Zack’s Top Ten Personal Favorite Games of 2020
2020 was quietly an incredible year for video games. There were so many incredible games released that, for once, I didn’t quite know what was going to be my #1 pick until it came time to choose. Plenty of remakes, new franchises, and classic continuations helped all of us get through the roughest year in recent memory.
Before the list proper, a couple of honorable mentions. Coffee Talk was an inspired and cute game that just barely missed my list, and Star Wars: Squadrons or Immortals: Fenyx Rising assuredly would have made the cut if I found the time to play them. Without further ado, here are my top games for the hellscape year of 2020.
#10 – Resident Evil 3
The latest entry in the venerable Resident Evil franchise is yet another remake done right. While the game itself is fairly short, it’s a nonstop thrill ride that doesn’t let up. Every minute counts in this game, and the tooled-up story quickens the pace compared to the original. Capcom only has only one numbered Resident Evil left to remake, and there’s no reason to doubt their abilities now.
#9 – Fall Guys
Fall Guys is something that came out of nowhere for everyone. The idea of turning a 3D-platformer into a battle royale is an inspired choice, and the world agreed. No single game seemed to take over the world this year out of nowhere quite like this one. It’s a lot of good, old-fashioned fun.
#8 – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 HD
What a game! This remake is built with an unparalleled level of respect, and anything that was changed was done so for the better. Adding the revert to the first two Tony Hawk games completely reworks the way those original levels are played. I had such a nostalgic blast with this one, I even made sure to 100% both titles.
#7 – Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Infamously, I disliked Ori and the Blind Forest. I found it to be a passable game bolstered by incredible visuals. Moon Studios improves the sequel in every regard. Much improved combat, a far better gear-gated map, and tough as hell platforming challenges. I was utterly shocked that I liked this game at all, let alone as much as I do.
#6 – Mortal Shell
I can not get enough of the Soulslike genre. I eat these games up like candy, absolutely loving every second of the intense combat and exploration. Mortal Shell was yet another game that surprised me. It looked cool as hell in trailers, but Cold Symmetry really brought something unique to the genre with its “shell” concept. In fact, I think another run through the game sounds pretty good right about now.
#5 – Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Only two years ago Insomniac Games proved it knew how to treat Spider-Man with respect. Their first entry was a love letter to all things webhead, and this entry is no different. Miles has become a household name in under a decade, which is a feat by any superhero standard, and here he is already leading his own game. And that game is every bit as incredible as its remarkable predecessor.
#4 – Ghost of Tsushima
Who knew Sucker Punch had it in them? After the lackluster inFamous: Second Son, it’s nice to see the developer return to full form. This is the kind of open-world game design I live for. No hand holding anywhere in sight, placing exploration at its forefront. The narrative was surprisingly nuanced, and Jin Sakai is already one of the great PlayStation protagonists.
#3 – Hades
It is a common refrain of our podcast that I dislike roguelikes. What a complete shocker that I adore Hades, then. Supergiant Games seems content only putting out masterclasses in game design, and here is yet another example in their stable. They implemented brilliant narrative hooks into the genre, and I still don’t think I’ve heard a repeated piece of dialogue. A triumph in a crowded genre.
#2 – The Last of Us Part II
I never thought a sequel to The Last of Us could work. Its ending was perfect, and any continuation only risked tarnishing it. How wrong I was, as it’s obvious these games are two halves of a whole. Add in the fact that Naughty Dog fixed every gameplay flaw of the original, and you have a game that is nothing short of a masterpiece.
#1 – Final Fantasy VII Remake
While perhaps not the objective best game on the list, it’s the one that connected with me the most. I’m not even a fan of the original Final Fantasy VII, and I found this game enrapturing. Upping Sephiroth’s presence, giving Aerith more spunk, and throwing in some wildly unexpected twists pushed this game past what it could have otherwise been. Rather than simply inspiring nostalgia, it manages to make commentary about nostalgia itself. It’s brilliant, and a style of storytelling that would only work in a video game. Oh, and the battles are some of the best combat design in any JRPG ever.
There you have it. 2020 is over and done with. There’s always something to look forward to with video games. The industry is always pushing forward, and it’s a pleasure to be alongside it every year. I’m excited to see what 2021 brings. Most developers and publishers have figured out how to reliably make great games, so here’s to hoping we got even more innovation and new ideas to go along with it.
