Although the list wasn’t long, the first month of 2019 brought the heat with some major video game releases, some of which were years in the making. If the remainder of the year is anything like January, then 2019 is going to be a mind-blowing year for gamers. In our ongoing monthly feature, we take a look at some of last month’s biggest games as ranked by Metacritic score.
- Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Metacritic Score: 80 (Averaged across platforms) / User Score: 7.3 (Averaged across platforms)
Ace Combat returns with another round of tactical dogfights and pulse-pounding aerial stunts in Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. As an elite fighter pilot, players can choose from a wide variety of modern and futuristic aircraft while outfitting them with an arsenal of weapons to face the terrors that roam the skies. PlayStation VR adds a fun dynamic as you sit in the actual cockpit of the aircraft when you take flight above the clouds. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
- Unruly Heroes
Metacritic Score: 81 (Averaged across platforms) / User Score: 7.8 (Averaged across platforms)
In Unruly Heroes, players take on the role of one of four characters as they battle monsters and journey across the land in search of pieces of a sacred lost scroll. Unruly Heroes is a side-scrolling platformer that players will be familiar with, but will be entertained by its enchanting characters and charming visuals. The game is available on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC.
3. Kingdom Hearts 3
Metacritic Score: 83 (Averaged across platforms) / User Score: 7.6 (Averaged across platforms)
The wait is finally over, and fans of the Kingdom Hearts series can exhale their collective breath. Kingdom Hearts 3 once again takes players through various Disney and Pixar worlds as they battle the Heartless and Organization XIII with the help of beloved Disney characters. The averaged Metacritic score between the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 is lower than you might expect thanks to a lower Xbox One score. Since this is the first Kingdom Hearts game to come out on an Xbox console, it makes sense that the score is lower considering the franchise’s famously convoluted storyline. Xbox players probably had no idea what was going on. To be fair though, it is more than likely that many PlayStation players felt the same way too.
2. Resident Evil 2
Metacritic Score: 91 (Averaged across platforms) / User Score: 9.1 (Averaged across platforms)
Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield return to the streets of Raccoon City in Resident Evil 2, arguably one of the most popular titles in the entire franchise. A solid balance of challenging puzzles and terrifying monsters and zombies - not to mention the heart attack-inducing tension of the Tyrant/Mr. X - lets players experience the glory days of Resident Evil in a beautifully reconstructed horror game. Resident Evil 2 is available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
1. Slay The Spire
Metacritic Score: 92 (Averaged across platforms) / User Score: 7.9 (Averaged across platforms)
Slay The Spire does what Artifact wishes it had done, creating a digital trading card game that is just as strategically intense as it is it is fun to play. The roguelike deckbuilding game from Mega Crit Games utilizes fun combat dynamics with captivating visuals and humorous dialogue to bring a breath of fresh air to the genre. Fans of Hearthstone and Magic: The Gathering will feel right at home with Slay The Spire, while newcomers will find the game to be addictive and easy to learn. Slay The Spire is available on PC right now, but will be coming to the Nintendo Switch later this year.
