Overall | Genre | Platform
Notes:
- We would like to thank Mina, Rösti, OneAndOnly, tgr_williams, Hecht, ColdSun, DownUnderCoder, and all of the site staff for putting in the work for this year's annual Game of the Year vote.
- This was the first vote held using Ballots 2.0! We're pleased to report that it mostly went off without a hitch.
- As in years past, this year's trophy was designed and created by the inimitable Rösti
- We would also like to thank the community for voting and commenting. ResetEra GotY is a celebration of your favorites.
- 2020 voting thread
Top 20 Games of 2020
1. The Last of Us Part II - 1062 points
Bosh said:
Without a doubt one of the most technically sound games I have ever played, The Last of Us 2 takes a number of risks in its sequel to one of the most popular games of all time. While linear in nature, the environments and weapons give you a multitude of options on how you want to tackle moving forward. The enemy AI is intelligent, splitting up and forcing you to move in cover constantly. Always tense thanks to its phenomenal sound design, this game is a must with headphones. The Last of Us 2 is set in a bleak world, and its story never shies away from showing you the grim reality of it.
Mary Celeste said:
I don't want to talk about this game's story, that's been discussed to death and is clearly as divisive as any game's story could ever be. I loved it and I found it extremely powerful and well done, but The Last of Us Part II is not my GOTY because of its story. This video game is phenomenal, because it is a video game. It is an expertly crafted, gorgeous, perfectly designed third person stealth action game with deliciously responsive controls, challenging enemy AI, and the best gosh darn encounter design seen in the medium since Resident Evil 4 perfected the artform in 2005. You can skip all the cutscenes and come away thinking this was GOTY, because playing this video game (and there's a lot of video game to play!) is more fun than playing just about anything else this year. On the harder difficulties, at least.
Elandyll said:
I have to admit that beside the incredible production value, I had very mixed feelings about the story by the time I was reaching the mid game of The Last of Us part 2. And then, I was downright angry. Na. Furious. I even took it out on the main protag at that point, and started a hate play like never before for the next handful of hours. It eventually dawned on me how purposeful the story directions were, how brilliant, emotion filled and impactful the journey is, and by the time I reached the end I knew that I had not just played a game, but an experience, and it was downright exhausting. But it also was unique, and incredible. A true masterpiece.
2. Final Fantasy VII Remake - 826 points
Miamiwesker said:
They did it, they actually did it! This is a remake of dreams, it captures so much of what made the orginal timeless and doesn't just copy it but make it better in many ways. Obviously this is just one part of the full game but this format allowed to explore side characters in much greater depth than the original allowed. Even our main cast has far better character development, not to mention the writing, voice acting and graphics which all enhance the storytelling. The new real time combat system is what Square has been trying to figure out for years now, finally perfected in FF7. Its a beautiful mix of ATB strategy and real time skill, teamates are easy to manage, it feels like FF7 while being so much more interesting to play. They hit a home run with this first entry, lets hope it continues.
FantasticMrFoxdie said:
It was literally a dream game for decades and it came into fruition with a special kind of detail and love made for modern times. There were lots of scary expectations building up to the release - the new gameplay, splitting the game into parts, etc. So props to Squeenix for not only living up to it, but hitting it out of the park.
3. Hades - 663 points
verygooster said:
Usually it's games I've finished that factor into personal lists, but there's just something about Hades. Supergiant Games knows how to build and create a world with an extra talent for beautiful, fitting soundtracks. With Hades you get an incredibly fun story with some great voiceover work. The game is an adventure and a half, featuring great combat and mechanics. It's a fantastic roguelike (roguelite?) for folks like me who aren't heavily into that particular brand of game.
ScreamingMadden said:
What hasn't been said about Hades already? This is an absolute masterclass in rogue game design, storytelling, music and art direction and absolutely deserves all of the accolades and praise its gotten. Its a game where you constantly test out specific builds you get from the Olympians and see which builds are the best for finally leaving your father's domain. Like many rogue games you are likely going to die and die a plenty, but every run contributes to adding to the story that's being told while you play the game so no run is ever wasted. The characters are all charming and the voice acting delivers in making you more invested in the game's cast whether it be the shy but sweet Dusa or if its your mysteriously employed fighting dummy Skelly. Hats go off to Darren Korb for the soundtrack in Hades. While I have never played a Super Giant Game until now, his work has become a rotation in my music playlist as I listen to "Farewell" while typing this description. But the core gameplay loop of finding the right boons and finally reaching the surface of Greece was super gratifying and to me worth it to beat the game 10 times total to see how the main story ends. Hades is without a doubt one of the greatest indie games I've ever played and happy I gave it a shot. Also Dionysus is best Olympian.
4. Ghosts of Tsushima - 616 points
Xevross said:
What a joy this game is. They absolutely nailed the combat, it feels fluid yet snappy and immensely satisfying. The combat also constantly evolves and ratchets up as you play the game with lots of new skills and gadgets being unlocked, making it always feel exciting. You do get insanely powerful and that makes the game rather easy, even on very hard. I suppose lethal difficulty might have fixed this, but I haven't tried it yet. The story isn't amazing but its still engaging enough with some twists and turns along the way. The world is just brilliant to explore, with systems inventive systems like guiding wind. I thought the way they did side quests, a few long chains that each have their own continued stories, was genius. The game is gorgeous, obviously, and has some amazing music too. That title drop moment still gives me chills whenever I think of it. Legends was a brilliant add-on for free that doubled my play time with the game. As for bad stuff, the open world does get a bit repetitive, especially with stuff like the fox shrines; and the game can feel a bit janky in classic open-world fashion at times. Overall this is awesome all round.
Elandyll said:
Besides the 1st class graphics with sceneries that will melt your eyes, and audio (both sound design and score), one might simply dismiss the game as "just another Ubisoft recipe Open World Action Adventure" game. And one would be wrong to not give this game a chance (like they were back in 2019 with Days Gone - but Ghost is even better).
The melee combat is great, and the story is fantastic. If you're a completionist there is a LOT to do and it might stretch the game a bit too much (from a 20h+ main narrative with side quests into a 40h+ collect a thon), but the story is absolutely fantastic (even if like in Days Gone it take a wee bit too long to really get going), and the contemplative feel of many activities (Haikus, baths, following Fox spirits…) is deliciously at odds with the brutality of the combat system.
5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - 449 points
Aerith said:
While New Horizons wasn't my first foray with Animal Crossing, it was the first time it clicked for me. Like for many people, it was something that came at the perfect time. During the start of the pandemic, when there was a lot of stress and uncertainty, I was able to get lost into this cute little island adventure, and meet up with my friends, even if only virtually. It's also the game I spent the most time playing in 2020 by far, with a little over 325 hours logged in.
Being able to play as a Black girl for the first time in a mainline Animal Crossing was important to me, as it made the game so much more immersive. The new features like the island terraforming and such were also very much appreciated and added a lot of fun and value to my time with the game. Visiting.my friends' islands and seeing what they had done with their place, and vice versa brightened up my days, especially during such an isolated period. Not to mention inviting everyone over to wish upon shooting stars at night.
While I'm no longer playing it as much, every time I revisit my island and talk to my villagers, I'm filled with joy. All in all, New Horizons didn't leave a huge impact on me like Demon's Souls or have me buzzing with excitement and hype like FF7R, but it's the game I look back on most fondly from 2020.
marcinaldo said:
This is probably the game I spent the most time with last year. I never played Animal Crossing and was a bit skeptical if I like it. But the AC edition Switch looked nice and I thought - why not? It turned out that for a game with seemingly no direct goal, it is very addicting and I loved spending time on the island. I was playing each day for over 6 months I believe. I fell off around Halloween and then never picked it back again. Maybe I should at some point. Great experience.
6. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - 374 points
Irene said:
Games share a lot of similarities to toys. Bits and pieces we can put together. It's when we can put them together with laws, rules, that the magic happens: that games happen. But in many instances, the rules we apply to toys are mechanical - frameworks of combat, of progression and numbers. But then, asks Vanillaware, what if the pieces of play we gave you were pieces of story - toys of narrative? In this game, I can't recount the amount of fun I had and the awe I felt as I played with these fragments of tale, the vignettes of Juro's movie obsession and Keitaro Miura's worries, the tidbits of information that blew my mind time and time again.
I love the way that the game allows me to plunge headfirst into it's narrative shenanigans with complete and total freedom, allowing me to actively participate in the act of putting the pieces together, fit the tale into a greater whole and let me sit back as I watch my toys of play weld seamlessly into this grandiose narrative with star-struck eyes. The plot really is that good. What if, asks Vanillaware. What if, we just gave you the best goddamn game of 2020?
Violence Jack said:
This was my "ERA told me this was a great game" pick for 2020 as I hadn't heard of it until a few months ago. I'm not big into visual novels at all, but damn if the story didn't change that perception for me. This was a finely crafted love letter to Science Fiction fans all over mixed with fun gameplay during the battles. There are numerous twists and turns, callbacks to some of the most iconic Sci-Fi stories of our time (Terminator, Godzilla, Evangelion, War of the Worlds, etc), and nothing you are presented could ever be figured out by the time the reveals start to happen. I don't think I've ever uttered the words "wait, what?" so much during a game. The soundtrack is great, both the dub and sub are spectacular, and the stories are very intriguing. It's not going to be for everyone, but this was a very much welcomed surprise. And Natsuno is the best character by far.
7. Demon's Souls - 370 points
BlueStarEXSF said:
I never played the original game on PS3 so this game was brand new to me. While it's not my favorite Souls game, this game has truly incredibly atmosphere which pushes you forward through the game. I appreciated its experimental nature due to being the first game in the series. Some of the gimmick bosses were really fun and unique.
Heroin Cat said:
Bluepoint, I salute you. Not only is DS a fantastic remake that keeps very accurate to the original, but it is gorgeous. It runs like a dream on 60fps, and everything looks next gen despite the source material being an ugly ps3 game. The tower of Latria has such a strong atmosphere that I'd say it alone is worth the price of admission. Gameplay takes advantage of the haptic feedback in the PS5 controller in subtle yet powerful ways - echoing impacts, warning of enemy attacks, sorceries - Sorceries especially feel fantastic, as they cast wonderfully with great feedback physically and in audio. The only downside is that in erring on the side of accuracy the game is a bit easy on the boss front; I found certain areas like 4-2 much harder than any boss (bar the Dragon God haha). Still, an amazing achievement and a great way to show off the PS5.
8. Spider-Man: Miles Morales - 360 points
Phoenixazure said:
I really liked what I played but what I did first was the entirety of Spider-Man 2018 remastered so I ended up having my fill of the gameplay mechanically. From what I played of Miles Morales, it made a lot of gameplay improvements and its story thus far has engaged me much more. Maybe because I'm Hispanic but I get on more with Miles and the story with Ganke, his mother, and childhood friend. Also the story of Harlem and that area's attempt to keep its identity in the face of a giant corporate company moving in. I look forward to finishing this.
J_ToSaveTheDay said:
I'm not the most knowledgeable or devoted kind of Spider-Man fan, but Spider-Man has been a lifelong positive presence in my life as one of my personal favorite superheroes. I didn't grow up following all of the comic book storylines with zeal and memorizing every little bit of trivia about the character, but there's almost always been some form of Spider-Man media entrenched in my brain as top-tier "comic book" content (although the vast majority of particular media wasn't literally in comic book form). From cartoon shows to mainstream movies to occasionally great video game adaptations, Spidey has always sort of represented an ideal of what a superhero ought to be in my mind. 2018's debut of Insomniac's take on the character and the mantle seemed to rearrange a lot of classic and storied elements of the character into an intoxicatingly appealing arrangement to Spidey fans like me, and that even included their unique take on the origins of the ever-rising newcomer to the mantle, Miles Morales. This game continues to demonstrate Insomniac's seemingly spot-on interpretation of the appeals of the Spider-Man mantle by bringing Miles to the main stage so quickly within their run with the franchise thus far, being only their second "full-fledged" (arguable based on the content breadth of this game compared to 2018) game to explore the character, and without at all upstaging the narrative stakes found in the original game. In fact, like every interpretation of Miles so far, he has taken clear inspiration from Peter Parker, but Insomniac arranges things brilliantly so that Miles can still have plenty of room to live out his own narrative arcs without living in Peter's shadow, despite their actual in-universe co-existence. Miles' own unique Venom and invisibility powers are explored in the gameplay in ways that I think make 2018's Spider-Man's base combat design even more satisfying and empowering to play around with; activities and skill arrangements are all streamlined in effective ways that make this brisker game move along more deftly through its paces. I actually prefer the flow of this game much more — side activities felt like they attempted to build out Miles and his supporting cast a lot more intimately, which as what I interpret as a "mainstream" Spidey piece of media, is greatly appreciated as Miles still fills out his place in common Spidey lore.
9. Astro's Playroom - 358 points
Plax said:
After Rescue Mission, I was very excited for another Astrobot entry. And while Playroom was far too short, I can't fault the game. It was a brilliant package and a great way to revisit the history of Playstation. As someone who doesn't really have any attachment to previous Sony consoles, I was surprised at how much I remembered and enjoyed of the PS1/PS2 throwbacks.
illmatic22 said:
The love letter to PlayStation that PSABR wishes it was. Astro pays homage to the hardware and games that made the PlayStation brand a hit. And it's also a great platformer. I'm kinda addicted to getting lower times in the time trials. Maybe someday the catchy GPU song will leave my brain.
10. Ori and the Will of the Wisps - 317 points
CJCW? said:
Easily up there among the best Metroidvanias ever made. It keeps what worked well in the last game, while actually addressing most of the problems that that one had. The visuals are, somehow, even better than the previous game's, especially in how backgrounds and foregrounds are rendered. The detail in some of the areas is hard to believe at times, and it seems like there's always something animating, and not just in the simple swaying of grass and various greenery (though there is plenty of that), but in very large-scale objects moving back and forth, like the water wheel turning on the west side of the map. The combat's been improved by focusing more on melee than the last game, while also giving a whole suite of abilities to choose from, allowing customization of your loadout and the kinds of attacks you feel best fit a situation, along with a weapon wheel that makes switching between them pretty easy. The platforming is noticeably tighter than last time, which is crucial in a game that often requires near-perfection to complete some of its sections. Speaking of which, that lessens some of the frustration with my least favorite parts from the last game, the chase sequences. They're still here, but much less frequent, requiring a bit less from the player in each instance. I came away from this entry feeling much less annoyed with them compared to last time, so I'll credit the devs for actually improving them here. The crown jewel of the game, though, is its map design. It's exactly the kind of map you want a game in the genre to have. It's simultaneously easy to wander around in and discover things off the expected path, while also being very clear where exactly you are in the world at a given point. This is made possible by the distinctness of each section's visuals, from the deep blues of the water-filled west end, to the darkened lower sections, to the brown desert in the east, so it's obvious where you generally are just by looking at the screen. The way that your abilities unlock new paths is typical of the average Metroidvania, but the way that they are often chained together as the game goes on, as well as just how good it feels to master them, is what sets Ori apart from the others. It's probably the genre's best when it comes to making movement feel exactly as it should. The game's only miss is that the story just isn't very interesting. I've heard others talk about how emotional it made them, but I honestly felt nothing when the game was over. Sure, the owl's cute, but when it was clear that I was expected to really feel for these furry little things, it just wasn't there. That aside, just about everything else here holds up its end of things, and I'm interested to see what Moon decides to do next, whether it's another Ori game or something else entirely.
JudgmentJay said:
At the beginning of 2020 I was certain that this would be my GOTY. In any other year it definitely could be. I love the original Ori and it sat on my top 10 GOAT list for a good while. Will of the Wisps retains the amazing art and soundtrack of the original while vastly improving the weakest area... the combat. Super fun game and one I see myself returning to from time to time.
11. Doom Eternal - 281 points
Blue Ninja said:
Like its predecessor, this game is a non-stop action rollercoaster. It drops the ball a few times, especially when it comes to some of its new enemy types, but it's still a great ride that will leave you with buttocks clenched and trigger finger aching.
12. Persona 5 Royal - 255 points
ClearMetal said:
The original was my GOTY 2017 so I knew it was going to be good. But could this re-release bring enough improvements to the table to justify playing it again? The answer is yes. Even outside the new story content there are a ton of small improvements under the hood that at the end of the day result in a markedly better experience than the original. Being able to vicariously experience the hustle and bustle of modern Tokyo just as the first COVID lockdown hit was an unexpected but very welcome bonus.
13. Yakuza: Like a Dragon - 254 points
ArkhamFantasy said:
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.
14. Half-Life: Alyx - 192 points
BlueBrand said:
Felt like I was playing a game from the future. While I have played games that do things better or give more options in the VR space, the care that has been put into every room, animation and character is amazing. I've never felt more disconnected from the real world than when i play this game. Can't wait to see more from the industry now that i've seen this. Don't sleep on the mods for this game either, there are some fantastic ones out there.
15. Cyberpunk 2077 - 186 points
Greebman said:
Cyberpunk 2077 is a messed up game that still manage to hook me in a way. The PR prior to release and the development itself couldn't have been handled worse. The game is buggy as hell and straight up unplayable on some platforms. Yet I had a good amount of dumb shallow fun with it. The character quests really managed to surprise me with how engaging they were. Couple that with the fact that I think the game looks incredible on PC with ray tracing on and I managed to have a decent time with it.
16. Resident Evil 3 Remake - 177 points
chief uhu said:
Never played the original, therefore, the cut content did not impact me. Just a fun experience with a great Jill Valentine. Probably my favorite Platinum Trophy, as well, because the game length encourages multiple playthroughs. Also, going around with a rocket launcher will never not be fun.
17. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout - 158 points
KenPokesBarbie said:
Talk about a game that came out of nowhere I had so much fun playing this game with friends such a simple concept that was done to perfection. One of my best gaming moments of the year was getting my first crown.
18. Streets of Rage 4 - 134 points
ghostcrew said:
I was so ready to case SoR4 onto the pile of 'why did you ruin this legacy'. But then I played it at EGX a couple of years ago and the demo piqued my interest. It... wasn't shit?! And then the game came out. And I loved it. It's such a triumph. How a studio has managed to drag something with such narrow scope into the modern era while giving it new gameplay but still retaining what it is that makes it 'it'. I have few bad words to say about Streets of Rage 4 and urge everyone to play it.
19. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 - 115 points
Hiraeth said:
Such a refreshing return to form from the Birdman after an extended low period for these games. Incredibly polished and thoughtful update of the classic games. Hoping this opens the door to more remastered entries in this series and paves the way for some new games in the franchise with this degree of care and attention.
20. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - 114 points
zashga said:
While I'd normally hesitate to place a remaster on my list, Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition is a surprisingly comprehensive improvement on a true classic. Significant work was put into the visuals and the all-time great soundtrack, and numerous quality of life improvements make the game signiciantly better to play. The all-new epilogue, Future Connected, is a substantial addition to the story and greater universe of Xenoblade, with new characters and a whole new region to explore.
