2020 will likely go down as one of the most interesting years in gaming in recent memory. Between the DMCA issues on Twitch, the raging lawsuit between Apple and Epic Games, and the severe shortage of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, it would likely be difficult for players to say that 2020 was a boring year for the gaming community.
While topics surrounding video games were interesting on their own, the games released in 2020 seemed to pack quite a punch as well. Players around the globe saw titles like The Last of Us 2, Ghost of Tsushima, Hades, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake dominate the topic of conversation when it came to The Game Awards. And while those games seem to be worthy of their recognition, they also seemed to overshadow the following titles that are deserving of a play through.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim made its debut outside of Japan in September of this year. The Vanillaware and Atlus joint combines both the visual novel and RTS genres in a near seamless fashion. While this in and of itself is quite a feat in gaming, it also manages to tell this fascinating tale of mechs, kaiju, and time travel through the eyes of 13 different protagonists who each have their own stories and perspective on the narrative’s events.
Many players that have played through 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim have championed the game’s English voice cast as well. Some actors included in this cast include Allegra Clark (Dorothea in Fire Emblem: Three Houses) as Iori Fuyusaka, Zach Aguilar (Tanjiro Kamado in Demon Slayer) as Keitaro Miura, and Veronica Taylor (Ash Ketchum in Pokemon) as Okino. Between these talented voice actors and many others, the story of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim shines with some calling it one of the best story experiences of the year.
Bloodroots is the latest game from indie developer Paper Cult and has been praised for its innovative gameplay. Players take on the role of Mister Wolf, a man who was left for dead and is now out seeking revenge against The Blood Beasts. In order to achieve this goal, players will need to learn how to avoid enemy attacks (as one hit will mean death) while mastering an assortment of odd weapons from carrots to a Chain Chomp-like grapple.
While Bloodroots isn’t a particularly long game, with some players finishing the main story in about 5 hours, one of the game’s biggest strengths is its replayability. Levels are structured in such a way that allows players to try levels over and over again in order to acquire higher rankings and earn bragging rights against friends.
While Desperados 3 is the third entry in the Desperados series, that doesn’t mean it’s rehashing of old ideas. Players will find that this game seems to do a brilliant job of combing old school tactical stealth mechanics with a gritty western aesthetic. Not only that, but Desperados 3 appears to give players an opportunity to experiment with their playstyle.
This idea of experimentation is exemplified by its save systems. Desperados 3 utilizes a unique saving mechanic that maintains the three most recent saves to give players an opportunity to go back and change decisions that were made. And for players concerned about trying to remember how long since their last save, Desperados 3 keeps a timer on screen that indicates when that last save occurred. Considering how truly difficult this game is, players will likely want to save frequently.
2020 saw Media Molecule’s Dreams finally exit early access. While it’s technically a video game, this title was created primarily to give players a way of learning how create their own games through a set of intuitive tools. Over the course of 2020, players saw a wide array of titles emerge from Dreams‘ toolset, such as original games and recreations of things like Disneyland attractions in VR.
Dreams also proved to be capable of more than just creating video games as well. Earlier this year, musical artist Noah Cyrus released a music video for her song ‘July’ which was created entirely in the PS4 title. So while Dreams may be intended for use in creating games, it seems that its creative potential is limitless.
For those wishing to pull off intense parkour maneuvers while slicing through enemies as a cyborg ninja, Ghostrunner may need to be given a closer look. The title from One More Level and 505 Games appears as if it was crafted with the express intent of creating a game that makes players feel like the coolest person that has ever existed. With a driving EDM soundtrack and immersive cyberpunk setting, it seem that Ghostrunner have succeeded in this task.
Perhaps the most difficult thing to overcome in this game is the combat. In Ghostrunner, both players and enemies die in a single hit. This causes many combat encounters to feel more like a puzzle game than a hack-and-slash like one may expect. However, thanks to instantaneous restarts and an array of unique abilities, players will likely experience a feeling of immense satisfaction when emerging triumphant over a particularly difficult encounter.
It seems like players are constantly seeking new ways of reliving the nostalgia of gaming generations gone by, and Easy Trigger Games’ Huntdown is one of 2020’s best ways of doing this. Inspired by games like Contra, this game is a throwback to the classic platforming shooter commonly found in the SNES era of gaming.
While Huntdown is quite difficult like many games from the time period it’s invoking, it also includes some innovations that make it a much more enjoyable experience to play. For example, players can find ways of using the level to their advantage, as they take cover in door ways or find ways of flanking their foes. Combine these new gameplay additions with the nostalgia of gaming systems past, and players have a game that seems to out-Contra the latest Contra game.
Players looking for a game with a message about relationships and inclusivity need not look farther than Ikenfell. This heartfelt turn-based tactical RPG stars Maritte, a girl in search of her sister after she doesn’t return home from school during summer break. Players will find a world teeming with magic as they explore Ikenfell and the woods that surround it, and along the way, new players will likely come to love the diverse cast of characters who have been praised for their inclusiveness when comes to people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
For players looking to explore the far reaches of space, Journey to the Savage Planet may be right up their alley. Players take on the role of a space-explorer for Kindred Aerospace, looking for a new planet for humanity to call home. While on its surface Journey to the Savage Planet may appear to be a No Man’s Sky clone, it provides players with an experience similar to that of a Metroidvania-style game with a bit of Borderlands-like humor mixed in at its heart.
Players looking for a Soulslike game but have yet to acquire a PS5 to play Demon’s Souls will likely want to check out Mortal Shell. While this title has some issues like incredibly slow combat and a sometimes dull aesthetic, critics have praised it for its innovations in this constantly growing subgenre. In particular, Mortal Shell players seem to enjoy the introduction of the Harden mechanic. This ability allows players to turn themselves to stone, blocking and negating incoming damage. This skill can be activated whenever players want (granted the cooldown timer has rundown).
Players can also change between different playstyles through the game’s Shell mechanic. Shells essentially operate like classes, with each Shell offering different advantages and disadvantages. For example, Eredrim is the most durable Shell but has very low stamina, making dodges incredibly difficult.
Finally, there is the newest game from Thunder Lotus games (known for Sundered and Jotun), Spiritfarer. This game follows the story of Stella and her faithful feline friend, Daffodil, as they take on the role as the newest Spiritfarer, ferrying souls to the afterlife. While this subject matter may seem dark and grim, Spiritfarer has been described as a “cozy management” sim and tackles topics like death in an emotional and relaxing experience.
Spiritfarer has received many positive reviews from both critics and players alike, with some nominating it as one of their favorite games of the year. And with it being available on all systems including Google Stadia and Xbox Game Pass, players have every opportunity to check it out.
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