Best of 2019: Bryan's Picks
Looking back on 2019 I’m struck by the variety of games that gained mainstream notoriety over the course of the year. From a crunchy CRPGs like Disco Elysium to mobile puzzlers like What the Golf. For me, 2019 was an occasion to return to my gaming roots and power through a surprising number of RPGs of all shapes, sizes, and systems. This was also the first full year with my PS4 so I had a lot of catch up with that system. It did not disappoint. As always, note that these are chosen from the games I have played this year, not necessarily games released this year. Enjoy!
10) Resident Evil 2 (2019) (PC) - I missed the boat on the Resident Evil series growing up, so this was my first Resident Evil 2 experience and only my second RE game after RE7. Even though I came to this game for the first time for our book club discussion I enjoyed the hell out of being chased around Racoon city by a 7 foot tall detective. Managing resources and unraveling the mystery of the zombie apocalypse was a tense delight.
9) Spiderman (PS4) - In a year that saw the release of both “Spiderman: Far from Home” and the incomparable “Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse”, I’d still have to say that the video game outing of Spiderman (which released in September 2018) was my favorite piece of Spider-media I consumed this year. The web swinging mechanic is pitch perfect.The plot moved along at a brisk pace and included some truly memorable set pieces.
8) Frostpunk (PC) - Climate change has been a bit of a ‘hot topic’ this year so it's fitting that one of last year’s most striking and unique management sims grapples with survival in a climate apocalypse (in this case a new ice age). What I found most interesting about this game was the way it told the story of how society adapts in the face of dire circumstances. The harrowing climax of the game tests whether your society can hold out and be saved, or if it is even worth saving...
7) What the Golf (iOS) - The lone mobile game on my list this year earned its way into my top 10 by taking a joke and telling it in dozens of different ways. It's truly impressive the number of times What the Golf can take a concept and pivot in a new direction to completely change the moment-to-moment gameplay of this quirky puzzler.
6) Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4) - It's a game that took me the better part of a year to complete.You’d think that might be an indictment that I did not enjoy Red Dead 2 or that it was simply too long, but you would be wrong. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game that is best played slow. It rewards the player taking the time to notice the subtle details in the world.Go ahead: take that extra walk around camp, say howdy to your fellow desperados, and always take the long way home.
5) Disco Elysium (PC) - My necktie told me I had to put this on my list. In all seriousness Disco Elysium is the most smartly written game I played this year, and probably for the last several. Boasting evocative passages on par with the all time greats like Planescape: Torment, this game shows the sheer boost in quality that a top notch, well-staffed writing department can bring to a game.
4) Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PC) - From Software continues to have my number. While this game’s final boss left a sour taste in my mouth, the rest of the experience was too excellent to miss out on this list. The action and world-building are still best in class, and it has a grappling hook so I pretty much had to rank it highly.
3) Divinity Original Sin 2 (PC) - The most satisfying tactical battles I’ve played all year thanks to a comprehensive physics and environment system which rewards player expression. While some RPG’s are satisfied with letting you grind out random encounters between set piece battles, D:OS2 throws that out the window by making every encounter diegetically significant and purposeful to the telling of the overall story.
2) God of War (PS4) - The God of War series has always featured over the top, brutal action set in a stylish mythological world. By adding genuine pathos to the mix in the form of a father-son bond between Kratos and Atreus, Sony Interactive Entertainment has created a truly transcendent experience. For me, the series was also reinvigorated by mechanical additions and tweaks to a formula that was starting to get stale. I admire a series that has the courage to re-invent itself, and am even happier when it leads to a more mature (not in terms of violence or sex) and satisfying experience.
1) Fire Emblem: Three Kingdoms (Switch) - At first I wasn’t sure the latest game in the Fire Emblem series was for me, but as I settled into the rhythm of life at Garreg Mach Monastery, the game’s subtle interlocking systems worked their magic and I was hooked. Over the course of the next few dozen hours I became completely invested not only in the mechanical development of my squad of trusted brothers- and sisters-in-arms, but also in their development as individuals. While each character initially seemed one dimensional to an almost comical degree, each individual has depths hiding not only in their interactions with the protagonist but also with each other.
Honorable Mentions:
Cadence of Hyrule (Switch)
Remnant: From the Ashes (PC)
Baba is You (Switch, PC)
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (Switch)
Islanders (PC)
Apex Legends (PC)
Pokemon Sword (Switch)
A Short Hike (PC)
Best Old Games of 2019:
Final Fantasy 12 Zodiac Age (Switch)
The Last of Us (PS4)
Dark Souls (PC, Switch)
Cool, But Not My Thing:
Outer Wilds
Untitled Goose Game
Want to Play in 2020:
Return of the Obra Dinn (yes, still)
Outer Worlds
Control