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

[McNum]

It's that time again! Time for voting!

And what a year 2020 was. Both in video games and otherwise. But enough about that, time for what really matters, ranking video games!

1. Star Wars: Squadrons
I said very early on that there was only ONE game that would turn VR into a must-have for me. And that game would never be made because EA doesn't make starfighter sims anymore. So anyway here's THAT game: X-Wing in VR. Well played, EA. So now I'm on Team VR.

I could drone on about how the launch was botched a bit, how the PC VR was broken until two months later, and all of that, but I think this is a job for my inner child to reason why no other game could be number one this year: "I GOT TO SIT IN AN X-WING AND FLY AROUND AND IT GOES PEW PEW AND THERE'S TIE FIGHTERS AND WOW THAT STAR DESTROYER IS HUUUGE!"

And who am I to argue with that? Star Wars: Squadrons is my Game of the Year.

2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
It was my first Animal Crossing game, and I had a good time with it. It's nice, slow, cozy, cute... and basically the perfect game to deal with the nonsense that was 2020. I kind of drifted away from it over time, but the time I had with the game was great. I understand the allure of Animal Crossing now.

3. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
I like musou games, and Age of Calamity is an interesting one. It plays much closer to Breath of the Wild than you'd expect it to, and while there's still the one versus many fights, it is surprising how much of the environment interaction the game manages to do. The playable cast is also interesting going from people you'd expect to play to people you'd decidedly NOT expect to play. Which is great as the game keeps you guessing.

4. The Wonderful 101 Remastered
What do you get when you tell Platinum Games to just make a game? You get something like The Wonderful 101 which is a strange game that really shouldn't work as well as it does. Playing as a blob of super-heroes, you turn into giant objects to fight evil alien invaders. The game takes spectacle to absurd levels, and it really is a game you have to play to understand.

5. Super Mario 3D All-Stars
Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy in one package is an absurd amount of 3D platformer goodness. Sunshine and Galaxy are a little held back by them being so tied to their controllers that the collection had to fudge it a bit, but overall it's still three of the best 3D platformers.

6. Command & Conquer Remastered Collection
I'll be honest, when the game started up with an HD version of the original Command & Conquer installer, I knew these people just got it. The games are mostly the same as the classic originals, the cutscenes still wonderfully cheesy, and overall it's just a great package as you get both the original Command & conquer and Red Alert here. Red Alert is probably the better of the two, but also the campier one.

7. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
Honestly this game should be Dragon Ball Z: Gohan as you play a surprising amount of Gohan and a surprising little amount of Goku. It's a fun action RPG telling the story of Goku from Raditz to Buu (and beyond with DLC). The boss fights are the highlights here, with them getting to use their big attacks and you having to deal with it, but also the many, many sidequests you can do in the world of Dragon Ball. And yes, the drivers license exam is one of them.

8. XCOM: Chimera Squad
Normally an XCOM game would be higher on my list, and mechanically this game is fun, but... For some reason it feels wrong to play the alien super-police fighting various minorities in a big city now. Especially since some of them are clearly trying to just mind their own business when you kick in the door and start shooting.

9. 5D Chess With Multiverse Time Travel
Read the name of the game. Five dimensional Chess with multiverse based time travel. I won a game by promoting a pawn to a queen so it could attack the opponent's king two turns in the past, two timelines up. And that's a simple move in this game, don't get me started on bishops.

10. Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time
So imagine Ninja Gaiden, but Samurai Jack. That's this game. It brings back the voice talent of the cartoon, and tries as best it can to keep to the style. It also gets rather difficult, but that's just how these games go. Amusingly, Jack does lose more of his clothes the lower his HP gets, just like in the cartoon.

1. [PC] [Space combat] [Motive Studios] Star Wars: Squadrons
2. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
3. [Switch] [Hack and slash] [Omega Force] Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
4. [PC] [Action Adventure] [PlatinumGames] The Wonderful 101: Remastered
5. [Switch] [Platformer] [Nintendo] Super Mario 3D All-Stars
6. [PC] [RTS] [Petroglyph Games] Command & Conquer Remastered Collection
7. [PC] [Action RPG] [CyberConnect2] Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
8. [PC] [Turn-based strategy] [Firaxis Games] XCOM: Chimera Squad
9. [PC] [Turn-based strategy] [Thunkspace, LLC] 5D Chess With Multiverse Time Travel
10. [PC] [Action] [Soleil] Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time
    

 

[OneEyedJuliet]

My voting:

1 .- The Last of Us part II: This game surpassed all my expectations, and more than 6 months after I first played, I still think about it. It was a relentlessly bleak experience, yet it managed to shows us heartfelt moments of intimacy, compassion, and acceptance. Oh, and the gameplay loop is excellent too.

2 .- Animal Crossing: New Horizons: All these months of Coronavirus lockdown would've been much, much harder to bear if it weren't for the chance to scape to my little island. Whether it's the game of the year can be debated, but it was the game we needed for sure.

3.- Astro's Playroom: it manages to transcend the "tech demo" label by being fun, whimsical and full of homages and references to PlayStation history. Perfect in every way.

4.- Hades: I had never played a rogue-like game befor that I enjoyed. I'm glad this game proved me wrong.

5.- Spider-Man: Miles Morales: The fantastic thing about this game is that it improves and corrects practically all the shortcomings from its predecessors: It's the perfect length to not get dull, it gives you new powers to play with, and has fantastic boss battles and a villain just as good as Doc Ock.

6.- Ori and the Will of the Wisps: So hard I haven't finished it yet, but absolutely stunning and awe-inspiring.

7.- Bugsnax: I did not expect to like this game as much as I did. Come to catch Bugsnax, stay for the friends you make along the way. Bunger Bunger Bunger!

8.- Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout: I never play multiplayer games, but this game is absolutely worth it. A total hoot. Fun, frustrating, and completely batshit. 10/10 would recommend.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
3. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
4. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
5. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
6. [Switch] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
7. [PS5] [Adventure] [Young Horses] Bugsnax
8. [PS4] [Party] [Mediatonic] Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
   

 

[xyla]

As I wrote in another thread before about these games:

1. Hades 9/10 - Didn't pay much attention to it when it was in early access, but around launch it got more and more buzz and the premise of a story driven Rogue Like sounded interesting. 46 hours later I'm making my way to the epilogue. I saw the credits, I'm through the game and still I'm coming back to the characters, the world and the gameplay. Extremely well written and performed and fantastic soundtrack and on top of that gameplay systems upon systems that keep things fresh.
You soon realize that there are several curtains to be pulled to open up another thing to play for or another variation that will mix things up. Even now there's still things I want to get back at to see and I wanna check out how the story continues. An incredible amount of spoken lines add in keeping things fresh. In a sea of great games I played this year, this might be my favorite so far. Oh, and the art is something else. Reminds me a bit of a more detailed Mike Mignola.

4. Ori and the Will of the Wisp 9/10 | Game Pass - An incredible experience from beginning to end. The presentation is fantastic, the pacing is great and the gameplay is some of the best I've played. The game is able to guide you towards it's objectives without you getting lost and not knowing where to head next. It's in the top % of MetroidVanias for that feature alone. Even without the big markers guiding you into a general direction, there are always only a few directions you can try and see where you end up. The movement has a flow to it and by the end your just zooming towards your destination. It's also not too long, I maxed out life, energy and the buildings in 14 hours. It's time well spent in a world that sets out to tell a small, touching story.
My only criticism would be the dark world that is basically a constant autoscroller without being able to see where you're going. Not too hard, but also not very fun. And in the end you're a bit too powerful. Nothing feels like a real obstacle. But then again - the game has a broad audience so it most likely shouldn't.

3. Black Mesa 9/10 - absolutely fantastic remake of a fantastic game. They really made it their own. While I owned HL1 back in the day, I never completed it and mostly played it with mods and the MP on LANs. Which was great, but it also meant I never quite got the bridge to HL2 and why it was so different from the beginning of this one.
They enriched the original with puzzles, destructible environment and beautiful visuals that feel state of the art and dated at the same time. It all comes together in a great visual style that feels fantastic. Later parts of the game could go head to head with most modern AAA productions. Some levels feel older but whatever.

4. Doom Eternal 8/10 - Was in a shooter mood after Black Mesa. While I played Doom 2016 you might have guessed it already.. Didn't complete that one and played the MP with friends instead.
Eternal was also fantastic. Tight gameplay design combined with fantastic visuals and soundtrack. What's not to like? Maybe the way the story is told - it felt a little bit incoherent in the beginning and you have to dig a lot into the codex to get what's going on. The story as told through the cut scenes moves really fast and is only surface level in the end. Prepare to read.
I enjoyed the arena like encounter design which reminded me a lot of Q3A style maps in a SP game. Weapons handled great, enemies were gory and plenty. Didn't play the DLC but potentially mostly because I don't wanna go back to the Bethesda launcher where I got the game (was cheapest there).

5. Animal Crossing 7/10 - It was great for while it lastet, but the easter update last year sucked all desire out of me to start the game again. But for the start of the pandemic it was the perfect game.

These are the only 5 games I played that to completion that came out last year.

1. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
2. [PC] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
3. [PC] [Shooter] [Crowbar Collective] Black Mesa
4. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
5. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Edit: edited post to conform to rules

 

[randomelder]

i mean, if you all are really going to count anything that released on any platform in 2020 as eligible then this is the list you are gonna get

btw half of these games aren't on the official vote list, mods please correct this!!

x. Fire Emblem (famicom); i want to reward the precedent of this loc (and its tasteful packaging tbh) but a timed digital release is truly horseshit so there's no way it can make the list

11. Tetris Effect Connected (xbox series x); this is the first time i have ever played online co-op with strangers!

10. Gunhouse (itch.io) (android); the representative i'm picking for an incredible bundle for an incredible cause is this fun and very nicely designed action puzzler, best played on phones

9. Final Fantasy 7 Remake (ps4); after withstanding 25 years of discourse it's just so fascinating what this ended up being

8. Herzog Zwei (genesis); it took me many many tries but i managed to finish the tutorial! And eventually, easy mode of every stage on the easiest settings. a great coda for AGES.

7. Mr Driller Drill Land (gamecube); the most incredible ending theme i have ever heard, look at them going for it on those runs at the end!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES9Y6oMoHak

6. Final Fantasy Legend (gameboy); who knew the first handheld rpg ever made would be so weird and wonderful, kawazu is my king

5. Last Bible Special (game gear); how is it possible that a megami tensei mini even happened, a release truly designed for a target audience of one me

4. Air Zonk (pc engine); a truly gorgeous shooter, although honestly ys 1 is probably my true favorite on this thing

3. Shin Megami Tensei 3 (ps2); the greatest rpg of all time but unfortunately they patched in manual selection of fusion skills so this is where it goes

2. Panel de Pon (super famicom); the greatest game of all time but unfortunately this version does not have time trial mode against the computer or hookbill koopa so this is where it goes

1.Moon Remix RPG Adventure (psx); a significant foundational work with a message that was seemingly primed for 2020, a miracle release, and game of the year.

1. 1. [Switch] [ADV] [oniongames] Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
2. 2. [Switch] [PUZZLE] [Nintendo] Panel de Pon
3. 3. [PS4] [RPG] [Atlus] Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster
4. 4. [PC Engine Mini] [STG] [Hudson Soft] Air Zonk
5. 5. [Game Gear Mini] [RPG] [Atlus] Last Bible Special
6. 6. [Switch] [RPG] [Square Enix] Collection of SaGa: Final Fantasy Legend
7. 7. [Switch] [Puzzle] [Bandai Namco Entertainment] Mr. Driller Drill Land
8. 8. [Switch] [RTS] [Sega] Herzog Zwei
9. 9. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
10. 10. [itch.io] [Puzzle] [necrosoftgames] Gunhouse
11. 11. [Xbox Series X] [Puzzle] [Enhance] Tetris Effect: Connected

 

[demu]

edit: Please delete. Appararently I did something wrong (although I followed the OP), so I wanna try one more time with a fresh post.

 

[Kaswa101]

1. Assassin's Creed Valhalla - Loved every minute of it (except for those cairns!). A true return to form for the franchise and the storylines were all amazing and so satisfying, and don't even get me started on that GOAT soundtrack. GOTY for me by far.

2. Astro's Playroom - Pure joy and nostalgia. Made me smile way more than any other game in 2020, and it's just overflowing with charm. Music is so damn catchy too. Perfection!

3. Ghost of Tsushima - Felt like an old-school Assassin's Creed but with way better combat and an amazing setting. Thoroughly enjoyed the story, exploration and artstyle. Sucker Punch did themselves proud on this one.

4. The Last of Us Part II - Amazing production values and the gameplay was top notch. While the story (and especially the pacing) didn't really do it for me, it's hard to argue against this being an astonishing technical achievement - even on the base PS4. Great stuff.

5. Spider-Man: Miles Morales - Short and sweet. While I still preferred the original, Miles delivers the fun in spades.

6. Immortals Fenyx Rising - Good game, but needed more variety and better writing imo. But if this turns into a franchise, I'm excited to see what it does next. Enjoyed this a lot as an "Assassin's Creed Lite" sorta game.

7. Hades - This would probably be higher in my list, but I haven't quite finished it yet. Thoroughly enjoying it so far though, and it's for sure one of the best games of 2020. Supergiant don't miss.

1. [PS5] [Action RPG] [Ubisoft] Assassin's Creed Valhalla
2. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
4. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
5. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
6. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Ubisoft] Immortals Fenyx Rising
7. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades

 

[kaii]

Text in works, will be posted if I won't forget.

1. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
2. [PC] [Sports] [Vicarious Visions] Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
3. [PS4] [RPG] [Sega] Yakuza: Like a Dragon
4. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
5. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
6. [Switch] [Beat 'em up] [DotEmu] Streets of Rage 4
7. [PC] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077
8. [Switch] [RPG] [Massive Damage] Star Renegades
9. [PC] [RPG] [Omocat] OMORI
10. [Switch] [Puzzle] [Sega] Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
    

 

[Ranma]

Didn't play many games last year :(
These are the ones i liked the most and the ones i played consistenly.

P5R is an absolute masterpiece and loved it so much
Genshin impact is the only game i'm actively playing even if i am mostly f2p i enjoy it a lot (yes, on ps4... i know)
P4g is one of my favourite games of all time so i NEED to vote for it
PES 2021 is awesome, it wasn't on the quick list but it's the other game i turn to when i want to relax a bit.

1. [PS4] [RPG] [Atlus] Persona 5 Royal
2. [PS4] [Action RPG] [miHoYo] Genshin Impact
3. [PC] [RPG] [Atlus] Persona 4 Golden
4. [PS4] [Sports] [Konami] eFootball PES 2021 Update
   

 

[MondoMega]

I didn't really play as many games as I expected to in 2020. A lot of my game time was dedicated to titles from previous years, and i've barely touched the surface on all of the new releases. A lot of that is due to only having access to a Switch for a good chunk of the year; my PS4 died on me and my PC is in need of a major upgrade, so both platforms saw little use. There are plenty of games that I wanted the chance to play but couldn't; like Doom Eternal, 13 Sentinels, Yakuza 7 and Miles Morales; and I imagine at least one or two of those would've made this list if I did play them. Can't change the past though, and I plan on getting around to them this year, but right now I guess i'd have to go with:

1-5:

moon; the "anti-RPG"; is a game I admittedly expected to love going on in. I adore Chibi-Robo, so naturally being interested in other works by Kenichi Nishi led to me discovering Love-de-Lic and moon. I've been craving a way to experience this game for years, and thanks to Onion Games we've finally recieved an English localisation. moon is an experience that has stuck with me, and will continue to stick with me for months and years to come. I can't reccommend it enough; I felt absorbed into the world, drawn in by the characters, and it made me feel things. That's what makes moon so special to me, and why it's an experience i'm so glad I had. Hopefully Onion Games hit it out of the park with their new RPG announced last December; if it's even half as good as moon, it'll likely top my personal game of the year list whenever it launches.

Don't be a hero. Experience the love. Experience moon.

Animal Crossing New Horizons is easily the most culturally important game released in 2020, bar none. The game defined the early quaratine period for practically anyone who played it; most of my playtime still stems from that launch period. The game took plenty of great steps forward for the series; the character creator is simple yet far more inclusive than a certain other release last year. While the game itself still needs some work (slowly adding back all of the missing pieces from previous installments is a tiny bit annoying), the game symbolises far too much for it not to be one of the most important titles released last year.

Part Time UFO was a great little mobile title; HAL's first step into that market; and the updated port released on the Switch last year is even better. It's the original game; a simple puzzle game where you play the role of a literal UFO catcher and stack objects to complete jobs; except there's more of it, and that's all I could ask for. The new content adds plenty to experience, especially the addition of co-op play; easily making it worth the double-dip in my opinion. Games don't need to be big AAA experiences to make a game of the year list, all they need to be is fun.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is a game I honestly wasn't planning to buy at launch; but I got suckered into the hype and, well, it paid off big time. Surpisingly enjoyable; as someone who isn't too attached to the original FFVII, I still ended up having a great time with it. I really got into the real time combat system, and greatly appreciated them taking the time to make characters like the lesser members of Avalance more interesting. Don't have a ton to say that hasn't been said about the game already; it's good.

Xenoblade Chronicles is one of my favourite games of all time, but i'm going to play nice and rank the Definitive Edition a little lower than I usually would; with it being a remaster and all. I haven't even completed the remaster portion of the game in all honesty; just the new Future Connected campaign; but I know what Xenoblade is, i've played it on four other platforms before, and I know how i'd rank it.

6-10:

6. I thank Nintendo for allowed me to cheat and include Super Mario 64 on another game of the year list with Super Mario 3D All-Stars. I'm... mixed on Sunshine; and Galaxy is also an amazing game; but wow, Super Mario 64 is still lovely to play. I had a blast revisiting some all-time classics, and Sunshine was there too, so despite being emulated I had a good time with this little collection.

7. Does Panel de Pon count? I'm gonna say Panel de Pon counts if moon and Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon do. It's a shame it took this long for the game to see a release in its original form (pre-conversion to Tetris Attack) outside of Japan, but i'm glad it eventually got one. Really fun and charming puzzle game; it's the smaller experiences that really made this year for me, if you can't tell.

8. Underhero released on PC on 2018, but hey, the Switch port only just released in 2020 so i'm counting it. Not the only indie release this year that tried to capture the charm of Paper Mario, but I didn't play Bug Tales so this wins by default. It's an interesting platformer/RPG mix; like if Super Paper Mario had turn-based battles. Fun characters and a concept ripe with potential helped make this one a game worth playing.

9. Oh hey, the second game written by Taro Kudo on this list. Paper Mario: The Origami King is oozing with charm for that very reason; his writing makes moon, and it also makes this game for me too. Out of the three recent Paper Mario titles it easily comes out on top; with an interesting combat system, hilarious comedic writing and even certain sequences that explode with emotion and leave a meaningful impact.

10. Dreams is a very strange title. One that probably shouldn't have been made. Yet that's why I like it. So many awful creations; and so many awfully talented creations all in this one package. It's a showcase for brilliant ideas and the absolute worst ideas, both in the same showroom.

1. [Switch] [RPG] [Onion Games] Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
2. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
3. [Switch] [Puzzle] [HAL Laboratory] Part Time UFO
4. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
5. [Switch] [Action RPG] [MonolithSoft] Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
6. [Switch] [Platformer] [Nintendo] Super Mario 3D All-Stars
7. [Switch] [Puzzle] [Intelligent Systems] Panel de Pon
8. [Switch] [RPG] [Digerati] UnderHero
9. [Switch] [RPG] [Intelligent Systems] Paper Mario: The Origami King
10. [PS4] [Game Creation] [Media Molecule] Dreams

 

[DisturbedSwan]

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS5] [Action RPG] [Tripwire Interactive] Maneater
3. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
4. [PS4] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
5. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
6. [PS5] [Action RPG] [Ubisoft] Assassin's Creed Valhalla
7. [PS4] [Racing] [Codemasters] F1 2020
8. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
9. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
10. [Switch] [RPG] [Atlus] Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore
    

 

[Fezan]

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. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
5. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
6. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
7. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
8. [PC] [Beat 'em up] [DotEmu] Streets of Rage 4
9. [PC] [Flight simulator] [Asobo Studio] Microsoft Flight Simulator
10. [PS4] [Platformer] [Toys for Bob] Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time

1- The last of Us 2: This is the game i was most hyped for and it did not dissapoint. There were some pacing issues during mid game but this is the only game besides MGS3 and SOTC which stayed with me long after ending.

2- Ghost of Tushima: This game was something else. Start was a bit boring but the more i played the more I enjoyed. Really good game over all

3- Final fantasy vii : Final fantasy vii remake was something especial for me. As i didnt played the original I didnt knew what to expect. What a roller coaster ride it was. I am even more hyped for part 2 after ending

 

[Magio]

1. The Last of Us Part II: Quite simply my game of the generation. It was probably the diametrical opposite of what I thought I wanted from a sequel to one of my favorite games of all time, but I'm so glad it went the way that it did. Even setting aside the harrowing narrative that still has me shaken months later, the gameplay felt smoother than any third person stealth shooter ever has for me, and no one in their right mind could deny the masterpiece of art direction, sound design, soundtrack and especially animation that it is. A true home run for Naughty Dog.

2. Astro's Playroom: Aside from being a very fun little platformer and an amazing showcase for the DualSense's features which makes every game that doesn't leverage them feel a bit antiquated in direct comparison, what sets this game apart is how good of a nostalgia trip it is. For someone who grew up with PlayStation, it was an absolute blast to go on a journey packed with so many details retracing the history of these consoles. Also, the speedruns are a ton of fun to master.

3. Spider-Man: Miles Morales: Just as good as the original in the way it perfectly captures what makes the Spider-Verse and its characters great, with even better combat and a fresh coat of paint.

4. Ghost of Tsushima: Great combat, absolutely stunning world and perfect atmosphere, unfortunately I did grow tired of the generic Ubi-style open world and never really got that engrossed by the story. Still, a very good game.

5. Immortals: Fenyx Rising: I expected a somewhat clumsy BOTW clone and that's what I got, but I really enjoyed the combat, the art style and while the narrative is really basic, I did enjoy some of the character moments and generally had fun with the writing.

6. Fall Guys: Takeshi's Castle the video game, it's been that MP game that I come back to periodically and had a bunch of fun with.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
3. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
4. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
5. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Ubisoft] Immortals Fenyx Rising
6. [PS4] [Party] [Mediatonic] Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
   

 

[mhayes86]

1) Demon's Souls Remake: I've been playing the Souls series, Bloodborne, and Sekiro games since the original DeS release, and I could not wait to get my hands on this. It looks and controls beautifully, and the QoL additions have only improved experience all the more. The original was my first Souls game, and though I recall it being very difficult, I was surprised to see how easily I blew through the game (multiple times). Got the platinum in it, which was surprisingly much easier and less tedious than the original.

2) Ghost of Tsushima: I slept on this, and honestly, I'm kind of glad I did since it filled the void when I finished Demon's Souls. Since its initial trailer, I wasn't hyped for it at all. It looked neat, but I didn't like any of Sucker Punch's other games. They're now on my radar. Reviews were praising it over the summer and I considered getting it then, but I was busy with other stuff. A friend recommended it and I figured what the heck since I had nothing to play on my PS5 over the holidays. I didn't have much in the way of expectations for it, but I absolutely loved this game! VAs and music were top notch, the game was visually beautiful, performed wonderfully on the PS5, and the combat and exploration were very satisfying. One thing I really thought was neat was using wind, birds, and a beetle to direct you to your destination and collectibles. It kept you immersed while exploring and was such a brilliant inclusion. I loved this game so much and got the platinum trophy as well. The photo mode is seriously robust and fantastic! I almost want to put it at number 1, but Demon's Souls. I might be a bit biased.

3) Ori and the Will of the Wisps: I loved Blind Forest when it released for Switch, and while I'm not an Xbox owner, I was disappointed that I would have to wait. Fortunately, I got my PC set up for gaming and discovered GamePass for PC, and Ori ended up being my first foray into GamePass. This game is just as good as the original, if not more. It retained the challenging platforming, but improved entirely on combat. Add in the beautiful soundtrack and visuals, this game was a joy to play. Went ahead and bought it when it released on Switch despite finishing it on PC.

4) Outer Wilds (Steam): I hope this counts since it came out a couple years ago or so, but was just released on Steam last year. This had an addictive gameplay loop with some incredibly fun exploration. Every single loop I would learn something new or discover something different that unveiled more secrets to flesh out the backstory. I could not put this game down; after each loop I just wanted to go and check out something else I discovered but didn't have the time to explore. Its only fault is that the last stretch of the game is very tedious to repeat if you screw up.

5) Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition: I followed Operation Rainfall back in the day and couldn't wait to get my hands on this on Wii. I adored this game and consider it one of my favorite RPGs, and still feel like the visual were hampered by being locked to the Wii. On the Switch, the visual improvements of the world and the character designs do wonders for it, and the QoL improvements make a long game with a HUGE world so much more satisfying to play since I don't know if I could have dedicated as much time to it as I did back in 2012. Future Connected was okay, but was overall a nice conclusion to Melia's story

6) Final Fantasy 7 Remake: This turned out better than I expected. The battle system was the best I've seen with modern Final Fantasy, and I'm still astounded that they got a ~50 hour game out of Midgard which you could get through in about 5-10 hours on PS1. I don't mind the story alterations and hope that the complete package when all parts have come out pay off.

7) 13 Sentinels: From some of the stuff I've seen, I was apprehensive about this since I don't seek out visual novels and the battle system didn't look interesting in the slightest. The only reason I got it is because I enjoyed Vanillaware's previous games. In the end this one really surprised me. The battle system was actually fairly simplified, but it was really satisfying watching all of the small dots and shapes representing kaiju/mechs just pop and explode all over the map. The story on the other hand was really something else. It's a fairly easy platinum, too.

8) Astro's Playroom: This game was an absolute joy to play. Essentially a tech demo for the PS5 controller, it actually feels great to play. It's a nostalgic love letter to the Playstation brand, and discovering the references and trying to figure out what they were was a lot of fun.

9) Sackboy A Big Adventure: I haven't played a LBP game since LBP2, so I was excited to try this out especially since it was more platformer focused rather than creation. I've been playing it with my wife and it's a joy. My only complaint is that as far as I know, you can't do couch co-op AND online co-op at the same time, which is a shame since we played LBP 1&2 like that with a friend and wanted to get him involved as well.

10) Super Mario 3D All Stars: It felt great to play Mario 64 again, as well as finally have another way to play Sunshine without needing a GameCube. Galaxy still holds up really well. While I'm a bit disappointed that Galaxy 2 wasn't on here, I take this game as a showcase of 3D Mario's evolution which Galaxy 2 doesn't really add to, bit it still would have been nice to have.

Honorable mentions: Spiritfarer and Animal Cross New Horizons. Personally have not played them, but I really enjoyed watching my wife play them.

1. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
2. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
3. [PC] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
4. [PC] [Adventure] [Mobius Digital] Outer Wilds
5. [Switch] [Action RPG] [MonolithSoft] Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
6. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
7. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
8. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
9. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sumo Digital] Sackboy: A Big Adventure
10. [Switch] [Platformer] [Nintendo] Super Mario 3D All-Stars
    

 

[JustinBB7]

1. Cyberpunk - Played it on PC, Amazing story, characters, soundtrack, graphics (raytracing is amazing). Sadly overshadowed by the other stuff but the actual game is insanely good.

2. The Last Of Us Part 2 - Loved mostly the first half of the game. I liked Abby but for some reason I felt the game dragged on a bit too much at the later parts, even though the gameplay and graphics/atmosphere were amazing. I expected more I suppose so that's why second place.

3.Resident Evil 3 Remake - I only got into Resident Evil seriously this year, so this came out at a good time. It was short, but the quality of what we got was awesome!

4.Call Of Duty: Warzone - Super fun battle royale, love the Gulag system and the mini quests to earn money and buy stuff.

5.Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout - Fun game that came out of nowhere, sadly after grinding out the first battle pass I lost interest, but it was fun while it lasted.

1. [PC] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077
2. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
3. [PC] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
4. [PC] [Shooter] [Infinity Ward] Call of Duty: Warzone
5. [PC] [Party] [Mediatonic] Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
   

 

[takoyaki]

2020: Great Year for RPGs and Platformers

1) Yakuza: Like a Dragon - A fresh start for a long-running series that started to get old. A story that focuses on friendship, optimism and new beginnings. The new characters and setting combined with the fresh RPG battle system made this game a joy to experience, can't wait to find out what's next for Kasuga Ichiban.

2) The Last of Us Part II - It didn't quite live up to the first game and could have benefitted from some tighter editing, but I still consider the game a masterpiece in its own right. ND could have made a safe sequel but instead chose to re-examine the events of the first game from different perspectives and challenged the player to think. You typically don't see this in sequels to commercially successful AAA game and I respect that a lot.

3) Persona 5 Royal - I tried to finish OG P5 multiple times but it never grabbed me in the same way as P4 or P3. 2020 was the perfect year to give this long, slow game another look and I'm glad I finally stuck with it. The additions to the gameplay, locations and cast work well and the updated 4k presentation looks beautiful.

4) Persona 5 Scramble - I went from Royal straight into Scramble and was surprised by how much of a real Persona game this turned out to be. The step-down in graphical quality is instantly noticeable and the combat takes a while before it gets good, but once the road trip kicks off you're in for a fantastic time. This game felt like a city-hopping adventure vacation with old friends and I still have the soundtrack stuck in my head, fantastic game even if you're like me and usually don't like Musou titles.

5) Tell Me Why - One of the best stories of the year, featuring two nuanced main characters and a setting with a real sense of place. Possibly DontNod's best game yet.

6) Ori and the Will of the Wisps - This game takes everything good from the first game, adds a hint of Hollow Knight and manages to tell a moving story with few words. The art and animation are gorgeous and fluid, it's a game that really draws you in with its beauty.

7) Resident Evil 3 Remake - RE3 Remake < RE2 Remake, so in that sense it's faithful to the old games. I wasn't jazzed about the way they handled Nemesis and missed some of the iconic locations from the PS1 game. But I'll always prefer a remake that injects new ideas and makes things interesting for returning players over a faithful but boring rehash. It's a gorgeous, action-focused Resi that doesn't overstay its welcome.

8) Astro's Playroom - My console launch highlight. Gameplay-wise, it's not quite as inventive as Astro's brilliant VR game. But this charming pack-in title is the perfect crash-course in DualSense functionality with tight gameplay and a huge shot of nostalgia for long-time Playstation fans.

9) Cyberpunk 2077 - A buggy mess at launch (even on XSX) combined with deeply flawed marketing and management decisions. The game switches back and forth between being overly ambitious and laughably dated or cliched. Having said all that, Cyberpunk still worked for me as escapist cyberpunk fiction. Night City is an architectural marvel worth exploring even if there isn't much to do in it. The story often feels derivative, but I still liked the way it was told. Johnny Silverhand and some of the quieter moments during character sidequest really stuck with me.

10) Ghost of Tsushima - The best Assassins Creed game since Assassins Creed. It allows you to focus on the main story without all the unnecessary Ubisoft bloat. A relatively fresh setting with a level of authenticity that feels like SP went the extra mile. Despite a cliched story that was largely forgettable and a combat system that badly needed a lock-on function, I had a great time with Ghost.

11) Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
12) Call of the Sea
13) Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise
14) The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope



Favorite 2019 Games I played in 2020:

A Short Hike (NSW), Lonely Mountains: Downhill (PS4)


Biggest Surprises:

FF7 Remake feels like a daring remake of a beloved classic, I only played a couple of hours over the holidays but already like it a lot.

Crash 4 - A game so good it finally made me understand why people like the classic Crash titles. After 20+ years, Crash 4 turned me into a fan. I always looked at Crash games as PS1 era also-rans with floaty controls and lots of cheap deaths. Some of that's still true, but I finally "got it". Despite their looks and the marketing back then, the original Crash games were much closer to oldschool 2D platformers than contemporary 3D platformers like Mario 64, Banjo or Spyro. I went back and played the Crash Trilogy after finishing Crash 4 and had a great time with all of them.

The good two thirds of the Avengers campaign that didn't feel like a tutorial for a mind-numbingly boring GaaS, especially playing as Kamala during the Tomb Raider sections. Really wish they just would have focused on making a great single player campaign instead of wasting years on making a GaaS no one is playing.


Honorable Mentions:

Disaster Report 4 - I played the import in 2018, otherwise this game would have made my Top 10. Love the series and can't wait for the recently announced fifth game.

World's End Club - a pretty fun escape / road trip game with a sudden cliffhanger. Still feels like an early access title since only part 1 has been released on Apple Arcade so far.


Games I liked that didn't grab me because 2020:

Nioh 2, Spelunky 2, Hades - I didn't mind the pandemic imagery in games like TLOU2 or RE3, but for some reason this year really kept me from getting into masocore games or rogue-likes. Usually I love those genres, but anything too repetitive or punishing didn't click with me during these endless lockdowns.


Most Disappointing Games:

Demon's Souls "Remake" - The Gus Van Sant's Psycho of video games. DeS 2009 is my favorite SoulsBourne and I've replayed it countless times. This game is a shot for shot remaster made with modern technology that fails to recapture the magic of the original and seems hollow and soulless by comparison (puns very much intended). And don't get me started on the omission of the sixth archstone in what was supposed to be the remake fans like me have been asking for for ages. I would have much preferred a remake that takes the best parts of the original and then changes up enough to make things interesting again, like FF7 or RE3 managed to do in the same year.

Super Meat Boy Forever - They waited 10 years to make another Meat Boy game and decided to turn it into a shitty auto-runner that already would have seemed like a mediocre compromise on a smartphone in 2010.


2020 Pile of Shame:

13 Sentinels, Paradise Killer, Kowloon Youma Gakuen Ki, Moon RPG, Spider-Man: Miles Morales


2021 Hype:

The World Ends With You 2, Elden Ring (🤞)

1. [PS4] [RPG] [Sega] Yakuza: Like a Dragon
2. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
3. [PS4] [RPG] [Atlus] Persona 5 Royal
4. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Omega Force] Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers
5. [PC] [Adventure] [Dontnod Entertainment] Tell Me Why
6. [XBO] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
7. [PS4] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
8. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
9. [XSX][Action RPG][CD Projeckt] Cyberpunk 2077
10. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
11. [PS4] [Platformer] [Toys for Bob] Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
12. [XBO] [Adventure] [Out of the Blue] Call of the Sea
13. [Switch] [Survival horror] [TOYBOX Inc] Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise
14. [PS4] [Interactive drama] [Supermassive Games] The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope

 

[Darth Smurf X]

1. The Last of Us Part 2 - Need I say more? Fine. I will. While this is not my favorite video game of all time, it is one of the greatest video games ever for a number of reasons: The way it plays, the graphics, the dialogue, the story, the feels. No video game has ever made me feel this bad playing out the actions I needed to do. I literally didn't want to press any buttons in the final fight scene. What other game makes the "villain" that relatable?
2. Spider-man Miles Morales - I almost like this game more than the original. Almost. The story easily rivals the original, just shorter. And there are things this game just does better, like Venom powers, the Spider-man app, etc. I beat this game twice in one week if that tells you anything about the quality.
3. Marvel's Avengers - My controversial pick of 2020. It's Destiny but with Superheroes... sign me up. This was further down the list initially, but after the Kate Bishop DLC, this shot up as I've been playing this game a lot once again. She's my new main and I'm finally doing the weekly Mega Hives just to level her up. Also, I'm one trophy from the Plat.
4. Fall Guys - From out of nowhere this game has taken the internet by storm. And it's a battle royale I can FINALLY win at. I dropped off after Season 1, but started again in Season 3. It's still fun and the new courses are great.
5. Dreams - I was addicted to this game. Darth Poop Emoji is my greatest creation and I had a blast making him. And with the addition of VR, this game has endless replayability.
6. Star Wars: Squadrons - VR. With X-wings. And cross-play. And VR. My dream come true. Also, it's really fun. I just wish I had more time to play it—like most games on this list.
7. Astro's Playroom - Probably one of the greatest pack-in games of all time. And I'm including Super Mario Bros there. That's saying something.
8. Marvel's Iron Man VR - I can be Iron Man? Also, the flying feels amazing in VR. Those load times were atrocious though. I should try this on the PS5 to see if they are better.
9. Bugsnax - I did not expect this game to make my Top 10 this year, but here we are. It exceeded my expectations. Thank you to PS+ for making me play this game I may have otherwise passed over.
10. Predator: Hunting Grounds - Why not? Hey, it was fun to play right before the endless swath of high-caliber games hit.

Honorable Mentions:
Vader Immortal - Sign me up for pretty much anything Star Wars in VR at this point. It had cool moments. I could almost feel Vader's breath on me, which was quite intimidating.
Twin Mirror - Not my favorite DONTNOD game, but not bad either. It lost points for having too much country music.
Worms Rumble - It was "free" and I had fun with it for a few hours. I'll fire it up again whenever I have the itch for something in between games.
Spider-man Remastered - I'm not counting this because I've already played it 2 years ago when it was my GOTY then.
BurgerTime - I have no idea when this was released on PSN, but I only found one of my favorite arcade games of all time after I snagged my PS5. I've been playing it off and on and it's just as fun as I remember this gem.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Crystal Dynamics] Marvel's Avengers
4. [PS4] [Party] [Mediatonic] Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
5. [PS4] [Game Creation] [Media Molecule] Dreams
6. [PS4] [Space combat] [Motive Studios] Star Wars: Squadrons
7. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
8. [PS4] [Shooter] [Camouflaj] Marvel's Iron Man VR
9. [PS4] [Adventure] [Young Horses] Bugsnax
10. [PS4] [Action] [Illfonic] Predator: Hunting Grounds
    

 

[Euler007]

1. FF7R: Rarely does a game that I am hyped for meets up to expectations, and in this case greatly surpassed it. Just awesome from start to finish, best gameplay of any RPG I've played in 37 years of gaming. I can't stop thinking of the game, several of the segments and boss fights were memorable.
2. Ghost of Tsushima: Excellent narrative and gameplay. Probably the best open world game I ever played, with organic reveal of the world. It raised the bar for every game, not just open world games.
3. Demon's Souls: At first I approached it as a chance to experience the original game that started it all (after King's Field which I won't play). I thought I'd grab the platinum and be done with it, but I've been playing constantly trying out new builds. By far the most PvP I've done in any Souls game, and the most playthroughs. The art and atmosphere of every world is magnificient.
4. Mile's Morales: Love the music, love the gameplay, brings a smile to my face every time I play it. Sets the bar for years to come for PS5 games in its performance RT mode. Usually the first game I put on when showing off the PS5 to friends, and when they leave I go back to it.
5. Astro's Playroom: Another game I thought I'd just play for a short while and wound up loving. Very imaginative and fun, playable in short bursts.

Didn't get to TLOU2 because I'm halfway through TLOU and haven't finished it yet. Didn't play my PC much this year, upgrading for MSFS in 2021.

1. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
2. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
3. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
4. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
5. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom

 

[Salty Catfish]

1. Hades: The best roguelike story ever. Seamlessly blends repeating runs, long-term progression, and varied gameplay into a tight, addicting package that is always drip feeding rewards and progress to players at a fair and steady pace.
2. FF7R: Completely upends what a remake should and can be. I went in with a ton of trepidation but it blew me away again and again.
3. Ghost of Tsushima: A big, beautiful open-world game that came at the perfect time. My (I think) only platinum from 2020. Playing it on hard is a must.
4. Spiritfarer: Gorgeous and moving, with an addicting upgrade/exploration element.
5. Ori and the Will of the Wisps: A sequel that does every single thing the first game did, only better.
6. Doom Eternal: I didn't mind the constant weapon switching at all. Playing on Ultraviolence was tense and fun as hell.
7. Murder by Numbers: Picross + Phoenix Wright = easy top 10 pick.
8. Animal Crossing: New Horizons: It didn't suck me in quite like it did everyone else but it was still a nice way to keep in touch with friends.
9. Assassin's Creed Valhalla: A good checklist game. I enjoyed the main story, the boss fights, and the more meaningful side content.
10. The Last of Us Part II: I guess I'll sneak it on here just on technical merit alone.

1. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
2. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
4. [PC] [Adventure] [Thunderlotus] Spiritfarer
5. [PC] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
6. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
7. [Switch] [Visual Novel] [Mediatonic] Murder by Numbers
8. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
9. [PS5] [Action RPG] [Ubisoft] Assassin's Creed Valhalla
10. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
    

 

[Deleted member 49319]

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
3. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
4. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
5. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
   

 

[Piston]

1. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
2. [PC] [Roguelike] [Shiny Shoe] Monster Train
3. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
4. [Switch] [Adventure] [Kaizen Game Works] Paradise Killer
5. [PC] [Roguelike] [Hopoo Games] Risk of Rain 2
6. [PC] [RPG] [Square Enix] Dragon Quest XI S: Definitive Edition
7. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
8. [PC] [RTS] [Petroglyph Games] Command & Conquer Remastered Collection
9. [PC] [Sports] [Blacklight Interactive] Golf with your Friends
10. [PC] [Battle Royale] [Proletariat] Spellbreak
    

 

[Deleted member 51789]

1. Hades - I really don't get on with roguelikes. There's been maybe one that I remember kind of liking (Rogue Legacy) but outside of that I thought it wasn't a genre for me. Maybe it still isn't, but the way Supergiant Games made each death feel like I was progressing either through trinkets or story or character development really grabbed my attention. Absolutely stunning art and music direction on the game as well.

2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - 450 or so hours have been put into the game. Probably one of the reasons it's so high is that I didn't binge on the game so much on release (I'll get to the game I did do that with later) so my pace has been more steady and checking in on my villagers every day or two felt like a very comfortable routine.

3. Lair of the Clockwork God - I love old school point and click adventure games, and had a really good time with Ben There, Dan That and Time Gentleman, Please so for me it was obvious I'd get on with Size Five's next game in that series. Funny, clever and an enjoyable metacommentary on the puzzle platform genre made for an excellent November playthrough

4. The Last of Us Part II - It's just a fantastic game. I loved what ND did with the story and playable characters, while the open-linear level design is best in class.

5. Creaks - I love Amanita Design's ideas and worlds and this is just another example of that. A surreal but amusing story with challenging puzzles that just sucked me right in.

6. Alba: A Wildlife Adventure - This was a wonderful little surprise towards the end of 2020. One of the most relaxing games I've played and one with a thoroughly positive message about the environment and enjoying wildlife.

7. Picross S4 - This was the game I spent a lot of lockdown with and it'd be remiss of me not too include it as one of my games of the year. Just top notch picross action to while away the hours

8. Murder by Numbers - And this was the picross game I completed immediately before lockdown started. Great mix of Ace Attorney and Picross, well-written and compelling

9. Ori and the Will of the Wisps - Beautiful soundtrack, beautiful artwork and a joy to play

10. Paper Mario: The Origami King - Some top-notch Paper Mario with a fun puzzle based battle system, some more actually funny writing and a mostly bright and happy story

Spoiler

RIP Bobby

1. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
2. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
3. [Switch] [Adventure] [Size Five Games] Lair of the Clockwork God
4. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
5. [Switch] [Graphic adventure] [Amanita Design] Creaks
6. [PC] [Adventure] [ustwo games] Alba: A Wildlife Adventure
7. [Switch] [Puzzle] [Jupiter Corporation] Picross S4
8. [Switch] [Visual Novel] [Mediatonic] Murder by Numbers
9. [PC] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
10. [Switch] [RPG] [Intelligent Systems] Paper Mario: The Origami King
    

 

[sdefresne]

1. Demon's Souls - Amazing remaster of one of my favorite games of all time. I've played the original game countless times on PS3, and seeing this reinterpretation in 4K, HDR and at 60fps is grandiose.Before it was announced as a launch title for the PS5, my plan was to wait for a large catalogue before buying the PS5,. Having it as a launch title changed my plan and I pre-ordered it so that I could play on launch day. This is truly a system seller game in my case.
2. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - This game is how I imagined we would consume comics / anime story in a future while I was a child. I love how the story is delivered, how you try to understand who is really each person and what is really happening. The 2d graphics are splendid. The Japanese voice acting is amazing. This is a visual novel so the game play is light, but I enjoyed every moment I spent with this game.
3. The Last Of Us Part II - The game is divisive. Some don't like it, other do. I loved it. It is a bit too long, and some part felt they had to be there so that the game would last ~ 50 hours as they did not help the story progress. But even then, they felt good to play (one such sequence is the initial part in Seattle where you can freely explore, amazing as it is, it feel unnecessary for the story). The change of protagonist mid-game felt like a really bold move from the developers and in my case it paid off, because they were able to force me to play a character that I initially disliked and still made me care and want to protect by the end of the game. Truly amazing experience. Just a bit too long to get the first or second spot.
4. Final Fantasy VII Remake - I loved revisiting Midgard, seeing those familiar characters that I spent so much time with when I was younger. The music rearrangement are amazing. The combat system however I could never get used to. I found the experience of fighting okay for the bosses, but against random fights, at best tiresome at worst infuriating when my whole party was wiped by ennemies just because they were in numerical superiority and stun lock my characters. Still, I stayed for the story and I'm glad I did it.
5. Astro's Playroom - Technical demo for the new PS5 hardware, mostly the new controller. Walking on concrete felt so different to walking on ice. The small references to all the games that made the history of the playstation from the PS1 to PS4 were nice. The game is free with the PS5 and is short enough that it never felt tiresome or overstaying its welcome. Nice little game.
6. Resident Evil 3 Remake - I never played RE3 before. I had played all the other RE (except for 7) before and I wanted to see if I had missed something. So I experienced this game without the comparison to the original game. I had heard that the original game development was troubled and rushed, and thus it was a weaker entry in the franchise. Playing it now, it feel like a good transition from RE2 which was slower, more based on puzzles than action and RE4 which was faster and more action oriented. I really liked my time with Jill. The relative short length of the game is in my opinion a positive for this game. I only have so many hours I can play video game, I don't need filler content. RE3 has the perfect length.
7. Hades - So why is the game so low in my list ? Because I think it does not respect my time. Yes, the game is gratifying, the combat system is really polished, the weapons are so fun to play. But to experience all the story and all the characters relationship you have to eventually grind until you defeat the last boss enough times or until the random event that was blocking the progression eventually happens. And once this is done, you still have to grind some more to unlock all the weapon's aspect and all the characters progression. So good game, but no respect for my time.
8. Dicey Dungeon - Another roguelike, but this time much less grinding to do. Though a bit rougher. While it is funny, it is less polished than Hades.
9. Snow Runner - I never expected to like driving trucks, but I must admit that I really enjoyed my time trying to bring wood logs from point A to point B so that I could rebuild a bridge blocking my path for another delivery mission. I usually don't like driving games because they require to much time investment to learn all the tracks, so that you can eventually do perfect drive on them and win all the races. Here you don't play to go fast, you play to just reach your destination without tilting over your truck. Much more deliberate, much more reaction to the environment. Really enjoyed my time.
10. Murder by Numbers - I love picross but the games can be a bit dry. Adding a visual novel story on top (with a zest of investigation) felt really good. One big minus is that some puzzle can be missed and when this happen you have to replay the whole chapter without any option to skip already solved puzzles / already seen scenes. This only happened once, but I lost a few hours replaying already completed content just so that I could unlock the one missed puzzle.

1. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
2. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
4. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
5. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
6. [PS4] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
7. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
8. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Distractionware Limited] Dicey Dungeons
9. [PS4] [Simulation] [Saber Interactive] SnowRunner
10. [Switch] [Visual Novel] [Mediatonic] Murder by Numbers
    

 

[Seanlole]

1. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
2. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
   

 

[Trigger]

1. The Last of Us Part 2
This game was just an emotional ride that very few developers can recreate. The amount of detail in the actual gameplay only reinforces the strong narrative. I also consider this game the turning point for LGBT representation in mainstream video games. I don't think developers can pretend that only stories about cis white males can be blockbusters now.

2. Final Fantasy VII Remake
This game on the whole is just a joy to play. It sets a tone that walks the line between ridiculous and dramatic while maintaining pretty good pacing. The battle system is one of the series's best.

3. Spiderman: Miles Morales
I'm a huge enough fan of the Spiderman characters that there's no way I couldn't include this game. Fortunately, it's actually amazing game outside of my fan boy bias. Miles is a fresh new character for the latest generation of Marvel fans, and the game is a great realization of what the PS5 can do. This release sets the stage for even greater things in the franchise.

4. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
This game is a lot like playing out an anime version of the TV series Lost. The mystery is genuinely fascinating and the concept is fresh. I'd rank it higher, but some the character designs are groan inducing. The RTS battle segments are desperately in need of some added visual flair. Still, I found the content better than some AAA releases.

5. Marvel's Avengers
This game deserved about half of the criticism it received. The GAAS elements are unpolished, the devs were talking exclusive content with barely any end game content ready to go, and performance was uneven. However Avengers' single player plot was a fun ride and a blueprint of what a Marvel RPG could be with the right budget and effort. Kamala is a great protagonist. The game was lifeline for any Marvel fan left hungry after the pandemic set in.

6. Pokemon Sword and Shield: Crown Tundra
The Pokemon franchise is a powerhouse property with diehard fans that have supported the series since it's inception. Unfortunately the games have been a mixed bag of improvements and weird decision making. Crown Tundra is a great addition to an otherwise flat mainline release. The latest group raid content is pretty fun as is the newest character Peony.

7. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
I've never been a big fan of the series, but the devastating pandemic and ensuing lockdowns left me in a place where I was desperate for interaction with my friends. I was surprised to find this game as one of the venues for interaction with my friends.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
4. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
5. [PC] [Action Adventure] [Crystal Dynamics] Marvel's Avengers
6. [Switch] [RPG] [Game Freak] Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra
7. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
   

 

[FallenGrace]

I just didn't play that many 2020 games, bought loads, haven't been able to play them yet....

1) The Legend of Heroes Trails of Cold Steel IV.
This game has problems. The harem stuff is cringey and made me uncomfortable. Some of the art designs are real questionable and there is some bloat in the middle. Despite that I absolutely loved this game. some of the pay off moments and big scenes are truly awesome to me seeing years of characters and moments come together and I feel it actually made good on the ending.

2) Crosscode
Wanted to play this since release so finally got the console port and this game really blew me away. Amazing art. Lea is such a good character just from avatar expressions and the story and world were really great. I liked a lot of the puzzle aspects (reminded me of Alundra) though in places they were too obtuse for me and I think the game dropped the ball in in the endings but it's still an easy 9/10 game.

3) Demon's Souls
I imported the original game from Korea before it even got announced in the West so was excited for this and I think Bluepoint nailed it. It looks stunning and feels perfect to play. Got the platinum in a few days and loved reexperiencing what a crazy experimental title this was to pretty much create a new RPG genre.

4) Resident evil 3 Remake
Seeing the hate this game gets on era you'd think it was an unplayable 3/10 sometimes. While it's not as good as Resident Evil 2 Remake it's still a fantastic game. Jill and Carlos's new designs are sublime, the action gameplay is a joy to play with Jill's dodge and it has a great atmosphere. It's a little too short and I hated the online mode they threw with it rather than merceneries which is why it's 4th on my list but still deserves recognition as a great title in the franchise.

5) Astro's Playroom
Never thought i'd like this never mind put it on my list but it was the perfect first PS5 game. Astro is adorable, the music is surprisingly catchy and the trip down memory and nostalgia lane with all the references and collectables for a long time playstation fan was just perfection.

1. [PS4] [RPG] [Nihon Falcom] The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV
2. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Radical Fish Games] CrossCode
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
   

 

[Curufinwe]

1. Persona 5 Royal - The new story content and QoL improvements make a great game truly superb.
2. Final Fantasy 7 Remake - The combat and character interactions were as good as I could have hoped for.
3. The Last of Us Part II - The best third person shooter of the generation.
4. Ghost of Tsushima - A large open world with very satisfying melee combat and traversal.
5. Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered - Still thrilling 10 years later, I just wish I still had the skills to platinum it like I did the original.
6. Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales - Not as good as the first game, but still very enjoyable.
7. Gears Tactics - A very solid XCOM clone that suffers from repeating the same side missions too many times.
8. Resident Evil 3 Remake- A short, fun romp that I never had any urge to go back to, unlike RE2 remake.
9. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 - Very well done, but I hit a skill level wall eventually and gave up.

1. [PS4] [RPG] [Atlus] Persona 5 Royal
2. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
4. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
5. [PS4] [Racing] [Criterion Games] Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered
6. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
7. [XBO] [Turn-based strategy] [Splash Damage] Gears Tactics
8. [XBO] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
9. [PS4] [Sports] [Vicarious Visions] Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2

 

[Kolx]

The Last of us Part 2: incredible story far surpassing the first one. One of the best TPS gameplay ever. Add to it the incredible technical achievements from audio to facial capture to graphics combined with a banger soundtrack and you have not only the best game of the year but the best game ND have made by far.

Ori and will of the wisp: really enjoyed the first one, and this one takes everything good and elevates it even more. It didn't hurt that the combat here is much deeper than the first game either.

Demon's Souls: The only Souls game I've yet to play and now I did. The bosses are mostly boring, and the areas are fucking atrocious, but the combat and the feeling of triumph after every boss and area is unparalleled.

Hades: I'm not a huge fan of rogue, and yet I liked it. That's the biggest complement I can give this game tbh.

Ghost Of Tsushima: BEUITIFUL art style and fun combat makes up for the dull open world. If they can fix the open world design the sequel could be something special.

Resident Evil 3 remake: strong opening faltered later on by going linear and ending too soon. Nevertheless, really enjoyed most of my time with it.

Doom Eternal: Even tho a huge disappointment compared to the 2016 game, it still is one of the best FPS this gen and a Doom game at its heart.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales: More of the same, but miles made the game so much better. Fuck peter, give me more miles please.

Astro's playroom: THEY'RE SO CUTE! also the gameplay is fun.

paradise killer: didn't stick the landing, but what came before it was good.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PC] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
3. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
4. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
5. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
6. [PC] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
7. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
8. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
9. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
10. [Switch] [Adventure] [Kaizen Game Works] Paradise Killer
    

 

[CommanderCanuck]

1. Final Fantasy VII Remake - The timing of this game helped me get through a rough moment as work put me on furlough due to Covid-19. I had never played the original game but knew how it changed the world when it initially came out and wanted to go through this beloved story. While I might know some of the bigger points, it was mostly me fully getting to learn and appreciate the world. As I hadn't had a break from work where I literally had nothing to do in years, I sat down and beat the game over 2 days with no bathroom or food breaks as I fell in love with the combat and story and just was so excited to see what was next.

2. Paper Mario: The Origami King - Timing played a role here as well as this came out about 1 week after I was let go from my job. Being at a loss of motivation as I never expected to lose my job, it gave me a break from job/soul searching with a fun story that was almost equally engaging to FF7R to me. The moment with Bobby made me cry. I would love for them to update the game to skip the battle system as that isn't a lot of fun (except for the boss battles) but the story made me smile throughout.

3. Spider-Man: Miles Morales - WELCOME TO NEXT GEN. Having loved the previous Spider-Man game enough to be my first ever Platinum, I was excited for a smaller package game to continue the universe they had been creating. Being the first game I played alongside Number 4 on next-gen, it gave me hints at what was to come. The most amazing part was the loading or more accurately the lack there of. It was incredible going around the city in the blink of an eye if fast traveling or if coming through the strongholds back into the world, everything was seamless. I can't wait to see where Spider-Man 2 will go in a few years having been built from the ground up exclusively for next-gen vs this cross gen game but it only can get better.

4. Astro's Playroom - This game was an amazing 3 hour experience to learn what makes the PS5 unique. The different worlds were each fun to play, the transformations were fun to learn about the controller and its new functionality. I really hope that the team can create a more full featured game moving forward as the base they have created is incredible and more Astro Bot can only be a good thing.

5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - The beginning of the pandemic lockdowns was perfectly timed with this game. I didn't know what to do or expect living alone and having no one around but being able to work on my island every day gave me a chance to enjoy something I could control. Working on that island for about 3 months was a great experience. As with all previous AC games, once I miss a day, it becomes extremely hard for me to become motivated to restart playing. While I haven't played in many months, getting me through the beginning of the pandemic was a great relief.

1. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
2. [Switch] [RPG] [Intelligent Systems] Paper Mario: The Origami King
3. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
4. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
5. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
   

 

[Hecht]

To be clear, is it formatted right if the votes are bullet pointed, or numbered?

Click to shrink...

If you follow the instructions in the OP, it formats the list for you.

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

1.Final Fantasy VII Remake- The original game is my favorite of all time, to say that SE had alot of pressure would be an understatement. Many people doubted whether Square Enix could pull this off, people mocked them for their struggles with HD development, removing CC2 off the project, turning the game into a multi-series project, changing the combat system, and making the first game take place entirely in Midgar. Square Enix defied most peoples expectations and delivered one of their best written games in a long time, invented a new hybrid system that both action and ATB players can enjoy, created countless awesome boss fights and action sequences, and remade the OST beauitfully, all wrapped in a very polished package with little to complain about outside of some texture issues. This isn't just my GOTY, but maybe my GOTG.

2.Miles Morales- When first announced i wasn't that excited for it because they made it sound like it was just a small game created specifically as PS5 launch content, but that couldn't be further from the truth. In alot of ways the shorter nature of the game just meant that it has less padding, the game is all killer no filler. Miles and Phin are amazing characters whos relationship i was deeply invested in, and although Miles does play similarly to the OG game, they did alot to change his swinging animations and added enough changes to his powers to make him feel like a new and unique character. It's just a great game.

3.The Last of Us Part II- I have alot of mixed emotions for this game, the OG is one of my favorite PS3 games and i had a very deep love for Joel and Ellie, i always wanted a sequel to TLOU but i wanted them to use new characters and let Joel and Ellie live happily ever after....but obviously thats not what we got. I played through the entire game just dreading what was going to happen next, it was relentless in its attempt to make me uncomfortable, although i'm not a fan of the direction of the story, you can't deny the quality of writing and storytelling that is going on. This game mostly gets on this list because even with zero dialogue and zero cutscenes its still a great combat/stealth simulator.

4.Yakuza: Like A Dragon- I've always loved Yakuza's stories but hated the gameplay, so when they announced the next Yakuza was being transformed into my favorite genre it was as if the developers went into my brain and did exactly what i wanted them too. Although there are many times in the game where their lack of RPG experience is painfully obvious (such as the most egregious difficulty spike i've ever seen and an ultra rough grind for the final dungeon) the game's characters and charm are so strong that it still makes it high on my list.

5.Ghost of Tsushima- I always appreciate it when developers step away from successful franchises to create a totally new IP. On Paper ghost is alot like a Ubisoft game, but the quality is better in every possible way. It has the best combination of technical prowess and art style i've ever seen, you don't have pointless RPG mechanics thrown in, it doesn't have MTX, it has way better combat, and it's dramatically more polished than your typical Ubisoft game.

6.Xenoblade Chronicles Remastered- I rarely replay games, so a port i've already played before making a top 10 list is a huge compliment coming from me, i probably enjoyed this playthrough more than my first. The game desperately needed a remaster and they did alot more than just a resolution bump. They redid textures, assets, streamlined some things, and made major QOL improvements, even added a nice 10 hour post game campaign.

7.Nioh 2- It's pretty much just more Nioh, but Nioh's combat is so strong that it makes it on the list.

8.Resident Evil 3-In a bubble this game is probably higher on the list, the unfortunate thing is that RE2 came out the year before and was a better game in every way. RE3 just seems destined to always live in RE2s shadow.

9.Aegis Rim- This game really shouldn't have worked, the story being cut up between so many different characters and timelines should have been ab absolute mess, but they found a way to make it all work, every time you think you have an idea of what the game is they throw something crazy at you to completely throw you off. Unfortunate sexualization of characters aside, the game has incredible art and a fantastic OST to carry it, i even enjoyed the RTS sections even though thats not a genre i'm into.

10. Avengers- I normally don't play GaaS games, but Avengers pulled me in with a good campaign and introduced me to my favorite new character of the year, Kamala Khan. When they first announced this game i was as skeptical as i could possibly be. I thought it would be impossible to make fun combat for multiple different avengers and feared it would be a create-a-shield-character TPS, but they actually managed to make deep and satisfying combat systems for 6 different characters, and are adding new characters like kate bishop for free. Unfortunately there's just not enough content or a real end game to keep you playing.

1. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
2. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
3. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
4. [PS4] [RPG] [Sega] Yakuza: Like a Dragon
5. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
6. [Switch] [Action RPG] [MonolithSoft] Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
7. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Team Ninja] Nioh 2
8. [PS4] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
9. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
10. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Crystal Dynamics] Marvel's Avengers
    

 

[ClickyCal']

If you follow the instructions in the OP, it formats the list for you.

Click to shrink...

Wow, it looks like a lot of votes won't count here so far then.

 

[Kuro]

Final Fantasy VII Remake​

Square delivered a fantastic package of reworked combat that made a perfect combination of action and classic ATB and beautifully realized characters that stayed true to the original. Midgar was expanded in a way that really made it feel like a breathing city even if you spent most of it in the slums and I loved all the hidden little touches and dialogue you could catch. It was like a character in itself. Almost every memorable part from the original was improved and brought up to date (like some of the unsavory parts of Wall Market) and they did such a good job expanding on characters that were basically just fodder in the original on top of adding new and fun interesting characters and levels. They even solved the problem of all the party members feeling the same by giving each one very unique gameplay style and abilities. I haven't even touched on the music yet which is absolutely immense and by far the most incredible and varied soundtrack of the year. I also have to call to attention what quite possibly is the best dub work I've ever heard for a localized Japanese game. Getting some talented live action actors in combination with some veteran voice actors and even a new face in Brianna White delivered a fantastic mix of voice work that really sold the dramatic and comedic moments. Issues with some unavoidable linearity, pacing issues, questionable ending, and some minor technical hiccups aside, this game took over my life the month it came out and it was fun to discuss it with the community. I'm really excited for the next chapter in the series!​

Persona 5 Royal​

The original release was my GOTY and if not for FFVII, it would have been again. Incredible game from every facet made only better with some reworked dungeons and added QoL to the real world stuff. The extra content was also a lot of fun even if some story changes weren't perfect and I enjoyed Kasumi's addition to the game. They also finally made the worst part of the original fun, Mementos. Persona 5 is probably the best JRPG of the last 20ish years and everyone should experience it at least once. I really love this crew and they're almost tied with Persona 3's group for me and I can't wait to hang out with them again in Scramble. Fuck Ryuji though.​

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim​

The most interesting game I've played all year, its a bit different from Vanillaware's past works but its story and characters are so engrossing backed up by a fun mech strategy component that keeps you hooked in-between story chapters. I loved how the story unraveled with the different choices you could make and it kept me thinking and theorizing the entire time. The non-linear approach you can take with the story is really novel and I really enjoyed piecing things together.​

Hades​

A rare game that made me enjoy a genre I do not like. I've loved Supergiant's past works like Bastion and Transistor and this one delivered on all my favorite aspects of those games in spades while also just having more including a fulfilling story with some really memorable characters. The gameplay was really addicting and some of the tightest and engrossing combat I've played in an indie game.​

The Last of Us Part II​

A significant achievement in videogame narrative, performances, immersion, shooting, and encounter design. I was blown away by the AI in this game and how hectic and varied each combat encounter could be not to mention having some of the best third person shooting mechanics I've ever experienced in a game. Naughty Dog really do be making you feel like you're in an action movie without taking control away and letting you live out your John Woo fantasies. TLOUII was also devastating and I was shocked that a AAA game like this would take risks like it did with the story because it felt like an indie art house film in a lot of ways and those are rarely crowd pleasers which is partly why there is so much controversy surrounding the game (most of it from alt-right shitbags though). I personally had my own issues with the narrative and character motivations and I do feel like the last third of the game is really flawed in that aspect but despite that, the gameplay itself and "levels" were so good that it kept me going until the end. In a year where COVID changed the world and we came face to face with ugly America again, this game came out at the wrong and right time simultaneously. A truly amazing game that just barely missed the mark for me to hit GOTY.​

Half-Life: Alyx​

The most immersive game I've ever played. Valve did some amazing things with VR using Alyx and its made me chomping at the bit for more VR games like this. I really can't stress enough how amazing this experience was and it really does change how FPS games feel. I kind of want every first person game to have VR now even if it would dramatically change how they are designed.​

Demon's Souls Remake​

The original game of one of my favorite series with its early flaws and growing pains still prevalent. Still an amazing game with some timeless levels brought to life with some really incredible technical work by Bluepoint. It was fun to replay the game and felt so fresh with the instant loading and new look. Some fixes were also gladly welcome but I will say some of the changes to the music were disappointing. Despite that, definitely one of my top games of the year.​

Doom Eternal​

Not quite as good as Doom 2016 but still fantastic FPS fun. There was a lot of added systems that I didn't care for and I am weary of id Soft going down that path but the core gameplay loop was fantastic and I needed a fun fast paced arcade-esque FPS back in my life.​

Nioh 2​

Better than the first game in every way. The improvements to the level design were gladly welcome even if they don't hit the heights of stuff that From does (I know, I know, but I can't help comparing). Still some of the best action combat in the genre and I appreciate the variety involved. Really fun action that doesn't devolve into sheer boredom like the Musou genre.​

Genshin Impact​

I'm surprised at myself for including this game because it really is predatory not to mention its story, characters, and narrative are absolute bunk but it did a really good job at copying BoTW and giving you that feeling of exploration. You can pretty much play through all the content and explore the whole world in the game and still have fun without spending a cent and while the design of the world isn't quite as tight as BoTW, the combat is far superior and much more varied in terms of combinations you can pull off. It still runs into some repetition in the last half unfortunately and the end game content is absolutely terrible not to mention reliant on farming for equipment very, very slowly because of the drop rates and "energy" requirements that are there to get you to spend enormous amounts of money. Its very flawed in ways that were built-in to recoup what probably was a heck of a lot of money to develop this game because it shows. It has some of the most beautiful environmental art I've ever seen in a game and it looks amazing even on console. It's probably in the top 10 best looking games of the generation and I'm really impressed with Mihoyo's technical prowess for their first console/PC game.​

Honorable Mentions:

Astro's Playroom​

Pure joy in videogame form that was a fun look back at Playstation history. The haptics and trigger use in the game is unparalleled to date and made playing the game all the more fun. Unfortunately a bit too bite sized and I'm hoping for something chunkier soon.​

​

Ori and the Will of the Wisps​

A beautiful game with fun overall gameplay but had some issues with the changes they made from the first game and also ran into all sorts of technical problems via the game and/or the Xbox app on PC.​

Games from 2020 on my backlog/to-play list:

Spider-man: Miles Morales

OMORI

Yakuza: Like a Dragon

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

Spiritfarer

Ghost of Tsushima

1. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
2. [PS4] [RPG] [Atlus] Persona 5 Royal
3. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
4. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
5. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
6. [PC] [Shooter] [Valve] Half-Life: Alyx
7. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
8. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
9. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Team Ninja] Nioh 2
10. [PS4] [Action RPG] [miHoYo] Genshin Impact
    

 

[Adonais]

Final Fantasy VII Remake is the game of the year for me. It's an amazing new take on characters and themes that I loved from my childhood, with the added bonus of having a completely badass battle system that never feels boring and even eclipses the original game's. I beat it twice when it was released, and I'm constantly having to hold back from playing it again just so I have time for other things. I plan on replaying it again once the sequel gets closer to release.

Ghost of Tsushima has the best open world of any game I've ever played. Consistently beautiful and thrilling to explore. A great battle system and wonderful atmosphere.

Dreams is type of game that we don't see enough of. One that allows for creativity and sharing like few others.

I didn't play the first Spider-Man on PS4, because I don't really care for superhero stories. But, Miles is the best Spider-Man so I had to give this one a try. I was pleasantly surprised by the enjoyable combat and of course the web-swinging. I also appreciated the conciseness of the game. It never felt padded out, and when it was over I felt satisfied with what I'd experienced. There's something to be said about a game that doesn't overstay its welcome. I hope they're planning to continue Miles' story down the road.

1. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
2. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
3. [PS4] [Game Creation] [Media Molecule] Dreams
4. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales

 

[Agamon]

1. The Last of Us Part II
TLOU2 is not just my GotY, or even Game of the Gen, it's definitely my top game ever. One of my favorite types of game, with everything I like about them cranked to 11. And the rollercoaster narrative. Naughty Dog deserves all the accolades they're getting for this.

2. Cyberpunk 2077
I realize CDPR dropped the ball hard on the release of this game, but this game was just so much fun to play, amazing to ogle, and the story was a lot of fun. Definitely GotY material in a year that TLOU2 doesn't make everything else look pedestrian in comparison.

3. Hades
Okay, played this game quite a but over the last week. It's a lot of fun and I love the characters and their interactions. I put a lot of time into Dead Cells a couple years ago and this takes that formula and really makes an addictive game.

4. FUSER
As a big fan of Rock Band, and Dance Central to a lesser extent, I was looking forward to this game, and it didn't disappoint. I don't usually support games that do MTs to the extent that Fuser does, but it's so much fun to play and the music you can make with it is really enjoyable to listen to.

5. Monster Train
I'm a big Slay the Spire fan, and this game is a great take on that genre of game. Pretty addictive, and I'll probably be playing it off and on for the foreseeable future.

6. Coffee Talk
Probably more VN than "game", the characters sell this game. It was a lot of fun seeing them all interact.

7. Crusader Kings III
I've only had time to play through one game of this, but it was a 45 hour game. I will be picking it up now and then in future like I still do with Civ 6, the dynasty dynamics really bring the intrigue to this game.

8. Two Point Hospital
This game dug its roots into me for a few weeks in the summer. I'm picky with my management sims, but this one was fun and just challenging enough.

9. Tell Me Why
Little disappointed that this game was split into the three chapters, so this is my thoughts on the game as a whole, but I guess I did enjoy the first chapter most. I'm a Dontnod fan, and this was a nice comeback after a so-so LiS2. Great story.

10. Streets of Rage 4
Never thought I'd get to play an new SoR, and this addition really lives up to the series. They did a good job balancing the different characters, even though they all play fairly differently.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PC] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077
3. [PC] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
4. [PC] [Rhythm] [Harmonix] Fuser
5. [XBO] [Roguelike] [Shiny Shoe] Monster Train
6. [XBO] [Visual Novel] [Toge Productions] Coffee Talk
7. [PC] [Grand strategy] [Paradox Interactive] Crusader Kings III
8. [XBO] [Simulation] [Two Point Studios] Two Point Hospital
9. [XBO] [Adventure] [Dontnod Entertainment] Tell Me Why: Chapter One
10. [XBO] [Beat 'em up] [DotEmu] Streets of Rage 4
11. [PC] [Flight simulator] [Asobo Studio] Microsoft Flight Simulator
12. [Switch] [Party] [Nintendo] Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
13. [PC] [Space combat] [Motive Studios] Star Wars: Squadrons
14. [XBO] [Sports] [Blacklight Interactive] Golf with your Friends

 

[ninnanuam]

1. Yakuza Like A Dragon: I have loved almost all the Yakuza games. But I was a tad sceptical if Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio could pull off the turn based combat. However the final product blew my expectations out of the water. The turn based combat is in some ways superior to the brawling found in the earlier titles and the benefits of a party such as a pretty robust loyalty/relationship system and party construction added an extra layer of "RPGness" that works fantastically well with the series. To the point that I don't think I want to go back to a single character action RPG brawler. That doesn't even go into all the things the Yakuza games have always done well like story, or characters or the well realised mini games. I knew Yakuza was probably going to end up on my list, I just didn't know it would stand head and shoulders above everything else I played this year. I didn't have a better time with a game this year, It's not even close.

1. Fuser, I know it's barely a game, and it's not really even a good party game like Rockband but figuring out good mixes hit some part of my music/puzzle brain that I can't deny. Its only real issue is a lack of tracks. Please add more Harmonix!


3. Crusader Kings III This was my first time really giving Crusader Kings an honest shot. I put a few hours into Crusader Kings 2 but it never clicked. 3 got me over the hump. The first step was to forget about trying to "succeed" and just enjoy the outcomes. Man my court was filled with murderous sons of bitches.


4. Persona 5 Royal, I loved Persona 5 and Royal is, I think a superior version. The added bits are substantial and it's a no brainer purchase if you never played the original.


5. Ghost of Tsushima, the story is so so but then so are the stories in most Assassins Creed games and this is essentially a better one of those. I usually play through at least one of these big open world games every year, this year I played three of them (Valhalla, Ghost, and WD3) Ghost was the only one I actually finished.

6. Wasteland 3 I'm not close to completing it yet and it's possible it'll fall off a cliff but what I have played has been pretty bloody enjoyable. My problem is that every time I sit down to get stuck in I end up playing Crusader Kings instead.


7. Tetris Effect: Connected, it's a cool Tetris variant with a fun hippy skin. I usually found myself taking a break of Valhalla or Cyberpunk and booting into this for half an hour. It's the perfect cleanser. I only picked it up because It was on Gamepass and I am glad I did.


8. Hotshot Racing 90's throwback blue sky Daytona arcade racing action. Most fun I've had with a racer in a few years.


9. Cyberpunk 2077, I had my share of bugs, (I lost NPC dialogue in all saves at some point, I needed to uninstall and reinstall the game) but I can't deny that I played the game for 92 hours and I enjoyed my time in Night City. Sure its not really on the level of a Witcher or Fallout but it is the best damn Farcry style game I've ever played.

10. Yakuza 0 you're going to let me for Yakuza 0 again? OK. Usually I wouldn't put a new platform release on my list but Yakuza 0 is special and I actually did end up playing through it a third time when it came out on XBOX last year. AAAANNND Yakuza 3, 4, and 5 release on Gamepass tomorrow! I'm hyped.

 

[Dan L]

1. The Last of Us Part II
This game has one of the most powerful stories I have experienced in a video games. It has some very uncomfortable scenes and fucks with your expatations and pulls off the act of making you have empathy for someone I would have thought there was no way to have.

2. Yakuza: Like a Dragon
I love the Yakuza games, and Like a Dragon is by far my favourite, I never thought they would pull of the turn based combat as wonderful as they did. And Ichiban is one of the most likeable protagonists in any video game I have played.

3. Half-Life: Alyx
This is one of the coolest VR experiences I have had. And just a wonderful half life game. The Campo Santo team writing was really noticed.

4. Final Fantasy VII Remake
I went in blind to this remake and I would have been super happy if they kept it the same story but I love the changes they did and what it could mean for future games in the series. Its beautiful (when textures load) and sounds amazing. Super fun combat the best iteration of their combat system.

5. Doom Eternal
This game rules - I love Doom 2016 and the puzzle like nature of the combat encounters feels so good in Eternal. The DLC is also fun as hell!

6. Spiritfarer
This game blew me away, Such a power story of grevening and moving on. And of people and relationships. So fun. Stunningly beautiful and the soundtrack was perfect.

7. Kentucky Route Zero
It took years to get through this game. Waiting for each new release was painful but the finished journey was so worth it. Powerful game.

8. Tell Me Why
DONTNOD did a great job with this game and some trans representation was wonderful. I really enjoyed the story and found it to be a great game, proving they are kings of the tellatale style adventure games.

9. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
More spidy with Ray Tracing? So good so fun and the story being a tight shorter experience was a benefit in my opinion .

10. Death Stranding
I skipped this on the PS4 and I am glad I waited for the PC, Playing at 4k60 was wonderful. More of Hideo's wonderful story telling.

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [PC] [RPG] [Sega] Yakuza: Like a Dragon
3. [PC] [Shooter] [Valve] Half-Life: Alyx
4. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
5. [PC] [Shooter] [id Software] Doom Eternal
6. [PC] [Adventure] [Thunderlotus] Spiritfarer
7. [PC] [Point-and-click adventure] [Cardboard Computer] Kentucky Route Zero
8. [PC] [Adventure] [Dontnod Entertainment] Tell Me Why: Chapter One
9. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
10. [PC] [Action] [Kojima Productions] Death Stranding
    

 

[Josh5890]

Final Fantasy VII Remake- A beautiful reimagining of an all-time classic. It does drag in the middle, but otherwise the game fires on all cylinders.

Animal Crossing New Horizons- They say that perfect timing is rarely perfect, but in terms of when this game was released I think it was perfect timing. Obviously the pandemic has devastated the world and has been well documented. There is never good timing for that. However as the world shut down, Nintendo released a video game that allowed us to escape and build a new virtual life. Memories were made, weddings were held, games within the game were played. New Horizons took the world by storm and became the latest in a long line of Nintendo Switch success stories.

The Last of Us Part 2- Naughty Dog left us waiting for years to see Joel and Ellie again but it was well worth it. Playing two campaigns which fundamentally changed my view point of several main characters was a shock I did not see coming. I don't know where the future of this franchise is headed but this game will sit with me for a long time.

Hyrule Warriors- Age of Calamity- If you want to talk about a game out of no where, look no further than this prequel. A fun cast with awesome missions. We got a chance to live through the war 100 years before Breath of the Wild, which helped this game stand out from past Warriors games.

Astro's Plaroom- A cute, fun pack in game that still has me going back to beat my friends' times in various levels.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 & 2- This franchise had a lot of fails over the past decade or so, but finally we got a true remake of two classic games. Hopefully we don't have to wait too long for 3 and 4.

Raji: An Ancient Epic- I rarely jump into day 1 eshop games blind but after seeing this game on the indie direct I had to try it. It is worth its price IMO as I was given a chance to experience a culture I had little previous knowledge of.

Hades- Ok I will level with everyone. I did not beat this game. I suck at this genre no matter how many games I have tried. At the end of the day though, I can tell this is a great, well crafted game and it deserves recognition.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure- I came in expecting a a Super Mario 3D World clone and this game couldn't be any farther from that. It was its own game and a lot of fun at that.

Jump Rope Challenge- Someone had to give this game some love!

1. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
2. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
3. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
4. [Switch] [Hack and slash] [Omega Force] Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
5. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sumo Digital] Sackboy: A Big Adventure
6. [Switch] [Action Adventure] [Nodding Heads Games] Raji: An Ancient Epic
7. [PS4] [Sports] [Vicarious Visions] Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
8. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
9. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
10. [Switch] [Fitness] [Nintendo] Jump Rope Challenge
    

 

[Lacrimosis]

Though me giving the games a certain order, it is not a weighted ranking as I appreciate different things from these games.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

Despite many people givng high praise to this game I did not expect to like it as much and consume it as fast as I did. The unraveling of the core story by unlocking fragments with each character had me hooked and even the RTS/Tower Defense mode gave me a fun experience.

Dreams

I still cant believe its real and I have played so much fun stuff already. But the low userbase and the effort thats required will probably cause it to not have a long life.

Astros Playroom

One of the most lovely pack in games ever. Its a platformer filled with love for the platform and its history. Featuring one of the best implementations of the DualSense its a must play.

Ghost Of Tsushima

One of the most AAA games that ever AAA-ed. But whats really lovely about it are its highes. The music, the world and combat are fantastic. The composers have crafted an outstanding soundtrack full of emotion and the art team have done their best at creating a beautiful open world and skillfully pays respect to the time and culture it tries to emulate.

Final Fantasy VII Remake

I think the thing I like the most is how they managed to make a hybrid of modern and classic combat thats very satisfying to use once you get the hang of it.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout

While I didnt stick around for too long I completely enjoyed my time with it. A game that be as cruel as wholesome it looks.

Streets of Rage 4

Probabyl the most time I've invested in a beat em up. Absolutely stunning artwork, music, and gameplay.Each character is a blast to play.

1. [PS4] [Adventure] [Vanillaware] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
2. [PS4] [Game Creation] [Media Molecule] Dreams
3. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
4. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
5. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
6. [PS4] [Party] [Mediatonic] Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
7. [PS4] [Beat 'em up] [DotEmu] Streets of Rage 4
   

 

[Hecht]

Wow, it looks like a lot of votes won't count here so far then.

Click to shrink...

They seem fine to me. Posting your reasons for voting is different than the list at the bottom of everyone's posts - that's what is actually counted.
EDIT: hmmmm some of them are bulleted. How the hell did that happen

 

[Deleted member 22750]

gotta redo

better tell everyone you cant edit your text if you number or bullet your list
you get one try .....if you edit your official vote gets messed up

 

[Kuro]

They seem fine to me. Posting your reasons for voting is different than the list at the bottom of everyone's posts - that's what is actually counted.
EDIT: hmmmm some of them are bulleted. How the hell did that happen

Click to shrink...

It looks like the system bullets the list when the user already does numbered list manually above it.

 

[B-Dubs]

1. Yakuza Like A Dragon: I have loved almost all the Yakuza games. But I was a tad sceptical if Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio could pull off the turn based combat. However the final product blew my expectations out of the water. The turn based combat is in some ways superior to the brawling found in the earlier titles and the benefits of a party such as a pretty robust loyalty/relationship system and party construction added an extra layer of "RPGness" that works fantastically well with the series. To the point that I don't think I want to go back to a single character action RPG brawler. That doesn't even go into all the things the Yakuza games have always done well like story, or characters or the well realised mini games. I knew Yakuza was probably going to end up on my list, I just didn't know it would stand head and shoulders above everything else I played this year. I didn't have a better time with a game this year, It's not even close.
2. Fuser I know it's barely a game, and it's not really even a good party game like Rockband but figuring out good mixes hit some part of my music/puzzle brain that I can't deny. Its only real issue is a lack of tracks. Please add more Harmonix!
3. Crusader Kings III This was my first time really giving Crusader Kings an honest shot. I put a few hours into Crusader Kings 2 but it never clicked. 3 got me over the hump. The first step was to forget about trying to "succeed" and just enjoy the outcomes. Man my court was filled with murderous sons of bitches.
4. Persona 5 Royal, I loved Persona 5 and Royal is, I think a superior version. The added bits are substantial and it's a no brainer purchase if you never played the original.
5. Ghost of Tsushima, the story is so so but then so are the stories in most Assassins Creed games and this is essentially a better one of those. I usually play through at least one of these big open world games every year, this year I played three of them (Valhalla, Ghost, and WD3) Ghost was the only one I actually finished.
6. Wasteland 3 I'm not close to completing it yet and it's possible it'll fall off a cliff but what I have played has been pretty bloody enjoyable. My problem is that every time I sit down to get stuck in I end up playing Crusader Kings instead.
7. Tetris Effect: Connected, it's a cool Tetris variant with a fun hippy skin. I usually found myself taking a break of Valhalla or Cyberpunk and booting into this for half an hour. It's the perfect cleanser. I only picked it up because It was on Gamepass and I am glad I did.
8. Hotshot Racing 90's throwback blue sky Daytona arcade racing action. Most fun I've had with a racer in a few years.
9. Cyberpunk 2077, I had my share of bugs, (I lost NPC dialogue in all saves at some point, I needed to uninstall and reinstall the game) but I can't deny that I played the game for 92 hours and I enjoyed my time in Night City. Sure its not really on the level of a Witcher or Fallout but it is the best damn Farcry style game I've ever played.
10. Yakuza 0 you're going to let me vote for Yakuza 0 again? OK. Usually I wouldn't put a new platform release on my list but Yakuza 0 is special and I actually did end up playing through it a third time when it came out on Gamepass last year. AAAANNND Yakuza 3, 4, and 5 release on Gamepass tomorrow! I'm hyped.

Hotshot Racing is not in the list, boo.

• [XBO] [RPG] [Sega] Yakuza: Like a Dragon
• [XBO] [Rhythm] [Harmonix] Fuser
• [PC] [Grand strategy] [Paradox Interactive] Crusader Kings III
• [PS4] [RPG] [Atlus] Persona 5 Royal
• [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
• [PC] [RPG] [InXile Entertainment] Wasteland 3
• [XSX] [Puzzle] [Monstars and Resonair] Tetris Effect: Connected
• [XBO] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077
• [XBO] [Action Adventure] [Sega] Yakuza 0

Click to shrink...

We literally said do not mess with the list outputted by the vote tool. If you'd like your vote to count, please redo it and follow the rules.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is the game of the year for me. It's an amazing new take on characters and themes that I loved from my childhood, with the added bonus of having a completely badass battle system that never feels boring and even eclipses the original game's. I beat it twice when it was released, and I'm constantly having to hold back from playing it again just so I have time for other things. I plan on replaying it again once the sequel gets closer to release.

Ghost of Tsushima has the best open world of any game I've ever played. Consistently beautiful and thrilling to explore. A great battle system and wonderful atmosphere.

Dreams is type of game that we don't see enough of. One that allows for creativity and sharing like few others.

I didn't play the first Spider-Man on PS4, because I don't really care for superhero stories. But, Miles is the best Spider-Man so I had to give this one a try. I was pleasantly surprised by the enjoyable combat and of course the web-swinging. I also appreciated the conciseness of the game. It never felt padded out, and when it was over I felt satisfied with what I'd experienced. There's something to be said about a game that doesn't overstay its welcome. I hope they're planning to continue Miles' story down the road.

• [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
• [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
• [PS4] [Game Creation] [Media Molecule] Dreams
• [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Click to shrink...

This as well.

1. Persona 5 Royal - The new story content and QoL improvements make a great game truly superb.
2. Final Fantasy 7 Remake - The combat and character interactions were as good as I could have hoped for.
3. The Last of Us Part II - The best third person shooter of the generation.
4. Ghost of Tsushima - A large open world with very satisfying melee combat and traversal.
5. Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered - Still thrilling 10 years later, I just wish I still had the skills to platinum it like I did the original.
6. Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales - Not as good as the first game, but still very enjoyable.
7. Gears Tactics - A very solid XCOM clone that suffers from repeating the same side missions too many times.
8. Resident Evil 3 Remake- A short, fun romp that I never had any urge to go back to, unlike RE2 remake.
9. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 - Very well done, but I hit a skill level wall eventually and gave up.

• [PS4] [RPG] [Atlus] Persona 5 Royal
• [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
• [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
• [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
• [PS4] [Racing] [Criterion Games] Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered
• [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
• [XBO] [Turn-based strategy] [Splash Damage] Gears Tactics
• [XBO] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
• [PS4] [Sports] [Vicarious Visions] Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2

Click to shrink...

And this.

1. FF7R: Rarely does a game that I am hyped for meets up to expectations, and in this case greatly surpassed it. Just awesome from start to finish, best gameplay of any RPG I've played in 37 years of gaming. I can't stop thinking of the game, several of the segments and boss fights were memorable.
2. Ghost of Tsushima: Excellent narrative and gameplay. Probably the best open world game I ever played, with organic reveal of the world. It raised the bar for every game, not just open world games.
3. Demon's Souls: At first I approached it as a chance to experience the original game that started it all (after King's Field which I won't play). I thought I'd grab the platinum and be done with it, but I've been playing constantly trying out new builds. By far the most PvP I've done in any Souls game, and the most playthroughs. The art and atmosphere of every world is magnificient.
4. Mile's Morales: Love the music, love the gameplay, brings a smile to my face every time I play it. Sets the bar for years to come for PS5 games in its performance RT mode. Usually the first game I put on when showing off the PS5 to friends, and when they leave I go back to it.
5. Astro's Playroom: Another game I thought I'd just play for a short while and wound up loving. Very imaginative and fun, playable in short bursts.

Didn't get to TLOU2 because I'm halfway through TLOU and haven't finished it yet. Didn't play my PC much this year, upgrading for MSFS in 2021.

• [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
• [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
• [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
• [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
• [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom

Click to shrink...

This too

 

[AuroraMusisAmica]

EDIT: My list went from numbered to bulleted, so I'll make a new post later... ;____;

 

[B-Dubs]

2020: Great Year for RPGs and Platformers

note: Will add my thoughts on each game later this month

1) Yakuza: Like a Dragon -
2) The Last of Us Part II -
3) Persona 5 Royal -
4) Persona 5 Scramble -
5) Tell Me Why -
6) Ori and the Will of the Wisps -
7) Resident Evil 3 Remake -
8) Astro's Playroom -
9) Cyberpunk 2077 -
10) Ghost of Tsushima -

11) Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time -
12) Call of the Sea -
13) Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise -
14) The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope -


Favorite 2019 Games I played in 2020:

A Short Hike (NSW), Lonely Mountains: Downhill (PS4)


Biggest Surprises:

FF7 Remake feels like a daring remake of a beloved classic, I only played a couple of hours over the holidays but already like it a lot.

Crash 4 - A game so good it finally made me understand why people like the classic Crash titles. After 20+ years, Crash 4 turned me into a fan. I always looked at Crash games as PS1 era also-rans with floaty controls and lots of cheap deaths. Some of that's still true, but I finally "got it". Despite their looks and the marketing back then, the original Crash games were much closer to oldschool 2D platformers than contemporary 3D platformers like Mario 64, Banjo or Spyro. I went back and played the Crash Trilogy after finishing Crash 4 and had a great time with all of them.

The good two thirds of the Avengers campaign that didn't feel like a tutorial for a mind-numbingly boring GaaS, especially playing as Kamala during the Tomb Raider sections. Really wish they just would have focused on making a great single player campaign instead of wasting years on making a GaaS no one is playing.


Honorable Mentions:

Disaster Report 4 - I played the import in 2018, otherwise this game would have made my Top 10. Love the series and can't wait for the recently announced fifth game.

World's End Club - a pretty fun escape / road trip game with a sudden cliffhanger. Still feels like an early access title since only part 1 has been released on Apple Arcade so far.


Games I liked that didn't grab me because 2020:

Nioh 2, Spelunky 2, Hades - I didn't mind the pandemic imagery in games like TLOU2 or RE3, but for some reason this year really kept me from getting into masocore games or rogue-likes. Usually I love those genres, but anything too repetitive or punishing didn't click with me during these endless lockdowns.


Most Disappointing Games:

Demon's Souls "Remake" - The Gus Van Sant's Psycho of video games. DeS 2009 is my favorite SoulsBourne and I've replayed it countless times. This game is a shot for shot remaster made with modern technology that fails to recapture the magic of the original and seems hollow and soulless by comparison (puns very much intended). And don't get me started on the omission of the sixth archstone in what was supposed to be the remake fans like me have been asking for for ages. I would have much preferred a remake that takes the best parts of the original and then changes up enough to make things interesting again, like FF7 or RE3 managed to do in the same year.

Super Meat Boy Forever - They waited 10 years to make another Meat Boy game and decided to turn it into a shitty auto-runner that already would have seemed like a mediocre compromise on a smartphone in 2010.


2020 Pile of Shame:

13 Sentinels, Paradise Killer, Kowloon Youma Gakuen Ki, Moon RPG, Spider-Man: Miles Morales


2021 Hype:

The World Ends With You 2, Elden Ring (🤞)

• [PS4] [RPG] [Sega] Yakuza: Like a Dragon
• [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Naughty Dog] The Last of Us Part II
• [PS4] [RPG] [Atlus] Persona 5 Royal
• [PS4] [Action RPG] [Omega Force] Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers
• [PC] [Adventure] [Dontnod Entertainment] Tell Me Why
• [XBO] [Metroidvania] [Moon Studios] Ori and the Will of the Wisps
• [PS4] [Survival Horror] [Capcom] Resident Evil 3 Remake
• [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
• [XSX][Action RPG][CD Projeckt] Cyberpunk 2077
• [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
• [PS4] [Platformer] [Toys for Bob] Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
• [XBO] [Adventure] [Out of the Blue] Call of the Sea
• [Switch] [Survival horror] [TOYBOX Inc] Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise
• [PS4] [Interactive drama] [Supermassive Games] The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope

Click to shrink...

This ballot is not going to count

 

[Chea996]

I edited the post and the list transformed into a bullet list. I'll do another post to be sure it's counted

 

[Euler007]

I think putting in a numbered list at the start of your post and then using the voting tools screws up the formatting. Anyways:

1. [PS4] [Action RPG] [Square Enix] Final Fantasy VII Remake
2. [PS4] [Action Adventure] [Sucker Punch Productions] Ghost of Tsushima
3. [PS5] [Action RPG] [BluePoint Games] Demon's Souls
4. [PS5] [Action Adventure] [Insomniac Games] Spider-Man: Miles Morales
5. [PS5] [Platformer] [Sony Interactive Entertainment] Astro's Playroom
   

 

[takoyaki]

edit: nvm, looks like my first post works now. Thanks for fixing the bug!

 

[Chea996]

To me, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the game of 2020. Probably not the best, surely not the most complex, but I spent hundreds of hours (due to the pandemic) into my island and I grew attached to this game.


I feel like I'm the only one who actually enjoyed playing Cyberpunk 2077. And I did not only enjoyed it, I loved it! The story is great, characters are great, Night City is great. I didn't even get so many bugs, Cyberpunk 2077 surely deserves more of what it got.


Persona 5 was the last game I got to play before breaking my PS4. I loved the turn based battle system and all the everyday-life activities. Plus, the score of this game is just amazing. Kudos to Atlus!


I always loved strategy game, but Crusader Kings III is my first grand strategy game. The game is absolutely divine and I love all the family drama we can create by scheming and murdering. I'm glad I was able to try this out thanks to the Game Pass.


Such as Animal Crossing, Warzone probably isn't the best game of 2020, but I spent so many hours in this game that it can't not be in one of the high positions of my list.


Ubisoft expanded the formula - which I already liked - and this year they made one of the best Assassin's Creed games ever. The main quest is probably too long and a bit repetitive, but I really liked how they expanded the nowadays subplot and what we discovered regarding the Isu civilization.


Spiritfarer is such a poetic games. I loved carrying all those cutie animals to the end of their path.


I wasn't expecting anything when I first tried Call of the Sea, but the visuals are just beautiful and the mystery behind the illness kept me wanting to know more. All accompanied by good tailored enigmas. Good job!


I'm not much of a fan of rogue-like games. But Hades is surely one of the best and deserved to be mentioned in my list.


To be totally honest, I was expecting more from Dontnod. I adored LiS 1&2 and was eager to see what they made with this new game. I liked to get to know a trans-story from the inside, but I wish they explored more the psyche of the protagonists.


-

1. [Switch] [Simulation] [Nintendo] Animal Crossing: New Horizons
2. [PC] [Action RPG] [CD Projekt] Cyberpunk 2077
3. [PS4] [RPG] [Atlus] Persona 5 Royal
4. [PC] [Grand strategy] [Paradox Interactive] Crusader Kings III
5. [PC] [Shooter] [Infinity Ward] Call of Duty: Warzone
6. [PC] [Action RPG] [Ubisoft] Assassin's Creed Valhalla
7. [PC] [Adventure] [Thunderlotus] Spiritfarer
8. [PC] [Adventure] [Out of the Blue] Call of the Sea
9. [Switch] [Roguelike] [Supergiant Games] Hades
10. [PC] [Adventure] [Dontnod Entertainment] Tell Me Why
    

 

[B-Dubs]

OK, I went through all of the votes so far and made sure they conform to the rules. Apparently a lot of people who have gone back and edited their posts have accidentally messed with the bbcode in their posts in some way which made their ballots not count properly. All ballots currently cast, as of my writing this, are in compliance with what is needed.

We're going to push an update tonight to try and address the accidental edits on our end, but until then please do not edit your posts once you have made them. If you would like to make a change to your ballot, please just redo it.

Again:

Please do not edit your ballots once they are cast, if any changes need to be made then recast your ballots.

 

[Tygre]

10: Teardown - An incredible proof of concept that just needs more time in the oven. Voxels were the future once, much as Ray Tracing is today, and this game shows where that future could have gone.

9: Noita - Got the time in the oven that teardown still needs. Spelunky but with wizards and per-pixel environmental interaction.

8: Microsoft Flight Simulator - One of the greatest technical achievements to ever grace gaming. Also a perfect balm for my lack of ability to actually fly anywhere this year.

7: Assassin's Creed Valhalla - 50 hours in and, according to the game, less than 50% done. Would be 100% better if it was 25% the size, but it's still keeping me coming back for more.

6: Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout - I have played this with friends every Friday since it came out.

5: Crusader Kings III - Having spent hundreds of hours with Crusader Kings II, I was almost certain this game was going to be disappointing. It is anything but, taking everything I love about CK2 and improving or expanding almost all of it. A true achievement.

4: Hitman 2 - The best game of 2018 that I played in 2020. I look forward to playing Hitman 3 sometime in 2021.

3: F1 2020 - F1 2019 was the best ever F1 game, and F1 2020 is even better. More importantly than anything else, the handling is better. That alone would be enough, but it is accompanied by so many QOL changes and improvements to make this an awesome yearly upgrade.

2: The Jackbox Party Pack 7 - Jackbox packs can be hit or miss, usually coming with a couple of bangers and a few duds. This one is all bangers (with one meh) and was a godsend for socialising over the internet.

1: iRacing - iRacing originally came out in 2008. It is heavily based on the code of NASCAR Racing 2003, itself part of a lineage stretching back to 1994. Before 2020 I had barely heard of iRacing, by the end of 2020 iRacing was one of the few things keeping me sane.

Honourable mention: Spelunky 2 - A game living firmly in the shadow of its brilliant predecessor. Still fantastic, no longer magic.

1. [PC] [Racing] [IRMS] iRacing
2. [PC] [Party] [Jackbox Games] The Jackbox Party Pack 7
3. [PC] [Racing] [Codemasters] F1 2020
4. [PC] [Stealth] [IO Interactive] Hitman 2
5. [PC] [Grand strategy] [Paradox Interactive] Crusader Kings III
6. [PC] [Party] [Mediatonic] Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
7. [PC] [Action RPG] [Ubisoft] Assassin's Creed Valhalla
8. [PC] [Flight simulator] [Asobo Studio] Microsoft Flight Simulator
9. [PC] [Platformer] [Nolla Games] Noita
10. [PC] [Heist] [Tuxedo Labs] Teardown