The Best Video Games of 2020: GoC’s Favorite Titles of The Year
2020 has been a challenge for many of our favorite past times. This year has seen unprecedented damage to the entertainment industry, but there is hope for the future for sports, television, and movies. However, this year has shown us that there is an industry see an unusual bump in sales, and that is video games. Video games made a lot of money this year – $180 billion dollars (yes, with a B) in revenue during a pandemic. Crazy!
This year saw a relentless amount of game delays as developers switched to working from home. Even with fewer titles, more people picked up a controller for the first time, more people connected with old friends, and more people found the joy of gaming. Many of this year’s joy came from multiplayer, social and party games such as Among Us, Animal Crossing, and Fall Guys. However, those amazing games weren’t the only reason to get excited this year. 2020 saw the launch of new home consoles from Microsoft and Sony, The Bugsnax theme song played in our collective heads for months on end, Naughty Dog dropped another masterpiece, and most importantly, Miles Morales got to star in his own damn video game!
So, without further ado here are our favourite titles of 2020 (in no particular order).
Apex Legends
Apex Legends is a free-to-play first-person hero shooter battle royale game developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. Since its release in 2019, Apex Legends has continued to elevate their game with each passing season. This year we got season 4-7 which gave us a slew of new characters like Revenant, Loba, Rampart and most recently joining the crew is Horizon. We can’t wait to see what they do with the game in 2021.
Ghost Of Tsushima
It is a no brainer to find Sucker Punch Productions’ Ghost of Tsushima make our Best Video Games of 2020 list. For those unfamiliar with Sucker Punch Productions, they are responsible for games like Infamous which solidified itself as one of the best games in PlayStation history. Knowing that, one would have high expectations for Ghost of Tsushima, and we at Geeks of Color can confidently say they knocked it out of the park. The game is very impressive on PS4, but it is elevated exponentially on PS5. To take something that was already visually stunning and have it reach new heights is incredible. Whichever console you use, you are in for a treat.
Bugsnax
Bugsnax is an adventure video game developed by independent game studio Young Horses. In the game, players explore a mysterious island and attempt to find and capture the eponymous half-bug-half-snack creatures. We didn’t expect this game to be on the list, but you know what? It deserves it.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Miles Morales has a small role in the 2018 Spider-Man game and it was just the beginning of a grand adventure yet to be told. The sequel game is raises the bar to new heights. Running at a tighter runtime, Spider-Man: Miles Morales is an engaging ride from beginning to end. An incredibly spectacular cast and great surprises cements Miles Morales as one of the best games of the year. The emotional highs exceed Peter’s adventure making Miles a hero worthy of the Spider-Man mantle. We were fortunate to review the game for both PS4 and PS5, check them out.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Let’s be honest for a moment, Nintendo saved 2020. When we were all losing our sanity in quarantine Animal Crossing became our refuge for much-needed joy. Escaping to an island filled with quirky characters was great therapy, but the biggest achievement for Nintendo and New Horizons was the countless first-time gamers they brought into the fold. At the height of the lockdown Twitter, talk shows, streams, and celebrities showed off their islands. Yes, we were isolated and alone, but Animal Crossing helped us all be together.
The Last of Us Part II
There is no question that Naughty Dog is the gold standard. The level of production in their games grows with each release and The Last of Us Part II is no exception. Everything is exceptional – the animation, sound design, environments, motion capture, performance, storytelling, all of it. Each part comes together to make their brutal apocalyptic world beautiful. Naughty Dog brings some heavy themes to the table, you may need to take a walk and get some air between chapters. However, the ride (if you’re open to it) is as good as this industry gets. Sidenote: Troy Baker thinks Josh Brolin would be perfect for the live-action series of ‘The Last of Us’ which was green lit at HBO.
Ikenfell
Not only is Ikenfell one of the best games of 2020, it also has one of the best gaming tracks of the year. Fans of turn-based RPGs rejoice! We’ve got another classic. Bright, colorful, cute, impactful, and inclusive, Ikenfell is everything you’d want in an old school RPG. The magical school is a backdrop for growth, challenges, and magical battles for one of the most diverse character groups in modern gaming. Hand Happy Ray Games a trophy for excellence in representation; the seamless way it shines a light on its cast is incredibly memorable. If you are a fan of Steven Universe, then we 100% recommend this game.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars
Individually Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy are must-have games for any Nintendo fan. However, together in one package, Super Mario 3D All-Stars, makes this a must buy. The game will leave store shelves and digital shops in 2021, so hurry and grab this one before it goes down the warp pipe. Each title is foundational to the platform genre and offers hours of fun innovative gameplay. Wah! Yah! Wooo Whoo!
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
The challenge of a Ninja Warrior course and the hilarious BS of a Mario Party…that’s the multiplayer pain Mediatonic has unleashed on us! If you haven’t heard the name Fall Guys then let us help guide you. Fall Guys took the PC and PlayStation world by storm this summer when it dropped Ultimate Knock. It’s part game show, part luck, part skill, all community. What’s truly exciting is how much this game will grow. The developers have been great at implementing community feedback so far. The addictive gameplay, challenge, humor, and ease of expansion will keep it in rotation for years to come.
Among Us
A million followers isn’t cool. You know what’s cool? Half a billion followers! That’s the kind of monthly active users Among Us is bringing in. Taking over Twitch, YouTube, and Streamer’s entire content strategy Among Us is here to stay. You’ve got to appreciate an indie developer that can find this kind of success. Cheers to the OG InnerSloth team (of 3!!) for sticking with it and making a June 2018 game a juggernaut in 2020. Should this game be on a 2020 list? Maybe not, but 2020 is for discovering gems like this.
Star Wars: Squadrons
Star Wars is everywhere, and we can’t get enough of it. While Star Wars reigns supreme in film and TV, we luckily also have games to immerse ourselves in too. This ship focused title rewards you the longer you play. Star Wars: Squadrons’ best experience comes in VR but is fun to play however you find it. Crossplay with PC, Xbox, and PlayStation is a real bonus for filling your squad with friends and ace pilots. Whether you play on the light or dark side the multiplayer of Squadrons is a carefully crafted recreation in a galaxy far far away.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light
More of the same is never a bad thing especially when “the same” plays as smoothly as Destiny. Destiny 2 is comfort food, just like World of Warcraft before it. The grind is still there but it has never looked better. 60FPS (120 for Crucible), FOV slider, in 4K on next-gen consoles…*triple chef’s kiss*. It’s a great game to jump in with friends because it’s free to play on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation plus all the expansions come packed with Xbox Game Pass. You’ve got no excuse, Guardian. Let’s grind some pinnacle drops.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is platforming perfection. The care and love placed into the world of Ori is a work of art. Your favorite rabbit Stich-looking monkey creature is back in a bigger adventure with new powers, friends and balance in a fresh beautiful landscape. Ori looks like a painting and is a joy to play from beginning to end. Get the tissues ready because this one is also packed with feels.
Population: ONE
Yes, we got some VR games on the Best Video Games of 2020 list! With the ongoing pandemic there has been a significant rise in Virtual Reality which we fully support. Why go outside when you can be on a beach in paris from the safety of your home? One of the games we dug into this year was BigBox VR’s Population: ONE. The game is a Battle Royale VR game and with Apex Legends on our list you shouldn’t be surprised. It’s like Fortnite meets the real world.
The game delivers an unparalleled vertical freedom and mobility with its unique vertical combat system. You can fly through the map to rain down bullets from above. Climb anything you see to gain the high ground advantage. Build strategic cover to protect your squad and use your environment to fight anywhere. I think it will have a big 2021 with more people looking to VR to help get them through the rest of this pandemic.
Star Wars Tales of Galaxy’s Edge
If we are going to bring VR onto the list, it is then a no-brainer to have Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge on the list. From the team over at ILMxLAB it is by far one of the most immersive and fun games to play on VR. This game is the follow up their critically acclaimed Vader Immortal Series. Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge is an action-adventure experience where you travel to the planet Batuu and get caught up in your own unforgettable story. Check out our review here.
Honorable Mentions:
Shout out to all the quarantine games we checked out for the first time in 2020. Let us raise a glass to the games that didn’t make our list, but are just as great. Control, A Hat in Time, The Messenger, Knights and Bikes, A Short Hike, Kentucky Route Zero, Rad, Owlboy, Telling Lies, War Groove, Tomb Toad, DeltaRune, and Cross Code. These titles are all rad for various reasons.
