Welcome to the third PC Gaming MetaCouncil GOTY (Games of the Year) awards! The main award focuses on PC games which we deem GOTY worthy. This year, it was also possible to vote for the best Ongoing game, the best Early Access game, the best VR game, and the most disappointing game. So, sit back and relax while you check out the results.
The tie-breaker consists in focusing on votes which include at least two of the tied games.
This tie-breaker worked at positions 3-4 and at positions 6-7. There are ties at other positions nonetheless.
Nobody has submitted the final top 5 as the 5 choices.
Wok was allowed to vote in this poll.
Here are the top 10 Games of the Year!
fantomena said:
A masterpiece of a game, loved it so much Im heavily considering a second playthrough sometime in the future which I rarely do these days. Valve really did a great job on this one.
Can catch head crabs in buckets with my real arms, then attempt to wear said bucket hat with head crab and pull the pin on a grenade and throw it up inside of my head bucket crab.
Half-Life: Alyx not only manages to live up to the Half-Life name after all of these years, but does so as a groundbreaking VR game. This is the culmination of years of VR design iteration, and it'll be studied for years to come.
The clear winner in a relatively weak year for PC games. Groundbreaking presentation of setting and story, fantastic visuals, novel gameplay concepts, novel input method, and somehow still a well-balanced and fun game despite breaking new ground in so many areas.
Half-Life: Alyx was an experience in the fullest sense of the word, and one that has surpassed most if not all the games I have played. Of course a large part of that is coming from the Virtual Reality medium itself, that is able to convey so much more than has ever been possible in video games. Combined with the legacy of Half-Life, seeing it transform into VR and how that adaptation is realised, is just awesome. And even putting aside all this, the game itself is a joy. The icing on the cake, is somehow having a narrative that fulfils the over a decade wait for Half-Life's continuation - something it does with utter aplomb and clearly defines the series further. I couldn't ask for a better GOTY, especially as this is so much more than that. And is if all that wasn't enough; if anyone needed a way to justify the existence of VR, this discussion is now over.
An absolutely stunning game, not only the best VR game at the moment and a huge step for this media but also a worthy new entry of this beloved saga. Not everyone will be able to play this title and it's really sad, but trust me when I say that Half-Life only returns when it can change something, amazing characters, really interesting story-line, visually spectacular and the care they put in this game sure is noticeable, seriously, what an amazing game, not only my 2020 GOTY but also my new favorite HL game and one of my favorite games of the generation.
Valve is back, baby! And they're bringing their A game. This game... Is just mind-boggling in how amazing an experience it is. The visuals are the nicest I've ever experienced up-close, the immersion level is unparalleled & the gameplay mechanics and the polish of it all is sodding excellent. This game made me feel excitement for videogames as a medium in a way I haven't felt in well over a decade. HL:A has gotten me excited about gaming again whilst also earning extreme amounts of respect for Valve as a developer. I can't overstate what a joy it is to experience, and the writing, sound design, aesthetic, visual direction & graphics quality is all of the utmost quality and it is, without a doubt, my game of the fucking decade. And the exciting plot & twists and turns only make it that much better.
The game is slick and a complete package. The combat feels good and controls really well, the amount of lore/story bits and voice acting you uncover as you go is amazing, probably the best narrative for a roguelite so far... it all fits together very well and forms something great.
Hades is the ultimate example of a run-based game that somehow manages to get both combat and story to be integral to the player experience. Without the motley cast of Gods and friends that you meet, the superb combat might get a bit dull, and without the superb combat, finding out the story for so many characters might not be worth the investment. Supergiant manage to miraculously do both here and the game shines for it. Everyone should play Hades and enjoy the ride.
The action is incredibly satisfying, trying out fun builds is easy, you get a lot of control over random elements, the voice acting and music is superb, it's pleasant to look at, and there's just a ton to do, see and hear. Hades is a remarkably well-rounded game, but if at its core it wasn't also such an intense joy to play, a lot of those other elements would wear off over time. So, given that Hades is a most potent cocktail of gamey fun then, it is both my favorite game this year and likely among the brightest experiences I will have had with the medium for many more years to come.
Hades nails the 'rogue-lite'/progression balance perfectly, even for those like me who tend to be terrible at such games - and manages to incorporate a compelling story as well. I've loved each of Supergiant's games, but this is their best yet - a near-perfect creation.
Supergiant more or less achieved one of their ambitious goal, which was that each run would be worth it in some way. Incredibly generous content, stellar art direction and solid writing.
When I first saw that the game could be turn based instead of the typical brawler gameplay I wasn't sure if it could work, plus a new protagonist and a different city made me doubt a bit if it could be a worth entry to the series. I'm glad to be wrong in this case so I can say with no doubt that Yakuza: Like a Dragon is my favorite entry so far. It's a totally different protagonist with a particular way to see the world and while he shares some similarities with Kazuma Kiryu, Ichiban still manages to be original. RGG Studio did an incredible job in this game so it wins as my favorite game from this whole year.
I don't know how RGG Studio did it, but Yakuza: Like a Dragon, the first game of theirs using a brand new combat system and a new character is a masterpiece. An incredible story with great setpieces, a class system that makes you want to try and experiment, solid mini-games, super funny substories and most important - one of the best parties in JRPGs, ever. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is definitely the best game I played this year.
This is the first Yakuza game I've played, but it's an instant hit. The characters are so infectiously likeable and they nailed the game as a love letter to Dragon Quest. A AAA JRPG and my favorite of the year.
I love the Yakuza games and Kazama Kiryu, to have a game not only with an entirely new main character and cast, but a new city and COMBAT STYLE?! Then not only that, but to absolutely nail it? Incredible. One of the best JRPGs I have ever played, and definitely one of thhe best Yakuza games.
I honestly didn't like the idea of a turn based Yakuza game and I still do want the old beat em up style to return (new and improved with more defensive options a la Sleeping Dogs, just without the Batman style win button counter skill, the Yakuza brawler system had not really evolved significantly since the PS2 days sadly), whether in this or a new series or one off games. Hell, I primarily bought this game for access to Virtua Fighter 5 FS and Virtua Fighter 2(.1) myself. It turns out it's actually the best JRPG in ages, certainly the most successful in bringing the genre to a modernized urban setting (Square-Enix/FFXV eat your heart out) and it now stands tall as my Steam GOTY. The main story is a seriously cool crime drama throwing new twists at just the right pace, often when you think you're reaching the end of the line but it turns out you aren't, the side content can often be hilarious, most of the primary characters are actually pretty great (though I do think the party members introduced later in the game don't give you enough to warm up to them in the same way, they should have been participating more gradually throughout the game perhaps) and even the combat system is actually very deep and fun to use. You could say most of the content could have been included in a traditional Yakuza game but the party dynamic is awesome and it'd be hard to include everyone in the same way. Granted just because I call it the best JRPG you shouldn't expect it to be a super polished AAA production, Yakuza will never have the budget of a mainline Final Fantasy game, for obvious reasons. To get around that they do creative compromises like having a few different types of cut scenes based on their importance, some are voiced with dynamic direction, others are still with text only, there are different dialogue styles as well and even the motion captured sequences are often a little bit off like they were acted by the development staff with no time to clean up the animations for the game. Still, for all this content it's easy to forgive and overall the game is super charming. Tl;DR, buy it, you won't regret it!
Hands down, even if I haven't finished it, it has grabbed me like no other game has and it's just not letting go despite it depressing the hell out of me sometimes. The city is one of the most mind-boggling backdrops to a game I've ever seen and even if it isn't fully realized in that systemic way I so love, there is enough hand-crafted content, enough surprises that it feels alive all the same. The variety in builds and play-styles is also really appealing, even if it's not as stark as I would have preferred. This game already delivers on a crapton of ideas and dreams, and while it doesn't reach the mark every time, it still stands as something truly special and unique, even for all its flaws. The sometimes adolescent tone is more than offset by the moments of humanity and soul it portrays, in the end in my opinion delivering on the promise of a Cyberpunk experience and world.
Despite the technical flaws of this game, it finally brought a fully realized Cyberpunk world to me in the form of a CRPG. The quests and writing were extremely enjoyable and I really grew to care about the characters throughout the course of the game. This is definitely a game I'll be revisiting after patches and potential DLC. I finally made it to the big leagues.
Despite the bugs, this game just sucks you into its world and its stories. It mixes gameplay elements we've seen over the last decades but the result is just very well done.
Despite all the problems, the game is fantastic, I can't describe without spoiling something, and is better to people to go into this game blind, because every corner you turn something interesting happens, the city and the people who live in it it's something above everything done by now in a game.
Despite the bugs, this has been the best experience for me this year. It has incorporated nearly everything I want in a game. Its got the good story, unique side missions. Gigs that allow you to approach in stealth, cyber or combat. weapon/character customizations. An amazing city that still after 70hours and more makes my jaw drop. Definitely not a perfect game.
Can a game be considered as the best a year had to offer, if it has been released in a bad state? Been thinking about this question for a long time and I say: Yes, if the things it is doing well stand out. I'd even go further and say that Cyberpunk is not in a catastrophic state on PC in the first place, though it lacks polish. In the end, CP 2077 does two things that I dreamed about for a long time: It is not afraid of utilizing PC hardware to the extreme, just like Crysis, Quake and Doom did beforehand. More importantly it took the gameplay from one of the best games ever created: Deus Ex and brought it into modern gaming. Combine that with well written side characters, a good story and an amazingly crafted open world. Yes, it is an extraordinary project. If only the developers were not ignorant to the plights of the trans community.
The perfect game to end the generation as it has a little bit of everything from games you have played over the past 7 years. There is a little bit of Far Cry, GTA, Witcher, Skyrim, Shadow Warrior, Deus Ex etc. So many great side characters and stories. The artists and designers at CDPR made this look like such a cool game. Everything feels authentic, next gen and dense unlike most open world games these days that have nothing but empty fields or 1 story buildings in them. I don't think we will see other devs in the industry attempt to make something like this for a long time so hopefully CDPR provide great post launch support.
If you hadn't gathered by my avatar and the fact that my top two 2020 games are from this series, I'm a big Persona fanboy. Persona 4 is my favourite in the series (and all-time favourite game), and Golden's gameplay enhancements make it the best version of one of the greatest JRPGs ever made. Some of the new content with Marie feels shoehorned in, but you can actually ignore all of that and erase her from history if you want, giving you a flavour of the game that more closely resembles the original Persona 4. Additionally, the game is now playable in a decent resolution on your TV, monitor, or any other device that a PC comes in. I've played this game on a big TV, a Surface Pro 6 and streamed it to a LINX Vision tablet since it released on PC, and that's part of the joy of having my all-time favourite game on my all-time favourite platform. Persona 4 can be played everywhere, forever, and I can't aptly describe how happy that makes me. For that alone Persona 4 is, for the third time, my Game of the Year.
A fantastic and immersive story riche game, got me playing for 4 straight hours. The soundtracks are one of the best i heard in video games. The gameplay alternating between dungeon crawling and social simulator with time management is surprinsingly fun. The only negative point is the story is kind of obvious, didn't take me more than a few hours to guess the ending. P4G is my PC GOTY for the content it offers despite the few small flaws.
One of my top 10 games of all time, P4G is just special. The setting, characters and music make you never want to leave Inaba. By the end you feel like you made actual friends and solved a supernatural serial murder case with them.
DOOM Eternal is the rare sequel that manages to improve on nearly everything when compared to the previous game, which is a truly astounding achievement here, considering that the 2016 title was already an awesome experience.
Despite rage quiting this initially, once I got the hang of it, I really cant think of a better FPS game at all. It just feels so smooth to play, the combat and guns feel so good, it looks amazing and the soundtrack is awesome.
My short impression of the game is based on the first playthrough done on Nightmare difficulty. Doom Eternal managed to do something that a few games have for me since Devil May Cry 3... to actually want to get good at the game. It also the only game to give me one hell of an adrenaline rush throughout its entire campaign. And with Part 1 of the DLC also being released this year, it's proven to me that the combat they've created in Eternal can be pushed even further. Can't wait to see what Hugo and his team do in Part 2!
The best mechanic and gameplay in an FPS I've ever played so far. Doom Eternal fast paced gameplay encourage you to stay on the move, prioritizing targets and make quick decisions on the fly. Higher difficulty is very rewarding, with graphics and optimization on PC that is second to none. Backing all of that is the best soundtrack you can imagine for this kind of game. It's my GotY for 2020.
Just a very unique video game from the master Kojima. Loved the crazy plot, the world building, the game mechanics, the look of it. Not played a game like it before and that is a difficult thing to achieve these days.
Much-needed experimentation in the AAA that blows the lid on what gameplay can be. Not perfect, see bikes, but overall a great achievement that delivers a tranquil and well-paced experience like none other.
A phenomenal presentation with breathtaking nordic, vistas, a perfect jukebox soundtrack. A plot that's never takes itself too seriously, but still brings on the feels with great ease. A typical Kojima game, in all its glory and silliness. I loved my time playing package delivery person, and I love how Kojima can design games that are just effortlessly fun. I believe the themes and topics of Death Stranding, of isolation and a hero whose greatest power is to build bridges between people is immensely topical in 2020. This is easily the best game of Kojima since Metal Gear 2 and the best game of 2020 for me.
The sequel to one of the best games ever had one of the highest mountains to overcome given that most of what made CK2 great was how it evolved from a more standarized Grand Strategy game at launch into a more traditional tabletop rpg with each expansion, adding more interesting mechanics along the way. Everyone feared a lot of those additions would be stripped in the new game, to be put in place later on with expansion, but except for some of them (such as republics), most are in the game at launch, in a better more seemless package. That would be enough to put it as a GOTY contender, but the game also made it way easier for newer players to pick it up and play and made the role playing element more crucial and interesting, making it perhaps, as good as CK2 (full content) right now.
Grand strategy at its finest, cutting up the fat the previous one had due to years and years of aged mechanics on top of new dlc that added a lot of needless clog. The game just feels like an overall improvement over 2, which was already a great game.
1 | Half-Life: Alyx (appID: 126098, released on Mar 23, 2020)
2 | Hades (appID: 113112, released on Sep 17, 2020)
3 | Yakuza: Like a Dragon (appID: 36550, released on Nov 10, 2020)
4 | Ori and the Will of the Wisps (appID: 37001, released on Mar 11, 2020)
5 | Cyberpunk 2077 (appID: 1877, released on Dec 10, 2020)
6 | Persona 4 Golden (appID: 2985, released on Jun 13, 2020)
7 | DOOM Eternal (appID: 103298, released on Mar 20, 2020)
8 | Death Stranding (appID: 19564, released on Jul 14, 2020)
9 | Crusader Kings III (appID: 124954, released on Sep 01, 2020)
10 | Monster Train (appID: 129483, released on May 21, 2020)
11 | Streets of Rage 4 (appID: 107262, released on Apr 30, 2020)
12 | Black Mesa (appID: 6739, released on Mar 06, 2020)
12 | Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition (appID: 72870, released on Aug 07, 2020)
14 | Control: Ultimate Edition (appID: 136604, released on Aug 27, 2020)
15 | Genshin Impact (appID: 119277, released on Sep 28, 2020)
15 | Spelunky 2 (appID: 75239, released on Sep 29, 2020)
17 | Paradise Killer (appID: 127816, released on Sep 04, 2020)
17 | Spiritfarer (appID: 119304, released on Aug 18, 2020)
19 | Factorio (appID: 7046, released on Aug 14, 2020)
20 | Outer Wilds (appID: 11737, released on May 28, 2019)
20 | XCOM: Chimera Squad (appID: 132139, released on Apr 24, 2020)
22 | Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin (appID: 36595, released on Nov 10, 2020)
22 | Tell Me Why (appID: 125628, released on Aug 27, 2020)
24 | Command & Conquer Remastered Collection (appID: 112104, released on Jun 05, 2020)
24 | Wasteland 3 (appID: 24863, released on Aug 28, 2020)
26 | Resident Evil 3 (appID: 115115, released on Apr 03, 2020)
27 | Noita (appID: 52006, released on Oct 15, 2020)
28 | Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (appID: 119313, released on Aug 04, 2020)
28 | Microsoft Flight Simulator (appID: 119295, released on Aug 18, 2020)
30 | There Is No Game : Wrong Dimension (appID: 132907, released on Aug 06, 2020)
30 | Trials of Mana (appID: 119391, released on Apr 24, 2020)
32 | Star Wars: Squadrons (appID: 134706, released on Oct 02, 2020)
33 | Immortals Fenyx Rising (appID: 119357, released on Dec 03, 2020)
33 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III (appID: 26564, released on Mar 23, 2020)
33 | Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 (appID: 133887, released on Sep 04, 2020)
36 | Deep Rock Galactic (appID: 27134, released on May 13, 2020)
36 | Ghostrunner (appID: 121752, released on Oct 27, 2020)
36 | Risk of Rain 2 (appID: 28512, released on Mar 28, 2019)
36 | Serious Sam 4 (appID: 27011, released on Sep 25, 2020)
36 | Umurangi Generation (appID: 131631, released on May 19, 2020)
41 | Desperados III (appID: 107218, released on Jun 16, 2020)
41 | Fae Tactics (appID: 26268, released on Jul 31, 2020)
41 | Halo: The Master Chief Collection (appID: 7348, released on Dec 03, 2019)
41 | Nexomon: Extinction (appID: 133905, released on Aug 28, 2020)
41 | OMORI (appID: 26673, released on Dec 25, 2020)
41 | Sam & Max: Save the World (appID: 140878, released on Dec 02, 2020)
47 | Mafia: Definitive Edition (appID: 134070, released on Sep 25, 2020)
47 | The Wonderful 101: Remastered (appID: 129240, released on May 22, 2020)
49 | Beyond a Steel Sky (appID: 116634, released on Jul 16, 2020)
49 | Post Void (appID: 133149, released on Aug 06, 2020)
51 | A Monster's Expedition (appID: 131845, released on Sep 10, 2020)
51 | Röki (appID: 28528, released on Jul 23, 2020)
51 | The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki (appID: 23322, released on Jun 13, 2013)
54 | Carto (appID: 101448, released on Oct 27, 2020)
54 | Depanneur Nocturne (appID: Steam Store, released on 2020-May-26)
54 | Embracelet (appID: 136409, released on Sep 24, 2020)
54 | Hellpoint (appID: 36476, released on Jul 30, 2020)
54 | In Other Waters (appID: 86504, released on Apr 03, 2020)
54 | Kentucky Route Zero (appID: 5614, released on Jan 07, 2013)
54 | Manifold Garden (appID: 13621, released on Oct 18, 2019)
54 | Merchant of the Skies (appID: 116056, released on Apr 17, 2020)
54 | One Step From Eden (appID: 111717, released on Mar 26, 2020)
54 | Phantasy Star Online 2 (appID: 513, released on May 27, 2020)
54 | Shantae and the Seven Sirens (appID: 116589, released on May 28, 2020)
54 | Supraland Crash (appID: Steam Store, released on 2020-Jul-03)
54 | The Room VR: A Dark Matter (appID: 123991, released on Mar 26, 2020)
54 | Titanfall 2 (appID: 17447, released on Oct 28, 2016)
54 | Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth (appID: 26834, released on Jan 23, 2020)
69 | Alwa's Legacy (appID: 125277, released on Jun 17, 2020)
69 | Amazing Cultivation Simulator (appID: 127939, released on Nov 25, 2020)
69 | Assassin's Creed Valhalla (appID: 133004, released on Nov 10, 2020)
69 | Azur Lane: Crosswave (appID: 109475, released on Feb 13, 2020)
69 | Borderlands 3 (appID: 19164, released on Sep 13, 2019)
69 | Carrion (appID: 90055, released on Jul 23, 2020)
69 | Cats Organized Neatly (appID: 139601, released on Oct 12, 2020)
69 | Chronicon (appID: 35130, released on Jul 28, 2015)
69 | Cloudpunk (appID: 111837, released on Apr 23, 2020)
69 | Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! (appID: 121500, released on Oct 14, 2020)
69 | Creeper World 4 (appID: 77752, released on Dec 03, 2020)
69 | DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT (appID: 114009, released on Jan 17, 2020)
69 | Filament (appID: 121885, released on Apr 23, 2020)
69 | Gears 5 - Hivebusters (appID: 140517, released on Dec 15, 2020)
69 | Haven (appID: 115427, released on Dec 03, 2020)
69 | Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.8 Matsuribayashi (appID: 132344, released on May 14, 2020)
69 | Inmost (appID: 107187, released on Aug 21, 2020)
69 | Iron Harvest (appID: 25581, released on Sep 01, 2020)
69 | Journey (appID: 1352, released on Jun 06, 2019)
69 | Kingdom Rush Vengeance (appID: 111393, released on Oct 15, 2020)
69 | LUNA: The Shadow Dust (appID: 56463, released on Feb 13, 2020)
69 | Lair of the Clockwork God (appID: 117058, released on Feb 21, 2020)
69 | Lightmatter (appID: 113150, released on Jan 15, 2020)
69 | Marco & The Galaxy Dragon (appID: 128160, released on Feb 28, 2020)
69 | Meteorfall: Krumit's Tale (appID: 98379, released on Jul 23, 2020)
69 | Monster Hunter: World - Iceborne (appID: 113344, released on Jan 09, 2020)
69 | Mortal Shell (appID: 132050, released on Aug 18, 2020)
69 | Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord (appID: 9608, released on Mar 30, 2020)
69 | Murder by Numbers (appID: 123902, released on Mar 06, 2020)
69 | Necrobarista (appID: 26870, released on Jul 22, 2020)
69 | Phasmophobia (appID: 132516, released on Sep 18, 2020)
69 | Prodeus (appID: 112613, released on Nov 10, 2020)
69 | Ring of Pain (appID: 115036, released on Oct 15, 2020)
69 | Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate (appID: 19460, released on Dec 03, 2020)
69 | Signs of the Sojourner (appID: 118603, released on May 14, 2020)
69 | The Last Campfire (appID: 113115, released on Aug 27, 2020)
69 | The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners (appID: 105416, released on Jan 23, 2020)
69 | Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception (appID: 13548, released on Jan 23, 2020)
69 | WHAT THE GOLF? (appID: 87983, released on Oct 22, 2020)
69 | Wattam (appID: 28818, released on Dec 18, 2020)
69 | What Comes After (appID: Steam Store, released on 2020-Nov-05)
69 | art of rally (appID: 118607, released on Sep 23, 2020)
Ongoing Game of the Year Votes
1 | No Man's Sky (appID: 3225, released on Aug 12, 2016) with #votes = 8
2 | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (appID: 1372, released on Aug 21, 2012) with #votes = 5
2 | Terraria (appID: 1879, released on May 16, 2011) with #votes = 5
4 | Apex Legends: Season 7 (appID: 140448, released on Nov 04, 2020) with #votes = 4
5 | FINAL FANTASY XIV Online (appID: 386, released on Aug 27, 2013) with #votes = 3
5 | Halo: The Master Chief Collection (appID: 7348, released on Dec 03, 2019) with #votes = 3
7 | Deep Rock Galactic (appID: 27134, released on May 13, 2020) with #votes = 2
7 | Destiny 2 (appID: 25657, released on Oct 24, 2017) with #votes = 2
7 | Monster Hunter: World - Iceborne (appID: 113344, released on Jan 09, 2020) with #votes = 2
7 | RimWorld: Royalty (appID: 131676, released on Feb 24, 2020) with #votes = 2
7 | Rocket League (appID: 11198, released on Jul 07, 2015) with #votes = 2
12 | Among Us (appID: 111469, released on Jun 15, 2018) with #vote = 1
12 | BallisticNG (appID: 32640, released on Dec 14, 2018) with #vote = 1
12 | Battle Brothers (appID: 14394, released on Mar 24, 2017) with #vote = 1
12 | Control: Ultimate Edition (appID: 136604, released on Aug 27, 2020) with #vote = 1
12 | Cyberpunk 2077 (appID: 1877, released on Dec 10, 2020) with #vote = 1
12 | Disco Elysium (appID: 26472, released on Oct 15, 2019) with #vote = 1
12 | Dying Light: Hellraid (appID: 138379, released on Aug 13, 2020) with #vote = 1
12 | Escape From Tarkov (appID: 15536, released on Aug 04, 2016) with #vote = 1
12 | Factorio (appID: 7046, released on Aug 14, 2020) with #vote = 1
12 | Fallout 76: Wastelanders (appID: 132141, released on Apr 14, 2020) with #vote = 1
12 | Gears 5 - Hivebusters (appID: 140517, released on Dec 15, 2020) with #vote = 1
12 | Hearts of Iron IV (appID: 15894, released on Jun 06, 2016) with #vote = 1
12 | Minecraft (appID: 135400, released on Sep 20, 2017) with #vote = 1
12 | Mini Metro (appID: 7767, released on Nov 06, 2015) with #vote = 1
12 | Pistol Whip (appID: 119341, released on Nov 07, 2019) with #vote = 1
12 | Raft (appID: 27082, released on May 23, 2018) with #vote = 1
12 | Remnant: From the Ashes - Subject 2923 (appID: 134829, released on Aug 20, 2020) with #vote = 1
12 | Rust (appID: 3277, released on Feb 08, 2018) with #vote = 1
12 | Sea of Thieves (appID: 11137, released on Mar 20, 2018) with #vote = 1
12 | Slay the Spire (appID: 40477, released on Jan 23, 2019) with #vote = 1
12 | Stardew Valley (appID: 17000, released on Feb 26, 2016) with #vote = 1
12 | Stellaris: Federations (appID: 124993, released on Mar 17, 2020) with #vote = 1
12 | Street Fighter V: Champion Edition (appID: 126095, released on Feb 14, 2020) with #vote = 1
12 | The Sims 4: Snowy Escape (appID: 140439, released on Nov 13, 2020) with #vote = 1
12 | Total War: Warhammer II (appID: 28028, released on Sep 28, 2017) with #vote = 1
12 | Warframe (appID: 2903, released on Mar 25, 2013) with #vote = 1
12 | World of Warcraft: Shadowlands (appID: 125175, released on Nov 23, 2020) with #vote = 1
12 | iRacing (appID: 8204, released on Aug 26, 2008) with #vote = 1
Early Access of the Year Votes
1 | Teardown (appID: 122666, released on Oct 29, 2020) with #votes = 7
2 | Baldur's Gate 3 (appID: 119171, released on Oct 06, 2020) with #votes = 5
3 | Rogue Legacy 2 (appID: 132058, released on Aug 18, 2020) with #votes = 4
3 | Ultrakill (appID: 124333, released on Sep 03, 2020) with #votes = 4
5 | Phasmophobia (appID: 132516, released on Sep 18, 2020) with #votes = 3
6 | Grounded (appID: 125624, released on Jul 28, 2020) with #votes = 2
6 | Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord (appID: 9608, released on Mar 30, 2020) with #votes = 2
6 | Prodeus (appID: 112613, released on Nov 10, 2020) with #votes = 2
6 | Risk of Rain 2 (appID: 28512, released on Mar 28, 2019) with #votes = 2
6 | Satisfactory (appID: 90558, released on Mar 19, 2019) with #votes = 2
11 | ATOM RPG: Trudograd (appID: 134502, released on 2020) with #vote = 1
11 | Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! (appID: 121500, released on Oct 14, 2020) with #vote = 1
11 | Cyberpunk 2077 (appID: 1877, released on Dec 10, 2020) with #vote = 1
11 | Griftlands (appID: 37057, released on Jun 14, 2020) with #vote = 1
11 | Gunfire Reborn (appID: 134483, released on May 22, 2020) with #vote = 1
11 | Little Witch Nobeta (appID: 116781, released on Jun 24, 2020) with #vote = 1
11 | Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (appID: 96394, released on Mar 13, 2020) with #vote = 1
11 | Skul: The Hero Slayer (appID: 127842, released on Jan 21, 2021) with #vote = 1
11 | Songs of Syx (appID: 123861, released on Sep 21, 2020) with #vote = 1
11 | Space Haven (appID: 103246, released on May 21, 2020) with #vote = 1
11 | Star Citizen (appID: 1595, released on TBD) with #vote = 1
11 | Subnautica: Below Zero (appID: 107315, released on Jan 30, 2019) with #vote = 1
11 | Temtem (appID: 100357, released on Jan 21, 2020) with #vote = 1
11 | Townscaper (appID: 135789, released on Jun 30, 2020) with #vote = 1
11 | World of Horror (appID: 26869, released on Feb 20, 2020) with #vote = 1
Virtual Reality Game of the Year Votes
1 | Half-Life: Alyx (appID: 126098, released on Mar 23, 2020) with #votes = 49
2 | The Room VR: A Dark Matter (appID: 123991, released on Mar 26, 2020) with #votes = 2
3 | Myst (appID: 141568, released on TBD) with #vote = 1
3 | The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners (appID: 105416, released on Jan 23, 2020) with #vote = 1
Turd of the Year Votes
1 | XIII (appID: 117509, released on Nov 10, 2020) with #votes = 8
2 | Marvel's Avengers (appID: 26950, released on Sep 04, 2020) with #votes = 6
3 | Cyberpunk 2077 (appID: 1877, released on Dec 10, 2020) with #votes = 5
4 | Epic Games Launcher (software) (appID: Epic Store, released on 2018-Dec-06) with #votes = 2
4 | Genshin Impact (appID: 119277, released on Sep 28, 2020) with #votes = 2
4 | Resident Evil 3 (appID: 115115, released on Apr 03, 2020) with #votes = 2
4 | Warcraft III: Reforged (appID: 111650, released on Jan 28, 2020) with #votes = 2
4 | Wattam (appID: 28818, released on Dec 18, 2020) with #votes = 2
9 | Borderlands 3 (appID: 19164, released on Sep 13, 2019) with #vote = 1
9 | Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (appID: 137001, released on Nov 13, 2020) with #vote = 1
9 | DOOM Eternal (appID: 103298, released on Mar 20, 2020) with #vote = 1
9 | FIFA 21 (appID: 134101, released on Oct 09, 2020) with #vote = 1
9 | Grey Skies: A War of the Worlds Story (appID: 140628, released on Nov 05, 2020) with #vote = 1
9 | Half-Life: Alyx (appID: 126098, released on Mar 23, 2020) with #vote = 1
9 | Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond (appID: 122592, released on Dec 11, 2020) with #vote = 1
9 | Shenmue III (appID: 11542, released on Nov 19, 2019) with #vote = 1
9 | Super Meat Boy Forever (appID: 44129, released on Dec 23, 2020) with #vote = 1
9 | Tell Me Why (appID: 125628, released on Aug 27, 2020) with #vote = 1
9 | The Last of Us Part II (appID: 26192, released on Jun 19, 2020) with #vote = 1
9 | The Walking Evil (appID: 128157, released on May 01, 2020) with #vote = 1
9 | Watch Dogs: Legion (appID: 100413, released on Oct 29, 2020) with #vote = 1
The stealth ninjas are reserving replies as a showing of respect for the ways of the classic message board neogaf (which grandfathered this one). It is a ritual!
I know many people were down on Resident Evil 3, mostly for it's length, but none of those complaints were really applicable to my experience. This game was my perfect blend of action-shlock and B-movie horror. Every set-piece gave me the dumbest grin on my face, especially when that Terminator-esque theme began to play. This was enough for me to play through the game about five different times, and even doing it on the hardest difficulty.
This is actually one of the few exclusives I'd heard about where I was waiting for it to be released more broadly so I could play it, and I'm glad I did. It is the best mystery game I've ever played, by far, and really sets a new standard for deduction, exploration, and learning as game mechanics. Its' more cute than beautiful but the style serves it well, and although there are a couple quibbles I have with a couple of their obstacles, it's not just my GOTY, it's one of my top 5 GOAT.
Outer Wilds is a wild ride that will stay with you for years to come. It can be intimidating (and frankly pretty lonely at times) as you're exploring a vast, dying galaxy while trying to figure out the explanation behind the demise of an ancient species entirely on your own - but the atmosphere combined with the incredible puzzles, music and narrative is unparalleled. It's an experience I urge everyone to at least give a try because it really is something special.
So for some reason in 2020 my top choice is a game I bought directly from the devs during the alpha at their website for 10 euros in 2014 via paypal. I've been playing it so long I'm surprised that I can finally call it a fully released game. It was amazing on day one. It totally deserves the number one spot and I intend to vote for it next year as well.
A truly evergreen game. You can spend so many hours tweaking and refactoring, and never even reach endgame. Trust me, I have over 200 hours played and have never launched a rocket.
An open-world, non-linear investigation game in the vein of Danganronpa with an amazing OST and a stunning 80's Retro/Vaporwave tinted art-style and design made by a smallish indie team. I really enjoy exploring, piecing together the lore, backstory and events on the island from clues, suspects and environment itself. I thought it was going to be good but didn't expect it to be this impressive.
A soft, heartwarming game about saying goodbye. I adored everything about this, from the relaxing gameplay loop, to the characters, writing and animations. There was one moment that completely caught me by surprise, and it's going to stay with me for a long time, I think.
Fantastic exploration, pretty artstyle and hauntingly beautiful music. Somehow this is the first service game I've managed to stick with. Probably because it basically mostly feels like a single player game anyway. I have been playing this every day since it came out and while there have been some stretches of annoyance, overall it's been and still is a blast. It's only been getting better with every big update and I'm excited to see where this game will be in a couple months/years, because right now I can see myself continuing to play this for a long time.
Genshin Impact is my most played PC game of 2020, and will be my most played PC game of 2021 I am sure. At first sight, just a Zelda: Breath of the Wild clone, but it felt so, so much better to me. A beautiful world to explore, fun and engaging gameplay, great English VA and, last but not least (and in my case, a very big positive) no weapon durability!
This game is gruelingly difficult, but why i have played nearly every day since it's release? It's vibrant, nuanced, funny, has great character art, and countless replay-ability. Amazing game.
Derek Yu managed to carve from the mud a game which would play the exact same as Spelunky HD, look better and have a richer environment. Spelunky 2 has quickly become my daily routine. This is possibly the perfect game!
The original Half Life is one of the greatest games ever made and easilly one of the most influential. In a time where every FPS was either a Doom or Quake clone, Valve pushed the limits of the medium forward and proved the gameplay and storytelling can be intertwined flawlessly to enhance the overall experience of playing games. Black Mesa manages to bring that magic to modern times. A clear passion project of so many talented individuals gathered together by their love of the original game. While not being an exact 1:1 remake, it keeps all the main story beats and environments and enhances the dreaded Xen levels, making them quite great and spectacular.
The definitive/full edition of Black Mesa, with Xen finally added in truly is a masterpiece. If nothing else the soundtrack is worth the price of admission on its own. 16 years worth the wait
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