Titles that pushed our buttons
From the plague to zombies and Star Wars, we look at the top games of 2019
IT’S hard to believe, but it’s that time again where we cast a wistful eye over the last year and try to decide which games were our favourites.
A PLAGUE TALE: INNOCENCE (PEGI 18) XBOX ONE, PS4, PC
SET during the first phase of the Hundred Years War – and at the height of the Black Death – this is the tale of two orphans fighting for survival in one of the most brutal periods of human history.
To survive, players must solve a series of increasingly difficult puzzles, and ward off hordes of rats.
Graphically, this title is hauntingly beautiful, developer Asobo Studio taking inspiration from 16th century paintings for the colour palette, and overall look of the environments. Its combination of survival, action, and horror, alongside emotive storytelling made A Plague Tale a real stand out for me this year.
DEVIL MAY CRY 5 (PEGI 18) XBOX ONE, PS4, PC
JUST three minutes in to Devil May Cry 5 (DMC5) and my brain was struggling to compute whether I was playing a game, or watching a movie.
This is the first DMC title that’s been developed on Capcom’s RE Engine, the graphics software used to create Resident Evil 7. The results are nothing short of breathtaking, the photorealistic graphics combining with stunning environments, and lighting to create an almost immersive experience.
DMC5’s combat is visceral, frenetic and violent. The satisfaction of despatching hordes of demons is hard to undersell. This is easily the best DMC game in the series, excelling in almost every aspect.
SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE (PEGI 18) PS4, XBOX ONE, PC
I QUICKLY developed a love/hate relationship with Sekiro – love, in that it was one of the best games I’ve played this year, and hate, in that I was being handed my backside every few minutes.
Taking place in a reimagined world of late 1500s Sengoku Japan, you play as Sekiro, a shinobi (basically a ninja) looking to exact revenge on the samurai who attacked him, and kidnapped his lord.
Battles are incredibly fast, but once you get into the routine, combat is incredibly satisfying.
The swiss-army-knife style prosthetic strapped to your arm allowing you to soar to the rooftops Assassin’s Creed style, putting a whole new spin on gameplay.
While I love a challenge, this is nothing short of insane – the ability to pause the action the only thing which stopped me from slinging the controller through the TV on more than one occasion. But it rewards you for your frustrations, and that pay-off keeps you coming back for more.
BABA IS YOU (PEGI 7) PC, SWITCH
DON’T let the simple 2D graphics fool you, madness lies within this game. Each level is packed with blocks arranged into sentences which set out the rules of the puzzle. You need to rearrange the words, to make your own rules and reach a flag to end the level. For example, the rule might say “wall”, “is”, “stop”. Remove
“stop” from the sentence, and you change the rule, meaning you can now pass freely through walls.
It’s a genius concept, simply and beautifully executed.
RESIDENT EVIL 2 (PEGI 18) PS4, PC, XBOX ONE
THE closest thing to a horror masterpiece I’ve ever played.
Capcom’s impressive reimagining of a modern classic set terrifying new standards for remastered games.
Gorgeously gory graphics make you feel like you’re living the nightmare of Racoon City, as you try to escape the zombie apocalypse.
The developers have tweaked the original story here and there, and added new controls and some smart quality-of-life revisions. Amidst the horror are fun, baroque puzzles to solve which help you on your way. But most of the time it feels like subsistence survival, always a few bullets away from being slaughtered in the worst way imaginable.
TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION 2 (PEGI 18) PS4, XBOX ONE, PC
MUCH refined from its first outing in 2016, the main objective of The Division 2 is to hold Washington DC, and prevent the collapse of society.
Right out of the gate, weapons feel punchier and more satisfying to wield than the previous game. And unlike the first game, when you hit a target, they go down immediately.
Action is well paced, and there’s a better selection of enemies here – and they’re much better telegraphed too, with logos and skill sets appearing when you aim at them. The ability to choose what order you complete tasks in makes the game feel less of a grind.
METRO EXODUS (PEGI 18) PS4, XBOX ONE, PC
THIS third instalment of the Metro series, is possibly the best.
Based on the novels of Dmitry Glukhovsky, the story follows a band of survivors fleeing the shattered ruins of the Moscow Metro. Their journey takes them across the post-apocalyptic wasteland formerly known as the Russian Federation, where stealth is the key to survival.
Exodus may appear to be a vast, openworld sandbox, but as the story unfolds it becomes increasingly linear, carefully constructed levels, and dynamic weather creating the beautifully bleak world the series is known for.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS DEATH STRANDING (PEGI 18) PS4
AMBITIOUS, and utterly compelling, Death Stranding features a starstudded cast and a compellingly bonkers storyline.
It sees cargo porter Sam (Norman Reedus), delivering supplies to the fractured and isolated remaining colonies of the US, to reconnect them to a wireless communications network.
For what is essentially a walking simulator, it touches on the heavy topics of isolation, parenthood and the pending extinction of mankind.
You come away feeling like you’ve played something unique, and fresh – even if you don’t completely understand it.
MONSTER HUNTER WORLD: ICEBORNE (PEGI 16) PS4, XBOX ONE
TAKING place in a new hunting biome, the Hoarfrost Reach, an icy tundra beautifully brought to life, this DLC is the finale Monster Hunter World deserves.
Picking up where the game’s main campaign ends, your hard earned, levelled up High Rank armour and weapons are nothing here, as Iceborne introduces Master Rank – a new tier which, frankly destroys the competition.
A word of warning, if you don’t already own MHW, or haven’t completed the main campaign – then you can’t jump straight into Iceborne. As an expansion this is one of the most creative and enthralling additions I’ve ever played. It must be one of the best games currently available on this generation of consoles.
STAR WARS JEDI: FALLEN ORDER (PEGI 16) PS4, XBOX ONE, PC
AFTER more than a decade of waiting, a Star Wars game has arrived which does justice to the franchise.
Cal Kestis, a Padawan who never completed his training, joins with a ragbag group to restore the Jedi Order. Using the Force to push and pull objects was reminiscent of Dead Space, while lightsaber combat feels heavily influenced by God of War.
It’s an odd mix of styles, but it absolutely works.