The Best Games Of 2020

Half-Life is back, and it is breathtaking in all its VR glory. Set five years before the events of Half-Life 2, Half-Life: Alyx features many familiar locations like City 17 and Combine facilities, as well as the ghastly alien creatures threatening humanity. All of this is beautifully rendered in VR, offering levels of immersion that push the boundaries of the medium. 

You play not as the ubiquitous Gordon Freeman, but his collaborator, Alyx Vance. Alyx and her father, Eli, are founding members of the human resistance pushing back against the Combine collective following the Black Mesa incident.

Half-Life: Alyx is VR only, and, despite one of two gameplay hiccups, the physics and environment detail are stunning. This is no blocky, jerky virtual reality game where you struggle with the interface. In Alyx, you can see the dirt under the protagonist's fingernails, and when you sweep your hand over a table, everything topples to the ground. It's small elements like this that make this game a benchmark for the future of virtual reality.

Despite the glowing reviews and critical acclaim, some gamers have reported playing Half-Life: Alyx makes them physically ill. Motion sickness is a problem that 40 to 70 percent of VR users reportedly face, so bear this in mind before loading into this hyper-realistic world.

A game about escaping to a deserted island and setting up a personal paradise is particularly apt in these times of social distancing. The bright colors and cartoon figures of Animal Crossing: New Horizons also add a child-like simplicity to this incredibly addictive and utterly delightful game, creating just the right kind of foil for these troubled times. This is also the first full Animal Crossing game in HD, and it is a visual treat.

The basic gameplay centered on setting up a home in the wilderness remains the same, but New Horizons takes place on a deserted island. Otherwise, the low-pressure, open-ended, exploration-based gaming is familiar. Tom Nook, the ambitious tanuki, is there to welcome you, plus an entire cast of anthropomorphic animals that eventually form your community. 

The playable character is a customizable human who fills their days settling into the island, exploring, and making friends. From selling creepy-crawlies to pay for your house, to planting trees and decorating your living space with bugs and shells, there's plenty to keep you occupied. New Horizons also introduces a new DIY crafting system packed with recipes for wearables, housewares, and tools, making this one of the franchise's best installments.

Is it a game? Is it a collaborative platform? Is it an animation or music studio? Is it a development tool? Dreams is an outrageous and inspired piece of software that IGN's Simon Cardy likened to a "Mary Poppinsesque bottomless bag of creativity." Essentially, this title is one step up from the possibilities developer Media Molecule presented in its previous PlayStation game, LittleBigPlanet, which allowed players to design and share new adventures. 

Dreams expands on this concept, letting you create to your heart's content — not just games, but music, art, films, or anything in between. You can then share your creations with the Dreamiverse community. Alternatively, you can choose to play one of the the hundreds of player-created games of every conceivable genre.

Could Dreams usher in a new era of gaming? Thanks to Media Molecule, anyone can be a game developer without investing in expensive equipment or training. With new games releasing on to the Dreamiverse every day, at the very least, Dreams offers a whole new gaming experience. So far, both players and critics are loving it.

That Final Fantasy 7 still holds a place in the hearts of gamers over two decades after release is a testament to its masterful storytelling. While the essential elements of the plot remain the same, the remake is a breathtaking blend of narrative prowess and modern gaming technology. Exploring details of characters and locations in ways that were not previously possible, Final Fantasy 7 Remake offers a fresh look and experience. 

Don't expect an easy stroll though Midgar, as the combat is fairly challenging. The cinematic cutscenes are stunning, and Square Enix has reimagined many familiar environments. You'll also discover never-before-seen side missions, new characters that add color and depth to the tale, plus a deeper look at the personal stories of some of the main cast. Whether you were a fan of the original game or not, Final Fantasy 7 Remake stands on its own as a superlative title.

Huntdown is that throwback to the old-timey arcade shooter you didn't know you wanted. Non-stop mayhem, breathless motion, and level after level of bad guys to shoot down — all of these elements combine to make this side-scroller a delight. The setting is a cyberpunk-themed 16-bit landscape that brings just the right dash of retro, with an original soundtrack to set the mood. Huntdown was the first title to be published by the Swedish developer-turned-publisher Coffee Stain Studios.

The gameplay is not rocket science for anyone used to 2D shooters. Playing as one of three different characters, you are tasked with cleansing the streets of an '80s-style gangster-run city. There are lots of baddies to shoot, plenty of weapons to be acquired, unlimited ammo, and some bosses to take down. It's not easy and it gets progressively more difficult, but after some time, your character picks up some neat skills and more weapons, too.

The key to survival is to keep moving, running, jumping, and taking cover as you plow through your enemies. And there's even more to it than that, like secret stashes and Easter eggs to find, and a co-op mode to team up with friends.

For these reasons and more, Huntdown definitely earns a spot on this list.

You could call Streets of Rage 4 a tribute, or you could call it — as IGN did — "a faithful revival of the classic arcade beat-'em-ups." Either way, it's about time, as more than a quarter of a century has passed since Sega's iconic beat-em-up trilogy last graced our gaming screens. Developed by Dotemi, Guard Crush Games, and Lizardcube, old-timers will be delighted to see Blaze and Axel back, but with some new moves, a few new friends and foes, updated game mechanics, brand new cityscapes, and the familiar '90s EDM soundtrack.

The basic storyline of Street of Rage 4 involves keeping the city from falling into the evil clutches of the Y twins. There are multiple modes, such as Story, Arcade, Boss Rush, and more. And you can play by yourself or with friends — up to four players locally or two online.

Overall, Streets of Rage 4 is a visual treat, a rush of nostalgia, and loads of fun. If you're in the mood for something a little more old-school, it appears 2020 now has something that'll scratch that itch.

A quartet of space dwarves on the rampage, unending hordes of alien monsters to blow up, and a suitably grubby hangout with plenty of beer — what's not to love? Deep Rock Galactic is a co-op shooter that some are calling the best on the market. Superlatives apart, it straddles the gritty and grimy along with the cheesy and hilarious with great aplomb.

Deep Rock Galactic, according to IGN, puts you to work for a dubious space mining company in the subterranean tunnels of the planet Hoxxas. However, the gameplay is not all hacking and slashing rocks and enemies. You must solve tactical puzzles, mine some rare ores, and steal an artifact or two. Each dwarf protagonist has their own special strengths, and there is plenty of scope for development.

As PC Gamer puts it, "Deep Rock Galactic is as much a game about learning the hard way and reaping the rewards as it is about dislodging alien terra firma," and that's true whether you're playing alone or with friends. If you're looking to be regaled with humor, action, atmosphere, and explosions, Deep Rock Galactic is something worth checking out in 2020.

Despite appearances, much of what goes into building a successful racing career happens behind the scenes. F1 2020, the official game of the Formula One World Championship, appears to be the most accurate and comprehensive representation of the complex processes behind building a champion.

As PC Gamer reports, the new My Team mode allows you to take on the role of driver–manager, create your team, and craft your racing empire from the ground up. You can choose a sponsor, select a logo and team colors, pick an engine supplier, hire staff and teammates, build your own facilities, and more. F1 2020 allows you to micro-manage just about every aspect of your career. Or not. There's always the Career mode for those more interested in the guts and glory, where you have 10 years to reach the pinnacle of the sport.

On top of all that, Codemasters added new difficulty levels and playing modes, and there is something for everyone, whether you're a veteran on the virtual F1 circuit or a newbie taking your first wobbles. The game includes all the official teams and drivers from the 2020 F1 championship, as well as content from the 2019 F2. In addition, players have access to 16 classic cars, two new circuits (Hanoi and Zandvoort), and novel mechanics to make driving more realistic. There is an online multiplayer mode, and split-screen racing makes a comeback after almost 15 years.

There is plenty to cheer about for F1 2020, according to reviews. If you're a racing fan, that makes it a 2020 title worth checking out.

There aren't a lot of games like Microsoft Flight Simulator. It might sound cliched, but it's probably a bit more apt to call it an "experience." This is a game that allows you to take to the skies in a variety of aircrafts, flying over any spot on a remarkably modeled planet Earth. VG247 says it is "obsessed with authenticity, but also embraces accessibility." It's a game that is so close to the real thing that there are more than a few stories out there of people flying actual planes after only training in this game.

Microsoft Flight Simulator boasts "37 thousand airports, 2 million cities, 1.5 billion buildings" and what seems to be a totally authentic model of the world to explore. You could fly over the grand canyon, then take a pleasure trip over Singapore. Visit the Pyramids, then the fjords of Scandinavia. It allows almost unprecedented freedom, and allows you to do it all yourself or let the AI do most of the flying while you sit back and take in the sights.

Microsoft has promised years of updates to Microsoft Flight Simulator, and it's available through Xbox Game Pass. Yes, please.

The very concept of Monster Train is inherently silly and awesome. You are in control of a train full of, you guessed it, monsters, hurtling through Hell and fending off attacks from a variety of heavenly beings. Rather than a beat-'em-up style action game, Monster Train borrows heavily from titles like Slay the Spire. As you progress and win battles, you add cards to your deck, hopefully building a synergistic masterpiece that smashes enemies with ease. If not, well, there's always another run waiting.

There are tons of ways to play and build viable decks, with multiple clans that each draw from different card pools, dozens of artifacts, and a variety of routes to move your train down as it hurtles through enemies. Few games manage to capture the "one more round" aspect that has made Civilization an icon of PC gaming, but Monster Train and its deckbuilder, roguelite brethren may have toppled even that series in the world of "oops, I accidentally stayed up all night" genre.

Self-referential humor can be a tricky beast — it's very easy to get too cute and fall into the realm of cringe. That goes tenfold for video games, where repeating a section might mean repeating a joke, and that rarely gets a second laugh. That said, genuinely funny games are a wonderful thing, and Lair of the Clockwork God is exactly that. On top of that, it's also a pretty fun genre mashup.

Lair of the Clockwork God is made by the same indie team that created Ben There, Dan That and Time Gentlemen, Please. It features two characters who are stuck in opposite genres — one a point-and-click adventure, and the other a platformer. You can switch between the characters and will have to make use of both their skill sets in order to succeed.

It's a lot, and it would fall flat on its face if it weren't so funny and clever. It references many other titles, repeatedly breaks the fourth wall, and will make you laugh out loud more than you thought a video game could. It's ridiculous in all the best ways, and definitely one to check out.

If you want to go a bit more relaxing and introspective than most modern games, Spiritfarer may be a bit more your speed. This beautiful indie title sees you take over for the mythological figure Charon as the new "spiritfarer." Your job: to transport the souls of the recently deceased to the afterlife.

Of course, most of these spirits are adorable animals that you get to know and form friendships with. This makes it pretty tough to let some of them go when you reach the Everdoor. It can be tough to let your friends go, but you've got a job to do. A big part of that job is, apparently, building a giant shantytown of a boat and talking to all your new friends with your pet cat.

Equal parts charming life sim and quiet meditation on death and loss, Spiritfarer has its wonderful art style and soundtrack bolstered by its thoughtful writing. For a game all about death, Spiritfarer does a pretty good job of making you feel warm and safe.

The original Risk of Rain is a beloved 2-D platformer that ticked a lot of indie boxes: retro graphics, procedurally generated roguelite, tough as nails. You'd think a sequel would look at least moderately similar. In the case of Risk of Rain 2, you'd be wrong ... at first.

Looking at screenshots of the two games, you'd be hard-pressed to identify them as in the same series. Risk of Rain 2 is a 3-D, third-person shooter with a much more realistic (well, alien planets, laser swords, and massive firepower aside) aesthetic and "modern" look. However, after playing the two of them, it isn't hard to identify why this was the direction Hopoo Games took the sequel.

It's still a procedurally generated roguelite, tasking you to max out your weapons and damage as you battle insane odds and huge bosses. It's still about adapting your strategy when things get hairy, and it's still about, occasionally, dying before you even have time to process what happened. It's still Risk of Rain. And that means it's still a really great game. It's also one of those games where you'll have no idea where the time went when you decide to eventually set it down.