Kinda Funny Gamescast: “We Fix Game of The Year 2019”
Date: October 3, 2025
Hosts: Blessing Adeoye Jr., “Snowbike” Mike, Andy Cortez, Barrett
Theme: Re-examining and revising the Kinda Funny Game of the Year (GotY) list for 2019, reflecting on how tastes, votes, and the show have changed, and collaboratively building a new consensus top 10.
Episode Overview
This episode dives into Kinda Funny’s 2019 Game of the Year process—what felt “off,” how the roster, voting, and approach have evolved, and what the hosts now believe should represent a true 2019 top 10. The crew shares their own rankings, negotiations, and compromises, ultimately delivering a new, more inclusive GotY 2019 list and unpacking why each game stands out in retrospect.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Reflecting on 2019’s Original List and Voting Process
- 2019’s Voting Context:
- Only core Gamescast hosts (Tim, Greg, Fran, Imran, and Blessing) had votes; smaller, less diverse pool.
- The process was informal—everyone submitted a top five, aggregated into a quasi-top-10, with ties and weird placements.
- “It was more, let’s just go round by round and talk about our top five games of the year, and then we had this fun, weird little list at the end.” —Barrett [09:22]
- Old Top 10 Recap:
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- Control
- Resident Evil 2 Remake
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Borderlands 3 / Death Stranding / Apex Legends
- Fire Emblem: Three Houses
- Devil May Cry 5 / Life is Strange 2
- Gears 5
- Link’s Awakening / Katana Zero
2. Why “Fix” 2019?
- The crew feels that the current staff’s tastes are broader and more developed; the old list missed games that, in hindsight, stand out (e.g., Disco Elysium, Outer Wilds).
- Expansion and change: The lineup of voters now includes hosts with diverse perspectives and gaming backgrounds.
- “I look back at my list and I’m like, my list is invalid now. And I look at the kind of funny list...oh, man, let me tell you, this company has grown.” —Blessing [07:54]
3. How the New Voting Works
- Aim: Achieve consensus through open conversation, rather than rigid point allocation.
- Consideration for depth and passion—games are debated for inclusion based on enthusiastic endorsement rather than mere presence.
- New rules: Each host can list their top 15. Points get distributed more generously across the wider array of games, reflecting the “stacked” years.
4. Debating the New Top 10: Games Discussed
The Consensus "Heavy Hitters":
- Outer Wilds
- “It is one of those experiences that needs to be experienced by everybody.” —Andy [20:55]
- Praised for innovative design, emotional resonance, and the feeling of player authorship.
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- “That’s what I want out of an action game... that feeling.” —Blessing [23:27]
- Celebrated for its unrivaled combat, boss design, and teaching-through-action approach.
- Apex Legends
- “Apex Legends dropped and changed the mother [expletive] globe, bro.” —Mike [15:35]
- Revolutionized Battle Royale with ping systems and movement; a “formative” game.
- Control
- “What a video game that showed me how cool and weird art direction could get in a game that's still very combat heavy.” —Andy [81:19]
- Noted for its atmosphere, storytelling, and world.
- Disco Elysium
- “I think Disco Elysium belongs on the list. I’m just gonna write that down.” —Blessing [14:22]
- Hailed as a genre-defining RPG; highlighted, though not everyone played it at launch.
The Next Tier:
- Resident Evil 2 Remake
- “It’s a top five for me... That’s top five and that’s just a personal thing and I know that I’m wrong there.” —Andy [36:22]
- Recognized for reinvention and quality, even amidst debates about “remake” status.
- Death Stranding
- “Death stranding would probably be in my top five.” —Blessing [64:19]
- Sparks debate on its divisiveness, but makes the upper half of the list.
Indie Darlings and Fan-Favorites:
- Katana Zero
- “That's my number three.” —Barrett [63:15]
- Loved for style, action, and narrative twist; both Barrett and Andy are passionate advocates.
- Astral Chain
- “Astral Chain is like one of my most underrated games that I wish more people played.” —Andy [34:45]
- Platinum’s stylish action lauded, especially by Andy and Blessing.
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- “Still my game of the year, but Katana Zero...” —Barrett [65:55]
- Universally liked, but newer passions and experiences push it down the list.
Games Considered or Honorable Mentions:
- Fire Emblem Three Houses (passionate audience, but lack of firsthand experience leads it to be honorary/pandered)
- Luigi’s Mansion 3, Mario Maker 2, Outer Worlds, Devil May Cry 5, Tetris 99, Mordhau, Slay the Spire, Ape Out, Plague Tale: Innocence, Link’s Awakening, Borderlands 3, among others—many discussed, some cut in the tough deliberation.
The Final “Fixed” Kinda Funny Gamescast 2019 Top 10
- Outer Wilds
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Apex Legends
- Control
- Resident Evil 2 Remake
- Disco Elysium
- Katana Zero
- Death Stranding
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- Astral Chain
“To recap, our fixed 2019 game of the year list brought to you by Fire Emblem Three Houses looks like this…” —Blessing [81:47]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On List Regret & Evolution:
“It’s one of those years that I’ve always looked back at with just a violent disdain.” —Andy [06:21] - On Apex’s Impact:
“Apex Legends dropped and changed the mother [expletive] globe, bro.” —Mike [15:35] - On Outer Wilds:
“It is one of those experiences that needs to be experienced by everybody ... made me feel in ways where it’s every emotion at once.” —Andy [20:07] - On Sekiro:
“The parry, the counter, the bosses... It was just so good.” —Mike [24:08] - Comic Relief:
Ongoing jokes about “pandering” to the Nintendo audience and Mike’s supposed insincerity (“You'd be a great politician.” —Andy [57:54]) - Deep Cuts:
Honoring Brian “Nobishin” (RIP), who had Kingdom Hearts 3 as his GotY for 2019. [26:20]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [05:24] Start of “fixing” GotY 2019 discussion
- [11:29] Reading and evaluating the original 2019 list
- [13:35] Determining what belongs in the new top 10
- [15:35] Apex Legends’ big moment & cultural impact
- [20:07] Passionate Outer Wilds discussion
- [23:27] Sekiro’s enduring design and difficulty
- [34:39] Astral Chain appreciation
- [36:22] Resident Evil 2 Remake’s place in history
- [58:12] Cutting down and debating the final 10
- [64:01] Death Stranding evaluation
- [67:14] Top 6 ordering and the Outer Wilds vs. Sekiro debate
- [81:47] The final fixed top 10 list revealed
Tone and Podcast Style
Loose, humorous, a bit irreverent but passionate about games and the integrity of the lists. The hosts frequently roast each other, lean into bits (especially Mike’s pretend “pandering”), and invite the chat/audience into the decision-making via running jokes and super chat shoutouts.
Super Chat Highlights
- Numerous shoutouts for games like Kingdom Hearts 3, Fire Emblem, Control, Untitled Goose Game, and more.
- Some lamentations (“how did Outer Worlds get a GotY nom over Outer Wilds?”) and cheers for games that didn’t make the cut.
- Sentimental nods to former community contributors (notably the late Nobishin).
Episode Takeaways
- Game of the Year lists aren’t static; opinions and tastes shift as time passes and crews rotate.
- 2019 in retrospect is seen as a year of rich, weird, and deeply varied games.
- Collaborative, conversational ranking—especially among hosts with strong (and at times conflicting) tastes—makes for a robust, more inclusive list.
- The new Kinda Funny 2019 GotY reflects elevated tastes, a bigger crew, and deeper appreciation for singular, transformative game experiences like Outer Wilds and Sekiro.
Memorable Closing Bit:
“To recap, our fixed 2019 game of the year list brought to you by Fire Emblem Three Houses looks like this...” —Blessing [81:47]
[The running Fire Emblem joke punctuates the episode’s self-aware, community-joking style.]
Summary prepared for listeners seeking to catch up on the substance and spirit of the episode without the time commitment—enjoy the new canon for 2019!