2019 GOTY

My relationship to video games has changed in 2019. This was presaged by my 2018, where I spent more time reading than gaming. This year, I spent as much time reading, but then just as much time building and painting models and building army lists for Warhammer 40,000 and Kill Team as I did playing video games. You may have even noticed some photographic battle reports I have posted to the blog. It'll be a mix of things, going forward.

As far as 2029 in video games, I played remarkably few new releases. Once again, I found myself beginning December with no real shoe-in for GOTY. Of those 10-15 I did check out, a couple stuck out to me as ones that I kept coming back to and enjoyed unreservedly.

My Game of the Year: Slay the Spire
Honorable Mention: Tetris 99

Slay the Spire is simply genius. Tetris needs no elaboration; I'll just say the added mega-multiplayer is icing on the cake.

Past GOTY choices:

2018: Battletech/Hitman 2
2017: Mass Effect Andromeda/Diablo III: Rise of the Necromancer
2016: World of Warcraft: Legion/Overwatch
2015: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain/The Witcher III: Wild Hunt
2014: Elite Dangerous/The Banner Saga
2013: Spelunky/Hearthstone
2012: Dota 2/Diablo III
2011: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings/SpaceChem
2010: Mass Effect 2/Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
2009: Demon's Souls/Red Faction: Guerilla
2008: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots/Gears of War 2
2007: Bioshock/Halo 3

I spent so little time playing video games in 2019 that I only finished these few:

Assassin's Creed Syndicate
Slay the Spire (two wins as the Silent)
The Yawhg

Pathetic! This may be a new normal, though. We shall see. Past years' totals:

2018:9
2017:23
2016:23
2015:26
2014:32
2013:33
2012:23
2011:21
2010:23
2009:19
2008:26
2007:15

The good news is, I no longer care about my backlog! It has transcended tracking, being dispersed over multiple PC store clients and consoles. Too, the rate at which free games rain down upon us all has made it hard to keep track of what all I have or have access to, and also the rise of subscription services has blurred the lines in that way, too. I don't even own my 2019 GOTY! I just play it on Xbox PC games pass! So who really cares about recouping monetary investment for gaming anymore? If I was that worried about value for money, I wouldn't be playing Warhammer!

To that end, I deleted my game and book backlog lists from the blog. I'll still keep track of ones I finish, because that's fun and interesting, but I no longer feel any sort of guilt for those I have accumulated and laid aside, tsundoita.

For 2020, I think I'll take another run at The Witcher 3, if for no other reason than to keep it fresh in my mind as Cyberpunk 2077 comes out. Other than that, who knows? I still like Assassin's Creed games, and Death Stranding has a PC release coming up. I'll play it by ear.