The 8 best games of 2019 so far

Nearly 30 years ago, the original "ToeJam & Earl" arrived on the Sega Genesis. It wasn't a huge hit. Instead, "ToeJam & Earl" became a cult-classic.

There's a good reason for that: It's a game with a distinct sense of style, that played like nothing else at the time and very little since. But outside of that first game from 1991, the series has more or less languished across the past few decades.

Until now: 2019's "ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove!" beyond delivers on the subtitle. "Back in the Groove" is every bit as charming and stylish as the original game, but now it's got all the conveniences that modern game design and game hardware bring.

The "Trials" series is years-deep at this point, and it's still a surprising delight. The game is pretty straightforward: Carefully pilot a dirt bike through precarious stages that are rife with traps and pitfalls.

If you've spent any time watching bicycle or motorbike-based trials, you're no doubt familiar with what this game series is all about: Precision movement in extremely dangerous settings. "Trials" takes that formula and turns it into a risk-free video game, and then it adds massive, ridiculous explosions.

Release Date: February 26, 2019

Platform(s): Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Nintendo Switch

"Tetris 99" is another total surprise: A battle royale-style game, but with "Tetris."

What does that even mean? It means 100 players all play "Tetris" at the same time competitively. The better you do, the more trash blocks will be added to your competition's screens — and vice versa.

It's a tremendously unique idea, and it's only available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.

Release Date: February 13, 2019

Platform(s): Nintendo Switch

Anyone familiar with tactics-based strategy games like "Advanced Wars" and "Fire Emblem" will find something to love with "Wargroove." It follows in the same tradition, albeit with different trappings.

Two particularly notable aspects of "Wargroove": It can be played across competing game platforms, and it features adorable dogs.

Release Date: February 1, 2019

Platform(s): Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC

Early 2019 is rife with slick-looking third-person action games, and "Devil May Cry 5" is the perfect example.

The series is known for its ultra-stylish characters, deep fighting system, and over-the-top settings. "Devil May Cry 5" takes those ideas and runs with them (then leaps into the air and murders like two dozen flying demons).

Release Date: March 8, 2019

Platform(s): Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC

The long-awaited remake of fan-favorite horror classic "Resident Evil 2" is a critical darling and a commercial success — and that's for good reason: It's a loving remake of a classic game from a beloved franchise.

"Resident Evil 2" introduced the world to Leon S. Kennedy (seen above) — the main character in "Resident Evil 4." Kennedy and Claire Redfield find themselves in the middle of a surprise zombie outbreak in the fictional town of Raccoon City. It's an action-packed introduction to many of the major themes of the "Resident Evil" franchise, and it's gorgeously remade for modern consoles.

Check out our full review of "Resident Evil 2" right here.

Release Date: January 25, 2019

Platform(s): Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC

On paper, "Apex Legends" sounds a lot like "Fortnite."

It's a free-to-play shooter centered around a Battle Royale mode! It's available on several gaming platforms! It's full of colorful loot!

In reality, "Apex Legends" is a very different game in the same genre as "Fortnite."

If you've spent any time with the "Titanfall" games, you'll feel at least some tinge of familiarity with "Apex Legends."

There's a simple reason for that: "Apex Legends" is made by Respawn Entertainment, the EA-owned studio that made the "Titanfall" games. In fact, "Apex Legends" is sort of a "Titanfall" game, albeit one without wall-running or giant, hulking robot suits.

What it lacks in that stuff, it keeps in excellent first-person shooting. Above all else, "Apex Legends" is a really, really great multiplayer first-person shooter.

Yes, it's a Battle Royale game. And yes, it's a free-to-play game, with all the baggage that phrase comes with. But, more than any of that, "Apex Legends" is a best-in-class first-person shooter.

Check out our full review of "Apex Legends" right here.

Release Date: February 4

Platform(s): Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC