We are finally here, it’s 2019. I’ve gone through every year from this last decade and given my five favourite games of each year. Interestingly enough, 2019 is the year I’ve actually played the least amount of games and there are some games like Pokemon Sword that I have yet to actually finish so can’t be included here. That is going to be a big factor in this list for me of course although between the whole team we have hit far more games. Because of this, we will be releasing a game of the year on our YouTube channel that I will link here when it launches. This article isn’t our game’s of the year as Source Gaming but it technically is mine as an individual. So what did I think of 2019? Let’s find out!
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019
5) Cadence of Hyrule – Switch – June 13th 2019
Cadence of Hyrule was a release that shocked everyone. For the first time, Nintendo had given away there IP to an indie studio to make a brand-new game. Giving it to other AAA companies like Capcom and Bandai Namco was common, but a small studio like Brace Yourself Games was a big deal. It paid off though as Cadence of Hyrule is a unique take on the Zelda series and a great upgrade of Crypt of the Necrodancer. The game’s graphics are a massive glow-up compared to the first title and the many remixes of classic Zelda tunes are wonderful on the ears. There are even some of the best versions of these songs included. It’s a great Zelda and a great rhythm game, a must-play from this year.
4) Baba is You – Switch/PC – March 13th 2019
Speaking of important indie titles, Baba is You is one of the most unique games of this year and one of the hardest puzzle games I have ever played. Messing with instructions in real-time to change the very rules of the game, including who you control and if you even have any control, allows for some unique puzzles. Not every single one is a hit and they may get really obtuse at times but purely based on the uniqueness of this title Baba is You deserves to be one of my games of the year.
3) AI The Somnium Files – PS4/PC/Switch – September 17th 2019
I can’t deny that this may be influenced by recency bias as AI The Somnium Files is the last game I’ve beaten this year but I had a blast doing so. From the mind of Kotaro Uchikoshi, known for the Zero Escape series, AI is a detective visual novel that doesn’t pull punches with its cast of incredibly likeable characters. There is a great sense of mystery and with multiple endings, it requires multiple playthroughs to see what your choices can change. Who lives, who dies? Who was the murderer and how does this all circle back to you? That’s for you to find out.
Also I feel like Date is me at times and I can appreciate me.
2) Fire Emblem Three Houses – Switch – July 26th 2019
I’m a big Fire Emblem fan and I was very let down by Fates. I only ever finished Birthright which makes it the only Fire Emblem game I have never fully beaten. So I was relieved when Three Houses came out and felt like a proper next step to the series. Unit customisation is something that the series has been tinkering with ever since Shadow Dragon and Three Houses is the ultimate culmination of this. The game feels like many of the more questionable changes to the series done right. Multiple routes, unit customisation, a hub world, full voice acting and a grey storyline that has the fan base divided on the moral choices. A great return to the series that might be a little too big.
Honorable Mention) Tetris 99 – Switch – February 13th 2019
You can’t not like Tetris and after so many versions you would think people would stop getting invested with the new ones. Then Nintendo decided what’s better than simply Tetris? Tetris vs 98 other people in a one big massive battle royal, and it works so well. It’s the perfect example of putting a new spin on a tried and true formula and its made the series far more fun for me. The only reason it ended up as an honorable mention is that is still Tetris. Once I managed to win a game I stopped playing until the next big event came along and I only really play it now when those events happen. If I want to play simple Tetris with friends I can always put on Puyo Puyo Tetris after all. Its impactful but it’s still just Tetris.
1) Luigi’s Mansion 3 – Switch – October 31st 2019
This is it, my game of the year and what a surprise it was. I can’t say I was ever a massive fan of any Luigi’s Mansion game and I was fully expecting to see Luigi’s Mansion 3 eventually so its reveal wasn’t a big deal. But I wasn’t expecting it to be this good and my plumber’s cap comes off for Next Level Games for inserting some much-needed personality into the Super Mario world. Odyssey did that as well but not to this extent. It feels like I’m playing a Pixar movie or some kind of Saturday morning cartoon and the game just comes packed with so much charm. It also has a really good multiplayer that’s unique and fun with friends, as you can see from our stream earlier this year. It looks good, it plays well and I loved every minute I spent with Luigi in his newest haunted mansion.
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019
And that does it for my games of the decade. Below is my usual table of games I played from this year but overall it came to 466 games from this decade I played, and 349 of them I actually completed. Like I said at the start, 2019 was the year I played the least amount of games while 2011 was the year I played the most. Meanwhile, 2012 had the biggest difference between the number of games I played and the amount I actually finished so I might have to go back to them in the next decade if I even get that chance of course as I am sure this coming decade is also going to be filled with fantastic games for all of us to enjoy.
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This is going to be bit of a rant and I apologize for putting this a celebration thing and I know am going to get shit from this but although I enjoyed Three Houses I don’t think it’s story that great because 1 of the houses is just objectively in the wrong and in the sense that would be the Black Eagle House aka Edelgard house. This is because Edelgard is a complete dumbass and a hypocrite, everything she has done has only benefited the Agrathans who I would remind you caused most of the wars and tragedies in the game. This is the opposite of the Nohrians who are general good people with evil minority, the Agarathans are just evil ungrateful asshole who killed their own people and the god that helped them simply because they could. Yet Edelgard blames Rhea for everything wrong even though all of her criticism towards Rhea can be thrown right back to her (example Rhea knew about the agrathans and never told anyone but so did Edelgard and she didn’t do shit either). while I wouldn’t say that Rhea is a saint with not making the reigilon more based in reality and the human experiments(which by the way, lead to the creation of Byleth), you can’t argue that Rhea’s actions had lead Fodlan to a long peace while Edelgard vague plan of Mertious Appointment(not voted by the people) would have resulted in a fragile line of sucession based on subjectivate merit. At least with Corrin plan in Conquest was simple get the Nohrian people to favor Xander, the next in line and a more stable person and it worked. Edelgard has the same problem that persona 5’s Goro Akechi and Xenoblade Chronicles X’s Lao where they act cool and smart and have these “tragic” backstories but are just incredible stupid and unsympathic because immidently work with the people who caused the problem. I don’t consider Three Houses Story to be morally grey story like in Fates, everything that Edelgard has done has been stupid and everything that Claude and Dimitiri have is justifiable. It also just cements my belief that hatred toward Corrin is based on a Double Standard in the Fire Emblem Community.
Happy New Year
Yeah, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is easily the best one of the LM games and its also my GOTY 2019! Among other amazing things the game does indeed have a fascinating personality (not only is it more then Super Mario Odyssey had but as you said it is also something that have been long-needed as well), it is something I hope will be presented more in future Mario titles, both spin-off and mainline, Nintendo should take notes from Next Level Games. Anyway, Luigi is at his best here in this fantastic title. 😉