The cover: The Outer Worlds
Finalist: Control
If we talk about covered in video games, we usually talk about jewels that have gone under the radar of many players, being eclipsed by other major releases. Well, one of the great covers of this year is undoubtedly The Outer Worlds, a great Obsidian epic (creators of KOTOR or Pillars of Eternity), which comes loaded with humor, good role and interesting characters, but to which it He has eaten October, the most collapsed month of the year.
For some The Outer Worlds is what Fallout 4 was not at both playable and plot level, the Obsidian game returns to the classic essence of Western RPGs. It is not the best game of the year, but a title that any lover of the genre should give a chance; If you do, you will find a story that you can overcome in a thousand different ways: betting on stealth, through dialogues, or breaking through. The Outer Worlds is also included since its launch on Xbox Game Pass, so If you are thinking about it, you can play it for very little.
The Forgotten: Tom Clancys The Division 2
Finalist: Metro Exodus
Every 12 months, when we look back, 5 to 10 great games that define the year come to mind. There is no room for much more and unfortunately in the meantime launch quality games are caught that do not finish curdling, either because they are overshadowed by other major releases, well because they deflate too soon. This seems to be the case of Tom Clancy's The Division 2, which for some is one of the best looter-shooters of this generation, but that nevertheless has not yielded very good sales results.
Our experience with the Ubisoft game was really fun this year; perfect for playing alone or in company, both the campaign and the endgame content. A priori everything was fine, but the lack of content over the months has made us forget it completely (it seems incredible that it came out this year). The most important thing in this genre is that its creators keep a constant drip of content. Your problem is that when you finish it and exploit the endgame you are left with nothing to do.
The reborn: Kingdom Hearts III
Finalist: Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Being a Kingdom Hearts fan is complicated and should be more recognized. We do not talk about the quality of the saga, which is beyond doubt, if not what we had to wait to see this third installment, which I never finished arriving at the stores. Square Enix has a bad habit of announcing its key projects years in advance, and in the end it is at the mercy of all kinds of delays, a process that becomes a Chinese torture for fans.
The players go through processes of illusion, anger, rejection, hope and resignation until Square Enix finally decides that it has been enough and takes it to the stores. 2019 is the end of the road for Kingdom Hearts III, which surprisingly after so much swing has been one of the best installments of the saga. That said, the great saga reborn this year.
The one that improves with the years: Resident Evil 2
Finalist: The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening
It's not that we didn't like the remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (which has been more than correct), what happens is that the remake that Capcom has marked with Resident Evil 2 has been a scandal, even opting to win the 2019 Best Game award at The Game Awards.
The new Racoon City is spectacular and more scary than ever, which shows that there is no re ason to be by definition against remakes, if they are well done. Isn't it great that new generations can get to know this story 20 years later? Isn't it fantastic that we who play it in our day can do it again with the production values of 2019?
The one who always meets: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Finalist: Mortal Kombat 11
In spite of its little anticipated prize to the game of the year 2019 in The Game Awards, it cannot be said that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has taken us by surprise. From Software has shown again this year that he does not need to work under the umbrella of an established saga to continue convincing his legion of fans, something he already did with Bloodborne on PS4.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice It seems the closing of gold from From Software to its role in this generation, after leaving a deep mark with Dark Souls and Demon's Souls in the previous one, without complying, but doing their thing, what they do best. We do not know what the Japanese studio for PS5 and Xbox Series X will have in the coming years, but something tells us that it will not disappoint us; His streak of success seems endless.
The safe bet: Borderlands 3
Finalist: Devil May Cry 5
It seemed that in this generation we were not going to have a new delivery of Borderlands but finally Gearbox has complied with what is one of the most beloved sagas in the industry. There may be better games, clearer candidates for the best game of the year, but if something does not make Borderlands 3 is to disappoint: a safe bet for fun.
Although it may sin as a conservative, Borderlands 3 surprises with a story full of charismatic characters and a script that is constantly laughing at this world of youtubers and social networks in which we live. As expected, the formula of constant looting of weapons, frantic shooting on open maps and great cooperative works perfectly. A clear example of a formula that continues to work perfectly with good tweaks.
The revalued: Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Finalist: Judgment
How many Fire Emblem deliveries have we received in recent years? Many, many. However, far from running out of Nintendo's formula, it seems that the saga is at its best. Intelligent Systems does not lift the foot of the accelerator (see who tells them to stop) and in recent times always manages to raise the bar of the saga and revalue it more and more, as it has done with Fire Emblem: Three Houses, one of the three best games this year on Nintendo Switch.
We don't know how they do it, but Intelligent Systems has managed this year to give birth to the best game of this long saga, that does nothing but reinvent itself. His plot, divided into three independent stories, is great; his artistic section is really careful, the personalization of characters is very deep without forgetting his soundtrack, one of the best in the saga. If Fire Emblem continues to offer us masterpieces such as Three Houses, with no hint of burning, for us as if they release a delivery every year.
The disappointing: Anthem
Finalist: Crackdown 3
Anthem is, without much discussion, the great bluff of the year in video games. If we look back, this year has been more news for the controversy that has surrounded its development and for its continuous price drops in stores, than for the game itself. Anthem's premise was very attractive, in a way he was called to be the "destiny-killer" of Bioware.
Once in the street the game, you realized that the gameplay fell in repetition both in scenarios and in terms of missions and the story was quite bland. The expectations placed on him, after several E3 as one of the great protagonists, were not fulfilled at all and it remains to be seen how the study solves what has come upon it. A few weeks ago the alleged arrival of a version 2.0 by 2020 leaked to some extent fix the problems, although there is no confirmation of whether it will come true or EA will abandon players to their fate
The one who doesn't leave indifferent: Death Stranding
Finalist: Shenmue III
It's hard to refute that Death Stranding isn't one of the best games of 2019; Hideo Kojima has finished demonstrating that he also knows how to move out of the Metal Gear Solid saga, so many years later. However, if something else should be noted about Death Stranding, in addition to its value as a video game, it is its power to leave no one indifferent, or you love it or hate it (some people are horrified by the idea of carrying packages for tens of hours, we love others). That's why we have placed the title of weird of the year, or have you invested more than 50 hours in it or directly would be the last game you would buy in your life.
The smartest in the class: Luigis Mansion 3
Finalist: Astral chain
Luigi's Mansion 3 is the consecration of a saga hitherto secondary (although with many followers) within the Nintendo world. Without discussion it is the best delivery of the three, a waste of imagination and resources by its creators, to the point that it can be considered as the best release of 2019 for Nintendo Switch. Luigi's Mansion 3 is the smartest in the class, because despite having it raw with all the spotlights on Pokémon Sword and Shield this fall, it has ended up imposing on a quality basis, becoming an essential. Enrollment!
The most effective: Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order
Finalist: Gears 5
Sometimes you don't have to take a lot of risk in this game to achieve success among the community; just listen to the players, understand what they are really looking for and work on that idea. This is what Respawn has done with Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order this 2019: a single player adventure that revolves around lightsaber battles. Simple, not too original but tremendously addictive. The players were a bit tired of multiplayer proposals with micropayments of previous installments and luckily, EA has chosen to listen. The result, you just have to look at the reception and sales.
The most controversial: Pokémon Sword and Shield
Finalist: Anthem
In recent years Pokémon is wrapped in a dangerous maelstrom; The phenomenon is so universal and welcomes so many different types of players that it seems that no one is happy with what Game Freak launches on the market. We all feel Pokémon almost like something of ours and there is if they touch us! That has happened this year with Sword and Shield, which has come with a Pokédex that does not include all the creatures in the saga so far, breaking with tradition. Game Freak has cost the decision face, although away from the messes of social networks, Pokémon Sword and Shield performance in criticism And above all sales is being more than outstanding.
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