Top 5 Games of 2019

Another year, another good selection of games that came out. There have been a great amount of games this year that surely impressed a lot of people, if fan art of Fire Emblem: Three Houses is anything to go by.

I was going to make this a Top 10 list, but the problem was that I didn't have the time to play all the games that I wanted. I was busy most of the time, and many of the new games that I wanted to play were released within the last few months of the year. And I thought awards season for movies was bad. I have Death Stranding, Astral Chain, and Devil May Cry 5 on my backlog, so they won't be on my list, naturally. Maybe they would have been, I don't know.

But first, here's an honorable mention:

Shenmue III

Let me get this out of the way: I had a good time with this one. Having finally played the first two Shenmue games this year, it's pretty much what I expected: mundane but immersive. I liked the feeling of time going by and I liked that there were more options for part-time jobs that didn't involve gambling (hello, forklift, my old friend).

Story-wise, though, I found it disappointing. After reaching the end, little to nothing was achieved and the sequel hook left me cold. Still, I'm glad that I became a Shenmue fan (the first game now being one of my all-time favorites), and I'm glad that I took part in the Kickstarter for this game in particular. Let's just hope that it doesn't take another 18 years for another game to come out. Ryo's journey needs some closure, darn it!

Anyways, here are my Top 5 Games of 2019.

5. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Earlier this year, I finally got into the Castlevania series. Among the titles that I played was Symphony of the Night, which I not only enjoyed, but I also gained an interest in the Metroidvania genre because of it. This was just in time for me to get invested in producer Koji Igarashi's latest take on the genre: a spiritual successor to the franchise.

If you've played any of Igarashi's Castlevania titles, you'll feel right at home here. It's got a great sense of exploration and discovery for many items and abilities that will aid you in your quest. The only thing I didn't like was that there were moments that made me look up a guide, like searching for specific items or Shards in areas that I wouldn't think of looking.

The presentation is also spot-on. The Gothic-style visuals are absolutely beautiful, the voice acting is great, and the soundtrack by Michiru Yamane (who composed Symphony of the Night) is marvelous. Miriam is also decent protagonist, being friendly and open to a lot of people despite the trauma that she faced years before the events of this game.

While it is derivative in many areas, I'm not bothered by it; you get what you paid for. Plus, Konami doesn't give a darn about Castlevania these days, so it's gotta continue somewhat. If the game does well enough, then it's proof that there is still a lot of love for the Metroidvania genre.

4. River City Girls

Here's a game that came out of nowhere for me: a spin-off game for this series called Kunio-kun (which I never heard of until now). Regardless of my lack of experience with this series, I had a blast with it.

What really drew me into this game upon first playing it is its presentation. There are some beautifully-animated cutscenes and manga-style cutscenes filled to the brim with hilarious dialogue. Top that off with a simple story about Kyoko and Misako beating up students and other tough people to rescue their boyfriends. It's absolutely insane that I love it.

Gameplay-wise, it's a simple beat 'em up that has just enough depth to be fun. There are also a good amount of quests that I felt happy enough to take on as I liked exploring the maps and earning a lot of rewards. Also, I can't talk about this game without mentioning the boss fights. They are fun and inventive, and there were times where I felt smart after figuring out a good strategy to beat them.

With a great presentation, fun gameplay, replay value, and a rocking soundtrack, River City Girls is one of the most satisfying games of this year. Also, the fun can be enhanced with a friend thanks to the co-op option. It does get kind of tedious playing it alone. So if you're in the mood for a simple but fun action title, definitely seek this one out.

3. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled

These past two years have been a great time to be a Crash Bandicoot fan (doubly so since that's half of my username). We not only had a great remake of the original trilogy, but now we have a great racing title that's not only a remake, but it adds even more content. From new tracks to new characters (including obscure characters like Rilla Roo and Yaya Panda), you can tell that this is a game that celebrates the series' 20+ year history.

What can I say about the racing mechanics? While there's a bit of a learning curve, I quickly got adjusted to them and really got the sense of speed once I mastered drift boosting. There's also a lot to do that makes it an entry worth going back to. Outside of the main story, I found myself going through the game's many modes like Battle mode, Relic races, and time trials. Yes, I was crazy enough to complete every single time trial, including the Nitros Oxide ones (Dragon Mines can go die, though).

I was actually considering naming this my favorite game of the year because I found myself playing this a lot. However, I do have some issues with it. The rate at which you earn Wumpa Coins to buy cosmetics can be unfair, the Grand Prix challenges can be a little too grind-y for my tastes, and worst of all, Activision felt the need to add microtransactions post-launch. That was a scummy move on their part.

Still, there's no denying that this has become one of my favorite racing games of all time, right up there with Mario Kart 8 and Jak X: Combat Racing. There's a great amount of replayability in this one. It's also the only game right now that I've been playing online extensively, but that's a double-edged sword for me. Once the servers go down, so does most of the fun I've had with it. I prefer a game that lasts forever. Until that time comes, I will continue to have a great time with this game.

2. Kingdom Hearts III

For almost three years now, I've become a massive Kingdom Hearts fan. I became enthralled with not just the addictive hack 'n' slash gameplay, but also the characters, the music, the lore, the recurring theme of friendship, and the strange integration of both Disney and Final Fantasy elements.

Kingdom Hearts III put a huge smile on my face throughout my 20+ hours of play. Aside from the fun combat-based gameplay, I loved exploring the Disney Worlds, I enjoyed the character interactions (Woody roasting Young Xehanort was glorious), and I was eagerly anticipating how the overall story would progress.

Some people took issue with how the story was executed, given that this was supposed to be the end of a 17-year story arc. While I'm still processing certain parts of the story, I had a blast regardless. Whatever faults the story might have, there was still a genuine amount of charm and heart that defines the series. Also, there's a new DLC story coming out next month, so maybe it'll fill in some of the gaps.

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with Kingdom Hearts III. It's a nice cap to the story arc with awesome gameplay, fun boss fights, memorable music, gorgeous visuals on par with recent CGI animated movies, and great moments throughout. With the way the story ended, though, the question remains: where does the series go from here? I guess only time will tell.

1. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

Picking my favorite game of 2019 wasn't easy for me. With some reflection, however, I often found myself thinking about this game and how much fun it was from beginning to end.

Nearly twelve years after the last mainline entry, Ace Combat 6, this serves as a great return to form. The arcade-style flight combat gameplay that the series is known for is just as fun as ever. There is also a great amount of challenge put into the missions. You see, it's not just about destroying targets; it's about the strategy, learning what the best options are to achieve them. You have no idea how rewarding it was when picking the right planes and weapons to achieve the goals in order to progress.

Ace Combat 7 also gets my pick for the best video game soundtrack of the year. The series has always been known for its amazing music and this didn't disappoint. There were a lot of tracks that captured heroism, intensity, despair, dread, and hope that made for a game that I find myself going back to. Seriously, just listen to tracks like "Siren's Song," "Battle for Farbanti," "Archange," "Daredevil," and "Ten Million Relief Plan," and tell me that the music's not great.

The only thing that I didn't get into (besides online multiplayer) was the story. I appreciate the lore that the series provides, but there wasn't much for me to be emotionally invested. I know that's going to disappoint some fans, but I hardly ever play Ace Combat for the story. Maybe on subsequent playthoughs, I'll pick up on it more.

Referring back to what I said about Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, what, to me, is a game that lasts forever? The answer is simple: it's a game that I can just pick and play for years to come. Anti-climactic, I know. I got that feeling with Ace Combat 7, something that I haven't felt in the series since Ace Combat 04 (though that mostly attributes to me having grown up with it).

Congratulations, Ace Combat 7, you are my favorite game of 2019. And that's one for the favorites list:

I'm not done talking about games yet. Remember my Top 10 Games of the 2010's (So Far)? Well, with the decade over, it's time to finally update it. Tune in after the New Year for my Top 10 Games of the 2010's. Merry Christmas, you filthy animals!