The Game Awards nominees were announced a few days ago and I realized I’ve only played three of the six nominees for game of the year, and one of those was only for a couple of hours. Not only that but the game that I had the most “fun” playing this year isn’t up for any awards at all. That got me thinking – who are the people that write reviews and why should I listen to them if they haven’t played every game under the sun (myself excluded since I almost always find my opinions spot on :p)? It is easy to be skeptical of a reviewer the first time you come across them, but over time you start to figure out which ones share similar interests and views about games. To help our community to better know the people behind our reviews I posed a few questions to the GameSpace staff. First up: What were your favorite games of 2019? No scores, no rush to meet a deadline, just pure fun. There was only one simple rule – it didn’t matter when the game came out and they didn’t have to review it, but playing it sometime in 2019 was a must. Thankfully, some of the team had taken me off of ignore and answered back. You can do the same by telling us your favorite game of 2019 in the comments below.
Robin Baird
- Game: Oninaki
- Developer: Tokyo RPG Factory
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
- Release Date: August 22, 2019
Oninaki was sort of a sleeper for me. From the trailers, I thought it looked cool and the art style was appealing, but it tells a much more interesting and deeper story than I ever expected. The entire conceit of Oninaki has stuck with me ever since I played it and I often find myself musing about various aspects of it; which is a sure sign of a great game. Plus, I also love how flexible the combat is. It’s still installed on my PS4, and I’ll undoubtedly revisit it a few times.
Kelley
- Game: Borderlands 3
- Developer: Gearbox Software
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Release Date: September 13, 2019
Most fun I’ve had in a game for a long time. Just get in and blast everything – lots of sass, good story, vibrant characters and a world so pretty to explore.
Ralph Whitmore
- Game: Code Vein
- Developer: Bandai Namco
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Release Date: May 31, 2019
Enjoyed the story and tie in to other games. Lots of fun, moderate difficulty, and great character customization.
Scott W
- Game: Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid
- Developer: nWay Inc.
- Platforms: PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Release Date: September 24, 2019
A game developed by fighting games fans/top tier pro players? About Power Rangers? I had to see this for myself. After a somewhat rocky start (it was rushed out far too early) this game is the biggest surprise of the year. Now sporting a much larger roster, tight controls, a fully voice-acted story mode and amazing combo options it has found a lot of love from the FGC and PR fans alike.
Suzie Ford
- Game: Life Is Strange 2 Episodes 1-4
- Developer: Dontnod Entertainment
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Release Date: September 26, 2018 (Episode 5 releases 12/2/19)
I love narrative adventure games and no one does it better than Dontnod. They offer a breadth of choices and memorable characters with some of the best in-game music ever. Greedfall is a very close second. While not flawless, it’s an amazing first attempt at a “Bioware-esque” RPG and I’m all for it. Can’t wait to see their 2nd title.
Scott Jeslis
- Game: Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age
- Developer: Square Enix
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch (Non-S version available for PC and PlayStation 4)
- Release Date: September 27, 2019
Tough category for me since I have several. One that completely caught me off guard is Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age on the Nintendo Switch. I felt like I was part of an anime film. Story, adventure and I could play all of this action RPG while on the go.
Lori C “Dkonen”
- Game: Remnant: From The Ashes
- Developer: Gunfire Games
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Release Date: August 20, 2019
I’m not playing it as much now, but I loved the atmosphere and bits of the story. The combat was fast and hanging out with folks while playing was a blast.
Kevin C “Xevrin”
Remnant From the Ashes was a game that came out of nowhere for me and was very enjoyable. Fun to play with friends and at times very challenging with a really decent story. It was a welcome change after being disappointed with other games in recent years. I am looking forward to more content updates in 2020 to see how the devs will expand the world setting. I would like to also give a nod to Jedi Fallen Order… I have not played it yet so I cannot pick it as my favorite but from what I have seen of the gameplay it looks great, I will be picking it up asap.
Chris Bowman
- Game: PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
- Developer: PUBG Corporation
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Mobile
- Release Date: March 23, 2017
It is a realistic gunplay/battle royale, that I have played very consistently for a couple of years now. I like how every match is different and new, and with the updates, the game has gotten since launch it is one of my favorite shooters of all time.
Mitch Gassner
- Game: Satisfactory
- Developer: Coffee Stain Studios
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: March 19, 2019 (Early Access)
Like many gamers, the most recent games quickly come to mind when thinking of a favorite, and in that case, I would have picked The Outer Worlds or Borderlands 3. After thinking about it, though, Satisfactory has been my favorite game this year. Why? First off, my attention span is that of a 5-year-old in a candy store, but I keep going back to Satisfactory when I lose interest in the “new” game of the day. Second, I really love the combination of factory building and first-person exploration that Satisfactory has to offer. It takes away the old top-down view and puts you in among the machines and conveyor belts. It is truly a step forward for the genre.