FromSoftware’s action masterpiece abandoned traditional stamina management in favor of a blistering sword-clashing deflection system, soaring shinobi verticality, and unmatched rhythmic boss encounters.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice took home the prestigious Game of the Year award in 2019 by delivering the sharpest, most exhilarating melee combat system ever coded. Rather than relying on character leveling or summon assistance, Sekiro demanded that the player personally master the martial arts of the Wolf.
Sekiro replaced the passive dodge-rolling of previous Dark Souls titles with aggressive, front-foot sword clashing. By deflecting enemy attacks at the exact split-second of impact, players broke enemy "Posture" to execute lethal Shinobi Deathblows. Combat became a tense, rhythmic dance of steel.
The Grappling Hook granted vertical freedom previously unseen in FromSoftware games, allowing players to leap across Sengoku-era rooftops, ambush enemies from towering pine branches, and switch seamlessly between stealth assassinations and intense duels.
Boss encounters in Sekiro are revered as the pinnacle of skill testing in gaming. Duels like Genichiro on top of Ashina Castle, the shocking second phase of the Guardian Ape, and the climatic showdown with Isshin, the Sword Saint remain timeless testaments to master-level encounter design.
A fiercely competitive year highlighting paranormal shooters, cinematic strand-type adventures, and fighting brawlers.
The definitive ninja action title celebrated for unmatched sword-clashing combat rhythm and Sengoku mythos.
A brutalist architecture supernatural thriller featuring Jesse Faden, telekinetic combat, and the Oldest House.
Hideo Kojima’s genre-defying journey of reconnecting a fractured America with asynchronous multiplayer bridges.
A gold standard remake of the Raccoon City police station nightmare, powered by Capcom's state-of-the-art RE Engine.
The ultimate crossover celebration uniting every fighter in gaming history under Masahiro Sakurai's direction.
A witty corporate sci-fi RPG with snappy dialogue trees, companion dynamics, and Halcyon colony exploration.
Sekiro took home the most prestigious hardware of the evening: