Hotline Miami and its sequel stand the test of time as two titles built around an excellent combat loop while offering so much more as well. The visuals, soundtrack, and kinetic combat combine to form one of the greatest indie titles in history - and one still worth playing in 2019.
Pillars Of Eternity is an absolute joy to play through. With the main campaign and two expansions included there’s well over forty hours of excellent RPG to get stuck into. It’s one of the Switch’s best ports because it’s one of this generations finest titles.
To play Tetris Effect without VR is to attend the opera with earplugs in. In fact, Tetris Effect on PlayStation VR is arguably not something you play at all - it's an experience, albeit one built on well-trodden gameplay and a superlative soundtrack. It's synaesthesia incarnate, an orchestra conducted by the player, and well worth the price of admission.
In fact, Tetris Effect on PlayStation VR is arguably not something you play at all - it's an experience, albeit one built on well-trodden gameplay and a superlative soundtrack. It's synaesthesia incarnate, an orchestra conducted by the player, and well worth the price of admission.
Madden NFL 20 might just be the series' best outing to date. Between a less-oppressive Ultimate Team Mode, an excellent player career mode, and more exciting on-the-pitch plays it offers a whole lot of excellent content. Minor tweaks aside, Franchise mode could do with some love next year, but it isn't enough to dull these Friday Night Lights (sorry).
The more you experience, the easier it gets, but it'd be easy to be turned off by the wealth of menus - although thankfully the game does try to unlock each portion at a time which is most welcome.
There are also some minor frame-rate dips in handheld mode when things get particularly flashy on-screen, but not enough to ruin the experience. The camera can also be a bit finicky in enclosed areas, but these are small nitpicks.
Aside from technical issues, Bloodstained remains an excellent title. It's Castlevania in everything but name and fans of Igarachi's earlier work will find a lot to love between excellent combat and rewarding traversal. The Switch port is harder to recommend at present, but the game is likely to be among the console's best after a patch or two. Grab your pitchfork and torches, there's huntin' to do.
Sairento on PlayStation VR may not be a big-name title, but it deserves to be. Excellent combat, unique movement mechanics, and a steep learning curve make it a must-play for anyone looking to unleash hell in VR.
My Friend Pedro is one of the year's best titles, and is easily among the Switch's premier indie titles. It's funny, it's stylish, and it's challenging in all the best ways, and definitely needs to be played by anyone looking for their next quick hit of action gaming.
Mini Mech Mayhem is a fun, clever, and silly game all at once. Its strategy is deeper than you may be expecting, and while the learning curve can be steep at times, it'll definitely entertain -- particularly if you have friends to play alongside.
It's a shame because the golfing basics feel so good once you get to grips with them that it seems a shame there's no real reason to keep testing your skills. Leaderboards offer a small incentive, but less asynchronous multiplayer would've been appreciated.
Project Nimbus is a fun time for those looking to fly around in a giant robot and blow things up, but like the Michael Bay's Transformers movies, it just ends up feeling forgettable as soon as you put the controller down. While Zone of the Enders played very similarly, it did so with more narrative panache. With Daemon X Machina due on Switch in the near-ish future, it might be worth your while waiting a little while longer for your mecha game fix.
Structural foibles detract from the fact that Mortal Kombat 11 is an excellent fighter with lots to offer. Those yearning for the gore-soaked days of old will find plenty to love, and newcomers will be enthralled by its excellent story and deep fighting system.
Over 200 hours worth of high-quality content, playable at home or on the go, Final Fantasy X/X-2 Collection is a must-buy on the Switch. Those that have played before will happily greet old friends, while those that haven't explored Spira will find just as much to love.
Super Dragon Ball Heroes World Mission is not for everyone, but if you can push through the tutorial and put in a few hours, it's a content-rich, bonkers, colourful battler that fans of the franchise will enjoy. Just take note - its power level may vary for those that aren’t deeply rooted in the franchise.
All in all, then, Final Fantasy 7 is still worth playing in 2019. Its legacy is undeniable, and as we wait for more news on the Remake, we can look back at the original which is now available on every current console. There's a reason Cloud and Midgar appear in Super Smash Bros - they, and Final Fantasy 7 as a whole, are true icons. Unfortunately, this piece of history hasn't received the port treatment it deserves just yet.
Between Borderlands: Game Of The Year Edition and the updates to the Handsome Collection, Borderlands is back in a big way, and that's to say nothing of the main attraction coming in September. Unlike more recent entries in this space, Borderlands doesn't hinge on fragile in-game economies or being stingy with loot. Instead, it's a game that just wants to have fun – silly, brash, play-it-with-friends kind of fun. Welcome back old friend, you have been missed.
In short, Total War: Warhammer II offers plenty of content for fans of strategy games, Warhammer and Total Warhammer fans, and new starters to the genre. It is easily one of the genre's finest, standing alongside X-Com 2 as one of the best PC games of the last few years.
The witty writing and unique premise still make Beat Cop a street worth investigating. It has plenty of questions to post on morality (just how far would you push your agenda on the people that look up to you?) but makes it silly and accessible enough to never become too dire. Its a riot, and well worth a routine inspection.