Luke’s Top 5 Games of 2019
2019 has been a crazy year for me. Within the span of the last twelve months, I graduated with a Master’s degree, became a certified music teacher, moved to another state and started my first “adult job” as I began a new chapter of my life. With all of this going on, I didn’t play quite as many games as I would have liked to, however the ones I did play were extremely impactful for me. These games let me escape from stressful times when I just needed a break. As I think back on the year, it is undeniable that 2019 has been an amazing year for video games. So without further ado here are my top five games of 2019 with a couple honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions:
Control: Remedy Entertainment
All Images taken from my personal playthroughs
As I mentioned earlier, 2019 was a busy year for me and Control released at the worst time… I had just finished grad school and was in the process of moving when it was released in August. If I had played the game prior to GOTY discussion I’m confident that it would have made my list. That being said I have just started playing Control and I cannot wait to play more. As a huge fan of Alan Wake I have been extremely excited for this title. The dark and mysterious atmosphere has me engrossed in the story early on. Additionally the gameplay combination of gunplay with Jesse’s unique powers helps every enemy encounter feel different. Control is the first game on my backlog for 2020 and I can’t wait to see where it goes as I prepare for the upcoming DLC in March.
Death Stranding: Kojima Productions
I have followed the coverage of Death Stranding closely since its announcement at E3 2016, however leading up to release I still had no idea what this game actually was. After playing it for myself, I can safely say that Death Stranding is unlike anything I have ever played before. The way the game uses music, narrative and simple gameplay mechanics to create an almost meditative experience is something I didn’t know I wanted in games. I found myself completely addicted to the gameplay loop of delivering packages and trying to make it to my destination safely. Additionally the way Kojima weaves a narrative to address current political issues is powerful and encourages discussion around its often unique symbolism. Death Stranding is a game that I continue to go back to due to the truly captivating world and gameplay experience that Kojima and his team have created. I can’t wait to see what comes out of this studio next as I’m sure it will be something nobody is expecting.…
Top 5 Games of 2019:
5) Days Gone: Sony Bend
As a kid growing up in Bend, Oregon I remember thinking it was so cool that my hometown was also the home of a Playstation first-party studio. I followed all of the coverage of Days Gone leading up to release and could not wait for this open-world epic. After completing the game, I can safely say that I loved Days Gone despite its flaws. While I encountered a number of bugs, I was incredibly impressed by the technology behind the freaker hoarders. It was exhilarating to be chased by hundreds of enemies on screen as you scramble to craft one more molotov to buy yourself enough time to formulate a plan. Additionally it was incredibly powerful to see iconic sights from Oregon like Crater Lake that I visited as a kid re-imagined in this apocalyptic setting.
While the story of Days Gone didn’t stick with me the way I hoped it would, the gameplay loop of exploring the world to scavenge materials as I geared up to take on my next horde of freakers kept me coming back for more. I hope Sony Bend gets a chance to revisit the world of Days Gone in a sequel as I believe with some narrative refinement there is a lot to love about this game.
4) A Plague Tale: Innocence: Asobo Studio
Heading into fall 2019, I had no knowledge of A Plague Tale: Innocence. I decided to jump in after seeing it nominated in the Game Awards best narrative category and I’m so happy that I did. Plague Tale utilizes stunning visuals and engaging voice-over performances to tell the story of Hugo and Amicia as they navigate their journey in medieval France. I don’t want to say too much about the game because I think it is best left to experience firsthand. I plan to write up a spoiler-filled article about my thoughts on the game’s ending soon. But the bottom line is that if you enjoy strong narrative in game you simply must play A Plague Tale: Innocence.
3) Concrete Genie: Pixelopus
I went into Concrete Genie with almost no expectations. I was excited to play a unique new playstation franchise with a cool art style and unique concept with its painting mechanics, but in terms of story and gameplay I was not sure what was ahead. After playing through the opening moments of the game I knew this game was something special. The story of Ash and the city of Denska felt like something out of a beloved childhood book. Additionally, the visuals of the game are absolutely stunning and the way the visuals work hand in hand with Ash’s painting is brilliant. As the player I felt like I was making my mark on the world (pun fully intended). The simple painting mechanics made me want to take that extra second to finish the endless forest of trees or the radiant constellation of stars and planets that I was painting rather than rushing off to the next task. I loved stumbling across my art when exploring the world for collectibles long after I rolled credits. With Concrete Genie, developer Pixelopus has crafted a beautiful piece of art that tells a poignant story about being better to each other and making the world a beautiful place to be; this is a message everyone could learn from in this day and age.
2) Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order: Respawn Entertainment
As a longtime Star Wars fan, I had high hopes for this game. I dreamed of wielding a light-saber and exploring different planets within the Star Wars universe. With its compelling story, intense combat and its innate ability to feel unabashedly Star Wars at all times, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a glorious gaming experience that I won’t forget. The attention to detail on a licensed property like this hearkens back to my time playing Batman Arkham Asylum in 2009. Everything from the music, to the intriguing characters and worlds to explore made me feel like a kid when my parents first introduced me to the original trilogy, the magic is all there. In addition to the story, I fell in love with the combat of this game, I loved the challenge as I learned to parry and dodge attacks. As I continued to play, I felt like a true Jedi master as I finally beat the “Frog Man” Oggdo Bogdo after many, many attempts. As I reflect on my time with Jedi: Fallen Order I can only hope we get more games set in this universe. Developers should take notes from Respawn because this is how you make a great Star Wars game.
1) Resident Evil 2 Remake: Capcom
As someone who is too scared to play games when the lights are off and avoids the horror genre generally, I went into RE2 Remake not knowing if it would be my type of game. However after playing the opening hours of the game, I was completely hooked. The tension induced atmosphere and exploration kept me wanting more. Exploring the Raccoon City Police Station was so exciting and I appreciated all of the well designed puzzles while using the brilliant map system to keep track of things. Hearing Mr. X’s distant footsteps always kept me on edge as I quickly ran into safe rooms to avoid losing my progress.
Now let’s talk about the combat. I loved having to strategize how to best use my limited ammo to survive my encounters with the victims of the T and G viruses. Experimenting with the different weapons was fun and it made playing through the game a second time feel unique as I utilized different guns and tactics as Leon and Claire.
As a new Resident Evil fan it was awesome getting to experience a classic game within a modern context. This game felt like a 2019 game with the best design ideas and inspirations taken from the 1998 original. After falling in love with RE2, I cannot wait to play a modern take of RE3 come April 2020.
That’s a wrap on this week’s blog! Thank you so much for supporting LukeWarmGames. Come back next week to read my thoughts on my most anticipated games of 2020.
