The Top 5 Games of 2020

So....this year has been interesting, hasn’t it fellow Otaku & Metalheads?

I’ve certain been through some stuff in recent memory, but nothing like a plague that kept me housebound & locked up my country. Coupled with ever increasing incompetence from 99% of the politicians in this country, it seems that things are going to continue to burn in the United States for quite some time. Luckily, I wasn’t completely bored, and had access to plenty of games to get me through 2020. Sadly, there’s not going to be a top 5 movies list this year, due to some very obvious reasons, but I do have a surprise to make up for this later this week. My top 5 albums list will come out next week, as some late comers will get released in just a few short days. In the meantime, here are what I think are the top 5 games of 2020, and what a bunch we have this year. Let’s begin!

(I didn’t realize it at first, but this year’s list is FPS filled again. A little bit more than 2019.....but that’s for the link at the end.)

5) Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare (Clip)

We begin with a game that I didn’t expect to enjoy as much as I have. After forgoing Black Ops 4 in 2018, I didn’t think I would return to the franchise because of my absolute loathing for what was basically a game that was just trying to leech off of fornite (Not gonna capitalize the F). Color me surprised when I found out that not only did this return to the series’s grittier days, it actually made me feel dirty doing some of the things it wanted me to do. Granted things were still over the top & action-oriented, but for the first time in bit I felt that this franchise got some bite back. Even the story & characters felt improved, and weren’t necessarily a collection of action movie cliches (As much as I like a lot of that stuff). Couple with a fun & expansive multiplayer, and a battle royale mode I actually had fun with, Modern Warfare is my sleeper title of the year.

4) Borderlands 3: Steam Version (Clip)

2 things. First, the Epic Game Store exclusivity for 6 months was absolutely stupid. It was done purely because of money, and for Randy Pitchford to look like he was fighting against the juggernaut that was Steam. Secondly, the storytelling was absolute garbage! Filled with more plotholes, inconveinences, awful new characters (For the most part) and watered-down versions of old characters (Again, for the most part), it actually made me apologize to B2 & TPS’s storytelling. That being said, it was definitely worth the wait for the Steam version of the game! Gunplay & firearms even more unique and varied than prior games (I still love the weapons & combat in B2, btw), worlds even more detailed than B2, and DLC that was just delightful, Borderlands 3 is sure to last me quite a while.

3) Serious Sam 4: Planet Badass (Clip)

This game is what BFE back in 2011 should have been!

That’s not to say it’s perfect, cause there are some issues. Not all of the jokes works, there is a bug or two, and while the horde system Croteam put in is cool, it’s not always used the way it should. Despite the issues, Planet Badass is a blast! Much like the criminally underrated Serious Sam 2, you go to a variety of locales to fight the forces of Mental, with a mix of old enemies & new foes composing said forces. Granted it’s similar to The Second Encounter in that you’re on Earth the entire time, but each locale feels unique & distinct from one another. You got a nice bevy of weapons & tool to use, and there’s also a light skill-based system that gives you small upgrades to your combat abilities. In an interesting twist, you also have side missions along to the main one of the level, and said missions get you access to certain items & weapons early. I can certainly see why people didn’t necessarily like the game when it first came out & still don’t like it today, but I can appreciate the charm that only Croteam can provide. It’s definitely not for everybody, but a trip or two to Planet Badass once in a while isn’t a bad thing.

2) Nekopara: Vol 4 (Clip)

Perhaps more than any other year, 2020 needed some warm & fuzzy games. Though Fall Guys definitely fits this, I haven’t had a chance to pick it up and play it yet. However, one other source of sunshine & happy came my way last week, and it’s one I’m quite thankful for. At this point, the Nekopara series practically lives on some of my lists, and I don’t care! With a simple world & story, along cute and easy to understand characters, and just a touch of ecchi (Uncensored versions keep the sex in), makes each entry quite a treat. Though I’m not finished with it yet, Volume 4 may be my favorite. The animation seemed to be improved slightly, as the movements come across as a little more fluid than before, and the backgrounds have just a hint more color than before. The voice acting is the same as ever, but that’s not an issue as it never came across as horrible in any way. With it’s cute charm, not to mention a fun and sexy undertone, Nekopara: Vol 4 is a nice getaway from the hellhole that is 2020!

Before we get to my number 1 this year, I wanted to talk about some honorable mentions. The two here are certainly an odd pairing, as they’re worlds apart in terms of gameplay. Anyways, here are 2020's honorable mentions in the world of gaming.

HM1) Chex Quest HD (Clip) 

So this one was a surprise!

I had actually heard about this one from time to time. I recall playing the original 2 episodes back in the mid/late 90s, and though I never played the 3rd episode from 2008, I somehow look back at it fondly. So when I downloaded this back in May (For free might I add), I was shocked by how fun it was. There are some slight issues, mainly being not being able to save & the movement is a little tanky, but it’s incredibly at just how good the game is. Harkening back to my childhood,
Team Chex Quest HD and Flight School Studio showed that they genuinely cared about the legacy that Chex Quest still has in 2020, and made a remaster that still has that original spirit. It may be on the short side, but for a free game, there are exceedingly worse options. Give it a go, and see what you think!

HM2) Mortal Shell (Clip)

Once again we got a game locked behind Epic Game Store exclusivity. Once again we have to wait for a game to come to Steam (1 whole year to be exact). That being said, I kind of understand the reasoning why this was done: Cold Symmetry is a smaller studio, and so Epic came to them with a deal to put their product on their platform, and I won’t completely pitch a fit over it. That being said, I loved everything I saw on Youtube about this game. Players are not wrong in saying that this game is a spiritual successor to the Dark Souls franchise, as it’s brooding & gothic atmosphere, not to mention the ambiguous storytelling as well as the brutal combat, harkens back to that classic franchise. It’s not quite as long as those 3 titles, and while it may need some DLC down the road to make things last longer, Mortal Shell more than lives up to the “Dark Souls-like” label it’s been given....and I look forward to play it next summer.

1) Doom: Eternal (Clip) & Doom 64 (Clip)

Doom 2016 was a beast of a game, and was also a massively needed shot of adrenaline to ID Software’s arm. It was bloody, brutal, metal, and a return to the FPS genre’s glory days......then Doom: Eternal smokes 2016 out of the water! With combat even more fast & vicious, weapons that pack more of a punch, demons that are even more violent than their 2016 counterparts, a world and story that expanded upon more, and a improved multiplayer (I never touched it. Only heard things about it), Doom: Eternal is a great example of a sequel that improves upon the original, and a FPS title that shouldn’t be missed by anyone interested in it. Simply put....damn good game!

And then there’s the curious side release that is Doom 64. A proper remaster, it just so happened to be done by Night Dive Studios, who were responsible for Blood: Fresh Supply from last year. After getting some buzz and backing in recent years, this oft-forgotten Doom entry is just delightful. Using an updated version of the original Doom engine, the remastering allows for improved lighting, sound, and graphics, and the transition to the PC is just fantastic. Up until this release, the only way PC players could enjoy this game was through console emulators & specifically engineered versions, but now people don’t have to worry about that. All in all, Doom 64 is also a nice throwback to FPS’s more simplistic days, and that’s a-okay in my book!

And those were my top 5 games of 2020 everybody. A nice selection if I say so myself, and one that I think you’d enjoy as well. See you all in a few days, when I’ll show you the top 5 albums of the year, but before that I got a holiday treat for you all. Can’t wait for that one!



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If you’d like to look at what I thought the best games were of last year, check out the link below:

Top 5 Games of 2019