God of War is a genre-defining epic, an emotionally powerful story, and a true modern gaming masterpiece. Game director Cory Barlog and the creative force at Santa Monica Studio deserve a huge applause for crafting an ambitious God of War experience that offers one of the most heart-wrenching and shocking pay offs in gaming history.
Tetris Effect is Tetsuya Mizuguchi's masterpiece; a striking blend of Tetris, psychedelic visuals and a terrific soundtrack that elevates this unassuming title into classic territory already.
DOOM Eternal is a hyper-violent, loud, and menacing masterpiece that has, yet again, reclaimed its throne as the king of the shooter.
Resident Evil Village is the best game in the franchise since Resident Evil 4, and one of the best horror games I've ever played - a praise that I genuinely thought long and hard about. Very few games have given me the exhilarating rush, the well-choreographed scares, or the masterful immersion of this game. It's a powerhouse of the genre brimming with creativity thanks to spot-on art direction and a vast list of monsters from almost every corner of horror.
Forza Horizon 5 is a triumphant achievement, and puts Playground Games in the pole position of being one of the most talented developers in the gaming industry.
The phrase "one of the greatest games of all time" was thrown around a lot at launch. I thought it might be an exaggeration, but I stand corrected. Elden Ring absolutely earns the badge of one of the best games ever made.
Capcom have done the impossible and made a remake that not only stands toe-to-toe with the original, but outshines it in plenty of areas too. The Resident Evil 4 remake is an extraordinary reimagining that honours its counterpart while giving it a more impactful coating of horror and suspense.
Baldur's Gate 3 is a once-in-a-generation masterpiece made with care and passion by the talented Larian Studios that elevates not only the RPG genre, but the entire gaming medium - packed with creative spins on classic fantasy tropes, excellent writing, terrific world-building and some of the most well-written characters in gaming.
Alan Wake 2 is an innovative, bolder, and scarier sequel that pushes the survival horror genre forward. Remedy have turned its strangeness dial to 11 and it's magnificent.
Bluepoint’s terrific reimagining of Shadow of the Colossus is one for the history books. Not only is it the best video game remake ever made, it has also set the bar incredibly high for future remakes.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice easily stands as one of the best games of this generation, and a testament to From Software's continuing ability to surprise us, as well as reinvigorate their own style.
Monster Hunter World is the most well-rounded, visually spectacular, and overall best Monster Hunter game in the entire series.
Ghost of Tsushima is a fitting swan song for the PS4, and ends this generation of PlayStation on a triumphant note. Sucker Punch have to be applauded for once again creating a jaw-dropping open world with strong visual fidelity and some of the best art direction they've ever achieved.
Bluepoint Games have once again proven to be masters of their craft with the Demon's Souls remake. The visuals are jaw-dropping, making it feel like the most next-gen game out on the market. However, it does nothing to jeopardize the novelty of From Software's classic; instead, it simply enhances and improves the experience.
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition just made my 2019 Game of the Year pick even better. Vergil is arguably now the best character to play in the game, with a playstyle that's fast, aggressive and super-stylish - and best of all, it contrasts beautifully with the core group of characters.
Hogwarts Legacy beautifully captures the awe-inspiring magic and wonder of the Harry Potter movies and the Wizarding World. It's a massive, densely packed RPG with so much care and passion poured into it by Avalanche Software.
Final Fantasy XVI is not perfect and won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it personally hit almost all of the right notes for me to consider it an absolute must-play and a refreshingly mature take on the franchise. The combat is highly addictive, the story is captivating and the Eikon battles are jaw-dropping spectacles.
Dragon's Dogma 2 makes bold creative decisions that pay off big time - highly ambitious, demanding and rewarding in equal measure, it's the kind of masterful action-RPG that rewrites the rule books.
Draugen is a stunning, emotionally resonant experience, and one of the best games I've played in 2019. For those unfamiliar with titles like Gone Home and Dear Esther (with a hint of BioShock), from which the game heavily lifts its inspirations, this might not be your cup of tea.
It's hard to pin down exactly what makes Death Stranding work in my mind, but a masterful presentation, stunning open world, and captivating characters contribute to one of this generation’s most unforgettable games, for better or worse.