Introduction
Well... this is a bit awkward. HEY everybody and welcome back to my channel! That's right, I'm not dead! 2019 is coming to a close and while I haven't exactly been productive on this channel for a while, I have been busy trying to play as many games as I can in the meantime. So I figured with the lack of reviews this year, what better way to close the decade out than with a ranking of every game I've played that was released this year, both because it gives me a chance to talk about everything without writing full reviews and because I felt like the top 10 worst lists in the past had too much general mediocrity and not enough purely terrible games to validate that list's existence. Instead, I'll be covering every game I've played from worst to best, ending with my game of the year and if you want to skip to another point in the video, just check the description for timestamps. In any case, we've got a lot of ground to cover, so let's get things started
Widower's Sky is a broken mess of a game. I saw it on the IndieGames subreddit and thought it looked cool, so I bought the game when it went up for sale. It's supposed to be some sort of a survival adventure game, but the controls don't work, the instructions are cryptic at best, and the mechanics are frustrating and confusing. I don't want to spend too long ragging on an indie game like this, but I can't deny that this game was released in a pathetic state that the developers should be embarrassed about and it's without a doubt the worst game I played this year.
Pikuniku is a cute little platformer game that just didn't really work for me. The concept of rolling around and pushing objects to interact with this wacky world is neat, but the mechanics never really expand too far and actually controlling yourself can be downright frustrating. It's got it's charms but in the end the jokes fall flat, the gameplay is stale, and Pikuniku ended up being a mediocre game with a neat art style.
Next up is a weird one. KIDS is more of an artistic experiment than it is a game. You play it by moving the mouse around and getting these small simple people to move around the screen. It's got its clever moments and only costs three bucks, but even then the game is super short, and repetitive at that. The message never really comes through and in the end, the entire thing feels like a failed arthouse project- more pretentious than interesting and focusing way too much on style and not enough on substance.
Super Kirby Clash is a revolutionary game. It takes the concept of a cheap, shallow mobile game and tries to shove it onto a console. At its core, the game isn't terrible, just a simple beat 'em up with co-op and multiple classes, but the controls are so simple and the fighting mechanics so repetitive that the game gets boring after only two of three fights. Not to mention the overpriced in-game goods. Luckily, I don't think this game is interesting enough to get people to spend exorbitant amounts of money on in-game purchases. If it weren't free it'd be much lower on this list, but as a free-to-play little time waster, it's just... fine.
Snakeybus is silly. It's pretty low on this list and honestly I don't think the developers would care for it to be anywhere else. Part snake, part Crazy Taxi, snakeybus tasks players with driving this unstoppable bus through several levels, collecting passengers scattered around the map, with each new set extending your bus's length. See how long you can survive before being forced to crash. It's simple, it's fun for a little bit, but ultimately it lacks the content it would need to be any higher on this list. Still, I look forward to seeing what comes next from this studio.
Maybe it's not fair to put this game on here since it's only in early access, but Totally Accurate Battle Simulator is pretty much a ripoff of Ultimate Epic Battle Simulator that I covered a couple of years ago. However, while that game was all about making massive armies to fight against one another, TABS causes a lot of slowdown if there are too many characters on the screen at once. Even with that fault however, the game makes up for it with a fun and occasionally challenging single player campaign, much better AI, and a bunch of unique character types. It's not a game that'll blow you away, but if you got it for free from the Epic Game Store like I did, it's worth an hour or so of your time to give it a try.
Ohhhh man this game is fun! Aftercharge is a game I've waited a couple of years to play since giving the demo a shot at PAX and it really was worth the wait. Two asymmetrical teams do battle in small areas, one of robots trying to destroy objects skewn among the level and one of humans trying to disable them before they do so. The twist is that the robots are invisible until they attack and the humans can set traps to try and stop them, but even if they're disabled a quick reactivation from a teammate will bring them right back to life. Each side even has multiple different classes, each with their own abilities and merits to help the team. It's a game of risk and reward that's a blast to play, so why is it so low on this list? Well, everything else. The cosmetics in the game are boring, partying up is a chore, the level up system is slow, the matchmaking is tedious, it's so disappointing. The devs have been pretty silent since release and the player base has been more or less dead since a month after release, and justly so. It's a shame, because in the right hands this game has the potential to be the next indie darling to take the industry by storm, but as it stands, Aftercharge is a heap of wasted potential.
Monument Valley is a really fun mobile game that everyone should try out. Moving around the MC-Escher-like world and solving puzzles is a joy and a marvel at the same time. Etherborn tries to do the same thing, but focuses more on exploration than pure puzzle solving. Moving through these worlds in a 3D space, trying to get your character from point A to point B is fun, sometimes challenging, and usually aesthetically pleasing. However, it never really reaches the heights to which its premise aspires. With a 2 hour playtime and a lack of any kind of surprising gameplay mechanics or interesting twists on the existing formula from start to finish, Etherborn is an interesting start that shows the potential of its developer, but ultimately ends up being more of a showcase for their potential than a truly exceptional experience.
This next game isn't really much of a game. In fact, if someone were to ask me how it was made, I'd guess that the composers made an album and reached out to a game developer to make a game around it. The result is the flashy, wonderfully scored Sayonara Wild Hearts. This is a difficult game to describe, but in essence, Sayonara Wild Hearts is a variety game where you go through a bunch of short songs over the course of 1 to 2 hours, performing simple maneuvers, occasionally pressing a button in time with the music. You can't get a game over and checkpoints are extremely generous, so the fun doesn't really come from the challenge, but rather from the experience of playing a game to this beautiful soundtrack. The visuals are lovely, the gameplay is simple, but enjoyable enough, and the controls work well, even if they're a bit slippery, but while Sayonara Wild Hearts is an enjoyable time, you'll probably get almost as much enjoyment out of listening to the album, especially if you're looking for a poppier version of Grimes.
One of the best switch-ups to the battle royale genre I've played thus far is the next game on our list, the free-to-play, action-packed, chaotic, Tetris 99. Seriously, for the low low price of free (with a Nintendo Online subscription), you can test out your Tetris might against 99 other opponents from around the world. Now you may be thinking that this is just Tetris, and well, you'd be right. It's amazing how well such a simple game keeps finding new ways to stay fun and relevant. All this game really has is the base mode of playing against 98 other players and a team mode and while mode modes have been added for those willing to pay, Tetris 99 just goes to show that this old dog still has plenty of new tricks up its sleeve. I just wish there were more balance when it comes to matchmaking because I always get destroyed and never really have the chance to learn or improve. It's fun though, so if you have a switch with an online subscription, give it a shot.
I have a lot of complicated feelings about Ape Out. You play as an escaped gorilla through a few chapters, each with its own location, unique aesthetics, gimmicks, and difficulty. It's satisfying to throw a dude into a wall so hard that he goes splat. It's exciting to just barely dodge a bullet before making it through the safe door. The music and visuals are unique and fantastic with this hot jazz soundtrack and simple, colorful graphics. However as much as I had fun in the early levels, the game is actually a completely randomized experience when it comes to enemy placement. This can lead to a lot of frustration in later levels when you can coincidentally walk into a room full of armed guards and get annihilated. There are definitely scenarios in which progressing is nearly impossible if not actually so and it takes what could have been an otherwise fun strategic stealth action game where you plan out the best routes to reach the end into a twitch-melee brawler with a lot of frustrating moments. Honestly the game would've been in the top 5 if it weren't for the randomized parts and it's still a fun time if you want to check it out, but for me it just came down to being a pretty average experience in the end.
This one's kind of tough to place in this list. Everybody's Golf VR isn't really a game. There's no campaign, no clarity to progress on unlockables, no multiplayer in a golf game, it's a tech demo. However, it's a really great one and here's why- Everybody's Golf VR is a relatively accurate golf simulator. With the VR headset and the move controller, the only thing the game can't accurately track is the power of a swing (since there's no way for it to tell how the club was swung), but the curve, club location, everything else is spot on. How do I know? Here's two examples:
(show curve to the left and whiffing on the ball)
Yeah, in real life I always curve the ball to the right and pull up on my swing. I was astounded by how the game showed that off. The only thing that has some issues is the putting since it's really hard to accurately swing without the weight and contact of a real putter, but everything else is remarkably impressive. Look, it's not deep, its modes and courses are limited, and the AI is both creepy and annoying, but as a New Englander, I can't play golf in the winter and as a normal person I can't afford to play it every week in the summer. However I believe that by playing this game enough I can actually practice my swing and improve my skills when I otherwise couldn't. Do I recommend this to the average gamer? Not at all, but if you like to play golf and happen to have a PSVR this is a fantastic way to practice your swing when you otherwise couldn't and I suggest you give it a try.
So I think I'm about to lose all respect on this one... But fuck it- I Love You, Colonel Sanders is a stupid, ridiculous advertisement for a shitty fast food chain and I enjoyed the hell out of it. Why? Simple- the writing is legitimately funny and it was clearly written by fans of the visual novel genre of games. Everything- the tropes, the fourth wall breaks, the artwork, the mechanics, the MOTHER FUCKING JO-JO's reference character, it's all incredibly well done and absolutely worth an hour or two of your time to experience this free to play joy of a parody game.
Superliminal is a game I've been looking forward to for years. Ever since their first concept trailer was released on their college's website, this simple concept caused my imagination to go completely wild thinking of all the gameplay possibilities this game could bring. Put simply, the player can grow or shrink an object at will by changing where it's placed from their perspective. The game plays with this concept a lot in its short runtime and has a lot of fun elements to make for a neat little puzzle game. It does have drawback in its blatant ripping off of Portal, boring and cliche plot, mediocre writing, and some underused mechanics, and I really wish it took the concept of perspective much further, but as a fun, short puzzle game the game works as both a proof of concept and an enjoyable experience in its own right. I really hope they either get a publisher or more funding for their next outing and really push this concept to the limits of imagination, because if they do, they'll have all the tools necessary to create a masterpiece the next time around.
Apex Legends is a good game. It's objectively a well-made battle royale game. It's enjoyable, has great shooting mechanics, has a diverse set of characters with different move pools and roles... but it's just so bland! Look, PUBG was the first big battle royale game so it got a pass, Fortnite has its fun aesthetic even if I'm not a huge fan of the building, but Apex Legends just feels lifeless. The visuals are bog-standard, its guns and gameplay are just carbon copies of what everyone else is doing, and its game mode are barebones.
I know it's gotten better over time, but at release with its lack of solo gameplay, competitive ranking, interesting skins, and the overall similar feeling to every single match it's a game I saw so much potential in but ultimately game up playing after a couple of weeks. It's still a good game and some might even say it's great, particularly for being free-to-play, but without some major changes I just don't see it becoming any more than a footnote in the battle royale craze going forward.
What do you get when a simple, but incredibly fun and unique mod is adopted into a game of its own? You get Auto Chess. Originally a mod for DOTA, the original creators of the mod went on to create their own game from the idea for mobile and PC and it's a really interesting concept. Part battle royale, part strategy game, Auto Chess tasks 8 players with creating teams of monsters offered to them that duke it out round after round until only one player has hit points remaining. Over time you can improve the size of your army, upgrade your individual pieces, and combine their abilities to cause some deadly combinations. I had a blast playing this game for a while, with the multitude of interesting modes and a decent ranking system. The only things keeping it out of the top 10 are the poor translation leading to confusion about how certain mechanics work, the abstract and non-intuitive way to use items for unlocks and truly understanding how money spent on the game translates into items, and the randomization being completely out of control that turns many matches into a gamble with both players waiting for a single piece to win the game. Still, for a free mobile game Auto Chess is a really fun time and if it seems like something you'd be into I highly recommend you check it out.
This is a game I really wanted to be higher on the list. I love Fallout 3, and Fallout New Vegas is a fantastic follow up. The ability to traverse such a massive open world, seeing new creatures, levelling up interesting abilities, it was always such a blast. The Outer Worlds is essentially that, but in space, and possibly even a step back. Look, there's things about this game I really liked such as the factions, the fun companion characters, the interesting moral dilemmas, and some of the abilities, but it all feels like it's been done before. The combat is stale and lifeless, needing to travel back to the ship over and over is a hassle that makes me wish the game just let me have a teleporting device that took me to landing pads instead, the story ends up being a bit of a slog to get through by the end, and the cohesion between all of the game's different elements just isn't there. It really feels like a worse version of Fallout New Vegas, but in space. And given the 9 years since that game's release I guess I just expected more. It's a good time when you're playing, shows that Obsidian has a lot of potential moving forward, and will definitely scratch that open world RPG itch if you're really in need of a new Fallout-esque experience, just not one of the greats.
Norman Reedus Shower Simulator 2019 has been quite a divisive game. Critically it's gotten scores from 2 to 10 out of 10. Commercially it's done well, with some consumers calling it a boring walking simulator and others hailing it as an avant-garde work of art that transcends the norms of the gaming medium. As far as I'm concerned, it's... interesting. Look, Death Stranding takes a lot of risks and many of them pay off quite well. The long sections of quiet travelling make the tense sections of sneaking around for your life that much more exciting. The graphics, music, and cinematography are all stellar. The gameplay is unique and if you don't mind a slow burn, trying to maintain balance on these long trips with a lot of packages can be compelling, but it's not for everyone. And while the story is convoluted, if you pay attention, it really does make sense from beginning to end. There's a lot there, but what is there isn't very complicated.
That said, the cutscenes are invasive and take way too long, the controls and menus can be tedious and cumbersome, some game mechanics are poorly explained, climbing sometimes doesn't work, the Monster Energy sponsorship is unashamedly thrown in the player's face, and it got to the point where I'd get pissed off when receiving another god damn call from an NPC interrupting the gameplay. Plus Kojima's ego and pretentiousness emanate throughout the entire experience with the cherry on top being his insistence that he's created the 'strand' genre of video games. In the end, Death Stranding is an enjoyable experience with some growing pains, and while I would definitely say it's a work of art, I don't think it's the masterpiece that Hideo Kojima seems to think it is.
Now we're really into it. Splitgate: Arena Warfare is such a cool concept. Mix Halo and Portal and see what happens. What happens is one of the most well-executed and unique FPS multiplayer games to come out in a while. It's got all of the classic game modes you'd expect, a similar gun lineup to your typical Halo fare, but adding in the portal-based gameplay keeps everything fresh and interesting. At launch I was sure this game was going to become the next big multiplayer craze, but unfortunately it never really took off the ground and it bled players for quite a while. If you haven't given this game a shot, I highly recommend you try it out. The developers are constantly trying to find new ways to breathe life into the community and I really hope that they're able to figure it out because this is one game that definitely deserves to be more popular than it currently is.
Playing Sekiro Shadows Die Twice marks my first foray into FROMSOFTWARE titles. While I have played Nioh and had fun with it, I hadn't tried an authentic Soulsbourne game until this year. And I gotta say it's pretty fun. Tight combat with a bunch of complex mechanics, tough as nails bosses with interesting strategic paths to get to them, and a gorgeous art style combined with some epic music making for some unforgettable fights. The flow to combat takes some time to get used to, but all of the parts come together to make for a solid game, but not a perfect one. Between all of this are moments of frustration coming from getting stuck on a rock, blocks not working properly, needing to redo the entire trip to the boss after death, and the worst issue- a lack of explanation about the game's mechanics. Honestly, I'm not sure if fromsoft games are considered difficult because of the challenging fights or because an online guide is almost necessary to actually understand how the most important game mechanics work. All in all, if you want a fun and challenging experience I'd highly recommend Sekiro, but be sure to take the exploration and inventory aspects of the game seriously and slowly to get the most out of your experience. If you do, it's one of the most rewarding experiences you can have all year.
I fucking hate geese. My sister and I got attacked by geese when we were feeding them bread with our grandparents as children. My parent's house always had geese shitting all over the lawn when I was growing up. They're annoying, territorial, shit machines and that's why I'm so glad that Untitled Goose Game has come along to show the world just how awful these creatures are. In this game your job is to complete a checklist in order to sufficiently annoy each of the folks in this small town, slowly making your way through a few locales through the simple actions of grabbing things and moving them around. It's a simple game, but the concept is executed so well and the results are so entertaining that I can easily say it's the best stealth game I've played in years. If you want a chuckle, a solid amount of content for the money spent, and a surprisingly tactically challenging game, give Untitled Goose Game a try!
China has entered the server ladies and gentlemen. While there were always a few Chinese developers making decent titles over the years and their PC and mobile markets have thrived, the Chinese video game industry has mostly been known for their shitty mobile games. However since lifting their ban on video game consoles in 2015, many developers have taken it upon themselves to elevate their country's game development to compete with the quality of the rest of the industry, one of those developers being NEXT Studios. Since 2017 they've developed their share of interesting titles, but with their 2019 release of Unheard they took their skills to new heights. The concept is simple- listen to audio recordings of different crime scenes by rewinding tapes and moving the listening location around the area in order to figure out who's in the room, what exactly happened, and eventually solve the case. It's a novel concept pulled off extremely well. The voice acting is surprisingly well done, the visual style is interesting, the puzzles are complex and fun to solve, and the game rarely if ever feels repetitive despite the need to replay the same parts of a scene multiple times since each replay can lead to a new revelation along the way. And while China does have a totalitarian government that commits horrible atrocities in an effort to maintain absolute control, the people themselves should be evaluated on an individual basis, so I feel no guilt in commending NEXT studios for their efforts here. Unheard is a great game that everyone should check out. Oh, and Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our age!
Two years ago I played Resident Evil 7, my first experience with the series. While I'm not much of a horror guy, with jump scares pissing me off more than they scare the piss out of me, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the game and can't wait to see what Capcom does in the sequel. This year, they took a look back and I decided to jump back in with the Resident Evil 2 Remake. The graphics are stellar, the story is campy, but entertaining, the gameplay and puzzles are incredibly well done, but what really pushes this game over the edge is the tension. Not knowing when something's going to jump out at you, trying to keep your nerve in order to hit your targets, constantly being in need of ammo, I loved my time here even if it did freak me out. I was already excited to try out the next game in the series, but now I even want to go back and try out the others. If you can handle the scares, you'd be doing yourself a disservice to not try out the fantastic entry in a series that's earned its reputation as a classic.
This Black Friday I managed to snag myself a PSVR with 5 games included. And while each of the games along with some of the bundles were fun, there has yet to be any game I've played that proves the potential of VR while capitalizing on it at the same time quite like Beat Saber. Coming out of beta this year to a full release, Beat Saber is a simple concept executed masterfully. Just slice the blocks in the directions indicated with the proper lightsaber, dodge the walls, and keep in time with the beat. The controls are spectacular, the feedback is excellent, and the variety present between the campaign levels, gameplay modifiers, and plethora of different modes makes this the most immersive gaming experience I've ever had. While I do wish the track list were a bit longer, the music packs have helped to keep things fresh and the ability to practice by playing a song slower and faster at will makes self improvement all but inevitable, all while getting a really solid cardio workout at the higher difficulties. I know VR is expensive, and even then it's not for everyone, but if you have a VR headset, this is easily the best game you can pick up right now.
You know, after a long day of coding at work, nothing quite hits the spot like a session of gaming to forget the work-a-day world problems. Turn off my brain, relax, and forget all about algorithms and APIs and such. And yet despite all of that, Baba is You is one of my favorite games this year despite it essentially being coding with a few extra steps. In this puzzle game, you simply have to win. In order to do so, you move words around the map in an attempt to modify the objects in the room and how they're controlled to ensure the object with the 'you' attribute is touching the object with the 'win' attribute. It's difficult to describe, but when playing, it pretty much feels like you're hacking into the game's code and trying to manipulate the level in order to hand you a win, all while using the game's own mechanics. It's a lot to take in, and trust me it can be difficult. Some of these levels had me spending literal hours staring at them before finally figuring out the solution and when the game goes meta it's both hilarious and mind blowing. I don't want to say too much for fear of spoilers, but trust me, if you want a challenging puzzle game that'll blow your mind both with its creativity and ingenuity time and time again, Baba is You is the game you're looking for.
In the past, I've had a difficult time deciding what my ultimate game of the year would be. 2017 in particular was insane, with at least half of the list being in contention for the top spot. Even last year had some close calls vying for first place, but this year there's no doubt in my mind about the best game of 2019 and I don't think my opinion will change over time either. To me, the best game of 2019 is WHAT THE GOLF? This weird little golfing game is the single most creative and consistently surprising game I've played this year. It starts out as a 3D version of those mini-golf flash games everyone used to play in class, just pull back on the ball and let it fly. But then almost immediately after you think you understand the kind of game you're playing, everything turns on its head with some incredibly fun and inventive twists on the typical gameplay.
And from here on out, every single level has some sort of unique gimmick or mechanic to throw a twist on the formula. Not only that, but each level itself also has three unique challenges to complete. What the Golf is the only game I completed 100% in 2019 and that's because it had me captivated by it's fun visuals, goofy and enjoyable soundtrack, hilarious concepts, and unbelievable creativity from start to finish. While I would recommend playing with a mouse since that offers the greatest degree of control, if you haven't tried this game out yet, I can't recommend What the Golf enough, which is why it easily takes the spot as my favorite game of 2019.
Conclusion
Hey everyone, thanks for checking out this video. This year's been a bit rough on me, and made it difficult to be super productive on YouTube, but now I'm back in action and while I can't promise I'll be uploading super frequently, I will say that the Jak 2 video will be coming out very soon, hopefully this month. Editing a retrospective is a lot different than one of these lists due to them needing very specific clips while lists just need any footage at all, so it's taken a really long time to dredge up the motivation to finish everything up, but it is coming at some point soon, so look forward to that and some other videos to come out after. And as always, have a mighty nifty day today!