Game of the Year 2020 Voting Thread (Voting Concluded, Results Coming Soon!)

[Memory Pak]

Thanks to the staff & tech team for running this again, and for making ranked votes work!
Always love this thread for spotlighting good games you'd never hear about otherwise. Discoveries so far:
DarthOrange made me wishlist ITTA, and Arrest of a Stone Buddha.
ABBA's Helicopter - your entire list feels like a treasure trove, thanks for sharing!
McNum that 5D Chess With Multiverse Time Travel game sounds rad.

One of the few good things about last year was the bewilderingly high output of quality games. There's plenty I didn't play (Umurangi Generation, FUSER, Factorio, 13 Sentinels), and unfortunately I can't vote for Among Us, since the mobile version I played is older, but I hope the Switch version lands that game a bunch of votes still.

Onto my list:​

1. Hades
The complete package.
Hades nails the popular Greek myth as melodrama trope and sells it hard on the back of extremely strong voice performances, lush hand-drawn artwork, a clever script which covers every eventuality, and a sludgy soundtrack for the ages. You can play this as a close-quarters action game, a quasi-bullet hell, or anything in between.
I only have one minor story complaint with this one BIG ENDING SPOILERS: the ending is all right, but I was hoping to see Zagreus torch Hell to the ground. Admittedly this would wildly bloat the scope for this game 60 hours deep, and ruin its endless nature. But its gameplay variety, and its marriage of narrative and live-die-repeat progression, make this a top-tier entry point to rogue-lites.

2. In Other Waters
A mysterious, stylish sci-fi game in which you play an A.I. research assistant controlling the diving suit of marine xenobiologist.
Inverting the show don't tell axiom, here you experience the world largely through menus and supplement your own imagination.
Its richly detailed writing respects your intelligence, and is further elevated by an atmospheric soundtrack. This feels like a landmark debut title.

3. GG Aleste 3
The first proper Aleste game in 27 years (24 if you're generous) and it gets buried with a Japan-only, Christmas Eve release. Great. Built for the Game Gear Micro of all things by an all-star team of veterans previously behind Battle Garegga, MUSHA, and Blazing Lazers, this is no mere trial run for the upcoming Aleste Branch. M2 are absolutely stunting on the 8 bit hardware: bosses steal your power-ups, panning sound effects (on a mono system!), physics affect your controls, a catchy melodic score, and everything happens at blistering speeds.
Released as part of the absurdly fully featured Aleste Collection, this newest addition to the series pantheon makes it clear
the legacy of Power Strike II, Space Megaforce, and MUSHA is in great hands.

4. Crimzon Clover: World EXplosion
The biggest space shooter since Ikaruga and the Touhou explosion saw its third iteration arrive on Switch to a disappointing lack of fanfare. Packed to the brim with features, a new Gradius inspired Arrange Mode, options for players of many skills levels, and an extra soundtrack, World EXplosion confirms Crimzon Clover's status as one of the best shoot 'em ups of the past 15 years. If you subscribe to the view that games ought to be power fantasies and need to provide as many high-stakes choices in the shortest amount of time, this is your logical end point.

5. Samurai Shodown
Only arriving on Switch in April 2020, Samurai Shodown is a tense, thrilling, exacting fighter. Easy to learn, but difficult to master, this is an exercise in restraint and fundamentals. I wish it had more arenas, more varied story modes per character, and a functional online mode with crossplay, but it's almost suitable for such a high risk/reward game to disappoint in content but excel in moment-to-moment gameplay.

6. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
An almost surreal amber preservation of pre-COVID life, Animal Crossing railed against the 2020 trash fire in the calmest voice possible. Relentless in its rejection of conflict-based social interactions, New Horizons is twee and saccharin, but infectiously optimistic if you let your guard down.

7. Manifold Garden
Released on consoles in 2020, Manifold Garden has you navigating endlessly repeating structures reminiscent of M.C. Escher while manipulating gravity to solve puzzles. It's not aiming for Portal, but rather sees you (an unknown, insignificant and unimportant entity), restore a series of interconnected cosmic zen gardens. A stark, impressive series of epiphanies await amidst the infinite void.

8. Artemis' Minesweeper
Do you like Minesweeper, but wish it included stressful bullet hell elements? Here's 2020's most niche game you never knew you wanted. Admittedly more proof-of-concept than complete game, but a creative mash-up. If this ditched the anime aesthetic for something more thematically cohesive and got a better soundtrack, I think it could be a minor hit.

1. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
2. [Switch] [Adventure] [Jump Over The Age] In Other Waters
3. [Switch] [Shooter] [M2 ShotTriggers] GG Aleste 3
4. [Switch] [Shooter] [Yotsubane] Crimzon Clover: World EXplosion
5. [Switch] [Fighting] [SNK] Samurai Shodown
6. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
7. [Switch] [Puzzle] [William Chyr Studio] Manifold Garden
8. [PC] [Puzzle] [Numachi Tamanegi] Artemis' Minesweeper
   

 

[TheRulingRing]

1. Destiny 2 (PS5)

What can you even say here? Like most Destiny fans I simultaneously love and hate the game - brilliantly satisfying gameplay stymied by mystifying systems decisions by Bungle.

This year probably more than any other made me realise that I really don't care at all for the grind or carrot-on-a-stick or loot chasing or slot machine lever pulling zombie mentality Bungie (and honestly a large part of the playerbase) keeps trying to force on us. More than any other year I just played it for the satisfaction of shooting things/people.

Finally getting the higher framerates and high FOV on console with the next-gen update substantially increased my enjoyment of the game and was a massive quality of life improvement beyond anything else they'd managed previously.

I just wish they'd gone with a Destiny 3. Shame Bungie seems to want to move on to other pastures and leave this franchise to fade away.

2. The Last of Us Part II

While this game had absolutely atrocious pacing problems all throughout (beyond anything else Naughty Dog has ever released) by the end of the game the central conflict is far more complex and beyond anything the first game was able to achieve.

Due to the aforementioned pacing problems I don't think it matches up to the first game, but there was definitely a more compelling discussion to be had here.

3. Final Fantasy VII Remake

Gave this a try on a whim and oh boy did it shock me with how much I ended up loving it.

I never knew anything about the first game until like a year ago, but the characters (apart from Cloud) just sucked me in and I was hooked. The setting was dripping with atmosphere in just the right ways, the story took me to unexpected directions.

I normally don't like anime-y games, but for some reason this one really stuck with me - I wanted to spend more time with these characters.

I almost put this above TLOU2, but the dialogue doesn't really hold up. It too has pacing problems, but I don't think they were as bad as TLOU2 for me (due to different expectations most likely).



Overall a really great year to be honest. Ghost of Tsushima was a decent surprise, although not something I would quite put on a GOTY list. I'm sure Spiderman Miles Morales will be great fun too once I get hold of it.

1. [PS5] [Shooter] [Bungie] Destiny 2
2. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
3. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
   

 

[mael]

I don't usually vote for this kind of stuffs but like #1 is literally hurting for more recognition if you ask me.

1.Phoenotopia: Awakening : Absolutely fantastic charming game. Exploration platformer more in line with Zelda 2 than Metroid, an absurdly good soundtrack, lots of content and so good to play. Would probably be highly ranked for me even in a year with say BotW, Hollow Knight and Mario Galaxy. Don't sleep on it, an absolute gem. It feels like a small game at first and then you realize it's so much more. It's so good it made me vote in this thread because it needs more advocate. Just recently released on Steam too so if you have access to the game, just play it.

2. Animal Crossing : New Horizons : Already my 3rd most used game on Switch after Mario Maker 2 and BotW, it made the hellscape that was 2020 that much bearable. On top of that the most social aspect of the game was a godsend when everyone was stuck home. On its own probably the most fun I had with AC after Wild World. The only case of straight double dipping we ever did (I mean I had to get the physical for me and my SO wasn't going to have anything but the digital edition anyway

3. Trials of Mana : Great remake of one of the gems of my personal collection. It does feel a little low budget on the side but the soundtrack more than make up for it. It's still SD3 and it still plays great(better even) and I'll probably still play this for decades to come.

4. Vigil : the Longest Night : Basically take Salt & Sanctuary but instead of riffing off Dark Souls, it's Bloodborne. Plays really well, the story and progression are awesome. Music is good but not Bloodborne-good. Translation is absolutely atrocious though, you understand all the text, it's just really badly translated full of typos, at times it feels like the Switch can barely handle the game and will crash at any time. The way I played it, it didn't change weapon enough to my taste althought the game

5. Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend : And now I know why I shouldn't have slept ont he FFL games back in the day. Great package that does what it says on the tin. A rather no frills affair with barely any change to what playing on original hardware would be (double speed is still appreciated). It does play great and requires a certain mindset for it to work but it's still fantastic. It also really feels like the start of SaGa and you can really see the same hand behind the 1st 2 games as the one that would give us the rest of SaGa. SaGa 3 is its own thing, a bit like Final Fantasy Mistic Quest but played way more straight. If that game wasn't made for "idiot westerners" in mind it probably would be like SaGa 3. It's a really great game that feels very different from other FFL games but still great.

6.Xenoblade Chronicle : Definitive Edition : The jewel of 2011 back and better. It doesn't play as well as Xeno2 but it's really the better game with better music, better environments and less shitty designs.

7. Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity : Didn't think I'd ever enjoy a dynasty warrior game but here we are. Great story that goes a lil bit Unglorious Basterds on us with how it meshes with BotW. It plays really well and meshes well with BotW gameplay wise.

8. MindSeize : Metroidvania that takes more from Metroid than Castlevania, it should be higher if this year wasn't filled with personal fan favorites. It's seriously great, more people should play it.

9. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered : A bit disappointed with this one, it's still the fantastic FFCC but it's mire with weird decisions for online play that makes it hard to play. It's still rather generous with how it allows a group of 4 to just play with 1 legit copy. Music is still great but there is something lost in not having everyone be part of the same caravan in multiplayer. Not perfect but pretty close.

10. Mario Kart Live : Home Circuit : A dream come true for anyone with an inner(or not inner) child, if you like RC cars it's exactly that. It's not extra content rich but it's really fun to use and a wonderfull use of tech.

1. [Switch] [Platform Adventure] [Cape Cosmic] Phoenotopia: Awakening
2. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
3. [Switch] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Trials of Mana
4. [Switch] [Metroidvania] [Glass Heart Games] Vigil : Longest Night
5. [Switch] [RPG] [Square Enix] Collection of SaGa: Final Fantasy Legend
6. [Switch] [Action RPG] [MonolithSoft] Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
7. [Switch] [Hack and slash] [Omega Force] Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
8. [Switch] [Metroidvania] [Kamina Dimension] MindSeize
9. [Switch] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Remastered Edition
10. [Switch] [Racing] [Velan Studios, Inc] Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

 

[gabdeg]

1. Half-Life: Alyx - Playing Half-Life: Alyx was hands down the best VR experience I've ever had. I had no idea how much I missed this style of well thought-out single player campaign. My longest play session with this game went for 4 hours straight, which is crazy for a VR game. It just hooked me that much. Somehow they even managed to make me keep going through some straight-up horror game stuff. It's a masterpiece in many ways.
2. Nioh 2 - Nioh 2 is a big improvement over its predecessor in terms of content variety and gameplay. It is also really fucked up in terms of difficulty. So even though many yells were had, it was still the most fun I had this year in terms of challenging gameplay and I can't wait to dig back in with the PS5 version.
3. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - What a nice calm and relaxing experience this game is. It's a joy to log in every day, building your island through all sorts of activities. Sadly the end game grind to get everything adjusted was not for me at all. A potential sequel with more quality of life improvements would have the potential for being GOTY that year.
4. Demon's Souls - This remake did more for me than I expected. I have the utmost reverence for Demon's Souls and what it did at the time. It was a revelation. And yet other titles followed, which I thought did things better. Engaging with the remake by Bluepoint made me realize that Demon's Souls is something way more distinct and special and it absolutely stands on its own even today compared to the other From titles that followed in its footsteps.
5. Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 + 2 - They finally gave us good Tony Hawk again after too many years of crappy games. Looks great and plays great. Hard to find any faults.
6. Astro's Playroom - This game just feels so good to play. Very precise controls easily on the level of the best 3D platformers out there. Just wish there was more of it. Can't wait for what Team ASOBI does next.
7. The Last of Us Part II - Amazing storytelling from multiple perspectives. I really enjoyed the back and forth and getting to see the characters motivations manifest and the paths they take. Goes on for too long though and didn't quite hit the landing for me.
8. Yakuza: Like A Dragon - Wish I had played this to completion, I'm sure I would've ranked it higher. However what I saw in the first 10 or so hours already blew me away enough to know that I have to rank this game. It's great to see a fresh take on Yakuza after previously getting burned out on the traditional approach.
9. Tetris Effect: Connected - It's a new Tetris Effect, what needs to be said? Right after downloading I immediately put like 10 hours into it despite already owning the game on 3 other platforms. The new multiplayer is really fun.
10. Cyberpunk 2077 - Cyberpunk 2077 is a messed up game that still manage to hook me in a way. The PR prior to release and the development itself couldn't have been handled worse. The game is buggy as hell and straight up unplayable on some platforms. Yet I had a good amount of dumb shallow fun with it. The character quests really managed to surprise me with how engaging they were. Couple that with the fact that I think the game looks incredible on PC with ray tracing on and I managed to have a decent time with it.

1. [PC] [Shooter] [Valve] Half-Life: Alyx
2. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Team Ninja] Nioh 2
3. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
4. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
5. [XBO] [Sports] [Vicarious Visions] Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
6. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
7. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
8. [PC] [RPG] [Sega] Yakuza: Like a Dragon
9. [XSX] [Puzzle] [Monstars and Resonair] Tetris Effect: Connected
10. [PC] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077
    

 

[Pellaidh]

1. A Short Hike - A distillation of everything that made Breath of the Wild good into an incredibly fulfilling two-hour experience, along with some absolutely stellar writing.

2. Paradise Killer - An incredibly confident re-imagining of the cosmic horror genre, taking its traditional dark and gloomy imagery and transforming it into something bright and colorful. Add in a good dose of social commentary and a decent murder mystery, and you get one of the most inventive and satisfying story based games of the year.

3. Trackmania - When this was first announced, I didn't think much of it. It's just the same Trackmania: Stadium game that's been released two times before. But when I played it, I remembered why they could get away with rereleasing it a third time - because Trackmania is basically already a perfect game. And while this only adds a few new changes, some of them are actually pretty good, chiefly a daily tournament system that offers a huge improvement to the game's online play.

4. Arknights - Easily the best gacha game available right now, as well as probably the best tower defense game ever made, at least as far as the gameplay itself is concerned. Plus, its presentation is leagues above its competitors, and even the gacha elements are decently player friendly.

5. Signs of the Sojourner - Part incredibly human visual novel, part inventive deckbuilding card game. I love both of those things, so that makes it an easy inclusion on this list.

6. Crusader Kings III - A wonderful sequel to one of the best strategy games ever made, and also easily the least broken initial release from Paradox.

7. Factorio - Groundbreaking enough to essentially start its own genre of factory building games.

8. World of Warcraft: Shadowlands - Getting into a 16-year old MMORPG is probably one of the most daunting things in gaming, but Shadownland's new player improvements made that actually doable, and the actual expansion content has some pretty decent story stuff going for it. And for a 16-year old game, some of its visuals even manage to impress, thanks to great environmental art design.

9. Hades - The least impressed I've been with a Supergiant game so far. This doesn't mean it's a bad game - the core gameplay is good and the presentation is incredible. But it fails as a roguelike due to limited amount of variability between runs, and it fails as a storytelling game due to its grindy nature.

10. Genshin Impact - This is an incredibly frustrating game. It's core gameplay, walking around and exploring the world, is great, and the combat, while kind of broken conceptually, is a lot of fun to do. The problem are its gacha mechanics, which are pretty much the worst I've seen in an Asian gacha game. Incredibly stingy with free-to-play rewards, super expensive if you want to pay for it, with zero quality of life features that have become standard in the genre, super sexualized character designs, and a stamina system that makes no sense. It's also incredibly grindy, even for a gacha game. It's a testament to how good the core gameplay is that it has managed to attract such a huge audience.

1. [Switch] [Adventure] [adamgryu] A Short Hike
2. [PC] [Adventure] [Kaizen Game Works] Paradise Killer
3. [PC] [Racing] [Nadeo and Firebrand Games] Trackmania
4. [Mobile] [Tactical role-playing] [Hypergryph] Arknights
5. [PC] [Card Game] [Echodog Games] Signs of the Sojourner
6. [PC] [Grand strategy] [Paradox Interactive] Crusader Kings III
7. [PC] [Simulation] [Wube Software] Factorio
8. [PC] [MMORPG] [Blizzard Entertainment] World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
9. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
10. [PC] [Action RPG] [miHoYo] Genshin Impact
    

 

[dancingphlower]

1. Persona 5 Royal - Simply put, it's my favorite game of all time. The additional content improved the base game to a degree that it justified (for me) buying the game again and playing it twice. Absolutely astounding how high the level of character development, engaging combat, and incredible music is. To say more may lead to spoiler territory, so I'll leave it at that.

2. Yakuza: Like a Dragon - My new favorite Yakuza game. Ichiban Kasuga is more than a worthy successor to Kazuma Kiryu. He excels in different ways and carries the emotional weight of the game. The final moments of the game absolutely floored me. And the extra content is an embarrassment of riches. The switch to RPG combat was a rousing success, and I can't wait to see RGG studio expand on it in future entries.

3. Ghost of Tsushima - In many ways, this is my dream game. An open world samurai epic? Sign me the hell up. Is it perfect? No, it falls a little short in terms of open world game design, but more than makes up for it in terms of style, combat, and just fulfilling the wandering Ronin fantasy. Jin's story of struggling with familial expectation, the theme of finding the balance between the traditions of the past and the ways of the future, and even his barely contained rage and grief (which some mistake as being "boring") as he struggles with the trying to protect his family despite the overwhelming guilt at disappointing his father figure...all that resonated with me on a deeply personal level.

4. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - The RTS Tower Defense stuff isn't the greatest, but story is absolutely amazing. Putting together the mystery was a joy from start to finish. The struggles and worries of these 13 characters will stick with me forever.

5. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales - It's more Spider-Man, what else needs to be said?

6. Demon's Souls - It was never my favorite Souls game, but the remake is giving me a fresh perspective on an old classic.

7. Resident Evil 3 - People bag on it for being too short, but I thought it was a perfect game to finish in one night. It felt like a tightly paced action movie, and that's exactly what I wanted from it.

8. Final Fantasy VII Remake - I hated the ending and the story left a lot to be desired, but this is my favorite combat system in a Final Fantasy game, bar none. Tifa in particular was such a joy to play.

9. Nioh 2 - This game is probably too long for its own good, but the combat is clicking with me in a way the first game didn't.

10. Astro's Playroom - My gf and I took turns playing and it was some of the most fun I had with a game in 2020.

1. [PS4] [RPG] [Atlus] Persona 5 Royal
2. [PS4] [RPG] [Sega] Yakuza: Like a Dragon
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
4. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
5. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
6. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
7. [PS4] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
8. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
9. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Team Ninja] Nioh 2
10. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
    

 

[Sand_Fox]

Most of the games I played in 2020 are old, I only finished 6 games released last year and here are their ranking.

1. Final Fantasy VII Remake: My favorite gaming experience in 2020. What I love about FF7R is how charming the characters are, Cloud and the gang are even better than I imagined them when I first played the original as I kid back in 1997, Barret who I never cared too much about in the original is probably my favorite in the Remake. The mix of serious and goofy moments in the story is awesome. The new battle system is incredible, the boss fights and music are amazing. Although FF7R is not perfect, its highs are best I've seen in recent years and I can't wait to see how the story goes from here.

2.Spider-Man: Miles Morales: I never played 2018's Spider-man, and had no expectations for this games. I bought it because I wanted to try a PS5 game. Simply put I was blown away, the combat is super fun and polished, I never got bored from swinging and shooting webs in NYC. The story is simple yet entertaining, the acting is very good, the characters are likable. Is the game is short? Sure but definitely worth it imo. Might go back to try the older Spider-Man game now.

3.Astro's Playroom: I had a blast playing this, I love it so much. I had no plans to play it but since it was free I decided to try it and glad I did! This is the best and most fun I had in getting a platinum trophy. A love letter to the PlayStation. I couldn't stop playing until I complete it 100%. Kudos to Team Asobi!

4. Resident Evil 3: I think the critical reception for this game was a bit harsh. RE2 Remake (a masterpiece) is better sure, but this is still a very good game. It is short and lack puzzles, other than that that I love it and is one of the few games last year that I finished more than once.

5. Ghost of Tsushima: Loved the beautiful world and combat, disliked the characters and story (too serious at times). The soundtrack is incredible too. Might rank it higher once I try the DLC. Good game overall.

6.Cyberpunk 2077: I played it on the PS4 and somehow was able to beat it after countless crashes and bugs. Cyberpunk is my least favorite game of the ones I played in 2020 but I still think it's a decent game. Some side quests are excellent, the main story is good, and the characters were great. The gun gameplay was ok, melee though not so much.

1. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
2. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
3. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
4. [PS4] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
5. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
6. [PS4] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077

 

[AuroraMusisAmica]

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Switch
March 20, 2020
Nintendo EPD Production Group 5

Animal Crossing was the antidote-game for Covid-19. With an entire world turned upside down, forced into seclusion, and living in uncertainty, New Horizons was a salve to soothe away those worries, anxieties, and loneliness. It encouraged you to go out on a new adventure and take a risk in the great unknown. It encouraged you to make new friends, pour into your community, and create places of worth and value. It was soothing and calm, a place of smiles, surprises, and innocence. It brought out of us that innate creativity to build and create, and brought in us a sense of togetherness while we were physically apart. To see non-gamers and gamers alike come together and present their own homes away from home, that's certainly special. My brother and sister made New Horizons an adventure in itself in the opening days of the pandemic. Every new discovery a chance to show off (You got Raymond?!) or inspire (That's such a great idea, could I borrow that for my catalog?)

100's of hours later, and we're all a little burnt out (and not just on the game, so many things have lost their luster). But Animal Crossing: New Horizons was a constant companion in a time of uncertainty, fear, and anxiety. It brought us all together, when we couldn't be more apart. To have that impact beyond the screen is no small thing.

2. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

PC, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series
March 11, 2020
Moon Studios

The moment I picked up that Xbox controller all the way back in 2015, I knew it was a special game. For its freshman debut from Moon Studios, it was an incredible experience. Yet issues remained. Some of those were addressed in the Definitive edition, but some were simply built into the game's DNA. Fast-forward to 2020 and the release of Will of the Wisps, I once again knew that I was holding a special game. But as I continued to play, I figured out just how special it really was.

It was like they made this game especially for me, and all the lingering doubts I had after playing Blind Forest were addressed. Combat was no longer a throwaway concept, but fleshed out and as fun as Ori's genre defining maneuverability. Player expression, agency, and risk-taking was now rewarded and encouraged, instead of met with a quick death. The game actively works with you in order to encourage breath-taking leaps of faith, incredibly confident in its layered systems.

And of course, the strengths of the original were magnified sevenfold. The music from Gareth Coker is one of the most unforgettable soundtracks I've heard in gaming. The graphics are *the* most beautiful I've ever seen in any game (and to somehow have it running at 60 fps on Switch is nothing short of witchcraft). The story is filled with despair, hope, light, darkness, and even muses on death itself. All this, when paired with that fluid gameplay… it's like a dream. Will of the Wisps is Moon Studios in full confidence of itself and its mastery of the medium. What a wonderful adventure.

3. Immortals: Fenyx Rising

PC, PS4, PS5, Streaming, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series
December 3, 2020
Ubisoft Quebec

Immortals: Fenyx Rising is unabashedly a Breath of the Wild clone, and it wears its inspiration with pride. From the art style to the gameplay loop, it just stood in the shadow of a giant and understood that that could be enough. And for the most part, it absolutely was. I honestly don't mean all that to demean the game, because I understand that one cannot simply snap their fingers to conjure a BotW-like. Entire complex game systems have to come together in order to form a cohesive whole, and Ubisoft Quebec achieved exactly that within Fenyx.

After inwardly clashing with the obtrusive narrative style at first, I finally embraced the wacky humor mixed with Greek legend (you might as well, you're going to hear a lot from Prometheus and Zeus). I forgot how much I adored the gameplay style, that sense of discovery and growing in strength as you forge your own adventure. Some of that exploration was dulled knowing that many of the prizes were weapon and armor skins (and that different weapons had little impact beyond perks), and much of it quickly turned into a scavenger hunt (Good gravy was finding all the chests a pain). That, coupled with the constant system crashes (I probably had over a dozen crashes in 65 hours of play), dulled the exuberance I held for the game. But as an entire package, Fenyx is a wonderful adventure. It's filled to the brim with passion, wit, excitement, discovery, and a truly inspiring story of one unassuming hero. I'm hoping that beyond the DLC, these developers continue with Fenyx's story, and continue the grand adventure they set off on.

4. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

Switch
November 20, 2020
Omega Force

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is the fast food of action videogames. Simple in its craftmanship, easily consumable, but delightfully delicious. I forgot how delightful the Breath of the Wild artstyle was, and it fits in wonderfully with the frenetic action of hacking thousands of enemies away. So too, did I miss everything else about the game. The music, the characters, the land of Hyrule. Age of Calamity promised the story of what happened 100 years ago, and I was curious to see how they would handle such a story of loss and sorrow.

Until they didn't. I'm still on the fence on how they handled this. On one hand, I appreciate a redemption arc in which these heroes were given the chance to live and push back upon the malignant force that is Calamity Ganon. On the other, there was such emotional and narrative depths to plumb in the canon timeline, that you sort of do a disservice to the sense of loss and sacrifice to the characters. We'll never get anything on Mipha's love for Link, even after she survives. We'll never hear anything about Urbosa's friendship with Zelda's mother. I'm not exactly sure what I expected either, we're talking about the fast food of video games after all. So, instead I'll sit back, hack a few thousand more bokoblins, and enjoy the ride.

5. Among Us

Mobile, PC, Switch
December 15, 2020
Innersloth

I actually got into the Among Us crazy pretty late, way into December when the Switch release happened. A friend had been asking me for a while by then to play, but I always made excuses. But with the Switch version announced, it was time to jump in. I've always loved Mafia, or Werewolf (or what other name they have for it), and so I'm sure I'd love Among Us too. And it is a brilliant little game, despite the simplicity of it all. The game itself is a bunch of moving parts that the host needs to put together to work, but when it all comes together (and with the help of Discord) it's hours of fun.

Now, my friend group and I try to get together every Sunday night to catch up, finish some tasks, and try to survive the trip. It's a wonderful way to meet up when we can't physically, whether it be Covid or simply location. For that alone, Among Us earns my appreciation and a spot on this list.

6. Super Mario 3D All Stars

Switch
September 18, 2020
Nintendo EPD Production Group 8

I'm honestly not much of a nostalgic gamer. When I finish a game nowadays, I shelve it in my memory and move on to the next great adventure. The days of either A) Inherently replayable games (Think 80s and early 90s) or B) having the time to replay games anyways are long gone for me. So it takes something special for me to look back and say "Okay, let's have one more adventure."

And these are three incredible adventures. Super Mario 64 is still incredible, revolutionary, and wonderfully frustrating in the shadow of 25 years of game evolution. Nabbed those 120 stars, had a blast, and will shelve those memories in the ol' noggin. Sunshine is both better and worse than I remembered, and it was always the black sheep of Mario games in my mind. Suffered the cheese, got to bubble bath Bowser, and saved the day. No more and no less. Galaxy though, that brought back the endorphins! The music, the spectacle, the out of this world gameplay. It's aged wonderfully, and reminds me why it's among my favorite games of all time. A true masterpiece. All in all, three great games, three wonderful memories. I think that may be it, at least until Nintendo gets me again.

7. Jump Rope Challenge

Switch
June 15, 2020
Nintendo EPD Production Group 4

Obviously, this is the greatest game of all time. Chip-melting graphics, a cat-ostrophic soundtrack, genre defying gameplay. I realize this game will easily win ResetEra's 2020 Game of the Year vote, which is why I feel safe putting it here at #7.

Seriously though, this mixed with Ring Fit Adventure was actually instrumental in last year's workout regimen (Yes, 20 minutes of this isn't a walk in the park!). It's a silly little game, but one I appreciate nonetheless.

~~~

If you look at this list and say, "That's it Aurora? That's all you got for this year?", well honestly, it was more of a backlog year than a new game bonanza one. Here are the games I've completed this year, and this is how I would rank them:

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
2. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
3. Divinity: Original Sin II
4. Ring Fit Adventure
5. Immortals: Fenyx Rising
6. Steamworld Dig 2
7. Inside
8. Luigi's Mansion 3
9. Ori and the Blind Forest
10. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
11. Among Us
12. Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion
13. Super Mario 3D All Stars
14. Pokemon Sword/Shield: Isle of Armor & The Crown Tundra
15. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
16. Gris
17. Limbo

I had a great year gaming wise. Lots of great adventures and unforgettable moments. But 2021 is here, and it's time to look forward. Here's to great games, and a (fingers crossed) great year. Cheers!

1. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
2. [Switch] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
3. [Switch] [Action Adventure] [Ubisoft] Immortals Fenyx Rising
4. [Switch] [Hack and slash] [Omega Force] Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
5. [Switch] [Party] [Innersloth] Among Us
6. [Switch] [Platformer] [Nintendo] Super Mario 3D All-Stars
7. [Switch] [Fitness] [Nintendo] Jump Rope Challenge
   

 

[NeoBob688]

Demon's Souls
It is fundamentally a game from 2009, but it is simply a masterpiece. Extremely tight and rewarding gameplay mechanics, wonderful atmosphere enhanced by the next-gen makeover, multi-layered systems of playstyles, challenging in a good way and never unfair, no filler. Just a masterclass of game design. Almost have my platinum trophy!

Ghost of Tsushima
All I can say is this game really excels at making the player feel like a samurai. The world oozes with atmosphere and (minor supernatural elements notwithstanding) real authenticity and respect for the setting. My first platinum trophy in years.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Not a Call of Duty fan, but the Cold War iron curtain espionage setting was welcome. Good atmospheric campaign from a team not afraid to finally shake up the formula.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Great action RPG gameplay and nice audiovisual package. The game is a bit overlong which keeps it out of my top 3, otherwise though it lived up to the hype.

Cyberpunk 2077
Beneath all of the problems and issues with the game, there is an interesting core of some good quests, nice locales, and some nice characters. Playing on PC certainly helped.

Last of Us 2
Very good game for the obvious reasons. I am not as enamored with it as some, mainly because it is just too long and meandering at times, but a great effort nevertheless.

Doom Eternal
Great sequel to the first game. What it sacrifices a bit in atmosphere and simplicity, it makes up for with some truly wild combat scenarios.

Hades
Biggest surprise of the year, simple yet engaging and addictive gameplay mechanics.

Spider-Man Miles Morales
Short but sweet with a really good main character, it is an enjoyable journey. Lower on my list mainly because the villains were subpar.

Persona 5 Royal
My first Persona game. Truly outstanding and highly addictive.

1. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
2. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
3. [PS4] [Shooter] [Treyarch] Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
4. [PS4] [RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy 7 Remake
5. [PC] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077
6. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
7. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
8. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
9. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
10. [PS4] [RPG] [Atlus] Persona 5 Royal
    

 

[ClickyCal']

*Resubmitting mine since might be formatted wrong from my first post.*

1.The Last of Us Part II-My favorite game of the generation, and one of my favorites ever now. It was an amazing sequel in every possible way.

2. Doom Eternal-It was a great follow up to Doom 2016, and amped everything up 100x. The way it makes you have to use everything all the time and never stop moving is pure adrenaline.

3. Ghost of Tsushima-While I have a few issues with it, the game does so many good things, and is just really fun, and great visuals.

4.Astro's Playroom-An amazing surprise for a packin game. It isn't long, but it's just so fun, looks beautiful, has great music, and the dual sense is wild.

5.Spider-Man: Miles Morales-A really good followup and mid game between Spider-man 1 and 2. Miles was a really good character, and the combat was amped up. Also looks beautiful.

6.Animal Crossing New Horizons-I have some issues with it, like QoL stuff and missing things, but it is HD Animal Crossing and adding in terraforming really changed the game.

7.Sackboy: A Big Adventure-Really fun as a 3d world like platformer. The music incorporated levels are really cool, and it's just fun.

8.Resident Evil 3 Remake- A little underwhelming to 2 remake, but still fun for what it is, and the updates to the characters are all great. The setpieces are cool.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS4] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
4. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
5. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
6. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
7. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sumo Digital] Sackboy: A Big Adventure
8. [PS4] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
   

 

[BlueBrand]

Another packed year that made choosing my top 10 very difficult.

Hades - I jumped on this one late this year based off of all of the talk I heard about it on discord and steam recommendations and absolutely fell in love with it. Great characters, fantastic game play and lovely music. Not much more to say about this that hasn't been said elsewhere, but i can see why everyone has fallen in love with it.

Half-Life: Alyx - Felt like I was playing a game from the future. While I have played games that do things better or give more options in the VR space, the care that has been put into every room, animation and character is amazing. I've never felt more disconnected from the real world than when i play this game. Can't wait to see more from the industry now that i've seen this. Don't sleep on the mods for this game either, there are some fantastic ones out there.

Omori - Another Steam recommendation, I don't want to spoil anything, but the story, the characters, the music are all memorable. I know it gets compared to Earthbound and Undertale because of the art style, but the game is definitely its own experience and is worth playing.

Factorio - My most played game over the past few years while it has been going through early access and if i had not played this as much as i did during that period, this game would probably be my number 1. Never have I been more addicted to a city builder style game than I have this game, automating my way to building my rocket has never been more satisfying and the amount of games that have come out since that are copying this style is killing my social life, recommend Dyson Sphere and Craftopia both in Early Access right now.

Umurangi Generation - Another Steam recommendation, a first person photography game set in a cyberpunk future, as is the par for these sorts of games, you see way too much of it reflected in our reality today. The artstyle took me a quick minute to get used too, but it works so well for the story that the devs wanted to tell.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon - As a huge fan of the series I was very worried over Kiryu's replacement and the new play style, and while i don't think it is as good as the beat em ups in the previous games, this is a fantastic change of pace for the series. It's another Yakuza game, so it's just as serious and silly as the rest of them.

Final Fantasy VII Remake - As a huge fan of the original, this was one of my most anticipated games of the year. And while there were some decisions I was not happy with, and technical issues throughout, I loved all of my time exploring Midgard and revisiting these characters after so many years. The combat, the music it is all so good. I have a feeling that this game will be on my goty list again when it releases on PC.

Cyberpunk 2077 - While it turned out nothing like I expected, I absolutely had a ball meeting the people and exploring the world of CP. Game improves on most of my problems with Witcher 3, actually has good combat and lots of different builds to play with. Looking forward to see what the dev's do to improve the game to make it even better.

Spiritfarer - Another Steam recommendation, A very chill and casual management game with bits of platforming thrown in to explore the world and gather resources. Lovely characters that will stay with me for quite a while, and a very personal story.

Doom Eternal - This actually didn't quite hit the highs as much as I was hoping, while i Doom 2016 i felt like i was the hunter demolishing everything in my path, in Eternal, i felt like i was constantly running backwards to get better vantage points to kill the demons. Didn't like that gameplay loop as much as I wanted to love it. And while i still think it is a fantastic game, it feels very much like a game where it is designed to be played in a very specific way and if you don't you will not have fun at all. But when it clicks, it clicks.

Honourable mentions go to, Paradise Killer, Chronicon and Streets of Rage 4.

1. [PC] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077
2. [PC] [Shooter] [Valve] Half-Life: Alyx
3. [PC] [RPG] [Sega] Yakuza: Like a Dragon
4. [PC] [Simulation] [Wube Software] Factorio
5. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
6. [PC] [RPG] [Omocat] OMORI
7. [PC] [Simulation] [ORIGAME DIGITAL] Umurangi Generation
8. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
9. [PC] [Adventure] [Thunderlotus] Spiritfarer
10. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
11. [PC] [Dungeon Crawler] Chronicon
12. [PC] [Adventure] [Kaizen Game Works] Paradise Killer
13. [PC] [Beat 'em up] [DotEmu] Streets of Rage 4
    

 

[Tappin Brews]

<scratch that>

 

[RingoGaSuki]

Yakuza's been my big revelation this year. Grabbed 0 on Game Pass and it's just incredible. Currently 60 hours deep in Like a Dragon and it's amazing as well. I prefer the RPG battles, but as a whole game, 0 wins for me. Kiwami 1 and 2 are both great too.

1. [XBO] [RPG] [Sega] Yakuza: Like a Dragon
2. [XBO] [Action Adventure] [Sega] Yakuza 0
3. [Switch] [Hack and slash] [Omega Force] Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
4. [Switch] [RTS] [8ing] Pikmin 3 Deluxe
5. [XBO] [Action Adventure] [Sega] Yakuza Kiwami 2
6. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
7. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Spike Chunsoft] Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX
8. [XBO] [Action Adventure] [Sega] Yakuza Kiwami
9. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades

 

[Tappin Brews]

WRC 9 - This just might be my favorite racer ever, beating out last year's Dirt Rally 2.0. As good as the handling and physics are, as good as the career mode is, it's the realistic, long, and impressively varied stages that really set this above everything else. Seriously, the way a single 12+ km stage changes as you wind up (or down) and over a mountain, through a villa, and into entirely different biomes, is impressive. This game captures the sport of rally like nothing else.

Cyberpunk - An amazing world, filled with characters and stories I adored. I liken my experience to this with my experience with the amazing red dead redemption 2, only this game was fun to play as well as engrossing. Oh, it's probably the buggiest game I've ever played, but that barely impacted my overall experience playing on XSX. I literally couldn't put it down until I beat it, 60 or so hours of total play time. And I look forward to replaying when the next-gen patch hits later this year.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps - This game is art. So stunning and so emotionally touching. It also plays amazing and is only held back by some difficulty spikes and game balance issues with some bosses and unlocked skills from skill trees.

Doom Eternal - Man what a disappointment coming off of Doom 2016. That is, until a few hours in when the changes to the combat flow finally clicked. Once I mastered the chainsaw (to gain ammo) and the flamethrower (for armor) I was running around like a Doom guy should, sending all sorts of demons, hell ALL DEMONS back to hell. The devil is in the details. Holy crap that double barrel shot gun grapple hook combo was fun. And god damn did it look good.

1. [XSX] [Racing] [Kylotonn] WRC 9
2. [XBO] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077
3. [XSX] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
4. [XBO] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
   

 

[Azzanadra]

1. The Last of Us Part 2: Naughty Dog finally figured out how to make great gameplay. Who knew they had it in 'em.

2. Demon's Souls: The best PS5 game being an 11 year old game would be funny if not for the fact that said 11-year old game is an all-time classic that nonetheless holds up.

3. Hades: Hades surprisingly lived up to the insane hype by the time I played it, kuddos to Supergiant for making a roguelike I could get into.

4. Final Fantasy 7 Remake: FF7R feels like two games in one- a high-quality cinematic experience, and a low-budget JRPG. The former is excellent, and while the latter does drag down the experience to some extent, the game ultimately entertained.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
3. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
4. [PS4] [RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy 7 Remake
   

 

[KenPokesBarbie]

The Last of Us Part II - It was just incredible. The game looked outstanding and the story was fantastic. It as been awhile since a game got me emotional and this game had many of those moments. The world they built was beautiful but at the same time very brutal and real. I just loved all the characters and the different journeys they went on throughout the game. For someone who doesn't play horror games the fact I even made it through this game with some of the horror elements is just a testament to just how amazing this game was.

Ghost of Tsushima - What really stands out about this game was the art style it was so beautiful but the open world was also great and I really enjoyed the gameplay and story. The legends multiplayer mode just adds to an already great game to give it so much more replay ability.

Final Fantasy VII Remake - Never played the original so i went in not knowing what to expect and I really enjoyed it. The story was great and I really fell in love with so many of the characters. The gameplay was also great and I really can't wait for the next game.

Spider-Man: Mile Morales - It took everything I liked about Spider-Man ps4 and improved on it. The stealth was so much better to me and I enjoyed the gameplay quite a bit. Swinging around New York never gets old.

Microsoft Flight Simulator - I just found this game so relaxing and just incredible to be able to fly around the world and that's exactly what was needed in 2020.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time - Honestly I never though they could release a new Crash game that could be good but they proved me wrong and I loved this game it just felt like more Crash but improved with better controls and that's all I could really ask for.

Spelunky 2- I put a lot of hours into the first game and have already put tons of hours into Spelunky 2. The added multiplayer was an amazing addition I loved playing it with my friends.

Dreams - This is such an underrated game that deserves more love. Some of the games the community creates are incredible. Arts Dream which was the Media Molecule created game was fantastic.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout - Talk about a game that came out of nowhere I had so much fun playing this game with friends such a simple concept that was done to perfection. One of my best gaming moments of the year was getting my first crown.

Astro's Playroom. For a game that came preinstalled on the PS5 I wasn't expecting much but I loved each of the worlds and how it showed off what the Dualsense could be. The different Playstation easter eggs that are scattered throughout the game really played into my nostalgia.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
3. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
4. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
5. [PC] [Flight simulator] [Asobo Studio] Microsoft Flight Simulator
6. [PS4] [Platformer] [Toys for Bob] Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
7. [PS4] [Platformer] [Mossmouth] Spelunky 2
8. [PS4] [Game Creation] [Media Molecule] Dreams
9. [PS4] [Party] [Mediatonic] Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
10. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
    

 

[TheBored23]

1. Desperados III - This wasn't on my radar until I heard about it on a podcast a month after it came out, but I am so glad I picked it up. There's a really well-crafted set of stealth puzzles on offer here, challenging enough to make you think, but made less frustrating by rapid reloads. After beating the game, I realized I was still hooked, and felt compelled to run through it again on a higher difficulty, with a host of optional objectives available to complete. In all, I played more than 85 hours, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Now it's on Game Pass, so you've got no excuse not to check it out.

2. Yakuza: Like a Dragon - I was introduced to the Yakuza series just in October, when I had a blast making my way through 0. Despite the change of character, change of setting, change of battle system, Like A Dragon really captured that same feeling of fun: a gripping plot, interspersed with zany combat, sidestories, and minigames. I had a blast, but can't rank this higher because the grind on the back half of the game sucks the wind out of things in a nasty way.

3. 5D Chess With Multiverse Time Travel - It does what the title says, which would be very easy to make incomprehensible, but the game does enough to make things clear and help guide players through the concepts with puzzles and simplified modes. The most clever game I played this year.

4. Kentucky Route Zero - These story-based adventure games aren't usually my cup of tea, but the imagery and ideas of Kentucky Route Zero have stuck with me throughout the year.

5. Watch Dogs Legion - I had a good time playing and beating Watch Dogs Legion. The mechanical hook of finding and recruiting new team members and testing out their abilities was something I found satisfying, and I never got tired of trying to stealth my way through those restricted areas. But I've been shocked by how little I've felt compelled to go back since beating it, and the story of a totalitarian London is hard to square with the London I spent 40 hours free-wheeling around.

6. Gears Tactics - Imagine XCOM, except you never feel compelled to reload a past save. Gears Tactics is a really satisfying tactical power fantasy, with some great skill trees.

7. Super Mega Baseball 3 - The addition of a franchise mode makes an already great series of games even better.

8. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 - I don't have much nostalgia for these games, but I still had a good time with this remake.

9. Crash Bandicoot 4 - Interesting mechanics and level design are undercut here by parts that I just found unreasonably frustrating.

10. Othercide - Eventually the roguelite structure of the game just wore me out; until then, though, Othercide had me pretty well hooked based on its introduction of a timeline to the XCOM formula.

1. [XBO] [RTS] [Mimimi Games] Desperados III
2. [XSX] [RPG] [Sega] Yakuza: Like a Dragon
3. [PC] [Turn-based strategy] [Thunkspace, LLC] 5D Chess With Multiverse Time Travel
4. [XBO] [Point-and-click adventure] [Cardboard Computer] Kentucky Route Zero
5. [XBO] [Action Adventure] [Ubisoft] Watch Dogs: Legion
6. [XSX] [Turn-based strategy] [Splash Damage] Gears Tactics
7. [XBO] [Sports] [Metalhead Software] Super Mega Baseball 3
8. [XBO] [Sports] [Vicarious Visions] Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
9. [XBO] [Platformer] [Toys for Bob] Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
10. [XBO] [Turn-based strategy] [Lightbulb Crew] Othercide

 

[Sabretooth]

1. Kentucky Route Zero - An outstanding achievement of surreal, weird, and ultimately comforting ambience. Its deeply human storytelling really resonated with me, and has been an inspiration to my own work.

2. Lair of the Clockwork God - Relentlessly funny, well-designed, and just a sheer delight from start to finish. A rare example of a (good) bona fide comedy in video games.

3. Cloudpunk - Very chill, very atmospheric, and with a strong character cast and narrative to it. It delivered a fairly strong narrative punch, but even apart from that, this was perhaps the best cyberpunk game of the year.

4. Wasteland 3 - Extremely fun tactical combat, but with narrative stakes and choices, and best of all - the amazing ironic music.

5. Doom Eternal - Just a lot of fun to burn through, and with plenty of challenge to boot. Also enjoyed the madcap tone of it.

6. Gears Tactics - I'm a sucker for good tactics no matter what the setting, and ever since I played a quarter of the first GoW game, I immediately knew this franchise badly needed a turn-based tactics treatment. Splash Damage nailed it in this one, providing a very meaty and hard-to-put-down experience.

7. Roki - Like Resident Evil without the horror. Figuring out the puzzles in this was so much more fun than in most adventure games, and it was presented so charmingly. I was engrossed in this game from start to finish.

8. Half Past Fate - Very little-known adventure game that proves you can do a good rom-com in video games as well. Extremely cute and charming, with memorable characters and a heart-melting story. A shame it's all-straight, but the game is good enough to excuse it.

9. The Flower Collectors - Very fresh, with a setting that I'm sure no one has used before in video games. Neat sense of place and economical use of assets to deliver a thoughtful mystery story.

10. Carto - Very clever puzzle game with an adorable protagonist and a smooth but not-too-easy pace. Does not overstay its welcome, but does juice out what can be done with the concept.

1. [PC] [Point-and-click adventure] [Cardboard Computer] Kentucky Route Zero
2. [PC] [Adventure] [Size Five Games] Lair of the Clockwork God
3. [PC] [Adventure] [ION LANDS] Cloudpunk
4. [PC] [RPG] [InXile Entertainment] Wasteland 3
5. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
6. [PC] [Turn-based strategy] [Splash Damage] Gears Tactics
7. [PC] [Adventure] [Polygon Treehouse] Röki
8. [PC] [Adventure] [Serenity Forge] Half Past Fate
9. [PC] [Adventure] [Mi'pu'mi Games] The Flower Collectors
10. [PC] [Puzzle] [Sunhead Games] Carto
    

 

[GarudaSmiles]

1. CrossCode - It's a very ambitious indie game with impressive puzzles and environments. Combat is quite in depth for a top down action game, and the skill trees give plenty of options for character growth. There are a few negatives to note. The characters and story never did much for me, and the art style of the character portraits can be a bit off putting at times. The humor also rarely lands for me. Still the game has a ton of heart, and accomplishes so much on the gameplay fronts that I have it at number one.

2. Ori and the Will of the Wisps - I'm a big Hollow Knight person, and always argued for it over the original Ori. Still I enjoyed the first game quite a bit. Will of the Wisps strikes a better balance between freedom and hand holding of the first game making it more my speed. The story is simple and affecting, and most importantly for me not too obtrusive. Ori is just a joy to control, and that is the game's greatest asset along with the brilliant soundtrack. The game is beautiful that goes without saying, but the Switch version does look rough at times. It also suffers from loading assets too slowly at times.

3. Final Fantasy VII: Remake - I think Square managed to make the best compromise between real time and turn based battles I've ever seen. Truly a masterful job at blending the two to make for one of the best battle systems in an RPG. As for the story while I appreciate them treading new ground, I am annoyed at some of the decisions made. I'll leave it at that to avoid spoilers.

4. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - I don't usually partake in visual novels, but I really enjoy some of Vanillaware's games in particular Odin Sphere and Muramasa. So I have been curious about this game since its announcement however many years ago that was. Then I found out it was a tower defense game another genre I typically avoid. So I decided to pass on the game. It wasn't until the pre release word of mouth that I decided to bite. The game suffers from the same issues I typically have with the aforementioned genres. Yet somehow I still enjoyed it for the most part. The combat was fun, but easily broken. As for the story it was solid, and the twists were mostly well executed, but in the end the characters themselves were often a bit too one note.

5. The Pathless - I feel like this game gets slept on a lot. Maybe because it released in close proximity to Assassin's Creed. The world is beautiful, and fun to explore. The puzzles are a bit simple, but still fun to do. The boss fights are more spectacle than anything, but again good fun. It's just a joy to zip around a beautiful world with your pet eagle what more can I say.

6. Omori - I've know of this game for many years. I was surprised when it suddenly released last December. This is an indie RPG with horror elements. In the vein of othe indie horror RPGs like Yume Nikki, although not nearly as horror focused. The game also takes heavy inspirations from the Mother series. Particularly while in the dream world where most of the "RPGing" takes place. The game shifts from whimsical dream to dreadful nightmare at various points, but the horror elements are pretty subdued for the majority of the game. There is also the real world segments in Faraway Town. These segments have you doing fairly mundane tasks in a nice little suburban town. This is also the most interesting part of the game because this is where we really get a sense for Sunny our silent protagonist, and his friends. They also make good use of the RPG mechanics for interesting story moments.

1. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Radical Fish Games] CrossCode
2. [Switch] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
3. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
4. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
5. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Giant Squid] The Pathless
6. [PC] [RPG] [Omocat] OMORI
   

 

[99humanity]

It was an amazing year for hell-based roguelikes!

MONSTER TRAIN. It's easy to compare it to Slay The Spire; if you like that game check it out! MT grabbed me even more. There's a lot of variety in making your deck and it's really satisfying to pull off strategies you've been building toward. I think it has my most play time this year, and I played Hades, RE3 and Demon's Souls a lot

HADES is a masterpiece. I'm endlessly impressed with every aspect of this game

RESIDENT EVIL 3 felt like a more linear continuation of RE2. I loved it and beat it a million times.

DEMON'S SOULS is Demon's Souls, one of the best games ever

XCOM SUPER SQUAD This game was like $10 or something and it's great. Different enough from XCOM to feel like its own thing while still scratching the same itch

DOOM FOREVER is great. The amount of mechanics you have to juggle is a little nervewracking, but reaching a flow state in this game feels nice

TONY HAWK'S SKATEBOARD was a great weekend of fun and a game I will revisit plenty. This game should've been free for anyone who bought the terrible THPS HD

1. [PC] [Roguelike] [Shiny Shoe] Monster Train
2. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
3. [PC] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
4. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
5. [PC] [Turn-based strategy] [Firaxis Games] XCOM: Chimera Squad
6. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
7. [PC] [Sports] [Vicarious Visions] Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2

 

[samnevermore]

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS4] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
4. [PS4] [Point-and-click adventure] [Cardboard Computer] Kentucky Route Zero
5. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
6. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
7. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Ubisoft] Assassin's Creed Valhalla

1- it was the best naughty dog i've ever played. beside its ambitious story, gameplay was something really cool and satisfying.
2- best shooter i played this year. id software did an amazing job
3- What can I say this game looks beautiful, it's one of those games where u stop play once in awhile and sit back and take in the scenery.
4-A masterpiece of the medium. Virtuosic in visual design and a poignant elegy for the preterite and past.
5-I thought this game was definitely worth my time. I love Spider-Man movies, games, shows, you name it. I think this game was definitely a worthy sequel as we see large character development in Miles who was introduced in Spider-Man 2018.
6-I love Vanillaware and Atlus. They have done it again. This game is a masterpiece of story telling and tactical gameplay. It may not be for everyone but this departure from their normal gameplay is astounding.
7-This is probably the best assassin's creed game since our dear Ezio's trilogy ended. it's been a blast. This game really sells the feeling of being a Viking, and does it in an incredibly fun way.

 

[Incommensurability]

Only listing games I played of course.

1. Was such a surprise for me. I did not expect to ever like any remake that would stray from the original and would do away with the turn based combat system. But boy was I wrong. I loved most of the additions and absolutely adored the way in which the directors played with the expectations and demands of the players. The combat system was the best I've ever experienced in an jrpg.

2. What a fantastic game. Wonderful job by Bluepoint. Brilliant graphics to feel the generational leap between ps4 and ps5. But I also had a fully bug free experience, which is rare these days. Loved it.

3. Might be the best story I've ever experienced in a videogame. They really succeeded in convincing me to love Abby. What a character.

4. Great dualsense implementation. Great soundtrack. Lots of fun.

5. Better assasin's creed than assasin's creed ever was.

6. Odd fun on the go

7. Surprise hit for me. Still like the ubi open worlds esp. if they are not too big like this one. Enjoyed the puzzles till the end. But combat became repetitive once I was powerful.

8. Fantastic co-op fun with my SO.

9. A joy at first. But I was admittedly turned off a rather quickly by the long downtime between actual gameplay.

10. Too short, not as good as REmake 2. But still a good formula in that fantastic RE engine.

1. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
2. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
4. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
5. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
6. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Distractionware Limited] Dicey Dungeons
7. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Ubisoft] Immortals Fenyx Rising
8. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sumo Digital] Sackboy: A Big Adventure
9. [PS4] [Party] [Mediatonic] Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
10. [PS4] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
    

 

[DannyGlover]

1. The Last of Us Part II - The stealth gameplay was excellent and the story made me go from loving Ellie and hating Abby to feeling angry at Ellie and appreciative towards Abby.

2. Hades - Excellent roguelite gameplay. Every run is different for me because I get a different upgrade which changes how I play that run. Sometimes my cast is good, sometimes my special is good, sometimes my attack is good.

3. Fuser - So fun to mix up songs and play them. The Cranberry's Linger vocals go fit into the background of every song. And sometimes I just want to have All Star's instruments play in the background of every single vocal track I can.

4. Super Mega Baseball - Setup my team of players and won the championship. The baseball is fun and I can tune the Ego difficulty enough where I'm playing a lot of close games.

5. Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! - I always loved this CSD series where I memories how to cook the recipes and can repeatedly do it fast and in a timely manner. It's especially great because I'm an awful cook in real life but feel like a great one in this game.

6. Wasteland 3 - The co-op in this game is great where I control 3 characters and my cousin controls the other 3. Its fun to strategize together and come up with the best way to win the fight. Met some crazy Reaganites during the game, people who want to bring back Ronald Reagan.

7. NBA 2k21 - The setup a crazy online city with 4 different parks, but wow am I bad at this game. Still, its fun to play with 2 other friends and try and win 3 v 3 basketball in the online city.

8. Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War - Fun multiplayer game with so many modes. I really only use the AK, but its serves me well when my party of 4-5 friends go on a 10 match win streak.

9. Super Mario 3D All-Stars - My cousin loves to help me play Super Mario Galaxy, and while it controls a little janky compared to playing the Wii version, it does look nice in HD.

10. Yakuza: Like a Dragon - Only just started it as other games have taken up my time, but Ichiban's character already has me intrigued during my short time playing this game

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
3. [PC] [Rhythm] [Harmonix] Fuser
4. [PC] [Sports] [Metalhead Software] Super Mega Baseball 3
5. [PC] [Simulation] [Vertigo Gaming] Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3
6. [PC] [RPG] [InXile Entertainment] Wasteland 3
7. [PS5] [Sports] [Visual Concepts] NBA 2K21
8. [PC] [Shooter] [Treyarch] Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
9. [Switch] [Platformer] [Nintendo] Super Mario 3D All-Stars
10. [PC] [RPG] [Sega] Yakuza: Like a Dragon

 

[Hiraeth]

I really didn't play many new games this year, but of what I did play the clear standouts were:

1) The Last of Us Part II.
In my opinion, absolutely ground-breaking in may fields; specifically pushing the boundary for the narrative cinematic experience in videogames. The synergy between story/cutscenes/gameplay was completely seamless and I haven't seen it pulled off anywhere close to as deftly as it's done here. The narrative itself I felt dealt with some very mature themes and handled them well, and was progressive in it's natural representation of various LGBTQ characters. The performances given are benchmark setting for the industry. The soundtrack/score is absolutely phenomenal. The combat/stealth gameplay is surprisingly deep and the combat scenarios flexible and repayable thanks to the impressive enemy AI. Visually it is one of the most stunning looking games of all time, if not the most stunning looking. Fantastic art direction and deep thought out lore (Really recommend some reading into the background of the Seraphites and how the ND developed their whistle communication). Just all round one of the most satisfying, engaging and polished video games I've ever played. It would likely be fighting for the top spot for my game of the generation alongside Red Dead Redemption 2 and God of War.

2) Ghost of Tsushima.
An flawed albeit beautiful game. Taking some of the best and worst aspects from modern open world action games - and maybe a little too much from Assassin's Creed. It balances this with some incredibly satisfying and at times surprisingly deep and challenging combat and absolutely gorgeous environments to explore. It does have it's drawbacks, such as the aforementioned formulaic open world tropes and also some very rigid last-gen style platforming/parkour mechanics and a story and protagonist that at times takes itself a little too seriously and could do with some more human moments of levity. The third act of the game was genuinely compelling and the atmosphere set by the game is something I have been looking for since forever in terms of a more grounded portrayal of samurai era Japan. I'm incredibly excited to see what Sucker Punch can do with a little bit more budget and scope in a sequel.

3) Spider Man: Miles Morales.
Not a lot to say on this one, an incredibly fun game albeit 'more of the same' from Spider-Man PS4. Beautiful visuals (Art direction and graphical showcase) and an inspired twist on the games soundtrack with hip-hop inspired beats throughout. A little less polished than the previous Spider-Man PS4 but an enjoyable continuation of this universe. Some really fun uses of Miles' power-set as well, including augmenting traversal. Another one where I look forward to seeing the franchise progress; hopefully the next game will feature both Miles and Peter playable, perhaps with a GTA V style character switching mechanic.

4) Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2.
Such a refreshing return to form from the Birdman after an extended low period for these games. Incredibly polished and thoughtful update of the classic games. Hoping this opens the door to more remastered entries in this series and paves the way for some new games in the franchise with this degree of care and attention.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
4. [PS4] [Sports] [Vicarious Visions] Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2

 

[Deadceptor]

What a horrible year overall, but at least for me it was a much better gaming wise than the last. I managed to finish the majority of the games on this list and I'm very happy about it!


8. DOOM Eternal - A great game on it's own but it didn't live up to the legend of it's 2016 predecessor. The constant ammo management made me feel weak and oh yeah, fuck those Marauders!

7. Outcasters - A fun multiplayer shooter with some great new ideas that fall a bit short in the long run. Some arenas just end up in a close quarters brawling where the whole idea of curve-balling is completely lost.

6. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout - My SO who's not interested in games loves to watch and cheer for me when I play this game, so that must mean there's something special going on. Wish I'd have more time to play it.

5. Orcs Must Die! 3 - The best tower defense game ever! I just love the smooth and challenging mayhem in this orc bashing epic. There are some easy ways to cheese some levels, but the fun is in figuring out those ways by yourself.

4. Cyberpunk 2077 - I haven't beaten this game yet nor will I have the chance to do it in the coming months, but this game has already redeemed it's place on my list. Thanks to the mind-blowingly awesome city CDPR has crafted, I just can't stop adoring the architecture and aesthetics of it. The story and characters have also been a pleasant surprise so far. The gameplay is nothing spectacular but it works. Aside from bugs and glitches there has been no technical issues on Stadia.

3. Carrion - Carrion really knew how the please me, a no-filler thriller firing on all cylinders from the beginning to the end. Yet again a game with some fresh ideas added to an old formula and everything just plays out wonderfully.

2. Dreams - This is a criminally underestimated piece of work on all levels. Sony should've slapped this on with every PS5 and bumped the price a bit and gave the profits to Media Molecule. To hell with it, I'm gonna rank this higher on my list...like this, it's number two now bitches! Art's Dream is a real spectacle and worth the price alone.

1. The Last of Us Part II - It'd be stupid not to give the number one place for this meticulously crafted masterpiece. Huge amounts of passion and talent was poured on to this game and it SHOWS. TLOUp2 wipes the floor with every other cinematic story-driven action game in so many ways it hurts. Naughty Dog raised the bar again and I'm afraid the only ones to top it are ND themselves or maybe R*. This game made me go through some emotions I've never felt before with any other medium. Needless to say but the characters, events and basically everything "What I Had to Do" in this game were revolving in my head for months to the point of being a distraction. It's a game I really want to play for the second time, but on the other hand I never want to experience it again. And the geniuses put one of my all time favorite songs in the opening and now listening to it after experiencing this game brings up those memories and that is yet again a thing I don't know whether to love or hate. All in all...bravo ND, bravo.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS4] [Game Creation] [Media Molecule] Dreams
3. [XBO] [Horror] [Phobia Game Studio] Carrion
4. [Stadia] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077
5. [Stadia] [Tower Defense] [Robot Entertainment] Orcs Must Die! 3
6. [PS4] [Party] [Mediatonic] Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
7. [Stadia] [Shooter] [Splash Damage] Outcasters
8. [Stadia] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
   

 

[Farmboy]

Comments in haiku form:

Did not know roguelikes
Could be as satisfying
As Hades is, boy!

Take the blind forest
Add a little Hollow Knight
It's will of the wisps!

Pikmin 3 was great
Really, I'm just happy to
vote for it again

Played Jackbox a lot
As always: a mixed bag, but
I love Blather 'Round!

Leaner, meaner than
Original Spider-Man
Yeah, I'm a huge fan

The Last of Us II
Some points deducted for crunch
Still, very well made

EDIT: I added
C&C Remastered, 'cause
Played that a lot too

1. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
2. [PC] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
3. [Switch] [RTS] [8ing] Pikmin 3 Deluxe
4. [PC] [Party] [Jackbox Games] The Jackbox Party Pack 7
5. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
6. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
7. [PC] [RTS] [Petroglyph Games] Command & Conquer Remastered Collection

 

[Alucardx23]

5. Cyberpunk 2077
Even with all of the bugs I truly enjoyed this game. The story, characters, graphics are all very good and Night city is visually the best open world city of any game in my opinion. 100+ hours on this one and I'm still not tired or done with everything.

4. Call of Duty: Warzone
Unlimited hours of entertainment on this one. Great gameplay and graphics. The game is constantly updating and always feels fresh.

3. Doom Eternal
The most fast/action packed shooter I have ever played. You really have to concentrate on a lot of the battles and I enjoyed it because of it.

2. Half Life Alyx
The most immersive game I played this year. The story, gameplay and world were incredible. A real VR showcase and a small taste of things to come for VR in the future.

1. The Last of Us Part II
I was glued to the screen from beginning to end. I was not looking at digital characters, but real humans going through hardship and I was along for the ride. A masterpiece of a game.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PC] [Shooter] [Valve] Half Life Alyx
3. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
4. [PC] [Shooter] [Infinity Ward] Call of Duty: Warzone
5. [PC] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077

 

[Matty H]

The Last of Us Part II is what I have wanted out of games for decades. A narratively ambitious, mature, and masterfully told story that can draw me into its fiction like nothing else. It can also do what other games can do, like you know, be a toy, let you click buttons and see stuff happen on the screen, and it is one of the best toys at that, but I usually just want to get to where the character wants to get to, as quickly as possible... That is until the story doesn't want me to want to do what the character wants to do. Naughty Dog completely manipulate me and I feel everything that they want me to. I did not completely enjoy this game until it was over but I was compelled to get to that ending more than for any game I have played before or since. Once the credits rolled I felt that the journey had been worth it and more. The further away I get from the experience, the more I fear that nothing will ever come close.

Cyberpunk 2077 was a great game. It almost lived up to the pre-release game that bubbled away in my imagination. Bugs weren't that bad for me but I felt some shortcuts were taken with some quest designs and the greater narrative in order to tie everything up. I would love to see an expansion that fills out some dialogue options throughout the game and cleans up the endings a bit.

Ghost of Tsushima was the best Assassin's Creed game that I've ever played. Storytelling is miles ahead of most games but miles behind Cyberpunk and lightyears behind TLOU2.

Ori and The Will of the Wisps is a welcome sequel and improves in the areas you would expect. I haven't finished it but did love my time with it.

Wasteland 3 was some good-silly-fun for such a sombre setting. Don't play it on X1 though, the UX wasn't good or fun but it was silly.

Call of the Sea commands a place among the first person adventure/puzzle game greats. Some of the puzzles are real tricky if you don't find the right clue at the specific time the game wants you to in order for it to be recorded in the diary.

John Wick Hex is an inventive take on the action movie series. Turn-based tactics games are perfect for Switch.

I loved Fall Guys for a few days. I thought I was going to become obsessed but for some reason I didn't play one day and never logged on again.

Moving Out gave me Overcooked vibes.

I thought about giving the last spot to Tell Me Why or Spiritfarer but I really just want to shout out board games and board game apps. I didn't realise how cool board games have become over the last 2 decades. Some are super complicated but can still be played and completed within an hour. Some work really great as mobile apps. They can be puzzly, or competitive, tactical or strategic, they can tell stories and they can be permanently altered with each play. I reckon board game apps should be added to the vote tool but I only played old ones so it wouldn't matter anyway.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [XSX] [Action RPG] [CD Projeckt] Cyberpunk 2077
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
4. [XBO] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
5. [XBO] [RPG] [InXile Entertainment] Wasteland 3
6. [XSX] [Adventure] [Out of the Blue] Call of the Sea
7. [Switch] [Action] [Bithell Games] John Wick Hex
8. [PS4] [Party] [Mediatonic] Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
9. [XBO] [Simulation] [DevM Games and SMG Studio] Moving Out
   

 

[Confused Cheeseburger]

10. Streets of Rage 4
Along with Sonic Mania, and Monster Boy, Streets of Rage 4 proves just how great Sega's legacy was and still is. SoR4 is a perfect modern interpretation of Sega's classic handthrowing simulator.


9. Dicey Dungeons
Dicey Dungeons is an exceedingly clever roguelike deckbuilder that leverages its accessibility and aesthetics to separate it from the quickly ballooning microgenre. Its soundtrack is incredible, its art is charming and its overall slickeness polishes a mildly genius mechanic. That mechanic fundamentally takes literal dicerolls and both rethinks them as a mechanic while still essentializing the fundamental staples of deckbuilders.

8. Call of the Sea
Call of the Sea is a fantastic story of acceptance. Norah's quest is an engaging puzzle box of self-discovery that plays against the darkness of cosmic horror with succumbing to its worst politics.

7. Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Valhalla is one of the best series. It is the full realization of the Assassin's Creed RPG, and on next gen hardware it really sings. Ubisoft reaches for so much, and guided by some great characters and narrative arcs, it grasps many of its aims.

6. Animal Crossing New Horizons
New Horizons is 2020's emergency comfort blanket. In that respect it is the game of 2020. Gameifying comfort, serotonin and regulatory maintenance were the tools desperately needed in a lockdown enducing pandemic.

5. Umurangi Generation
Umurangi Generation is the best cyberpunk game of 2020. Something like a cross between pokemon snap, Jet Set Radio and Evangelion injected through a lofi beat tape, Umurangi has a lot to say and picking through it's world with nothing but a camera is a singularly, immersive experience.

4. The Last of Us Part II
The Last of Us Part II is a game that takes risks. It doesn't make good on all of them, but it's nearly flawless gameplay and fantastic character moments are amplified by its technically marvelous world.

3.Ori and The Will of The Wisps
One of the most gorgeous painterly games ever made. Taken with another step running at 6k, Will of the Wisps is a moving painting in every frame. Combined with its pixel perfect controls and phenomenal level design, Will of the Wisps is a platforming masterpiece.

2. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2
This remake has the best fun per minute ratio of any game in 2020. It's an incredible, evergreen harmony of purely fun mechanics that still ring with resonance 20 years after the fact.
This generous remake shines up one of the most legendary games ever and loses nothing in translation.

1. Hades
The greatest roguelike of all time, and perhaps 2020's most well designed game. Hades fundamentally rethinks death in a genre of game that often drives people away with its incessant frustration. The raw combat expirementation and amazing world building are a mammoth reciprocal. Every element of this game is designed to reinforce the entire experience.

1. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
2. [PS4] [Sports] [Vicarious Visions] Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
3. [XSX] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
4. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
5. [PC] [Simulation] [ORIGAME DIGITAL] Umurangi Generation
6. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
7. [XSX] [Action RPG] [Ubisoft] Assassin's Creed Valhalla
8. [XSX] [Adventure] [Out of the Blue] Call of the Sea
9. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Distractionware Limited] Dicey Dungeons
10. [Switch] [Beat 'em up] [DotEmu] Streets of Rage 4
    

 

[matrix-cat]

1. The Last of Us Part 2. This game put me through the wringer. I've never played another game that made me feel this way. It took over my whole being; I was thinking about it day and night during the week or so it took me to finish it, then I couldn't stop thinking about it for months afterwards. Naughty Dog's technical talent scarcely needs mentioning at this point, but what stuck with me about TLOU2 was their command over the relationship between player and character. There is going to come a point where you aren't on Ellie's side any more, and forcing a player to do things they don't want to do creates such an intense feeling of resentment; moreso in video games than any other storytelling medium. I've never played a game where I actively did not want to win the final bossfight. An absolute masterpiece. The greatest video game I've ever played.

2. Tell Me Why (I'm voting for the entire game here, not just Chapter One). I loved this game. I think it's Dontnod's best work since the original Life is Strange. I think I'm getting a bit tired of the choice-based narrative game where your choices don't really do anything at the end of the day, but I enjoyed the story and characterization here so much I never gave it a second thought.

3. Astro's Playroom. I had such a wonderful day playing through this the day I picked up my PS5. Not just a great showcase for your brand new toy's cool bits and bobs but a charming little game and a lovely trip down Playstation memory lane.

4. Demon's Souls. I vibed with this game way more than I thought I would. I'd already played almost all From's other Souls-esque games, so I thought I knew what I'd be in for, but having the bosses be easy while the levels themselves are hard was an interesting twist I hadn't counted on. I really enjoyed the variety of challenges, too; fewer stand-up sword fights and more unique encounters than later games in the series. I ended up going for the Platinum Trophy, which really pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I had a great time doing it.

5. Spider-Man Miles Morales. They took the template of the 2018 game and cut it down to the essentials, while adding some fun new gameplay tweaks and focusing on another cast of characters I really liked. I'm at a point where a game simply being shorter is a big plus for me, so this was very welcome.

6. FFVII Remake. A great combat system combined with a fantastic script and rapport between all the characters. The dialogue in this game sings in a way you just don't expect from a JRPG; I don't even have any nostalgia for the original, this is just a damn good game. I just wish it was about 10 hours shorter, though, because almost every part of it goes on too long and ends up overstaying its welcome.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PC] [Adventure] [Dontnod Entertainment] Tell Me Why
3. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
4. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
5. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
6. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
   

 

[makonero]

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

How can I say something about this game that hasn't been said? What a perfect game to play during a time when we're all stuck indoors. My friends and I had a blast playing together and I played daily for two months, which is more than I usually get out of Animal Crossing games. It isn't perfect, but it was what 2020 needed, and it is definitely my game of the year.

2. Spiritfarer

One of those games you see a trailer for and just get excited about. A resource management game with exploration, a great art style and truly emotional moments, it's like this game was built for me. I wish it was less buggy, because it's harder to recommend when it crashes once every hour or so, but this game sticks with me like no other this year.

3. Signs of the Sojourner

I was interested in this game before release and then ended up getting it in the ridiculously large itch.io bundle and couldn't be happier. What an incredible game! Communication using cards, a wide array of endings, and characters in a strange world that you really come to love. I still go back and play it every once in awhile and remember just how good the core gameplay is and how wonderful the atmosphere of the game is.

4. Paradise Killer

I love a good mystery, and the heart of this game is a bizarre locked room mystery that involves a cult of ancient gods, human sacrifice, demons from beyond the stars, and lies upon lies upon lies. What an incredible world these people built! The investigation is addictive, the world expansive, and the characters are fascinating.

5. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

I had never played a Musou game before the original Hyrule Warriors, but picked it up on the Wii U because I had so few other games to play and it looked interesting. I fell in love with it, the strategy, the action, and of course the Zelda charm. Age of Calamity isn't as strategic, but the gameplay loop is even more addictive and the production values are top-notch! Very happy to have played this.

6. Bug Fables

I had wanted to play this for awhile, especially since I knew Origami King wasn't the Paper Mario game I wanted. I found that while the controls were a bit janky, I fell in love with the characters and the world of this Paper Mario-esque RPG. The music is fantastic too! A charming well told story and a plethora of fun bug characters, I really recommend this to anyone who liked the original two Paper Mario games.

7. Embracelet

This is a game I haven't heard many speak about, but it came to Switch this year and I saw a review that raved about it. It's a pretty simple adventure game with a unique art style and a very well done story about a boy looking to understand his family and where he came from with a supernatural twist, set on an island in Norway. One of those games created by one person, it's not a long game by any means, but I really enjoyed my time with it and I will keep singing it's praises to anyone who will listen. Oh, and you get to save a beached whale using your magic bracelet. The real shining star here is the relationship between the main character and the friends he makes on the island--the writing was understated but realistic. Very well done!

8. CrossCode

An action-RPG with a great SNES aesthetic and pretty engaging combat, I found that while the story was well told and the world very cool to explore, the game itself went on too long and there was probably one dungeon too many. The mechanics were fine, but I felt like I was done with the game way before it actually ended. While it isn't a perfect game, it did scratch the itch of what I was looking for in an action-RPG and the puzzles were pretty fun to solve (for the most part).

9. Wide Ocean Big Jacket

A really cute and quirky game that didn't overstay it's welcome and told a unique story about four people on a camping trip. The writing is the real joy here; the art style is either love it or hate it and the controls are not great, but I laughed out loud at several points and found the situations to be super realistic. It's definitely worth your time!

10. The Pedestrian

A very early 2020 game, I had kickstarted this years ago. A fun puzzle-platformer with a really cool art-direction, you control the little guy on all those street signs as you explore a realistically-rendered world through the signs themselves. The most memorable bit was at the very end, but I won't spoil it; suffice to say, it's a mind bender. Really enjoyed it.

1. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
2. [Switch] [Adventure] [Thunderlotus] Spiritfarer
3. [PC] [Card Game] [Echodog Games] Signs of the Sojourner
4. [Switch] [Adventure] [Kaizen Game Works] Paradise Killer
5. [Switch] [Hack and slash] [Omega Force] Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
6. [PS4] [RPG] [Moonsprout Games] Bug Fables
7. [Switch] [Adventure] [machineboy] Embracelet
8. [Switch] [Action RPG] [Radical Fish Games] CrossCode
9. [Switch] [Visual Novel] [Turnfollow] Wide Ocean Big Jacket
10. [PC] [Puzzle-platformer] [Skookum Arts] The Pedestrian
    

 

[Phabh]

1. Hades - The best rogue-lite ever. For a change, the rogue-lite structure makes sense both on a gameplay and story level. Death is not a punishment. The way the story progresses and the dynamic dialog system are quite groundbreaking. Amazing art, soundtrack and game feel. Over 130 hours played. A new indie classic and the new gold standard for rogue-lites. - 5/5.
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - The game of 2020. A little normality and daily joy during this pandemic. Over 140 hours played. - 5/5.
3. Part Time UFO - The best couch co-op experience of the year. Super cute and fun game with an insanely catchy main theme. Over 25 hours played. - 5/5.
4. Grindstone - The best puzzle game I've played this year. Super addictive gameplay and systems. Over 40 hours played. - 5/5.
5. Huntdown - The perfect homage to 80s arcade games and the best Cyberpunk game of 2020. Incredible sprite work and retro soundtrack. - 5/5.
6. A Short Hike - A tiny Breath Of the Wild. Bigger AAA open-world games could certainly learn a thing or two from it. - 5/5.
7. Paper Mario: The Origami King - Super cute and fun adventure. Really enjoyed the new puzzle combat system up to a certain point. The combat rewards and economy system are still busted. Boss fights were the highlight. - 4/5.
8. Ori And The Will Of The Wisps - Solid platformer with beautiful graphics but more of the same and the story, world and characters still aren't grabbing me. - 4/5.
9. Carto - Cute little game with a fun, novel concept with a charming artstyle. - 3/5.
10. Disc Room - Interesting idea but a bit too narrow of a concept. A little short and too difficult too fast. - 3/5.

Played this year but not ranked:

Bloodroots
Phogs
I Am Dead
Outer Wilds
Opus Magnum
Subnautica
The Touryst
Rime
Enter The Gungeon
Slay The Spire
Pikuniku
Gris
Wuppo
The Messenger
Faster Than Light
The Red Strings Club
Carrion
Wandersong
Two Point Hospital
Ruiner
Carrion
My Friend Pedro
Bridge Constructor Portal
Creature In The Well
Dead Cells

1. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
2. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
3. [Switch] [Puzzle] [HAL Laboratory] Part Time UFO
4. [Switch] [Puzzle] [Capybara Games] Grindstone
5. [Switch] [Platformer] [Easy Trigger Games] Huntdown
6. [Switch] [Adventure] [adamgryu] A Short Hike
7. [Switch] [RPG] [Intelligent Systems] Paper Mario: The Origami King
8. [PC] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
9. [Switch] [Puzzle] [Sunhead Games] Carto
10. [Switch] [Puzzle] [Terri,�Dose,�Kitty,�JW] Disc Room

 

[DestroyerOfWorlds]

The best game to me is the one I came away from feeling like I had the most fun with. So, these are ranked by measurements from my funometer.

1. [PC] [Shooter] [Valve] Half-Life: Alyx
2. [XSX] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
3. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
4. [PC] [Turn-based strategy] [Splash Damage] Gears Tactics
5. [PC] [Flight simulator] [Asobo Studio] Microsoft Flight Simulator
6. [PC] [RPG] [InXile Entertainment] Wasteland 3
7. [XBO] [Dungeon Crawler] [Mojang Studios] Minecraft Dungeons
8. [XSX] [Action RPG] [Ubisoft] Assassin's Creed Valhalla
9. [XBO] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
10. [PC] [RTS] [Tantalus Media] Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
    

 

[Flevance]

1. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time - A love letter to the long-time fans of the franchise and it was well delivered, I wouldn't have dreamed of a better comeback​
2. Astro's Playroom - A nostalgic trip that hits hard in every imaginable way​
3. Summer Pockets - Key never fails to deliver a life story that puts you at ease throughout the experience
4. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - A unique experience like no other in the market, with the usual unique art of Vanillaware make in all something surely to remember for years to come
5. Ori and the Will of the Wisps - This might be the best Metroidvania I've ever played! Exploring that huge map was surely satisfying and it always keeps you excited for the new abilities that might unlock along the way to explore more of its fascinating world
6. The Last of Us Part II - Honestly, I've never been a fan of the original, played it once and never thought of it that much as many people have, however, this part was something else to me, controlling the character and exploring the levels were so satisfying. Also, I like viewing the different views of different parties, like there's no hero nor villain, as both sides have understandable reasons
7. Final Fantasy VII Remake - I was living a dream till the last boring part of the game that pushed me to drop it all the way down here, I hope the second part would be well-paced, not that I dislike all the additions and giving more attention to characters that barely got any in the original, but it could be paced better
8. Dreams - I'm too lazy to try and learn how to make a game, so I've been just enjoying my time with what others have already made and it surprising me by the vast variety of experiences someone could get from this one game
9. Ghost of Tsushima - Best Sucker Punch game hands down! This might be the closest game we'll get for a while to modern Tenchu, as a once a huge fan of the franchise I feel blessed!
10. Desperados III - Another shot of reviving a long dead type of games and now it's certain that Mimimi Games have found their place! Looking forward to seeing where they'll take the genre, won't mind them trying something new, but I hope they'll stick to this for a while

1. [PS4] [Platformer] [Toys for Bob] Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
2. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
3. [PC] [Visual Novel] [Key] Summer Pockets
4. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
5. [PC] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
6. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
7. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
8. [PS4] [Game Creation] [Media Molecule] Dreams
9. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
10. [PC] [RTS] [Mimimi Games] Desperados III
    

 

[chief uhu]

I always look forward to this thread because it gives me a chance to look back at the year and reminisce which game was fun, which hold me on the edge of my seat, and those that kept me thinking about it for months after. This was also the first year where I switched from studying to working full time and I felt my gaming habits change accordingly. Gone are the days where I just download games and then see if I like them - this year I was trying to make sure with the time I had to complete games as close to a 100% as possible, even though it meant that I would not be able to fill out a full a Top 10. Nevertheless, I will remember this year in gaming for some of the highest highs and emotions I have felt while playing a game.

1. The Last of Us Part II
This game does a lot that I usually dislike in video games: Numerous Flashbacks, the Pacing is off in places, and it's a survival game that offers up too many resources on a first playthrough. But how can that matter if a boss fight has me shaken with my heart almost bursting out of my chest? How can that matter if a section has me terrified in a way that just does not happen in video games? How can that matter if I am moved to tears by a character enjoying their birthday in this gruesome, terrible world? How can it matter if on a technical level I would have been completely satisfied to play a game like this in 2025? And finally, how could all that matter if the game presents a protagonist I have wished for in games, who personifies the consequences of another character's actions, becoming probably my favorite character in gaming period. In the end, this game has the highest highs of the last generation for me (together with picking up a certain weapon in GoW and stepping out in the world in TLoZ BotW) and due to its replayability (seriously play on Survivor or Grounded!) its an easy #1 to me.

2. Crusader Kings III
This came out of nowhere for me. I have played the Civilization Games for a decade but was always turned off by the specific differences that a Crusader Kings type game would bring, but man-oh-man was I wrong. The sheer possibilities in this game are endless. That you can make choices in your dynasty that affect the game 50+ hours later is stunning. Finally, to be able to play it for hours on end but also just a half-hour at a time to get a couple of years in is always a plus.

3. Demon's Souls
The game that brought back my passion for gaming all those years ago...and it is still great. Truly a technical showcase with great sound design, as well. Highly recommend playing NG+ as I think the true Demon's Souls starts there ;).

4. Resident Evil 3 Remake
Never played the original, therefore, the cut content did not impact me. Just a fun experience with a great Jill Valentine. Probably my favorite Platinum Trophy, as well, because the game length encourages multiple playthroughs. Also, going around with a rocket launcher will never not be fun.

5. Astros Playroom
Truly a next-gen experience. The way it introduces the controller and showcases its capabilities while being charming as hell showing off the Playstations history is a one of a kind gaming experience. Please, dear developers, use these functions, it makes the games feel alive.

6. Ghost of Tsushima
A stunning world with surprisingly in-depth combat. The wind and animal mechanics are innovative. Still, the game could have placed higher if the experience would have been a bit tighter, as it falls into too many of the regular open-world deficiencies after reaching the second island.

7. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
Just pure fun. Also could have placed higher if the story and in particular the ending would have held a bit more weight to it.

8. Deadly Premonition 2
A sequel to one of my favorite games ever and one I would have never believed to see the light of day. Sometimes I think it might have been better if it would have stayed that way due to the absurd technical difficulties and the tone-deaf treatment of a certain character. However, seeing Francis.York.Morgan in a happy place in the end just warmed my heart, so it deserves a spot on the list.

9. Star Wars Jedi Knight Jedi Academy
Purely makes the list on nostalgia reasons for the multiplayer but wow does this game has aged. Still fun, though.

While it was not on the list I want to give a shoutout to the additional content that Civilization VI has received in 2020. Normally, I am very skeptical when it comes to season passes, but the new modes and civilizations have made this easily the best strategy game I have played on a PC.

Not on the list because I have not played the games so far are The Last Campfire, Spiritfarer, and Streets of Rage 4, but based on the impressions I have read here I will put these on my backlog. Onto 2021!

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PC] [Grand strategy] [Paradox Interactive] Crusader Kings III
3. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
4. [PS4] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
5. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
6. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
7. [Switch] [Hack and slash] [Omega Force] Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
8. [Switch] [Survival horror] [TOYBOX Inc] Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise
9. [Switch] [Shooter] [Raven Software] Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
   

 

[Babadook]

1. The Last of Us Part 2. A step up visually from anything seen on a [last gen] console with realistic lighting and great characters and animation. The story is captivating, imaginative and sticks with you like that of a thoughtful Oscar winner.

2. Demons Souls remake . One of the best Souls-born games given the full treatment by perhaps the top remake studio. Bringing lavish environments, and superb action RPG exploration into the next generation. And 60 FPS makes the combat shine. This was a pleasure to go through.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls

 

[Deleted member 5593]

1. The Last of Us 2 - I hated the narrative of the first half of this game but the second half was composed with some of the greatest charcters, writing, and set pieces ever seen in gaming.
2. Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate - NRS are in the tier of their own when it comes to fighting games where only Nintendo are able to compete. They keep raising the bar leaving their competition far behind.
3. Doom Eternal - The feeling of euphoria you get when you reach a groove and rhythm in Doom Eternal is truly something to behold.
4. Final Fantasy 7 Remake - This is JRPG combat I can get behind. But the narrative made 0 sense to me and it loses points for needing to have played the original to follow what was going on.
5. Resident Evil 3 - This game also lost points for missing the clock tower sections from the original but it was still a blast to play through and enjoy.
6. Hades - While the gameplay was incredibly addictive I felt the game became way too repetitive for me to place higher in this list.
7. The Wonderful 101 Remastered - A very unique take on the action genre taking a lot of brave risks. But the cel-shaded comedic artstyle and convoluted mechanics just wasn't for me.
8. Among Us - The only other 2020 game I played.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS4] [Fighting] [NetherRealm Studios] Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate
3. [PS4] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
4. [PS4] [RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy 7 Remake
5. [PS4] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
6. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
7. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [PlatinumGames] The Wonderful 101: Remastered
8. [Switch] [Party] [Innersloth] Among Us
   

 

[Jyrii]

Oh man. Another year, another rush to try and finish games for the GOTY vote.

1. Kentucky Route Zero.
I bought KR0 few months after episode I launched and man it has been a long wait. Episode V wouldn't be my top game itself. It was decent, but I vastly preferred the previous episodes. But as a whole Kentucky Route Zero is amazing experience and my GOTY of 2020.

2. I absolutely loved that there is so many upgrades in Ori and the Will of the Wisps. And every upgrade actually does something. The escape sequences are still too hard, make one slight mistake and you need to restart the whole thing. Especially the last sequence almost made me uninstall the game.

3. Hades. Every boss felt like a wall and I climbed those walls. I didn't think I would be able to beat the final boss, but in the end I was able to do it with heat 6. One of the few games in this list that I might go back to.

4. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. Just finished it and 13 Sentinels is one of my favorite games of 2020. Sure the story is a bit messy at times and the RTS graphics are pretty bland, but it is like no other game.

5. The Last of Us Part II. The first game didn't really need a sequel, but ND did pretty good job with it anyways. Gameplay is solid, animations are amazing, but the game is yaaaaaaaaaay too long.

6. I think Spider-Man was my goty of GOTY, at least top 3 for sure. Miles Morales isn't that much of a evolution or surprise, but it is still a very solid game. Would love to see more Miles in further games.

7. Demon's Souls was the first Souls game I played and beat. Going back now with the remake I am much more experienced, so the game wasn't that hard anymore. I also realized that I dislike many of the areas. The areas felt harder than the bosses.

8. Final Fantasy VII Remake. I didn't care for the demo at all, but getting the skills if the full game makes it much more likable experience. The end was dragged too long and had too many back to back boss fights. I also didn't care for the story changes they did, though I kinda understand that they want to make it a new experience.

9. Ghost if Tsushima. I haven't beat the game yet, but have a pretty good grasp of it. Visually one of the prettiest games of 2020. I don't like the gameplay that much though and the missions are too repetitive.

10. Spiritfarer. Seeing the trailer at E3 2019 piqued my interest. I would have liked more building requirements from the boat party. Buggiest game of 2020. My save was corrupted and I lost all progress. Eventually with the bug fixed, I did start from the beginning and finished the game.

11. Tell Me Why. Good characters, but the plot wasn't that great.

12. Astro's Playroom. Nice visuals and use of DualSense. I didn't like the suit platforming parts at all. My girlfriend fell in love with the game and Astro.

13. Paradise Killer. Nice idea, poor execution. Absolute shitload of pickups, though you don't really need to pick them all. Quick travel, for no real reason, required you to first unlock the station with point and then use another point to travel. The map is pretty big and there is constant need to go back and forth. The game really needed some tightening. Also, second buggiest game of 2020.

14. Doom Eternal. My biggest disappointing game of 2020. I understand that some people absolutely love Eternal, but everything felt worse than 2016. Too many new mechanics ´to juggle with. Also fuck Marauders

1. [PC] [Point-and-click adventure] [Cardboard Computer] Kentucky Route Zero
2. [PC] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
3. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
4. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
5. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
6. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
7. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
8. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
9. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
10. [PC] [Adventure] [Thunderlotus] Spiritfarer
11. [PC] [Adventure] [Dontnod Entertainment] Tell Me Why
12. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
13. [PC] [Adventure] [Kaizen Game Works] Paradise Killer
14. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
    

 

[BSizzle]

1. The Last of Us Part II - What more can be said about this game? One of the most technically sound and best-animated games I have ever played. Great story and continuation from the first classic game, somehow it tops the first with its surprising narrative choices and risks in gameplay/structure. Amazing.
2. Demons Souls - Never played the original, but am a Soulsborne fan. Thought it was really great. The lighting and 60fps made it look and play great all around!
3. Sackboy - Surprise for me. Great couch coop in a fun, and surprisingly challenging, platformer.
4. Spider-Man: Miles Morales - Looks and plays beautifully in the PErformance RT mode. 60fps makes a difference, I am now a 60fps believer. Miles powers are more fun to play as well.
5. Astro's Playroom - Best showcase for a new console/system & new controller probably ever. Great PlayStation history too!

1. 
   1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
   2. [PS5] [Action RPG] [Blue Point Games] Demon's Souls
   3. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sumo Digital] Sackboy: A Big Adventure
   4. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
   5. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Enterainment] Astro's Playroom

 

[Sayers]

1. Final Fantasy VII Remake - Never played the original but I absolutely adored this game. The gameplay was fantastic but the character writing was what really elevated this game.

2. Astro's Playroom - A celebration of all things PlayStation and a fantastic platformer besides.

3. Persona 5 Royal - A fantastic update to an already fantastic game. Makoto is still best girl.

4. Demon's Souls - Never played the original of this either but I thoroughly enjoyed this remake.

5. Spider-Man: Miles Morales - I liked the original game better but I now understand why comic fans like Miles so much.

6. Sackboy: A Big Adventure - A great co-op platformer.

1. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
2. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
3. [PS4] [RPG] [Atlus] Persona 5 Royal
4. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
5. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
6. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sumo Digital] Sackboy: A Big Adventure

 

[KDC720]

Didn't get to play a whole bunch of new stuff this year, spent most of my time working through my considerable backlog, which also meant I avoided some of the more meatier and time consuming games that came out this year.

10. Ghost of Tsushima- Not finished it yet, but it's basically open world comfort food so far. The Japan set Assassins Creed everyone wanted for forever. You could have released this game in like 2009 and outside of the very pretty graphics, it wouldn't be out of place, and that's not a bad thing. I appreciate that it's not huge for the sake of hugeness either. It's a game that feels "just right" if there ever was.

9. Star Wars: Squadrons- I'm not the biggest Star Wars fan, nor do I have any particular fondness for dogfighting games, but I was surprised at how fun and accessible this ended up being. It has a short but decent singleplayer campaign but the multiplayer fleet battle mode ended up being pretty engaging. It's easy to load this game up for a few rounds of Star Wars goodness.

8. Immortals Fenyx Rising- BOTW was a good game. You know it, I know it, and Ubisoft also knows it. Immortals is about as BOTW as it gets, just throw in a bit of Assassins Creed and some of Ninja Theory's DmC and it turns out you have a stew going. What you see is what you get really, the dialogue may be cringey at times but it's fun to slap on a podcast and run around the world checking off a few boxes.

7. Among Us- In a year where socializing was pretty tough, even more so for my introverted ass, Among Us provided a cheap and fun way to goof around with friends or strangers. We've all played mafia or werewolf before, Among Us isn't some revelation or anything, but it was exactly the right game at the right time.

6. Call of Duty: Warzone- Maybe cheating a bit on this one. It's technically an offshoot of last years Modern Warfare (which also made my top 10) but considering how Activision is beginning to treat it as it's own thing, I think it's appropriate. Modern Warfare already played exceptionally well, and Warzone carries most of that over. It's the first battle royale game I really found myself getting into, and they've done a great job with new content. I've felt compelled to complete all of the battle passes which has to count for something.

5. Resident Evil 3- Perhaps not the remake people were expecting coming off last year's incredible RE2 remake (my GOTY last year), but even if it disappointed in some aspects, RE3 is still a great game. The "all killer no filler" approach made the game a perfect thrill ride, one that I was eager to replay almost a dozen times. Some really great character work in here too and perhaps the best iterations of Jill and Carlos we've ever gotten. Could they have done more with this remake? Perhaps, but I certainly enjoyed what we ended up getting.

4. Animal Crossing: New Horizons- The perfect game to hit right when the lockdown was getting started. It provided some semblance of structure and normality in an otherwise strange year. I found some elements of the game frustrating, and it's a shame Nintendo continues to make strange decisions when it comes to multiplayer. But this was another wonderful and relaxing entry into the series.

3. The Last of Us: Part II- I have quite a few issues with the narrative, and it didn't quite hit me as hard as it did for others, but I have basically no issues with the gameplay or presentation. Another fantastic game from Naughty Dog, and a more than worthy follow up to the first game.

2. Doom Eternal- Not quite the mindless demon slaughter sim of it's predecessor, perhaps divisively so, but speaking as someone who loved DOOM 2016, I appreciate they tried something different for Eternal. It's a bit of an adjustment for sure, but once you're in the groove Eternal plays more like a first person Bloodborne than anything and that's pretty rad. I think the story tries to have it's cake and eat it which doesn't work compared to the beautiful self aware simplicity of 2016's story, but otherwise Eternal is an absolute banger of a sequel.

1. Hades- Supergiant's best game to date. Such a wonderful rougelike and one where I always felt like I was making progress. Impeccable art direction, a great cast with fantastic voice acting, fun gameplay with lots of variations that never got old. Hades deserves all the praise it gets and even more.

1. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
2. [XBO] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
4. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
5. [XBO] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
6. [PS4] [Shooter] [Infinity Ward] Call of Duty: Warzone
7. [Switch] [Party] [Innersloth] Among Us
8. [XSX] [Action Adventure] [Ubisoft] Immortals Fenyx Rising
9. [XBO] [Space combat] [Motive Studios] Star Wars: Squadrons
10. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
    

 

[Welfare]

These were the 2020 games I cared enough about. The other games were Game Pass or backlog from before 2020.

I think the best one to start off with is the game that isn't even in the script haha. Now I am the niche vote. Touhou Luna Nights is a really good Metroidvania revolving around time powers and trying to escape a castle back to reality. The combat and traversal is fun, the enemies and overall difficulty are hard to get into at first and you can't just spam recklessly, you have to actually think a bit when in combat. The music is incredible as well. It takes less than 10 hours to beat and is enjoyable the whole through. A surprise hit for me this year.

Kingdom Hearts on Xbox is enough alone to put it near the top because not only should Xbox get more Japanese games to enjoy and be celebrated when they do come over, but Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 are some of the greatest game ever. I 100% KH1 for the first time and currently working through KH2, a game I've already completed, but the Final Mix content along with just being a blast to play is enough to go through again.

Doom Eternal is a beefy single player FPS and the only contenders in recent memory are Titanfall 2 and Doom 2016. Some encounters are trash and the chainsaw mechanic holds the game back, but overall Eternal was a solid experience helped by a decent story and OST. The multiplayer was also enjoyable even though it is asymmetrical.

Then there is Yakuza. Yakuza 0 is a masterpiece that I can barely describe in a few words other than it being a Wacky Action Drama. Even those can't go into just what makes Yakuza 0 work, along with Kiwami 1 and 2, which I'm putting at the bottom purely because 0 is my clear #1. Hell, I'm playing Yakuza 3 Remastered right now because these 3 games are that good. The combat, setting, characters, story, mood, all of blends in just the right way where you know exactly what's happening yet at the same time the game can still surprise you.

1. [XBO] [Action Adventure] [Sega] Yakuza 0
2. [XBO] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
3. [XBO] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix
4. [XBO] [Metroidvania] [Team Ladybug] Touhou Luna Nights
5. [XBO] [Action Adventure] [Sega] Yakuza Kiwami 2
6. [XBO] [Action Adventure] [Sega] Yakuza Kiwami
   

 

[RPGam3r]

The Last of Us Part 2 gets my vote.
Honerable mention Final Fantasy VII Remake.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls

Click to shrink...

Did you forget to add FFVIIR or replace it with Demon's Souls?

Also, you need to add the rationale.

 

[Beth Cyra]

Number 1 [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake: Took a game I thought was good but not great, and turned it into the most magical gaming experience I've ever had.

Horrible sexual assault on the main character in the OG? Turned into a lovely dancing scene that is dripping with all forms of gender and sexual inclusivity.

Took a bit of a shallow relationship between Tifa and Aerith and turned it into the strongest bond and moments with them helping, saving and making each other smile every other moment.

Finally the Rooftop scene between Cloud and Aerith is the my favorite moment in a game ever and the only time I ever choose to not sprint even on replays, I never do that in games.

Not perfect, but it's perfectly captured everything I could want in a VII Remake and some how made it better.

Number 2 [Ps4] [Adventure] [Naughty Dog] This one is a bit weird as I couldn't finish it. However I still want it to get all the awards it's has for the wonderful characters of Abby and Lev, and the adorable family that is Abby/Ellie/Dina (let this lesbian dream okay?).

Thing is as a daughter of a man who convicted of Murder, I can't justify Ellie doing to the Abby's friends...that first moment I'm sure you know. I can't hate on a woman like Abby for taking revenge just as I wouldn't if someone did so on my father.

Number 3[Ps5] [RpG] [Bluepoint/Sony] Demon's Souls Remake : it's a good game, no where near Dark Souls 1/3 and BB to me, but still very good. Best Moonlight Greatsword of the Souls games though, and those load times had me in love.

Number 4:[Ps4] [RpG] [Atlus/Sega] Persona 5 Royal: at times I hate the game but then I have a cute and fun moment with Kawakami, or Ann is being utterly gay and adorable with Shiho, or Akechi is somehow both the worst rival but also so thirsty for the MC I can't help but find him some how endearing. Then you have Kasumi and her storyline and I absolutely adore her character.

Add in just the overall style and it ends up as a game for as much as I detest how long it takes to get going and Ryuji/Morgana/Yusuke make me want to turn the game off and never look back...I'm on my second full play through and can't wait to get to the scene with Kawakami.

Number 5 [PS4] [Survival horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil. 3: honestly I find the game to be kinda Meh when compared to 2R at best and Carlos weirds me out as he really seems like RE5 Chris with a different head. However Jill is so good that I never want another "new" Jill again.

Number 6 [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Gearbox]
Borderlands 3: It's pretty fun and while it's humor is questionable I do love Lilith as both a design and a character.

 

[B-Dubs]

Number 1 [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake: Took a game I thought was good but not great, and turned it into the most magical gaming experience I've ever had.

Horrible sexual assault on the main character in the OG? Turned into a lovely dancing scene that is dripping with all forms of gender and sexual inclusivity.

Took a bit of a shallow relationship between Tifa and Aerith and turned it into the strongest bond and moments with them helping, saving and making each other smile every other moment.

Finally the Rooftop scene between Cloud and Aerith is the my favorite moment in a game ever and the only time I ever choose to not sprint even on replays, I never do that in games.

Not perfect, but it's perfectly captured everything I could want in a VII Remake and some how made it better.

Number 2 [Ps4] [Adventure] [Naughty Dog] This one is a bit weird as I couldn't finish it. However I still want it to get all the awards it's has for the wonderful characters of Abby and Lev, and the adorable family that is Abby/Ellie/Dina (let this lesbian dream okay?).

Thing is as a daughter of a man who convicted of Murder, I can't justify Ellie doing to the Abby's friends...that first moment I'm sure you know. I can't hate on a woman like Abby for taking revenge just as I wouldn't if someone did so on my father.

Number 3[Ps5] [RpG] [Bluepoint/Sony] Demon's Souls Remake : it's a good game, no where near Dark Souls 1/3 and BB to me, but still very good. Best Moonlight Greatsword of the Souls games though, and those load times had me in love.

Number 4:[Ps4] [RpG] [Atlus/Sega] Persona 5 Royal: at times I hate the game but then I have a cute and fun moment with Kawakami, or Ann is being utterly gay and adorable with Shiho, or Akechi is somehow both the worst rival but also so thirsty for the MC I can't help but find him some how endearing. Then you have Kasumi and her storyline and I absolutely adore her character.

Add in just the overall style and it ends up as a game for as much as I detest how long it takes to get going and Ryuji/Morgana/Yusuke make me want to turn the game off and never look back...I'm on my second full play through and can't wait to get to the scene with Kawakami.

Number 5 [PS4] [Survival horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil. 3: honestly I find the game to be kinda Meh when compared to 2R at best and Carlos weirds me out as he really seems like RE5 Chris with a different head. However Jill is so good that I never want another "new" Jill again.

Number 6 [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Gearbox]
Borderlands 3: It's pretty fun and while it's humor is questionable I do love Lilith as both a design and a character.

Click to shrink...

Just an FYI, this ballot is not formatted properly and won't be counted. You need to follow the instructions in the OP if you want your ballot to count.

 

[Beth Cyra]

Just an FYI, this ballot is not formatted properly and won't be counted. You need to follow the instructions in the OP if you want your ballot to count.

Click to shrink...

I did as I literally copy and pasted the Orange box and deleted the entries there, unless you mean the Number 1/2/3 thing then that was due to my own confusion given the box.

Should I edit those out or just create a new post for those?

Never mind, was on mobile and it lead to my confusion as the Vote Button I didn't notice. I'll fix it

 

[teague]

1. I've been waiting for 7 years to finish KRZ, and during that time I've played the first 1, then 2, then 3, then 4 acts through at least a half-dozen times. Somehow, the writing only gets deeper and weirder and better every single time. The only other game that reminds me of it in terms of pure literary achievement is Disco Elysium, and I think KRZ comes out on top. Also, the art and music are great. Please play it.

2. Honestly all I want to say about FFVIIR are the following two things: there is a moment when someone, after having their sunglasses broken, takes out an identical pair of sunglasses from their jacket and puts them on. This is a cutscene that interrupts a boss fight and it's almost CG quality. Second: baaaaaaaaaa ba babaaaaa ba baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ba baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

3. I liked TLOU, but I never quite understood the hype around it. Can't it be a movie, I thought to myself. (Then I watched Tim Roger's ACTION BUTTON DOT COM review of TLOU and I regretted my words and deeds). Then I played TLOUII, and I got the hype. Every moment in this game hit me like a freight train loaded with copies of Cormac McCarthy's The Road.

4. Animal Crossing is the game that I needed in 2020 the most every day. Every day I can check in, do some manageable tasks, enjoy some great tunes, and hang out with cute animals. Is that not enough???

5. Hades is fun. The art is great. All the characters are interesting and fun. It has good gameplay. It has great tunes. You can lose 50+ hours of your life to it and not regret it whatsoever.

6. I cried at the end of Ori and the Will of the Wisps. I knew that I would cry in the first 5 minutes, and then I did cry anyway.

1. [PC] [Point-and-click adventure] [Cardboard Computer] Kentucky Route Zero
2. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
4. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
5. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
6. [XSX] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
   

 

[Donsonite]

DOOM Eternal - best first person shooter I've played. Incredible combat, amazing lineup of enemies, and extremely varied levels.
Hades - Every aspect of it is just really good.

1. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
2. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades

 

[Chrixter]

1. The Last of Us Part II
The gameplay was so compelling that I was hooked for multiple playthroughs.

2. Desperados III
Another exquisite tactical stealth title from Mimimi Games, masters of the genre.

3. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
The most fun I've had playing competitive multiplayer since Rocket League.

4. Ghostrunner
Some of the slickest first-person action and platforming of any game I've played.

5. Hades
The Shield of Chaos elevates this game for me - really clicked with its playstyle.

6. Resident Evil 3
The RE2 remake made my list last year, and I might like this one even more.

7. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Miles' likable personality and unique abilities made revisiting NYC worthwhile.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PC] [RTS] [Mimimi Games] Desperados III
3. [PC] [Party] [Mediatonic] Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
4. [PC] [Action] [One More Level] Ghostrunner
5. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
6. [PC] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
7. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
   

 

[mujun]

1. Cyberpunk - I really love playing this game. I'm on my third character with about 110 hours clocked. This game has kept me going through the dearth of stuff I want to play that was December and January. I love the combat, design of the city, characters and mechanics such as leveling, loot, etc. I feel conflicted about having it on my list as there has been a bunch of shitty stuff surrounding the game and CDPR. It's also very buggy which doesn't do it any favors but the proof is in the pudding as the saying goes, and I have eaten a lot of this pudding. Trans rights are human rights.

2. Demon's Souls - This became one of my favorite games ever when I played it on the PS3. I have run about 3 characters through the PS5 version and my feeling haven't changed. It feels so good to play and it looks amazing to boot.

3. Maneater - This was a pleasant surprise right when I needed it early in 2020. Repetitive easy to pick up and play fun that doesn't overstay its welcome and offers a setting and playable character that not many games do.

4. Streets of Rage 4 - I enjoyed playing SOR4 and grinding a bunch to unlock all the characters. It's a beautiful game with cool characters and moves and I'd love to see the team that made it make the next chapter for another classic beat `em up franchise or make Garou 2!


Games I played but didn't want to put on my list:

0. The Last of Us II - I find the gameplay loop predictable and it starts to irritate me as I get further into the game. I dropped it right after the twist and skipped through vids of the remainder on Youtube.
0. Ghost of Tsushima - I have a sort of a love hate relationship with this game. It does open world badly if you ask me. The environments look too samey and I felt no desire to explore. The combat would frustrate me at times. I found the story too obvious and Jin too dour for me to really connect. I tried to see at least one side story through to its conclusion but couldn't as all the parts I played fell back on combat. I guess my dislike of the combat caused that to lose interest in the side quests. I did complete the game once and then go back two more times to complete the first act again but dropped it both times at that point. I hope that we get an AC game set in Japan at some point.
0. AC: Valhalla - I wanted to love this game but it just felt like a downgrade from Origins which I love. The lack of weapon variety and loot really was the nail in the coffin for me.
0. Watch Dogs: Legion - I couldn't deal with more than two or three hours of this. The stealth and the combat both felt crappy.
0. Desperados 3 - I played this soon after Shadow Tactics and was enjoying it at first but I bounced off it about halfway through. I think that I burned myself out by playing one after the other.

Other games I played but didn't finish and don't want on my list: Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Wasteland 3, Yakuza 7, Bugsnax, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, etc.

1. [PS4] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077
2. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
3. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Tripwire Interactive] Maneater
4. [PS4] [Beat 'em up] [DotEmu] Streets of Rage 4