Our Picks for the Top 10 Video Games of 2020

It has definitely been a crazy year with so many things happening in the video game world. Cyberpunk 2077 got delayed not once, not twice, not even three, but 4 times! When it finally released, it went…not great. Bots managed to snag nearly every PS5 in stock and Halo Infinite, which was supposed to be an Xbox Series X launch title isn’t coming out until Spring 2021. So as 2020 finally comes to an end, I thought it would be a good way to celebrate by ranking the top 10 games that (actually) came out in 2020! There were quite a few titles that were supposed to see their debut this year as well, however they didn’t make it, so we’ll also touch on those as they’ve definitely got some “top 10” potential. So..what are our picks for the top 10 video games of 2020? Let’s find out!

10. Final Fantasy VII Remake

Starting the list off, the long-awaited Final Fantasy VII Remake puts players back in the shoes of famed mercenary Cloud Strife. As the name suggests, it is a remake of the 1997 Final Fantasy VII game for the PlayStation. Currently boasting an 87% on Metacritic, the Final Fantasy VII Remake was definitely one of the top games of 2020.

9. Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War

Another year, another entry into the Call of Duty franchise. Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War is the 2020 entry into what is quite possibly the most popular video game franchise of all time. The ever-so popular battle royale mode, Warzone, was also merged from Modern Warfare into Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, boosting player numbers quite a bit. Cold War also reintroduced the popular Zombies game mode and it seems pretty good, which is clearly the most important aspect of any Black Ops game.

8. Fall Guys

As the battle royale genre was seemingly on its way out of the mainstream, Fall Guys Ultimate Knockout brought it back into the spotlight with an…interesting twist. In Fall Guys, you don’t actually aim to kill other players. Instead, your only goal is to make it to the end of the stage as fast as possible. Whether this means you push some people off the edge or try to slow them down, your only priority is to qualify for the next stage. It’s a very different take on a battle royale, but incredibly fun with friends.

7. Spider-Man Miles Morales

Okay, before you yell at me for putting this so “low” on the list, it is the top 10 games of 2020! Just because Spider-Man Miles Morales is at #7 doesn’t mean that it’s bad. It’s very good, but the reason I’m putting it at #7 is the same reason I’m not putting Destiny 2: Beyond Light on this list. It’s an expansion. Yes, it has its own brand new story with Miles “borrowing” the Spider-Man(tle) and yeah, he’s got his own abilities and play styles, it’s still essentially a remaster of, and expansion to, the original Spider-Man. Again, very good! Still just an expansion.

6. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the Assassin’s Creed game that every AC player thought they wanted. An Assassin’s Creed game revolving around Vikings, what sounds cooler than roaming the streets and fjords of Norway while stealthily taking out enemies one by one. There’s just one problem with this: stealth isn’t exactly something Vikings are known for. While stealth is still an option, it’s much more fun to go around wreaking havoc as a true Viking warrior. From what I’ve seen, the game looks great, albeit a bit buggy, but the only thing I really have to say about it is that it’s not really a true Assassin’s Creed game. Great Viking game? Sure. Not Assassin’s Creed though, at least not what I think of when I think Assassin’s Creed.

5.  Doom Eternal

The 2020 sequel to the 2016 id Software refresh of the classic Doom, Doom Eternal was one of the most anticipated games of early 2020 and boy did it deliver. With a solid 9/10 on Steam, players loved Doom Eternal. Many were expecting it to fall flat, because Doom 2016 was such a well designed game, expectations were high, but hopes were cautiously low given the track record for most sequel games. Luckily, the game was great and expectations were shattered, so who knows will there be a Doom 3? Doom Immortal maybe?

4. Valorant

Valorant is Riot Games’ new “Overwatch meets CS:GO” style hero shooter. With the combat emulating that of Counter Strike: Global Offensive and the playable characters reminiscent of those from Blizzard’s Overwatch, Valorant tore through the charts and it became one of the top esports games of 2020. With over nearly 3 million players logging in during the 2-month beta period, it’s been making headlines since before Day 1. It’s kind of hard not to put Valorant up here as one of the top games of 2020.

3. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Fans of the classic Nintendo franchise, Animal Crossing, have had nothing but positive things to say about the latest entry, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Except to maybe Tom Nook for being a greedy, bell-hoarding raccoon. One of the most family friendly games ever, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a casual life simulator game developed by Nintendo and the fifth entry into the Animal Crossing series. Released on March 20, 2020, right about the time when almost the entirety of the US was under lockdown, Animal Crossing saw huge numbers as families passed the time collecting bells to fork over to Tom Nook and completing various daily chores and tasks around town.

2. Ghost of Tsushima

PS4 exclusive, Ghost of Tsushima, was very close to winning Game of The Year at The Game Awards, but unfortunately was beaten by The Last of Us Part 2. While it didn’t officially win Game of the Year, it did win ‘Player’s Voice’ as voted by the public at The Game Awards. Ghost of Tsushima is a cinematic masterpiece set in 13th century Japan, following samurai warrior Jin Sakai on his journey to defend to protect his people and reclaim his home. Currently on Metacritic, the game has an overall 9.2 User Score and a Metascore of 83.

And at #1….

1. The Last of Us Part 2

Winner of Game of The Year at The Game Awards, Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part 2 really relies on its characters to drive the story, and the characters are a big highlight for many players. This game is narrative-heavy and you’ll either love it or hate it, though I would assume you know what you’re expecting when you pick up the game. While the game was definitely very controversial, it’s hard to argue with the fact that it won Game of The Year.

Well, there you have it, our list of the top games of 2020! While it was a rough year for games this year, there’s no doubt about it, we got some gems this year! Let me know what games you think should be here or what games should have been omitted.

Dishonorable Mentions

Of course I can’t write a list of the top 10 games of 2020 without mentioning some of the games that were supposed to be in our hands by now, but have been delayed for various reasons. These games include…

  • Halo InfiniteHalo Infinite was supposed to be an Xbox Series X launch title. Unfortunately, the timeline was shifted by almost a full year and will now be launching in Spring 2021 instead.
  • Deathloop – Bethesda’s new action-adventure, Deathloop, was set to release on PS5 and PC in 2020, but has been shifted to May 21, 2021.
  • Dying Light 2 – After an indefinite delay, Dying Light 2, the sequel to Techland’s 2015 hit Dying Light, was supposed to release in late 2020, but has been delayed again with a new date of release to be announced.
  • Cyberpunk 2077 – Okay, so this one’s weird. Cyberpunk 2077 actually did release in 2020, but the game has had one of, if not the worst launches in recent history. Yes, the game is currently unplayable on last-gen consoles. Yes, CD Projekt Red handled the entire thing poorly. Though if you can find it within yourself to look past these flaws..the game is actually pretty good. It’s the first RPG I’ve played in a little while and I’ve gotta be honest it feels good. The gunplay feels solid from what I’ve played and the choices you make feels like it really impacts the game, because it does! So yeah, it’s still on the list of top games of 2020, but I’m throwing it in the dishonorable mentions.

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