We’ve played our way to the end of a decade. At the dusk of 2019, here are some of our favorite video games from this year. Share your favorite in the comments!

The Outer Worlds

The Outer Worlds is an open-world role playing game in which you, the lone survivor, are rescued from cryogenic hibernation on a lost colony transport to a new solar system run by corporations. I am amazed by just how much your choices affect the way the story plays out, rather than just giving the illusion of influence. It is truly up to you to free or abandon your fellow colonists and whether you want to give in to the way of corporations or get in their way. While it does have its flaws in some minor game mechanics, the aesthetic and story drew me in more than any game in years.

— Jesse Allen

Super Mario Maker 2

This year hasn’t had as many transcendent games as 2018 (God of War, Spider-Man, Red Dead Redemption 2, SSB Ultimate, and Celeste were faves of 2018), so I turned to a stable franchise in Mario Maker 2, and it did not disappoint. This sequel to the Wii U game had so much new content. First of all, Nintendo created a whole campaign of levels that give you basic concepts of what you can create. Some new ideas were subtle, yet added a surprising amount of depth to level creation, like slopes and switches (which make for some clever puzzles). Other things were huge, like Cat Mario, which appeared in a 3-D game originally; seeing 2-D implementation of Cat Mario climbing stuff is fun! Nintendo also just released brand new (free) DLC that adds Link from the Legend of Zelda series as a playable character. Using his arsenal of bombs, arrows, and his shield adds so much variety to the gameplay, it’s practically a second game within the game that will keep me coming back for a long time.

— Jeremy Costello

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a masterpiece of a game. Made by the creators of and in the style of Dark Souls, it is a very tough game that features the “One-Armed Wolf,” a samurai warrior who was left with a mechanical arm after being rescued from near-death. You will explore a dark and twisted version of the late 1500s Japan, downing foe after foe, including simple soldiers, giant apes, and a hundreds-of-feet-long giant snake. The best part about this game is in the details; the story and lore of the world will unravel more and more the closer you look into the game. The story can reveal itself in the form of game mechanics, item descriptions, enemy placement, and enemy dialogue. Although the game is extremely difficult, the incredible story, visuals, sound design, and music make this an experience that should be shared with all gamers.

— Samuel Heinrich

DiRT Rally 2.0

The sequel to DiRT Rally, this game truly embodies a great racing simulation. You have to be careful even when warming up in the shakedowns because how you damage your car affects the way it drives. It truly is an amazing sight, and while the learning curve is not very friendly, once you figure out how to drive toward a turn, flick out the tail end of the car, and drift it around the corner, it is extremely satisfying. Adding to the fun is the fact that this game also is VR-compatible, and the view is incredible.

— Patrick Madden

Borderlands 3

2019’s top video game, for me, has to be Borderlands 3. First reason being it’s the only game I have played from this year. Second reason is because I love the whole series. In my totally “unbiased” opinion, Borderlands 3 didn’t fall short of my expectations. I don’t want to get into much of why I like it, in case someone hasn’t played it yet, but one of my favorite upgrades has to be the way gun play has changed. In summary: game was fantastic, great changes to its gun play, and I love Borderlands.

— Josh Riddle