Hello everyone. Justin here and welcome to the Otaku Mind. First off, happy new year to everyone out there. I hope you all had a good holiday to relax, spend time with family, and just have fun. With that said it’s time to continue the tradition of looking back at 2019 one last time and naming my top 11 games. With the dawn of a new decade and confirmation that Sony and Microsoft’s next gen consoles will be making a debut later on this year, 2019 will viewed as the last big hurrah for the 8th generation of consoles. Once again this list is just my opinion and reflects no one else’s opinion but my own and will be bias seeing as how I don’t own an X Box One, but really, who wants one anyway? Let’s get started, these are the top 11 games of 2019.
#11. Super Mario Maker 2
A sequel to the smash hit game Super Mario Maker. Once again we are granted the power to let our creativity and imagination run wild by creating our very own Mario stage. Aside from adding in a story mode, the game gave you all sorts of new tools, themes and items to help expand your creativity such as slopes, snake blocks, swinging claw, banzai bills, water levels, and even night levels along with many other add ins. On the surface they don’t seem like much, but these small add ins just open up a whole new world of creativity and challenges for gamers to explore. Each stage ranges from being something fun and enjoyable like Ralphus’s Mario Goes to the Cinema series, to something challenging and sadistic like YTSunny’s 1-1 with a Twist, or something cool and interesting like a parody of another game like Gysan’s Super Mario Galaxy stage or my favorite, Mankalor’s Five Night’s at Freddy’s stage. Whatever you decide to play you’re in for hours of challenging fun and creativity, and if you wanna see playthroughs of all these stages than check out BeardBear’s Youtube channel where he plays through all these stages. Check them out and see how you do against them (link here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZU03wNQEGmDkGcNN-BT2Ng/videos).
#10. Mistover
This was a game I found by mistake. I accidently downloaded the demo for this game believing it was another game. Since I saw it was an RPG and I love RPG games, I decided to test it out and see what it was all about. What I discover was a dark and interesting RPG. In the game you play as this group of adventurers trying to save the world from destruction. It’s your typical dungeon crawler with the difference being is that every decision you make in the dungeon matters. If a teammate dies, you don’t kill enough monsters, or don’t open enough chests, then you move the world closer to doomsday. This game received subpar reviews from both critics and gamers, and I can understand why. The game can be frustrating at times with the enemies being overpowered, a story that’s pretty predictable, and losing good allies you’ve spent hours leveling up only to lose them is enough to piss anyone off. Personally, I enjoyed it for it’s intense dungeon crawling gameplay, challenging combat, and look. This is one of the darkest RPGs I’ve seen, and the game conveys that with it’s hand-drawn animation and unique class of characters that ranch from typical classes like paladins, priests, and assassins to unique classes such as werewolves, ronins, and grim reapers. I especially liked the monsters we had to face off against and creating a team I felt perfectly complimented each other and allowed me to adapt to any situation that I might face. Now this isn’t a game for everyone. My advice, download the demo, and see if it’s something your interested in playing before buying it.
#9. Pokemon: Sword and Shield
That’s right I liked this game. Come get some! Taking place in a new region we are once again put in the position of a trainer who goes on a journey to be a Pokémon master and the champion of his/her region. This was another game that was met with harsh criticism as fans didn’t like how the game kept us to one region, the lack of creativity for new Pokémon, and a pokedex that was missing a lot of entries. While I understand everyone’s complaints, I was okay with these setbacks. For a guy like me who hasn’t played any of the Pokémon games since Gold and Silver, I found this game to be a good welcome back for me that allowed me to go at my own pace and reacquaint myself with the world of Pokémon. The graphics looked good; this is probably the most gorgeous Pokémon game to date. The music was good with the boutique shop being my favorite, the dynamax battles are new and challenging, and I did like how the trainers and Pokémon are a lot stronger here than in previous games. You can’t just beat one gym and rush off to the next one expecting to win, you actually have to take some time to train your Pokémon. I liked the option to do Pokémon jobs which gives us insight into how Pokémon are used to contribute to society and aside from Hop I really did like the rivals we had in this game as they had good personalities and presented a challenge whenever you faced them. Despite some of the shortcomings in this game, I still liked it and I’m glad to be out of retirement and return to the world of Pokémon. I missed it.
#8. Devil May Cry 5
After the disastrous reboot that was DmC, fans everywhere cried out for a true sequel to the Devil May Cry series. Their cries were met with silence until E3 2018 came along and fans screamed with excitement at the reveal of Devil May Cry 5. This game was freakin’ awesome from the graphics to the gameplay to the music and most importantly to the characters we all know and love. The game allows you to play as resident badass Dante who has an assortment of fun weapons to slaughter demons in his path, the plucky young demon hunter Nero with his assortment of mechanical hands, and newcomer V who fights by summoning demon pets to do the fighting for him. There’s a great attention of love and care for the game. Capcom really went all out with this game to make it fun and enjoyable for both veterans and newcomers. Even if you’ve never played a DMC game before, this game doesn’t necessarily require you to play them to fully enjoy it. It’s a fun game to play with great action and characters. I definitely would choose this game over the other one (we shall speak of it no more).
#7. Astral Chain
Platinum Games has been a studio that’s become known for giving action-packed games with a unique combat and fun gameplay. I’m proud to say they can add Astral Chain to that list of successful unique games. Set in the distant future (which is like something out of a late 80s early 90s action/sci-fi movie), the world is on the brink of extinction from interdimensional beings known as Chimeras. In the game you play as a young police officer who joins a special task force who uses subservient Chimeras known as Legions to combat Chimeras as well as investigate crimes. What makes the game so unique is that you’re controlling two characters at the same time. The first one being the police officer and the second being the Legion. At first, I had trouble controlling both characters at the same but once I got used to it, I discovered how fun and unique this gameplay was and quickly couldn’t put the controller down because I was having so much fun. While the game is mostly action based, there are a few detective segments which require you to use different skills and Legions to solve puzzles, look for clues to solve cases, track criminals, help citizens, and find collectables. There’s a lot of replay value here as I kept finding myself going back to past stages to explore new areas after earning a new skill or Legion to see what I could find, never getting bored or annoyed by it. This is a game I highly recommend to anyone who owns a Switch. It’s a must have and one of the most unique games you’ll ever play.
#6. Shenmue 3
After waiting for 2 long decades we finally got Shenmue 3 and it didn’t disappoint. Even though I’ve never played any of the Shenmue games I had heard about how great they were and was honored to be one of the backers who bought this game to life. Picking up where 2 left off, Shenmue 3 continues the story of Ryo searching for his father’s killer while also trying to help Ling find her missing father. For long time fans, the game will feel familiar and a nice welcome back. For new fans like myself it took some getting used to but once I did I was really enjoying myself and had a smile on my face throughout the whole experience as I fell in love with the characters, the story, and the world that they were in. The music was beautiful, gameplay was fun and for long time fans some aspect have been improved greatly from the previous entries. Now this isn’t your fast-paced game, it’s a slow-paced game where you’ll spend most of your days training, working, searching for clues, and just living life. It’s a game that makes you feel like you’re living the life of Ryo and experiencing everything that he’s experiencing. Some gamers will like this while others will not. Either way, I’m glad I got the chance to play this game and I’ve now become a fan of the Shenmue franchise. If you liked this game but didn’t like the slow-pacing of it and wanted something more fast-paced, join me at number 5.
#5. Judgement
Like I said before this game is like a faster paced version of Shenmue 3 which is fitting considering that Yakuza’s creator Toshihiro Nagoshi worked on Shenmue and borrowed ideas from the game to help get Yakuza off the ground. You really can see the similarities between the two with the only difference being Yakuza/Judgement wanting to keep the story moving and not drag out the story. A spin-off from the underrated Yakuza series set after the events of Yakuza 6, Judgement follows the story of Yagami, a lawyer turned private eye in Kamurocho investigating a string of murders involving yakuzas who had their eyes gouged out. Just like the Yakuza series this game is overflowing with great characters, an interesting story and fun side quest/games to provide hours of fun. You instantly find yourself loving Yagami as a character. Unlike Kiryu who is stoic and usually keeps his emotions in check, Yagami is more expressive and witty, has a good backstory and has a fun fighting style that keeps him separated from Kiryu’s fighting style. I have to admit I did find the story better here than in Yakuza 6. There’s an air of mystery around who’s performing all of these murders, why they’re doing it, and what they’re hoping to achieve. The game knows how to keep you invested in the story and tug at your heartstrings but also knows how to have fun and get a good laugh out of you. The side games are good but could have been better. While I admit I did like the virtual Kamurocho minigame (which should have had its own story) and drone racing, I was mad that they got rid of the karaoke minigame. Next to the cabaret minigame that was my favorite minigame. This was a good spin-off that showed us a new side of Kamurocho and the Yakuza series and showed us that even without Kiryu this series can still deliver. Here’s hoping this isn’t the last time we get to see Yagami and the others.
#4. Indivisible
Another game I’m proud to say I was a backer for. From the people that gave us Skullgirls, comes a new action game that blends together fighting mechanics with an RPG story. The game centers around a young tomboy named Ajna whose village gets destroyed by an overlord. Seeking revenge, Ajna sets out on a journey to defeat the overlord while coming across an assortment of characters who join her cause as well as learn about the mysterious powers she wields. The first thing you’ll notice about this game is that it looks beautiful. Hand-drawn backgrounds combined with animated characters that blend together perfectly along with animation done by the popular Studio Trigger and Titmouse Inc. (Venture Bros.). The next thing you’ll notice is the great voice acting as the voices match up perfectly with the character their voicing and everyone delivers their lines perfectly. The combat system can be a little difficult at first but once you get used to it you discover that’s very innovative and gives you plenty of opportunities to perform cool combos with your party members. Speaking of party members, I love all the characters in this game. Every character has a distinct look and fighting style that separates them from each other and provides a lot of trail and error to see which members work best together. On top of that they all have distinct personalities as well. My favorite character has to be Razmi. Every time she’s on screen she gets a good laugh out of me. She’s like a more unhinged grown up version of Sucy from Little Witch Academia. While the game can be a little tedious with backtracking and even make you feel stuck at some areas, this game was still a fun experience and I encourage anyone to check out on the PS4 or X Box One. Switch users will have to wait but rest assured your version of the game will be coming soon.
#3. Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
Often considered one of the best titles in the Legend of Zelda series, many people skipped over this game in the 90s because of the hardware limitations hurting the experience for a lot of people. It’s now over 20 years later and the game has returned to the Switch with new cartooney animation and hardware that better suits the game and the experience it wanted to give us all those years ago. Just like the original game, Link gets caught in a storm and shipwrecked on a mysterious island where he has to find these mythical items in order to escape. Many problems in the first game such as unfair boss battles and item switching have all been addressed and fixed here giving us a solid gameplay experience that’s both welcoming and challenging. The graphics are colorful and beautiful to look at. It’s like a diorama set come to life or better yet like an anime series entirely focused on the Legend of Zelda. While some people may say Breath of the Wild was better and I’m still in the middle of playing Link’s Awakening, I personally found myself liking Link’s Awakening more. Link’s Awakening challenges you more with the puzzles and dungeons to give you a fun and challenging experience. Breath of the Wild on the other hand only made these puzzles and dungeons optional and could be skipped over which I didn’t like. I felt like they were defeating the whole purpose of a Zelda game by giving you the option to go and fight the boss right away if you felt like it. If you skipped the puzzles and dungeons no hate, but I really do feel like you missed out on a lot by skipping them. Link’s Awakening is a blast from the past that got better with age and I wouldn’t mind seeing Nintendo going back and giving other games a similar treatment like this game.
#2. Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
A Star Wars game that’s good, done by EA, and doesn’t use loot boxes? What madness is this!? Are we on alternate Earth? All kidding aside, Jedi Fallen Order was an incredible game that can be enjoyed from hardcore fans to newcomers to the franchise. Set 5 years after Episode 3, we focus on a former jedi padawan named Cal who has gone into hiding from the newly formed Galactic Empire. After using his force powers to save his friend, he gets hunted down by the Empire only to get saved by a jedi knight. Cal soon finds himself on a journey to open an ancient jedi vault which may hold the secrets to rebuilding the jedi order. The game just makes you feel like you’ve entered the Star Wars Universe as it looks amazing with great characters to interact with and build a relationship with as well. Being you’re a jedi you’re main weapon will of course be a lightsaber which you can customize anyway you see fit and yes, you feel like a badass whenever you use it. The game also has elements of Lara Croft and Uncharted as you’ll be exploring areas and have to use your force powers and wits to advance in some areas of the game. Jedi Fallen Order was a great game that shows us and EA that when they stop the BS and just focus on creating a good game without trying to scam people out of money, you get a result that makes the fans happy and makes you a lot of money. Learn from this EA and continue the trend.
And number one. . .
#1. Fire Emblem: Three Houses
This was an easy pick for me. Voted strategic game of the year and for good reason. Fire Emblem has become Nintendo’s resident RPG series with it’s excellent storytelling, strategic gameplay mechanics that are fun and challenging, and of course great characters to get invested in. In the game you become the teacher at a school where the students hail from three nations who are at peace with each other. You get to decide which house you want to teach with each house being a student who will be the next ruler of their nation. From there, you follow the story of your house while participating in battles, leveling up your characters, trying to recruit other students/staff members to join your house, and uncovering the secrets of your mysterious past. This game is like Persona or Valkyria Chronicles with more emphasis on micro-managing your characters as they have a lot of classes to choose from and can be anything you want them to be. You can make them a warrior, healer, mage, brawler, armored unit, dancer, horse rider, wyvern, or a combination of these classes. While some characters are better suited for combat than others, each character is still fun to follow. I easily came to like everyone in the game and did my best to recruit everyone to my house in playthroughs so I wouldn’t have to kill them later on. One of my favorite characters is Ashe who’s not the best fighter but makes up for it by having great support conversations with the other characters and just being a genuinely nice guy who wants to help everyone. The game allows you to play as both a male and female character and has 4 stories for you to follow meaning you’ll more than likely go through 8 playthroughs of this game to see all the endings. The music in this game was also fantastic and just like many people I was shocked it didn’t win soundtrack of the year. The graphics look clean and great here, I especially liked the animated cutscenes which just bought this game to life. Gameplay wise they give us a lot of options to choose from. You can either go for the quick victory and eliminate the boss or take your time, gain experience, and open chests for weapons or items. The only real complaint I have with the game is the main character’s story takes a backseat to the story of the house you choose but other than that everything else gets my seal of approval. Over the last few months there’s been dlc content which adds new elements to the game and the final one set to come out in April will add new story content which I believe will present a new path in the story where everyone lives. Whatever happens, Three Houses was a very addicted game and was my official first Fire Emblem that not only lived up to my expectations but surpassed them in every way.
So that’s my list. Did you enjoy? Let me know what your favorite game from 2019 was in the comments below. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time on Project Nitsuj.
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