The 10 Best Video Games of 2020 - Time Magazine

The 10 Best Video Games of 2020 · 10. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 · 9. Fall Guys · 8. Microsoft Flight Simulator · 7. Call of Duty: Warzone · 6. Ori ... Tech VideoGames The10BestVideoGamesof2020 The10BestVideoGamesof2020 Clockwisefromtopleft:MicrosoftFlightSimulator;AnimalCrossing;TheLastofUsPartII;SpiderMan:MilesMorales Microsoft;Nintendo;Playstation(2) By PatrickLucasAustin , ElianaDockterman , PeterAllenClark and AlexFitzpatrick November20,20209:43AMEST Inabizarre,unsettling,andoftentimesdownrightfrighteningyear,videogamesbecameaportofrefugeformany—betheylongtimegamers,old-schoolveteranspickingthecontrollerbackupafterabreak,orfirst-timerslookingforanovelwaytosafelyhavefunorconnectwithfriendsduringpandemiclockdowns.It’sasmallblessing,then,thatitwasalsoabanneryearforexcellentgamestoplay.HereareTIME’sbestvideogamesof2020,accordingtoourgroupofresidentgamers.AlsoreadTIME’slistsofthe10bestfictionbooksof2020andthe100must-readbooksof2020.10.TonyHawk’sProSkater1+2 Nostalgiaisbigbusinessrightnow,butreworkingoldjoyrarelydeliversthatoriginalthrill.EnterTonyHawk’sProSkater1+2.Againstallodds,thisremakerecapturesthemagicoftheseearlyaughtsskateboardinggameswhilerefreshingthemformodernconsolesandaudiences.Playingthesegamesunlockslong-forgottenmusclememory,thehungerforhighscoresandtheitchtojumponaskateboard—nottomentioncomfortduringadifficultyear.—PeterAllenClark AvailableonPlayStation,XboxandPC9.FallGuys WhathappenswhenyoucombinetheminigamemaniaofMarioPartywiththebattleroyale,lose-and-you’re-outpressureofFortnite?FallGuys,that’swhat.Itsdelightfullysimplemultiplayermayhemwasawelcomereprieveduringourpandemicsummer,andthefactthatplayersoftenneedtocooperatetosecureindividualvictorybeliesadeepermessagethanitscartoonishstylingsmightsuggest.Moreover,likeAnimalCrossing,it’sawelcomerepudiationoftheideathatgamesneedtobehardtobeenjoyable—theyneedonlybefun.—AlexFitzpatrickAvailableonPlayStationandPC8.MicrosoftFlightSimulator Microsoft’sFlightSimulatorserieshasbeenthedefinitivevirtualpilotingexperiencefornearly40years,inspiringmanyplayerstopursuereal-worldflighttrainingwhileofferingatasteoftheskiestocountlessmore.Thelatestentrantintheseriescontinuesthatproudtradition,combiningtrue-to-lifeflightphysics,downrightgorgeousgraphicsandthemostrealisticfacsimileofplanetEarthtoevergraceavideogameforamust-playexperience.Challengeyourselftosomeofthehardestcommercialjettakeoffsorlandingstheworldhastooffer,orputt-puttoveryourhometowninaslow-movingCub,marvelingattheview—thechoiceisyours.—AlexFitzpatrickAvailableonPC;anXboxversionisindevelopment7.CallofDuty:Warzone Afreeadd-onto2019’sCallofDuty:ModernWarfare,WarzoneisaFortnite-stylebattleroyaleshooter,withjustenoughoriginalideastofeelfresh.MostFortnitecloneshavecomeupshort,butWarzone’ssystems,strategiesandprogressionsprovideddozensanddozensofhoursofdistractionasweadjustedtospendingmoretimeathomeduringlockdown.AnddeveloperInfinityWardhascontinuedtosupporttheexperiencewithrobustseasons,mapchangesandnewwaystoplaythisintense,addictivegame.—PeterAllenClarkAvailableonPlayStation,XboxandPC6.OriandtheWilloftheWisps Themuch-anticipatedsequeltoMoonStudios’OriandtheBlindForestdoesexactlywhatasequelshould,buildingonitspredecessor’sfoundationtocreateamorecomplex,morecolorfulandbiggerworld.Inthegame’sprelude,Oriandahostofotheradorablecharactersadoptandraiseababyowl.ButtragedystrikeswhenOriandthebabybirdareseparated.Theplayerthentraversesagorgeously-renderedlandscapeandsolvesaseriesofwickedlittlepuzzlesinaheart-wrenchingreunificationquest.Thesheerscaleofthegamecomparedtoitspredecessormeanssomedetailsgetlostinthemix,liketheplayereasilymissingsomeimportantskills.Butthechallengesdemandcreativityandthebackdropinspiresawe.—ElianaDockterman AvailableonNintendoSwitch,Xbox,PC5.AnimalCrossing:NewHorizons Theunofficialgameofspringtimepandemiclockdowns,AnimalCrossing:NewHorizonsisthelatestentryinNintendo’slong-runninglifesimulatorfranchise.Thistime,you’redroppedonanislandwhereyou(andafewanthropomorphicanimalresidents)setouttoconstructacommunity—andpayoffyourdebttothecheeseparingcapitalistraccoon-dogthatbroughtyouthere.Whenyou’renotbuildingitemsforyourhome,youcanenjoyNewHorizons’hugecommunityofplayerspartying,playingtheturnip-powered“stalkmarket,”andevenhostingtalkshowsallontheirowncustom-madevirtualislands.—PatrickLucasAustinAvailableonNintendoSwitch4.AmongUs DeceptionisthenameofthegameinAmongUs,akindofdigitalClueinwhichyou’retaskedwith“sussing”outtheimpostoronyourstarship.Someplayers,called“Crewmates,”areassignedtominigame-stylerepairjobsaroundtheship,whilethe“Impostor”setsouttoquietlydisruptandkilltheCrewmates.Suspiciousofsomeone?CallameetingtodiscusswhomightbeanImpostor,thenvotetothrowthemintothecoldvacuumofspace—justbecareful,becauseyoucouldbewrong.AmongUs’childish,hand-drawnlooksandPG-ratedviolenceevokeearlywebgames,anditsspikeinpopularityamongyoungergamershasledhigh-profilefigureslikeU.S.congresswomanAlexandriaOcasio-Corteztousethegameasaplatformtomeetvoterswherethey’reat.Partsocialdeduction,partmobrule,AmongUsmayhavebeenreleasedbackin2018,butit’snowonderwhyit’sfoundwidespreadpopularitythisyear.—PatrickLucasAustinAvailableoniOS,Android,PC3.LastofUsPartII Thepost-apocalypticTheLastofUsPartIItakesalotofbigswingsthatwillsurprise,frustrateandevenenragemanyplayers—buttheyarethought-provokingrisks.ThesequelfollowsEllie,allgrownupandstillimmunetothevirusthathastransformedmuchofhumanityintozombies,asshestruggleswiththeconsequencesofamorallydubiousdecisionmadebyherfatherfigureJoelinthefirstgame.Ellieisoftenonherown,whichisashamesincecreatorNaughtyDoghashistoricallyexcelledatbuildingrelationshipsthroughbanterinbothTheLastofUsandtheUnchartedseries.Butherlonelinessservesagreaterstory:asEllieloseshumanconnectionandbecomesobsessedwithvengeance,herenemiessimultaneouslyevolveintomorehumanfigures.Withsympathiesdivided,theplayerisfacedwithaseriesofdevastatingmoralquandaries.Theendwillsitwithyouformonths,ifnotyears,tocome.—ElianaDockterman AvailableonPlayStation2.Spider-Man:MilesMorales WhenyouthinkofSpider-Man,youmightbethinkingofanerdywhiteguycalledPeterParker.Butthere’sasecondwebslingerinNewYork,andthistimehe’sgrabbingthemicandtakingcenterstage.Spider-Man:MilesMoralesexpandsonthe2018hitSpider-Man,puttingyouintheshoesofthetitularBlack-PuertoRicanteenafterhemovesfromBrooklyntoHarlem,protectingthecitywhilehismentorisonvacation.ThegamecapturesthefeelingofzippingfrombuildingtobuildingandfightingcriminalsinawinteryNewYorkasMoralesnavigatestheheartbreakofanevolvingfriendship,hisrelationshipwithhismother,andhisnewmandatetokeepHarlem(andtherestofthecity)safefromevildoers.—PatrickLucasAustinAvailableonPlayStation1.Hades So-called“Rogue-like”games,whichfocusondifficulty,replayabilityandrepeateddeaths,havebeeninvogueforthepastdecade,butHadesmarksthesub-genre’shighestpeakyet.Inthisspectacularrun-basedgame,playerstakeontheroleofHades’sonZagreusasheattemptstoescapetheGreekunderworld,battlingnotableheroesandreceivingsupportfromthewholeofthePantheon.Theartisstellar,thevariedcombatisdelightfulandtheprogressionsystemsareinspired.Hadesreinventshowastorycanunfoldinagamemeanttobeplayedoverandoveragain.—PeterAllenClarkAvailableonNintendoSwitch,MacOS,andPCReadtherestofTIME’sbest-of2020coverage:The10BestFictionBooksof2020The10BestNonfictionBooksof2020The10BestYAandChildren’sBooksof2020The100Must-ReadBooksof2020The10BestMoviesof2020The10BestMoviePerformancesof2020The10BestTVShowsof2020The10BestAlbumsof2020The10BestSongsof2020The10BestPodcastsof2020Correction,November21TheoriginalversionofthisstorymisstatedtheavailabilityofHades.ItisavailableonNintendoSwitch,MacOS,andPC,notPlayStationandXbox. 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