Game of the Year 2019
Well, we certainly made it. 2019. What a fucking hell of a year.
Before getting into the list, I do have to say that the amount of time I spent playing video games this year has been drastically shortened on account of a few life changes. First, I decided to go back to school to complete a college degree. Second, my wife and I’s first child was born. Finally, we have moved into our ‘forever’ home. I’ll say it again, what a fucking hell of a year.
To put how little the amount of time I played video games this year into words, let’s start this post with a list of games that while releasing in 2019, I will more than likely never play.
Honorable Mentions
Super Mario Maker 2
The introduction of a ‘story mode’ was cool. If I was more creative, I would probably enjoy this game a little more. I had my fun with it for the most part. The new Zelda additions look neat.
Untitled Goose Game
It is a game about a goose who terrorizes town folk. Or is it? Yes, yes it is. I had fun, but I had my fill pretty quickly in which the charm wore off.
Cadence of Hyrule
This game has some sick fucking beats. I just want to listen to the beats.
The Outer Worlds
I really wish this one just felt better to play. The characters seemed pretty cool but I just couldn’t get around the clunky feeling of the gameplay itself. I feel as though the slow down mechanic in this game was a means to get around the basic problem of shooting a gun. You know what other game had poor shooting gameplay in which a mechanic needed to be introduced to get around it? Yeah, Fallout 3 and by association, Fallout: New Vegas. GET THE CORRELATION?
Death Stranding
Oh boy, the divisive one. I haven’t spent much time with this one and the time I did spend makes me feel as though I have already seen all of which this game has to offer. Oddly enough, I still want to play it. Either that means I am enjoying this game, or I am a masochist. Or both.
Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers
I admit, I am not even up to the first expansions content. But Shadowbringers, the games third expansion, released in 2019 so fuck it, it is on my honorable mentions list. I want to spend more time within this world. I also want to become a Gunbreaker or a Samurai. IS THAT SO DAMN HARD TO ASK?!
We made it. It is time for the actual list. My top games of 2019. Here we go.
The Top 10
#10 - Control
Control was an oddity for me. On the one hand, the world building is some of the best in all of video games. On the other hand, the story face-plants in the later portions of the game, making me feel as though I am forcing myself to see the end. I understand the praise this game has been receiving. I also think people need to start holding Remedy to a higher standard.
And don’t get me started on the performance issues, or the checkpoint system, or the boss fights, or the ending enemy wave rush, or the… You get the point. This game is marred by technical blunders that should not exist in a game that was made in 2019. Control is forever worse for them.
#9 - Destiny 2: Shadowkeep
Hey, I am going to let you in on a little secret, Destiny is still one of the best FPS games on the planet. And now it has a pretty stellar story to tell as well. Put the two together and you have a recipe for success my friend.
Look, I play Destiny when new content comes around. Turns out this new content is something special. The true ‘Taken King’ expansion for Destiny 2, Shadowkeep does nearly everything right. It is a shame these new seasons are anything but special.
#8 - GRID
I LOVE racing games. I also love basically everything that Codemasters touches. Seeing a reboot for GRID had me very excited but also nervous. Good thing this game washes all of those worries away. It’s GRID, it is a racing game, and it was developed by Codemasters. Of course it is fucking great.
#7 - Forza Horizon 4: Lego Speed Champions
But you know what else is fucking great? Forza and Legos. But how about both of those wonderful things mashed together? Well that is exactly what we got with this expansion to Forza Horizon 4. I had an absolute blast playing through this expansion. The amount of variety on the new island area is astounding and I really hope that future games go even crazier in their extra content. Also no, I have not, nor will I play the new battle royale mode in Forza.
#6 - Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
A new Star Wars game. Wait, wait wait, don’t leave yet. This one is actually good! I know, fucking crazy to think that a Star Wars game released in 2019 would even remotely be considered halfway decent, let alone good. I will not say this is a great game though, because it isn’t. The technical issues, the inconsistent parrying, the worthless backtracking, the lack of fast travel, etc. Just like Control, these issues drag down an otherwise fine game with a Star Wars story. Respawn can, and should, do better.
#5 - Apex Legends
And better they did with a battle royale game that, wait for it, I actually liked? Yup, I do. I like this one. That is really justification enough for this game. It is a battle royale that I enjoy playing. I don’t think I will ever say that again. Play it, it is absolutely free and is infinitely better than that Fortnite shit the kids are playing.
#4 - Beat Saber (VR)
I bought an Oculus Rift S over the Thanksgiving/Black Friday holiday. The first game I purchased for it was Beat Saber and it is fantastic. This game works beautifully in virtual reality and I really do not have much else to say about it. It brings me joy to play, gives my arms a little workout, and pumps some banging tunes. What else do you need?
#3 - Call of Duty Modern Warfare
Man I fucking knew I wanted to play another Call of Duty campaign. Let me put things into perspective for you. I played through the campaign entirely on PC. During EVERY cutscene, there would be frame drops to where I was watching a still frame for seconds at a time while the voices continued. Even with that horrendous blunder, I still could not stop playing. The campaign, to me, is that good. Sure, there are some pacing issues and I would have swapped a couple missions around but overall, absolutely fantastic.
The multiplayer on the other hand, had a lot going for it. I say ‘had’ due to the amount of camping that is done within nearly every map of the game. There is also an unbearable lack of balancing that is being done within multiplayer. I enjoyed my time at the beginning when the game released, but now I have moved on. Maybe a patch could bring me back in.
#2 - Pistol Whip (VR)
Talk about a game that took me by absolute surprise. Think if Beat Saber and SUPERHOT had a beautiful child, that child would be named Pistol Whip. Stages are laid out Left 4 Dead style, and play like an on-rails SUPERHOT with the music synchronization of Beat Saber. Everything just clicks and you feel like Keanu Reeves in The Matrix, or John Wick, or fuck it. You feel like Keanu Fucking Reeves alright?
Once you have finished a stage, you have completed a concert of beauty and destruction. This game is pure bliss. If you have a VR headset, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. Get it? Shot? Guns? I really need to stop with these unintentional puns.
#1 - Pokemon Sword & Shield
My game of the year for 2019 hits more close to home than I initially thought it would. This past year has been nothing short of insane and while time is relative, I felt like I have done a lot of growing up. With my grandfather passing away, my going back to school, the bringing of my daughter into this world, etc. I look back now and realize how much has happened over the past twelve months and how much learning and growing I have done as a person, as a husband, and as a father.
Pokemon has been that constant in my life. Through childhood, Red, Blue, and Yellow got me started. I then progressed through Gold, Silver, Crystal, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, etc. Year after year, Pokemon after Pokemon. It wasn’t until 2006 and Diamond and Pearl in which I took an extended break from the series. Nearly ten years to be precise. But even then, it always felt like home when playing a Pokemon game.
That familiar loop of battling and catching, while mundane, was cathartic in a way. Fast forward to 2019 and the release of Sword and Shield. After everything that I’ve gone through over the past year, I found a sense of solace in these games. These may not be the best Pokemon games to have ever released. But you know what? Who gives a shit. They are still exactly what you expect out of a Pokemon game, for better or worse. I love that sense of familiarity. It feels like home. And that was exactly what I needed at the end of this fucking hell of a year.
And there is the list. My top games of the year. Now, you may be thinking to yourself that I may have missed a game that I talked about, at length. And all I have to say is how dare you think I would even consider putting that piece of shit on this list. Alright, alright, alright. Fuck Gears 5.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for reading this far. Or for just scrolling to the bottom to see what my favorite game of the year was (don’t worry, I won’t judge). 2020 is going to be a year of new beginnings for myself. I have some personal goals I will be working toward when it comes to video games and writing in general and I am excited to see what comes of them in the new year.