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The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

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The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

Old 12-10-19, 05:20 PM
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The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

It's that time again. I went pretty game crazy this year and will probably have played through 100 games by the end of the month. Usually I'm catching up at this time of year but I've gotten everything from 2019 played that I was really interested in. The only game I can think of that I still want to play is Disco Elysium which is getting a lot of game of the year buzz but I'll wait for its console release early next year. I also love the Steamworld games so I would have played through Quest on Switch but they had mentioned it eventually coming to PS4 so I held out waiting for that and it still hasn't come.

Here's my lists from the last few years
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Old 12-10-19, 05:46 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

My favorite old (not 2019) games I played through for the first time in 2019:

1. Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (PSVR / 2018) I got a PSVR this year almost solely to play this game and Moss and they both didn't disappoint. Astro Bot is not only the best PSVR games it's one of my favorite platformers of this generation.
2. Banner Saga 3 (PS4 / 2018) I've talked about the first two games in previous threads and this final game in the trilogy wrapped up the story nicely. Anyone looking for a game where choices actually matter this will be right up your alley.
3. Moss (PSVR / 2018) You can tell a lot of love went into making this game because it oozes charm and is a joy to experience.
4. Guacamelee 2 (PS4 / 2018) A great metroidvania sequel with a great artstyle and characters to stand out from the pack.
5. Déraciné (PSVR / 2018) This game is by From Software (the Dark Souls people) and is as far from those games as you can get. It's a very earnest game which to some might come off as corny but I really bought into it and was engaged throughout.
6. Va-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action (PS4 / 2016 on PC) A cyberpunk bartender simulator made to look like an old PC game Va-11 Hall-A has a great cast of characters and engaging lead.
7. Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King (Switch / 2017 on PC) A Link to the Past style game with enough changes to make it feel unique.

Last edited by The Questyen; 12-10-19 at 08:29 PM.
Old 12-10-19, 08:29 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

5 Most Disappointing Games of 2019 (in no order)

Borderlands 3 (PS4)
Telling Lies (PC)
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 (Switch)
Untitled Goose Game (Switch)
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan (PS4)

I didn't dislike any of these 5 games (Man of Medan being the one closest to dislike) but I was disappointed in all of them in some way. If you would have told me Borderlands 3 wouldn't be high in up my top 20 before it came out I wouldn't have believed you. I thought the first 3 games were great (yes even the Pre-Sequel) and was waiting to see what they'd do with time away and instead they played it way too safe and ended up with a bland game because of it. Telling Lies was the closest of these to making my top twenty but is still a disappointment considering how much I loved the creators previous title Her Story. It's got some interesting characters but the overall narrative isn't as compelling and by the half way point when I entered a keyword and unlocked 4 or 5 videos that are sometimes 10 minutes in length (which is only half a conversation so you've got to unlock the other half to watch also) I was wishing for a wrap up. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 is a passable one of "those games" but it doesn't improve on anything from the earlier titles. Even when fully leveled up I never felt like my attacks had weight to them and all the challenges you unlock along the way did nothing for me. Untitled Goose Game was just a victim of hype for me. I got some enjoyment out of it but out of the three indies that released all around the same time it was the one I least connected with. It is a short game and even still I had no interest in returning to do the other challenges that unlock after you finish. Man of Medan seemed like an easy task for the creators of Until Dawn but somehow even after a few years of knowledge they made a game that plays worse, has less interesting characters and starts off so boring. The first hour or two before you get to the ghost ship literally put me to sleep twice with cringeworthy dialogue and lack of anything engaging to connect to.
Old 12-10-19, 08:57 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

Looking forward to your list as always (and also to see where A Plague Tale lands at).
Old 12-11-19, 12:53 AM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

20. Wolfenstein: Youngblood (PS4)



I'm big fan of these modern Wolfenstein games and I was wary when I heard this new one was going to be co-op focused. Thankfully it is still quite playable using a computer partner other than a huge jump in difficulty during the final boss fight which thankfully was patched. You can definitely tell this is not a mainline Wolfenstein game it definitely feels more "budget" but it still has the great feeling shooting that the series is known for and the plot kept me invested the whole way through. The twins (the leads) are goofy in an endearing way which is a contrast from B.J. and killing Nazi's stays fun throughout even with the repetitiveness of going back through the same areas. I'm way more interested in a full on new game but this was a fine appetizer until that comes along.
Old 12-11-19, 01:23 AM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

Always a fan of this annual list
Old 12-11-19, 06:53 AM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

Yes, these lists were a great help when figuring out what I should try on Game Pass.
Old 12-11-19, 10:05 AM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

Holy shit, it's been a year already???
But I enjoy your yearly list.
Old 12-11-19, 08:15 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

19. Gato Roboto (Switch)

Gato Roboto combines one of my favorite genres (metroidvanias) and my favorite thing (cats). It has a black and white art style (although you do unlock some other filters as you go) and hearkens back to the original Metroid instead of Super Metroid like most of the other metroidvanias. It's bite sized (only took me about 3-4 hours to finish) but I quite enjoyed it's goofy plot and cute character designs. It can feel a little derivative but I still had a lot of fun and was well worth its low sticker price.
Old 12-11-19, 09:49 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

18. Crackdown 3 (XB1)



I don't have any nostalgia for the Crackdown series. I played through the first one back when it came out and liked it well enough but wasn't excited to play a new one. I only ended up playing Crackdown 3 because of Game Pass and I'm glad I did. I'm a weirdo who likes getting collectibles in games and this game has a ton of them. Combined with your powers and the verticality of the environments I never got bored climbing, jumping, and flying around looking for orbs to collect. The precise platforming required for some of the towers could easily have become frustrating but it controls wonderfully and I would actually get nervous once you got way up on little ledges jumping and landing on little platforms. They nailed making you feel like an actual superhero which I didn't get from Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 for example. The plot kept me interested and the boss battles were engaging. Crackdown 3 didn't review well and kind of was forgotten about shortly after it launched but I recommend giving it a shot especially if you have Game Pass and are looking for something to play.
Old 12-11-19, 09:57 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

I enjoy your lists as well -- but if you liked Crackdown 3 way more than Borderlands 3, well we must just see things VERY differently.
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Old 12-12-19, 08:37 AM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

Originally Posted by Decker
I enjoy your lists as well -- but if you liked Crackdown 3 way more than Borderlands 3, well we must just see things VERY differently.
I had way more fun playing through Crackdown 3 compared to Borderlands 3.
Old 12-12-19, 09:45 AM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

I really enjoyed Crackdown 3, but I have never played a Borderlands game.
Old 12-12-19, 09:55 AM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

Originally Posted by The Questyen
19. Gato Roboto (Switch)

Gato Roboto combines one of my favorite genres (metroidvanias) and my favorite thing (cats). It has a black and white art style (although you do unlock some other filters as you go) and hearkens back to the original Metroid instead of Super Metroid like most of the other metroidvanias. It's bite sized (only took me about 3-4 hours to finish) but I quite enjoyed it's goofy plot and cute character designs. It can feel a little derivative but I still had a lot of fun and was well worth its low sticker price.
Definitely interested in this one. I'm always happy for these threads, too
Old 12-12-19, 05:41 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

17. Trover Saves the Universe (PSVR)


Trover is from Justin Roiland the co-creator of Rick and Morty and if you enjoy the show and that type of humor this game will be right up your alley. The voice acting is the standout and while some jokes (like the show) miss or go on too long the percentage of humor is high and the characters are for the most quite amusing. I played through the whole game in VR but it's playable without and is now out on other systems. I went back to get some missed trophies without VR and it lost a little so definitely play in VR if you have the ability. It's a 3D platformer at it's core and the game it most reminded me of is Astrobot. You unlock new powers as you go along and search for collectibles in the environment. The plot is strong and you actually have some tough choices to make which affect the story which is nice.
Old 12-12-19, 10:32 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

16. Observation (PS4)



Observation is the followup to developer No Code's Stories Untold which was a great PC game that came out in 2017. You play as the AI of a space station helping a crew member try to figure what went wrong and look for survivors. When you start you only have access to the systems cameras so you're going through the different feeds scanning items and opening doors but shortly after you can control drones where you get more hands on with your search for answers. At its core it's a sci-fi thriller puzzle game with pretty in depth puzzles that feel like things that you would really be doing in a space station. You have to read through schematics and diagrams and learn things as you play that feel different than your typical video game puzzles. It can get overwhelming at times but it feels great when you solve something that you were having trouble with. The story hooked me in and Emma the sole character you interact with is incredibly well crafted and voice acted. If you like sci-fi horror/thrillers give it a shot.

Old 12-13-19, 03:08 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

15. Astral Chain (Switch)


Astral Chain is a Switch exclusive Platinum game. You play as one of two twin detectives so there is quite a bit more detective work (exploring, searching for clues, side quests) then I was expecting and it does a good job breaking up the combat sections. The combat is fantastic and is probably the best system I've played in a Platinum game. Your character has attacks but you also have a Legion tethered to you that you command and have attack also. It's a fun combo system where you're controlling two attackers at the same time so it seems like it would be overwhelming but it handles very smoothly and I never got frustrated. You unlock different Legions as you play with different powers and abilities that are used not only in combat but also help you during your detective work. It's a really good looking Switch game and runs great even with all the craziness going on during your attacks. I would have had it even higher in my list but it started dragging on too long near the end for my tastes. My final playtime was probably around 25-30 hours and about 2/3 of the way through I just started mainlining through the game and skipping side stuff to see the end. It would have benefited greatly from being a tighter 15-20 hour experience. Still highly recommended especially for fans of Platinum games this is one of the better ones.
Old 12-13-19, 10:54 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

14. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (PS4)


I love Metroidvanias but I've never been able to get into Symphony of the Night or the other Castlevania titles. I bought this on a whim months after release and I was pretty instantly hooked. I love the art style and character designs (I mean how cool is the giant demon cat). The weapon variety is insane combined with the shards you unlock gives you a huge amount of choice of how you want to handle combat. Thankfully I played it after it was pretty heavily patched because it apparently didn't run great at launch so if you never went back now's a good time.
Old 12-14-19, 06:02 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

13. Luigi's Mansion 3 (Switch)



I loved the original Luigi's Mansion on the Gamecube. I remember a lot of people being disappointed there wasn't a Mario game at launch but I was happy we were getting something different. This third title keeps things fresh by having you explore a giant mansion with lots of floors each with their own theme. They also added new moves & a new character Gooigi that you use to help you solve puzzles. The boss battles can be tough while you figure out exactly which you're supposed to do to defeat them but otherwise the game has just the right amount of challenge. They also added collectibles which reward exploring every nook and cranny including hidden boos which require you to return to floors you've already completed. LM3 is a really fun game and a must have for any Switch owners.
Old 12-15-19, 10:03 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

12. Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order (PS4)

Far better than I was expecting based off the early Souls comparisons (thankfully they had a story mode) that turned me off completely. The character models are rough and the lead is about as generic a character as has ever been created but it is really fun to play which is the most important part. The small cast of characters were all interesting and the planets fun to explore with something (either a collectible or a story element) to find pretty much every time I got off the beaten path. I didn't think I needed a Uncharted/Tomb Raider style game in the Star Wars universe but I was wrong.
Old 12-15-19, 10:54 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

Really enjoy this every year...keep it up
Old 12-16-19, 06:34 AM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

Your avatar threw me off
Old 12-16-19, 10:02 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

11. Sayonara Wild Hearts (PS4)


Sayonara Wild Hearts is an electro-pop rhythm game with an amazing soundtrack and great color palette and art style. It plays like one cohesive album with Queen Latifah doing the voice of the narrator which takes around an hour or two to finish if you're going through the story mode although obviously you can replay levels for better scores. Each level feels different with varying styles such as riding a motorcycle, sword fighting, skateboarding, etc. The levels have frequent checkpoints so I never felt frustrated. Sayonara is just a joy to experience with a soundtrack that I listen to outside of the game and just as fun to play through a second time.
Old 12-17-19, 04:55 AM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

I have to give that one another try. I felt very confused playing it like I couldn’t figure out the controls and didn’t feel there was enough guidance about what I’m supposed to be doing. Also, maybe I had input lag from using Bluetooth headphones while playing. Still, enough people rave about it that I should try again.
Old 12-17-19, 06:59 PM
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Re: The Questyen's Favorite Games of 2019

10. Life is Strange 2 (PS4)

I was hesitant when they announced that this game was going to feature different characters than the original. I loved LiS and Before the Storm and really dug the characters Max, Chloe & Rachel. It actually took me a couple episodes to really get into the story in this sequel but while definitely not as strong as the original it is still a really good game. They nailed the choice mechanic in this second game and after finishing it I looked up other endings and there are a ton of ways this game can go. It also ends up connecting with the original game in a really neat way that I wasn't expecting. My only negative about this game is they really need to stop releasing these type of games episodically. It took over a year for this game to fully release and there was way too much time between episodes to hold on to the narrative and the choices you've made.

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