Here, we’ll be talking about what are the ten nominees for what we feel have been the best indie-developed games of the year, before picking out one winner from the lot as the one that stood out the most to us.

NOTE: The nominees and winner were decided by an internal vote held among the entire GamingBolt staff.

THE NOMINEES:

WARGROOVE

It’s been over a decade since we last saw an Advance Wars game, and it’ll probably be many years before we see another one (if we ever do). Thankfully, earlier this year, Chucklefish took it upon themselves to fill that void, and they did so with great aplomb. Wargroove is a dream come true for turn-based strategy fans. Challenging, tactical, and addictive, Wargroove’s campaign would have been enough to secure a position for the game in this list as it is, but of course, there was more. The campaign and map creator was surprisingly robust and versatile, and added immense value to what was an already meaty package.

A PLAGUE TALE: INNOCENCE

In our review of A Plague Tale: Innocence earlier in the year, we said that it has the heart of an indie game, and the sheen of a AAA blockbuster, and we can’t find a better way to summarize how we feel about the game. There’s no need for qualifiers like “for an indie game” or “for a smaller budget title” with A Plague Tale- Asobo Studio’s action adventure title is excellent, no matter what metric you use to measure its worth. It’s full of heart, it’s ridiculously polished, and it’s a ton of fun to play- any game that can boast of all those things is aces in our book.

OUTER WILDS

The indie space fosters some of the most creative and unique talent out there, and no game this year has exemplified that as well as Mobius Digital’s Outer Wilds does. Not only is it unbelievably huge and unexpectedly addictive, it’s also a rare example of a game not only having a fresh, intelligent premise, but also managing to execute in an exciting and satisfactory manner. Unravelling the mysteries of Outer Wilds and exploring the corners of its vast worlds is, without a doubt, one of the best gaming experiences we’ve had all year.

SAYONARA WILD HEARTS

Sayonara Wild Hearts finds depth in its simplicity in every way possible. Playing the game requires minimal inputs, rarely anything more than flicking the analog stick or timing the press of a button, and yet zipping through its environments and syncing your movement to the beat of the game’s excellent music is extremely fun. The visuals aren’t the most detailed you will ever see, more impressionist than anything else, and yet the sights the game shows you will stay with you long after you’ve moved on. Best of all, Sayonara Wild Hearts finds a way to meaningfully weave its story and gameplay together, and what we have in the end is one of the most unique and memorable games we’ve played all year.

SUNLESS SKIES

Sunless Skies is what every sequel should be- cognizant of all the things that were good about its predecessor, but also improved in the ways it needed to be improved most. Its dark and dreary world and its deft storytelling combine with incredible atmosphere and world-building for an experience more immersive than many of us expected, while its blend of survival mechanics and role-playing make for a compelling gameplay experience as well. Does it have issues? Yes, some- but that’s why the phrase “imperfect gem” exists. To describe games like Sunless Skies.

DISCO ELYSIUM

Where major AAA developers struggle to properly implement choice and consequence mechanics in RPGs, a small indie studio called ZA/UM did it on their first attempt, and spectacularly so. It’s hard to believe how good Disco Elysium is. It is brimming with meaningful choices to be made that rear their heads in unpredictable ways, it’s bevy of systems make for a deep and engaging role playing experience, and it boasts an engaging narrative and a fascinating setting, propped up by excellently written and developed characters. Calling it one of the best RPGs of this generation would not be an exaggeration.

SLAY THE SPIRE

Slay the Spire has been in our lives for a couple of years now, what with having gone through a sizeable early access period, but this year saw MegaCrit’s roguelike deck builder launching in full on PC and consoles. And as all of us had seen coming, it was well worth the wait. Slay the Spire is a wondrous concoction of familiar genres, all combining together to create an experience wholly unlike anything else. It’s vast, addictive, and strategic, and putting it down once it’s sucked you in and is at its best is an impossible task.

MANIFOLD GARDEN

Manifold Garden flew under the radar of the vast majority of people when it launched in October, which is a bit of a shame, because this here is a beautiful, hypnotic, mind-bending game that you owe it to yourself to experience, especially if you like the puzzle genre. It makes use of a number of unique mechanics in conjunction to present players with some truly fascinating and intelligent puzzles, all the while also dazzling with its beautiful sights and sounds. Manifold Garden is the fruit of seven years of development, and though that’s a long time for the development team to have spent on the game, in the end, it’s safe to say that the effort paid off.

KATANA ZERO

Katana Zero’s short length is a indisputable flaw, while its challenging difficulty makes it a game that not everyone might be able to get into, but by and large this is one of the most stylish action titles we’ve seen in recent memory. Deflecting bullets with, slowing down time, jumping over obstacles and traps, and brutally dispatching enemies- that’s what Katana Zero is all about. It’s a fast-paced, action-packed, frantic melody, while its excellent pixel art and impeccable sense of style add even more value to an already memorable experience.

ARISE: A SIMPLE STORY

Taking cues from the likes of Journey, Arise: A Simple Story is one of those games that’s best described as an “experience.” Trekking through its striking beautiful locations while listening to its beautiful soundtrack can be a powerful experience, and the story the game tells – or conveys, rather – is an emotional rollercoaster. Then there’s its time manipulation mechanic, which makes for some surprisingly engaging and satisfying 3D platforming experience. Though it comes in right at the close of the year, Arise: A Simple Story is still every bit as deserving to be here as its fellow nominees.

WINNER:

A PLAGUE TALE: INNOCENCE

One look at A Plague Tale: Innocence is enough to tell you that developers Asobo Studio did not let the size of their team of their budget be a constraint for their ambition. That one single look tells you how good this game looks, not just thanks to beautiful art, but technically incredible visuals as well. And when you actually play the game, you realize that that level of sheen and quality extends beyond the visuals as well. Its simplistic yet engaging and varied blend of stealth, puzzle solving, and combat; its heartfelt story and personal bonds and relationships; its excellently written and acted characters; how deftly it balances the larger mysteries of its world with the more personal characters of its protagonists.

A Plague Tale: Innocence is one of the biggest surprises, not only of the year, but of this entire generation, and it convincingly hammers home the point that a studio needs talent and ambition more than it needs money and resources to make a standout experience. And that’s exactly what A Plague Tale: Innocence is- one of the most stunning and memorable games we’ve played all year.

NOTE: The nominees and winner were decided by an internal vote held among the entire GamingBolt staff.

THE NOMINEES:

BORDERLANDS 3

More is not always better, but in this case, it absolutely is. Borderlands 3 has no qualms with giving you more of everything, whenever you ask for it- more guns, more customization, more combat encounters, more content in general. It delivers a packed playing field for players to grind their characters and earn better loot in, and it’s all wrapped up in a quintessential Borderlands experience.

VOID BASTARDS

This is probably the most unique shooter we’ve played all year. Its blend of roguelike progression and first person shooting makes for excellent structure that keeps you raptly engaged, while the combat itself can be so rewarding for players that are more tactical in their approach. If nothing else, Void Bastards is worth playing for the visuals alone. It does start wearing a little thin by the time you’ve spent some time with the game, but even after you’re done with it, you’ll be glad you gave it a go.

METRO EXODUS

The Metro series has always been excellent at telling heavy, intense stories in the backdrop of a harsh world, and Metro Exodus does that perhaps better than both of its predecessors. In spite of being a much larger and much more open-ended experience, it deftly balances that freer structure with its focus on guided storytelling. Every step of Artyom’s gruelling journey across post-nuclear Russia feels wrought with palpable tension, in what is yet another unforgettable narrative showcase by 4A Games.

GEARS 5

The core strengths of Gears of War’s formula have never really been in doubt- what Gears 5 needed to prove was that this series is capable of growth. And it totally did that. The deeper progression mechanics, the greater focus on exploration within both, the smaller and larger environments- Gears 5 introduces a lot of new ideas to the series very effectively. The open world stuff could definitely do with some work in future instalments, but by and large, it’s clear that The Coalition have put the series and themselves in a very secure position with Gears 5.

THE DIVISION 2

Ubisoft’s The Division is one of many games this generation that turned things around from their disappointing launch with excellent post-launch support. After all that rebuilding, Ubisoft Massive needed to make sure that a sequel wouldn’t just do away with all that. Thankfully, The Division 2 started out in a great position. It launched with an excellent, meaty campaign, plenty of endgame content, and excellent combat thanks to varied and dangerous enemy design, tight shooting, and rewarding progression. Post-launch, things definitely could have gone better than they have, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that The Division 2’s base game is still ridiculously fun.

BLOOD AND TRUTH

Last year, Sony showed off what VR is capable of with Astro Bot Rescue Mission, and though no VR Sony game this year came close to delivering that sort of design and mechanical ingenuity, Blood and Truth came pretty damn close. Not only is the game a blast to play through because of well-designed combat encounters and set-piece moments, Blood and Truth also has a surprisingly engaging story, propped up by great writing and performances.

RAGE 2

Overall, RAGE 2 is a pretty average (and thoroughly forgettable) game, and it has more than just a few problems. But all the problems in the world can’t change the fact that there is one key area where it is a wild success- the combat. Gunplay in RAGE 2 is absolutely fantastic. The weapons feel excellent to shoot, enemies crumple before gunfire in exploding fountains of blood, the powers you gain are incredible. Every firefight in RAGE 2 is chaotic, bombastic, and over-the-top fun. It’s a real shame that the game has so many problems in other areas, because when RAGE 2’s combat is in full-flow, the game can be unbelievably good.

HALO: REACH (PC)

Halo: Reach was made available to PC audiences for the first time this year, and it was well worth the wait. This is one of the best Halo campaigns ever, and it feels extra special because it’s also Bungie’s last Halo game. Clearly, Reach has aged excellently. The Halo combat is still as good as ever, the campaign is still a complete rollercoaster, and multiplayer is just as addictive as ever. It may not have Master Chief in it, but Halo: Reach is still the perfect way to kick off The Master Chief Collection’s PC launch.

APEX LEGENDS

EA and Respawn pulled off something incredibly brave at the beginning of this year, when they unveiled their free-to-play battle royale title out of nowhere, and then released it immediately after ward. But they did pull it off, simply because Apex Legends is that good. Movement and shooting feels tight and fluid, as you would expect from a Respawn game, while combining Hero shooter-like mechanics with the regular battle royale framework makes for a unique and engaging experience. The post-launch support for Apex Legends has also been pretty good, and has managed to keep the game extremely interesting (and hence, easy to keep coming back to) even so many months since its launch. It might not be Titanfall 3, but it’s still pretty damn good.

REMNANT: FROM THE ASHES

Remnant is like the perfect cross between FromSoftware’s Souls games and more typical loot-driven shooters. In its structure and its difficulty, it echoes Souls heavily, but at the same time, hunting for new loot grinding up and progressing your character, and exploring environments in search of better gear is also a big part of the game. Meanwhile, the level of randomization in play also makes sure that Remnant keeps things fresh across multiple playthroughs, and even within a single playthrough.

WINNER:

THE DIVISION 2

For those who’re looking for a looter shooter with plenty of depth to keep them engaged and plenty of content to keep them coming back, The Division 2 is an easy recommendation. In things such as build variety and the steady and rewarding progression, The Division 2 makes sure that you’re always developing the character you want to develop, and that you’re having fun doing it. With its excellent combat design and its endgame content, it makes sure that things are always kept interesting, and that firefights never feel dull. Even for players who’re just looking for a solid campaign, who don’t want to play co-op, The Division 2 has a lot on offer, even if it story falls flat. It’s a very well made, meaty game, that can easily compel you to sink dozens and dozens and dozens of hours of your life into it- and if you do, you probably won’t look back on that time with even the tiniest bit of regret.

NOTE: The nominees and winner were decided by an internal vote held among the entire GamingBolt staff.

THE NOMINEES:

THE LEGEND OF HEROES: TRAILS OF COLD STEEL 3

The larger Legend of Heroes saga – which is split across multiple sub-series comprising numerous games that all share narrative connections – can be daunting for most newcomers, but for those who’ve stuck with the franchise and are invested in it, each new game delivers so much payoff. That’s true for Trails of Cold Steel 3 as well. It is a dense game and a dense story, and though it’s hard for newcomers to get into, for fans of the series it is immensely satisfying. Add to that excellent combat that remains consistent engaging throughout the long campaign, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to have a good time.

DAUNTLESS

With their own take on Capcom’s radically successful monster hunting premise, developers Phoenix Labs put out their own free-to-play title Dauntless this year, and it turned out to better than many were expecting. It nails the most important aspects of any such experience- great monster design, interesting weapons, and tight combat, all of which is put to excellent use in tense and enjoyable encounters. Dauntless does suffer from such issues, such as a lack of polish at some times, but by and large, it is an addictive and well-designed game.

SUNLESS SKIES

Sunless Skies is a game that has flown under the radars of a great many people this year, but this isn’t one that should be missed. It’s a narratively rich adventure, and its writing constantly delivers on all fronts, from dense world-building to several excellent written and developed characters. Exploring its world is also an engaging process, as you’re constantly drawn into its murky depths to see what’s around the next corner. Its plodding and more challenging nature might turn some people away, but if you stick with it, you’ll be rewarded with something truly memorable.

POKEMON SWORD AND SHIELD

Pokemon Sword and Shield definitely aren’t the absolute best they could have been. Game Freak certainly could have been much more ambitious with the series’ console debut, and made their product more polished- but while all that is well and true, what is also undeniable is that even in their current form, Sword and Shield are great, fun games. From the excellent Galar region to the new Wild Area to the new twist on Gym Challenges, there’s enough here that any Pokemon fan can still get plenty of enjoyment out of.

OUTWARD

There’s a good, solid chance that you haven’t seen much of Outward, but though it’s not among the most prominent releases of the year, that is in no way a reflection of its quality. Outward is a very unique game, in that it isn’t afraid to present players with some truly tough challenges right from the get go. The game also has a strong survival bent, which really grounds Outward, making it feel like that much more of a rewarding experience. It’s definitely a game that many might not have the time or patience to get into, but it’s a thoroughly rewarding experience if you do.

DISCO ELYSIUM

Choice and consequence is a thing many developers struggle with, but Disco Elysium litters its entire playthrough with meaningful choices and consequences. Every conversation can go multiple ways, and the number of options available at any time is staggering. Disco Elysium is also excellently written, with sharp dialogue and engaging storytelling. It involves a lot of reading, but every word is a joy to read. It is a deep and rewarding experience, and one of the most impressive indie efforts we’ve ever seen.

CHILDREN OF MORTA

Children of Morta’s blend of storytelling, action RPG mechanics, and roguelike structure makes for a unique and engaging experience. Playing as a family of heroes keeps things varied, because of how differently each character works, and it’s fun to see how the game makes its storytelling work within its roguelike framework. Meanwhile, the constant progression of your characters makes sure it never feels like you’re wasting time. Children of Morta isn’t the biggest game out there, and many might argue that it’s even a bit too short- but it makes sure to at least properly implement the things it does focus on.

KINGDOM HEARTS 3

A dense story that is rewarding for fans, a fun combat system, stunning visuals, and an impressive amount of variety in the locations you visit and what unique challenges they present- it’s hard not to have fun when you’re playing Kingdom Hearts 3. It’s a game that always knows how to engage the player. Does it have issues? It could definitely have balanced its too-easy difficulty a little better, and the plot was maybe a bit too convoluted (typically so). But was it exactly what we had been waiting for for so long? Absolutely.

CODE VEIN

Not many expected Code Vein to be more than a fun but forgettable game, and we were among many people taken aback by how good it turned out. The extensive customization and robust character creator offered great control over your character and progression, while the class system and solid world design also ensured that combat and exploration were both always fun. Code Vein does have issues that can hamper the experience at times, but overall, it’s strongly recommended to all fans of the Souls-like genre.

BORDERLANDS 3

Borderlands 3 nails the essentials of a looter shooter. It is bursting to the seams with varied, interesting, and well-designed loot, and thanks to some smart additions, combat is a lot more mobile, and constantly enjoyable. It’s also got a ton of content on offer, including a meaty campaign that is characterized by typical Borderlands humour. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel – it is essentially just more Borderlands – but then again, it didn’t really need to.

WINNER:

KINGDOM HEARTS 3

It’s nearly impossible for any conclusion to a long story to be completely satisfactory to all people, and sure enough, Kingdom Hearts 3 has its fair share of detractors as well. But one thing that is undeniable is that it’s an absolute spectacle overflowing with heartfelt fan-service. Kingdom Hearts 3 is explosive, ridiculous, over-the-top, all at the same time, and it’s a ride that you cannot forget. It also helps that it looks stunning, and brings its various worlds to life beautifully. To put it shortly, it is well worth the many, many years we waited for it.

NOTE: The nominees and winner were decided by an internal vote held among the entire GamingBolt staff.

THE NOMINEES:

ASSASSIN’S CREED ODYSSEY – THE FATE OF ATLANTIS

No amount of praise is enough for the way Ubisoft have supported the excellent Assassin’s Creed Odyssey since its release last year. A regular and healthy stream of free missions, tons of updates to keep the game mechanically intact, a story creator mode, and two major expansions. And it was the second of these two – The Fate of Atlantis – that really took our breath away. Collectively, the three episodes of this expansion was meaty (and good) enough that if Ubisoft had simply released them as a standalone sequel, no one would have batted an eye. Three beautiful new locations to explore, each of them massive in size, some excellent new boss fights and storylines, and a surprising amount of forward momentum for the overall narrative- The Fate of Atlantis had everything. At its best, it was even better than Odyssey’s base game, and that’s really saying something.

AGE OF WONDERS: PLANETFALL – REVELATIONS

The Age of Wonders returned to the limelight this year, delivering its addictive 4X action to players once again, and not long after Planetfall came out, developers Triumph Studios also treated us to the solid Revelations expansion. Adding an engaging new campaign, a brilliant new Anomaly site mechanic, new technologies and units to play around with, and delivering more of the engaging strategy gameplay of the base game, Revelations did exactly what we wanted it to do- it delivered more of what we loved in Planetfall so much to begin with.

DESTINY 2: SHADOWKEEP

2019 was a huge year for Destiny, and Bungie as a whole, as the developer ended its deal with Activision prematurely and came out the other side as the sole owner and self-publisher of all things Destiny. And the first major piece of content they put out this side of that momentous event made a lot of us very optimistic about the future. Shadowkeep wasn’t perfect – we would have liked a longer new campaign, more variety in missions, and more interesting new Exotics, for starters – but it did enough to show us that Bungie has the right ideas. The Moon was an excellent location to traverse and explore, the story missions were a blast to play through, while some of the endgame content added in was absolutely amazing. Shadowkeep isn’t on the same level as last year’s Forsaken was, but then again, it wasn’t really meant to be. What it is is a solid advert for the direction Bungie wants to take Destiny in going forward.

MONSTER HUNTER WORLD: ICEBORNE

Capcom supported Monster Hunter World constantly for a year with interesting new content drops on a regular basis, but all of it was in preparation for the grand finale- Iceborne, which is just yet another notch on their belt of impressive recent accomplishments. Adding a Master Rank, a new campaign, a large new location, and tons of new monsters, Iceborne is an excellent excuse to jump back into one of the best games Capcom have ever made. And if they support Iceborne for the coming months as well as they supported the base game prior to it, there’s no doubt in our minds that we’ll be coming back to this game again and again and again for some time to come.

FINAL FANTASY 14: SHADOWBRINGERS

It’s hard to think of a game that has had as dramatic a recovery as Final Fantasy 14. Launching as nothing short of an abomination, Square Enix somehow managed to turn it into one of the best MMOs around, and every major new expansion made it even better. The most recent, Shadowbringers, continues that trend, to the extent that it is perhaps one of the best pieces of content the entire Final Fantasy series has ver produced. A captivating story, a large new location to explore, an excellent soundtrack, and the addictive mechanical base that has made the base game so widely popular- Shadowbringers has everything, and it has it all in spades.

WINNER:

MONSTER HUNTER WORLD: ICEBORNE

How do you follow up on what is already one of the best and most widely beloved games of this generation? Capcom’s task wasn’t an enviable one by any means, but they more than delivered on those lofty expectations with the spectacular Iceborne. With the incredible Monster Hunter World, Capcom had already delivered a game that could provide players with hundreds of hours with addictive, compelling content, and with Iceborne, they only went ahead and doubled down on all of it. It is yet another expansion that was large enough that it could be released as an individual, separate game, and the fact that that content upheld the high standards of the Monster Hunter series makes it our favourite expansion for any game throughout 2019.

NOTE: The nominees and winner were decided by an internal vote held among the entire GamingBolt staff.

THE NOMINEES:

GEARS 5

In case you hadn’t caught on, we’re big fans of Gears 5 here at GamingBolt. We realize that it could have been even better than it turned out to be, but even in its current state, it’s a hell of a game. It constantly tries new things, from greater player agency to interesting new progression mechanics to its open world elements, but at the same time, it also constantly delivers the kind of tight cover-based shooting the series has always been known for. And let’s not forget the super-packed and addictive multiplayer component. Gears 5 is proof of the fact that the series still has plenty of life left in it, and we’re hoping that that will continue in the future.

ANNO 1800

Anno 1800 was a love letter to fans of the series, because it felt like a nostalgic look back at everything we’ve loved about the series in the past, while also being a significant step forward. After a few years of criticism and obscurity, Anno 1800 feels like a return to form, thanks to its addictive gameplay loop and compelling new mechanics. All of that, combined with beautiful visuals and presentation and near-endless replayability, makes for one of the series’ best outings in recent years.

METRO EXODUS

Metro Exodus is the very definition of “diamond in the rough.” It suffers from technical issues and something of a lack of polish, while the shooting is, like its predecessors, not the best. But the quality of the game’s incredible world, atmosphere, and storytelling shines through every step of the way, and through sheer brute force of unbelievable quality, makes all the game’s biggest flaws seem minuscule in comparison. It is an ambitious sequel that retains the best parts of its predecessors, while also expanding upon their ideas in significant ways.

TOTAL WAR: THREE KINGDOMS

Even the most underwhelming Total War games are well worth the price of admission, thanks to the strengths of the series’ core formula, but Three Kingdoms is far from underwhelming. It has that same excellent tactical and strategic combat that the series has always been known for, but the addition of multiple, engaging new systems and mechanics add significantly to the overall experience. It offers just enough to distinguish itself from past titles, while also introducing its own mix of interesting new mechanics- making it the ideal sequel to an excellent series.

CONTROL

The best version of one of the best games of the year- that’s what Control is on PC. This game is a graphical powerhouse no matter what platform you play it on, thanks to its incredible art design, lighting, and particle effects (among other things), but its frame rate can also really chug on consoles (especially the base consoles). On PC, Control is a spectacle, and perhaps the best way to experience what is probably the greatest game Remedy have ever made.

HALO: REACH

As the last Halo game to have been developed by series creators Bungie, Halo: Reach holds a special place in the hearts of many series fans. And as part of Microsoft’s efforts to unify their Xbox and PC pipelines, this year, PC audiences finally got to experience the game for the first time- and it totally holds up. Halo: Reach’s memorable campaign and its addictive multiplayer are just as memorable today as they were 10 years ago, while the PC release is also an excellent port, in an era where PC ports of great games so often get shafted. More than anything else, Reach is proof that Halo, when it is at its best, is simply timeless.

SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE

FromSoftware put a neat little bow on the Souls series with The Ringed City in 2017, and moved on to try new and different things. The first of those was this year’s Sekiro, and it was absolutely spectacular. With challenging combat, solid level design, and a barrage of unforgettable boss fights, it was in many ways a classic From experience, but thanks to a number of new ideas, it also felt incredibly fresh. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a proud reminder of the fact that FromSoftware doesn’t require the crutch of an established formula to deliver a spectacular game.

RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 was our Game of the Year in 2018, so obviously, we were quite excited about its inevitable PC release. And though Rockstar kind of screwed the pooch with the game’s PC launch, the core strengths of the game still shine through. This is still one of the best narrative experiences we’ve ever had in a game, in a spectacular open world setting that is able to shine even brighter thanks to much more powerful PC hardware. That, and the potential that it holds – thanks to the PC modding community – makes it an irresistible package.

RESIDENT EVIL 2

Resident Evil and Capcom both began their revival a couple years ago with RE7, and both of them crescendoed this year with Resident Evil 2. The remake is a dream come true for fans of horror, and for fans of the franchise. Every step of the experience is wrought with tension, which is kicked up to eleven when Mr. X enters the fray, and all of it is done in a way that is so incredibly respectful of the original RE2, and of the legacy of the franchise as a whole. Very rarely do we get remakes that manage to outdo the games they are based on, but 2019’s Resident Evil 2 is surely one such game.

FINAL FANTASY 14: SHADOWBRINGERS

Final Fantasy 14’s revival has been spectacular to see, going from a horrible, unplayable mess to becoming what is probably the best FF game in recent years. Better still, it just keeps improving with each new expansion, and this year’s Shadowbringers was probably the best ever. With a fantastic story, excellent characters, a beautiful new world to explore, an incredible soundtrack, and so, so much better, Shadowbringers represents this game – and this franchise – at its very best.

WINNER:

GEARS 5

Gears of War was in the upper echelons of video game franchises during the Xbox 360 years, but slowly lost steam this decade. With Gears 5 though, it feels like the series is – finally – well on track to return to its glory days. Is there still room for improvement? Sure there is. The open world elements need to be improved quite a bit, and surely, the community has more than just a few notes on how competitive balancing can be improved. But the fact that in spite of those deficiencies, Gears 5 is still an excellent recovery after the somewhat underwhelming Gears of War 4 really speaks to its overall quality. It strikes a great balance between delivering more of what we love in the series, and hinting at exciting new things in the future, and more than anything else, puts The Coalition in a great position to deliver some of the best Gears games in the imminent future.

NOTE: The nominees and winner were decided by an internal vote held among the entire GamingBolt staff.

THE NOMINEES:

KATANA ZERO

Katana Zero’s unflinching style and tone shines through in every aspect of the experience, and the excellent soundtrack is hugely responsible for that. The game’s fast and stylish action is always accompanied by the blaring electronic music, performed by a selection of incredible artists that have done some truly amazing work here. This is one of those scores that is a joy to listen to even when separated from the game that it stems from.

ARISE: A SIMPLE STORY

Music is always important in any game, but in a game such as Arise: A Simply Story, it seems doubly so. Because this is one of those games that is more of an experience than anything else. Arise relies heavily on emotions and on wowing players with its striking imagery, but it’s fair to say that its narrative beats and its visual excellence wouldn’t be nearly as impactful if not for its beautiful, melodious soundtrack.

ASTRAL CHAIN

PlatinumGames never fail to have excellent music. From Vanquish to Metal Gear Rising to Nier: Automata, this is one area where this studio has been surprisingly consistent- so it’s no surprise, then, that Astral Chain has one of the best soundtracks of the year. From themes that quietly play in the background during the downtime to the tracks that blare on when you’re in the middle of hectic battles and boss fights, Astral Chain’s music never fails to keep up with the game’s frenetic and chaotic nature.

BLAZING CHROME

Blazing Chrome sets out to be the best Contra game in recent memory, even though it does not bear that name, and it does so with great aplomb in every way possible- that, of course, includes the music. The frantic, bombastic action of the game is brought to life with some excellent hard rock (ish) music, which contributes so much toward making sure that the game is able to achieve the tone and style it is going for. It’s also a soundtrack that only keeps getting better the more you play the game, to that extent that by the time you reach the end credits, you might even find yourself humming some of its tunes even when you’re not playing the game.

THE WALKING DEAD: THE FINAL SEASON

After seven years of watching her grow into a badass post-apocalyptic survivor, in 2019, we finally bid farewell to Clementine in The Walking Dead: The Final Season. It was an emotional experience, and thankfully, every aspect of these final episodes – the music included – did justice to those emotions and the weight of the situation perfectly. When it comes to the conclusions of such story-driven games, and when those conclusions are so weighty, good music is usually among the most important things, and The Walking Dead: The Final Season passes that test with flying colours.

SAMURAI SHODOWN

Samurai Shodown (2019) is, happily enough, an excellent revival of one of the most beloved fighting franchises. And though it might not have been the best it could have been in terms of things such as its base roster and the single player content it launched with, where the soundtrack is concerned, we could not have asked for anything better. Samurai Shodown, both the series and the game, have a very unique tone and aesthetic, and the reboot’s music complements that perfectly.

DEATH STRANDING

Traversing the desolately beautiful and ruined world of Death Stranding is an experience unto itself, one that is perhaps the biggest defining factor of the game, and it’s fair to say that if not for the excellent score, that experience would not have been half as memorable as it is. When you’re trudging down a mountain after a gruelling trek and finally lay eyes on your destination in the distance, and when that sight is accompanied with the camera pulling back and a beautiful song beginning to play in the background- the rush of emotions you feel in that moment is beyond description. And that is just one of many examples of the musical genius of Death Stranding.

OUTER WILDS

Outer Wilds is one of the most unique and engaging games of the year, and exploring the depths of its vast and beautiful world is an experience unlike any other. And the wonderfully diverse soundtrack is exactly what makes that as special as it is. Exploring every new location, chancing upon every new discovery, even just sitting back and watching the stars in the sky- every single one of these moments is accompanied by one of the best soundtracks we’ve heard in a game for a long, long time.

DEVIL MAY CRY 5

Devil May Cry has always had a very unique and particular style with its soundtracks, so as the game that was billed as a long-awaited revival for this beloved series, it was crucial for DMC 5 to have a good score. And predictably enough, it did not disappoint- not even in the slightest. Every tense combat encounter, every over-the-top cutscene, every ridiculous line of dialogue is accompanied with the most DMC music you will ever hear, and it is absolutely glorious. Pull My Devil Trigger? Um, yes please.

STAR WARS JEDI: FALLEN ORDER

Across all media, Star Wars has one of the most beloved and instantly recognizable soundtracks of all time, so any game based on the property is pretty much guaranteed to have great music. Roping in remixed versions John Williams’ legendary tunes and mixing them with compositions of its own, Fallen Order constantly makes use of music that elevates every second of the experience. It captures that Star Wars tone and aesthetic perfectly – as do other areas of the game – and that is perhaps the biggest praise we can give it.

WINNER:

DEATH STRANDING

Death Stranding as an experience is hugely reliant on atmosphere, and the game’s music contributes to that atmosphere immensely. Ludvid Forssel’s soundtrack is unique, and yet so perfect for the kind of game this is, while also making use of a selection of excellent songs from CHVRCHES, Low Roar, and Silent Poets at exactly the right moments. More importantly, this is also a soundtrack that knows the importance of silence, and how much that can add to the experience when used right. Hideo Kojima games have, throughout the year, always displayed a keen sense of great music, and Death Stranding is a game that proudly upholds that tradition.

NOTE: The nominees and winner were decided by an internal vote held among the entire GamingBolt staff.

THE NOMINEES:

NEED FOR SPEED HEAT

With the exception of Need for Speed Rivals, the Ghost Games era of Need for Speed has been woefully disappointing, and at times downright atrocious. But this year’s Need for Speed Heat is by far one of the series’ best outings in recent years. Fast and enjoyable driving, tons of cop chases, and extensive customization mechanics – not to mention the lack of aggressive monetization – are things that we expect to see in any NFS title, and Heat has all of that in spades.

CRASH TEAM RACING NITRO-FUELED

The kart racing space has been dominated entirely by Mario Kart over the years, but if there’s one game that has made the series sweat with proper, fierce competition, its the PS1’s Crash Team Racing. This year’s remake, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, not only showed us why the game is held up with such high regard, but also actually managed to improve upon it. Combining high speed with smart usage of items and the perfect drifting mechanics, Nitro-Fueled makes every second of racing around its beautiful, inventive tracks an absolute blast. We sincerely hope Crash and co. will be back behind the wheel in the imminent future.

TEAM SONIC RACING

Sonic’s racing antics have been surprisingly good over the years, and even though this year’s Team Sonic Racing offered up something pretty unique, it did not compromise on quality. Its team-based approach to racing, combined with excellently used Hero mechanics, makes for an experience unlike any other in the kart racing genre, while excellent track design and addictive and enjoyable game modes make sure that you’re never bored. Team Sonic Racing is possibly the most different yet consistently enjoyable kart racer we’ve played in years.

WRC 8

WRC 7 was – to put it mildly – an absolute freaking dumpster fire. The series smartly decided to take a year off following that disaster to examine what it needed to improved- and boy did that gap year pay off. Because WRC 8 is miles better than its predecessor. It is mechanically solid, it has excellent weather effects, it’s got great simulation mechanics, and it offers up a nice, diverse selection of modes for players to dive into. It’s still not perfect, but it’s a great recovery from what was, frankly, an unsalvageable mess.

DIRT RALLY 2.0

Though some might argue that Codemasters are the prime developers of racing sims in our industry simply because of the sheer quantity of their yearly output, it’s games like DiRT Rally 2.0 that prove that it’s also because they make some damn fine racing games. It’s the perfect sequel to the first DiRT Rally, smartly making improvements to areas that needed them, while retaining the things that worked perfectly. Great tracks, tight handling, tons of content- it’s hard to argue with the value of this package.

TRIALS RISING

The Trials series went back to the basics this year with Trials Rising, and showed us yet again why it is the best at what it does- which is being unapologetically insane and constantly and consistently inventive. From its excellent physics-based platforming to the insane design of its courses to the incredibly robust creation tools, Trials Rising is yet another game that proves that there’s nothing quite like Trials when it is at its best.

F1 2019

F1 is one of those rare yearly franchises that has not only maintained its consistency with each new instalment, but has actually gotten better and better. F1 2019 is another step toward the top in the series’ upward trajectory. The driving and handling are as excellent as ever, the tuning options offer a ridiculous amount of depth, the career mode has been vastly improved, and the Championships mode is surprisingly engaging. If Codemasters can improve the visual and presentation aspects of the series with future instalments, it’s hard to imagine them being anywhere but at the very top of the racing genre.

LONELY MOUNTAINS: DOWNHILL

One of the most surprisingly enjoyable games we’ve played all year. Lonely Mountains: Downhill is all about speed and momentum, and feeling the rush of adrenaline as you race down a hill on your bicycle. It’s addictive, fun, and challenging, while at the same time being very accessible and welcoming to players of all skill levels. It’s not the most high profile release of the year, and may have flown under your radar, so trust us when we say that this is a game you absolutely need to play.

NASCAR HEAT 4

NASCAR Heat as a series has struggled to make a mark since the day of its inception, but with every successive instalment, it gets one step closer to doing just that. With NASCAR Heat 4, it might just have had its best outing to date. The driving feels refined and rewarding, the career mode is better than ever – thanks in large part to engaging progression – while the game also manages to find a great balance between being challenging and accessible. It’s still a bit unpolished, but if the series continues on this upward trajectory, it won’t be long before it stands tall as one of the better racing sims out there.

GRID

GRID got an unexpected this year in the form of a reboot, and though there were many areas where the game faltered – such as some repetitive elements and a campaign that dragged on too long – it’s hard to argue with the mechanical strengths of the game’s foundation. It’s a racer that appeals to everyone, from fans of arcade games to veterans of sims, while its unique Nemesis mechanic also injects a ton of personality and freshness into the whole experience. It’s far from perfect, but if all you’re looking for is tight, fun racing, you can’t go wrong with GRID.

WINNER:

F1 2019

Codemasters don’t get enough credit for they work they put in on F1 games every year. While Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport are at the forefront of the zeitgeist of the racing sim genre, F1 fans would emphatically tell you that this series deserves just as much recognition. And F1 2019 is probably the finest F1 game Codemasters have made in years. It hones the greatest strengths of the series to near perfection, while also making a number of changes and additions that complement the overall package excellently. For fans of racing sims and Formula One, it doesn’t get much better than this.

NOTE: The nominees and winner were decided by an internal vote held among the entire GamingBolt staff.

THE NOMINEES:

THE LEGND OF ZELDA: LINK’S AWAKENING

The Legend of Zelda as a series has a long history with remakes and re-releases, and it’s almost never failed to do justice to the games it attempts to modernize. This year, Nintendo and developers Grezzo went back to the whacky world of Koholint Island, and remade it in excellent fashion. Link’s Awakening faithfully recreates every nook and cranny of the original Game Boy classic exactly as we remembered it, and in doing so, it keeps the atmosphere, design ingenuity, and personality of the game intact. At the same time, it also does so with an absolutely adorable art style, making this one of the best looking Zelda games of all time- and that is no short praise.

STEINS;GATE ELITE

Often referred to as one of the best visual novels ever made, Steins;Gate was made even better with this year’s Steins;Gate Elite. Keeping the jaw-dropping, genius story of the original intact and actually making it even better with the addition of anime content – which, by the way, is blended with the game itself seamlessly – Steins;Gate Elite is a rollercoaster from beginning to end. Full of surprises, excellent writing, unpredictable twists, and excellent characters, this is a game that you absolutely need to play if you’re looking for a good story.

ONIMUSHA REMASTERED

For years, fans have been begging Capcom to bring Onimusha back, and though we may not have got the full-fledged sequel we’ve been waiting for for so long, we did come a step closer to it. Right at the beginning of this year, Capcom released Onimusha Remastered, and it served as a perfect reminder for why we all love this classic so much. Tight, methodical combat combines with solid level design in this timeless classic, which is brought into the modern age with revamped controls and upgraded visuals. Here’s hoping this is a sign of things to come, and that Capcom are ready to invest in Onimusha once again.

MEDIEVIL

MediEvil might not have been the most high profile game in the PS1’s beloved library, but it had its fair share of fans, so the prospect of a ground-up remake was an exciting one for many. And the PS4 remake is a great reminder of the charm and whimsy of the original that appealed to so many people. MediEvil remake’s biggest strength is also its biggest weakness- that it sticks to the original almost a bit too close. So while it’s respectfulness of the source material is appreciated, it can, at times, also feel a bit outdated. But for fans of the PS1 original who’re looking to re-experience it once again, there is no better way to do so than MediEvil on the PS4.

TALES OF VESPERIA: DEFINITIVE EDITION

Often regarded as one of the best games in the Tales series, Bandai Namco made the excellent decision to remaster and re-release Tales of Vesperia for modern platforms earlier this year, giving a lot of people the chance to experience it for the first time. Vesperia is a dream come true for fans of traditional JRPGs- it’s got engaging combat, excellent characters, and a long, winding story in a fantasy setting that takes players across a vast variety of wondrous locations. Happily, the Definitive Edition also lives up to its name, and is easily the best way to experience this classic.

HITMAN HD ENHANCED COLLECTION

IO Interactive’s Hitman series is now comfortably into its second era, but though the rebooted series is doing very well, it’s worth remembering that some of its best games came before it wiped the slate clean. We got to experience one of them earlier this year once again in Blood Money, which ranks as one of the greatest stealth games ever made. Its completely open ended gameplay still holds up, and being able to play the game in 4K at 60 FPS elevates the entire experience significantly. Oh, and also, the collection had Hitman Absolution.

RESIDENT EVIL 2

Capcom tried something very bold with the Resident Evil 2 remake, to the extent that the game almost feels like an entirely new entry rather than a recreation of an old one, and they deserve all the credit in the world for having done so as successfully as they did. Resident Evil 2 is not only a fittingly excellent remake of one of the best games of the series, it simultaneously also feels fresh, new, and exciting. It is, at the same time, an excellent ode to the series’ storied past and a rousing sneak peak at what looks like a very, very bright future.

ASSASSIN’S CREED 3 REMASTERED

Assassin’s Creed 3 is often considered to one of the black sheep of the series, but though the game certainly has its fair share of issues, there’s still plenty to like here. This year’s remaster of the game was an excellent excuse to jump back into the game and experience all of that- and better still, experience it all with noticeably improved visuals, including a resolution boost, improved lighting, upgraded character models, denser crowds, and more. On top of that, some smart quality of life improvements also make for a smoother gameplay experience.

CRASH TEAM RACING NITRO-FUELED

Activision’s excellent revitalization of the Crash Bandicoot franchise continued this year with a remake (which they choose to call a remaster, for some reason) of Crash Team Racing, and it’s just as impressive an effort as N. Sane Trilogy was in 2017. The excellent track design of the original is, of course, intact, and is in fact made even better by absolutely stunning visuals. Even on its own, Nitro-Fueled is an excellent package, brimming with addictive and enjoyable content and boasting of tight, skill-driven mechanics.

AGE OF EMPIRES 2: DEFINITIVE EDITION

Age of Empires 2 is often regarded as the greatest real time strategy game of all time, so the chance to play it once again in any form is one that millions would immediately jump at. Definitive Edition, however, goes above and beyond, because not only does it come with visual improvements, it also brings various improvements to the gameplay and the AI, while also adding an all-new meaty campaign. More than anything else, Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is a reminder of why this game is as widely beloved as it is- not that we needed one.

WINNER:

RESIDENT EVIL 2

Resident Evil 2 is pretty much the perfect remake, because it strikes the perfect balance between being a loving homage to a classic, and being a major step forward for its series. It feels like a culmination of everything Resident Evil has ever been about, blending elements from all three distinct eras of the series into a single experience, as it recreates the fixed camera Resident Evil 2, with the over-the-shoulder perspective of the third person era, while retaining the tone and atmosphere – thanks in large part to the RE Engine – of the first person Resident Evil 7. More than anything else, Resident Evil 2 is also conclusive and irrefutable proof of the fact that both Resident Evil and Capcom are back to their best.

NOTE: The nominees and winner were decided by an internal vote held among the entire GamingBolt staff.

THE NOMINEES:

CAPCOM

Capcom have been on an impressive upward trajectory for a couple years running now, and 2019 was perhaps their most impressive year, with three major releases that stunned the industry with their excellent. Resident Evil 2 was one of the best games in a legendary series, Devil May Cry 5 was a glorious return to form for the beloved action franchise, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne was a massive expansion that was just as good as the base game that preceded it- and all three of these were some of the best games we’ve played all year. If all that doesn’t warrant some praise and recognition, we don’t know what does.

THE COALITION

The Coalition overcame a massive obstacle when they proved with Gears of War 4 that they are, in spite of being a brand new studio, capable of making a quintessential Gears experience. But with Gears 5, they faced an even bigger challenge- one that tasked them with taking the series forward in meaningful ways and exciting new directions. But they rose to that challenge admirably, and with Gears 5, struck the perfect balance between making a sequel that delivers more of the same, and a game that expands the horizons of the franchise. For the first time in years, it feels like Gears of War is preparing for some truly exciting times in the years to come, and all the credit for that lies with The Coalition.

KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS

After years and years with Konami, Hideo Kojima had to start over with his newly reformed Kojima Productions in 2015, and this year, we finally got to experience Death Stranding, a game he had been teasing and hyping up for three years. Kojima would have deserved a massive amount of praise simply for successfully managing to land on his feet, but he deserves even greater recognition for how weird and bold Death Stranding is. It’s rare to see games be this experimental and unique in the AAA space, where developers and publishers’ goals are primarily driven by a need to yield profits on high development costs, which naturally leads to safer, more conventional experiences. Death Stranding dares to dream, and dream big, and it unflinchingly works to achieve its off-kilter vision in the most admirable way possible.

REMEDY ENTERTAINMENT

Remedy Entertainment are one of the few prominent developers in the industry who’re always on the lookout for exciting new ideas, who, rather than wanting to cash in on major properties, are always looking to explore new frontiers. Control is perhaps the boldest, most ambitious new idea they’ve ever had, and the way they have translated that into one of the best games of the year is nothing short of genius. It’s a game that bears all the hallmark qualities you expect from a Remedy title, but also one that is representative of their growth as a developer, in that it not only hones their already impressive skills as storytellers, and as designers of fascinating gameplay mechanics and systems. Many of Remedy’s experiments with Quantum Break were less than successful, and no on would have blamed them if they would have wanted to play it safe after that. But they decided to take a leap once again, and they were rewarded – as were we – with one hell of a game.

ASOBO STUDIO

It’s never easy for indie studios to make a mark in a market that is so utterly crowded by blockbuster AAA productions, and it’s even harder to do it as convincingly as Asobo Studio did with A Plague Tale: Innocence. They set about to create a game with uncompromising ambitions, which would be able to rival even the most polished mainstream experiences out there, and it’s still hard to believe that they managed to do so even without a AAA-sized team and budget. A Plague Tale: Innocence is brimming with heart and passion, and happily enough, it’s also an all too rare example of a game that actually does justice to that kind of passion.

NINTENDO

Nintendo’s got nothing left to prove as a developer of games, but it’s still nice to be reminded every once in a while of the talent the Big N has at its disposal. This year, Nintendo had their fingers in multiple pies, having internally developed Super Mario Maker 2, while also lending support to developers Good Feel, Next Level Games, and Grezzo for Yoshi’s Crafted World, Luigi’s Mansion 3, and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening respectively (among other). On the basis of both quality and quantity, Nintendo deserves a spot in this category.

SQUARE ENIX

2019 was a momentous year for Square Enix, and there’s just one reason for that- Kingdom Hearts 3. As the conclusion to the Dark Seeker Saga, the first full-fledged mainline Kingdom Hearts game in seven years, and the first numbered entry in the series since 2005, Kingdom Hearts 3 was definitely one of their biggest games in years. The fact that they managed to finally get it out of the gate was in and of itself an accomplishment, but what was truly impressive was how good it was. For fans of the series, Kingdom Hearts 3 was an emotional, satisfying payoff after many long years of anticipation, and an occasion such as that is indeed deserving of celebration.

RYU GA GOTOKU STUDIO

2019 was a year of transition for Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, as Yakuza moved past the Dragon of Dojima and prepared to enter a new era, and they chose to use this transitional year to experiment a little bit. The result was Judgment, a spinoff to the Yakuza games, that feel comfortably familiar and excitingly new, all at the same time. Taking an established, beloved franchise and putting a completely new spin on it is not an easy task by any means, but RGG Studio did it effortlessly with Judgment. If nothin else, that gives us great confidence about Yakuza’s future, as it – crazily enough – transitions into a full-blown turn based RPG with Yakuza: Like a Dragon next year.

FROMSOFTWARE

It’s hard to think of a developer that’s been as consistent over the last ten years as FromSoftware. Every single game this Japanese giant has developed has been a slam dunk, and this year’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was no different. Having put a cap on the Souls series with Dark Souls 3 – at least for the time being – FromSoftware moved to new pastures this year, and in Sekiro, delivered a game unlike anything they have ever made, but one that still shone bright with all the greatest strengths From games usually exhibit. You’d think that the law of averages might eventually catch up with From after the run they’ve been on ever since Demon’s Souls a decade ago, but that didn’t happen with Sekiro, and looking at their output, it’s hard to imagine it’ll happen anytime soon.

UBISOFT

As a rule, Ubisoft usually produces at least 2-3 major games every year, and for the past few years, they haven’t really had any missteps. They did have a major one in 2019 with the appalling Ghost Recon Breakpoint, but at the end of the day, the good still outweighs the bad. The likes of Trials Rising, Anno 1800, and Far Cry New Dawn were all solid experiences, while in The Division 2, they delivered one of their best games in recent years. On top of that, they also continued their stellar post-launch support for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. If for nothing else, Ubisoft at the very least deserves top marks for effort.

WINNER:

CAPCOM

The first half of this decade saw Capcom at rock bottom, thanks to major disappointing releases and a string of bad decisions, but 2017 saw the beginning of a major resurgence for the legendary publisher. Each year since then has been progressively better for them than the last, with 2019 being one of their very, very best in a long, long time. We’ve already spoken about their golden trinity of Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry 5, and Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, add when you add to that the likes of Onimusha Remastered, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen on the Switch, Ace Attorney Trilogy, and many, many more, you can’t help but be super-impressed with their activities this year. Long may it continue.

NOTE: The nominees and winner were decided by an internal vote held among the entire GamingBolt staff.

THE NOMINEES:

RESIDENT EVIL 2

Capcom has been on a roll for the past couple of years, and in 2019, they hit their peak. Resident Evil 2 represents this studio and this franchise at their absolute best- literally anything you would want in a Resident Evil game, RE2 delivers in spades. Palpable atmosphere, tense combat, tight level design, amazing visuals, and a litany of thrills and chills. It’s a high watermark for Capcom, for the series, for remakes, and for survival horror games as a whole.

NEED FOR SPEED HEAT

You wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that Need for Speed Heat would be yet another disappointing entry in a franchise that has consistently gone downhill for years, but Ghost Games really took us by surprise with how fun it turned out to be. NFS Heat understands that we don’t care about a story, and that unnecessary online shenanigans and aggressive monetization only get in the way of what’s really fun- driving fast, and upgrading your cars. Heat offers both those things in spades, and though it doesn’t break new ground, it’s a great first step on the road to recovery for this series.

KINGDOM HEARTS 3

It’s really easy to hate on Kingdom Hearts, but ultimately, there’s a reason that this series has endured for so long, and a reason that Kingdom Hearts 3 ended up being the most successful title in the series: it has heart. A lot of it. That’s something that’s always been intrinsic to the franchise, and Kingdom Hearts 3 wears its heart on its sleeve too. It backs up that heart with some of the best mechanics in the series, and some of its strongest level design to date. Couple that with its stunning, Pixar-quality graphics, which recreate Disney worlds with a staggering amount of care and detail, and this conclusion to the long running, at times positively incomprehensible Dark Seeker saga is still ultimately extremely satisfying.

BORDERLANDS 3

We all knew exactly what we were getting into with Borderlands 3- mayhem, as the game itself advertises, and guns. Lots of guns. More an evolution of an established and successful formula than an unnecessary reinvention, Borderlands 3 knows exactly what it needs to do, and how it needs to do it. It brings over the Borderlands experience that we know and love, and smartly improves upon it by making it bigger, slicker, and smoother in all the right ways. It’s not the best thing since sliced bread, but it’s definitely exactly what we wanted it to be.

DEVIL MAY CRY 5

Devil May Cry has endured a rough couple of years over this past decade, but 2019 saw the series gloriously returning to form. Picking up where Devil May Cry 4 left off and delivering an experience that is more in line with what fans of the series expect, Devil May Cry 5 is the perfect sequel. From intense, stylish combat to a startling amount of mechanical depth, from a surprisingly engaging story (especially for series fans) to best-in-class visuals, DMC5 is yet another example of the kind of quality Capcom can deliver when they’re firing on all cylinders.

CONTROL

Control is Remedy Entertainment at its peak. It is, first and foremost, yet another impressive notch on their belt in terms of storytelling, with typically excellent worldbuilding and characters and a narrative that keeps players hooked every step of the way. Beyond that, it also shows how much they’ve grown as developers, because it also delivers a gameplay experience unlike any other, with chaotic, adrenaline-fueled combat, and excellent level design that encourages endless exploration. This is a studio that’s worked on a lot of great stuff over the years, so you can understand just how much we like Control when we say it’s probably their best game to date.

GEARS 5

In recent years, Gears of War has lost a lot of the lustre that the series was usually associated with during the Xbox 360 era, but this year’s Gears 5 successfully regained a huge chunk of it. With its deeper progression mechanics and a greater emphasis on exploration, it injected a much-needed dose of freshness to the series, while also successfully delivering the kind of intense firefights the series has always been known for. On the multiplayer side of things, Gears 5 is unsurprisingly packed full of addictive content that you can pour dozens upon dozens of hours into. It’s a great statement of intent from The Coalition, and an exciting new beginning for the franchise.

THE DIVISION 2

The Division 2 is everything an ideal sequel should be- it takes what was so good about its predecessor and brings it over as is, while also identifying the areas that needed improvement and making some much-needed upgrades. From an excellent campaign to an addictive loot game, from its vast ocean of content to its excellent cover shooting mechanics, The Division 2 is one of the best looter shooters we’ve seen this generation. Its post-launch support has been a bit of a downer, of that there is no doubt, but at least as far as the base game is concerned, this is one of Ubisoft’s best games this generation.

METRO EXODUS

4A Games Metro series has never been at the forefront of the zeitgeist, but as fans of the series would tell you, that’s far from representative of these games’ quality- and this year’s Metro Exodus was yet another memorable instalment in the series. Though it’s much larger and more open ended than its predecessor, it still retains the taut tension and narrative focus that fans of the series crave, while that open-ended nature also results in an experience that encourages exploration in the most organic way possible. There’s still room for improvement here, especially with things such as a lack of polish and somewhat flimsy shooting mechanics, but ultimately, Exodus is unmissable if you’re looking for an excellent single player shooter.

STAR WARS JEDI: FALLEN ORDER

After a few years of teases and half-hearted “reveals”, we finally got our hands on Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order this year, and it was all we were hoping it would be. A single player Star Wars game driven by story and a focus on characters is what we’ve been craving for years, and Fallen Order is exactly that. More importantly, it also features excellent combat, as well as an excellent blend of platforming, puzzle solving, and exploration. All said and done, this is the best Star Wars game we’ve played in years, and hopefully, EA will give us more of the same in the years to come.

WINNER:

GEARS 5

After the solid yet ultimately unremarkable Gears of War 4, both the series and its developers The Coalition had a lot to prove with Gears 5. In one swift stroke, not only did they prove that Gears is not stale and irrelevant, they also brought the franchise forward in significant ways, delivering one of the best Xbox exclusives we’ve played in years. What’s even more exciting is that, on top of being an excellent new instalment in this beloved franchise, Gears 5 has also laid down some exciting groundwork with its new ideas, and if The Coalition can follow through on these ideas properly, we might be looking at a very, very bright future for the series in the years ahead.