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2019 Game of the Year Awards — Genre Awards — Best Puzzler

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 12/16/2019
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Once again, the puzzle genre is rather dried up this year, and I’m afraid one day this category may disappear. Everyone is so worried about the next action game that people don’t want to step back and relax and work their brains.

Tetris 99

While we’ve played Tetris dozens of times over before, Tetris 99 brings people together in an online world and feels exciting and fresh. While there were other great puzzle games this year, and you could argue that Tetris isn’t unique, it’s a timeless classic and when to put together with new ideas can become one of the most addictive puzzle games ever like it was on the original GameBoy decades prior.

Runner-Ups

Baba Is You

Manifold Garden

Puyo Puyo Champions

Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns

2019 Game of the Year Awards — Console Awards — Best Nintendo Exclusive

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 12/16/2019
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The Switch had a rocky first couple of years, but 2019 has seen the Switch coming out swinging as Nintendo’s best console since the Wii. The first party games trickle in nicely, but we are getting many ports and some great exclusives from third-party developers that most Nintendo fans would only dream of having. There were actually a couple of games that didn’t make the list as there were just that many awesome games on the system this year.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

Link’s Awakening isn’t just a remake, but a re-imagining of the soul of one of the most beloved games of all time. That’s a lot of pressure and not easy to do, but Nintendo just seems to have a magic wand they can wave and can do no evil. The game is beautiful, the puzzles are engaging, and the magic is still there even after all these years.

Runner-Ups

Pokemon Sword/Shield

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Luigi’s Mansion 3

Astral Chain

2019 Game of the Year Awards — Console Awards — Best PlayStation Exclusive

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 12/16/2019
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With this being the PS4’s penultimate year as a steady game console we still saw some amazing exclusives that its rival, the Xbox One, still has yet to deliver. The PS4’s ecosystem is now chock-full of fantastic AAA first-party titles that make the PS4 the must-have system.

Death Stranding

Death Stranding is a mixed bag at best. You have an ambitious and overly hyped game for the last 4 years and then it’s released as an over-glorified walking simulator with extra steps. The game is praised and hated by many, but you can’t deny the ambition Kojima had. With a AAA cast of characters, phenomenal visuals, and some pretty whacky ideas, Death Stranding makes the PS4 stand out more than any other time.

Runner-Ups

Days Gone

Catherine: Full Body

Medievil

MLB: The Show 19

2019 Game of the Year Awards — Console Awards — Best Mobile Exclusive

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 12/12/2019
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The mobile genre is becoming harder and harder to filter out the awful microtransaction laden garbage, but a few gems still shine through every year. What makes mobile gaming so appealing is the pick-up-and-play and the constantly increasing power of cell phones.

Sky: Children of Light

Created by the minds behind Journey, thatgamecompany really knows how to make minimalist games appealing. With simple controls and fantastic visuals, you play through a community filled adventure with little hand-holding and the ability to explore and sail across the wind. There’s no other experience like it on mobile devices.

Runner-Ups

Grindstone

Call of Duty: Mobile

Immortal Rogue

Mini Motorways

2019 Game of the Year Awards — Console Awards — Best PC Exclusive

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 12/11/2019
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PC has been stronger than ever. Never before have there been as many PC releases alongside consoles. However, the PC is still unique with its own controls and power that consoles just can’t provide. It was a tough year spanning across many genres.

Disco Elysium

Disco Elysium is a rare gem that only gets released maybe once a decade. This is what makes PC gaming so unique. A point and click RPG with a gorgeous art style, story, characters, and so many possibilities to choose from. It’s what made the PC so appealing as a gaming device decades ago, and Disco Elysium nails that need.

Runner-Ups

Planet Zoo

Mordhau

Total War: Three Kingdoms

Amid Evil

2018 Game of the Year Awards Round-Up

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 01/11/2019
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God of War

Awarded
Game of the Year
Best PlayStation Exclusive
Best Atmosphere
Best Story
Best Sound Design
Best Voice Acting
Best Graphics, Artistic
Best Graphics, Technical
Best Action-Adventure Game

Red Dead Redemption II

Awarded
Best Multi-Platform Game

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best Atmosphere
Best Story
Best Sound Design
Best Voice Acting
Best Graphics, Technical
Best Action-Adventure Game

Octopath Traveler

Awarded
Best Nintendo Exclusive
Best RPG

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best Story
Best Graphics, Artistic

Battlefield V

Awarded
Best Shooter

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best Atmosphere
Best Sound Design
Best Graphics, Technical
Best Multi-Platform Game
Best Multiplayer Game

Monster Hunter World

Awarded
Best Multiplayer Game

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best Sound Design
Best Graphics, Artistic
Best Multi-Platform Game
Best Action-Adventure Game

Forza Horizon 4

Awarded
Best Driving Game

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best Graphics, Technical

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Awarded
Best Indie Game

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best RPG

Fallout 76

Awarded
Most Disappointing Game

Battletech

Awarded
Best PC Exclusive
Best Strategy Game

Nominated
Game of the Year

Pocket City

Awarded
Best Mobile Exclusive

Spyro Reignited Trilogy

Awarded
Best Reissue
Best Platformer

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Awarded
Best Fighter

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best Nintendo Exclusive

Tetris Effect

Awarded
Best Puzzler

Far Cry 5

Nominated
Best Shooter
Best Voice Acting
Best Multiplayer Game
Best Multiplatform Game

Prey: Mooncrash

Nominated
Best Shooter

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Nominated
Best Shooter
Best Multiplayer Game

Warhammer: Vermintide 2

Nominated
Best Shooter

Call of Cthulhu

Nominated
Best Atmosphere

Vampyr

Nominated
Best Story
Best Indie Game
Best Voice Acting

Marvel’s Spider-Man

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best Story
Best Sound Design
Best Graphics, Technical
Best Action-Adventure Game
Best PlayStation Exclusive

Celeste

Nominated
Best Indie Game
Best Platformer

Dead Cells

Nominated
Best Indie Game
Best Platformer

Wreckfest

Nominated
Best Indie Game
Best Driving Game

Detroit: Become Human

Nominated
Best Voice Acting
Best PlayStation Exclusive

Sea of Thieves

Nominated
Best Graphics, Artistic
Most Disappointing Game

Unravel Two

Nominated
Best Graphics, Artistic

Agony

Nominated
Most Disappointing Game

Darksiders III

Nominated
Most Disappointing Game

Fear Effect Sedna

Nominated
Most Disappointing Game

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age

Nominated
Best RPG

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

Nominated
Best RPG
Best PC Exclusive

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

Nominated
Best RPG

Gaucamelee 2

Nominated
Best Platformer

Oddmar

Nominated
Best Platformer

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Nominated
Best Action-Adventure Game
Best Multiplatform Game

F1 2018

Nominated
Best Driving Game

Onrush

Nominated
Best Driving Game

Burnout Paradise Remastered

Nominated
Best Driving Game
Best Reissue

Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle

Nominated
Best Puzzler

The Room: Old Sins

Nominated
Best Puzzler

Sushi Striker: The Way of the Sushido

Nominated
Best Puzzler

Lumines Remastered

Nominated
Best Puzzler

Frostpunk

Nominated
Best Strategy Game
Best PC Exclusive

Valkyria Chronicles 4

Nominated
Best Strategy Game

Dragon Ball Fighter Z

Nominated
Best Fighter

Soul Calibur VI

Nominated
Best Fighter

Fighting EX Layer

Nominated
Best Fighter

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle

Nominated
Best Fighter

Kirby Star Allies

Nominated
Best Nintendo Exclusive

Let’s Go Eevee/Pikachu

Nominated
Best Nintendo Exclusive

Super Mario Party

Nominated
Best Nintendo Exclusive

Shadow of the Colossus

Nominated
Best PlayStation Exclusive
Best Reissue

DJ Max Respect

Nominated
Best PlayStation Exclusive

Dark Souls Remastered

Nominated
Best Reissue

The World Ends With You: Final Mix

Nominated
Best Reissue

Motorsport Manager Mobile 3

Nominated
Best Mobile Exclusive

Donut County

Nominated
Best Mobile Exclusive

Grimvalor

Nominated
Best Mobile Exclusive

Shadowgun: Legends

Nominated
Best Mobile Exclusive

CrossCode

Nominated
Best PC Exclusive

Into the Breach

Nominated
Best PC Exclusive

2018 Game of the Year Awards — Achievement Awards — Game of the Year

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 01/05/2019
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This is always the hardest category for me to pick and I always spend weeks thinking about it. What makes a game better than all the others? Does it have to be revolutionary? One of a kind? Bigger than any other game? Not necessarily. GotY is usually for a game that exceeds expectations and feels solid, structured, fun, and memorable, and just stands out as a whole over any other game. This was a hard year to pick from as there were so many fantastic games that fell under these criteria.

God of War

It was really only a close call between God of War and Red Dead II this year with Spider-Man right behind them. This was one of those rare years where I had to analyze each and every piece of both games to determine the winner. They both have fantastic acting, characters, gameplay elements, and visuals. God of War however did most of this with more finesse and less experimentation. I felt the story of Kratos and Atreus cut a little deeper and I felt more attached and wanted to die to see the next cut-scene while Red Dead II was a really slow burn. The gameplay in God of War single-handedly reshaped combat for its own genre while Red Dead II just refined it. They both had large open worlds, but God of War’s was more memorable and had so much incredible detail that Red Dead just didn’t have. 

Runner-Ups

Marvel’s Spider-Man

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Octopath Traveler

Monster Hunter World

Red Dead Redemption II

Battlefield V

Battletech

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Forza Horizon 4

2018 Game of the Year Awards — Genre Awards — Best Shooter

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 01/04/2019
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While this wasn’t as strong of a year as 2016, there were quite a few awesome shooters this year. Any shooter fan wouldn’t be disappointed one bit.

Battlefield V

Battlefield V may seem too similar to Battlefield 1, but it’s still an exemplary shooter with visuals that push boundaries, fantastic multiplayer, and a great campaign with the years of expertise from DICE behind the game.

Runner-Ups

Far Cry 5

Prey: Mooncrash

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Warhammer: Vermintide 2

2018 Game of the Year Awards — Achievement Awards — Best Atmosphere

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 01/04/2019
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The atmosphere in a game can be just as memorable as the story or be a character itself. Fallout 3 proved this as the Capital Wasteland was a character all on its own. A great atmosphere is something that can draw you in and make you feel a part of the world.

God of War

The atmosphere in a game is supposed to suck you into its world and make you feel exactly how the characters are feeling. God of War did this best with its cold and dark environments and massive scale levels that are out of this world. The beauty of this Norse realm was incredible to take in and each realm really made me feel like I was actually there.

Runner-Ups

Red Dead Redemption II

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Battlefield V

Call of Cthulhu

2018 Game of the Year Awards — Achievement Awards — Best Story

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 01/02/2019
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The story is probably the second most important aspect of a game next to the gameplay. A good story can be memorable, impactful, controversial, enlightening, frightening, and any other emotion humans can feel. We didn’t have many games with memorable stories this year, but there were some out there that stood out.

God of War

There weren’t that many engaging stories this year, and there seems to be less and less every year, but God of War not only portrayed memorable characters, but the story Kratos goes through is very memorable and something you talk about long after the game is complete. Stories that stand the test of time are the ones that are remembered through history.

Runner-Ups

Red Dead Redemption II

Octopath Traveler

Vampyr

Marvel’s Spider-Man