Over the next few days, we will reveal what we believe are the 10 best games of 2019, organized by release date. Then, on December 17, we will reveal which of the nominees gets to take home the coveted title of GameSpot’s Best Game of 2019. So be sure to come back then for the big announcement, and in the meantime, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our Best Games of 2019 hub.

Pavrati. Ellie. Nyoka. Vicar Max. Some of the most memorable moments I had with video games this year were simply spending time with the incredible, fleshed-out companions in The Outer Worlds. Getting to know them, helping them through their highs and lows, and testing their patience. The Outer Worlds is full of great moments with these folks, but they’re only some of the highlights in the game’s landscape of wonderfully written characters and rich setting.

The Outer Worlds doesn’t challenge conventions as much as some of our other nominees this year, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of 2019’s most exceptionally-made games in its own right. The form is recognisable, but the execution is masterful. The game feels focussed–not a single line of dialogue is wasted, despite there being a lot of it; the world feels large and full of things to discover, despite being relatively modest; the combat mechanics are clever, impactful, and allow for creativity, despite seeming straightforward. Your journey through The Outer Worlds will be full of highlights and surprises.

But the quality of the writing and quest design is The Outer Worlds’ crown on its head. This is a game by Obsidian Entertainment, this is what they do best, and their strengths are definitely on show here. The Outer Worlds is not an open-world game, but the web of possibilities feels complex, and the sense of freedom you have in how you approach your situations is liberating.

The form is recognisable, but the execution is masterful.

It’s a high-profile role-playing game wonderfully free of silos and full of greys–the distinctions between good and evil, right and wrong, and what kind of person you are aren’t strictly defined. This is your own adventure, and The Outer Worlds allows you to approach it in so many different ways. Bring a knife to a gunfight, smooth-talk your way into finding an amicable solution, hack a robot boss character and shut it down, sneak around and steal from the wealthy, kill everyone, be a dumb-dumb, or punch the quest-giver with the dumb bowler hat multiple times, just because you can.

While the web of opportunities will eventually siphon off to just a few possible outcomes, there’s no denying how rich the journey there is. There are plenty of familiarities, but they’re of the high-end, top-shelf variety. The Outer Worlds is an intricately-crafted game that’s a joy to play, and the new gold standard for blockbuster RPGs.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/best-games-of-2019-the-outer-worlds/1100-6472242/

Square Enix has released a new batch of art and screenshots from the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and it’s quite a nostalgia trip for longtime fans. Among the new artwork are familiar character shots of Tifa and Sephiroth, along with new looks at characters like President Shinra, Aerith, and more.

The batch of art and screens comes from Famitsu. It includes the iconic images of Tifa looking up at the stars and Sephiroth walking through fire, plus character renders of Sephiroth, Shinra, and Shiva. Mixed in are several new screenshots, mostly consisting of the main cast in this first episodic release: Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa.

This comes just after a new Game Awards trailer that focused primarily on Cloud. We’ve also seen recent indication that, while it is slated as a PS4 exclusive for release this fall, that exclusivity may be temporary.

The Final Fantasy 7 Remake will launch on March 3, 2020, so a year of exclusivity would mean it could hit other platforms in 2021. We already know that this is being planned as a multi-part series, with the first release remaking and expanding on the original game’s events in Midgar, the large opening area. Square Enix has not detailed how many more parts there will be, or when they’ll release.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-final-fantasy-7-key-art-shows-familiar-looks-a/1100-6472252/

Apple’s mobile game subscription service Apple Arcade now offers an annual plan, which can save you some money if you already know you want the service for a full year. The new plan costs $50 per year, which saves you about $10 off purchasing each month individually.

This is similar to the model Apple uses for its music and TV Plus services, giving a slight discount for committing to a full year. If you’re already a subscriber, you can change your subscription to an annual one. You can find that option by tapping on your profile, then going to Subscriptions > Apple Arcade.

Apple Arcade is an all-you-can-eat subscription service that offers access to roughly 100 games, some of them timed exclusives to Apple’s service. Plus Apple promises that the games curated for Arcade have no in-app purchases.

Arcade had a strong debut and has only added more since then. In fact, several of our picks for the best mobile games of 2019 are available through Arcade. Those include Mini Motorways, What the Golf?, Manifold Garden, and Grindstone.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/apple-arcade-adds-50-annual-subscription-option/1100-6472251/

Silent Hills was never released, but thanks to the work of game hacker Lance McDonald, new details continue to emerge about the cancelled horror project. McDonald, who previously revealed that Lisa is right behind you as you play through P.T. (the game’s playable teaser,) has now uncovered the player model you’re controlling in-game.

McDonald, who also recently discovered some cut story content in Sekiro, has shown the character model off on Twitter. The identity of the character model shouldn’t serve as a huge surprise–it’s Norman Reedus, who pops up at the game’s conclusion. This is, however, the first real definitive confirmation that you’re embodying Reedus throughout the experience, even if that had been the assumption all along.

It’s a small reveal, but a meaningful one, considering that we will never get to experience Silent Hills in full–the next Silent Hill game will be a video slot machine.

Reedus would, of course, go on to start in Hideo Kojima’s new game, Death Stranding. Kojima has said that he would like to work with Reedus again, and has also suggested that he might return to horror in the future. It’s possible that we’ll still see Reedus getting spooked by Junji Ito-inspired ghouls eventually.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pt-hacker-uncovers-the-character-model-in-silent-h/1100-6472243/

Gears Tactics, which is coming to Xbox One and PC (including Xbox Game Pass) on April 28, 2020, was first revealed at E3 2018, before dropping off the radar until this year’s Game Awards. Now we’ve learned that game, a turn-based tactical spin-off from the Gears of War series (think XCOM but in the Gears universe), will be single-player only and will not feature cosmetic microtransactions.

This news comes via Rod Furgusson, studio head at Gears developer The Coalition, who tweeted it out after being asked for details.

The Gears of War series has typically had a multiplayer focus, with co-op and competitive modes available in the shooters, including the recent Gears 5; Gears Tactics will be the first single-player only Gears game. Gears 5 also features numerous paid cosmetic items, but in Tactics players won’t have the option of spending additional money. There will be plenty of customization options, but you’ll have to unlock them by playing the game.

Gears Tactics promises a 40-hour campaign, and is set before the original Gears of War.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gears-tactics-will-be-single-player-only-and-wont-/1100-6472239/