GOTY 2020
If you're reading this, you managed to make it through 2020. It was a tough year that I don't think any of us will ever forget, but there's absolutely never been a better time to be a game-playing hermit.
10. Ghost of Tsushima
War Crime of the Year - Presented by Spec Ops: The Line
This game leans hard into its gorgeous art direction from second one - and yet somehow manages to maintain a solid framerate even with hills of rolling grass and a constant torrent of cherry blossom particles covering the screen. This game does suffer a bit from the open-world endless checklist problem, but the parry-focused combat makes it a mostly enjoyable ride. The story is a bit hit-and-miss, but it is buoyed by its secondary characters.
9. Spiritfarer
Sweetest Hug
If you'll allow me to get serious for a moment in this dumb list, 2020 has been a hard year for nearly everyone. I had to attend multiple [virtual and/or socially-distanced outdoor] funerals this year (all non-COVID related deaths), including funerals for my last two living grandparents. Saying goodbye is hard, but it's also a necessary and unavoidable part of life.
OK. I swear that's the last serious portion of this list.
8. Crusader Kings III
Best Regicide
I briefly dipped my toe into Crusader Kings II and found it to be pretty impenetrable, but Crusader Kings III does a great job of easing the learning curve with a massively improved UI and other smart improvements that help point you towards possibilities. Blackmailing your niece into assassinating your second-cousin has never been easier or more fun!
7. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
Best Appearance of Bob Burnquist
I spent a ton of time playing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 back in the day (as well as in more recent years), and this back-to-basics remaster/remake immediately hit upon those same vibes. It's great to see the Hawkman return to form after unfortunate missteps like THPS HD and THPS 5, and I hope that we see more, both classic levels and original.
6. Persona 5 Royal
Best Cat - Presented by "Get the hell off of my island, Tabby!"
I didn't play the original P5 release, so this was a fresh experience for me, and I really enjoyed diving into the role of Phantom Thief of Hearts. It may not quite be the best story (Persona 3) or best characters (Persona 4) in the franchise, but they're still top tier anime nonsense along with the most refined and engaging iteration of the series' combat and dungeon crawling. Makoto best girl.
5. Final Fantasy VII Remake
Sequel of the Year
By all accounts, a game as oft delayed and overhyped as this should've been a disaster, but fortunately, Cyberpunk 2077 stepped in front of that bullet.
With lessons learned from FFXV, this game's real-time combat managed to turn out extremely well. The focus on Midgar and further development of characters like Jesse also really helped to make this game feel fresh and revitalizing as opposed to what could've been a soulless retread. I'm sure some of the most diehard fans aren't thrilled by the way things conclude, but I for one am excited about the possibilities of what may come in future chapters (fingers crossed that we see it within this decade).
4. Monster Train
Podcast Game of the Year
I know a lot of people will disagree, but for me personally, this surpassed Slay the Spire as my favorite deck-builder. I found mixing and matching different clans, champions, and artifacts to be almost endlessly enjoyable. I can't wait for the upcoming DLC to hit so that I have a good excuse to play more.
3. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Best Missile Barrage
A sci-fi story about teenage mecha pilots nearly as convoluted as Evangelion that actually ends up mostly making sense. I do think the onion has one too many layers as it were, but in spite of that stumble across the finish line, I still enjoyed the narrative for the twist-a-minute popcorn flick that it is. I also ended up really digging the methodically paced pseudo-RTS gameplay, enough so that I kept playing even after getting the platinum. Godspeed to all you yakisoba pan angels out there.
2. Yakuza 7
Best Pepper Grinder
What began as an April Fool's joke turned out to be a great reinvigoration of the Yakuza franchise. There's plenty of room for improvement in the new turn-based combat system, but I had a ton of fun experimenting with the variety of jobs and unleashing the fury of my soup-making, donation-taking, diaper-wearing Poundmates.
The fanservice (including an essentially literal passing of the torch) was a little unnecessary, but that aside, I thought the story and characters represented the typical Yakuza blend of hard-boiled crime drama and wacky hijinx pretty well. Ichiban! (Well...#2)
1. Hades
Best Hell
I really can't say much that others haven't already said in so many better written lists. The mesh of well written narrative and fine tuned live-die-repeat gameplay has set a new high bar for roguelites. The now standard Supergiant touchstones of insane polish, great voice acting, and stellar soundtrack are also all in full effect here.
