2019 was a strange year, it started off very strong with the January releases of Resident Evil 2 (Capcom was smart to skip the Christmas rush) and Ace Combat 7. As the year went along though, a few big games did come out (mostly expected sequels). Nothing really stood out from the pack. Respawn and EA managed to surprise with a good Star Wars games release, Nintendo released a nice steady stream of games and PlayStation entirely skipped the major press events of the year (most likely preparing for PlayStation 5).

In theory, the last year with this generation of consoles was a little bit subdued and the list reflects that. I'm surprised nothing really grabbed my attention the 2nd half of the year but most companies decided to play it safe. Still here's to you to 2019, a safe but still fun year.

Best Games of 2019

	1. Resident Evil 2For years Capcom avoided remaking/updating Resident Evil 2. There were a lot of things that could have went wrong with updating one of the greatest Resident Evil games but Capcom managed to hit it out of the park. They absolutely nailed keeping the atmosphere of the original while updating the gameplay to almost modern standards (limited inventory slots still remain). The story remains mostly the same with a few updates to the secondary characters which was a nice change of pace. The star is the updated Mr. X who will relentlessly chase the player throughout the police station and loud footsteps make the player no longer feel safe anywhere. I can only hope that after such a strong follow up Capcom is able to do the same for Resident Evil 3.
	2. Ace Combat 7: Skies UnknownAlmost 12 years after Ace Combat 6 we finally got a proper follow up to the a mainline Ace Combat series game. Despite the gap, the Project Aces team hasn't lost their touch and absolutely delivered a great action game. Set in the world where drones change the face of aerial combat and how warfare changes as a result. Oh yeah, Keiki Kobayashi nailed the soundtrack and it is one of my favorites of the year.
	3. Untitled Goose GameHonk! Honk! I'm a very naughty goose and this is a very fun game.
	4. Call of Duty: Modern WarfareIt took a long time since the last entry but Modern Warfare is back. A soft reboot of the series, Modern Warfare maintains the series current day setting while revisiting characters from the original series (although a lot are hinting as coming in the sequel). Everything else remains classic Call of Duty, from the gunplay to the movement systems. One thing that was greatly improved are the sounds effects for the guns and explosions. A great return for the Modern Warfare series, I'm hoping they approve a sequel to re-integrate the rest of the characters.
	5. Anno 1800Anno 1800 is an absolute gem of a city building strategy game. There's something about managing a city in the Victorian themed area that feels refreshing. From the towering cities to the coal belching dirty factory districts, the game captures the look and feel of the era.
	6. Total War: Three KingdomsIt took forever but the Total War series has finally covered Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Three Kingdoms refines the Total War formula that match the source material. Learning from the Warhammer series, they offer both a historical (more classic Total War experience) and romance option (hero based experience) on the battlefield. Another stand out are the advanced diplomacy options that allow loose alliances and even triggering proxy wars. Add in a period appropriate art style (the water color menus are lovely) and musical score that help lock in the era that maybe hasn't seen this much interest from game developers since Dynasty Warriors.
	7. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen OrderA Star Wars games in recent memory that wasn't too bad. Glitchy in places but was still pretty good. Set shortly after the Empire has taken over from the Republic, Fallen Order covers a lot of expanded universe stuff from the Inquistors, Night Witches of Dathomir and how some of the remaining Jedi live following Order 66. After EA's last 2 Battlefront games it's nice to play a Star Wars game that has good single player content and mostly works.
	8. The Legend of Zelda: Link's AwakeningJust like Resident Evil 2, Link's Awakening was a remake that was long overdue. It includes the updates from the DX color version but maintains the classic overhead Zelda view. Outside a few performance issues, Link's Awakening is still a fun romp through a strange land.
	9. Hypnospace OutlawHypnospace Outlaw is a strange game. One of the strangest released last year. But behind its alternate 1990s internet are the stories of the users of hypnospace and near the end a big story that ties the events together. A must play for those who miss the early era of the internet or those who like a good mystery.
	10. Death StrandingHideo Kojima made a package delivery simulator with bad combat. But man, the package delivery part is great. Hiking through the countryside is a nice relaxing experience and in the second half of the game there is something satisfying about mass loading goods and using the highway networks to deliver in bulk. The story in intriguing but in the end wasn't the draw for me.
	11. Cadence of Hyrule – Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of ZeldaThis was a crossover I wasn't expecting. Cadence of Hyrule is a musical mashup of the Legend of Zelda and the Crypt of the NecroDancer series. Simple to get into but hard to master.
	12. Super Mario Maker 2Super Mario Maker 2 still keeps the charm of Super Mario Maker but lacks the updates that helped keep Mario Maker fresh and interesting after release.