The 10 Best Video Games Released In 2019

When it comes to the best years in gaming history, 2019 will certainly be a year that will be remembered. Many incredible games were released in 2019, with the PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch at the peak of their popularity as anticipation began growing for the release of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S the following year. For this list, we have used the scores from the now defunct Game Rankings as the basis. Although many games on this list were released on multiple platforms, the only ones listed made the top 10 in the rankings and it is those specific versions that formed the basis of this list.

10. Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Nintendo Switch

Despite the series beginning in 1990, it took until 2003 for an entry in the series to be released outside of Japan, so it is understandable if the series has escaped you over the years. Fire Emblem: Three Houses changed that for a lot of people, with it quickly becoming the best-selling entry in the entire Fire Emblem series. The game also saw an increase in popularity due to the heavy use of its characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses scored 89% on Game Rankings.

9. NieR: Automata – Game of the YoRHa Edition – PlayStation 4

It is quite difficult to describe why you should play NieR: Automata, or any entries in the series, but you definitely should. NieR: Automata features action-packed hack and slash battles that can be likened to Devil May Cry or Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, an expansive open world, as well as masterful storytelling, and character design.

NieR: Automata – Game of the YoRHa Edition scored 90% on Game Rankings.

8. Monster Hunter: World – Iceborne – PlayStation 4

Monster Hunter: World – Iceborne is an expansion pack for Monster Hunter: World that was released the previous year, which took the series to new heights, with it becoming the best-selling Capcom game of all time with a huge 18 million copies sold worldwide.

Monster Hunter: World – Iceborne scored 90% on Game Rankings.

7. Irony Curtain: From Matryoshka with Love – PC

Point and click games have lost a lot of popularity since the genre’s peak in the 90s. Irony Curtain: From Matryoshka with Love throws the player into the middle of the Cold War with goofy storytelling as players embark on a wacky spy adventure.

Irony Curtain: From Matryoshka with Love scored 91% on Game Rankings.

6. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night – Xbox One

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a side-scrolling action RPG and it is one of the best indie Metroidvania games of modern times. If you’re a fan of the many Metroidvania games that have been released in recent years, then this has to be at the top of your list of games to check out.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night scored 91% on Game Rankings.

5. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition – Nintendo Switch

When it comes to JRPGs, the Final Fantasy series is often one that comes to mind first, although Dragon Quest does predate it by a year. Dragon Quest XI was the entry that finally brought the series to the mainstream, first releasing in Japan on the Nintendo 3DS and PS4 before seeing a worldwide release the following year. The Definitive Edition was first released on the Nintendo Switch in 2019 before seeing a release on other platforms the following year.

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition scored 91% on Game Rankings.

4. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – PC, Xbox One

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has been called a masterpiece by some gamers, with it being another classic title from Dark Souls developer FromSoftware. Like other titles by FromSoftware, Sekiro features stunning visuals and a combat system that is difficult to learn but incredibly satisfying once mastered, as well as brilliant audio design. If you’ve played Dark Souls or Elden Ring before you will have an idea of what to expect from Sekiro.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice scored 92% on Game Rankings.

3. Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers – PC, PlayStation 4

For these “best game” lists I tend to stay away from including DLC or expansion packs, but when they’re this good it’s hard not to include them. Shadowbringers was the first Final Fantasy XIV expansion since 2017 and would remain as the latest until 2021’s Endwalker. Shadowbringers takes players to a brand new dimension, tasked with restoring the darkness to a world drowning in Light. This expansion also increased the level cap to 80, as well as added new dungeons, raids, zones, and new jobs, as well as quality of life changes to the battle system. After losing a lot of its popularity and becoming more of a niche title in recent years, Shadowbringers helped bring it back to the forefront of the mainstream and ushered in a new wave of players that helped make this a must-play RPG that is still one of the most popular in the world today.

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers scored 94% on Game Rankings.

2. Divinity: Original Sin II – Definitive Edition – Nintendo Switch

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a must-play RPG by the creators of Baulder’s Gate 3. Since its initial release in 2017, Divinity: Original Sin 2 has received many accolades and topped many lists as an RPG that all gamers should be checking out. Divinity: Original Sin 2: Definitive Edition is the most complete version of the game and includes all of the DLC that has been released, giving gamers dozens of hours of playtime in one package. It has been estimated that Divinity: Original Sin 2 can take upwards of 350 hours to 100% complete the game.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 scored an impressive 95% on Game Rankings.

1. Resident Evil 2 Remake – PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Resident Evil 2 was first released in 1998 and is considered by many to be the best game in the franchise, with Resident Evil 4 typically being the only other contender for the top spot among fans. Ever since the release of the Resident Evil 1 Remake back in 2002, fans had been hoping that one-day Capcom would give the remake treatment to Resident Evil 2 as well. This took over 20 years to come to fruition, but it was worth it. The Resident Evil 2 Remake was released in January 2019 and became a smash hit instantly, with it satisfying older players by bringing the classic 1998 game into the modern era, as well as helping to bring new players to the series for the first time. Since the release of Resident Evil 2 Remake, Capcom has been hard at work creating new games for the series, including the Resident Evil 3 Remake and Resident Evil Village. At the time of writing this, Resident Evil 4 Remake is scheduled to be released in March 2023.

Resident Evil 2 Remake is the highest scoring game of 2019, with a hugely impressive score of 94.44 on Game Rankings.