The GNamer Forum Awards 2019

(games in bold were somebody's first place vote, games in italics were voted on by multiple people)

Metro Exodus - 1 point

Frostpunk - 1 point

"Makes you do a bad."

Days Gone - 1 point

"Zombie apocalypses are cool and this game is good."

Gears 5 - 1 point

Mortal Kombat 11 - 2 points

Metal Wolf Chaos XD - 2 points

Psyvariar Delta - 2 points

Wreckfest - 2 points

"Makes you do a crash."

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - 3 points

The Outer Wilds - 3 points

"Makes you do a woah."

A Plague Tale: Innocence - 3 points

Samurai Shodown - 3 points

"I loved the simplicity and high damage in this fighting game though there is still a lot of depth to it as well. Also usually in most fighting games there's always characters that feel too much like one another but in Sam Sho each one felt so unique & that made figuring out all the fighter match ups all the more fun."

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - 3 points

Fallout 76 - 3 points

"I continued playing Fallout 76 for much of this year and still think it's brilliant."

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne - 3 points

Life is Strange 2 - 3 points

Tom Clancy's The Division 2 - 4 points

"The same as the first game but more of it, doesn't do much new but the most fun I've had with a loot shooter."

Apex Legends - 4 points

"This was my first BR game and the recent 2019 playstation wrap up tells me I played it for over 300 hours which did surprise me a bit if I'm honest. Respawn just know how to make movement in an FPS game feel so good and when you throw in characters with unique abilities into the mix it's just fun trying use that together with the movement to outsmart your opponents."

Total War: Three Kingdoms - 4 points

"Makes you do a, 'it's Lü Bu'".

Control - 4 points

Disco Elysium - 5 points

"Makes you do a HOLY SHIT"

Judgment - 5 points

Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled - 6 points (2 votes)



You say: "It's not as good as classic CTR because it's diluted by microtransaction nonsense, but it's still CTR, and therefore one of the best kart racers ever made."

I say: I can't say I'm too interested in this one as MK8D is all the kart racing I need, but having strong alternatives is always a good thing.



The Outer Worlds - 6 points (2 votes)

You say: "Not quite New Vegas 2, but still a very good quest driven RPG with real player agency."

I say: One that I regret missing and one I'll definitely get around to. Even if it doesn't hit the heady heights of New Vegas, I'm jonesing for something just like this.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - 9 points (2 votes, one first place)



You say: "The absolute best combat of all the From soft games, it might sound odd to say this about a game but each fight honestly feels like you are part of a choreographed dance. The posture system is also one of the most fun mechanics I've played about with in a game in years."

I say: I'm a little surprised this didn't end up taking the award! It was my number two, but it looks like only myself and... well, you can probably guess who was the other person. Sekiro is my favourite From game that I've played so far - the battling was a genuine treat and its bosses gave me some of my favourite moments in games last year.

Death Stranding - 10 points (2 first place votes)



You say: "It's going to be robbed as hardly any of you have played it".

"A brilliantly realised open world stripped back to the core of pure traversal and then layered back up in unique fashion."

I say: Robbed? Hardly! Death Stranding may be sharing the podium, but it's clearly impressed those that have played it and inspired apathy in others. Its divisiveness is well represented even here on GNamer. It's one I do intend to get around to as it sounds like it's worth playing, even if I don't get on with it.



Devil May Cry V - 10 points (2 first place votes)

You say: Diddly squat.

I say: Well, this was my first place vote. I didn't expect it to be a joint first place winner, though! I thought it would be too niche, but I'm so glad it's here. I posted a lot more about this in the Last Game You Finished thread, but this is character action games in their rawest form. I chose this over Sekiro as I'm still thinking about DMC V and I find myself wanting to go back and tackle its higher difficulty and learn the intricacies of each character, whereas I burnt out on replaying Sekiro. I think the fact that DMC V has stuck with me is proof of a fine, fine video game.




Resident Evil 2 - 10 points (three votes, one first place)

You say: "A remake of the highest quality, felt like a completely new game, incredibly tense and scary. Feels like they've reinvented the series once again but for the better."

I say: Whilst it wasn't as highly praised on an individual basis, it did pick up the biggest number of votes, which is a great sign and makes it a worthy co-winner. RE2 is one that I fully intend to get around to - it looks like it's made Resi more accessible than ever whilst still retaining what makes the series special. That's the hallmark of a true remake. Also, what a year it was for Capcom!

Sekiro
DMC V
Death Stranding

The Cappuccino Kid (two votes)



You say: "I was going back through the Posts Appreciation Thread and I realised how many of the funny ones are Cappa Classics, yet I don't think he's ever really challenged for this award. Travesty. Let's fix that."

"Tickles me Pickles "

I say: Cappa's dry wit always has him in the running for this award in my eyes. No man has attained such masterful use over the word "mince".

Drunkalilly - (three votes)



You say: "Whether it's light hearted laughs or something a little more blue he always manages to bring the bantz."

"Mr. Summerhayes again; he always does it."

I say: Our man in Japan places on the podium for this award yet again - I don't think he's missed out on first or second since its inception.

Jimbob - (four votes)



You say:  "Weird stuff Mas says is only as funny as the post that calls him out for it after. It was a toss-up between "Best Dead Kids in Gaming" and "Embling". Jimbob's good reaction when I made a very risky call-back wins it."

"It’s been a good year for the big man."

I say: Post of the Year and now Funniest Forumite - and that's for two years on the trot. Thanks for the laughs in 2019, Jimmers.  

(games in italics received multiple votes)

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020 - 1 point

"The best rugby game ever made!"

Katana Zero - 1 point

Steamworld Quest - 1 point

"It's rare to call a game 'just great', but that's what SWQ is. It feels like with a bit more ambition, Image & Form could have made something really special. As it is, it's just a very refined JRPG that does everything it sets out to do flawlessly."

FAR: Lone Sails - 1 point

"I feel like I'm the only one that knows what this is on here". (Ed: Correct.)

Overland - 2 points

"The best new entry in the post-apocalyptic oregon trail genre."

Astral Chain - 2 points

"Platinum, innit?"

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair - 2 points

"Largely drawn from other, more successful games, but in ways it actually advances beyond its superb predecessors. This is the best game from 2019 that you missed."

New Super Lucky's Tale - 2 points

"I've only just started playing it, but it's clearly better designed that Yooka-Laylee, and maybe A Hat in Time. Might've made a place higher in my list if I'd played more of it! And it's a game I played in 2019 on the Switch."

Soul Searching - 3 points

"An incredibly personal and uniquely experimental exploration of the developer's own depression."

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled - 3 points

"Ignore that Mario Kart 8 horses it: this is an excellent kart racer in it’s own right."

Baba Is You - 3 points

"This is such a clever game. It's a bit too clever, in fact - cleverer than I am or can pretend to be. Still, while I was playing it properly, with brain in gear, I really loved it, and I loved how it made me think."

"Bloody brilliant idea. The rules of the puzzle are part of the puzzle itself? Genius! As far as I can tell, no-one's done this before. Only stymied by a sharp difficulty curve, without a logical learning cycle. And it's a game I played in 2019 on the Switch."

River City Girls - 4 points

"Hands down the best visuals and music of 2019 - plus a really good beat 'em up too!"

A Hat in Time - 4 points

"One of the smiliest games of last year, I'm only sorry it took me so long to get around to Hat Kid's romp. It apes the great Mario platformers, but there's no shame in that. With exploration lifted from 64 and Sunshine, spectacle from the Galaxies, and character and writing that's all its own, this game is a delight that should appeal to almost everyone."

Ori and the Blind Forest - 4 points

"My second favourite Metroidvania of all-time".

Cadence of Hyrule - 9 points (3 votes, one first place)



You say: "Yes I did copy and paste that title from Google. (Ed: This voter gave the full title eg. 'Featuring Crypt of the Necrodancer' or whatever). A musical Zelda! What a good idea. Again, nice to see Nintendo relax their mitts a little bit, and especially with a little indie dev. Love the Morricone Gerudo theme. And it's a game I played in 2019 on the Switch."

"I had only seen brief snippets of folk playing the original Necrodancer but had never played it myself so this was something totally fresh for me & I loved it to bits because of that. It's hard going at first but once that music and combat clicks there is absolutely nothing else like it."

I say: A soundtrack full of bangers. It was great to see Nintendo give the Zelda name to an indie dev too.



Untitled Goose Game - 9 points (four votes, one first place)

You say: "First you see the viral videos. Then you 'press Y to honk'. If you don't crack a massive grin at this point, you're out. You're safe. If you grin, you're drawn deep into a bottomless spiral of charm and whimsy that ends with you honking at your friends and family and searching for goose fanart, if not merchandise. You're in too deep. There is no escape. HONK HONK."

"Honk."

"It didn't disappoint, I've never played anything quite like this. Such a joy to play, really funny and clever and it's no surprise it took the world by storm."

"More than a meme, and not here just because of its character and charm either. I thought this was a genuinely good game, I really enjoyed it!"

I say: Honk indeed. This game took everyone by storm, I think. The deluge of fanart around its release was a treat and a half.

Tetris 99 - 11 points (four votes)



You say: "Puzzle perfection that’s as compulsive as ever, and Lord and Saviour of the Nintendo Online subscription service."

"I never knew I needed a Tetris Battle Royale till this came along, gets pretty hectic but actually requires a lot of tactics and concentration, so easy to dip in and out of for a few games every now and then."

I say: I didn't get on with this because of my sheer ineptitude at Tetris, but even I could see what a brilliant idea this was and lots of fun for those that are actually competent at Tetris. And for free too!

Sayonara Wild Hearts - 12 points (four votes)



You say: "A very fun and pretty unique little game with a belting soundtrack."

"Super music."

I say: A genuine surprise from last year for me. Every stage presented a unique wee idea and didn't dwell on it. It was a rollercoaster ride from start to finish and its soundtrack was so good that the game's OST ended up as my most played album on Spotify last year.

Slay the Spire - 12 points (four votes)



You say: "Banger!"

"After really enjoying Gwent in Witcher 3 in the early part of last year I've been on the look out for more card games & StS is an absolute peach that I'll for sure still be playing over the next few years."

I say: Yeah, this is ace. A roguelike card game is a brilliant idea and creating strategies to survive each battle and grow your deck into a boss beating machine has been a blast. One that'll be plugging away it for some time, for sure!

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - 13 points (five votes, one first place)



You say: "My favourite game of all time, lovingly remade with wonderful new visuals and some much appreciated quality of life improvements."

"Perfectly serviceable Zelda with a wonderful tone and story, and gorgeous music and visuals."

"Yes I know it's a remake of a game that came out ages ago. But it's so bloody charming, and they've smoothed off some of the sharp edges, and it's charming, and have I mentioned how charming it is? Animal Village theme please. And it's a game I played in 2019 on the Switch."

I say: I think a remaster of a beloved classic was the right move for the first "proper" Zelda since BotW. A lot of the Zelda formula feels a bit dated in my eyes after BotW, but you can't deny LA's utter charm and quaintness.

Pokémon Sword/Shield - 14 points (five votes)



You say: "It's Pokémon, it's mostly the same kinda thing but the addition of the wild area shows a lot of promise for the future of the series, Galar is a really cool region and Hop using all sorts of English terms like "mate" and "she'll go spare" was brilliant."

"Bloody hell, a Pokemon game that feels like it was made in this decade!"

"Makes your eyes do a smile."

I say: I think it's quite telling that whilst this game placed in the top 5, it was nobody's first place choice. There's a sense that Pokémon could be so much more than it is right now and SwSh showed elements of that, at least. It's still Pokémon at the end of the day and it's still bloody good fun. I just want more from the series, y'know?

Luigi's Mansion 3 - 16 points (five votes, one first place)



You say: "'M-M-M-Mario?' Another addition to the series, another game bursting with charm and clever puzzles. It lacks a certain sprinkle of gameplay magic that elevates the very best Nintendo games, but it's still damn fine. Floor 8 is one of the great set-pieces."

"Utterly charming and polished, a perfect example of that Nintendo difference. Full of  moments that make you smile, plenty to discover and just great fun to play."

"Spooky."

"This just had so much charm packed into it and even though I wasn't that keen on the linear nature of it each floor always brought something new and fun. Also it's not often a game can make you laugh out loud so that also makes it really special for me."

I say: Man, if these awards had been just a little bit later, I'd have voted for this. I literally started playing this today and you can tell even from the early bits that this is a polished game. I've chuckled at Luigi's antics and I can see myself rating this one highly, much like many of you did.

Super Mario Maker 2 - 18 points (four votes, two first places)



You say: "Built on the fun of the Wii U version with some good new items to use and seemingly improving with the latest update. Story mode was as good as any other NSMB game, if not better."

"Experimenting with your own and other folks’ mad designs and developing levels to suit your own playing style adds another dimension to the signature platforming joy of Super Mario."

"Once again, it's nice to see a light-hearted take on a Nintendo big deal. The story mode does a great job of demonstrating what's possible; I just wish my imagination was as great as it would have been at the age of 7. And it's a game I played in 2019 on the Switch."

I say: One I missed from last year, but seeing Twitter clips of people's mental creations never fails to amuse. It's clearly iterated well on the previous game and made this a treat to play.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - 30 points (six votes, six first places)



You say: "Thinky."

"Diddler".

"The most I’ve ever gotten into one of the games in this series. Gorgeous, emotionally engaging, fun to play, and everyone I know was into it at the same time so I felt like an event."

I say: A landslide! Everyone who voted for this clearly adored it considering all of its votes are first placers. This was my first place vote and I thought it was absolutely brilliant. It allayed all my fears that spawned from Fates and delivered a Fire Emblem that made me engage with its well written characters and genuinely care about their lives, whilst still maintaining the battling and strategy that made me fall in love with the series. A very worthy winner in my eyes!