Wait, What?
Yep, you read that title right.
2019 was a pretty solid year for games. Not as memorable as 2018, and certainly not as heavy-hitting as 2020 looks to be—but solid.
As I look back on 2019, there aren’t many games I feel like tipping my hat to. That’s partially because I didn’t play that many new releases. It’s also because I made up my mind on my GOTY months ago.
Whatever the reason, I’ve scrapped the traditional end-of-year list in favor of something spicier. I’m no stranger to the process. For 2018 I wrote a Top 9 list grouped into games of three, like some tercet-deprived poet from the Middle Ages.
But I’m over that now. This year, I bring you my Top 2s of 2019. There’ll be one for five categories: games, anime, albums, television shows, and movies. I’ll present each “winner” (ex. Favorite Game of 2019), followed by its runner-up. I might even throw in a few other shout-outs.
Simple enough? Let’s get to it.
Favorite Game of 2019: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, FromSoftware
As the credits rolled in Sekiro after nearly a month of sweat, tears, and visible frustration, I knew it was my Game of the Year. The game had been released in late-March, and I’d completed it in late-April. We weren’t even halfway through 2019, and I just knew.
A little background: I’m not a Souls guy. Played Demon’s Souls for a few hours—didn’t love it. Never got into Dark Souls as a result. I respected the folks at FromSoftware for the genre they helped create. But the series just wasn’t my thing.
That changed somewhat in 2015. That year, FromSoftware broke from the Souls mold to craft something shockingly new: Bloodborne. Faster and tighter than its predecessors, Bloodborne made for an accessible entry-point back into the series.
It was visceral and horrific. It was tough as nails. It suffered from long loading times and frequent stutters. I loved every minute.
Anyways, back to Sekiro. When I first heard FromSoftware was straying from Souls again—and partnering with Activision, no less—to focus on the samurai, I was intrigued. A few seconds of gameplay footage, and I was sold.
Sekiro essentially gives fans more of what they liked about Bloodborne. It’s fast and lean, shedding much of the bloat and clutter that made the core Souls series so inaccessible to many. It hones in on a unique setting—feudal Japan—and develops it to fit From’s dark, twisted style. Best of all, it refuses to compromise on the difficulty of prior games—ensuring people are in for a challenging experience from beginning to end (emphasis on end, holy shit that final boss).
It’s biggest strength is also its biggest weakness. In being “more” of Bloodborne, Sekiro never really steps out from its older brother’s shadow. That never bothered me, personally—but as we look towards 2020’s Elden Ring, From will have to take some bigger risks if it’s to stay ahead of the pack.
Make no mistake, though. From is ahead of the pack. Sekiro is a glorious accomplishment for games, and anyone with a hankering for challenging combat and uncompromising vision would benefit from experiencing it.
Runner-Up: Dragon Quest Builders 2, Square Enix
Now, let’s break away from the pack completely. Dragon Quest Builders 2 probably wasn’t on most people’s radar this year—and that’s fine. It’s a niche, Japanese-developed creation game that begs the question, Why not just play Minecraft?
Turns out, for a lot of great reasons. For one, it’s in the Dragon Quest universe. That means having the superb character art of Akira Toriyama and the wondrous music of Koichi Sugiyama. It also means having an actual story, with real characters not named “Steve.”
More importantly, it has an amazing gameplay loop—and incredible depth. The game’s story mode—a mandatory prerequisite to unlocking the tools needed to create sandbox worlds—is nothing short of excellent. The various islands are rich with unique enemies, landscapes, and settlements in need of aid. One mission tasks players with restoring a farmtown to its former glory, while another requires gathering ore to rebuild an old mining town.
The best part of DQB2, though, would have to be its building set-pieces. These puzzle-like sequences task players with building larger-than-life structures, from a magical tree to a multi-floor entertainment bar—not unlike piecing together an intricate Lego set. It’s a heartwarming experience that plays better than it sounds—and is something that sets Builders 2 apart from others in the creation genre.
Favorite Anime of 2019: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, David Production
Prior to 2019, the words “Yare yare, daze” held no meaning for me. I’d seen about three episodes of the first JoJo season, found it interesting but slow, and set it down in favor of more One Piece binge sessions.
That changed in 2019. Having exhausted much of the anime on my MAL to-watch list, I decided to pick back up JoJo and see what all the fuss was all about. Hot damn.
Turns out, behind that slow first 10 or so episodes, there’s an amazing show. Yeah, I know; everyone says as much about JoJo, but you really have to see it for yourself to be a believer.
Part of the magic is how JoJo approaches its storytelling. Each arc focuses on a different Joestar — from Jonathan to Josuke and beyond — each with their own distinct personality, setting, and supporting cast. One arc may play out as a Dracula-inspired horror, only for another to be a globe-trotting road trip.
While I’ve enjoyed nearly every JoJo arc on their own merits, Golden Wind blows the rest out of the water. Italy is a fantastic backdrop, with wondrous music and compelling characters in the form of Buccarati’s gang. However, the real highlights are the gorgeous animation and beyond-imaginative fights.
I can’t say much else without delving into spoilers, so I’ll leave it at this: If you haven’t seen JBA yet, just bite the bullet. It’s the only anime in existence where the villain’s most powerful move is a Queen lyric.
Runner-Up: Dr. Stone, TMS Entertainment
Golden Wind was far and away my favorite anime this year, but I have to give major props to Dr. Stone. A newcomer to the anime scene—its manga launched back in 2017—Dr. Stone poses an interesting question: What if humanity were to “reset,” and its technology along with it?
That’s the premise in a nutshell, but the set-up is far more outlandish than that. Yes, the concept of all life suddenly turning to stone (thus the title) is goofy, but the underlying story is an enthralling one.
Given the knowledge we humans know now, how feasible would it be to “jump” millions of years of technological advancements? Could we essentially start again as cavepeople and arrive at 2020 in a matter of decades, if not even less time?
I’m no scientist, and even then I get that this is likely implausible/impossible. But that doesn’t make the things Senku, the show’s protagonist, pull off each episode any less thrilling. Heck, even if the whole thing is bogus, I’ve gotta give props to the show for explaining complicated chemical/mechanical topics—like how to generate electricity—in an engaging, digestible way.
Real science folks probably won’t like it as much as something like Cells at Work, but for those like me, Dr. Stone hits the spot.
Favorite Album of 2019: Hollywood’s Bleeding, Post Malone
Post Malone represents the best and worst of music today. His songs are catchy, melodically rich ballads—perfect for late-night cruising and screaming “OK, boomer” out the window. They’re also laden with meh themes and lyrics like “I’ve been doing what I want since fetus.”
Still, Hollywood’s Bleeding represents the best we’ve seen from Malone. It’s chock full of bouncy bangers and genre-benders bound to get folks pumped up (now that’s an alliteration). Wherever its lyrics disappoint, its musical creativity surely redeems it.
For more on why I love this album, check out my Hollywood’s Bleeding review. I’ve been bopping to it for a minute, and I doubt that’ll change until the next album rolls around.
Runner-Up: Wild Youth, Dabin
If Hollywood’s Bleeding is the epitome of trashy pop-culture goodness, then Wild Youth is the opposite: super feel-good music for a super niche audience.
I’m not really in-the-know when it comes to EDM—direct all questions to this fella—but I know this: Dabin is one hell of a musician. Whether it’s the fleeting peppiness of “Another Day,” the 80s-inspired synth of “Rings & Roses,” or the powerful vocals of “In Flames,” Wild Youth is a mystical, experimental exploration of what it means to be young—and human. It all coalesces in a fleetingly powerful closeout track, fittingly titled “Alive.”
Dabin is the master of his domain, and it shows with his 2019 effort. He may be known as the guitarist for Illenium, but his talent deserves recognition in its own right.
Favorite TV Show of 2019: Barry, HBO
Television is much more diverse than it once was. Drama has seeped into comedies. Humor punctuates many of today’s best thrillers. And streaming services have altered the way we consume media forever.
Barry isn’t the type of show we would have seen 10 or 20 years back. Hell—it wouldn’t exist today, were it not for HBO constantly taking the risks it does. At heart, it’s a deep character exploration—one that grapples with a hitman trying to turn a new leaf. Think less Breaking Bad, more “Breaking Good.”
As you’d expect, leaving a past of violence and death is difficult—if not impossible. Barry doesn’t shy away from the tough moral dilemmas. Rather, it embraces them. And it does so while injecting a healthy dose of humor into the mix.
Come for Bill Hader and Henry Winkler; stay for the heart-wrenching plot twists and brilliantly choreographed fight scenes. Barry is still in its infancy, but it’s already accomplished so much.
Runner-Up: The Good Place, NBC
The Good Place may not have quite the same emotional stakes as a show like Barry, but damn it if I don’t care for this awesome cast. Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, and the rest of the crew are simply electric, and it’s been a pleasure seeing NBC’s hit sitcom develop over the past four seasons.
I shared much of what I love about the show in my Good Place Season 4 predictions piece. For those who missed it, though, here’s the skinny: It’s rare to see a network television show with as unique a premise as The Good Place. It’s even rarer to see one take as many risks—those familiar with Season 1 know what I’m talking about—as this show.
Consider that, then throw in a heartwarming cast that you feel real emotion for, and it’s no wonder why The Good Place has captivated fans since 2016. The roller coaster may end in a few short weeks, but aren’t you glad you got on the ride?
Favorite Movie of 2019: Us, Jordan Peele
When Get Out was first announced, it was met with much anticipation. For one, it was the debut film from Jordan Peele—known predominantly for the comedic sketch show Key & Peele. Secondly—and contrary to what Peele fans had come to expect—it was a horror film, inspired by Peele’s love for Alfred Hitchcock.
Turns out, it was also damn good. The movie received universal acclaim from fans and critics alike when it hit theaters in 2017. The reason had much to do with Peele’s unique take on today’s racial tension in America. It also helped that Get Out was sharply written, beautifully directed, and funny as hell.
Us, in my view, is an even better film. It’s not as strong thematically, nor is it as shocking as Get Out was upon release. But it’s more entertaining, from beginning to end, with phenomenal action and superb acting from Lupita Nyong’o, Elisabeth Moss, and countless others.
It’s a more vibrant film, with phenomenal use of color, contrast, and lighting. It’s also a rawer, funnier, and ultimately scarier film. With its dark sights, guttural sounds, and unsettling strings, Us will have you gripping the edges of your seat with a great big smile plastered to your face.
If that’s not what cinema’s all about, then what is?
Runner-Up: Knives Out, Rian Johnson
I’m a sucker for whodunnits. The genre, made famous by the late Agatha Christie, is textbook movie popcorn affair. A bunch of oddballs come together, usually at a swank, fancy mansion. Some big shot gets killed—almost always because they’re rich—and a crafty sleuth must track down the culprit.
Rian Johnson’s Knives Out follows this script to a tee—the exotic home, the quirky guests, the bloody murder—only until it doesn’t. Without giving too much away, Knives Out is a seemingly simple tale that reveals more layers to it the further in you get. It presents viewers with a surprising number of pieces to the puzzle—then yanks that puzzle off the table completely, rearranges it, and solves it painstakingly before your very eyes.
It’s a clever reconstruction of the genre, and one that makes perfect sense coming from the mind that brought us The Last Jedi. Like him or hate him, you have to respect Rian Johnson for his dedication to his craft.
Miscellaneous Shout-Outs
Divisive Movie I Think I Love: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Divisive Game I Know I Love: Death Stranding
Game I Hope I Love (Not Holding My Breath): Final Fantasy VII Remake
Hottest Single of 2019: This Banger
Best Podcast of 2019: Weekend at Dave’s (I swear it’s coming back in 2020)
Game That Continues to Consume My Life: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
And that’s that! Thanks for reading. More importantly, thanks for sticking with The Punished Backlog for two full calendar years, now. The best is yet to come.
