Despite the limitations brought about by the coronavirus, 2020 has already been an absolutely massive year for video games. In the short space of six months, fans have seen highly-anticipated sequels over 7 years in the making, a number of utterly breathtaking remakes, and the resurrection of franchises that many thought would never return. In short, to call the final stretch of this generation a memorable one would be a huge understatement.
Of course, there's already a whole host of new titles in the works for the second half of this year. Ghost of Tsushima is set to blow minds next month, Halo: Infinite will allegedly be landing with a bang on Xbox Series X, and, perhaps most excitingly, fans will finally get to jump into the world of Cyberpunk 2077 this November. However, even now, it's worth asking the million-dollar question. What games will be considered to take top billing for Game of the Year 2020, as released so far?
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
When it comes to games with a lot of fan expectations, very few can rival Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Not only was the new take on the iconic property re-imagining one of gaming's most beloved stories, but it also was in development for a significantly long time and the victim of several delays. There were a lot of fans assuming the worst for Square Enix's reimagining of Cloud Strife's seminal adventure, yet against all the odds, Final Fantasy 7 Remake turned out to be one of the most interesting, comprehensive, and surprisingly original remakes to date.
While many were concerned with the news that the game was aiming purely to recreate the Midgar section of the original game, it turned out that Square Enix was looking to fully flesh out the story of the original with new scenes, characters, mechanics, and more. In turn, Final Fantasy 7 Remake didn't feel like a dated game made to look like a modern release; it felt like a wholly new Final Fantasy title with a host of fresh surprises and some shockingly bold story decisions for players both new and old. On top of that, it has a deep, diverse, and multifaceted combat system that makes for spectacular boss fights, while its state of the art visual design made for some of the most gorgeous graphics ever featured in a video game. All in all, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is easily one of this year's very best offerings.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
With the coronavirus pandemic seeing many stuck at home with little to do, Animal Crossing: New Horizons quickly dominated the lives of thousands and became a multimedia sensation. It's not hard to see why either. The newest iteration of Nintendo's adorable life sim is easily the most well-imagined, ruthlessly addictive, and meticulously designed to date, with tons to do, loads to see, and a lot of good vibes to be had. Put simply, this is perhaps one of the Switch's most must-play exclusives, and seeing Nintendo's incredible output over the last few years, that's some hefty praise.
While Animal Crossing games have struggled in the past with a lack of things to do, New Horizons gives far more control to the player, with new options to terraform the island, construct buildings and pathways wherever they please, and even place items around their town for the first time ever. But, perhaps best of all, its new approach to multiplayer meant players could connect and share their creative endeavors with others at a time when many felt more isolated than ever. With new updates being added to the game frequently, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is easily one of 2020's most essential experiences and a game that's meant an awful lot to a great many people at a time when they needed it most.
Half-Life: Alyx
If fans were asked a year ago whether they ever thought Valve would release a new entry in its notorious Half-Life series, the vast majority would've laughed. The existence of Half-Life 3, after all, has remained one of the internet's biggest memes, with many assuming the story of Gordon Freeman and his sci-fi pals would forever remain unfinished. Then, Half-Life: Alyx came along, and in the space of a few months, the Half-Life community came back to life.
Not only is Alyx an exciting return to form for a series that many assumed would never see the light of day ever again, it's also easily one of the best VR titles ever conceived, with Valve showing it's still one of the most forward-thinking developers in the entire industry. From strong shooting mechanics and incredible environmental detail to some genius uses of VR's unique perspective and a supremely well-paced story, Half-Life: Alyx is easily a standout experience for 2020. Better yet, the game seems to hint that a more traditional Half-Life sequel could be on its way in the years to come.
Doom Eternal
While the Doom franchise took quite a few years to once again find its feet, the 2016 iteration of the franchise finally managed to make fans fall in love with the iconic FPS mainstay all over again. Launching earlier this year, Doom Eternal built upon the mechanics that made its predecessor such a rampant hit, in turn delivering a high-octane, balls to the wall shooter that managed to blend both the modern and the old-school to create one of the best entries the franchise has seen to date.
While many remarked that it was quite a different game to the title it superseded, Doom Eternal's slick, super crunchy gunplay is some of the most refined and unbelievably satisfying of any modern shooter this generation. Yet, despite being solely focused on combat, Eternal continues to make things feel fresh. The sheer selection of hard-hitting weaponry, variety of demons, and number of viscerally brutal finishing blows make for a title that allows players to approach situations in a number of different ways, with the results truly putting fans in the boots of the Doom Slayer. It's more challenging than its predecessor and definitely more story-focused, but it's hard to deny that Eternal is one of the best experiences 2020 has to offer.
The Last of Us 2
Without a doubt the most divisive game on this list, The Last of Us 2 has become one of the biggest talking points on the internet since its debut last week. While there'll be no spoilers here, its bold narrative decisions and grisly, dark tone has split the fanbase down the middle, with some denouncing it as Naughty Dog's biggest failure and others hailing it as potentially its best work to date. Regardless of where fans stand on the long-awaited sequel, it may just go down as one of this generation's most defining games.
After seven years of waiting, Naughty Dog has unleashed one of the most involving stories in years, with superb writing, amazing character work, and a focus on some deeply unsettling themes. Sure, some of its more shocking twists have led to some heated debates online and many have questioned its somber tone and strange structure, but it's hard to deny that Naughty Dog has crafted a compelling tale that prompts rampant discussion.
On top of that, this is easily one of the most visually striking games ever created, with incredible facial animations and environmental detail, while Naughty Dog has drastically improved the title's combat and stealth encounters to make for much stronger gameplay. While some might hate the game now, there's no denying that players will be still be talking about The Last of Us 2 for years to come, making it a shoe-in for a Game of the Year short list.