Zack’s Personal Top 10 Games of 2019
I love video games. I imagine you, the reader, do too. So let’s check out some of the very best the year had to offer!
Honorable Mention – Shenmue III
Okay, I haven’t played Shenmue III yet. It’s an absolute shame. I kickstarted this game the very day it was announced. I’ve looked forward to it with such hope for so long that it’s almost too intimidating to start. Yet it was released this year, and I’d be remiss not to honorably mention it as it would undoubtedly make my list.
Honorable Mention #2 – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
This game is really, really great. I just haven’t gotten around to completing it. There are more cheap boss moves in the game than other FromSoftware titles, especially those constant grab attacks. So I need breaks far more often than their past games. But the checkpoint system, world design, quick combat, and rewarding stealth are all intoxicating. I will beat this game at some point, and I’ll be damn happy when I do.
Honorable Mention #3 (or 2019’s 2018 Game of the Year) – Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider brought one of my favorite trilogies in gaming to a lukewarm finale that left a bad taste in my mouth last year. With the gift of time, I’ve made peace with that ending, and learned to embrace the joys of the game. You can check out my review for why I think its gameplay is positively sublime. It helps that the DLC structure was also what I have been pining for since DLC was introduced. Seven single-player tombs released monthly to season pass holders. I would gladly pay a monthly fee for this content to continue. It was a great excuse to keep coming back to the game.
#10 – Death Stranding
Oh Kojima, may you never change. Death Stranding is like nothing I have ever played. Sometimes that was a good thing, sometimes not. Either way, it stuck with me. I liked trekking through the world a lot, much to my surprise. The story was also interesting, but the final hours were an absolute killer. Cutscenes upon cutscenes are thrust onto the player with terrible gameplay interspersed. It really had its hooks in me until then, though.
#9 – Gears 5
I love the Gears of War series so dearly. I read the comics, the books, anything I can get my hands on. The universe and lore is so interesting to me, and the characters are often so layered and tragic. Gears 5 tried some new things with the campaign, and even though the open-world segments felt pointless, I appreciated that they tried. This is probably my least favorite Gears game, but still one of my favorite shooters. That speaks to the strength of this franchise.
#8 – A Plague Tale: Innocence
It’s always great when a game comes out of nowhere to knock your socks off. I had never heard of Asobo Studio before, but boy did they come out swinging! This game is really unique, insanely dark, and a wonderful tale. The ending got a little over-the-top for me, but it’s a game that’ll stick with me nonetheless. Very much looking forward to what comes next from the developer.
#7 – Resident Evil 2
This was always a shoe-in for the list. The demo we played at E3 was spectacular, and the full game did not disappoint. Claire Redfield in this outing is a particular highlight, and one of the best acting performances of the year. Exploring the iconic police station of Raccoon City in stunning detail was chilling and filled with dread. One of the very best games in the long-running franchise.
#6 – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
I was surprised by how excited the trailers for this game got me, and much more surprised by how incredible the final product was. Now, I only touched the campaign, but its brief runtime was astounding. It never shied away from the horrors of war, and wasn’t even afraid to portray the USA as the genuine bad guy. You do some messed up stuff in this game, and there’s no getting around it. That’s war. And as we know, one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. Oh, and shooting the guns was real fun.
#5 – Apex Legends
Unlike the last game on the list, I never would have expected this. A battle royale game on my Top Ten list? Perish the thought. But leave it to the masterful developers behind Titanfall to make it so. Every match feels tense, and even losing is fun. Apex Legends has a serious “just one more” situation going on. Many late nights were had on this title. Shoutout to Wraith, the best character in the game.
#4 – Days Gone
I have a disdain for open-world games. I hate games that are unnecessarily long. Biker fiction is a complete turn-off for me. Despite all this, I love Days Gone. The gameplay loop is enticing, and led to me putting over 70 hours into this game. And the crazy part is I want to hop back in and go for the platinum trophy. I still can’t quite figure out my adoration for the game (besides my adoration of Sam Witwer, of course). The dialogue itself deserves special mention. Lines are delivered so believably I often forgot I was listening to scripted scenes. It always comes across sounding so natural.
#3 – Devil May Cry 5
“Who brought marshmallows?! Cuz I’m bringin’ the fire!” With these few words, Nero has forever cemented a place in my heart. Devil May Cry 5 is an outrageous, dumb, heckin’ good time! The combat is tough but engaging. The story knows how ridiculous it is, and plays into that, but somehow still finds time for meaningful character moments. DMC has always been a hit-or-miss series, but this one delivered in spades. I’m ready and rarin’ to go for the next game!
#2 – Control
Remedy Games always delivers. They make shooters like no one else; each one given its own distinct flavor. Their house style is palpable in every game, and Control is no exception. The studio even spread its wings a little, and made a MetroidVania instead of their typical linear shooters. It totally works, and makes The OIdest House an instantly memorable location. I hope we see more of Jesse Faden, and I hope we see it soon.
#1 – Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
This game made me a Star Wars fanboy all over again. I had kept the franchise at a relative distance in the Disney era, but I can do so no longer! There may not be an original idea in this game, but they’re all executed to flawless perfection. Leave it to Respawn Entertainment to make my list twice. The combat makes you finally feel like you’re wielding a lightsaber, and remains challenging throughout. Even the platforming is challenging, and you can actually fail! Puzzles use force powers in interesting ways and intersect with the jumping as well. The story is beautiful in its exploration of trauma and the scars it leaves on us. It’s the standout game in a standout year. It also happens to be one of my favorite game ever made.
2019 was another terrific year for video games. I admit I didn’t play nearly as many games as I wanted to, which is something I hope to correct next year. This hobby of ours is truly something special, and video games prove that year over year. There exists no more powerful a medium for telling stories, and I can not wait for the future! The new consoles are on the horizon, and the future seems murkier than ever. And that’s a good thing.
