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Game of the Year Top 10: 2020 --STILL a WIP (I WILL get around to it)--

A year that will be remembered primarily for video games, I'm sure!

I have no data to back the claim up, but I'm pretty positive I spent more time playing video games in 2020 than I have any year in recent memory, maybe even ever. That being said, I certainly played fewer brand new games than I had last year, and probably the few preceding it. Nevertheless, I have ten to present as my favorite of the year gone by.

Which I will do, right after some.....

Honorable Mentions (Or: A sample of Jrpgs that were re-released in 2020)

Persona 4 Golden

Persona 4, it's one of my favorite games of all-time and it's on the personal computer now (weird, right?). Complete with all of the neat stuff introduced in Golden, as well as English and Japanese voice tracks, it's everything you could ask for and makes for the definitive experience of this classic. I dropped everything else I was playing at the time of it's release for another (not short!) playthrough and didn't regret it one bit.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE Encore

Finally, I got around to this one. After missing out on it at it's original 2016 release, and several instances of coming close to purchasing the Wii U version, this enhanced port was announced for the Switch last year and I knew it was time to see what TMS had to offer.

It's good! Fun characters and vibes the whole way through. Nothing totally groundbreaking but well worth the wait and I'm glad I sought it out.

(Though I still don't totally understand why the Fire Emblem x Shin Megami Tensei branding was necessary)

Yakuza 3, 4, and 5

These games are on the PS4 now, with some restored content and improved localization here and there. Not incredibly exciting, but hey, it's Yakuza and I'm not gonna pass up an excuse to spend another ~300 hours with Kiryu and pals. So I did just that and had a wonderful time.

Ys: Memories of Celceta

Memories of Celceta was released on the PS4 this year, and while it's a great game in it's own right, it's really here as a representative for all of the Ys entries I made my way through for the first time this year. I've enjoyed all that I've come across thus far; Ys VIII in particular, god darn now that's a video game. Even in 2020, 2017 (the greatest year in video game history, fight me) is still capable of providing me with absolute bangers.

The Proper List

10. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The game we've collectively decided as the game that defined 2020 right? Right place at the right time exemplified.

New Horizons is more or less the first Animal Crossing I've really gotten into for more than a handful of hours. Which might be a slightly advantageous vantage point, as I've seen plenty of more battle-hardened fans of Tom Nook and his chicanery express how content dry this entry is in comparison to previous games. Regardless, checking in on my little island every day for a few months after release made for a great wind-down game between sessions of games more demanding of my attentiveness.

9. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2

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8. The Last of Us Part II

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7. Astro's Playroom

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6. Sakura Wars

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5. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

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4. Final Fantasy VII Remake

I've always felt like I've held a controversial opinion in that I believe Final Fantasy VII is...... good --not much more, not much less. I went into Remake with pretty tempered expectations, but came out on the other side with a much greater appreciation for the characters and world of this seminal piece of video game history.

Almost everyone who appears in the original (or the first 1/4 of it, anyway) benefits from the additional screen time afforded to them, from the Avalanche crew to your main party. Aerith in particular, who I've always thought was a totally boring boiler plate magical girl in the original, is now bursting with character and I want to hang out with her forever. Even some of the new characters, such as Leslie, bring interesting new dynamics to the ever expanding world of Final Fantasy VII. (Not Chadley though, Chadley can get fucked)

The combat for the most part, I think is a success. While there is definitely room for improvement in the sequels (engaging with aerial enemies in this game suuuuuuuckssssssssssss), it's probably the best attempt I've seen yet at equally blending traditional action and turn based rpg combat. Every member of the party feels unique, and the game smartly splits your crew up in many different configurations throughout the journey, giving many of the important encounters a different dynamic from one another.

I might not have believed you had you told me at the start of 2020, but I'm here and eagerly awaiting the next installment in the Final Fantasy VII Remake saga. Square, do whatever you want, get weird with it, whatever it is, I'm ready.