Our Games of The Year- 2019

Cam: Videogames.

Can't live with them, can't engage with the people that love them on the internet.

So, the four of us here are at Overthought all love a good video game, they look all nice and provide desperately needed escapism. Given the decade just gone is looking particularly tempting due to the decade just beginning, we've been comfortably wallowing in some happy memories. These talks, as any talk involving me does, became rankings, and the only natural choice seemed to be making our games of the decade list. After many arguments, controversial choices and opinions from Elliott, we decided on our top games from each year of the past ten. We're not professional reviewers, nor do we get the chance to play every game that comes out, but hey ho no one's perfect. Without further ado here's *checks notes* a strategy game I've never played as the fifth best game of 2019!

This may not make any lists but it is the game of the decade

5. Total War: Three Kingdoms

Eoghan: The Total War franchise has had a fraught history. They redefined the strategy genre with the megahit Rome: Total War, then rode the high until the glitch-riddled launches of Empire: Total War and Total War: Rome 2 (where they decided to flip the titles for some reason). Later, they had a triumphant return to form with Total War: Warhammer 2. Three Kingdoms is their next offering, as well as their return to historical rather than fantasy games.

And it's pretty good.

Considering the entire game is set in one country (China), Creative Assembly has managed to make the unit roster pretty diverse and varied. Of course, it's not as diverse as Warhammer is - but they did a good job. Each faction has a collection of unique units that give them their own flair. The campaign gameplay is also the best it has ever been. Mechanics like population make a return, the diplomacy is far more polished than before, and there are even some Crusader Kings-style mechanics revolving around interpersonal relationships.

Three Kingdoms is a very good offering from Total War, if perhaps less replayable than some of their others. Adam likes it more than I do, so I'll yield the floor to him from here.

"These Kingdoms are TOTALLY at war man!"

Adam: I was, in the buildup to release, incredibly torn on Three Kingdoms. The setting was and is undeniably brilliant and one barely ever explored in western media, nevermind Western games. I was a little cynical, however, of the character driven, fantastical elements involved. Duels that looked like they were happening on wires, with characters leaping 30 feet in the air or swinging their swords so fast the air caught fire. I was worried it would break the historical immersion so many previous Total War games had so perfected. The dramatic, over-the-top action seen in these moments however doesn't just work alongside the historical immersion but greatly enhances it, encompassing the legendary drama of the War of the Three Kingdoms with all the poetry and magic it deserves.

Characters are exagerated and near universally likeable. In a strategy game, that's no small feat but with beautifully painted character portraits (that react and change when with a character's age, equipment or mood) draw you in, as does the somewhat cheesy but eminently entertaining voice acting. Perfect heroes and heroines, devilishly over the top villains and brutal raiders all fill up a character roster that is memorable and gives each corner of this historical setting, which remains relatively obscure in the west, incredible flavour. The interface is miles beyond the dull, by the books work seen in Rome II and returns to beautiful, intricate stylings that evoke artwork of the era and region. Factions themselves this time revolve around characters; with all being claimants to the Chinese throne and most being Confucian, Han Chinese, the distinctions between factions lies not in their rosters, cultures or nations but in the personalities and ideologies of their leaders. Throughout the game unique characters are born, with their own portraits and personalities, which continue to engage long after the early game cast has died off. When only three major factions remain, they are each dubbed as a Kingdom (for example the Han, Wu or Yi) who then battle it out for the title of emperor. This gives weight to the end game and lets you recreate the climax of the romance of the three kingdoms without railroading you into a historical outcome.

Historically, there wasn't a giant general in the sky with a perfect view of the battlefield ordering everyone around at once, at least I don't think so I'm no expert

Gameplay is right and entertaining, the campaign map unfolds beautifully and packs levels of depth that are both more engaging and more accessible than in any game since Shogun 2. Battles themselves are punchy; duels between your heroic generals play out in truly poetic fashion whilst a strong roster of unit types, built around a few key weapons and categories, all fill a distinct role on the battlefield which make engagements easy to understand but well stocked for complexity. Terrain helps to give regions a strong identity on the world map (from snowy mountains, to scorching deserts to large urban sprawls) as well as adding quirks on the microlevels with memorable battles fought through marshes, over bridges, in the outskirts of villages or in torrential rain. Meaingful depth (for example in general traits, terrain types and unique faction mechanics) has been strengthened and expanded whilst fluff has been cut. The result is an excellent synthesis of the historical and fantasty total war models, making Three Kingdoms by far the most refined in the series and one of the best strategy games of the decade.

4. Resident Evil 2 (Remake)

This mod makes the game even scarier, but funnily enough still not as terrifying as some of the original episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine

Cam: The remake of Resident Evil 2 made me go from "huge" to "diehard" fan of the series. We all know what Resident Evil is at this point, stupidly evil corporation, lots of zombies, very bad voice acting, and a sewer level which is the lowpoint of the game. What makes Resident Evil 2 Remake stand out isn't any variation from this normal, it is more that every part of the game is so tightly designed the whole experience becomes something quite special indeed.

Shooting is a mechanic that is often not given the time or consideration it needs, but the game really excels in this area. Making aiming tricky without being frustrating is a difficult line to walk, but Resi 2 absolutely nails it, and it makes each zombie encounter feels genuinely perilous. In the downtime between these heart pounding fights, there are puzzles to solve and a densely packed world to explore, which comes together excellently as a complete package. The setting is also fantastic, Raccoon City comes to lurid life with the rundown police station just one of many memorable locations found throughout the grotesque brutal world that makes you both scared and excited to go through each new door.

Resident Evil 2 is so well designed and realised that it makes zombies scary again, and I don't know when that was last true for me. When you leave your safe zone in the police station to explore, there is a palpable feeling of worry, of nerves, a fear of facing the undead once more. Their resilience, their horrible stumbling walk, and their grotesque sound design all comes together into the spine tingling feeling all good horror should inspire. Aside from the walking dead a whole heap of mutated nasties roam the streets, courtesy of the Umbrella company, who as always have their staggering evil matched only by their phenomenal incompetence. From the long tongued Lickers (Of course they have long tongues they're called Lickers I didn't need to explain that) to the stompy fedora wearing Mr X, the denizens of Raccoon City are delightfully vile and always ready to greet you with teeth, claws, or the aforementioned tongue. Which, just to be clear, is a good thing. A scary thing. But a good thing.

Wow these mods sure are crazy- WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S PART OF THE BASE GAME

Of course Leon greets these nasty corpses by saying "What the hell" in a tone reminiscent of a teenager asked to tidy their room. The story and voice acting are both very silly, but in it's own way this simply adds to the experience. The cutscenes and dialogue add welcome respite and both give it the unmistake Resident Evil "feel", because honestly when it's this particular Capcom series what else do you expect?

Well, it's rare you get to expect a game this good.

Cam's Game of the Year

3. Control

Geometric shapes and fog? Them's me specialties.

Elliott: Control is the latest effort from Remedy Entertainment, the team behind 2010's underrated survival-horror Alan Wake. To be upfront, Control has very standard third-person shooter action and movement, and an intriguing if ultimately average plot. What really makes Control stand out among the competition is its moody art direction.

Control's labyrinthine setting, The Oldest House, is a mysterious amalgamation of the Men In Black's headquarters and the SCP Foundation, drawn together with a stunning and unique aesthetic that combines the concrete cuboids of post-war brutalist architecture with drug-trip visuals from films like Inception, Doctor Strange and the Tree of Life. Intimidating grey stairwells meet spiralling kaleidoscopic dimensional terrors, corpses hang in the air over corporate lobbies, and hotel hallways loop back on themselves like the Overlook Hotel.

The Last of Us Part 2 has already ripped off these sexy red-lit environments

The extra-dimensional enemies and encounter design are certainly fun to play, and the story offered me enough to keep going, but Control's art direction remains like no other video game I have ever played. The Oldest House is a fantastic metroidvania-style place to explore; it feels packed with mystery and when playing Control, you get the sense that something new and baffling is lurking around every corner. It usually is.

Elliott's Game of the Year

2. Disco Elysium

This game is a revelation for it is the first one to show a cop which is also an alcoholic

Adam: It's difficult for me to talk about Disco Elysium in just a few hundred words; the first draft of this write up stretched out into well over a thousand. I will try to be brief with what I love about this game and, indeed, most everything to say about it has already been covered by actual critics. They can't stop me from trying however. The following has already turned into a loving ramble and I can only hope that my lack of brevity demonstrates an abundance of passion rather than an absence of wit.

Disco Elysium begins as it means to go on; you are thrust into a conversation, more an argument, with the dark recesses your own mind. Your Limbic System and Reptilian Brain argue with one another and with you about the deep pit you find yourself sunken into, about the mysterious misery enveloping you and about your value as an individual and, it soon becomes evident, as a Detective. Disco Elysium is a cop game and not one that shies away from the morality of that profession. As an RPG, it's various quests involve primarily solving a core mystery and a series of adjacent queries which push your investigation further out into the grimy, occupied city of Revachol. As a simple detective game, it is extremely enjoyable and I found myself excitedly informing my girlfriend about each piece of evidence I had discovered or each new breakthrough I had stumbled upon. What makes this far more satisfying however is the level of introspection the game brings to the table. Beyond it's fantastic writing (courtesy of honest to god real author Robert Kurvitz), the game is a wonderful RPG because it's skills and traits are all aspects of your personality and mental capacity. Rather than strength you improve your "Physical Instrument", rather than agility your Reaction Speed and Hand-Eye Coordination, charisma is broken into Suggestion, Empathy and a handful of other talents. Many other skills are more complex and bespoke: Half Light is your capacity for animalistic rage; Electro-Chemistry your penchant for Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll; Esprit de Corps your cop solidarity. With your skill points and talents boosting elements of your personality and more than half of your conversations being with these elements (often you have to converse with a skill to use it) the game does not simply adapt its introspective themes to RPG mechanics but painstakingly blends the two into a unique and near flawless outcome.

As the game truly begins, you find yourself, as so many cliche'd pieces of media do, an amnesiac, waking to an unfamiliar world. Where other games use this as a crutch, however, Disco Elysium's amnesia is a key part of the mystery at hand, as well as a key part of your character development. Quickly your alcoholic, disheveled policeman is joined by his partner, Kim Kitsuragi. Depending on your choices Kim will be your ally for most or all of the game and provides you with insight into the world and regular moral judgement, critiquing your every move through his own inevitably biased but ultimately empathetic and generous lens. Kim is demonstrative of how the game uses characters; each one can at the same time have great utility in explaining the world, the gameplay and various philosophies without ever dropping their exeedingly well written dialogue, pristine characterisation or fascinating personal history. Few video game companions are as fundamentally likable as Kim, or as layered as the street urchin Cuno, or as deliciously loathsome as the corrupt union boss Evrart Claire. It is through these people, diverse in belief, origins and nature, that the city of Revachol unfolds.

Is this a Disco? Or an Elysium?

This world is complex, deep and beyond engrossing. It takes from tropes and genres at will, remixing and blending for an outcome that (to lean on yet another cliche) bridges the familiar and the alien. Cops carry guns, of course, but use muzzleloaders the type of which hasn't been seen in our history since the 18th century. Breechloaders, in our time common by the 1840s, are reserved for top-of-the-line military use. At the same time, Kim arrives in a car running on petrol (albeit one that looks somewhere between a Ford Model T and Bioshock's Rapture). Computers exist but all rely on analogue, radio technology, beamed through the "pale", a mysterious force or perhaps substance or perhaps place that rings this world of islands. Beyond technology, the history of the world is recognisable; Communism, it's revolutions, glories and failures all leave a lasting impact on the game in a manner that reflects its decidedly eastern european origins. Fascism too exists and the game does not shy away from racism which, like our world, takes all forms. From the pseudo-scientific "race realist", who in game spends paragraphs of dialogue outlining the manner in which their skull shape superior to yours, down to the jingoist truckers who spew obscenities and guffaw over crude caricatures on novelty mugs. Centrism (here rendered as the literal cult of "Moralism") and neoliberalism also receive their dose of contempt; the later is treated by your internal monologue and in game characters alike as petty, vindictive and cruel, whilst the former bears the full responsibility for the present misery of Revachol.

All of this, however, is filtered through the world's own history and inherent surrealism. The colour of communism is green (once a colour of political radicalism in our own history) rather than red, it's symbol the "antlers-and-star" rather than hammer and sickle. Familiarity abounds but twisted through another universe's history and lore.

I have already written at too great length about every part of Disco Elysium and I'm sure it's obvious that beyond the world class writing or innovative gameplay, it is the world and philosophy of Disco Elysium that truly engrosses me. Easily my personal game of 2019 and firmly within my top 5 of all time, Disco Elysium is at once fresh, a classic, enjoyable and macabre. Undoubtedly, some will find Disco Elysium too full of hot air, too obsessed with it's own universe, too deep down the rabbit hole of existentialism and self reflection. For many others, however, every element clicks perfectly into place. It stands alone; a novel rendered in game form and a unique piece of media all the more brilliant for it.

Adam's Game of the Year

1. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

It's usually the other way around. (Image from VentureBeat)

Eoghan: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice comes from the same sadists that brought you Dark Souls and Bloodborne, and that pedigree should tell you all you need to know. Set in the fictional land of Ashina in Sengoku-period Japan, a mountain kingdom beset on all sides by enemies and supernatural chaos, Sekiro sees the titular one-armed immortal embark on a brutal quest to kill either himself or his also-immortal child master.

Ah, that's the FromSoftware weirdness we all know and love.

Sekiro sheds the RPG elements of FromSoftware's other offerings to bring us what is most certainly their most streamlined title yet. Battles eschew the dodge-heavy mechanics of their other titles to focus on the crunching impact of blade-on-blade and - if you get hit by a grab attack - your face against the ground. This is punctuated by special techniques from your shinobi prosthetic, such as exploding firecrackers or thrown shurikens, and a generous helping of acrobatics. Every encounter is designed around this combat system without having to worry about catering to different builds, and that allows them to be more mechanically complex than FromSoftware's previous ones. The end result is the most viscerally satisfying melee combat system I've experienced in a game.

Sekiro also departs from the studio's other titles by actually putting the story in the game. While it still takes some effort to follow and understand, Sekiro's story is doubtlessly atmospheric and engaging. At the same time, it manages to avoid linearity. The game gives you a lot of choice in how you approach the course of events, and many bosses can be fought at different times or even skipped altogether. There are even a few genuinely impactful choices sprinkled throughout that can set your story on a different path.

All in all, Sekiro is a significant departure from FromSoftware's usual fare whilst also retaining the polish and precision their games are renowned for. It's just a damn good game. In a year that is perhaps a little weaker for gaming than what came after or before, I absolutely believe it is deserving of the Game of the Year spot.

Cam: DIE TWICE, FROM SOFTWARE, SHADOWS DIE TWICE DO THEY THIS IS FLAGRANT FALSE ADVERTISING WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS (I also think the game is phenomenal)

Eoghan's Game of the Year

Cam: So there you have it, no matter what you think you definitely cannot deny these are some games. I'm personally very happy with these choices, and while my friends cruelly sabotaged my game by unreasonably not voting for it, I get the feeling this pattern won't continue through the years. Because if nothing else, I will ride or fucking die for 2015. This is not a joke I know where you all live. Thanks for reading!