The 25 best games of 2019
GamesRadar's 25 best games of 2019, from Call of Duty Modern Warfare to Control - but which will claim the top spot?
Choosing the GamesRadar Game of the Year for 2019 wasn't an easy task. It's been an incredible 12 months across PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, with every platform pushing boundaries and delivering new experiences we couldn't have even imagined way back in 2018. Here they are though, the 25 best games of the year. Whether you're here to see what you missed, to celebrate your favorites getting recognition, or just to see if you need to send us an angry tweet about what didn't make the cut, welcome.
So how do we even start to make a list like this? Spreadsheets and arguments, mainly. The GamesRadar team submitted every single game they thought should be on the long list, which eventually was filled with around 50 games. Every member of the team then voted on their top 25 of that list, ranked from 25th best all the way down to their ultimate number one (so your #1 game received a score of 1, your #25 game received a score of 25 etc). We added up all the scores, and the game with the most overall votes, but lowest average score became our number one. The process was applied to all games in the long list, allowing us to create a focus-group-style average ranking. That's how we got to this ultimate 25 best games of 2019.
So without any further ado, here's our final list of the best games of 2019. How many of these beauties have you played?
25. Gears 5
Developer: The Coalition
Format: Xbox One, PC
What is it? The Gears game you've grown to love, remixed to add open-world elements and an upgrade system
Why should you play it? Gears has always been fun, and Gears 5 takes a great formula and improves upon it, adding side-quests, open-world mechanics, and an upgrade system that makes the series' penchant for collectible-hunting finally seem worthwhile. It's everything you've ever loved in Gears, but with shiny new additions that remind you why you liked the old rusty bits. The campaign has plenty of moments that feel familiar and an entire middle section that's nothing you've ever seen before in a Gears game (there's a skiff, and some wild lightning storms), and a multiplayer that's been streamlined to feel just as heavy-hitting as before, without the clunkiness. Grab it because you know Gears, love it because it's ever-so-different. Alyssa Mercante
24. The Division 2
Developer: Massive Entertainment, Ubisoft Reflections
Format: PS4, Xbox One, PC
What is it? A sequel to the first Division game that builds on everything it did well, with tough multiplayer raids, a live, active Washington D.C., and captivating missions.
Why should you play it? If the idea of a Destiny-like game that's much more realistic is appealing to you, The Division 2 is that title. Set in Washington D.C. years after the outbreak that eliminated so much of the population in the first game, you have to fight back against multiple factions and regain control of the capital city. There are countless play styles and gadgets available to utilize, with immensely satisfying gun play and unique weapons available everywhere you look. There's also plenty of side content to tackle, including a series of mysterious riddles to solve and bosses to kill, along with a number of PvP areas called the Dark Zone where you can hunt down other players for their new loot. What are you waiting for, Agent? Ford James
23. Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Format: Nintendo Switch
What is it? A tactics game and school life management sim that spins a grand story of war, love, and loyalties.
The Fire Emblem series was in a tough place before Three Kingdoms. New fans who were drawn in by the stories and relationships of Awakening were tiring of follow-ups that failed to escape its waifu-shaped shadow, while series veterans were chafing at a lack of tactics and character specialization options. It seemed like Fire Emblem had to go one way or the other. Then Fire Emblem: Three Houses came with a third way: more character customization, a little bit of romance, a story that starts strong and kicks into gear in its back half, and way more school life. Whichever house you choose, you'll grow to know and appreciate each student at the school – which makes it all the harder when you one day meet at opposites sides of the battlefield. Connor Sheridan
22. Borderlands 3
Developer: Gearbox Software
Format: PS4, Xbox One, PC
What is it? The original looter shooter returns with the third mainline instalment in Gearbox's FPS series, now with more planets, enemies, and (yes) guns.
There are games that cater to fan expectations, and then there's Borderlands 3. Gearbox's long-anticipated looter shooter sequel delivers on everything you could hope for from a Borderlands game, and then some, bearing all the series hallmarks alongside new features that only furthers the game's strengths as an RPG-FPS hybrid. Gearbox has already proven itself a skilled player in the art of live service gaming too, delivering frequent updates that pay attention to ongoing concerns alongside reams of free content that keeps players coming back for more. A handsome addition to 2019 indeed. Alex Avard
21. Kingdom Hearts 3
Developer: Square Enix
Format: PS4, Xbox One
What is it? A beautiful PRG melting pot of Disney, Pixar, and Square Enix's original characters, continuing the story of 2005's Kingdom Hearts 2 with a bang.
Why should you play it? Like taking hallucinogens at Disney World, Kingdom Hearts 3 is a huge, familiar and occasionally confusing adventure that indulges both your inner child and your passion for micro-managing your potion inventory. It's got all the usual JRPG mechanics, team battles, outlandishly sized weapons, big boss fights, it just has them in places like Frozen's Arendelle, Monsters Inc's Monstropolis, and the oceans of The Pirates of the Caribbean. The Kingdom Hearts lore is deep enough to drown in; there's plenty here for the hardcore. And for everyone else, there's the sweet, simple delight of going into battle knowing that you can summon Simba from The Lion King.
20. Cadence of Hyrule
Developer: Brace Yourself Games
Format: Nintendo Switch
What is it? A roguelike rhythm-action game set in the world of Zelda.
Why should you play it? 'Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda' sounds more like a fan album you'd find on OC Remix than an official video game sanctioned by Nintendo. But just like the game itself, the unlikely mash-up works. Keeping time with remixed Zelda melodies (both crowd-pleasing classics and deeper cuts) as you fight familiar enemies and fill in a big, rectangular map is a perfect fusion of the two games. Cadence of Hyrule's softened roguelike elements make tactical combat a must while not punishing you too much for missing a beat, and honestly, I want the singing merchant to be in every Zelda game from now on. Sorry, Beedle. Connor Sheridan
19. What the Golf?
Developer: Triband
Format: PC, iOS, Android
What is it? A comedy golf game filled with references and gameplay twists that shake things up at every opportunity.
Why should you play it? If someone had told me at the start of 2019 that one of my favorite games this year would be a golf title optimized for mobile devices, I'd have thought they were par-king mad. Initially released via Apple Arcade, What the Golf? is a magnificent take on the golf genre, to the point where it's more like a hilarious puzzle game than anything resembling real golf. Each course requires some serious outside-of-the-box thinking, followed by climbing out of that box and then hitting the box down a 2D fairway while dodging barrels and knocking over cats. It's one of the most creative, inventive games released this year that will have you chuckling at every opportunity. Ford James
18. Metro Exodus
Developer: 4A Games
Formats: PS4, Xbox One, PC
What is it? A first-person shooter set in a post-apocalyptic Russian wasteland, and the third game in the Metro series.
Why should you play it? Metro Exodus opens with the linearity you'd expect from Metro, then seamlessly transitions into an open-world odyssey across a ruined Russia. This advances both the narrative and gameplay of Metro as a whole, literally bringing the series into the light. You wind up asking the same question as the overarching plot: what does the surface hold?
I'll tell you what it holds: beautiful, sculpted pockets of survival sandbox shooter fun. Metro Exodus does not sprawl like Assassin's Creed Odyssey, but it's filled with secrets and stories worth seeking out. It gives the player a series of playgrounds to explore to their heart's content – and then move on from to progress the ever-compelling story, which culminates in a climactic mission that returns to tightly focused encounters. Metro Exodus is expertly paced and exactly as big as it needs to be, and for Metro fans and newcomers alike, it's unmissable. Austin Wood
17. Tetris 99
Developer: Arika
Formats: Nintendo Switch
What is it? A competitive multiplayer variant on the classic tile-matching game that pits you against 99 other Tetris players in a single match.
On paper, a Tetris-based battle royale sounds like a terrible, terrible idea (really, I can't stress this enough), but that's exactly what makes Nintendo's surprise stealth release all the more miraculous as a 2019 title. Easy to pick up, yet difficult to truly master, Tetris 99 marries simple gameplay with complex social mechanisms in a way that we haven't seen melded so seamlessly since Blizzard's competitive card game, Hearthstone. We don't make that comparison lightly, either, as we're confident Tetris 99 has a healthy future ahead of it, with new updates and content drops being rolled out by developer Arika on a regular basis. Hell, by the end of 2020, it could well be the last battle royale game standing. Alex Avard
16. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Developer: From Software
Format: PS4, Xbox One, PC
What is it? A third-person action game starring shinobi, samurai, ninjas, and one hell of a difficulty curve.
Why should you play it? Sekiro proved that From Software can do more than dark fantasy. It took the bones of Dark Souls – bonfire-style checkpoints, EXP as currency, fierce bosses, unflinching difficulty, an evolving world steeped in death – and applied them to a feudal, war-torn, distinctly Japanese setting. The shinobi, soldiers, and samurai of Sekiro breathed new life into a genre filled with monsters and knights, to say nothing of its imaginative take on folklore and mythology.
Sekiro is instantly refreshing, and it never lets you forget that it's a Souls game at heart. Combat is more frenetic than even Bloodborne – a rhythmic dance of dodging, parrying, slashing, and special abilities. Every exchange is exhilarating, and the mobility afforded by the grappling hook, not to mention the utility of stealth, open up combat in exciting ways that instil a tremendous sense of freedom. Sekiro is as punishing as it is inviting, and it's From Software's most replayable game yet. Austin Wood
15. Telling Lies
Developer: Furious Bee Limited
Formats: iOS, PC
What is it? A narrative-driven thriller that tasks you with crawling through illicitly obtained surveillance footage of four people of interest at the heart of a mystery.
Why should you play it? Like Her Story before it, Telling Lies is a narrative thriller which tasks you with searching through a database of video clips to try and uncover a central truth. It's another bold experiment from creative Sam Barlow, where fun is born out of the thrill of discovery rather than any traditional mechanics or systems. You are able to access the private video messages from four characters – a fantastic cast, whose performances compliment sharp writing – and it's up to you to construct a timeline of events and to decide where to point the finger. Telling Lies is untraditional, voyeuristic, and enthralling; it's a captivating drama that will stick with you long after you've stepped away from the computer screen. Josh West
14. Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Developer: Nintendo
Formats: Nintendo Switch
What is it? An adorable Switch remake of the much-loved classic Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening that originally released on the GameBoy back in 1993
Why should you play it? Originally released in 1993 on the Gameboy – and later re-released on the GameBoy Color in 1998 with the DX version – Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening made its way to the Switch in a delightful new art style oozing with charm. Stepping away from Hyrule, Link washes ashore on the wonderfully weird Koholint island, which is inhabited by all kinds of colorful characters and creatures. A wise owl tells Link that the only way to leave this strange island is by setting out to wake up the Wind Fish. Complete with talking animals and plenty of dungeons decked out with all manner of traps and tricks, the remake breathes new life into the classic by introducing noteworthy new features, such as a mode that lets you create your very own dungeons. Heather Wald
13. Days Gone
Developer: Sony Bend
Formats: PS4
What is it? Think The Walking Dead meets Sons of Anarchy with this open-world RPG that mixes crafting, bike maintenance, and destroying hordes of creatures called freakers with napalm.
Why should you play it? Here are some things you didn't know you wanted from an RPG: Riding your motorbike through the forests and deserted towns of a Pandemic-ruined Oregon, stopping occasionally to take on a swarming mass of a thousand freaker monsters, stopping in to drop off bounties or pick up new missions from survivor camps, and being a bit sad about your probably dead wife. Once you try it though, you'll be hooked. Maybe it's that developer SIE Bend leans into the darker elements of a zombie apocalypse – sad little zombie children called newts and self-harming cults – or maybe I just really love men in ripped denim, but whichever it is Days Gone delivers an engrossing storyline mixed with large scale action set-pieces that you won't get anywhere else. Rachel Weber
12. Pokemon Sword and Shield
Developer: GameFreak
Formats: Nintendo Switch
What is it? The latest entry in the Pokemon series, introducing new Pokemon, features, location and more.
Why should you play it? Despite what the internet may have made you think, Pokemon Sword and Shield is a brilliant addition to the series. It's a memorable adventure, with a story that delivers enough twists and turns to keep you guessing, steeped in the myth and legends that you forget are a part of Britain's history. Oh yes, this time we're going to Blighty, and each of the towns is beautifully created to imbue an element of British culture or landscape, but it also truly reflects what it would be like to live in a Pokemon world. It perfectly captures the spirit of Pokemon in a way that no game in the series has done before it. Plus, the new Wild Area is an online-fuelled paradise for trainers, which when combined with the new critters and characters, all combine to make the most compelling Pokemon world to date. Sam Loveridge
11. Outer Wilds
Developer: Mobius Digital
Formats: PC, PS4, Xbox One
What is it? An action-adventure game orbiting death and discovery, a game about exploration and rebirth in the far-stretches of space
Why should you play it? Every 22 minutes you'll wonder why you are still playing Outer Wilds. You'll be within reach of a point-of-interest, awkwardly attempting to wrestle back control of your ship from the gravitational pull of a planet, and it'll happen. 22 minutes. You're back to the starting planet, setting back out into space with everything you've learned thus far and an unwavering desire to push a little further into the solar system. Outer Wilds is centred around death and rebirth, pushing you to explore and uncover as much information as you can within a 22-minute time frame before the sun goes supernova and wipes out all life. It's a beautiful designed game, that somehow gets a little better between each 22 minute rotation.
10. Luigi's Mansion 3
Developer: Next Level Games
Formats: Nintendo Switch
What is it? A spooky spectacular set in a haunted high-rise hotel, with the other brother vacuuming up ghosts and calling on his slimy alter-ego Gooigi to solve puzzles to try and rescue his friends.
Why should you play it? Unless you have a life-threatening allergy to fun, this is a Nintendo Switch essential. Even then, it's probably worth the risk. The Last Resort hotel is a masterpiece of delightful visuals and supernaturally satisfying puzzles, and every floor has a new theme. Point your Poltergust G-00 vacuum at anything and everything for secrets, puzzle-solving, and sheer destructive satisfaction, or summon green Gooigi for the company or to help with puzzles that need some creative thinking. It's the sort of A+ action-adventure you expect from a big Nintendo title, but no expense has been spared on making sure it's as charming and memorable as it is mechanically marvelous. Move over Mario, because Luigi is the real star of 2019. Rachel Weber
9. Sayonara Wild Hearts
Developer: Simogo
Formats: PS4, Nintendo, iOS (Apple Arcade)
What is it? A new, neon spin on the rhythm-action game that's a masterpiece of sound and visuals.
Why should you play it? You have one purpose in Sayonara Wild Hearts – follow your heart. There will be ups, downs, intergalactic incidents, and more, but one thing is clear, it's going to be a journey you'll never forget. This is a rhythm-action game like no other, with a narrative that'll take you through every swell of love and crushing heartbreak that one young woman has ever experienced in her life in one 45-minute gameplay experience. It's presented using a color palette reminiscent of '80s neon obsessions, and with a custom pop soundtrack that you'll need to have on repeat for at least a week afterward. You'll move from motorbike to sword fight, pirouetting through the stars and cosmic chasms, dancing through the neon and everything else between. It's beautifully crafted in every way to create an intoxicating loop that'll seep into your senses in a way that's akin to euphoria. Sam Loveridge
8. Disco Elysium
Developer: ZA/UM
Formats: PC
What is it? An open-world RPG quite unlike any other
Why should you play it? From its earliest showing as No Truce With The Furies, ZA/UM's debut always seemed like one of those games that was too ambitious to succeed. And yet Disco Elysium stands, not only as one of the best games of the year, but as one of the best of the generation. It's a detective game built around introspective interrogation, a gorgeous isometric RPG that tasks you with deftly navigating a war inside your head, heart, and lower intestines as the weight of the world bears down on weary shoulders. Disco Elysium is bold in its ideas and magnificent in its execution of them; full of character and deeply expressive, Disco Elysium sets a new benchmark for the RPG. Josh West
7. Untitled Goose Game
Developer: House House
Formats: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4
What is it? A stealth game where you play as a horrible goose and wreak havoc on a small village
Why should you play it? Move aside Assassins Creed and Metal Gear Solid: There's a new stealth master in the village and they just so happen to have an orange beak and a mighty wingspan. Yes, House House's stealthy puzzler stole the hearts of the entire internet for letting you become one of the most endearingly horrible protagonists in recent memory. As a goose, you go about trying to wreck everyone's day, from tripping up a resident and making them fall into a puddle, to pinching a beer glass and tossing it into a river. No task is too dastardly for the iconic feathery anti-hero. Untitled Goose Game is pure joy wrapped up in a dedicated honk button, slapstick humor, and goosey good times. Being a public menace was never so charming and fun. Honk! Heather Wald
6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Developer: Infinity Ward
Format: PC, PS4, Xbox One
What is it? A reboot of the 15-year-old franchise that's more complex and morally gray than its forerunners, powered by a brand-new engine that churns out breathtaking graphics
Why should you play it? This frenetic shooter pulls back from the massive military set pieces synonymous with its namesake in favor of tighter, occasionally claustrophobic campaign missions. These missions make you feel the weight and consequences of war far better than other Call of Duty games have, even if it occasionally teeters on the precipice of torture porn. It's the most beautiful game in the series by a landslide, with mo-cap that barely dips a toe in the uncanny valley and set pieces that are truly jaw-dropping. Play the eight-hour campaign on the edge of your seat before firing up the multiplayer search for several rounds of the best version of it yet – with top notch gunplay and myriad game types that suit whatever mood you may be in at the moment (fancy a massive Ground War, perhaps?). Alyssa Mercante
5. Apex Legends
Developer: Respawn
Format: PC, PS4, Xbox One
What is it? A battle royale with clever features that were quickly snatched up by its predecessors, complete with an engaging cast of characters and great seasonal events
Why should you play it? Apex Legends shocked us all when it took the battle royale format and improved it, dropping us into a massive shootout with the ability to ping items for our squadmates and request items as needed without having to build a dang house around us. Drop in to play a battle royale that doesn't have a gimmick, but doesn't claim to be realistic, and you'll quickly discover how easy it is to get embedded in the arena for hours. Apex Legends is consistently adding new characters, mixing in limited-time events, and gently adjusting the game as needed. With character-specific abilities, mechanics that are fluid but not floaty, and guns that feel as good as they look, Apex Legends was a surprise launch that's had a big impact. Alyssa Mercante
4. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Format: PC, PS4, Xbox One
What is it? A demanding action game that grabbed the best bits of gaming's recent history and turned them into an endearing Star Wars adventure.
Why should you play it? Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is the closest EA has come to capturing what makes Star Wars so grin-inducingly special. Like the film series before it, Jedi: Fallen Order takes influences from all over the shop — a bit of From Software's combat, a pinch of Uncharted's platforming set-pieces — and mashes them together to create a game that belongs in Lucas' universe, rather than just mirroring it. It's in the moments where you feel like you're a space samurai capable of slicing through your foes with ferocious grace, as well as the little slices of lore you discover when you explore the dense planets that make up your journey across the galaxy. There are undeniable rough edges, but they don't detract from what is the best Star Wars game in years. Ben Tyrer
3. Resident Evil 2: Remake
Developer: Capcom
Format: PC, PS4, Xbox One
What is it? A refreshed and reimagined modern-day remake of the original Resident Evil 2.
Why should you play it? Remaking the original Resident Evil 2 was a huge risk and one that Capcom exceeded all expectations on – delivering a horror game every bit as important and influential as the original. Gone are the tank controls, static camera and cardboard dialogue and in their place is a high budget, contemporary third-person horror survival shooter with a surprisingly stern and glistening sheen of gore. It plays like something modern, from gameplay to guts, but somehow feels like classic Resi thanks to its bizarre puzzles and confidence to keep you crisscrossing its lofty police station halls for most of the game, never quite sure where the next undead threat is going to crawl from. Resident Evil 7 might have reversed the series fortunes and restated its relevance, but Resident Evil 2: Remake sealed the rotting deal. Leon Hurley
2. The Outer Worlds
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Format: PS4, Xbox One, PC
What is it? A space RPG set in a future ruled by megacorporations, filled with eccentric characters, alien species, and bacon-flavored tumors.
Why should you play it? It mixes the fun and frolics of running around deep space, accompanied by a gang of weirdos carrying big guns, with complex stories about corruption and colonization. On top of that, it manages to deliver on the big RPG promises about choice. You can straight-up murder anyone you meet, ditch your team members and play solo, or try and make it through the whole game with your charm skill points alone. The tone is always tongue-in-cheek but still manages to deliver some genuinely touching moments with characters, like your introverted engineer buddy Parvati. The story doesn't shy away from forcing you to make tough decisions, so you might want to light a relaxing candle before you start, but that will only makes you desperate to play it all over again as soon as you're done. Rachel Weber
1. Control
Developer: Remedy
Format: PC, PS4, Xbox One
What is it? A magic and guns third-person shooter set in the 'new weird' world of cursed everyday objects and mind-bending multi-dimensional entities.
Why should you play it? Games should be a journey, and that journey's always more fun if it keeps you guessing. From the moment you enter the Oldest House, it's unpredictable walls and cursed objects put you on the back foot with little in the way of recognizable footholds to guide you. Its mechanics are familiar, as you psychically hurl desks at enemies and polish them off with gunfire, but the shifting physical geometry and vaporous story that writhes under scrutiny, leaves you guessing at every turn. And, potentially, staring at the back of your own head. It riffs beautifully on 'new weird' mythology, which shifts familiar mythical and magical ideas on to everyday objects – building on its playable mix of powers and weapons with an amazing world of cursed fridges, spooky ashtrays, and world-altering Walkmans. It speaks volumes of Control's strange new setting that reading files to discover why it takes an entire government agency to contain a small rubber duck is almost as much fun as blowing stuff up.
source:Techrato.com
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