My Top Games of 2020 · 1:07am Dec 15th, 2020
Here we go again, the seven new played in 2020, ranked from worst to best.
7. Doom Eternal
Bottoming out my list is the highly-anticipated sequel to 2016's reboot of the legendary demon-slaying franchise. Sadly, my muscle memory from the last game ended up being my greatest enemy in Eternal's opening levels, as developer Id Software insisted on putting together a 'combat loop' that essentially told you "play our way or you're fucked."
The Marauder also takes my "biggest middle finger of 2020". An enemy design that feels so out of place in terms of gameplay mechanics, forcing you to keep a very specific distance to do any damage to him.
This experience was so jarring and inferior to Doom 2016 that I have not returned for any DLC or subsequent playthroughs.
6. Resident Evil 3
The follow-up to the oft-requested Resident Evil 2 Remake was fairly solid, if a bit on the short side; it is the first RE title I have completed in one sitting. Entire sections of the original game are nowhere to be found, and Nemesis pales in comparison to Mr. X from the last game.
They absolutely nailed the final boss music, though.
5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
This was my first introduction to Nintendo's life simulation franchise. You lead the development of an island, creating a community of up to 10 villagers. Players' creativity with this game has been crazy. Creativity I simply cannot keep up with.
I've always had a love-hate relationship with habit-forming systems in games, encouraging you to log in every day, and login bonuses resetting to zero if you forget to do so.
4. Star Wars Squadrons
The latest in EA's "put our logo on the title art every time" is far more simulator-like than the more cinematic offerings that Starfighter Assault in Battlefront II. To those who played the X-Wing and TIE Fighter sims in the 90's, this game comes closer than anything since, but it's nowhere near long enough. While those games offered hours of varying missions, Squadrons can easily be completed in a weekend.
3. Division 2: Warlords of New York
Yeah, paid expansions count too. Just like last year, Division 2 is by far my most-played game of 2020. Year Two returned players to a portion of Manhattan Island to take down long-standing villain Aaron Keener. Later months brought us a second eight-player raid, and further head-honchos to fight.
Long-term development missteps are leading many to doubt if we'll see a Division 3, and if not, many of this series' remaining questions will stay unanswered. A Netflix film based on the franchise remains in development.
2. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2
This isn't simply a remaster, it's a ground-up remake, and stays incredibly faithful to the two originals, which is obvious because I absolutely suck at it.
Game of the Year 2020
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
The sequel to the critically acclaimed 2015 Metroidvania platformer is better in nearly every way, once again exploring the themes of light and dark, of love, and what you can become in the complete absence of it.
The game was originally supposed to come out in 2019, but it was pushed to this year for the most interesting reason; playtesters were reaching a point in the story where they got so depressed that they lost the will to continue playing. This happened enough times that the event in question needed to be tweaked.
I for one, am glad they did.
Congrats, Moon Studios. You deserve it.
Cool list. I gotta admit that I do actually prefer Eternal to 2016, but I can totally understand your points. I'm struggling to remember what actually came out this year since I haven't been able to afford anything new since March, but if I had to give GOTY to anything, it'd be Persona 5 Royal. First version was fantastic, this version legitimately got me to f-cking cry with it's final act.
Fuck yeah, Ori was friggin' amazing. The only thing that still pisses me off is that I haven't been able to do the last Gorlek ore upgrade because the game won't unlock it for some reason. And I'm not the only one that's happened to. That aside, the game was awesome.
What’s the first game called and what platform are they on
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Ori and the Blind Forest is available on Steam, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Nice list. TBF, the Old Gods DLC was fantastic. I will agree its not flawless though. The Marauder wasn't the worse enemy, thaat was the Doom Hunters for me
Speaking of RE3, while it had flaws, from what I've been told, the OG RE3 had a similar reception to the Remake.
Glad to see Squadrons seems good.
Also, Ori, been meaning to check that out. I shall eventually
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Yeah, personally, RE3make's biggest flaw was the last area; it wasn't a grimy disposal plant, no, it was "NEST 2". I wanted something more faithful to the original.
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Yeah like, from what I've heard, RE3 OG got lambasted for being a shorter, more action focused RE2. I do wish Nemesis had been more random like he was in RE3 OG, IE being able to pop up damn near everywhere
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Celestia damnit i have a ps4
Hey, what do you think of Monster Hunter?
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Haven't played it.
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Do you have a Switch?
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Seeing how Animal Crossing New Horizons is on the above list? Yes.
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Yikes. Anyways, what do you think of Rise and Stories 2?
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Never heard of it.
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You should check them out. Search for Monster Hunter Stories 2 and Monster Hunter Rise. You might like them.
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Tell me what do you think of it after seeing them.