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

radosiewka · Dec 23, 2019

The Outer Worlds - if you were dissatisfied with Mass Effect: Andromeda and Fallout 4 - this game brings the best of both series: interesting (not black and white) world and characters with well, characters. And those companions are just great!
Disco Elysium - this game was a big surprise for me and I've heard about it after the release and good reviews. Witty and not for everyone (plenty od reading there!), it is a rewarding adventure for players looking for an interesting story, setting and wishing for the classical cRPGs to go back to their golden days. PS: choose wisely!
Anno 1800 - I love strategy games and there aren't as many of them released now as they were a while ago. The industrial era is an interesting setting and the game gives plenty of satisfaction from the first second of the play-through.
Red Dead Redemption 2 - it's a must-play for everyone, who loves highly detailed open worlds, games where you can literally dive in and just spend some time relaxing while riding a horse and admiring the environment. The story is good too.
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled - this is the game from this year that I've spent the most time playing online. As a child, I was a huge fan of the Crash series (I still am) and the campaign and split-screen were great. It's still there, with the levels gorgeously looking and more playable characters than ever. And great kudos for the studio for creating more Grand Prixes, adding levels, skins, characters, etc. Monetization is still there, but not too annoying as it could be.
Judgement - I love Yakuza games and this one has some refreshing vibe in it. We are still back on Kamurocho streets but this time as a lawyer working as a private eye with a smaller-scale history.
Planet Zoo - zoo building simulator for everyone! It's a good successor for Zoo Tycoon game with a wide range of possibilities to build your zoo and amazingly animated animals. Must play for simulator enthusiasts and animal lovers :)
GreedFall - cRPG with a smaller budget but great ambitions. An unusual setting and interesting characters make that game.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition - great cRPG from Larian Studio, I love how they are continuously working on games with the passion that is visible while playing it. Great characters and dialogues and the controls on console are great as well (though I still recommend playing it on PC)
Life is Strange 2 - The first game of the series was a breath of fresh air in the genre and the second one is as good as the first one.

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banter · Dec 23, 2019

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne - Capcom really outdid themselves on this one. The beautiful world of Monster Hunter World expanded, not just with new areas, but tons of new monsters, another story, and more improvements to the formula. I can't stress enough how happy I am with this game, and I already had high expectations before it released and it still just blew them away. They managed to make old monsters better, and new monsters that are out of this world and have just spectacular effects. 1100 hours in (600 of which are since Iceborne released) and I am still in love with this game (and not even finished with the core "assigned quests". MR174 right now, still have the 175 and 200 quests to go). To make things even better, they keep adding more and more for FREE.
Outer Wilds - The underrated and under appreciated game of the year for me. I discovered the game through Era and I am so glad that I did. Exploring this beautifully weird piece of a random solar system, solving strange puzzles and discovering, well, what the hell is going on. I've not been so entranced by a game that I bought on a whim in a VERY long time. Once I started, I played nothing else until I'd uncovered all that the game had to offer, which is surprisingly a lot. It's a real shame Outer Worlds came with so much buzz (what a let down too) because I feel most people mix that with this and Outer Wilds is such a better experience and deserves the attention much more imo.
Cadence of Hyrule - What a beautiful surprise this game was! An unexpected marriage of two great games that was executed wonderfully. They just released free dlc/update for it to bring more life to a great game.
Death Stranding - One of the weirdest and most unique games I've played to date. It's honestly an experience imo, and while it is very obviously not for everyone, it is definitely for me.
Resident Evil 2 Remake - RE2 was always my favorite Resident Evil game, but more recently I've found it difficult to go back to because of the tank controls. Enter RE2make, a beautiful and well controlled version that just blew me away reminding me of what I loved about it so much while adding a few tweaks but maintaining a majority of what made the original great.
Pokemon Sword/Shield - I know not everyone will agree with me on this one but this was the best pokemon release in many years imo. I haven't managed to actually finish any of them that came after black/white 2, and I've given some of them many tries. I finished Sword in less than a week and still play every couple days for finishing the pokedex and getting more gigantimax mons.
The Touryst - I just finished this game and couldn't help but put it on the list. It's is such a charming little game with great puzzles, an amazing engine, and just an all around fun and unique game. It's a little short but it's also $20 so it's to be expected.
Untitled Goose Game - A ridiculous and hilarious concept that fills out a surprisingly brilliant experience.
Mortal Kombat 11 - I haven't been much of a fighting game fan since the SNES era, but this game really brought me back into it more than I was expecting. I decent size cast, amazing graphics, fun mechanics, and a surprisingly decent story (for a fighting game).

I really wanted to get around to Sekiro, Control, and Star Wars Jedi: the Fallen Order but I did not yet play them so I can't in good faith put them in my list.

EDIT: fixed

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Vic_Viper · Dec 23, 2019

Death Stranding - Had no idea what to expect from this game leading up to the release. The trailers were your typical crazy Kojima cinematics, but they didnt offer much in the way of showing what the actual game would be like to play. What we ended up getting was something I hadnt really seen done before. People will write it off and just say its a walking simulator, but its so much more than that.
Astral Chain - Love the world and the setting. Hope we get a sequel, but I really want Platinum to do something closer to Nier Automata, with a semi-open world, rather than multiple hub like stages.
Judgment - Yakuza, but with a murder mystery! Hell yes!
AI: The Somnium Files - Never been a big VN guy, but this one totally changed my perceptions of the genre.
Control - Remedy is getting closer and closer to becoming one of my all time favorite developers.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep - Played way too much Destiny 2 this year than I should have lol.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 -
The Outer Worlds -
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order -
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - I wanted to love this game. Dark Souls but with Samurai was basically my dream game after Dark Souls. The difficulty isnt entirely to blame though. I really missed being able to level up my character so I could offset the difficulty a bit. I would like to see them do more in this world, but I would like to see some additions like being able to equip different armor and a level up system.

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Suburban Thug · Dec 23, 2019

I can come up with 5 games, not 10. DMC V is at the top of my list.

Deleted member 61002 · Dec 23, 2019

Suburban Thug said:
I can come up with 5 games, not 10. DMC V is at the top of my list.

Hey, some people here are doing one game. Go ahead and do your 5.

Ruruja · Dec 23, 2019

Dragon Quest Builders 2 - Improves on pretty much everything from the first game. A delightful experience from beginning to end (and beyond).

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arturo2666 · Dec 23, 2019

Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Editions - I can't extol this game enough. More than anything else, the local co-op is a significant achievement in being the only game of its type (CRPG, WRPG, what have you) that conceptualized and executed co-op in a way that works well and elevates the game. It wasn't until after my wife and I finished the game, and I was looking for a similar co-op experience that I realized there's nothing else quite like Divinity 2 in that arena.
Dragon Quest 11 Definitive Edition - This game is like a warm blanket. It's just so goddamned pleasant to play. I'm not even a big fan of previous DQs - I've only played some of VII and completed IX, but DQ11 evokes nostalgia and the happy feelings that come with it regardless.
Disco Elysium - I'm not done with it yet, but it's relatively easy to place this game so high. The prose is that good. I did have some difficulty getting into it in the first hour or so. Specifically I think this is because I was really hyped for the game for a year or so beforehand, and going into it with the expectation of roleplaying whatever kind of person I wanted to be - then you're dumped into a character with metric tons of baggage. I struggled to find a way to play the smart & empathetic cop I wanted to be while also coming to terms with the fact that he's kind of a buffoon and (literally) raging drunk. Once you get into the groove with the game and what the limits are on how much you can define this person, I found it really rewarding, and will definitely be finishing up before EOY.
Judgment - Kamurocho has never looked this good. I loved following a new character somewhat removed from the criminal underworld. They've started re-introducing stuff that was missing from Yakuza 6 in the new engine to good effect. The story and acting is fantastic.
Tetris Effect - Tetris has long been something I play to decompress and deal with real life stresses, Tetris Effect is the ultimate version of Tetris for that purpose. The audiovisual experience of it, especially in VR, is both awe-inspiring and comforting in equal measure.
Outer Wilds - Exceedingly memorable for a lot of different reasons than most games I would say are memorable. Unlike a lot of my favorite memories in games, which usually involve something happening or characters I love, Outer Wilds is memorable for it's exploration. The hand-crafted planets and their secrets are just so interesting - they stick in your mind long after the game's done.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - I loved the three/four story paths aspect of this, and how you come to be attached to the folks in your house. The revisions to the SRPG gameplay were also very welcome. Ultimately, it's the best Fire Emblem, period.
Cadence of Hyrule - Dropped out of nowhere and probably the only game this year where I'd start it up thinking I'll play for 30 min to an hour, then end up playing all night.
Katana Zero - Pacing problems aside, the writing in this game was really good. The gameplay was simple enough that I never got irritated even if a screen took me 10+ times to clear. The art is amazing.
Sayonara Wild Hearts - The songs are really good and the game has great style. Not much else to say - it's really down to how much you like the music, which I did, a lot.

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Karlinel · Dec 23, 2019

Control - Awful performance aside, the return of Remedy brought a personal, suggestive and mysterious game, with some of the best setpieces of the year (oh, Ashtray maze, I wish I could enter you for the first time again!).
Ace Combat 7 - As a lapsed fan of the series, it was all I could have hoped. Has some weird difficulty spikes, and the plot is absurd, but man o man what a (plane) ride!.
Resident Evil 2 - The remake I always dreamed of (well, I would prefer one like this of RE1, but you get what you get), it loses SOME of the stupidity, but retains the silliness, ramping up the tension.
MediEvil - The other side of the coin, the "a bit too faithful for its own" remake, but still endearing as hell.
The Outer Wilds - On my 3rd loop so far, but I see it's simply something...special.
Death Stranding - Surprisingly entertaining, and a Kojima plot, 2 concepts I never thought I'd see together!
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order - janky, unpolished, combat is wonky and frame infor kinda sucks (on PS4 at least)...but it IS somehow addictive.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - my least favourite From software of the decade, but still a damn fine videogame. I still love to hate it, but someday, people, someday we will click.
Xeno Crisis - MEGA DRIVE GAME IN 2019!!!!!
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair - this was a real surprise to me, I backed the original and felt SO disappointed I just played the first world and burned it (not literally). So this one being actually good was...wow...

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Suburban Thug · Dec 23, 2019

CrimsonCrescendo said:
Hey, some people here are doing one game. Go ahead and do your 5.

Didn't know that was an option, thank you for the heads up!

Muffin · Dec 23, 2019

Outer Wilds - A chill space adventure with so many fun things to discover. The role music plays in this game is great too. Don't forget to put that spacesuit on when leaving your ship.
Devil May Cry 5 - My first time playing a DmC game, and it's great. Dantes moveset especially is versatile and never gets boring.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - What I thought was a cool new take on the Souls formula. Learning to parry is satisfying, and getting good enough at it to make quick work of the last boss even more. Spirit Emblems were a mistake though, FromSoft really needs to let not-refreshing consumables go that concern important game mechanics.
Kingdom Hearts 3 - I thought I would place this higher, since I waited for this game since back when I played KH2 on my PS2 and bought a PS3 anticipating a new Kingdom Hearts. In the end it has it's flaws, the combat is slightly worse than in KH2, though creative. Most areas are fun, only one or two that were a bit boring. The story is the entertaining mess it always was.
AI: The Somnium Files - Great mix of humor and a dark story that keeps you theorizing.
Control - Weird, intruiging game. Very interested in a sequel.
Untitled Goose Game - HONK HONK HONK
Metro Exodus - The ending to Artyoms story, and a great one. Sadly plagued by technical issues at release.
Death Stranding - A cool experiment from Kojima. Not the start of a new genre or anything revolutionary, but cool ideas for story and gameplay equally, especially the social systems. The gameplay sadly couldn't stay interesting for me after the story ended.
The Outer Worlds - An old-school RPG by Obsidian. Love the funny dialogue with meaningful options, dislike the linearity and lack of options in other areas. I miss the openness from Bethesda games here.

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Talax · Dec 23, 2019

Kingdom Hearts 3 - Definitely my most favourite game this gen and will soon be made more enjoyable by the coming DLC. I know the story's crazy but that's what I love the most about the game. I'm in for all the wild rides Nomura keeps giving us.
Death Stranding
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled
Nier Automata Game of the YoRHa Edition
Days Gone
Devil May Cry 5
Octopath Traveller
No Man's Sky Beyond
Sekiro Shadows Die Twice
Resident Evil 2

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Martinski · Dec 23, 2019

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - First playthrough i "hated" the game. But after finishing the game like 3-4 times, i now completely adore it. It is as close to perfection you can currently come in gameplay.
Resident Evil 2 - Never played the original or actuall none of the early PS1 era games. But this game is insanely solid and feels like a combination of RE4 and 7. Which are the best games in the series prior imo. RE2 is almost on par with 4.
Death Stranding - Here is where i enjoyed my time with the game much more than the story and plot itself with was quite whack imo. I liked doing the deliveries and improving the world around me and building roads and seeing other peoples shit.
The Outer Worlds - Obsidian back to form, this is my favourite type of RPG game where you can "shape" the game around your decisions. Great value from Gamepass
Gears 5 - Very fun co-op campaign and amazing visuals especially considering it was 60 fps and 4K on console too. The plot left me wanting though with another cliffhanger. Anothe great value of Gamepass
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - Tight combat and gameplay and fantastic visuals. 1 - 2 Insanely infuriating missions in the game though.
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order - Fun game overall and decent story but too much jank and the combat is really wonky imo. Boss fights were terrible.
Metro Exodus - A very good game but the characters and plot never grabbed me, it was just okay. Fortunately the gameplay itself was quite interesting and nice enough for me to finish it.
Devil May Cry 5 - I recognize that there is a very good game here but it never really grabbed me. It was a fun game to finish once and the graphics are amazing.
Life is Strange 2 - Left me bit dissapointed, the story, plot and characters werent as interesting in the sequel as in the first game.

These were probably the best titles i finished this year. That i can remember right now on top of my head. I have played only a small part of Control and Disco Elysium also.

Days Gone was probably the dissapointment of the year after reading great impressions of it around here. Ultimetely it left me agreeing with the bad reviews it got to be honest. It's a 5/10 game with good graphics, which are good sometimes when its not lagging, hitching, textures loading in, and that was after i downloaded like 25 GB of patches.

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Terraforce · Dec 23, 2019

Kingdom Hearts 3 - A fantastic closure to a well revered franchise. Personally I believe that the combat and level design are the peak of the series in this game, and are enough to offset some of the weird story decisions.
Fire Emblem Three Houses - Easily among the best narratives in a JRPG, amazing cast of characters, and gameplay sits among the greats of the series even if it isn't the best.
Pokemon Shield - Far from a perfect game, but the gameplay loop of breeding for IVs and spamming raids to get HAs and generally better mons still has me gripped even 100+ hours later. That's without even mentioning the battle system is as good as ever.
Mario Maker 2 - A game with literally infinite content. Both making and playing levels has been some of the most fun I've had this year.
Death Stranding - A very slow and methodical game, but it's fun to just chill out to. The approach of melding gameplay and the meta aspect is really awesome too.
Catherine Full Body - The original was my GOTY of its year, and I generally shy away from remasters on my GOTY list, but I feel that FB is more of a 1.5 than a mere remaster. Rin adds a lot to the fray, plus every single stage is fundamentally different with the remix mode. The expanded local co op is just the icing on the delicious cake.
Luigi's Mansion 3 - This might be the game that was most pleasing to the eyes to me this year on Switch. Captured a great atmosphere and fixed changes I hd with Dark Moon. It has a few pitfalls but they're outshined by what this game does right.
Yokai Watch 4 - Takes the best aspects of Blasters and the mainline series to craft a great combat system and even greater story.
Devil May Cry 5 - The hype for this game prompted me to finally go back into my collection to finish all the prior games (minus 2). Very engaging combat system that feels like the series has reached its peak.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Respawn made the first single player SW game in ages, and deliver it did. The story isn't the best, and I had issues with some of the cast, but it truly feels like you're a Jedi through and through, and by the end of the journey I felt like a real Jedi Master after finally attaining a proper grasp of the difficult combat.

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Phendrift · Dec 23, 2019

Death Stranding - At the risk of being called a fanboy, I'm gonna open this by going to bat for Kojima in a forum that I see increasingly vocal about hating him. There is no other developer in this industry that can blend gorgeous and well directed cinematics, deep and responsive top tier gameplay, ingenious level design and systems and is bold and risk-taking in both gameplay and story. Simply no one remotely comes close. Despite his flaws, He's irreplaceable in this industry.

And Death Stranding emphasizes every part of that.

To introduce such an in depth gameplay loop that's completely different from what has been done before in the AAA sphere with such confidence is truly remarkable. It does exactly what it sets out to do. The tools and systems in play give so many options for the player as they explore the world. The open world itself is used completely differently than most games - acting as a hazard and the level itself as opposed to something that just serves as a backdrop from point A to B or serves to entice exploration. The depth and ingenuity that MGSV had in it's shooting and stealth gameplay is present here in DS' traversal and management mechanics.

The lore and story itself is fascinating. Building such a deep and complex world on the first try should be commended. It was a breath of fresh air and not like anything else. BT's, BB's, EE's.... give it all to me Kojima! The characters as well, I loved so many of them. I think Cliff and Fragile were my favorites. They all have exquisite designs, shout-out to Shinkawa. Plot twists were great too, but I'll avoid spoilers.

The cinematics were A+, so many shots will be engrained in my head forever. And let's not forget the music.... a moody and mysterious score by Ludvig Forssell and the licensed songs fit the game perfectly.

Honestly, I didn't even like this as much as I expected to. The bosses leaved a lot to be desired, though this isn't a combat heavy game but I just really miss my classic Kojima bosses. The story's pacing was off due to the open world. Kojima still has a bit to figure out there. And sometimes I echoed the complaints of the reviewers that the loop did get a little boring.

So, while I thought this would dominate my list, I actually place it pretty close to the second game. But I want risk taking and bold games to be recognized and rewarded. To craft such a different game and have it exude the confidence and actually have the systems to back it up is a phenomenal achievement. I will be here for whatever Kojima does next.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - I'm a huge Nintendo fan, but never considered myself a massive Fire Emblem fan. I played Awakening and enjoyed it well enough, but not enough to think "wow, I'm gonna dive into this series."
Three Houses has single-handedly put me on watch for every single Fire Emblem game going forward. To start, I find the gameplay in this to be fun. I'm not a big SRPG guy, so I put it on normal and still felt challenged enough without getting too frustrated.

But the story and lore, my god. It's so interesting and I find the political angle well executed. The plot gains depth in splitting the routes, and the fact that there is no "perfect" route completely accentuates the themes of the game. Seeing how the other two leaders changed in the second half of the game without your influence was also really well handled.

I can't forget all the other students too. Sure, the monastery could get a bit repetitive. And it definitely felt forced into the second half. But what it serves to do, provide a sense of community and encourage socialization with your students got me so attached to many of them. More than any single character in Awakening.

It gave birth to such a satisfying gameplay loop of instructing and doing activities with your students, and then seeing that pay off on the battlefield. Any subsequent Fire Emblem game will be lost without some equivalent to the opportunities the monastery offers.

Improvements I would've made include more map variety and more different things to spice up the monastery in the second half of the game. Regardless, I've completed two whole routes and am almost halfway through my third and fourth ones. The game has kept my attention for 100 hours due to it's satisfying gameplay loop. I'd also like to see the series given a bigger budget for an improvement in presentation, the voice acting already adds so much.
Sayonara Wild Hearts - What a thrilling hour of my life. A testament to how impactful short games can be. This game is so easy to just pick up and play.

It's a cathartic and emotional experience. And my god, that soundtrack. OST of the year for sure. Just dreamy, pop perfection.

The controls are so simple, but the game manages to surprise you all the way to the end with clever twists and turns that fit within the confines of its 1-3 minute arcadey levels.

There's not much else to say about it. It does exactly what it sets out to do. And quite honestly, I think it could be the first step into something massive. Artists recently have popularized "visual albums" where every song has a music video, I'd love to see some big artists find a developer and tackle a video game album like Sayonara did.
Devil May Cry 5 - I love character-action games, but not for the same reasons many people on ERA do. I love the *feel* of being stylish. Occasionally if the combat is so fun, I'll challenge myself and replay on hard modes. But usually I just do a quick romp through and I'm satisfied. Never really go up to perfecting Non-Stop Infinite Climax or Dante Must Die. If I did, I'm sure DMCV would be much higher.

However, the game still gave me a ton to enjoy. I don't make a note about performance/resolution in these reviews except for cases that really stand out, and DMCV is beautiful to look at and feels great to play. Makes the action that much more stylish.

Dante and Nero are a blast and feel just as badass as ever, and the bosses are a major improvement over DMC4. I loved Nico too, a great new character.

The game falters in a couple areas for me though. First, the level design. It doesn't feel that meticulous, but I suppose it serves its purpose. This isn't helped by the fact that lots of the areas have the same aesthetic. Temen-ni-Gru is still the peak of level design in this series imo.

Second, the bosses didn't feel as memorable as, once again, DMC3's to me, despite being better than 4's. The overall atmosphere is a bit down from 3 and 1 as well.

Third, I commend them for experimenting, but I couldn't help but be a bit disappointed when it was time to play as V. Cool concepts, but when you're comparing to Dante and Nero, it's hard to match up.

Overall, Devil May Cry V is a beautiful and stylish return to form for the series, but I still believe the peak is DMC3 - at least, in terms of what I'm looking for from it.
Kingdom Hearts 3 - I played the entire KH series this year and finished it off with 3 this summer. Overall, it had some great moments. Enough for it to get the last mention on the list. The worlds are beautiful and have reached the peak of the series, they picked fantastic Disney characters for you to fight alongside. The gameplay feels as smooth as ever even though I feel the combat in this series never truly clicked with me.

Sora, Donald and Goofy also have great chemistry. The positivity is infectious. and I enjoyed all of my favorite villains of the series coming back to get their time in the spotlight. We also can't forget Shimomura and co's gorgeous OST.

And there's just something about KH that makes it special in it's own way despite how ridiculous it is. I'm not nostalgic for it, but even I feel it. I love the world and characters.

But Overall, while KH3 had enough positives to keep my interest, I can't talk about it without mentioning that it fell under it's own weight.

I like to compare it with Metal Gear Solid 4. The only other game I can think of that had to take on the burden of a "finale game for a decades+ spanning convoluted series with tons of buildup." The difference here is that, despite whatever you may think of MGS4's story, the game made it clear that it was confident in taking on that burden. Spreading unbelievable climatic moments throughout it, celebrating the history of the series, and unabashedly going balls to the wall insane the entire way through.

KH3, on the other hand, puts off the burden until the very end. Almost like it's scared to do what it's been expected to for 10+ years. Those final hours do have you glued to your seat. They're packed with Great, energizing setpieces like the keyblade surfing and trio vs. trio boss fights. However, upon reflection it feels a bit like they were going through the motions. I came away more excited with thinking about where the series would go than pondering the conclusion of the Xehanort arc.

I expect the DLC to address a lot of my issues like no Final Fantasy characters and more playable characters and boss fights. It'd probably move up this list. But I won't give it a pass in advance right now.

Those are all of the games I've finished so far this year, and i liked them well enough to give them all a spot on the list. Will have Outer Wilds, Astral Chain and LM3 done by the time voting ends hopefully. Debating whether or not LA Remake should qualify

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Slim · Dec 23, 2019

Devil May Cry 5 - Been waiting for this game forever now, and it certainly delivered. The best CA game ever. Only a DLC with Vergil would make it even better.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - I've heard lots of mixed opinions about this and the difficulty/combat, but from my own experience; it's one of the best games of this gen. The world is incredibly vast and compared to other Soulsborne games it lets you explore areas you wouldn't think possible.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne - Already a great game with even greater expansion now. Not much to say here to be fair.
Greedfall - Who would've thought this game would end up on this list? It's an intriguing, flawed game but it still somehow captivated me, and I usually never give these kinds of games a chance.
Resident Evil 2 - Probably the safest choice on this list, but it's still a great remake.
Control - Dunno how to describe it other than it's a bizzare but fantastic game.
MediEvil - Didn't ever think we'd get a remake, but a good game nonetheless.

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sanstesy · Dec 23, 2019

Luigi's Mansion 3 - My favorite game of the year. Great gameplay, great look, great sound. Flawless fun in a concise package!
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Baba is You
Apex Legends
Astral Chain

Outer Wilds would very likely be on this list if I got to it as it sounds exactly like my kind of game. Next year!

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Phendrift · Dec 23, 2019

Also I have no idea how to make it so that part of my post doesn't follow the list thing. I wanted to make my last paragraph not appear like it's part of my KH3 write up but it just takes the whole post off of the list format

E-bite · Dec 23, 2019

Devil May Cry 5 - I wasn't the biggest DMC fan before DMC5,....now I am.
Resident Evil 2 - RE2 is a great example of how to do remakes. seamless exploration, excellent story, back tracking feels fresh and above all, the deep and strong atmosphere.
Mortal Kombat 11 - The story in MK11 is not the best in the series, and I also didn't like the endless grind for acquiring gear, but damn this has the best gameplay mechanics out of any MK game to date.
Katana ZERO - Great game with an intriguing story. lots of trial and error, but it was always satisfying to kill my enemies in the most stylish ways.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - I didn't finish Sekiro, but this was the first FromSoft game that felt precise, fast and endlessly rewarding.
A Short Hike - ...in a long day.
A Plague Tale: Innocence - In a sea of games with "bold and unique" ideas, A Plague Tale is a safe, yet great story about love, war and overcoming near impossible situations.

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Deleted member 10737 · Dec 23, 2019

Martinski said:
Votebot not counting my contribution?

your formatting isn't correct. you should use an ordered list. also don't put extra line breaks between two gamea.

Deleted member 16908 · Dec 23, 2019

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Super satisfying to master, this is one of FromSoftware's best games to date.
Resident Evil 2 - A fantastic reimagining of an old game that singlehandedly got me interested in the RE franchise.
Hypnospace Outlaw - Playing this game is like using an alternate reality version of WayBack Machine to explore old GeoCities pages.

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Deadly Cyclone · Dec 23, 2019

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Fantastic story, great gameplay, and enough return value for multiple playthroughs.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Everything I want from a Star Wars game, with only a few drawbacks (side content, game performance). The story was solid, the acting was really great, and the gameplay was a really great mix of Uncharted and Dark Souls lite.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare - The best Call of Duty game in years. Everything just feels good, shooting, leveling, unlocks, etc. The single-player campaign is also beautiful and a lot of fun to play through.
The Outer Worlds - Some technical issues aside, this game out Fallouts Fallout and has a fantastic story, characters and acting to boot.
Grindstone - My favorite Apple Arcade game overall. It's a puzzle game with unlocks that goes on seemingly forever and is a ton of fun to play.
Death Stranding - This is SUCH a weird game. But, Kojima. I'm big into open-world games I can get lost in and wander for hours doing side quests, so this game was actually quite fun for me. I haven't finished it, but the story has enough "Kojima weird" to keep me interested and the acting and music are fantastic.
Pokemon Shield - The first Pokemon on a TV was a solid entry. Not the best, but I did really enjoy my time with it. The big open areas are great for catching and leveling, and being able to see Pokemon walking in tall grass finally is great. I also enjoy the character of each gym leader.
Borderlands 3 - It very much is "more Borderlands" but it is still a ton of fun
Outer Wilds - This game is just interesting. From the repeat concept to the ship controls to the bit-by-bit exploration, it really captivated me for a time this year.
Apex Legends - I haven't played a ton lately, but Respawn was able to drop into (ha) a BR market that most thought was full and make an interesting game that feels fantastic.

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Tygre · Dec 23, 2019

Friends, let me take you on a journey.
🎶

🎶

Outer Wilds - A truly breathtaking achievement, a window into the ambitious possibilities of what games could be. Knowing anything about this game lessens the experience of playing it, but knowing everything about this game does nothing to dull the joy of experiencing its magnificence. A fully modelled clockwork solar-system to explore. Mysteries on top of mysteries to unravel. Hundreds of thousands of years of history to understand. A glorious stream of discoveries and oddities to astound and amaze you. This game is Kerbal Space Program meets Return of the Obra Dinn meets Breath of the Wild meets The Witness. And the music, oh the music! Haunting, uplifting, melancholy, sanguine, the perfect accompaniment to your adventure. To top it all off, in a year full of utterly terrible endings, this game has one of the best endings I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
Slay The Spire - My number one for much of the year, and the game I've spent the most time with this year by far. This is the game that broke the spell Hearthstone has had over me for the last five years, and I am forever grateful for that.
F1 2019 - The best F1 game Codemasters has ever made, with some of the best racing AI I've ever experienced. A really genuine F1 career experience is married to some very entertaining multiplayer, making up a fantastic package for any F1 fan.
Baba Is You - Baba Is You. Flag Is Win. Door Is Stop And Closed. Key Is Open. Lava Is Hot. Keke Is Push and Move. I'm sure you can work it out.
Untitled Goose Game - Honk!
The Outer Worlds - The first 5 hours of this game was number one material, the last 35 hours were... not. Really looking forward to The Outer Worlds 2, hopefully with like 10 times the budget.
Tetris 99 - Tetris is still the perfect game, and it can now add "Battle Royale" to the list of genres it's the best in.
Pokemon Sword - A disappointing debut for the first home-console Pokemon. The graphics are bad from a technical standpoint, with muddy textures, horrendous pop-in and occasionally poor frame rate. The graphics are also bad from an artistic standpoint, with incongruous and ill fitting art-styles clashing and some animations being just embarrassingly amateurish. The gameplay is largely uninspiring, an underwhelming retread of every other Pokemon game with elements removed or watered down, rather than something exciting and new. It's still Pokemon, and the Pokemon are still cute, but man, what a let down.
Total War: Three Kingdoms - Do not pursue Lu Bu.
Wargroove - Fantasy Advance Wars. That's it. That's the tweet. This would be WAY higher on my list if the missions and cutscenes didn't drag on waaaaaay too long. I really like this game, but I will also really never finish this game.

Honourable Mentions

Luigi's Mansion 3 - A fun co-op romp with truly terrible controls.
Resident Evil 2 - I really wish I liked playing horror games, but I just don't. What I do enjoy is watching them be played badly by people who are terrified, so this game has brought me a lot of joy without ever having to touch it.
Super Mario Maker 2 - I really wish I liked playing 2D Mario games, but I just don't. What I do enjoy is watching them be played well by people who seem to defy physics, so this game has brought me a lot of joy without ever having to touch it.
Heave Ho - Do you have a room full of friends and an hour to kill? If yes, this game is best in class.
Disco Elysium - I wish I had the time this game deserves. Maybe in 2020?
Halo: Reach - Another game which will get a LOT of 2020 play time.
Mutant Year Zero - Good, but not so good that I kept playing it.
Dota Underlords - I fell off this super quick, but I appreciate what it's going for.
Apex Legends - I also fell off this super quick, but I also appreciate what it's also going for.

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ThereAre4Lights · Dec 23, 2019

SunBroDave said:
The Walking Dead: The Final Season - It's a miracle that this game even exists, and yet somehow it managed to be amazing. A great story in it's own right, but also a fantastic conclusion to Clem's story that had me on the edge of my seat until the very last moment. If you're a fan of any of the prior Walking Dead seasons, or even just a fan of this style of narrative adventure game, you owe it to yourself to check this final season out.

I thought I was going to be the only one putting this on my list. I feel like a lot of people forgot about this game or never got around to playing it because of the tepid reception to The New Frontier, plus the whole Telltale mess last year. It's a good return to form.

Sidzed2 · Dec 23, 2019

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - no other game this year grabbed my attention quite like this. The controls were tight, the traversal was exciting, and the combat was brutal but approachable. I can't wait for a follow up.
Devil May Cry 5
Resident Evil 2
Death Stranding
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Cadence of Hyrule
Luigi's Mansion 3
Return of the Obra Dinn
Super Mario Maker 2
Control

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Gevurztraminer · Dec 23, 2019

Control - Where do I even start? Never have I played a game that felt like it encapsulated my own perception and thought process so well. From the combat balance, document writing, environmental design, and sociomateriality nu-weird ideas, it felt like Sam Lake and crew extracted a slice of my brain put it in some weird Finnish smoothie making machine and then served it back to me. Whoah, I guess I just suggested that Remedy made me drink my own brain matter, but that's what Control felt like. I'm in.
Devil May Cry 5 - The bike is a sword and the hat is a gun.
Baba is You - GOTY is Defeat. Baba is You. Era is Win.
Death Stranding - I'm (I think) two-thirds through, so can't say too much with finality. But I am thoroughly having a great time playing through Kojima's latest.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Tons of positive and negative things to say about this one, but will keep those for another time. As Baba would put it; hesitation is defeat, one-armed wolf is you, deflection is win.
Minoria - I didn't enjoy this is as much as Momodora 4, but it was still a really fun time.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - As crazy and intricate as Miriam's gameplay and mechanics can get, I rarely felt that 'in the groove' feeling I've gotten from past Igavanias. Perhaps the sum of all it's other parts just didn't add up for me. Really happy with what Iga and team achieved though, and looking forward to what's next from them.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - Haven't played this too much, but it kicked off this year of Japanese games going back to their roots. Got to give props to Avril.
Astral Chain - Similar to AC7, barely have had time to play this. Really love the dual character combat system and the early 2000s scifi anime vibe, hope to see more things like this from Platinum in the future.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep - Just sticking this here so it gets a point from me. One of the stronger Destiny expansions overall.

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Bradford · Dec 23, 2019

Disco Elysium - What is there to be said that hasn't yet been said? Disco Elysium is the most well written game I have ever played. Just last year I went through every notable CRPG in an attempt to become more schooled in the genre. I beat all the notables, including Planescape: Torment and ended up coming away thinking that the genre wasn't the trove of literary riches I had been led to believe. But goddamn does Disco Elysium give me hope again -- It is a shining achievement, and possibly one of the most human games I have ever played. Kim is an all-time great. Play this game.
Control - The biggest surprise of the year and a gigantic step forward for narrative action games. I haven't played something this "meant for me" since I got Bloodborne early and played it blind. Basically a love letter to weird fiction, art film, and internet fiction, Control is a magical experiment in presentation. It also supports 4:3 natively so I could play it on my CRT, which was an instant joy!
Pathologic 2 - I've been a die hard for Ice Pick Lodge for eons, and I frequently buy people The Void and Pathologic Classic HD as gifts whenever it goes on sale. I don't really know how to talk about these games without just talking about how much I love them. They are hard to quantify; Misery simulators, games about choice and consequence, brutally difficult but intensely meaningful and valuable. I strongly believe that these games offer some of the most unique and necessary experiences. Please play them. The Steppe calls to you, katangher. Listen to Mother Boddho's words.
Resident Evil 2 - It feels like we have been waiting a decade for this game, and it still managed to surpass expectations. As tightly designed as the original REmake, and yet still a love letter to its original source material, RE2Make is a strong addition to the Capcom portfolio and a confident step forward in the future of Resident Evil. Extremely excited for RE3make.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Another game where everything to say has been said. Pitch perfect tuning. Great lore if you look for it. Gamefeel among the best. Play Sekiro.
Outer Wilds - I am editing this one in after I rushed to complete it by year end. This game was breezy, charming, and I didn't know if I loved it up until the end when I realized I did. What a treat! This image really sums it up best. Perhaps with some more 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Witness thrown in for good measure.
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order - This game feels more like Star Wars than just about any other piece of Star Wars media since the OT. Tight gameplay. Great encounter design. A wonderful experience to 100%. I crave more.
Devil May Cry 5 - What a return to form! I replayed all of the DMC games on PC right before this game came out, and I walked away firmly happy with what was offered. Pure fun, blissful to control, and doesn't overstay its welcome.
Hypnospace Outlaw - My childhood, distilled into a videogame. 50% Vaporwave, 50% Proboards moderation. Unforgettable, and with one of the best OSTs of the decade.
Devotion - I have extraordinarily mixed feelings about the gameplay loop in Devotion, but god damn is its narrative amazing.

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Outer Worlds is good, but not GOTY material. I originally had Life is Strange 2 in the Hypnospace slot. I probably should have knocked Devotion in favor of it, but I don't know, I was feeling whimsical. I have not yet played Baba is You, but I am sure I would find it quaint. I think Death Stranding is just okay, especially in a world where Pathologic and The Void exist. I hate Fire Emblem. Goose Game was a cute novelty and nothing more.

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Noodle · Dec 23, 2019

Control - I didn't think it would be, but it's the game whose experience stayed with me the most. DMC5 and RE2make had some deficiencies that stopped them from being worthy.

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Phoenixazure · Dec 23, 2019

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers - I fell into a rough place this year constantly having my work shifts switch from day tours to midnight tours. I was barely interacting with people, listening to music or even play video games. One of my friends told me how good Shadowbringers on and that I should give it a shot. I made my way through Stormblood and reached Shadowbringers and....wow. These characters that i've known from my adventures in ARR and Heavensward have grown so much. The arcs they go through alone within Shadowbringers is some of the best in all of Final Fantasy. I am of the belief that Shadowbringers consumed standalone would still rate upon the upper eschelon of Final Fantasies. The changes made to the combat a long with cutting a lot of the fluff. I can barely touch on the soundtrack which is god tier and my favorite soundtrack since Nier Automata. The full story trailer with the Shadowbringers theme is the best CGI video game trailer since the Shemune 3 Samanoske trailer. Maybe its right place right time. Maybe its hyperbole. This is one of my favorite games not only this year but this generation. Bar none.
Disco Elysium - This game has been in my periphery back when it was called "No truce for the furies". I love CRPGs, especially story rich ones "in theory". I hate to admit it but Ive bounced of multiple times trying to play through Planescape Torment and Tides of Numenera. I was worried this would also be the case with this game and i was completely caught off guard with how easily i was enraptured in the story. I think its probably because of how much freedom it gives you. By keeping the location small in comparison to many others; they've made so many overarching branches from even the most little of decisions. At the end of the game, I was a down on my cop who's a recovering alcoholic but its looking for that one last dance. The whole Church quest is one of my favorites in recent memory. Party to the hardcore indeed.
Resident Evil 2 - I've never gotten into the Resident Evil games until REmake and Zero came out, so I never had first hand experience with the first 3 PSX games, but I've always liked the story and setting behind it. Over the coming months ive been immersing myself in all things Resident Evil from Lore, reviews, playthroughs, and speed-runs. Finally this game comes out and was such a great experience overall. The controls were great; the encounters were terrifying. Mr X is amazing from a mechanics perspective and a nightmare in my scaredy cat ways. Sadl.y the game lost a little steam towards the end, but the main thing is that it left me wanting so much more. Here's to Resident Evil 3.

The rest of the entries won't be as long.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Best Fire Emblem since Awakening. I loved the variety between the various story modes. Don't make me choose between Claude and Edelguard. Before I knew it i clocked over 75 hours.
Slay the Spire - Generally avoid early acess games but i heard so much about this game being good that i bought it twice (pc and switch) did far more time on my switch, which I think is the perfect location. Definitely my favorite card/roguelike games in recent memory.
Control - This game just OOZES style. I love the gunplay but wish there was just some more variety. I have strong hope that the success of this game would lead to a bigger and better sequel.
Pokemon Shield - I haven't played a lot of pokemon in a number of years. This is a good one of those I feel. I love the setting and the Wild Area is the most unique addition in recent memory. I wish double battles were the standard going forward. Catchy Gym music too.
Devil May Cry 5 - Definitely my favorite of the Devil May Cry games. Sadly my reflexes aren't the same as when DMC3 originally came out.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - I didn't have any interest in this game after hearing about how difficult this game is apparently. A friend gifted it to me last week however and has left a very positive impression. Sadly its a case of too little too late as it could've ranked higher.
AI: The Somnium Files - Better than his last game. Not crazy of the raunchy humor, which is more distracting than in previous games i thought. Will need to finish it sometime.

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dancingphlower · Dec 23, 2019

Devil May Cry 5 - The best action game ever made, period. So much combat flexibility, so many fun enemies to fight, all while rocking along to a killer soundtrack.
Resident Evil 2 - The perfect culmination of everything Resident Evil. The puzzles and level design of the classics, the camera and combat of the action games, and the engine and inventory system of 7.
Mortal Kombat 11 - My favorite Mortal Kombat game to play. I appreciated the focus on a more grounded neutral game, and the recharging meter made it easy to just go for big moves.
Judgment - It's more Yakuza, which means it's more excellence. More please.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - One of my favorite From Software games. Some people complain about the lack of build variety but the one style they do offer is exactly what I like to play.
Death Stranding - It's a bold game in a world where AAA games all tend to blur together a bit.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne - An excellent expansion that improves upon an excellent game.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - It's got technical issues but I really enjoy the core concept of being a Jedi and exploring uncharted worlds.
Astral Chain - Doesn't quite stick the landing but it's a fun ride before that last boss. Something I'll need to revisit when I can.
Days Gone - Overstays its welcome a little but I did find myself enjoying Deacon's story and hopefully a sequel irons out the kinks.

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Dazraell · Dec 23, 2019

Disco Elysium - This is one of these games that will be talked about in years to come. Disco Elysium has the best story in RPGs since Planescape: Torment, a memorable cast of characters, unique gameplay and character progression, vivid world and tropes that made it something on a completely different level than anything else. I wish we have more games like this.
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled - Beenox did something truely marvelous with CTR remake. They not only faithfully recreated the original game, but decided to put content from Crash Nitro Kart and pimp it up with completely new features. But what's even more impressive is a post-launch content. Through every month, they run Grand Prix events with brand new tracks, new characters and new additions to gameplay that made Nitro-Fueled even more expansive experience.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Respawn had a great year. Apex Legends was very succesful and will definitely make some GOTY lists here and they finally released their Star Wars game. Fallen Order is a solid Jedi game with a great story, memorable protagonist and satisfying gameplay that stays true to the canon and do justice to Dark Times era.
Gears 5 - While previous game in Gears of War franchise felt too safe, The Coalition went above and beyond to make sure a next one will offer a much more rewarding experience. Gears 5 really shines in singleplayer and offers the best campaign since Gears of War 2, story of Cait is very personal, main cast feels more relatable and interesting, ties to previous Gears games are well done and levels are just gorgeous. What not to like.
The Walking Dead: The Final Season - Telltale's The Walking Dead almost didn't had its conclusion, but luckily Skybound hired members of ex-studio to finish The Final Season and wrap Clementine's journey... and oh boy, it was an emotional rollercoaster. I was really impressed with The Final Season, which in my opinion was a fantastic game and the only one on a level comparable to Season One.
Mortal Kombat 11 - if you ever thought about a great way to tie up the new trilogy, timey-wimey stuff with blending cast of MK9 and MKX probably wouldn't be the best choice out there. But suprisingly, it works. It works really well. Mortal Kombat's 11 campaign has a right amount of epicness and nostalgia, ties up all of plots well and is doing justice to its time-travelling setting. Changes in combat are good and managed to put a new spin on already known gameplay. New take on Krypt is just outstanding, new Towers are really addictive.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - they did it right. Three Houses has a great story with even better cast of characters and offers a lot of replayability based on different paths related to allegiance to one of the titular houses. Strategy component is great, game setting is intriguing before and after a timeskip. Had a lot of fun with this one. Team Edelgard here, ready to go.
Luigi's Mansion 3 - Luigi's Mansion return is still a massive surprise to me, but definitely a welcomed one. Changing the mansion (or mansions) for a haunted hotel is a great idea. Every level is distinct, game is funny and spooky, gameplay is smoother than ever and puzzles are interesting and well-thought.
The Outer Worlds - it's another highly memorable RPG from Obsidian. What's more to say here? Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky had a really cool concept for a sci-fi game with a theme that roasts corporate culture and capitalism, went with it and made a great story-driven game that has a unique style and legs to become a new franchise for years to come.
GreedFall - Where BioWare seems to abandon their ways and focused on failed looter shooter, Spiders came in and made game that filled a blank spot for a proper narrative-driven singleplayer RPGs. A neat colonial setting, solid story and well-written characters translate into a neat RPG that I would love to see being its own Mass Effect-like trilogy.

Honorable Mentions
Enderal: Forgotten Stories - I haven't included this game in my list because technically it's not a full game, but a "mod" for Skyrim. That said, word "mod" doesn't give it justice, though. Enderal is a total conversion, which is a fully-scaled RPG that can stand on its own. I was blown away with its story, memorable NPCs, more traditional gameplay and world-building. Just pick it on Steam. You won't be dissapointed.

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klauskorp · Dec 23, 2019

I'm glad I still have a month because there are a couple more games I want to get to. I had already intended to play Disco Elysium, but the number of votes I'm seeing here makes me want to give it a go even more.

RingoGaSuki · Dec 23, 2019

Fire Emblem: Three Houses -

I had high expectations and it still absolutely blew me away. Not just the best game of the year, but the best of all time. It's characters are my favourite in gaming, they're all actual people who grow over the course of the story in significant ways. The story itself is fantastic, it feels like they went back and had another go at Fates, but smashed the narrative out of the park this time (though I liked Fates too, it doesn't compare to this). It's music is easily some of the best in the series, every battle theme is just incredible.
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age -

XI was one of my favourite games of all time already after my initial playthrough back on the 3DS when it released, but with S they managed to not only polish the base XI game, but add another 30+ hours of content and improve on so many QoL features that it'd be ridiculous for me to try and list them here. Every character is done incredibly well, the world is supremely colourful and alive, and the core gameplay is just fantastic. Act 2 of this game is straight up my favourite story arc in anything ever, not just video games.
Tetris 99 -

What an absolutely ingenious idea. When I first saw the game's announcement I thought it sounded ridiculous, but it's so much fun. Even as somebody who doesn't really get into Tetris, it dragged me in. Also gave me some of my best gaming memories as my fiance got way too into it, she wouldn't put the controller down for hours at a time. Definitely not my usual type of game, but it's incredibly well done and deserves some recognition.
Pokemon Sword/Shield -

It was nowhere near as ambitious as I wanted a console Pokemon game to be, it was too easy, and in cutting half of the roster they took away one of the biggest things I love about Pokemon. Nonetheless, the soundtrack for Sw/Sh is just banger after banger, and it nails spectacle like no game in the series before it (gym battles feel great - I just wish they were actually challenging). I enjoyed the game, but there's a ridiculous amount of unfulfilled potential there.
Tangledeep -

I was intrigued by a gameplay trailer when it launched on Switch back in January of this year, but was blown away by the game itself. The gameplay is fantastic, deep and engaging dungeon crawling that comes with a array of customisation options, from crafting to monster taming. It absolutely nails atmosphere as well, it's art style and soundtrack combine to feel incredibly enchanting - it had me hooked from 5 minutes in and didn't let go.

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Dandy · Dec 23, 2019

Life is Strange 2 - A timely story that brought me to tears multiple times. DONTNOD is rapidly becoming one of my favorite developers.
Disco Elysium - Hilarious, fascinating, unique. I hope they make more.
The Outer Worlds - Obsidian nailed that Fallout-vibe. Long enough to tell a good story, but short enough not to wear out its welcome.
Draugen - A "walking simulator" by the creator of the Longest Journey, set in a Norwegian fishing village in the 1920s. Eerie, twisty and beautiful.
Gris - Hauntingly beautiful.
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order - What a pleasant surprise!

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Aeana · Dec 23, 2019

SaGa: Scarlet Grace: Ambitions - An incredible game that steps back to re-examine exactly what is necessary for an RPG to be successful and delivers a remarkably dense game out of 'only' story events, a world map, and one of the most satisfying combat systems I've ever seen in an RPG. It manages to deliver a very compelling world and vignette storylines with an economy of words that is rarely found in video games these days, localized lovingly by 8-4 and Jeremy Parish. This is easily one of the best RPGs I've ever played, and it's one I'll be going back to for many years to come.
Disco Elysium - On the other side of the coin from Scarlet Grace, this is a game that goes in the other direction and explores what is possible within the narrative space in an RPG, and delivers yet another incredible experience that people will be measuring other RPGs against going forward.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 - A sequel that improves absolutely everything from the first game, and manages to deliver a very Dragon Quest-esque narrative within the framework of a building game.
Resident Evil 2 - An exquisite remake of one of my favorite games of all time. I'm not sure I'd change a single thing about it.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Take parrying, one of my absolute favorite mechanics in any action game, and build an entire combat system around it. I loved this game from start to finish.
Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers - By far the most satisfying story arc the Final Fantasy series has ever seen, and incredible soundtrack to accompany it.
Metro Exodus - I was worried I wouldn't like the more open worldy nature of this game compared to the previous Metro games, but I was proven very wrong. I loved every second of this game, and the DLC has some of the best scene direction I've ever seen in a video game.
Outward - When I read the pitch for this game, I was intrigued but concerned. An RPG with heavy survival elements? Survival stuff is a huge turnoff for me, but the way it's implemented in this game works out quite well. What we got is a game that reminds me very much of Gothic in the way that it treats the world, no quest markers, no breadcrumbs, and a dangerous world, but with interesting and experimental new things besides.
Greedfall - An extremely competent RPG from start to finish in the vein of classic BioWare games. It's one of those games that came at just the right time for me, and I enjoyed it all the way through. Probably my favorite aspect of the game is the conlang they created for it, which feels real and becoming familiar with it over the course of the game was a real treat.
A Plague Tale: Innocence - A really cool take on stealth and survival with a surprisingly touching story. I'm really glad I gave this a try.

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JBucc · Dec 23, 2019

Total War: Three Kingdoms - This hooked me in ways the historical Total War games haven't since the original Rome. It balances the strategy portion and the battle portion and makes it feel like your decisions matter as you craft your story.
Sekiro - I was unsure if I would like this, I was never good at the parrying in other From games, but was just forgiving enough to be doable while still making me feel like a badass every time I nailed it. The rest is typical From, that is level design and exploration better than just about anyone else.
Resident Evil 2 - Never played the original so it was all new to me. The second half was weaker but the police station was masterful. Also a great looking game.
Outer Wilds - I haven't actually finished this, and am sort of afraid to go back to it because I'll have forgotten everything and will have to start over. Even so just from what I've played this game had more surprises and was more delightful than most games are in their entirety.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - The best Star Wars story of the year! And a fairly good Sekiro clone with force powers. It didn't really get going for me until you got quite a few force powers, and I wish it performed better and had fast travel. But still a great first attempt at this sort of game from Respawn, I'm really looking forward to see what they learned in the sequel.
Control - I wanted to love this game but ended up only liking it. The game's look and vibe are awesome, and I liked Jesse, but it needed more cool moments like the Ashtray Maze and less crappy boss fights.
Apex Legends - I thought I was done with BR games, but this was a nice little encore for the genre. It didn't hook me like PUBG, but it was unique enough to be my goto shooter for a couple of months. Very good streamlining of communication and squad play. Take notes DICE.
Mario Maker 2 - Yo it's more Mario Maker. On the Switch.
Pokemon Sword and Shield - As someone who hasn't played a Pokemon in ages and isn't interested in the competitive scene, this game was disappointing, but I didn't play that many games this year so it makes the list. I'm going to get to 10 dammit! The story blew and it was restrictively narrow. But the Pokemon were cool. I wish these games had difficulty settings.
Anthem - Like I said I didn't play that many games this year. Anthem was a mess, but I honestly enjoyed it as a mindless romp, blowing the fuck out of mobs of brainded enemies.

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Grimsey · Dec 23, 2019

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - I was very relieved by how this game treats combat. Rather than having you isolate the 'broken' move and spamming it all the way to the finish line, Sekiro firmly asks you to use all the tools at your disposal. In this way it feels more like a puzzle game and keeps you engaged. I do have one nitpick: It would have been nice if enemies were more capable of adaptive behavior. It's kind of immersion-breaking when the giganinja boss you're fighting falls for the same dumb trick over and over.

Sekiro also delivers in pretty much every other aspect. The environments feel truly inspired and are a joy to explore. My favorite, in particular, was the

Gun Fort

. I wish it had been longer.

Other than Sekiro, Link's Awakening was outstanding (though the Dungeon Builder was completely tedious and unnecessary.. you just end up throwing down the easiest blocks every time to get it over with) along with RE2 (I would have paid full price for 4th Survivor alone), but I refuse to vote for a remake as GOTY.

Death Stranding and Control would probably be on this list if not for their exclusivity. I look forward to playing them next year.

I would have voted for FFXIV, but here's the issue. While I love roughly 5% of the game (EX primals, last stretch of the story, etc.), the story, level grind, and filler are a near-unbearable chore. I just can't vote for a game that asks me to go through that bullshit.

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DeusOcha · Dec 23, 2019

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers - Best MMO on the market and changed my mindset on MMOs 'limitations' in general. After the shitshow of quitting WoW due to BfA I hopped into FF14 and absolutely loved it. FF14 proves that competent storytelling rivaling, and even surpassing, traditional narrative told in single player games/RPGs can exist in the MMO sphere which is especially highlighted in Shadowbringers in bringing a climax to a narrative that was hinted all the way back to 2013 when FF14 was relaunched into ARR.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - My first Fire Emblem game I've completed through the entirety of. I did play Awakening on the 3DS but never finished. While the classroom/Persona mechanic can get tiring after Xth time, the narrative of this game has to be one of my favorites I've played to date in my 20+ years of gaming. Crimson Flower is best path, praise Edelgard.
Halo Reach (PC port) - For over a decade I've waited for Halo to be on PC as I got into the franchise with Halo: CE on PC. It was my attachment to the Halo franchise for getting me to stick with the XBox console sphere for a number of years before moving back to PC. The Halo Reach port finally came and damn is it good to play Halo again with PC controls. Looking forward to the rest of the franchise being ported over.
Pokemon Sword/Shield - Honestly I thought I would hate this game. I was one of the many that critiqued GameFreak for the national dex cut and still do to this day. But even so it would be a lie to say that this latest iteration of Pokemon didn't use the Switch's upgraded features to its benefit, maybe not as much as it could but an improvement it still is relative to the rest of the franchise. Also gym leader theme of this gen is now best gym leader theme of the series.

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G_O · Dec 23, 2019

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Death Stranding
Links Awakening
Luigi's Mansion 3
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Mortal Kombat 11
Days Gone
A Plague Tale: Innocence
Call of Duty Modern Warfare

I have not played any other new release this year, but not a bad haul and for me another great year of games I have thoroughly enjoyed, I have Outer Worlds, Control and Goose Game downloaded but not had a chance to try them yet

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Tappin Brews · Dec 23, 2019

DiRT Rally 2.0 - A racing game at the top of a GOTY list!? Dirt Rally 2.0 improves on the original dirt rally with better, more natural, handling. While still very much a punishing sim, I found the cars to behave much more realistically, and more predictably, than the first. The game has seen several seasons of great DLC content (rally stages, rallycross tracks, and cars) and has been hinted to have the additional content continue into 2020. This is easily the best rally game and probably my favorite racer ever. It just NAILS the feel perfectly. Also, it's on game pass, check it out!
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Great environments and exploration, good characters, and cool bosses kept me playing despite some jankiness and lack of polish. A rally nice, fun, romp through the star wars universe, I look forward to the inevitable sequel to improve on its shortcomings.
Gears 5 - This is easily the best gears game ever, but the series is feeling dated even with the improvements this game brought. I liked the open world - lite exploration sections, mainly just in helping with the game's pacing and as a break from the action. I can't believe how good this looks on the x1x, 60fps!
The Outer Worlds - A much more charming game than the art, world, and setting would lead you to think - thanks to the fantastic writing and characters. Really the only major negative is just how stupidly easy it is. I look forward to Obsidian's next title.
WRC 8 - Two racers in a top 10 list? WHile dirt rally 2.0 EASILY eclipses this game, I have to give WRC 8 MAJOR props for bringing a ton of the actual WRC motorsport feel to my console in 2019 - especially in areas where DR 2.0 is lacking. We have all the real manufacturers, teams, cars, and even drivers. The career here is fantastic with lots of variation and player choice in events, managing career goals, and crew upgrades and management. But the best part has to be the stages themselves, holy shit they nailed it! These feel like REAL environments! They are so long, so varied, and often so narrow! They have the standard point to point rally stages, but also some of the more track like super special stages, and even some of the more gymkhana-like urban stages. I can easily recognize the real rally locations and even some of these stages. INCREDIBLE. Its a shame that the handling can't keep up. Where DR 2.0 felt perfect, this game feels loose, twitchy, and often uncontrollable. its not a physics issue, those actually feel really solid, but more of an input issue. I just can't find a setting that irons out all the issues on a pad. Still, if you have patience you'll (mostly) over come these issues, and a wheel might solve them entirely. Also of note, this only runs at 30 fps on consoles. =(
Guacamelee 2 - A bit more of the same, but still as fun as ever.
Control - As a huge Remedy fan I can't help but be disappointed by Control. I don't care about its story, characters, or setting much, and while its combat is pretty cool, I preferred the action in QB. Still, there are definitely some memorable moments here, typical Remedy weirdness, and some awesome physics. Worth a play at the very least.
Void Bastards - A really fun, old-school, procedurally generated game with a great sense of style and humor, and always pulled me in to salvage one more ship.

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Lightjolly · Dec 23, 2019

Disco Elysium - Disco Elysium's writing is phenomenal, an absolute masterclass that transcends into its own being. Witty, comical, empathetic and intelligent, the game lured me in with a titans grips thanks also to its alluring setting, deep characters and innovative game design. I just want to keep reading, and keep immersing myself in this world and never leave. I crave for more games with this amount of character and vigor. Probably the best CRPG of our times.
Mo: Astray - A masterpiece of a puzzle platformer. Combining a tight reactive gameplay with a great enticing story, Mo astray totally took me by surprise, well it didn't really considering it was published by Rayark, who are already known for amazing games like Deemo and Cytus. Mo astray offers an unforgettable experience, with gorgeous pixel art, great soundtracks and cleverly designed bosses. Shamefully I don't expect many people to have this niche game on their list, but it truly was a wonderful experience.
Metro Exodus - A superb sequel to an already great series, Metro Exodus shakes things up by implementing a semi-open world approach to the post-apocalyptic game set in Russia. Usually when a game goes from linear to open world something gets lost in translation and the game suffers for it, and while Metro Exodus doesn't execute it 100% well, 4A still managed to make it feel like a good design decision, this success was due by making the semi open world fit in perfectly with the natural progression that the narrative has been going through since Metro 2033, as well providing good level design for the player to explore in without being too overburdened by size or stuff to do. Metro Exodus is another must play for any Metro fans.
Afterparty - A fantastic narrative choice driven game, Night School Studio (Oxenfree) have done it again. Afterparty has some of the best voice acting I've ever witnessed in a game, their superb skills really bring out the emotions personality of the zany characters you will meet on your journey. The writing is chirpy, hilarious and downright realistic, the characters are all so likable and many are relatable, which can be pretty chuckle-inducing considering the game talks about regrets, inner demons, acceptance and growth and takes place in a neon funky dystopian hell.
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust - Another game that I wasn't expecting to enjoy so much. Anodyne 2 nails the old aesthetic of games from the early 3D era of N64 and PS1. Though the gameplay plays a bit like Banjo Kazooie , Its setting was ominous and creepy, much like majora's mask, it's writing is deep, sorrowful, a bit disturbing and so well executed. It had some of the most memorable moments of gaming in 2019, moments that really made you reflect or just say "wtf"
Children of Morta -Probably the best pixel art ever done, Children of Morta was a blast to play.The story while a bit predictable was executed very well, the characters were all instantly likeable, the core gameplay was just pure fun with the right amount of difficulty and side-quests to really dig in. Only wish it had some more post game content, which has been confirmed in their road-map
Plants vs Zombies: Battle for neighbourville - Best entry of the PVZ shooter series. Better than GW2 in every way, PVZ:BFN combines the wacky nature of the GW series with the tight class based nature of Overwatch
Gato Roboto: Short but sweet charming metroidavania. The game in overall is good but nothing special that's going to linger in your mind for long. The black and white visuals are indeed pleasant to watch and the gameplay itself is solid, once you get the mobility upgrades you start to see what Gato Roboto can really achieve but the game ends soon after, not allowing you to put those new upgrades to the real test. Still a game any metroidvania fans should try.

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dbcyber · Dec 23, 2019

Death Stranding - Not only a stand out game for this year but this whole gen. Found so much joy traversing tough terrain and managing all the systems in place, any other developer would likely fall back on tried and tested tropes but Im so glad Kojima didn't do that. A truly unforgettable game.
Devil May Cry 5 - The wait was worth and it was great to see Dante finally getting his own missions and with an even better arsenal of weapons, I mean you get to fight with a motorcycle and ride a rocket arm like a skateboard. Just an incredible action game.
River City Girls - Beat'em ups made a great return this year and leading the pack was this awesome game. Fun story, great music and addicting gameplay. Had so much fun with coop and the duo were so likeable.
VA-11-HALL-A
Mortal Kombat 11
Valfaris
Fight'n Rage
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Untitled Goose Game

What an incredible decade of gaming and it can bow out with one hell of year.

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LazyLain · Dec 23, 2019

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - To be honest, despite being a (relatively) long-time FE fan, I still haven't finished my own playthrough of Three Houses. But I did spend a good 100-ish hours watching every single minute of CohhCarnage's first playthrough of any Fire Emblem game ever, and not just as something in the background... I was glued to the screen, and even adjusted my sleep schedule to accommodate Cohh's stream schedule. It was an absolute joy, and maybe someday I'll actually finish my own playthrough... but for now, I'm just rewatching Cohh's playthrough while salivating at the thought of him possibly doing a Golden Deer and/or Black Eagles run eventually.
AI: The Somnium Files - Uchikoshi's best yet. Some people might not like that the Somnium sequences aren't really satisfying when judged as puzzles, some people might not like all the sex jokes or silly puns... Personally, I love it all. I even grew to find the incredibly absurd and out-of-place "action" sequences amusing, although I'll admit that at first they were a turn-off. Story's another twisty Uchikoshi pretzel, this time backed by a significantly better cast of characters, and with a payoff that's several orders of magnitude more emotional and satisfying than anything the Zero Escape series ever dreamed of delivering.
Judgment - Despite the tedious tailing segments, Judgment is still essentially a Yakuza game at the core... and a pretty damn fantastic one. Excellent cast of fresh new characters, great side stories and minigames, awesome combat and soundtrack, great main story (even if some of the plot twists are a little too obvious for how drawn out the reveals are). I still think Yakuza 0's the best entry point into these games, but if the idea of diving into such a long series is what's putting you off (even though you can totally enjoy Y0 and not feel obligated to play any of the other games in the series, it's a goddamn masterpiece even by itself)... well then Judgment's your ticket in, since it's (currently) a totally standalone title.
Death Stranding - I haven't finished it yet, but I'm totally on board with Kojima's blank slate blank check fever dream project. I love Kojima at his best, I love Kojima at his worst... and Death Stranding has both of those in spades.
Baba is You - Just a terrifically simple yet brilliant concept. I'm too dumb to finish the game without just outright looking up the solutions, but I'm still in awe at how clever this little puzzle game is.
Tetris 99 - Who would've thought that Tetris would make for a good BR game, let alone the best BR game? All the Nintendo themes they've been adding are fantasic as well, and make Tetris 99 my go-to game even when I just wanna do some single-player Tetris.
Little Misfortune - This game isn't gonna be everyone's cup of tea, particularly if you aren't fond of dark humor. However, it is very much my cup of tea... it's nice, short and bittersweet.
Wargroove - It's fantasy Advance Wars with incredibly cute art, and the tools for people to make their own levels or entire campaigns... Advance Wars fans were too busy praying for a new game to even think about asking for a Wars Maker, but that's what you get with Wargroove.
Sayonara Wild Hearts - Stellar soundtrack and visuals. Gameplay's a little simplistic, but there isn't anything wrong with that... it's still easily one of the coolest games of the year.
What the Golf? - Started playing this one during my free trial of Apple Arcade, and I couldn't put it down. It's hilarious, and there's some cool surprises in there too.
Blasphemous - A solid little Metroidvania with a much darker and more religious aesthetic than the typical fare, arguably even making Dark Souls seem relatively lighthearted in comparison.
Observation - This game's brand of tense sci-fi horror is totally in my wheelhouse. The conclusion left me a little underwhelmed, but the journey there was a blast.
Ring Fit Adventure - A fun way of gamifying exercise... I hope to incorporate it into my daily routine in 2020. Just don't jinx it by calling it a New Years Resolution.
Disco Elysium - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Outer Wilds - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Manifold Garden - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Astral Chain - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Control - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Dragon Quest 11 Definitive Edition - Backlog, placement based on level of interest. Already played the original release though, and it was excellent. One of the best RPGs of the decade, if not all time.
Metro Exodus - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
The Outer Worlds - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Gris - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Noita - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Daemon x Machina - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Devotion - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
SaGa: Scarlet Grace: Ambitions - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
A Plague Tale: Innocence - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Life is Strange 2 - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Boneworks - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Etrian Odyssey Nexus - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Devil May Cry 5 - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Killer Queen Black - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Shovel Knight: King of Cards - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
GreedFall - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Telling Lies - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Slay the Spire - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Cadence of Hyrule - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Ion Fury - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Indivisible - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Resident Evil 2 - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Days Gone - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Operencia: The Stolen Sun - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Kingdom Hearts 3 - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Untitled Goose Game - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Pokemon Sword/Shield - Unfortunately, not only does Sword/Shield fail to fully deliver on the dream of a console-tier Pokemon RPG, it's a severe downgrade compared to previous handheld entries in many regards as well... even ones as far back as the original games on Game Boy. It's got a great number of appreciated QoL features for folks who just care about filling out their (regional) Pokedex, but the RPG aspect is the most neutered it has ever been. Yes, it's a kids game... no, that isn't an excuse. They've always been kids games, they've never been this mindless. And how on earth does a niche series with several orders of magnitude more dialog (Fire Emblem) manage to afford full voice acting, yet one of the most wildly successful franchises can't even spring for voice acting during key scenes? These games are now $60 people, you should demand more. ....*ahem*, rant aside, I must grudgingly admit I did have *some* fun with the game... these games have some of the best new Pokemon designs in quite some time, and the world and characters are fairly charming.
Shenmue 3 - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
Katana Zero - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.
MediEvil - Backlog, placement based on level of interest.

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YaBish · Dec 23, 2019

Disco Elysium - In order to move forward, you can't shackle yourself to the past. Disco Elysium is a stunning achievement in game design and narrative. It pushes the medium forward in ways that few games dare to. I loved every bit of it.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Sometimes the cute girl from school you like turns out to be a Nazi. Maybe it's more complicated than that. Either way, I came to love this cast of misfits. Honestly you have no choice in the matter.
Katana Zero - Engaging and nuanced dialogue systems with a story that plays it too safe. Sublime gameplay carries the day. Succeeds in reinforcing gameplay elements with narrative where My Friend Pedro fails.
Dicey Dungeons - I'm a huge fan of Super Hexagon, and while Dicey Dungeons is a VERY different game, the variety and cleverness of its design always made me smile.
Baba is You - and Amazing
Outer Wilds - Potentially the most cohesive world in a video game, Outer Wilds is incredible at giving you just enough information to keep you going.
Devil May Cry 5 - This game is just fun. I've bounced off the series previously, but DMC 5 is so thoroughly engaging on a systems level that it makes you take notice.
Pokemon Sword/Shield - Pokemon is my comfort food. I know what it is, I know I like it, and Shield was no different. Though I still have no interest in the competitive aspect, I am enjoying slowly whittling away at my Pokedex.
Control - It's a great game that feels restrained in all the most disappointing ways. The atmosphere is enveloping, but I was never surprised by where the game went. Presentation is clearly Control's strong suit.
My Friend Pedro - Quite entertaining framework with enjoyable gameplay, but the narrative elements actively hurt the game. Would've been better with less contextualization.

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Kurt Russell · Dec 23, 2019

Disco Elysium - I never thought we'd get anything that could top Planescape: Torment, yet Disco Elysium does that and so much more. Best RPG I've played in decades.
Resident Evil 2 - An excellent remake of my favorite Resident Evil game. Not much else to say, really.
GreedFall - While it has a lot of rough spots, it also oozes passion. You can tell the developers poured their heart into it, and thanks to that it's the best Dragon Age-like I've played since the original Dragon Age.
Apex Legends - A refreshing take on the Battle Royale genre, mixing some great things from Titanfall, and adding its own spin on the hyper popular formula without forgetting the things that make it tick.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - A return to form for the series after the disappointment that was Assault Horizon.
Gears 5 - While I felt that the open world segments didn't add anything, the game was fun overall and I had a far better time than I had with Gears 4.
Pistol Whip - An excellent take on VR rhythm games, it might end up supplanting Beat Saber for me.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep - A fun campaign coupled with a lot of new content for the sandbox. Spent 300 hours playing it, don't regret a single one of them.
Sayonara Wild Hearts - Short but sweet, full of memorable moments (and thank the stars for the "skip this segment" option).
Amid Evil - Like DUSK last year, Amid Evil is an old school shooter that doesn't just copy the classics of the genre, but strives to improve upon them at every step. The result is a must play for anyone who loved Hexen or Heretic.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - Castlevania in all but name, an instant classic.
Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones - The best Lovecraftian title in recent years, chock-full of atmosphere and dread.

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Mizeris Lutz Ether Lanai · Dec 23, 2019

QUESTION: Does Castlevania Anniversary Collection count as a single entry?

Nimby · Dec 23, 2019

Control - This science-fiction shooter gripped me with its responsive fast-paced action combat, stunning art direction, complex world narrative, and overall creativity. It has a special place within my heart and is an experience I cannot wait to relive someday. (4.75/5)
Outer Wilds - This inquisitive space journey had me racing against time, discovering the secrets within all the planets to which I embark. (4.7/5)
Resident Evil 2 - This zombie outbreak thriller returns me to a familiar locale but gives new experiences and most importantly scares. (4.62/5)
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - This side-scrolling metroidvania hearkens back to a previous era, with classic location and enemy designs all while listening to an amazing soundtrack. (4.62/5)
Slay the Spire - This card-focused turn based roguelike has addicting challenge that kept me playing time after time. (4.49/5)
Death Stranding - This journey through a cosmic apocalypse-in-motion gave me performances and characters that will be etched inside my memory for the foreseeable future. (4.45/5)
Judgment - This murder mystery beat-em-up tells an expansive story full of twists and turns in the lively streets of Kamurocho, Tokyo. (4.39/5)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - This samurai action game tested my skills with insurmountable challenge. (4.3/5)
A Plague Tale: Innocence - This gritty adventure title ambitiously melds stealth and puzzling scenarios with charismatic lead characters in the streets and forests of a plague-wrought medieval Europe. (4.23/5)
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - This galactic voyage brings an iconic license to the realm of video games, while rough around the edges is filled with wonder and nostalgia. (4.1/5)
Apex Legends - This multiplayer battle royale consumed many hours of my life, sliding and zip-lining with friends to the coveted victory seat. (4.08/5)
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - This aerial combat simulator combines satisfying pilot controls with an interesting story. (4.06/5)
Devil May Cry 5 - This eccentric action title had me shooting and slicing demonic creatures in style. (4.06/5)
Luigi's Mansion 3 - (4.02/5)
Untitled Goose Game - (4/5)
Gears 5 - (3.96/5)
My Friend Pedro - (3.95/5)
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - (3.94/5)
Void Bastards - (3.92/5)
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled - (3.87/5)
Super Mario Maker 2 - (3.81/5)
Borderlands 3 - (3.76/5)

Did not get to play Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Indivisible, Disco Elysium, Concrete Genie, Pokemon Sword/Shield, and many others

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chainlinkspiral · Dec 24, 2019

Dreams - Media Molecule's game creation/playing suite isn't technically out until early 2020, but why wait on one of the best games going into the next gen. I hope to have something to contribute by launch.
Final Fantasy XIV : Shadowbringers - This is a game as service. Lovely, polished and full of surprises. Five plus years of re-invention and craft working in symphony.
Death Stranding - I was a skeptic and it won me over. I am a fan of the strand genre, now. Give me an impossible route, a loaded parcel and let me choose the tools at my disposal. For DS2, I want ocean navigation, both above and below, and air travel. String together them continents and island chains.
Control - Remedy get it right when they needed to. Style, substance and restraint. They take the time to savor, finally. It's great fun to get lost in imaginative inner spaces.
Fire Emblem : Three Houses - An all you can eat buffet of tactical strategy and social sim. I've played sixty hours and not completed one route, and I'm still eagerly awaiting the remainder of the DLC.
Super Mario Maker 2 - Like Dreams, its as much game creation suite as it is a game play experience. Crafting something tangible to share with friends and the world at large has its built-in intimidations, but also, there's a willing audience for your brain farts.
Devil May Cry 5 - Pull our collective devil triggers.
Days Gone - I was a sucker for what Bend pulled off, despite being zombie/open world wary. There's a lot to like here and many subtle innovations. The weather, horde, and loops all worked in synchronicity for me.
Star Wars : Jedi Fallen Order - Respawn put their favorite adventure games and genres in a blender and this frothy mixture is the result. The heart at the center elevates it into stealth blockbuster.
Astral Chain - Anime funk that is deeper than it looks. The genre of the year seemed to be the 3D action adventure metroidvania and Platinum's contribution was top tier.
Judgement - If I'd finished this, it'd probably be higher. But Yakuza and Yakuza adjacent games I'm in no hurry to get through. Zero took me two years and I enjoyed all it had to give.
Kingdom Hearts 3 - Getting into honorable mention territory. A really solid, fairly epic button mash adventure. Hopefully the DLC makes it the complete package.
Pokemon Shield - Pokemon games hook me for about a dozen hours, then the falloff is harsh. Shield keeps me wanting to return, though.
Destiny : Shadowkeep - The Destiny loop keeps getting better. Going between PS4 and Stadia is a nice way to play. I got the Season Eight Pass complete and enjoyed my grind. I will no doubt enjoy the grind to come.
SaGa : Scarlet Grace - A weird detour of a last minute addition. A meandering adventure with super solid turn based battling as the central hook and conceit. Build your team/s and explore a storybook world with some neat fairy tale/heroic hooks.

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RespectThySole · Dec 24, 2019

GrayO_79 said:
Sekiro: Shadows Die.twice

Death Stranding

Links Awakening

Luigi's Mansion 3

Resident Evil 2 Remake

Mortal Kombat 11

Days Gone

A Plague Tale: Innocence

Call of Duty Modern Warfare

I have not played any other new release this year, but not a bad haul and for me another great year of games I have thoroughly enjoyed, I have Outer Worlds, Control and Goose Game downloaded but not had a chance to try them yet

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You've got to bold your choices, delete the period before twice and add at least 1 comment to one of those games.

Arion · Dec 24, 2019

Death Stranding - What makes the new KojiPro's debut game excellent is the minutiae rather than the big picture. Elaborating the act of walking from point A to B into a set of granular systems upon systems was risky yet it's precisely what made the game so inspiring. The social strand system which collates the efforts of the whole player base into reconnecting a broken post-apocalyptic world is brilliantly unique. The expectations I had for the game were not met in slightest, yet, despite that, it was hugely compelling. This is the quality I value most in any creative medium; Show me something I would never consider and make it worth consideration.
Devil May Cry 5 - You can smack demons around with a motorcycle and juggle them with skateboarding tricks on a rocket.
Sayonara Wild Hearts - The most beautiful and stylish game I played all year. A playable pop album.

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Xx 720 · Dec 24, 2019

Control - Favorite game this year, a slow burn trip to the twilight zone
Devil May Cry V - supreme combat, lush visuals
Pistol Whip - Got me back into VR, an instant classic
Gris - Beautiful, stunning graphics and stress free gameplay
Resident Evil 2 - Stands on its own, scary and beautiful

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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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