My Top 10 Games of 2020

It's that time year again when we look back at the games released the previous year and rank the best ones we've played.

Now I didn't play everything and can think of some games like Hades or Yakuza Like a Dragon maybe making this list if I had played but from the 50+ I did these are the best 10.

10. Call of the Sea (Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC)

 

Call of the Sea is adventure style game which released late 2020 from Out of the Blue and Raw Fury starring Cissy Jones as the leas voice actress.  CotS could have maybe placed higher, but the ending lets it down a tad.

9. Assassin's Creed Valhalla (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Stadia, Luna, PC)

 

Ubisoft's continued its success of the previous AC games Origins and Odyssey with this new outing set in England. 

8. If Found... (Switch, PC)

 

If found won't be for everyone being a visual novel, and it's themes, yet you will find a well written emotional story very much taking a look at.

7. Spider-Man Miles Morales (PS4, PS5)

 

Insomniac helps usher in a new PlayStation generation with this Spider-Man spin-off starring Miles Morales in the lead over Peter Parker.

6. Tell Me Why (Xbox One, PC)

  

Dontnod continue their brilliant way of story telling (Not so much with Twin Mirror) with this Xbox exclusive Tell Me Why, which is my Xbox Game of the Year.

Before we get to the Top 5, we have the worst game of the year  G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) which is just awful.

5. Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)

 

I had been waiting since the PS3 tech demo for this remake, and it was the worth that wait for what is my remake of the year and possibly the best soundtrack as well. Now we wait for the next entry.

4.  Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC)

 

Moon Studios made it 2 for 2 with this awesome sequel to this Metroidvania series.

3.  Ghost of Tsushima (PS4)

  

Sucker Punch moved away from platforming raccoons and superheroes to this open world adventure during the first Mongol invasion of Japan, in what I hope can become a new series for PlayStation much like Horizon.

2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch)

 

ACNH is my Nintendo Switch Game of the Year and could be argued to be the GOTY especially in 2020 as it's a game a lot of people needed this year and sells numbers are phenomenal. 

1. The Last of Us Part II (PS4)

  

But there can only be one GOTY and that's Naughty Dog's follow up to 2013's The Last of Us with its sequel which might not just be the best game of 2020 but one of the best on the PS4 and the 8th generation as a whole.

10 Most Anticipated Nintendo Switch Games (October 2020)

 

 

I've mainly been highlighting games coming to either the PS5 or Xbox Series X|S even games that will only be playable via backwards compatibility. This doesn't mean I've forgotten about the Nintendo Switch which does have a few games I'm excited about coming to the system.

Bayonetta 3

BRAVELY DEFAULT II

 

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

 

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

Monster Hunter Rise

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

New Pokémon Snap

No More Heroes III

Rune Factory 5

Shin Megami Tensei V

 

Maneater Review

Maneater recently released on PS4, PC and Xbox One. I've been playing Maneater on Xbox One for the past week and have mixed things on the game.

Maneater starts out with a tutorial on how all the controls work along with the game's setup of it being a reality TV series over 8 episodes much like Deadliest Catch, just narrated by Jerry from Rick & Morty. 

This builds around the plot of you playing as a baby shark who is out for revenge on the antagonist Scaly Pete.

Over the game you level up, get stronger, unlock new abilities and eventually go from baby shark to a mega shark who can spit lightning. You do this in various ways such as a mission to chew up 10 humans or take down an alligator.

The narration over this and the games overall tone, makes it what it is, a quite funny game and reminded me of things like Goat Simulator and Untitled Goose Game in a lot of ways.

However, that is also an issue as over my almost 10 hours to finish the story and do every sidequest (I didn't get all the collectables, so missing the1000G) which was needed to level up to take on one of the bosses, is the joke gets old.

Why I said at the start I've got mixed feelings on Maneater as the first few hours was really fun but by the end I just wanted the game to be over. 

This is very much an example where less is more, as I would have much sooner had a 3hr game which fun all the way through then this what just becomes boring at the end due to lack of variety in the missions as you can only chew up so many humans.

Best Games of 2019 + Honourable Mentions

Wargroove - First Impressions

 

I've been excited for Wargroove since it was first shown in a Nintendo Direct for Switch, due to the homage to Advance Wars, a series that largely past me by, that I have thought about playing especially after Intelligent Systems recent work with Fire Emblem, just Nintendo hasn't given a new Advance Wars in sometime thankfully Chucklefish has stepped in and brought us Wargroove.

Now I might have seen Wargroove in a Nintendo Direct however I'm playing on Xbox One which doesn't matter much as Wargroove has cross-play with a code system, meaning I can play with anyone be it on PC, Switch or Xbox One and if you're a friend then I just need your game's code, also it has asynchronously mode but I feel I could forget to take my turn.

This is more of a first impression than a review and so far I've played the prologue and all of Act 1 (Haven't played more due to another project). I've got to say it's great at the moment with some really neat characters. There's also an arcade mode which is a five battle campaign for each character, I only have the one character unlocked at the moment which I got from finishing Act 1.

Mercia was the first character I unlocked for the arcade mode, the five battle campaign has an overarching story and gives you some more lore to the characters and world which can be found in the codex. I would imagine some of the other characters arcade modes will intertwine with each other and some like Ceaser the dogs likely to be a bit more silly.

With all this means there is plenty of content with a 6 Act story mode and 12 Characters all having a Mini-Campaign in the Arcade, without touching any multiplayer and finding all the games secrets.

There is also something called Puzzles Mode which I've not unlocked yet and a Map Editor which I played around with but not really something I can see me using as I'm rather hopeless at those sort of things. I did download a 1P campaign someone had made in a haunted house and that was rather good and since heard about people recreating maps & missions from the likes of Advance Wars, which is all available regardless of what platform the map was made on.

As I said I've not played much Advance Wars, that I can't really compare but I have played some Fire Emblem and it's rather close in how it plays just with some different system on what unit can beat what unit and it's not an individual unit you're moving but a group of swordsmen to move in most cases.

 

I am playing on Xbox One but I have to say this might be best on Switch due to the aesthetics and the homage to Advance Wars plus IF it uses the touchscreen that could be a handy way to move units and make maps.

Now there is a positive playing on Xbox One and Wargroove is the first game I've tried it out with is mouse and keyboard support which I have to say is an excellent way to play this and can making maps that I can see it being much easier than using a controller.

No matter what you do decide to play Wargroove on, based on my first impressions this is very much worth a download.

Games of January - Kingdom Hearts III, Resident Evil 2, Tales of Vesperia and more

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Final Fantasy XIII Let's Play Chapter V

 

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Out this Week Mutants and Witchers

 

4th Gods Remastered

Play the classic 2D action classic Gods from the acclaimed Bitmap Brothers, full of exciting levels full of monsters and puzzles that you can play either in the original pixel graphics or in a modern 3D mode with an extensive new soundtrack.

 

4th Subnautica

Officially leaving Xbox Game Preview, Subnautica is an underwater open world adventure game where you can craft equipment, pilot submarines, and out-smart wildlife to explore lush coral reefs, volcanoes, and cave systems.

 

4th Monica e a Guarda dos Coelhos

Monica e a Guarda dos Coelhos is a couch co-op game up to four players with a focus on teamwork and cooperation. Everyone has a different role to defend the castle from smudge horde. Use magical bunnies with unique powers, load them into cannons, and fire them at incoming enemies.

 

4th Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom

A legendary series returns with a grand new adventure! Enjoy a colorful action-adventure game made alongside Ryuichi Nishizawa, creator of the original Wonder Boy in Monster World series. Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom borrows the best from the classic series to deliver a fresh, modern adventure with fun gameplay, memorable music and gorgeous hand-drawn animations.

 

4th Gwent: The Witcher Card Game

Xbox Play Anywhere - In Gwent: The Witcher Card Game, gamers clash with their friends in fast-paced duels that combine bluffing, on-the-fly decision making and careful deck construction. The game is played over a best-of-three series of rounds, as players unleash their hand by slinging spells and diverse units with special abilities and use clever tricks to deceive their opponents.

 

4th Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden

Xbox Game Pass - A tactical adventure game combining the turn-based combat of XCOM with story, exploration, stealth, and strategy. Take control of a team of mutants navigating a post-human Earth. Created by a team including former Hitman leads and the designer of PayDay.

 

4th Just Cause 4

Xbox One X Enhanced - Experience a sandbox game full of towering tornadoes and tropical lightning storms, taking the iconic Just Cause action to incredible new heights. In Just Cause 4, rogue agent Rico Rodriguez lands in Solis to hunt down the truth about his past, at any cost. Strap into your wingsuit, equip your fully customizable grappling hook, and get ready to bring the thunder.

 

4th Override: Mech City Brawl

Xbox One X Enhanced - Control gigantic robots and duke it out in this 3D mech brawler. Epic battles await in local and online versus mode and four-player co-op where each player controls one part of a mech. Also includes a full single-player campaign where you must master each mech’s own unique play style, special moves, and finishers.

 

4th Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales

December 04, 2018

Thronebreaker is a single-player RPG card game set in the world of The Witcher. Choice-driven, and cast with rich, multi-dimensional characters, it once again thrusts gamers into the monster-infested universe of Geralt of Rivia. 

  

5th Energy Cycle Edge

Xbox One X Enhanced - Energy Cycle Edge is the sequel to the original puzzle game Energy Cycle. The core of the game is the same: when you activate each cell in the game field, it changes the colors of the cell and any adjacent cells in a straight line. Each cell switches between three different colors, and your task is to make them all match the same color.

 

6th Battle Princess Madelyn

Follow the journey of a young knight in training, Madelyn, and her ghostly pet dog, Fritzy as they set out on a journey to save her kingdom and her family from the clutches of an evil wizard. With classic and challenging gameplay in the vein of Ghouls N' Ghosts, join Madelyn as she battles through graveyards, swamps, and castles.

 

6th Hello Neighbor: Hide & Seek

Hello Neighbor: Hide and Seek follows the tragic story of the Neighbor’s family in this dramatic prequel to Hello Neighbor. Experience playing a game of hide-and-seek with your brother as you both deal with the loss of a family member, as a new light shines on the events that influence the original game.

 

7th On a Roll 3D

Xbox One X Enhanced - A fast-paced 3D platform game, roll your way through 24 huge levels across six different themes and be prepared to take on spikes, mines, dynamite, conveyor belts, springs, switches, doors, bumpers, lasers, saws, fire, ice, water, electricity, trapdoors, and much, much more. 

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X018 Recap: New Studios and Updates

At X018 announced two new studios will be joining Microsoft Studios with inXile who are known for RPG's Bard's Tale and Wasteland.

The other studio is also known for RPG's and that's Obsidian who've worked on things like Fallout, Star Wars, South Park and Pillars of Eternity.

We also got updates on third-party titles like Devil May Cry V with a new mode called Void which is a practice arena.

Info on the first Expansion for Forza Horizon 4  “Fortune Island” which takes players on an all-new adventure in the remote northern reaches of the British Isles, where they will encounter extreme conditions including fierce lightning storms, perilous cliffside dirt roads, and sweeping paved mountain switchbacks under the mystical glow of the aurora borealis in search of hidden treasure.

More games allowing Mouse and Keyboard Bomber Crew, Deep Rock Galactic, Strange Brigade, Vermintide 2, War Thunder and X-Morph Defense adding support in November, and Children of Morta, DayZ, Minion Master, Moonlighter, Vigor, Warface, and Wargroove adding support in the future.

Was just some of the things annouced beyond Game Pass.

 

 

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Out this Week: Scary Games

 

30th Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game

Xbox One X Enhanced - Enter the shoes of Private Investigator Pierce who is sent to investigate the tragic death of the Hawkins family as you’re plunged into a world of creeping madness and cosmic horror. Cryptic clues, shadowy figures, and pure terror block your way as you fight to retain your sanity and solve an otherworldly mystery.

 

30th Mutant Football League: Dynasty Edition

Mutants and monsters unleash maniacal carnage on the gridiron in a fully-3D, arcade-style football game. This hilarious (and brutal) parody of professional American football delivers intense online multiplayer action, deep strategy, and deadly humor. Mutant Football League: Dynasty Edition includes Dynasty Mode, two new teams, and new playable races.

 

30th LEGO Harry Potter Collection

Xbox One X Enhanced - The LEGO Harry Potter Collection brings LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 and LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 remastered together in one exciting, magic-filled package. This compilation combines the creative influence of LEGO and the expansive world of “Harry Potter,” with an exciting journey full of spellcasting, potion-making, puzzle-solving, lessons, dueling and much more for players of all ages to enjoy.

 

30th Infinite Adventures

You are the Traveler, a hero with a forgotten memory. Your only hope is to assemble your party and explore the Infinite Labyrinth to discover the truth of your past. Infinite Adventures is a dungeon crawling RPG inspired by other classic dungeon RPGs with fresh new mechanics for exploration, combat, and progression.

 

 

30th Gnomes Garden 2

Gnomes Garden 2 is the sequel to an exciting fantasy strategy game. Once again, it’s up to you to restore the magical gardens and defeat the troll queen in this fantasy strategy game. Construct buildings, manage resources, use powerful magic, and restore ancient machines. Over 40 beautiful levels await you along with a multitude of varied quests and exciting gameplay for all ages.

 

31st The One We Found

The One We Found a first-person survival horror shooter in an immersive, terrifying experience. You are James Ledgewick, a psychotherapist in Whisperwood mental institution, where a recently unearthed cave network has not only revealed dark secrets but a terrible evil with it.

 

31st Super Volley Blast

Super Volley Blast is an over the top beach volley game that provides plenty of fun for you and your friends. Featuring story mode where 1 or 2 players will face 7 teams composed of unique personalities or utilize the in-depth avatar editor to create yourself, family, and friends to the court.

image: https://news.xbox.com/en-us/wp-content/uploads/superpixelracers-large.jpg

 

1st Super Pixel Racers

Super Pixel Racers is a fast-paced arcade racer with top-down 2D pixel graphics and a nostalgic 16-bit soundtrack. Race your way up the ranks in an expansive career mode with more than 200 races, go head-to-head with racers from across the globe in online play with up to eight players, or challenge your friends in four-player split-screen multiplayer.

1st The First Tree

A beautiful, 3rd-person exploration game about two parallel stories: a fox trying to find her missing cubs, and a son reconnecting with his father in Alaska. Uncover artifacts from the son's life as he becomes intertwined in the fox’s journey towards The First Tree.

 

2nd Gem Smashers

Help three heroic creatures who escaped capture during the invasion of Earth rescue their friends. Save the planet from the evil Imbu and put your skills to the test with Gem Smashers, a unique puzzle game with eight worlds and over 100 levels. 

 

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Out this Week: August 14th - 17th

 

14th: The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series – The Final Season, Episode 1

Xbox One X Enhanced - After years on the road facing threats both living and dead, a secluded school might finally be Clementine and AJ’s chance for a home. But protecting it will mean sacrifice. In this gripping, emotional final season, your choices define your relationships, shape your world, and determine how Clementine’s story ends.

 

14th: Fall of Light

Fall of Light is a story-driven action RPG set within a world consumed by darkness. You are Nyx, an old warrior who has embarked on a dangerous journey with his daughter, Aether, who radiates luminescence. Only together will they be strong enough to complete their quest: reach the last place on Earth still touched by sunlight.

 

15th: State of Mind

August 15, 2018

The world is on the brink. With a lack of resources, illnesses caused by polluted air and water, crime on the rise, and governments promise remedies through technological progress. As Richard Nolan, one of the few journalists openly criticizing this development, find that his family has vanished, you’ll experience an alarmingly realistic vision of the near future in this sci-fi thriller where dystopian reality and digital utopia are intertwined.

 

 

15th: Coffee Crisis

August 15, 2018

The alien Smurglian have come to Earth and they're not leaving until they steal our four most prized commodities: metal music, coffee, cat videos, and WiFi. In this arcade-style beat 'em up that pays homage to the 90s era of classic arcade & 16-bit brawlers, take control of Black Forge Coffeehouse baristas Nick and Ashley, two galaxy gladiators called to arms to stop this madness.

 

15thWailing Heights

Inspired by classic adventure games, you’ll find yourself lost in ghostly town of Wailing Heights where you’ll need to talk to the locals, collect lyrics to songs, listen to clues, and steal things from other songs. Add these ingredients to your musical possession wheel and sing your soul right into a monster’s body, gaining their supernatural abilities and moving one step closer to escaping Wailing Heights.

 

15th: Hero Defense

To destroy the world’s most powerful vampire, your team of slayers must impale, slash, tear and burn through legions of undead hell-bent on world domination. Take charge of five unique heroes that battle their way through various arenas to defeat Count Necrosis. Fans of RTS, RPGs, and Tower Defense games will find a lot to like here.

 

15th: Fernz Gate

After waking in unfamiliar woods, Alex, an ordinary high schooler living an ordinary life, learns he has somehow ended up in Fernland, a world dominated by conflict and destruction, he will have to travel to the other side of the world and beyond to find his way back home in this fantasy RPG full of monsters and colorful characters.

 

17th: Polygod

Describing itself as “blending a fast-paced, Quake-esque feel with the randomness, difficulty and power-up system of The Binding of Isaac,” Polygod is designed for speedrunners, inviting only the most skilled and strategic players to defeat the Trial of the Gods. As a one-armed, gun-wielding assassin of legend, the seven deities of Polygod will test your skill with randomly generated arenas of hostile minions.

 

17th: Treadnauts

Pilot your tank through competitive, gorgeous arenas to land a deadly shot on your opponents in Treadnauts. With a ton of useful tricks at your disposal, including treads that stick to any wall, boosters for midair hops, zero-friction slides, and rocket jumps for soaring into the sky, it's all about moving with style to come out on top across four playable zones, each with unique mechanics and physics objects.

 

17th: Drunk-Fu: Wasted Masters

Xbox One X Enhanced - Master physics-defying drunk-fu techniques by controlling your character’s stumbling direction and unleashing powerful attacks with each individual limb. Team up with your friends to beat AI controlled bullies in the swarm-like mode or challenge each other in free for all or last man standing modes to see who the true Wasted Master is.

 

17th: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

Xbox One X Enhanced - In Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, one player is trapped in a room with a ticking time bomb they must defuse. The other players are the experts who must give the instructions to defuse the bomb by deciphering the information found in the Bomb Defusal Manual. But there’s a catch: the experts can’t see the bomb, so everyone will need to talk it out – fast! Test the limits of your communication skills and friendships in this co-op party game.

17th: Persian Nights: Sands of Wonders

In the absence of a mortally ill king, the Grand Vizier Zaved rules the kingdom with an iron fist, while a mysterious plague casts a dark shadow on the people of Persia. The young apothecary Tara decides to conduct her own investigation and discover the cause of the illness before it's too late in this puzzle game.

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