MMNTech GOTY Awards 2019: Best of the Best
2019 was not a exactly a particularly notable year in gaming. As the current console generation winds down, so are major releases. To be honest, there really wasn’t a lot of really outstanding titles to choose from. We got a lot of remakes and remasters this year, but it seems most publishers are saving their heavy hitters for the 2020 Holiday Season. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t some standout titles to tickle our thumbs.
The bronze medal goes to…
The Genesis Mini (Sega/M2)
Genesis micro-consoles aren’t anything new. They’ve been around for over a decade now in one form or another. However, those licensed third-party systems have always been a wee bit rubbish. When Nintendo put out the NES Classic, Sega fans began to wonder whether they would ever get their own high quality, first-party, old school emulation system. Well, Sega finally delivered with the Genesis Mini.
The Mini is styled after the original Model 1 Genesis, complete with neat little features like moving console flaps and working buttons. It even has a removable cover for the Sega CD slot. Which doesn’t do anything, but it’s a nice little detail to make it feel like a premium product.
For about $100, you get 42 games that have all been expertly ported thanks to the legendary M2 studios. The same people behind Sega’s excellent arcade ports on the Switch. Everything looks, sounds, and plays pretty darn close to the original hardware. There are a few quirks here and there, but I’m willing to overlook them given the overall quality of the Mini.
When it comes to the games, there are some questionable titles on the list. Things that really don’t scream Genesis in my books, like Space Harrier 2, or the rather dull Tetris port, a rare bonus title, which is in many ways worse than the Game Boy version. The inclusion of the three button controllers when the console features Street Fighter II, is another head scratcher.
Overall though, I don’t think you can ask for a better Genesis experience without buying original hardware, or expensive reproductions like the Analog SG. Whether you’re a hardcore Sega fan, or just looking for some casual nostalgic action, the Mini definitely fits the bill.
The Silver Medal goes to…
Judgement (Sega/Ryu Ga Gotoku)
As far as the Yakuza series goes, Judgement doesn’t try to break the mold. Instead, it takes the foundations of the franchise and uses them to tell a brilliant neo-noire story set in the dark alleys of Tokyo.
Yagami is a former defense attorney who quit his job after a man he got acquitted for murder apparently kills again. Three years later, he’s working as a private detective in Kamurocho. Several, seemingly random, Yakuza foot soldiers turn up dead with their eyes gouged out. The mystery further deepens when Yagami discovers that these deaths may not be the random work of a serial killer after all.
Gameplay largely retains the same brawler action as the mainline Yakuza series, while adding new detective elements like investigating crime scenes, tailing suspects, and spying on targets. Again, it’s not trying to do anything new. Yet it’s easily one of the best detective games to come out in recent years. Perhaps even surpassing L.A. Noire in its scope and storytelling. All of this is beautifully rendered in the new Dragon Engine.
With Ryu Ga Gotoku moving on to more RPG style titles, this appears to be the last hurrah of their classic narrative driven brawler formula. But we’re still holding our breath for a sequel.
And the MMNTech Gold Medal Award for best game of 2019 goes to…
Astral Chain (Nintendo/Platinum Games)
Astral Chain puts a fresh twist on the hack-and-slash genre that Platinum has become so well known for. It plops you down in this post-apocalyptic world, on an island that’s the last remaining refuge for humanity against an extra-dimensional alien invasion.
You’re part of an elite group of police officers tasked with using these captured aliens, called Legions, to fight against the seemingly evil alien Chimeras. You control them via the Astral Chain, a literal chain that lets you walk them around like a dog on a leash. This makes for some more tactical battles in a genre that is perhaps better known for combos and button mashing. Your Legion will fight on its own, but it’s up to you to tell it how and where to fight. Plus it’s tethered to you the entire time. So you can use your chain for buddy attacks to trip up enemies, bind them, or pull yourself around obstacles. Of course you can choose give the Chimera’s the ol’ wood shampoo on your own, using your high tech nightstick/gun to attack or provide suppressing fire. Gameplay is chaotic and fun for both novice and seasoned brawlers.
Astral Chain also features a great cell shaded art that combines anime with a cyberpunk aesthetic, giving it this sort of retro-future vibe. This is paired with a great sythwave-esque soundtrack that makes for a game that oozes with style and originality. Also Watalu Oomoli’s boob physics make a comeback in a big, bouncy way, if that’s your thing.
Astral Chain is something we don’t see too much of anymore in this era of safe sequels. I’d dare say it’s probably the most visually appealing game we’ve seen all year. Not bad for a handheld title.
While the story is a little light, Astral Chain more than makes up for it in its charm, making it the best game we’ve seen in 2019.
