Game of the Year Special

Click here to listen while you read...

​Formatting for the Game of the Year Special
​
●        For how we are choosing to do this Game of the Year Special, we will be doing our list of top 5 games released in 2019.
●        Due note that these are our personal opinions and definitely could differ from your own, which is completely okay!
●        Also note that these are the games that we have played personally. There are some games that came out this year that are probably amazing games that we simply did not have the time to play, which is a big factor in why we are choosing to keep our list to only 5 games each.
●        Another thing to note is that we have a special guest this week, our good friend Logan DeBlieu. Nick, our regular Sweet Geek, is currently out of state dealing with a family emergency. Logan will be taking his place and giving his own personal top 5 list.
●        With that being said, lets hope into our top 5 games of the year!

Tyler’s 5th Best Game of 2019

​●        WINNER: Control (Remedy/505 Games)
●        Discuss:
o   While we haven’t done a full Game of the Week on Control yet, it will be coming soon. This game is the epitome of a suspenseful game mixed with amazing and unique third-person shooting mechanics. The story of trying to find Jesse Faden’s (the main protagonist) brother in The Federal Bureau of Control just to find out he is everything you have been fighting against the whole game is a story that keeps you wanting to play more to see what will happen next.
o   The reason I have it lower on my list is I personally felt that while the combat was amazing, I felt that the boss fights were very underwhelming and eventually turned into normal enemies later on into the game. Not to mention that the combat almost felt too easy at times. While your health is not big by any stretch of the imagination, I never felt like I was truly in danger and I could kill anything with ease.

Logan’s 5th Best Game of 2019

• WINNER: Luigi’s Mansion 3 (Nintendo)
• Discuss:
  • I was a huge fan of the first Luigi’s Mansion back when it came out on GameCube. It was spooky and scary, but, ultimately, deeply satisfying. There are not many games in which you get to fight a headless Bowser trying to stomp you. This one really feels like a successor to the original. The game is inventive, the mechanics are fun, Gooigi especially adds a whole new dynamic to the puzzle-solving. It was a welcome jolt of nostalgia wrapped in a new package.
  • The reason I have it lowest on my list is similar to a reason Tyler had for his: because there were parts that were too easy. While there was a lot you could do with the mechanics, once I’d mastered them, the bosses and puzzles were a synch. I get that the game was made for children but there are ways to make it hard for adults too. ALSO, the game is called Luigi’s MANSION, and it takes place in a HOTEL! Come on Nintendo!

 

Tyler’s 4th Best Game of 2019

​●        WINNER: Devil May Cry 5 (Capcom)
●        Discuss:
o   If there was ever a better example of a comeback story for a series, this would be it right here. Devil May Cry 5 came in 11 years after the Devil May Cry 4’s release. Many people felt that Devil May Cry 4 was one of the worst in the series, second only to Devil May Cry 2. Devil May Cry 5 fixes on all of the issues people had with Devil May Cry 4 and improves on the things that that did right. Not only that, but being able to switch between Dante, Nero, and newcomer V, all of which have a different play style than the others, makes for an amazing experience that we remember from the good times of Devil May Cry.
o   The reason Devil May Cry 5 isn’t higher on the list is due to the fact that there isn’t much replay ability. Once you beat the game, there really isn’t much to do other than the do the wave of enemies, which is only fun for so long. Capcom has also said that there are no plans for a DLC for the game, which means we won’t be seeing anything new for the game.

Logan’s 4th Best Game of 2019
​

• WINNER: Tetris 99 (Nintendo)
• Discuss:
  • This game is a blast. Taking something as classic as Tetris, throwing a fresh coat of paint on it, and making it multiplayer! Who’d have thought that would be such a good idea? Nintendo. That’s the answer. It’s the perfect I-have-a-spare-minute game, as you can just pick it up and get right into a match. It’s exhilarating, pulse-pounding, and stress-inducing in the best possible way. The best part is, even if you lose, you can just hop into another game so you’re never out for long.
  • The only downside is that there’s a lot of luck involved. You could be having the game of your life when someone targets you out of nowhere and obliterates you. But even then it never elacits anything more than a, “Darn, I’ll get them next time.” The only reason it’s not higher is because I believe the games I’m going to talk about far outweigh this one in the quality department.

 

Tyler’s 3rd Best Game of 2019
​
●        WINNER: Kingdom Hearts 3 (Square Enix)
●        Discuss:
o   I have been waiting YEARS for this game, and they definitely did not disappoint. Kingdom Hearts has always been known for being an amazing series with an amazing story and great combat. With Kingdom Hearts 3 having so many years and so many good Disney Movies to work with, it was definitely bound to be a great game from the start. The combat is still as great as it was before and even built to be better than it was. The changing Keyblades that can fit any players style of play was a great addition. Not only that but the story builds off of the last games and gives the conclusion that people have been waiting for.
o   The reason it falls where it is on the list is that the combat felt too similar and a bit too easy. They did add some stuff with the special interactions that spawn amusement park rides and the combinations with all of your team, but that’s what made the game feel too easy. Even with those additions, it still felt like button mashing at its core. While that’s to be expected from this game, they could’ve done more.

Logan’s 3rd Best Game of 2019

• WINNER: A Plague Tale: Innocence (Asobo Studio)
• Discuss:
  • This is a game I didn’t really hear much about when it came out. I don’t know if the response was muted or if I just happened to miss it. But when I finally discovered it, it blew me away. One of my favorite games of all time is Dishonored. It too is a survival stealth game with a dark atmosphere that features a plague and multitudes of rats. Where they differ is mostly in the level design. It smacks more of the new Tomb Raider games, where there’s one place to go, one way to get there, and, at times, a pretty challenging puzzle to solve. The tone is dark and depressing, but also hopeful. Not to mention the visuals which are stunning!
  • The only downside I think is big enough to mention is that I’ve seen a lot of people complain about the fact that it’s so linear and they would’ve loved more options. Also, the story and subject matter are incredibly dark and not for everybody, so viewer discretion is advised!

Tyler’s 2nd Best Game of 2019

●        WINNER: Borderlands 3 (Gearbox/2K)
●        Discuss:
o   This should be no surprise to anyone given how much we have talked about this game on the podcast. Borderlands 3 hits all of the key story points that we were wanting to build off of from the previous games and went farther into what it means to be a Siren. The combat of the game is classic Borderlands and built heavily upon to make it a unique experience in its own. The addition of three separate character trees for each Vault Hunter makes each Vault Hunter feel completely different than the other trees it has. All of that mixed with the funny massacring that Borderlands has to offer makes it an instant classic for the year.
o   The reason it did not win my Game of the Year is because of the Calypso Twins. They never felt like the kind of true villain I wanted from a Borderlands game. In their defense, they have to follow in Handsome Jack’s footsteps, which is a near impossible feat. While they were great for what they were, they just weren’t Handsome Jack.

Logan’s 2nd Best Game of 2019

• WINNER: Control (Remedy/505 Games)
• Discuss:
  • Besides the visuals, there’s not really much I can touch on that Tyler didn’t already. The game is visually stunning. Many times, objects and often the building itself will fold and reshape around you in weird and creative ways. The story was really good and propelled me through the game without ever feeling bored. I played (and loved) another game that Remedy made, Quantum Break, which features a lot of similar looking and feeling mechanics, but honestly, I think this one edges it out. The psychic powers are more satisfying and the story is better.
  • Yes, all of the things that Tyler said are true, but I was personally willing to sit through the easy stuff because the story had its hooks in me, and I’m a sucker for a good story.

Tyler’s 2019 Game of the Year
​
●        WINNER: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (From Software/Activision)
●        Discuss:
o   There’s a reason that Sekiro won Game of the Year for the 2019 Game Awards. This game is one of the most unique games that I have ever played. From Software is known for their high difficulty games, such as Dark Souls and Bloodborne, and this game did not disappoint in that department. Instead of being a normal hack and slash style of game that we are used to from From Software, this game heavily focused on a parry and stamina bar system. Players are rewarded for finding the perfect balance between aggression and passiveness with each kill they get, and with every death received, the player strives to want to get better. Not to mention that the boss fights in this game are plentiful and the highlight of the game, which is to be expected from a From Software game. All of that wrapped into an amazing story about redemption and severing the ties of immortality makes this an easy choice for Game of the Year.
o   The only complaint that someone could have with this game is the difficulty. Where I would argue against that is that Sekiro never makes you feel that you were cheated or wrongfully killed, you died solely because you did misplayed one too many times. This game is easily the best game to come out this Year and is worthy of Game of the Year.

Logan’s Game of the Year

• WINNER: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts)
• Discuss:
  • This is by far my favorite game this year. It’s got everything, from story, to looks, to action, to heart. It takes a tale that we all know well and does a deep dive into a new side of things. You play as a young Padawan trying to revive the Jedi after after the events of Order 66, and along the way you meet a rich cast of characters that you learn to call friends. There are a couple really old games called Star Wars: the Force Unleashed and Star Wars: the Force Unleashed II. They were games I really enjoyed when I was younger, but going back, I can see clear and evident flaws. I feel like this is the game they wanted to be: a fun, sad, exciting romp through the world of Star Wars. Plus there’s BD-1. I mean, c’mon.

The only problem I have with this game is that it’s forcing me to give props to EA. On any other day I would tell EA That they’re awful, but not today. You done good. Now do it again, and I’ll CONSIDER letting you out of the doghouse.