David’s Top Games of 2019

One of the most vivid memories I have of playing video games growing up is sitting in a pitch-black room so dark I wouldn’t be able to see my hand an inch from face if it wasn’t for the glow of the television. That light came from Resident Evil on the TV, which, at the time, was a game the likes of which I had never experienced. Being born in the 80s, I grew up on video games, mostly consoles with some PC, but RE was like nothing I’d played up to that point. The night I brought it home, I can remember staying up all night with my brother playing countless hours until we beat it… and then doing it all over again.

These days, all-night game sessions are distant memories. I’m lucky if I can find an hour or two in the day to sink into a game. If I’m not at work, I’m spending time with my family, or traveling, or taking care of any one of the endless to-dos that come with being a responsible adult. So what did I decide to do? Start a podcast of course! In my RemotePlay Gaming Cast I’ll be exploring titles that are perfect for gamers with only a few precious hours to spare, short games that you can just hop in and out of. I’ll also be covering the latest news and announcements from around the game world, and even speaking with some people who know way more about this stuff than I do. Look out for it soon!

Now, on to my top 3 games of 2019:

1. Untitled Goose Game:

Look, is this the best game of 2019? Not even close (see #2). But that doesn’t make it any less entertaining, and Untitled Goose Game is nothing if not wildly entertaining. If 2018 allowed me to feel like Spider-Man, 2019 showed me what it’s like to be a goose, i.e. a total jerk. For the uninitiated, Untitled Goose Game puts you in the body of a goose as you walk around different parts of the world doing goose things. You steal things, you break things, you lock people inside things, and, generally speaking, go around annoying the poor townsfolk as you complete a list of tasks. At its heart, it’s a puzzle game where you use different actions, primarily honking and picking items up,  and environmental elements to solve each puzzle. It’s a short game, taking only a few hours to complete at most, and there’s no dying. Failing a puzzle equates to being chased off at which point you can immediately go back to try again. I’ve never had so much fun being an utter jerk.

2. Resident Evil 2:

No offense to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and the team over at FromSoftware, but here is your GOTY. Call it nostalgia, or whatever you want to call it, but what is there not to love about this game? The vastly improved graphics, controls, and story make RE2 such a fun and thrilling game to play. It had me on the edge of my seat as any good survival horror title should do. I could go on, but I’m sure you’ve played it already and if you haven’t, go play it now!

1. Death Stranding:

Ok, I know I went on and on about not having time to play long games but I couldn’t resist putting this on my list. Hands down the most controversial game of 2019, and I am in the love it camp. To be honest, I haven’t finished and it’ll probably take me all of 2020 to finish it but this game is so good. At its shortest I’ve heard it can take over 40 hours to complete just the main story. I’ve put in maybe 10 hours, being generous with my estimation, but those have been some fun 10 hours. I can’t explain what is so great about delivering packages in a post-apocalyptic world, or why I spent an hour or two building a road for other people to use other than to say it just gives me a weird satisfaction. It’s not for everyone.