2020 may not have been an excellent year for most forms of media but it was a wonderful year for the gaming industry. Due to the fact that gaming has an almost entirely digital production process the lockdowns only slowed production down as opposed to halting it entirely. Some genuinely phenomenal games released this year really pushed the limitations of the hardware available and created fresh exciting experiences for gamers all over.
Cyberpunk 2077
This game was hyped up to be one of the greatest games of all time. It got so hyped up that there was no way that it would ever meet expectations. Pair that with a buggy release that was essentially unrunnable on older hardware and you had a game that disappointed many people. With all of that being said it is still a fantastic game with compelling gameplay and a phenomenal story that had me on the edge of my seat.
Spider-Man Miles Morales
Following up what was widely considered to be the best Spider-Man game to be made is no easy feat. Luckily Insomniac Games had a sturdy foundation to build off of while developing Miles Morales. The game itself is very similar to its predecessor and even reuses the same map and many animations. The gameplay changes that are present do make up for this and create a very satisfying flow to combat. The story is also very nice, but a little fast-paced.
Doom Eternal
The first thing that jumped out at me with this game was how difficult it was. The game was extremely challenging out of the gate and really pushed me to be more creative and smart with how I tackled the countless encounters in the game. There was also a greater variety of gameplay compared to the first game and it helped keep the experience fresh and engaging. I don’t have any real criticism of the game.
Ghost of Tsushima
When I first purchased this game I was stunned. The visuals are stylistic and gorgeous and the gameplay is extremely smooth and satisfying. Every encounter in the game manages to make you feel like the coolest samurai in town. The story itself is also fantastic and more than once I found myself holding my breath in anticipation of what was going to happen next. The phenomenal gameplay, stunning visuals, expertly crafted open-world, and gripping story set Ghost of Tsushima above the rest.
