to feel like a grand spacefaring adventure. Even with all the space travel and multiple planets to explore, the game still feels very small. Which can be a good thing, but a lot of areas are simply not that interesting and samey. Which makes the game fall somewhat short towards the end of the story.
Slay the Spire - Keeps you wanting to play one more run due to its wonderfully designed gameplay loop. Very easy to pick up, but has a ton of depth when it starts opening up.
Dota Underlords - Lost a lot of hours to this game when it came out. A fun mix of RNG and tactics, that doesn't require any reflexes or fast fingers. Just a well-thought-out plan and the ability to adapt to what the RNG is throwing at you.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 3 - Improves upon the previous game in some ways, like focusing on a smaller cast of main characters and finally showing some new areas of Erebonia. The strongest part of these games are still the characters and the little storylines that unfold throughout the game.That hasn't changed at all. However, the main story is just… abysmal. Just pure convoluted nonsense. How many times can they revive characters from the dead (the answer is every time)? How many times can a group of school kids face off with supposedly super powerful characters and still come out on top because they're saved at the last minute by some other super powerful character (the answer is every chapter, maybe multiple times per chapter)? How often can female characters make suggestive comments about their own bodies (the answer is more than you would expect)? And I could go on and on. Since the first Cold Steel, the series has been the poster child of constantly trying to one-up themselves with nonsense upon nonsense. And they're succeeding.

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Dr. Mario · Jan 25, 2020

2019 has been a bit... meh for me. I usually write long epistles with some (or at least I think) interesting observations and a bit of science, and also usually take quite some time to format my post into something that looks nice (I guess you wouldn't know it from my handle because I changed primary accounts this year). But this year I was wondering whether I should even do it. The thing is, while I loved my number one game, the rest was a bit take it or leave it, and they could be arranged in any order. I hardly even finished half of them. There's a couple of games missing that likely would have made the list, most notably Disco Elysium (will get it on consoles, secretly hoping for Switch) and Outer Wilds, and possibly Resident Evil 2 (there's one remake on my list and that was pushing it for me). But as said I hardly finished half of these games so I tried to control myself a bit. Still, there was in fact a lot of diversity to celebrate, and I think we should celebrate this. And as these lists are a nice reminder to look back on years from now, I decided to make another list.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Instagram: Having never played Fire Emblems before I kinda figured this would be like X-Com but with 1000 year old anime dragons. What I never could have foreseen was that it would scratch a whole 'nother itch, namely that it plays much more like Mass Effect. You very quickly get into that same rhythm of going out on a mission with your squad followed by some downtime where you get to know the individual stories of your team mates better and then going on a mission again, every time ramping up the stakes and deepening the bonds with the characters. And like Mass Effect it's completely intoxicating where you lose hours a day just running errands and finding the right tea because the individual story beats pay off so well.
Reality: You can't get the anime out though. Some 2/3rds in a literal 1000 year old dragon does pop up and it jumps the shark something bad. The last stretch the story takes a nosedive and some repetitiveness creeps in, but the real story is the friends you make along the way and I could never tire of Petra doing a triple side flip after demolishing an entire opposing army.
Death Stranding - Instagram: Forget Hideo Kojima's hero worship. The real star of the show every time is his art director Yoji Shinkawa. Most of what I like about Death Stranding is the sense of place, the cool details like the odradek and the permeating alienating atmosphere that invoke a sense of dread. Without these, the constant squeezing of LT and RT as you slowly trudge along the empty scenery wouldn't nearly have been as fun. I do appreciate what Kojima did with building up the chiral network by other players online, it's a very nice hook that makes the game interesting and your actions feel meaningful.
Reality: Khggk Toodeedoo doo. ~~SNAKE~~ Sam. Let's be honest though, even with all of that, most of the game is not particularly fun. There's a sense of purposefulness to the annoying interaction so that you feel relieved when all of a sudden highways and shit popup in view (kudos I guess that they didn't gate the multiplayer off behind PS+ like I had with Dark Souls back when I didn't have Live Gold, but this game still sucks a lot more if you're playing it offline), but while I have to hand it to Kojima as clever game design, I don't super like playing it. Somewhere half way you get the access to trucks and then you find out that basically BTs and raiders are powerless against trucks and the game becomes weirdly trivial, but I like that. (or at least I think so, that's where I stopped playing before writing this.) Just let me drive and gawk at the scenery. Also yeah I don't know what happened with this gif, but I don't want to go back and change it.
Astral Chain - Instagram: My most anticipated game of the year checks all the right boxes of having a dazzling style, that Platinum combat, the slapping soundtrack, the main character's butt, ahem... but also moments of down time, gameplay variation and all the things Platinum usually forget.
Reality: The pacing is off though. Every section takes just a bit too long, the searching, the collecting, the astral plane combat which reaches a crescendo...and then goes on for another half hour mission. Everything except the story beats that you would have liked to see more of, and the character interactions that should have been fleshed out more, these are too short. It leads to a game that I love but also get tired of every time I play it, leading me to put it down again for a week.
Hypnospace Outlaw - Instagram: This year's completely out of left field indie game was definitely Hypnospace Outlaw. An alternate reality 1999 where you are a mod on a Geocities like social web platform and have to find hackers and copyright infringers. The game doesn't quite stick the landing, but do expect all the feels when you play it if you were an 80s/90s kid.
Reality: It's not exactly the well researched period piece like Gone Home was. What immediately threw me off was the SCUMM / chunky courier font that was anachronistic by about ten years. And while they tried to incorporate the edgy nineties aesthetic, I think a lot of websites were actually pretty boring at that time (because PCs were still somewhat a business domain) but i guess that makes for a much less interesting game. A lot of things like virtual pets, scanned pictures, people roleplaying wizards online, web comics and more were an absolute smorgasbord of memberberries however.
Sayonara Wild Hearts - Instagram: Most games lodge into my brain because of mechanics or themes or visual aesthetics. It very rarely happens with music. But it's not impossible, and when it does, it has a nice tendency to extend the magic circle to outside of the game. The last time this happened was with Life is Strange 1. And the same as at that time, here too, I listened to Sayonara Wild Hearts absolutely fantastic OST on repeat every day for months on end. And the visuals of the game itself invariably also find their way in the mind's eye to synchronize with the experience.
Reality: The game itself though.... ehhh
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - Instragam: Faithful remakes don't really belong in a GOTY list in my opinion, but here's a game that instantly transports me back to childhoods spent in the backseat of a car to some faraway holiday location, trying to balance the desperate need to find the next object to open the door to the dungeon, and not puking in my mother's neck. I think many people will have waxed lyrically about how the aesthetics maximize the nostalgia, but yeah that worked well.
Reality: It's not just in real life that growing bigger makes the world around you feel smaller.
Labo VR - Instagram: Here's something that by all accounts should not have worked and then totally did. And in true Nintendo fashion, they find VR's two major inconvenient truths and then turn them on their head and run with it into a whole new direction. Namely that 1) the anticipation of VR is pretty much always better than reality, and 2) that for all the audiovisual immersion it engenders it also makes you feel more detached because of the immersion it doesn't engender. So here you can spend hours building up a contraption that you can't wait to play around with and after building up that hype you put away after ten minutes again, but also, finally, you have actual props in your hand that give very satisfying CLUNKs and TWANGs when you duck in and out of cover. And then of course there's the excellent garage section that I again didn't give enough time.
Reality: Much like regular VR, it's again a lot of shit you have to excavate from the attic before you can play around with it, and very soon you figure why bother.
Ring Fit Adventure - Instagram: Me: Fitness games, looool, I tried them all. The only thing that got my heart rate up was my wife in her underwear doing Wii Fit hulahoops. I benchpress 50kg easy, ain't no Fitness game is going to ever make me tired. Also me, sweating profusely: "You have played this game for 10 minutes, maybe it's time to take a brea--" *turns off Switch and lies down on the floor panting*
Reality: I still don't really believe in cardio though. You burn more and you eat more. A weight lifting game would have been infinitely preferable, fatal injuries be damned.
Tetris 99 - Instagram: A battle royale game with Tetris, excuse me while my eyes are.... T-spinning? Holy shit this is awesome.
Reality: I suck way too much to even reach the last 20 though.
Devil May Cry 5 - Instagram: That moment where Dante tears a motorcycle in two in order to clobber enemies with the two halves? Yeah that's metal.
Reality: The rest of the game tries too hard though, and is more metal like my twelve year old self would imagine it. Nero is really the only interesting/likeable character. The combo system doesn't have the same flash as something like Bayonetta and with the incredibly samey environments you get funneled through, I lost interest in the game before the end.

Huh, well waddayaknow, it turned into a bit of a semi-epistle again. I guess I liked these games quite a bit after all. Honorable mentions I guess to games like Pokemon Sword/Shield and a couple more that I can't remember right now.

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StoveOven · Jan 25, 2020

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - I spent more time with games this year than I typically did in years past, but they were mostly older games. I didn't dive real deep into a lot of new games, which will be shown with the list below this being full of short games and games that I haven't finished yet. Fire Emblem is the exception. Somewhat surprisingly, too. I like tactics games and RPGs, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, but this was my first Fire Emblem. This fall I was looking for something to play, and I picked this over some other things that I might've more naturally gravitated towards jut because of how big the fandom around this game had gotten. I felt like I had to see what all the fuss was about, and I was pleasantly surprised and completely won over. It's not a perfect game—I think the tactical combat is by far the weakest part—but it does some things a lot better than other games do. The way it ties these systems of character and relationship growth to a story about narrative growth and change is incredibly strong. The characters feel like real humans influenced by and ultimately torn apart by both their personal connections and their political affiliations. There's a somberness to the first half of the game because you know that the lightheartedness of the school life can't last, and there are characters who understand this and characters who don't, both tragic in their own ways. But it's also a game about actually instituting change in a broken world, and even if sacrifices have to be made, the characters are ultimately willing to make them. And regardless of who you think is ultimately right about any of it, I do find it refreshing that there is no compromise position that the game suggests is the true right choice. Every route is compromised, but every route has a reason to fight as well. The fact that the people argue over who was really right is, I think, a strength of the storytelling. It's a complex story, and I think the broader RPG mechanics and the overall structure of the game allow that story to be told in an effective way that centers the struggles of the people involved.
Outer Wilds - I've been playing Outer Wilds since launch and haven't beaten it yet. I'm probably about 2/3 of the way through at this point. That's not a knock against the game in any way though. It's just not a game that I want to play in the way that I play most games. It's something I want to sit down with, not something I want to get through. I still remember the stuff that I found seven months ago or whatever it was because the design of this game is just so well considered that it sticks in my brain. It's a remarkable thing, and unlike everything else on this list it's not a game that I could've personally imagined existing. It just feels too perfect. And that's just the design that I'm talking about. Wrapped around all of that is a story (or really dozens of stories) about finality and the end of the world. I don't how all of that wraps up, and that's really the only thing keeping this game from the number one spot on my list, but I'm looking forward to seeing it through in 2020.
Ape Out - What an aesthetic achievement. Ape Out doesn't just have an aesthetic that looks great in screenshots or sounds great, although that's all true, but it has a reactive aesthetic. You create music and paint splotches as you rampage your way through a building, leading to this improvised cacophony of violence. This game is inspired, and I love it.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Another game that I've been slowly making my way through since launch. I'm probably about 25 hours in at this point, and I've really enjoyed myself. This is the first FromSoft game that has clicked with me in a way that's made me want to stick with it. I just think this combat is so immaculate. The fact that every move can basically be countered on reaction despite how fast the game moves is remarkable and leads to the tensest fights I've ever had in a game. And the feeling of satisfaction in Sekiro doesn't come from simply beating a boss that you've struggled against but from knowing every move the second it starts up and handling the bosses with ease, sometimes without even taking a hit. I could keep playing this game for years just for the feeling I get when I parry a hit and hear the swords clash.
Sayonara Wild Hearts - Another aesthetic masterpiece, and best music of the year by far. There were moments in this game where I felt like I had sunken into the television. It's simply lower on this list than Ape Out because I think Ape Out marries its gameplay to its style a little bit better. As much as I like Sayonara, I wish it was more of a rhythm game.
Blazing Chrome - Thank God for the people still making great Contra games in a year when Konami is putting out trash like Rogue Corps. I haven't played Valfaris yet (been meaning to get to it), but Blazing Chrome is my Contra-of-the-Year. Beautiful animations, cool-ass set-pieces, pretty challenging if you solo it. If you like Contra, Metal Slug, or games like it and haven't played Blazing Chrome yet, check it out. It's on Game Pass.
Kids - Great short film that's also a game. While it could be summed up by a single screen of kids falling into a hole, I actually think this thing builds in interesting ways to be less simple than just a story about how kids influence each other in negative ways. I think at the heart of Kids is the idea that kids (and really all of us) influence each other in all sorts of ways both good and bad and that the only way anything is accomplished is through some sort of collective. While it's aware of the negative power that a collective can wield, this isn't a game arguing for rugged individualism either, just a different form of collective, and I appreciate that distinction. The animation is also kind of adorable in a weird way.
Devil May Cry 5 - The other end of the combat spectrum from Sekiro. While still very challenging on the higher difficulties, DMC is less about hitting the perfect parry timing as dictated by the game and more about being given a combat toolbox and being creative with it. I'm not an expert in the genre by any means, but I felt like this game made sense in my hands, like I learned intuitively the timing of moves and what I need to hit next if I wanted to keep a combo going, and I think that comes from a mixture of tight design and a variety of options. While the characters and story and overall attitude of the game went back and forth between charming and annoying and ultimately landed closer to the latter (Dante fucking suuucks), I didn't care that much because I just found the game that much fun to play. I'm not usually a big 'combat trials' guy, but I've spent some time in the Bloody Palace because it just gives me all the goodness of the combat stripped bare of all the extra bullshit.
A Tavern For Tea - Just want to give a shout out to this short game that I played on Itch this year. It's another in the ever-growing line of games where you play as a person who provides everyday services to other people and learn about their lives that way. It's also another time loop game. And it uses both of these ideas well to set up a short story that is simultaneously about what we expect from characters in RPGs but also what society expects from men. There's a very heavily implied queerness to it all, and it's all very well done. The characters are endearing, and there's even some enjoyment to be had from the process of figuring out what teas you need to brew in order to advance the story in certain directions. If you're into this sort of stuff, check it out.
Mortal Kombat 11 - I played through this game in one night and I don't know if I've touched it since. I've never been big into playing the Netherrealm games online, so that's not too surprising, but it's still less than I thought I would play it. Nonetheless, the story had enough momentum for me to play through it all in a single sitting despite it not being a particularly short game. It's just really well done, keeps the energy up, keeps surprising you, and has some absolute standout moments. Netherrealm's best work to date on that front, and I also enjoy watching tournament matches from time to time.
Wattam - It was really a tossup between this and MK for the last spot, and I'm not sure why I gave it to MK. They're both pretty one-note, although incredibly different notes. They're both childish, although different versions of childish. I didn't particularly love the gameplay of either of them, although I had a big smile on my face the entire time I was playing both. Idk. 5 times out of 10 I'd choose Wattam, but today I chose Mortal Kombat. Wattam's good though. It's incredibly charming and definitely worth your time if your a fan of Keita Takahashi, environmentalist kids games, or poop.

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OneAndOnly · Jan 25, 2020

100%TrophyMaster said:
Lots of great games in 2019–especially Souls style games which I love.

1. Death Stranding—this game was just perfect start to finish. Great open world, great story, great presentation. I bought this not really knowing what to think of it and I'm so glad I did.

2. The Surge 2–yeah it's not the most popular Souls game around these parts but I really enjoyed this sequel and it's recent DLC. The limb targeting system and the different types of weapons/armor that you can get are really well done. Bosses were great and the combat was fast and satisfying. I hope more Souls fans give this a try in the future.

3. Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order- Just a great game all around—I enjoyed how you could change difficulty on the fly and exploration was really fun. I hope they make a sequel in the same light with many more planets to explore.

4. Sekiro Shadows Die Twice—I didn't enjoy this as much as Dark Souls but it was just as challenging and rewarding. It really took me awhile to get used to the combat in this game but it was extremely enjoyable when it clicked.

5. Dragon Quest Builders 2–an underrated gem of a series. Combining building with RPG elements and story in the Dragon Quest world and you have a winner. I hope Square keeps cranking out this series because it is extremely fun.

6. Kingdom Hearts 3–I've always been a sucker for this series and this entry did not disappoint. I'm looking forward to starting the DLC soon and getting destroyed by the limitcut bosses lol

7. Code Vein—another Souls like which was extremely well done. Story was surprisingly good and I enjoyed my time with it.

8. Resident Evil 2 Remake—yeah so Mr.X gave me so much damn anxiety lol. I'm afraid of what Nemesis will do to me when RE3 remake comes out this year.

9. Bloodstained Ritual of the Night—a classic throwback that game me all the feels that SoTN did back in the day. Loved it.

10. The Outer Worlds—kind of felt like Fallout-lite. Enjoyed the characters and story although felt like the game would have benefited from having bigger areas to explore.

Leeness said:
Maybe I should, just to give my number 1 a bit of a boost lol. I didn't get to play too much this year, but that's okay.

1. Kingdom Hearts 3 - I've been waiting for this since KH1. It delivered for me in spades. I had so much fun, I cried, I laughed. I loved. No matter how silly KH gets, it holds a special place in my heart and I grew up with it, and I'll love it and be with it until it's over.
2. Untitled Goose Game - HONK. ...needs a Canadian Goose skin.
3. Life is Strange 2 - The release timing was kind of meh and killed some momentum, and some things could have been expanded on more, but I really enjoyed this, I thought the themes were explored really well. I REALLY liked Sean as a protagonist. I thought he was really great.

Some games I have but haven't played yet unfortunately (Death Stranding, AI Somnium, Telling Lies). One day will get to them. Still haven't even played Nier Automata lol.

McBryBry said:
It was a bad year for me with games, going into a rut where nothing sounded good. However, I did still get some playtime in with some.

1. Apex Legends - The memories with Apex hold a very special place to me. It allowed me to reconnect with a friend who moved to Texas and we were playing damn near every day. When I broke up with my ex of 5 years, he and this game helped get me through it. The characters are fun, Respawn's gameplay is fantastic as always. This and Jedi have made me a certified fan of whatever they produce. This game was my number 3 entry. When I started typing about the memories related to it and how good it made me feel, I had to move it to #1. Hell, Tyler is playing it right now. Thank you Tyler.

2. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - This game is what revived games for me again. Spending the end of the year in a rut, I got it on sale in December and it sucked me in. Yes, it's just a Souls-lite game, but it does Star Wars SO well. I thank this game for making me want to play again.

3. Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Sadly i did not finish this as I got burnt out, but I did put a hefty amount of time into it. The characters are fun, the sides and story are good, and it has made me appreciate the series/genre and want to get back and finish it, as well as to Awakening sitting on my shelf.

4. Kingdom Hearts III - The revival of a series I've been missing for a long time. I spent weeks leading up to it watching story recaps to catch up and it was pretty much what I wanted. I wasn't expecting the greatest game ever but I got the return and end of a story I love with a good game around it.

5. Untitled Goose Game - A cute little adventure with the world's biggest asshole. This game was a big surprise and a nice, short experience.

6. Tom Clancy's The Division 2 - Me and friend bought this on a whim and played it forever with a few other guys in town. Had a blast running missions with them and the gunplay is pretty good. However, I felt the UI and menus can get confusing over time, and some bullet sponge enemies got annoying. We ending up falling off once we hit postgame.

Prinny said:
1. Kingdom Hearts 3 - Best game in the series, super fun gameplay.
2. Monster Hunter Iceborne
3. The House in Fata Morgana
4. Devil May Cry 5 - Amazing combat.
5. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
6. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - Best metroidvania of the last decade.
7. Luigi's Mansion 3
8. Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled
9. Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Excellent cast.
10. AI: The Somnium Files
11. Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland
12. Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout
13. Ring Fit Adventure
14. Cadence of Hyrule
15. Sayonara Wild Hearts

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Pein · Jan 25, 2020

Resident evil 2 - I'm not somebody who loves horror but this game was a thrill from start to finish. I don't care if I was scared, I loved it.
Gears 5 - wasn't revolutionary but it sure was fun and gorgeous
Control - what a surprise out of nowhere, loved the art and style of this game, I wish next gen was here already so the hardware could handle it better.

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KraytarJ · Jan 25, 2020

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - the fantastic fusion of Persona and Fire Emblem I didn't know I needed but am so glad I got.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - my first time through LA and it felt simultaneously so fresh and so comfy.
Outer Wilds - an absolute masterclass in puzzle game design, such a beautifully intricate galaxy to explore.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair - a pretty incredible DKC-like that turned out far better than I could have ever imagined.
Jenny LeClue: Detectivú - by far my biggest surprise of the year, an exceptionally charming murder-mystery story.
The Outer Worlds - not exactly the New Vegas follow up I hoped for but it was at least enjoyable for what it was.
Cadence of Hyrule
Indivisible
Pokémon Sword
Astral Chain

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Acquiesc3 · Jan 25, 2020

Resident Evil 2 - This is the best designed game this year. Each design choice they made worked to amazing effect. The presentation, atmosphere, controls, moment-to-moment gameplay (I could go on) are just sublime.
Outer Wilds - This is probably the most unique and amazing experience I had this generation. There are technical faults and the very last puzzle was unfairly obtuse (which is fixed now) kept it from claiming the top spot. The less you know going into this game, the better.. so I'll stop here.
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers - The soundtrack is so godtier it probably carried it to this spot from that strength alone. But the story, characters, and gameplay are also the best in the franchise. The new areas are spectacular and the new additions have all been great.
Death Stranding - I wanted and expected to dislike this game. But when you start walking and the music starts playing.. you simply just get it or you don't. I got it. Not without glaring faults: the game honestly would not lose anything if it trimmed the fat a bit. And by fat I mean lengthy routine animations and backtracking in the couple long chapters negatively affected the otherwise great pacing. Most boss sequences are laughably bad and uninteresting too. But how everything else comes together.. the gameplay with sim elements, the world and its mechanics, the intriguing story and compelling cast... all combine to make the most fresh, weird AAA experience of the year. It's GREAT.
Tetris 99 - I forgot this came out in 2019. All I'll say is that this game and Effect both pushed Tetris to extremely different yet BOTH amazing directions.. Oh and it's the only game I played this year that literally makes my heart race. I love it.

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John Dunbar · Jan 25, 2020

Shenmue III - The only game that deserves to be named

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OtakuCoder · Jan 25, 2020

Disco Elysium - I've never quite been able to wrap my head around the D&D combat systems in a lot of CRPGs, so the idea of a game that did away with it sounded too good to be true. In reality, it exceeded every expectation I had of it.
Resident Evil 2
AI: The Somnium Files
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Tetris 99
Luigi's Mansion 3
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Judgement
Gears 5

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DNAbro · Jan 25, 2020

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers - This is easily my GOTY. No other game this year can come even close to what this game did. I started my journey with FFXIV this year and absolutely fell in love with the world, characters, and gameplay. Shadowbringers is the ultimate culmination of everything the team has done. Everything about the story worked for me. Saving the First will go down as one of my favorite experiences in any game. The villain of the game ,Emet Selch is easily the best villain in the FF series and one of the best villains in all of gaming. The boss fights and dungeons are also top tier and each fight ends up being incredibly exciting. And the music man, the fucking music. The team knows how to use all their music so damn effectively, there is a scene towards the end of the game that made me jump up and shout "holy shit this is the best" once a certain song started playing. This game has stuck with me since I finished and I have thought about it on at the least a weekly basis. A certified triumph for Yoshida and his team. If you haven't taken the time to get into FFXIV, you haven't taken the time to get into one of the best games of the generation.
Kingdom Hearts III - I both absolutely love and hate this game. Playing through it brought me so much enjoyment, the Disney portions are a 9/10 with some of the best stuff they have done on that front buuuuut holy damn does the story just not work in most places. The fact that the DLC was needed to explain the ending is ridiculous. Kingdom Hearts is incredibly stupid but it has heart. Even if the story and pacing can be shit at times, when the game does hit, it hits so damn good. KH is always a weird franchise where I consider it one of my favorite franchises in all of gaming but each game on an individual level are not my favorites. Great game, lots of problems, dlc has fixed some of them. I thought this was going to be my GOTY when I first played but that was before FFXIV blew it out of the water and buried it completely.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - I'm sure others have written why this game is great already. Fantastic action game, beautiful world, great music, and boy does it piss me off. Never beat the last boss and 100% fine with that. Would love a sequel.
AI: The Somnium Files - Another amazing game from the mind of Uchikoshi. This game made me cry. It made me cry hard. By that merit I have to give it up to it. The gameplay portion sucks ass, but all the little story bits and flavor text in the gameplay portions are incredibly good. Uchikoshi proved he is not a one trick pony and made a fantastic game.
Yuppie Psycho - Every year I seem to have one indie game that no one really has heard of or played on my list and this is this years. Yuppie Psycho is an indie 2d horror game that is about the worst first job in the world and the capitalistic hellscape that prevents you from leaving even if you want to. Just a tad like real life. The music in this game by Garoad is fantastic, it has some great horror moments, and an enticing story. This is supposed to be coming to the Switch so when it does I want all y'all to play it cause it is truly unique.

I could add more but nothing else really truly stands out and I'm lazy to write them out to figure out which ones I like more lmao. Persona Q2 was neat, Pokemon was good, Fire Emblem was decentand I feel like I forgot literally everything else I played. FFXIV took over my life even though I kept buying games lol. Notable absences include Death Stranding which i couldn't finish cause i got bored and RE2 because I haven't found the time where I want to play it.

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Zojirushi · Jan 25, 2020

"It's voting" lol

AniHawk · Jan 25, 2020

Nineteen: Yoshi's Crafted World
Yoshi's Woolly World is one of the best Wii U titles. The behind-the-scenes for Yoshi's Crafted World hints at the level of creativity in that title being applied in a 3D space, but the finished product never reaches those heights. This occupies the lowest spot on this list out of disappointment more than anything, with the soundtrack, level design, and pacing all failing to live up to the predecessor.

Eighteen: Cadence of Hyrule
Not recommended for people without rhythm. It was just not easy to get a hang of the game's system. Fortunately, there is a mode the developers put in that lets the player ignore the primary draw to the game, but it turns the game into a fairly forgettable experience.

Seventeen: Pikuniku
A cute, small little adventure game in which the player fights against a dangerous capitalist. The most unfortunate thing about Pikuniku is that the absurdity is the draw, when there were some interesting themes that were explored in shallow ways or never went anywhere.

Sixteen: Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes
Suda51's games are so appealing that even when they aren't very fun to play, they are still memorable for being greater than the sums of their parts.

Fifteen: Dragon Quest Builders 2
Dragon Quest Builders was an enjoyable, slightly flawed 40 hour game. Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a less-flawed 40 hour game that lasts 60 hours.

Fourteen: Pokemon Shield
It certainly is Pokemon all right, but the biggest issue is being presented with a major change to the formula with Sun and Moon, and that change being so well received, only to go back to what was standard.

Thirteen: Fire Emblem: Three Houses
With a lot of welcome changes comes some frustrations. It would be nice for the developers to stick to a single story, or consider more creative ways to tell it. Fire Emblem: Three Houses would be better served either seeing the same war from different perspectives, or changing It dynamically based on player input. But what's there is a pretty good Strategy RPG regardless.

Twelve: Mortal Kombat 11
For a gamer who grew up in the 90s and never played any Mortal Kombat after those, Mortal Kombat 11 is just the right amount of nostalgia and brutal, cheesy fun.

Eleven: Luigi's Mansion 3
The conceit of a hotel works wonderfully to mix in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon's idea of multiple levels for pick-up-and-play gaming, while keeping the feeling of the first game's single location. At 20 hours, it does stretch on a bit much though.

A fantastic RPG in which your choices really do feel real and dynamic. Just don't cheese the game and alter your save data, because looking behind the scenes reveals a somewhat less impressive framework.

SUPERHOT IS THE MOST INNOVATIVE SHOOTER I'VE PLAYED IN YEARS!

As long as it is accurate, Hellblade was a fascinating look into Pict and Norse culture, and features one of the most easy-to-root-for main characters in a 3D action game in ages.

Turning exercise into an RPG is a bold-ass move, but the fact that it works and can be as engaging as any other RPG on this list is an achievement.

Mindless action does get old after a while, but apparently that happens in the post-game content.

Definitely the least fun to have of any games in this top ten, but it remains one of the very few games to leave a lasting impression through its simple storytelling.

It would have been nice to use the Wii U's gamepad, because Super Mario Maker 2 makes a load of welcome improvements. But, sometimes a designer needs to get their Switch dirty if they want to make something cool.

For a 25 year old game from the Game Boy's pre-Pokemon heyday, this remake strikes a balance between sincerity with the original release and welcome upgrades for newcomers.

Finally a Battle Royale that addressed key concerns from other major releases. It still lacks some features that would be better if permanent, but the core game has delivered over 1,000 hours of mostly good times.

Just the perfect game to let out the inner-asshole that lurks inside everyone.

Untitled Goose Game - Just the perfect game to let out the inner-asshole that lurks inside everyone.
Apex Legends - Finally a Battle Royale that addressed key concerns from other major releases. It still lacks some features that would be better if permanent, but the core game has delivered over 1,000 hours of mostly good times.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - For a 25 year old game from the Game Boy's pre-Pokemon heyday, this remake strikes a balance between sincerity with the original release and welcome upgrades for newcomers.
Super Mario Maker 2 - For a 25 year old game from the Game Boy's pre-Pokemon heyday, this remake strikes a balance between sincerity with the original release and welcome upgrades for newcomers.
The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince - Definitely the least fun to have of any games in this top ten, but it remains one of the very few games to leave a lasting impression through its simple storytelling.
Lapis x Labyrinth - Mindless action does get old after a while, but apparently that happens in the post-game content.
Ring Fit Adventure - Turning exercise into an RPG is a bold-ass move, but the fact that it works and can be as engaging as any other RPG on this list is an achievement.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - As long as it is accurate, Hellblade was a fascinating look into Pict and Norse culture, and features one of the most easy-to-root-for main characters in a 3D action game in ages.
SuperHot - SUPERHOT IS THE MOST INNOVATIVE SHOOTER I'VE PLAYED IN YEARS!
Disco Elysium - A fantastic RPG in which your choices really do feel real and dynamic. Just don't cheese the game and alter your save data, because looking behind the scenes reveals a somewhat less impressive framework.
Luigi's Mansion 3 - The conceit of a hotel works wonderfully to mix in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon's idea of multiple levels for pick-up-and-play gaming, while keeping the feeling of the first game's single location. At 20 hours, it does stretch on a bit much though.
Mortal Kombat 11 - For a gamer who grew up in the 90s and never played any Mortal Kombat after those, Mortal Kombat 11 is just the right amount of nostalgia and brutal, cheesy fun.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - With a lot of welcome changes comes some frustrations. It would be nice for the developers to stick to a single story, or consider more creative ways to tell it. Fire Emblem: Three Houses would be better served either seeing the same war from different perspectives, or changing It dynamically based on player input. But what's there is a pretty good Strategy RPG regardless.
Pokemon Shield - It certainly is Pokemon all right, but the biggest issue is being presented with a major change to the formula with Sun and Moon, and that change being so well received, only to go back to what was standard.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 - Dragon Quest Builders was an enjoyable, slightly flawed 40 hour game. Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a less-flawed 40 hour game that lasts 60 hours.
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes - Suda51's games are so appealing that even when they aren't very fun to play, they are still memorable for being greater than the sums of their parts.
Pikuniku - A cute, small little adventure game in which the player fights against a dangerous capitalist. The most unfortunate thing about Pikuniku is that the absurdity is the draw, when there were some interesting themes that were explored in shallow ways or never went anywhere.
Cadence of Hyrule - Not recommended for people without rhythm. It was just not easy to get a hang of the game's system. Fortunately, there is a mode the developers put in that lets the player ignore the primary draw to the game, but it turns the game into a fairly forgettable experience.
Yoshi's Crafted World - Yoshi's Woolly World is one of the best Wii U titles. The behind-the-scenes for Yoshi's Crafted World hints at the level of creativity in that title being applied in a 3D space, but the finished product never reaches those heights. This occupies the lowest spot on this list out of disappointment more than anything, with the soundtrack, level design, and pacing all failing to live up to the predecessor.

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Deleted member 179 · Jan 25, 2020

OneAndOnly said:
Please put your lists in an ordered list. Highlight your lists and press the List button in the toolbar.

done, thanks for the heads up

Bosh · Jan 25, 2020

eternalblue said:
Please correct your spelling of Judgment without the e after g or VoteBot might not count it correctly and your vote for the game won't be counted.

I never noticed, thank you! Corrected

Sadist · Jan 25, 2020

Resident Evil 2 – Resident Evil VII marked the return of the series in my opinion. This remake however is the stuff that dreams are made off. If your dreams are nightmares in which you gleefully squeal when a greyish biological weapon starts following you around with thundering footsteps, then this is the game for you. But where do I begin? You know what, I can write an entirely different ending, but say; best game of 20019
Fire Emblem Three Houses – If my number 1 game wasn't here, you'd be the king Three Houses. But a second place is very respectable too as I feel that Three Houses is a return to form for the series.
Luigi's Mansion 3 – My dark horse this year. Even with being a big Nintendo fan I never really played a Luigi's Mansion game. Yeah a demo or a few moments of the original and Dark Moon, but nothing more than that. So playing LM 3 was somewhat of a revelation for me. I discovered an absolutely charming game with some clever setpieces.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening – I can not state enough how important this game is for me. Well the original anyway. The original from '93 was the final push for me to consider videogames a hobby. And you know what? Its still a great game full of charm. Its also the weirdest Zelda game next to Majora's Mask. Playing this game as a thirty something made me realize how off beat the humour is, how strange the island of Koholint can be and that its inhabitants are extremely charming. The game is still as charming as ever.
Death Stranding – Is this the game you would expect from Kojima? Well, yeah. Sort off. I guess? When the credits roll you can simplify the story to its core and Hideo's bizarre penchant for convulted story telling is certainly at its best here for better and for worse. Still Death Stranding was a fascinating ride for the seventy hours I explored the United Cities of America with Sam.
Untitled Goose Game – Ah, that honking Goose. When this game was first announced I was enthralled by it. It seemed like a very elaborate joke at first, but I really wanted this game to be good. Being a mean spirited goose seems like a fantastic idea and would have several fun challenges. So when the- HONK HONK HONK
Goose! Stay away from my keyboard! I mean it man. Shoo! Anyway where was I… oh right, the game is so charming and fun. I enjoyed being a total jerk and making the townspeople suffer with my antics. One of the reasons why the game was so fun to play was because of the graphics and the lovely British setting. The animations of the villagers reacting to the goose is hilarious. It felt so satisfying to HONK at other people and startling them. (Sorry old man) The amount of content might be on the slim side, but after completing it I felt its length was good enough. It is without a doubt one of the funnest indie games I have played in years.

Untitled Goose Game should be played by everyo- HONK! Damnit goose come back here! Gimme the keyboard! You don't get to run away from me! Stop running. I will eliminate you from my GOTY list! Oh he's running even faster now. Sorry, have to catch a goose. You little...
Pokémon Sword & Shield – Why can't I stop playing Pokémon? I've been playing these since the introduction of the series in in Europe back in October '99 and everytime when I play a new entry I think "but I played this several times, what is it with this franchise?" I think Pokémon became my relax game and that's the real reason why I still keep playing every new entry.
Astral Chain – After a while though I get it. The action becomes more clear, switching between Legions becomes more smooth and well, the style is clearly something Platinum can pull off. While I don't care for the story, the setting is cool and the music is awesome. After seeing the credits I felt way more satisfied after starting the game. Normally if a game starts this rough it would be disappointing, but Astral Chain becomes better as it progresses.
Devil May Cry 5 – Completed it in early January, just in time to get in my 2019 GOTY list! And oh boy, what a crazy party it was as usual. Capcom is back. I mean, what can you say about this game? If you like DMC you will have a blast and yes, I had fun while playing as Nero, Dante and V. Have to say that the latter was a bit weird to play at first, but it grows on you.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order - Even if the game shares the same repetitiveness its predecessors had like the X-Men Legends titles and the older Ultimate Alliance games, it was just old fashioned dumb fun. It has ton of fan service with a multitude of bad guys appearing over the course of the game. It might not be the best game I have played this year, especially from a technical/gameplay point of view, it just scratched an itch. Sometimes that's enough, right?.

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Kevinception · Jan 25, 2020

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - First Fire Emblem game I've ever played, ended up spending the most gaming hours on this title in 2019...which means it was the one game in 2019 that took most of my attention and gave the most enjoyment.
Civilization 6: Gathering Storm - This expansion officially makes this the best Civ game ever created. Yes, even beating Civ 4 & 5 with all their expansion. The game with most replayability by far, only 2nd to FE: 3 houses in hours played this last year.
Luigi's Mansion 3 - Best looking Switch game. First time playing a LM game, had a blast. Fun gameplay and great animations. My 4 year old son loved watching me play this game.
Untitled Goose Game - Brought me back to the point and click adventures I loved as a kid, very well crafted game. The only game my 4 year old son played together that wasn't called Roblox...son nuff said.
Ring Fit Adventure - This thing came out of nowhere for me, didn't know about it until it was already released. One of the most inventive games to come out of 2019 so it's this high up for me. The whole family is still enjoying it, and the effect is amazing. Oh, and it's positive for your health!
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - First time playing this Zelda entry, now its one of my fave 2d games ever. It's a glorious looking piece of storytelling.
Red Dead Redemption 2 - One of the best looking games I've played on my PC this last year. Best open world game of last year. Loved the 1st one, this was even more in depth.
Astral Chain - Never have really gotten into Platinum games, this one made me finally "get it". Love the style and music
Super Mario Maker 2 - Its only this far down on my list because I spent so much time on the first one, but this is by far a better version of that game and it's a shame that the original holds back the praise for this game as much as it does.
Control - Best overall showcase of ray tracing this last year in my book (Metro being a close second)

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Hero_of_the_Day · Jan 25, 2020

Resident Evil 2 - A great remake of one of my favorite games ever. So, yeah, I thought it was awesome.
Sekiro - Ninja Souls. Fucking awesome.
Tom Clancy's The Divsion 2 - We really have to spell the name out like that? Any way. Flawed game. But, probably the game I put the most time in with for co-op with my brother.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - Another awesome remake of one of my favorite games.
Control - Didn't love it as much as Alan Wake. But, still a cool ass weird story and fun gameplay (once you get some of the powers).
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - A bit on the janky side. But, still nice to have a good third person action Jedi game.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare - Fucking loved the multiplayer in this one. Until the new maps got added, at least. I got my monies worth.
Devil May Cry 5 - Fuck V. The rest of the game was good, though.
Gears 5 - It was more Gears and had less fighting robots than 4, so that's cool.
Anthem - It's the only other 2019 game I finished in 2019. So, it gets on the list by default. Good work, Bioware!

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KDC720 · Jan 25, 2020

Resident Evil 2 - Remakes are a difficult thing no matter the medium. It's funny that the Gamecube remake of the original Resident Evil is considered one of the best remakes of anything period, yet Capcom managed to pull of the seemingly impossible twice now. Whereas the remake of RE1 felt like a director getting a rare do-over, a chance to take advantage of new technology to perhaps fully realize a vision of a project they were unable to with limitations presented in the first go around, RE2 remake feels like a complete and total overhaul in a lot of ways. RE2 2019 hits all the story beats of the 1998 original, some things are mixed around, some character roles expanded, some very minor additions here and there, but it is essentially the same story as it was 20 years ago. Whats truely different is the moment to moment gameplay. It's still survival horror game much like the original, but the landscape has changed much since then and RE2 2019 pulls in influence from newer horror games and manages to meld them with the structure of the original RE2 with pretty fantastic results. I could go on and on but it's pretty much everything I wanted out of an RE2 remake and more. The only real flaw is how the "B Scenario" is a clearly rushed and last minute addition, but it doesn't really do much to tarnish my opinion of an utterly fantastic game and my favorite of the year.
Control - Remedy has yet to let me down. While I thought Quantum Break was probably their weakest title yet, I still enjoyed it quite a lot. When I read that Control was intended to be a more modest and budget intensive project for them I kept my expectations reasonably in check only to have them absolutely blown of the water in the best possible way. It's like Remedy took all the cool horror/sci-fi things I like and put them into a game. The SCP Wiki is a an obvious and enormous influence here, but Remedy has crafted such a fascinating world brimming with potential and I only wanted to explore more of it as the game went on. I wanted to read every document i came across and search every nook and cranny. Remedy's strong and confident storytelling mixed with their signature playfullness combines with fast, frenetic, and impactful gunplay that feels like an iteration with what they did with Quantum Break. The metroidvania exploration and progression is just the cherry on top of this wonderful experience.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - It's Call of Duty, I don't mean that to be dismissive, it feels like CoD has always been my gaming comfort food and this year's entry is no exception. After WWII's bland campaign and Black Ops 4's lack thereof, it was nice to have the story mode back. I have my issues with it, and I wish Infinity Ward didn't have to resort to rebooting the Modern Warfare canon to get butts in seats, but I ultimately enjoyed my time with it and its a perfectly fine way to spend 6 hours. The co-op mode is admittedly disappointing and not even really worth mentioning. It's the MP that really steals the show here. It's probably my favorite iteration of CoD multiplayer since Advanced Warfare. I've already sunken dozens of hours into it and plan to play for many more.
Sayonara Wild Hearts - This thing completely took my by surprise. The game describes itself as a playable pop album and that's pretty accurate. Only an hour or so long but it has managed to stick with me since I played it. A celebration of life, love, games, and self care it's a totally worthwhile and memorable experience that I would easily recommend to everyone. Some absolute bangers on the soundtrack too which is a plus in my book.
Luigi's Mansion 3 - I've come to appreciate the original Luigi's Mansion more and more as I've gotten older, however I ended up being pretty tepid on the 3DS sequel. I'm happy to say the third entry may be the best of them all so far. Packed to the brim with charm, humor, and clever puzzles, Luigi's Mansion 3 is a delight from start to finish. I played through the whole game in co-op, which is absolutely the ideal way do to it, and was grinning ear to ear. Working your way through the hotel battling ghosts and solving puzzles with a buddy is an immensely good time.
Life is Strange 2 - I enjoyed the original Life is Strange quite a lot, but I waited before all the episodes were out before jumping into the sequel (which ended up being quite the long wait). While the first game was a fairly standard high school mystery drama with a sci-fi Donnie Darko-esque twist, the sequel feels more like a subversion of pretty much everything the first game was. The issues it tackles are far more heavier, thematically it feels darker, it honestly feels like it gets a bit too close to being misery porn at times. Yet I think it's boldness pays off in the end. The game may not always explore the challenging topics it takes on deeply enough, but this is a story worth telling, with a prescient and sobering message.
Hypnospace Outlaw - Getting to play detective in late 90's cyberspace is a concept that's pretty appealing to me. Hypnospace Outlaw manages to fun little detective game in it's own right, but also an incredible time capsule into an era that wasn't so long ago yet feels so primitive compared to the internet we all inhibit today.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - I really like the old Igavania's, I have fond memories of all the DS ones in particular. Bloodstained is pretty much another one of those from the man himself in all but name really. There's nothing particularly groundbreaking here, just a goodass Castlevania game. Bloodstained easily accomplishes what it sets out to do and manages to stand shoulder to shoulder with it's Konami cousins.
Metro Exodus - 4A Games made a big shakeup with the third entry of the Metro series. Taking Artyom from the dim, dank, claustrophobic metro tunnels of the previous games into a more semi-open world approach. This change was divisive for a lot of people but I really ended up liking it. What really solidified Exodus a spot on my list was deciding to do my first playthrough on Ranger Hardcore difficulty. Make no mistake, this IS the definitive way to experience the game in my opinion. The exploration, survival, crafting, and combat really shine on this higher difficulty. I found myself in some incredibly tense situations as I had to carefully mange my resources, pick my fights wisely, and sneakily comb through these open environments for supplies lest I be screwed later on.
Death Stranding - Pure unfiltered Kojima. That's both a good and bad thing as it turns out. Yet for all of Death Stranding's flaws there really isn't much like it in the AAA space. That certainly makes it unique and worth experiencing. For every cringey line of dialogue or overly long explanation of basic themes and concepts, you do get a mix of that weird Kojima charm poking through. The world of Death Stranding is consistently interesting in how it operates, the package deliveries are both frustrating and tranquil, and there is an undercurrent of optimism that runs through the whole game that is really refreshing.

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XaviConcept · Jan 25, 2020

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - This list is very Top 2 heavy. Sekiro is basically all my favorite things rolled into one. Best in class storytelling, combat system, Art Direction, character designs, world design, feudal Japan, fantastic difficulty that always feels compelling ... It goes on and on, the way my heart was beating after beating some of the endgame bosses will stay with me for a long time
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - The main reason why I didn't get around to Disco Elysium or DMC5 ... I'm still playing this damn game! This is the first FE I've actually completed (once) and it actually has more obvious flaws than other games lower on this list ... but it's all forgivable because its particular vision is so well executed in such an extremely consistent way that its extremely compelling. Fantastic cast of characters, incredibly, thoroughly integrated combat system that feeds into everything the rest of the game has to offer. I keep selling the game to friends as "they made the perfect Harry Potter game" and its a true achievement because you need so many moving parts to be in perfect sync to one another! I was truly blown away when I saw that recruited characters from other houses had different character development branches made for such situations, that's when I knew this game was truly something special
Tetris 99 - I ... don't know if this game would have been so high up if I hadn't won once but I DID AND IT WAS AWESOME. This is the only "Battle Royale" concept that I've actually seriously invested in and never in a million years did I think Tetris games would be in my top 10 in TWO consecutive years, that's insane. This is a bold, extremely fresh take on a timeless concept and it just "clicks" on so many levels. Keeping "how the game works" as a secret was a stroke of genius as it made players, in 2019, talk to each other online about TETRIS. That's magical
Resident Evil 2 - I'll readily admit I haven't beaten this game, I'm not even close to (I'm a wimp) but it doesn't matter in this case. REmake 2, just like REmake before hand has set the industry standard for what remakes should truly be all about: To recapture (and hopefully surpass) the standards set by the original at its time of release.
Links Awakening - Besides being the perfect target demo for the original at its time of release (I was 10 and had a Gameboy) this was actually my first real experience with Links Awakening. Back then I remember the game being considered, a "very good Zelda experience for younger fans" which is funny because now its like "its an old school game, you'll get lost because the puzzles can be hard" and wow if that doesn't speak to how the industry has changed between both releases. Minor performance issues aside, I was charmed from the get-go, I adore the level of care and polish the environments have, how it really feels like you are playing something that feels like a dream, but also very real. The fact that the art style itself lends to the game's premise was a stroke of genius, add to that a game that has really held up since its release and you have yourself a fantastic, top of the line experience.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 - I loved that while playing this, you could almost hear the shocked Square Enix executives that the first Builders game was good so they ordered a sequel that very much feels like a very polished version of Builders 1 with all the added shine and marketing that SE is capable of. That aside, the game had some missteps. It was sold as a co-op experience but it was fairly limited and it took a significant amount of gameplay to unlock. The game itself, thankfully, is very much worth praising, blending an experience that mixes Minecraft with Zelda and adding Dragon Quest flavor to it makes it feel extremely fresh and its a blast to play through
Astral Chain - I'm about halfway done with AC, and it might be higher on the list if I did ... but what I played so far really deserves noted praise. Really neat, very 90's, premise, FANTASTIC combat as one would expect from Platinum and overall production values that make it feel like they have raised their profile. Not the followup effort to Nier Automata I expected but further proof that Platinum is always willing to take risks and try to innovate with their combat systems time and time again
Death Stranding - Not nearly as high as I would have thought a week before release ... that's because I have not completed this game either. My reason for stopping, however, was completely justified. This game is the undisputed winner of the "TINIEST FONT OF THE YEAR" award. I have a very large TV and continuously had to get up from the sofa and walk really close to the TV in order to read the very important, very gameplay relevant information that was constantly displayed on screen. I'm a very big fan of Kojima, I love the premise of this game and I and fully intend to continue now that the font has been patched but some damage was done, not gonna lie
Kingdom Hearts III - The effort that went into KH3 is astounding. As a games maker myself I was shocked at the level of custom designs, tech needs and gameplay that was offered in every world. If I was going to pick every facet of the game by itself and give it a grade, it would be A's all around (except story, lol) but when its all put together it didn't quite click with me and I think its because of the combat, this game is basically a "press X to win" even at the harder difficulty and ... even if you play on the new super hard mode its not the fun kind of difficulty that Sekiro has, its just random shit killing you. I wanted a slightly less fancy combat system, something with a bit more substance than flash would have done wonders for the game. I didn't have a high opinion of the story but I appreciated the honest effort in simplifying, condensing and move forward with the story, that's worth some level of praise
Katana Zero - My favorite indie game this year (in the true sense of the word) Much like The Messenger last year, Katana Zero perfectly reaches its goals. Fast combat, interesting story, a great setting and impeccable, consistent execution. A very easy recommendation to anybody that enjoyed 90's action games or is wondering what the genre has to offer
Cadence of Hyrule
SaGa: Scarlet Grace Ambitions
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Baba is You
Samurai Shodown
Control
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Apex Legends
Jedi: Fallen Order
The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa

Games that I didn't get to play or only got to play for a bit

*Disco Elysium
*The Outer Worlds
*Outer Wilds
*DMC5
*Plague Tale
*Slay the Spire
*Luigis Mansion 3
*Ace Combat 7
*Greedfall
*Judgment

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Shadout · Jan 25, 2020

Nearly forgot this thread again.

Disco Elysium - This came out of nowhere. Well-written, non-combat focused RPG with an inspired "stat" system, with some political flavor added? Seems like it was made just for me.
World of Warcraft Classic - I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I have. It was supposed to be a few months trip down nostalgia lane. But nope, WoW did it again. Much bettert sense of progression than in modern WoW. I knocked it down a spot on the list, solely for being a re-release.
Baba is You - What an amazing puzzle game. I am bad at puzzles, but this one really clicked for me, with the mindbending rulebreaking gameplay.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - It is my least liked "SoulsBorne" game, I dont like the faster gameplay and heavy focus on parrying. But it is still an amazing game that as usual rewards exploration.
Outer Wilds - Brilliant exploration game. Good concept with the time loop thing, and generally just well designed world with art, music, clever gameplay ideas, interesting story where it is just fun to slowly uncover the worlds secrets, all coming together in one really well-made package.
Resident Evil 2 - Enjoyable, tense, experience to slowly go through the rooms and especially the first area is well-designed, unlocking doors to uncover new paths etc. - later areas only got more linear, and less interesting unfortunately.
The Outer Worlds - I am conflicted about this game. The world, characters and story is okay, but nothing special. Much of the time the game systems (skills etc.) were pretty bad, and left me disappointed. But I am also a sucker for this kind of game, so despite the issues, I also enjoyed my time with the game.
Anno 1800 - Fun, although somewhat flawed, city builder and production chain manager. Was my 'While I am waiting on The Settlers'-game.
Slay the Spire - Fun little card game. But I also burned out relatively fast.
Civilization 6: Gathering Storm - Another Civ expansion, that adds new systems, but does not manage to address a lot of existing issues. I missed the World Congress and Diplomatic win condition. While the climate change sadly doesnt have enough of an impact, and too easy to solve with technology. One could hope Firaxis will change their long tradition of only making 2 expansions for each Civ game. And try to fix more of the current game, instead of repeating the cycle all over again.

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zami · Jan 25, 2020

Slay the Spire - Played to much of this game. It is an amazing mix of card game and rouge lite, when the run goes well it provides a very satisfying experience. Also once you start doing runs it is hard to stop.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - A great continuation in the series with a great cast of characters. Only got to play as the Golden Deers but it was good enough to make me want to experience the other houses at a latter time.
Pokemon Sword - It is a very fun flawed game, looking forward to the dlc this year as the game shows a lot of potential even if the execution was not perfect. It also has a dog with a sword.
Ring Fit Adventure - It is a genius idea that provides an easy way to get in a good workout. It is Nintendo at its best coming up with crazy ideas that actually work.
Tetris 99 - In more Nintendo crazy ideas they create a battle royal with no combat just Tetris. I enjoy the battle royal concept but I am not into shooters so it was a breath of fresh air to see one with a different type of combat. I would love to see more battle royals with unique ways to fight.
Outer Worlds - An enjoyable RPG with solid writing. It was lacking in standout power which made it a game I enjoyed playing but was not overly motivated to play. It was still a good experience overall.
World of Warcraft Classic - Joined WoW during Burning Crusade so I never got to experience classic so it was cool to see the original version of my most played game even if it has very slow progression. It also had the interesting experience of spending hours in a queue.
Demon's Tilt - It is a cool pinball game.

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Leeness · Jan 25, 2020

OneAndOnly said:
Please put your lists in an ordered list. Highlight your lists and press the List button in the toolbar.

Done! :)

KillstealWolf · Jan 25, 2020

Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled - I have an issue with games that just seem to recur on the past forever. Remake after remake after remake. I do always like the new games, so Crash had to go above and beyond to make it on the top of the list, and amazingly, it did. It has completely surpassed the originals, went beyond the expectations of the remake including all the Crash Nitro Kart characters and courses as well. And has still been adding characters and tracks since launch and even game modes. It's even taken a glitch from the original game and expanded it into a full mechanic with USF that makes this one of the fastest skill based racers in the market. This has become my go to racing game and party game now and I adore it.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne - Monster Hunter still has it's claws in my playlist, Iceborne adds even more monsters to the base game along with the new Clutch Claw that let's you grapple onto monsters and weaken their hides, but be careful, don't grab on when they are angry. Hoarfrost is great and post game support has been great with the safi-jiva raid being the highlight so far.
Devil May Cry V - Gameplay is king, and the action is never better here. Whether it's Dante with his Style Switches, Nero with his devil breaker hands or V commanding Nightmare and Shadow, There's never been a better game to pull a Devil Trigger on.
Resident Evil 2 - This list has been pretty heavily Capcom, hasn't it? It's another remake, but again it mixes things up with new additions like Mr. X, whilst still keeping all the original secrets like even the Tofu Survivor, Resi 3 next year will hopefilly be good as well.
Sayonara Wild Hearts - Sayonara is a short game, you can beat it in about 1 hour, it is however a very memorable hour with some amazing songs and song to gameplay. Visually dazzling and completely unforgettable.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - Igavania returns, there are some weird kickstarterer things in here that may not be required. But this game feels like a combination of every back Igavania feature in one package.
Indivisible - The skullgirls team bring us a JRPG with a gigantic cast and some fun combo gameplay as you try and string together your ultimate damage dealing combos. Be sure to try and find Mike Ross's cat and beat that bonus boss as well.
Luigi's Mansion 3 - Next Level Games brings a whole bunch of charm and flair with their characters and that's no clear with Luigi's Mansion 3's ensemble of ghostly hotel residence. Luigi's Mansion's King Boo better be the default King Boo going forwards.
Baba is You - Baba is Tricky, Baba is Headscratching, Baba is fun, You should buy Baba
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Maybe Sekiro willbe higher when I fully beat it, but I like what I've played of it so far. Great bosses as aspected with From Software and the stealth tenchu inspiration makes for a unique mix.

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JDHarbs · Jan 25, 2020

Resident Evil 2 - It's simply the perfect Resident Evil game. Combine the best parts of the series (RE4's gameplay, RE7's engine, RE2's setting), and you've got one of the greatest survival horror games ever made.
Beat Saber - It's been around for years now, but finally released out of early access. It's still THE reason to own a VR headset, and with it's amazing mod community it's arguably the greatest rhythm game of all time.
One Finger Death Punch 2 - The greatest 2-button game of all time gets an even better sequel. It might be the most addictive game I've ever played. I will never get tired of raining death upon hordes of stick figures to this soundtrack and visuals.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - My first dive into the Soulslike genre. What better way to enter than with Star Wars especially when the IP feels so at home here. As if Respawn wasn't already having an amazing year, this solidified them among the best studios in the industry.
Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled - I loved Crash growing up, but never tried CTR. I've missed out. It's the most skill-based, competitive, and challenging kart racer I've ever played.
Team Sonic Racing - I adored it's predecessor. CTR really overshadowed it, but those who skipped it for that missed out. It's team play mechanics make it a much more unique kart racing experience than you'd think which is a breath of fresh air in a world of Mario Kart clones.
Gears 5 - Even though I've grown bored of this series, it's hard to ignore just how well made this entry is. Maybe the most technically impressive game of this year. It's level of fidelity at the broadened scale they achieved it at is breathtaking at times.
Untitled Goose Game - This is one of those games where you're going to find yourself smiling the whole time you play without realizing it, and then other people are going to walk in to see WTF you're doing and they're going to start doing the same thing, and then eventually you'll have a room full of smiling people watching you play a game about a goose bringing havok to a happy neighborhood. Soon you will realize that this beautiful little devil of a goose has brought people together and that is the kind of moment that video games were made for.
The Outer Worlds - I could never get into Fallout. I tried and tried, but it always lost me eventually. Sci-fi Fallout with a sense of humor and style made by the devs of it's best entry though? I slid right into this without a hitch, but just haven't poured enough time into it to put it higher on my list.
Madden NFL 20 - I'm just using this spot because idk what else to put here, but GO CHIEFS! In all seriousness though, this is the first Madden I've bought in over a decade due to the circumstances of my hometown team going to the Super Bowl, but it's crazy to see the visual/gameplay jump it's had now over that time.

Honorable Mentions:
- Games I didn't play enough - Ace Combat 7, Devil May Cry V, Apex Legends, Rage 2, Vader Immortal Ep. 1-3
- Games I didn't buy yet - Mortal Kombat 11, Baba is You, Death Stranding, Control, A Plague's Tale, Telling Lies

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ResetEra Games of the Year 2019 - Voting Thread (READ THE OP) [Ends Jan 26th 8:59am EST]

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