I always appreciate that there’s a compilation thread for various sites’ Best-Of lists, so I’m starting one for 2020. Feel free to put your own thoughts in here, or keep your powder dry for the Quarterlies.
I was thinking the other day how I usually read these year-end lists and end up with a ton of games I need to play that spill into the next year, especially indie games. But this time I’ve already played them all (aside from Doom Eternal, which I just started). So that makes it easy.
Yeah, the only game from either of those lists that I’ve played is Ori and the Will of the Wisp, which I played about half-way through. I was waiting for some audio bugs to be fixed so I put it aside, and I’ve yet to pick it up again, but it’s definitely wonderful so far. But I haven’t played any of the others.
I do have access to a few through Game Pass or my game libraries though. Like I own Hades, maybe it’s time to try that out.
I own Hades and stopped playing when I noticed how poorly the Switch runs it when there’s a busy screen. Maybe I’ll try again later.
I can’t play any of those PS4 games, not that I have any interest in Last of Us, but Spiderman looks fun.
I tried Ori 2 on a Gamepass trial. I loved the first game with a capital L, but I dropped the second game because it’s much more combat oriented than the first and that put me off.
I don’t even think I’ve heard heard of 20 or so of Slant’s list, while Time’s list seemed to be a popularity contest instead of a quality contest. I don’t have a preference for either list, but maybe I’m a bit surprised there’s no DOOM Eternal listed, even if I do consider a few aspects of it to be a step down (soundtrack, Maurauders, the final 2 maps and boss fights) compared to 2016’s. But it was still a great game.
I’m sorry, anyone that doesn’t have TLoU2 at the top of their list is wrong. There’s just nothing like it. Hades is just slightly more stylish than previous rogue-likes and for actual gameplay isn’t substantially different than Bastion. Also, Among Us is 100% the most talked-about/played/streamed game in the wider world and any list that doesn’t even include it (and to a lesser extent, Fall Guys) is just out of touch.
Factorio 1.0 was released this year and isn’t showing up on any of those lists. (Maybe @tomchick will review it now.) Also the final release of Black Mesa
And strange not to see Nioh 2, Ghosts of Tsushima, Fenix, CK3, and WD: Legion on any of those lists.
The Mashable list is looking pretty familiar. It does work in some Bugsnax.
I’m surprised by the showing that Ori and the Will of the Wisps is getting… I got the impression it was fine, but underwhelming. I guess I should give it a go?
Oh this will be handy and interesting! Actually managed to play a few 2020 games this year. Already seeing a bunch of games appearing in multiple lists that I hadn’t really heard of or paid much attention to.
Gacha games are video games that implement the gacha (capsule-toy vending machine) mechanic. This is somewhat similar to loot boxes, inducing players to spend in- game currency to receive a random virtual item.
Over the past month, the Polygon staff voted, debated, and resigned itself to the series of compromises that is our top 50 games of 2020. Any video games that were released in 2020, updated in 2020, or achieved renewed cultural relevance in 2020 are eligible for this list.
I guess that helps explain why the list makes no sense. I wonder why all the games are out of order though.
I think this is the first list I’ve seen so far with Hardspace: Shipbreaker on it. I think that’s still in Early Access, so it’s not out yet, but hey, it was pretty high on their list, so that’s a good sign. I’m looking forward to that one.
Is this your way of saying you don’t agree with their ranking, kerzain? Lucky that you get to make your own list for the much-vaunted Quarterlies!
Seemed like a pretty good list to me. I didn’t expect a free puzzle game (Helltaker) to be in the top 50, but that’s because I hadn’t heard of it. So now I’ll be giving it a try! And it reminded me just when I was trying to figure out what my youngest wants for Christmas that Mario Kart Home Circuit was out!
(Also, it doesn’t feel obliged to put the biggest-budget games at the top of the list.)