Game of the Year Awards 2019

"The game takes place in the Halcyon system, named for the corporation who owns and runs it, with a few settlements on planets breaking off from the control of the company, and sub-contractors who find ways to make money and survive in the system as well. You enter the scene as human who was revived after being frozen in croystasis on a ship long thought lost, finally located by a slightly mad scientist named Phineas Welles who is wanted by the Halcyon board for assorted criminal activities. Phineas informs you that you were selected to help him find a way to unfreeze the thousands of others. With that, you are dropped onto a nearby planet and through an unlikely accident soon gain control of your own spacecraft. This proves to be an excellent setup for a RPG that feels a lot like a blend of Fallout and Mass Effect." - Tim Reid

Honorable Mentions: A Plague Tale: Innocence, The Walking Dead: The Final Season, Disco Elysium

"The environments are absolutely gorgeous. The 2.5D art that Frozenbyte has created is beautiful, and every level of the title is striking. And there's not a ton of repetition to be found in where you travel, either. You'll venture from lush meadows to snow-soaked caves to a nightmare engulfed academy. Each one distinct in its own way." - Eric Hall

Honorable Mentions: Sayonara Wild Hearts, Concrete Genie, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

"The attention to detail is worth calling out. Capcom has certainly pumped a lot of money into making Resident Evil 2 look stunning and the gross-out gore has never been more revolting. The extra eyes, oozing viscera, and gallons of blood have been lovingly smeared all over the game in keeping with the series' tradition. The motion capture and voice work are also exceptional. Resident Evil 2's small cast has always allowed for the game to keep an intimate feeling despite sprawling across multiple locations with giant monsters - and that intimacy is well conveyed in the motion capture work, allowing actors to have strong chemistry." - Josh Hinke

Honorable Mentions: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Gears 5, Metro Exodus

"Dark and electric, this is the edgy soundtrack of a break-up, its beats gleefully skipping along under the breathy feminine vocals. The music stands perfectly well on its own, and that would be impressive enough, but what really is excellent is how it compliments not only the visuals but the gameplay. Simogo probably could have licensed some indie-pop acts for Sayonara Wild Hearts, but it would have felt less personal. With some help, the team has come up with something that feels singular to this experience. The music, visuals, and gameplay all fit together so perfectly it's almost impossible to imagine what came first, because they all feel birthed from the same bizarrely brilliant idea." - Josh Hinke

Honorable Mentions: Need for Speed Heat, A Plague Tale: Innocence, Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince

"Multiplayer has some pacing changes, with more emphasis on sound cues and open map design. Footsteps are loud, benefitting those waiting and listening, and automatic player callouts raise situational awareness. The devil is in the details and there are many fine touches to maps and a pretty great audio package." - Ben Thomas

Honorable Mentions: Metro Exodus, Borderlands 3, Resident Evil 2 (2019)

"The environments are incredible, with top marks for lighting, texture work and art design allowing the game to retain an incredible atmosphere throughout, whether you are creeping through some disgusting flooded tunnel or bouncing your way through a desert sandstorm in a jerry-rigged van with terrible suspension. The audio is also very strong, with weapons in particular sounding far punchier and more detailed compared to previous Metro games. The growling, skittering and sometimes squishing noises of mutants are used to incredible effect to build tension as you explore some claustrophobic long-abandoned structures while waiting for whatever is making these terrible noises to jump out and try and eat your face." - Tim Reid

Honorable Mentions: Resident Evil 2 (2019), A Plague Tale: Innocence, Control

"There's some great production quality in these live action clips. While the scenes vary greatly in their scope and location, players will get to experience many low-key and intimate moments. The domestic scenes are the best parts and really highlight the skills of these seasoned TV and movie actors. With great professional performances and an intriguing plot that spans over a year, it could easily pass for a quality mini-series." - Alex V

Honorable Mentions: The Outer Worlds, Control, Death Stranding

"The playable protagonist Amicia consistently demonstrates a steadfast conviction, and her younger brother Hugo frequently exhibits wide-eyed curiosity and innocence that makes them immediately likable. The game's cast of characters is elevated by a voice cast that does a splendid job. There are a wide range of emotions squeezed out of this limited cast of characters - fear, excitement, despair, anger, determination, and everything in between can be heard in the subtle intonations of the game's dialogue." - Christian Kobza

Honorable Mentions: Parvati (The Outer Worlds), Kim Kitsuragi (Disco Elysium), Tiny Tina (Borderlands 3)