Best new IP
1. Horizon Zero Dawn
Sony dominated with new IP this generation, and one of the very best was Horizon Zero Dawn. It seamlessly blended elements of a long-forgotten society wiped out by a calamity with elements of a futuristic world that the current society can't quite grasp. Hulking robotic behemoths roam the land, and, honestly, coming across one of the larger ones feels like that scene out of Jurassic Park when Dr. Grant sees the Brontosaurus. Guerrilla Games knocked it out of the part, and I can't wait to see what the future of this series has in store. -Jennifer Locke
2. The Outer Worlds
This was the Fallout: New Vegas sequel we were waiting for. Best of all, it sets up a new world for us to get lost in. Obsidian's follow-up lives up to a lot of expectations. The dialog system is varied, the characters are charming, and the quests set up an ambiguous system for the player to get lost in. What we loved about The Outer Worlds, most of all, is all the potential for going even further. It takes place in a colonized solar system in the future run by corporations and we play the people just trying to survive in it. That opens the door for a lot of dark humor, but also new sci-fi stories. We're excited to see what comes of this new IP. -Carli Velocci
3. The Last of Us
I'm a sucker for horror games and anything zombie-related, so it's no surprise that when Last of Us came out, I fell immediately in love. This game delivers a top-notch story, excellent voice acting, vibrant environments, and a world gone to hell thanks to a fungal infection that essentially turns people into zombies. The original game arrived in 2013, followed a year later by another story-driven DLC in 2014 that only made the world and the story better. It delivers a world I still want to know more about, characters I am (irrationally) attached to, and even some replayability. Best of all, we're finally getting the second installment in the Spring of 2020. -Jen Karner
4. Rocket League
It might seem odd to include Rocket League when so many new IPs came out, but bear with us. Rocket League's importance in cross-platform play can't be understated. It was one of the first major titles to support gameplay between consoles and PC, and it led the push to make cross-play an industry standard. We're not there yet, but we wouldn't be nearly as close without Rocket League. Even when you don't consider any of that, it's still a hell of a blast to play. -Jennifer Locke
5. Dishonored
Arkane made a name for itself with the Dishonored series and continued to prove why the studio excelled at immersive sims with its sequel. From the industrial whaling city of Dunwall to the Mediterranean-inspired Karnaca, the world that Arkane created oozes character out of every pore. The world around you reacts to your actions and you really feel like you're changing the course of the game, for better or worse. With so many paths to explore and powers to use, you'll need to complete several playthroughs just to experience everything Dishonored has to offer. -Jennifer Locke
6. Destiny
Since 2014, Destiny has been one of the biggest games on the planet. It's had some low points, but the team at Bungie reinvented the game just enough to keep it moving forward and beloved by its players. Both Destiny and Destiny 2 have continued a story that is epic in scale, that spans planets and time, and has soundtracks that blow me away every time I listen. Now that Bungie has branched out on its own, it has the freedom to take the Destiny franchise to new heights. Destiny 2: Shawdowkeep has ushered in a new era for Destiny, and firmly planted it has one of the greatest MMOFPS of all time. -James Bricknell
7. Control/Alan Wake
When we got Control from Remedy Games in 2019, we weren't expecting it to tie back into the studio's earlier new IP, Alan Wake, from 2010. Somehow, Remedy managed to surprise everybody by not only creating a great new title but by also setting up a multiverse of spookiness. Control is a fascinating horror-inspired action game with incredible world-building, a mysterious antagonist, and a range of cool powers to play with. However, when you pick up that first document with "Bright Falls" mentioned, or when you find Alan Wake hiding in a secret area of the government agency at the heart of the game, you realize that it's all bigger than you thought. With new DLC set for 2020, including one that seems to promise an Alan Wake/Control crossover, the possibilities are now endless. -Carli Velocci
8. Overwatch
Overwatch kicked off the hero shooter craze in part thanks to Blizzard's ability to make character shorts worthy of Pixar Animation Studios. The genre became so popular that other companies tried to emulate it with little success. Blizzard captured magic in a bottle with Overwatch, and it's no wonder that people fell in love with it. With an ever-growing team of lovable heroes (and villains) and Overwatch 2 on the way, there's a lot to look forward to. Now please, go defend the payload and protect your support heroes. -Jennifer Locke
9. No Man's Sky
No Man's Sky is proof that you can rise up and be what people always dreamed you could be. Overhyped from Day 1, Hello Games has spent the last three years constantly improving the game with massive updates, each one redefining how the game plays, looks, and feels. The current iteration of No Man's Sky — called Beyond — is as close to the ideal that was promised then I could ever imagine. There is no end in sight either. Hello Games are continuing to update No Man's Sky regularly, bringing in new base building mechanics, animal farming and riding, and even virtual reality, and they do it all for free. If you haven't had a chance to play, you should make it a goal to pick it up before the end of the year. -James Bricknell
10. Fortnite
What's there to say about Fortnite that hasn't already been said? Like it or not, it's without question one of the biggest new IPs from the past 10 years. From fairly humble beginnings it exploded almost overnight, becoming the darling of streamers and their viewers alike.
Exactly why can be put down to plenty of reasons, but ultimately, Fortnite was in the right place at the right time and at the right price — as in free. Capitalizing on the Battle Royale boom that drove the gaming industry crazy throughout 2018 and 2019, Epic Games turned Fortnite into something quite special. Deals with Marvel and Star Wars, live concerts inside the game, and an ever-evolving world that engages with its players, Fortnite deserves its place among the elite. -Richard Devine
