Mortal Kombat 11 (PS4, PC, Xbox One)

You want fighting game features up to the wazoo? You’ve got them in this new Mortal Kombat title. With a better focus on footsies and neutral game instead of its predecessor’s huge reliance of combos, along with a fun diverse to play as with tons of variations, coupled with pretty hefty content for non-competitive folks, it’s hard to pass up this version of NetherRealm’s fighting game staple.

-Mr Toffee

Katana Zero (PC, Switch)

Story takes a backseat to the gameplay in this indie action title. Yes, there’s some narrative about your assassin talking to a shrink and piecing remnants of his past together, but it pales in comparison to the puzzle-like approach to the game’s 2D fast-paced slicing action.

our parries, your slashes, your personal “bullet time” slowdown power-up, and your acrobatics versus the environments and plethora of gun-wielding goons is backed up with a phenomenal electronica soundtrack from Bill Kiley and LudoWic. You should get it now; it’s already on our SoundScape Best of 2019 video playlist.

-Mr Toffee

Total War: Three Kingdoms (PC)

The most ambitious game of its kind, Total War: Three Kingdoms is by far the pinnacle of a long, illustrious lineage of brilliant turn-based RTS games by Creative Assembly. It is grand on so many levels that its minor delay in its release date can be easily forgiven; in fact, I applaud Sega and the devs for it.

Simply put, it’s a must-have for any Total War fanatic. Don’t be dissuaded if you are unaccustomed to the story of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The game will not only show you the ropes, but it will make you an avid fan of the history of the unification of China just by playing it.

-Kenn Leandre

Blazing Chrome (PC, PS4)

There’s no school like old-school, and Blazing Chrome proves that with its simple-yet-satisfying run-and-gun gameplay. You’ve got awesome weaponry. You’ve got big-ass bosses to fight against. And when you’re done with the game’s 5 or so stages, you get to play levels in reverse or even use the melee-focused characters for an added challenge.

If you want a successor to games like Contra 3, Alien Soldier, and Metal Slug 3, you can’t go wrong with this twitch-savvy offering.

Outer Wilds (PC, Xbox One)

Remember that bit in The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask where it mixes impending end-of-the-world scenarios with Groundhog Day? Outer Wilds is the equivalent of this; you explore a solar system containing a bunch of planets, but then its sun explodes, you die, and you start the exploration loop over again but keep most of your progress.

This unique first-person adventure game is less an open-world sandbox title and more a puzzle game where your objective is to stop the system from imploding itself. There’s a mystery to solve here, and it’s all knee-deep with charming and inventive worlds.

-Mr Toffee

Those are our picks of 2019’s best games so far. If you have more suggestions, let us know!