As the video gaming horizon is clearing up for the next console cycle — scheduled to kick off late 2020 when Sony and Microsoft release the 9th console generation — various economic reports on the gaming market prove that the industry is in great health. Thus, in accordance with the recent Newzoo forecast, the video game industry will generate over 150 billion by the end of 2019 — that’s about 10% more than in 2018. 

Even though the year 2019 didn’t take our breath away by introducing some groundbreaking trends on the video gaming scene — YouTube totally agrees here — a slew of excellent games were published in 2019. They cater to an array of preferences and passions, ranging from action-packed shooters to focused indie titles, hardcore RPGs, and a variety of addictive battle royale experiences. 

Speaking in general terms, battle royale titles and nostalgia-inducing games still run the show in 2019. When compiling our Top 10 Games of 2019 list published below, we focused on the titles that amazed us with their breakthrough concepts, gameplay quality, and overall brilliance. So if you’re looking to pick up a terrific new video game, below, you will find 10 of the best titles released in 2019. 

Control: Lynchian Story-Driven Action-Adventure

Control is a capturing adventure-packed 3d-person shooter available on Windows PCs, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. In the game, you take on the role of Jesse Faden, the newly appointed director of the Federal Bureau Of Control (FBC) — a secret government department similar to the FBI, with the exception that FBC investigates the paranormal. 

On your first day of work, you figure out that a lot of people in the FBC have been taken over by a mysterious deadly enemy known as the Hiss. Armed with a gun and some psychic skills, you set out on a mission to destroy the Hiss before it infects the minds of others, totally invading and corrupting reality. 

Here’s what you’ll love about Control:

• outstanding cinematic visuals
• stellar voice acting
• incredibly atmospheric setting
• electrifying narrative juggernaut 
• deeply satisfying combat system

It’s interesting that right from the very start, the game feels like a strange yet deliciously powerful take on the X-Files. When you begin playing Control, you feel the sinister atmosphere and notice Lynchian aesthetics. The game instantly eases you in, invades your thoughts, and forces a rush of questions through your brain, some of which will only be answered when the credits roll.

Jedi Fallen Order: A Star Wars Game That Feels Just Right

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (also referred to as SWJFO) is an epic action-adventure single player Jedi experience developed by Respawn and published by Electronic Arts. The game Plays like Tomb Raider or Dark Souls mostly, combining complex skill-based combat with exploration and puzzles. Fallen Order is available on Windows PCs, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.

In the game, you control a young Jedi-in-hiding named Cal Kestis who accidentally gets discovered by the empire. That’s when his incredible adventure begins, embarking him on a journey full of discoveries and unexpected twists. With its amazing, constantly make-you-want-to-see-more story, excellent gameplay, and fun challenges, Jedi Fallen Order is by far one the best Star Wars games out there.

Here’s what you will love about Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order:

• excellent visuals that capture the atmosphere of Star Wars
• amazing soundtrack that suits the gameplay perfectly
• well-written, well-animated, and well-acted characters
• crisp, fluid, addictive gameplay
• great customization possibilities

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a dream come true if you’re a massive fan and veteran of every Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro chapter. The game truly makes you feel like a Jedi. It’s definitely worth buying, especially if you have good hardware. So give Jedi Fallen Order a whirl, and may the force be with you.

Apex Legends: Top-Notch Team-Oriented Battle Royale

Apex Legends is an excellent team-based free-to-play battle royale video game where you team up with your mates and compete against up to sixty players to be the last team standing. Having taken the gaming scene by storm, Apex Legends flaunts a combination of solid shooter concepts and all the best aspects of battle royale.

There are hundreds of positive Apex Legends reviews online written both by the players and the critics. They’re fascinated by such aspects of the game as its gameplay, smart progression system, and the combination of elements from a variety of genres. It’s noteworthy that Apex Legends reached fifty million players within the first month of its release. 

Here’s what will amaze you about Apex Legends:

• exciting and fluid gameplay
• stellar take on the battle royale genre
• brilliant communication system
• fun and satisfying mechanics
• it’s free to play; most paid items can be earned as you progress in the game

To cut a long story short, Apex Legend is a fantastic and innovative battle royale title that will most likely attract you even if you’re not a battle royale aficionado. The game confidently goes hand-in-hand with the giants of the genre. According to the game fans, Apex Legends is one of the best multiplayer games of the generation. 

Call of Duty Mobile: State of the Art Game for Mobile

Call of Duty: Mobile is a free-to-play FPS created expressly for mobile devices. It’s the most recent spin-off of the immensely popular Call of Duty series that successfully combines everyone’s favorite Black Ops and Modern Warfare maps while courageously taking the familiar mechanics to touch controls. The game was released in October 2019 and is currently available on both iOS and Android.  

Here’s what you will like about Call of Duty Mobile:

• a fusion of the best maps and modes of the Call of Duty franchise
• smooth and customizable controls
• fantastic customization possibilities
• rewarding leveling path
• impressive battle royale mode
• runs exceptionally well on mobile devices

Even though mobile games will hardly ever be as good as their PC and console brothers, Call of Duty: Mobile is overall a fantastic title and a faithful recreation of the thrilling and fast-paced multiplayer gameplay of the core CoD series. According to a lot of fans, Call of Duty: Mobile is the best shooter they’ve played on a smartphone. Put the game through its paces to make your conclusions and write your own Call of Duty: Mobile review.

Outer Wilds: Extraterrestrial Exploration

Outer Wilds is an awesome downloadable sci-fi indie title where you will enjoy exploring a dying solar system, flying from one planet to another, uncovering myriads of mysteries, and overcoming the game’s challenges. In the game, the protagonist resides on a planet where the sun is about to explode, wiping everything from existence. 

This galactic annihilation kicks off a mysterious time loop that constantly brings the protagonist back to 22 minutes before the inevitable destruction takes place. While playing Outer Wilds, you embark on a journey of discovery, making the most of what you know from your past loops to possibly improve the situation in future ones.

Here’s what you will fancy about the Outer Wilds game:

• thought-provoking concept
• impressive visuals
• soothing soundtrack
• breathtaking environments
• plenty of mysteries to unravel
• handcrafted planets that are super exciting to explore

Outer Wilds is among the best video games of 2019 as well. It’s an engaging and delightful experience from beginning to end. Outer Wilds is currently available to play on Windows PCs and Xbox One. If you’re naturally curious and enjoy planetary exploration, Outer Wilds is the perfect game for you.

Borderlands 3: Exactly What You Expect It to Be

Borderlands 3 is a fascinating action role-playing first-person shooter video game, the take-no-risks sequel to 2012's Borderlands 2, and the fourth main installment in the Borderlands franchise. The game works and plays exceptionally well. Borderlands 3 is available to play on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. 

Here’s what you’ll enjoy when playing Borderlands 3:

• appealing visuals and sounds
• intense and stimulating combat system
• beautiful open worlds
• stellar co-op experience
• great customization possibilities
• impressive arsenal of weapons

Borderlands 3 boasts an unusual style, tons of fun co-op action, outrageous humor, as well as a multitude of environments and side quests. Even though Borderlands 3 is not franchise-altering game, it’s an awesome overall package that’s far from disappointing. Actually, the Borderlands 3 game is exactly what the fans expect it to be — an improved formula of their all-time-favorite cult classic. 

Death Stranding: a Different Take on Gaming

Death Stranding is a single-player action-packed game where you take on the role of Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus) — a delivery guy traveling across post-apocalyptic America whose ultimate goal is to save humanity from pending extinction. Death Stranding was developed by Kojima Productions and released in November 2019. 

Here’s what you will like about Death Stranding:

• breathtaking visuals
• realistic characters
• well-designed immersive gameplay
• intellectual depth of the plot
• scary yet intriguing world to explore
• innovative social interaction system

Death Standing is a three-years-in-the-making blockbuster that feeds your brain with awesome intellectual depth and tons of exciting, unexpected turns. The title comes with possibly the best-looking environment you’ve ever found yourself in. If you’re looking for a unique and meaningful game, Death Standing is exactly what you need. 

Resident Evil 2: Elevating the Series to the Next Level

Resident Evil is an incredible remake of the 1998 game Resident Evil 2 and the second entry in the Resident Evil franchise. It’s the perfect balance between survival horror and action. The title stays perfectly true to the original while adding an excellent modern twist to the gameplay. Resident Evil 2 is a gift for both franchise fans and all the video game enthusiasts out there. 

Here’s what you’ll love about Resident Evil 2:

• gorgeous graphics and animations
• great audio effect that really add to the horror factor 
• masterfully staged atmosphere
• buttery smooth performance
• varied and challenging gameplay
• top-notch survival horror combat

Resident Evil 2 is an ingenious blend of the old and the new. It’s quite possibly the best remake game you’ve ever played. If you still haven’t tried Resident Evil 2, don’t hesitate to give it a shot. This righteous, old-school, no-nonsense, thrilling adventure will send your heart rate through the roof, bring back your childhood for a while, and rekindle your faith in video games.

Sunless Skies: Atmospheric Sunless Sea Follow-up

Sunless Skies is a gothic horror role-playing video game which is a follow-up to 2015's Sunless Sea and the third game in the Fallen London universe. Sunless Skies is set in a Steampunk alternative-history early 20th century where you take on the role of a captain of interplanetary train. As the captain, you will explore the vastness of the stars, hire and manage your crew, upgrade and repair your locomotive. 

Here’s what will please you about Sunless Skies the most:

• mind-blowing artwork
• fantastic writing
• haunting make-your-ears-happy soundtrack
• full controller support
• well-crafted exploration aspect
• highly immersive environments

Sunless Skies is not easy, but it is more than worth it. Keep in mind that this is not a game for everyone. Sunless Skies is a truly stellar title for its intended audience: people who are into atmospheric video games, weird fiction, and time-sinks. One thing is perfectly clear: if you’ve enjoyed playing Sunless Sea, you will definitely like Sunless Skies as well. 

Heaven's Vault: Unique Archeology Adventure 

Heaven’s Vault is a unique archaeological sci-fi adventure game that comes with an extraordinary mechanic based around decoding a forgotten language. The title represents futuristic concepts such as space travel and robots with architecture and beliefs from the past. You take on the role of Aliya Elasra — an archaeologist who sails the cosmic rivers of the Nebula in her wooden spaceboat, discovering new places and collecting new text fragments of the ancient language.

What you will love about the Heaven’s Vault game:

• impeccable world-building
• tons of exploration
• engaging and believable characters
• deep and intriguing storyline
• linguistic-based puzzles
• high replay value
• fresh and unique ideas

No doubt, the game is not for everyone. That being said, if you fancy talking/walking simulators and generally being immersed in a beautiful world, you will enjoy Heaven’s Vault. If you have any interest in history, archaeology, languages, dots-connecting, and puzzle-solving, Heaven’s Vault is a must-buy. If you have a degree in Archaeology, the game is your wet dream. 

Video Games of 2019: Which is the Best for You?

So, now that you’ve looked through our list of 10 best video games of 2019, you’ve most likely analyzed it and compared it to your own preferences. What are your conclusions? Any interesting observations? Which game is your favorite out of the ones mentioned above? Perhaps, you have a few excellent titles to add to our selection? 

Feel free to make the most of the comment section below to let us know your thoughts. Your genuine feedback is what we value the most. And don’t forget to bookmark our blog to stay on top of the latest video game news, reviews, and hacks. Droidgamin is your one-stop go-to place for all things game-related.