The perfect video games of 2020
This year has been an ample opportunity for people to immerse themselves in games and for many of us repeated bans have turned them into much-needed forms of escapism. And there was plenty of choice as independent studios and large corporations released game after game to an eager audience. We have blockbuster titles like the long-awaited Cyberpunk 2077 and Last of Us 2 as well as two new consoles in the form of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox series X | S seen.
CR also looked at the creative side of the gaming world, asking how its impact had on the creative industry, how to create a successful mobile game, and whether game advertising had softened after disappointing advertising campaigns from Microsoft and Sony.
Here we take a look back at the past 12 months and choose ten of our favorite games, big and small, that embody everything from meticulous clay craft to stories worthy of the big screen.
South of the circle
South of the Circle is set in the snowy wilderness of Antarctica in the late 1950s and follows the journey of the main character Peter, who is struggling to survive. It was designed by State of Play and is based on the work of co-founder of co-founder Luke Whittaker who was an avid screen printer. As a result, the graphics feel like living, handcrafted works of art and are purposefully designed as a counterpoint to the glossy photo-realistic imagery of other games. "I've always believed that the smallest design is the best and that you want to say it just enough – because it focuses people on what is important," Whittaker CR said in an interview about the game.
South of the Circle is available through Apple Arcade
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Escapism was vital this year, especially during the lockdown period when many of us were forbidden from doing anything other than one walk a day. Virtual worlds suddenly became more compelling than ever, which explains, at least in part, the runaway success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. In the game, players have to build and develop a village populated by a group of cute animal characters and filled with numerous customization options. More than 22 million copies of the game had sold by August, and it became a surprisingly creative place for brands to express themselves as well. Marc Jacobs and Valentino both released clothes in the game, and Getty built an Animal Crossing art generator. This enabled the players to create canvases for their digital island houses. Not only does it point the way to how brands can work with games, but it also points the way to a slower, less pressure type of game that has appealed to many.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available on Nintendo Switch
Queen rules
Amid the many blockbuster releases this year, independent studios continued to create smaller but no less worthy titles. Queen Rules is a number puzzle game described by a user as "like Sudoku – on mushrooms". The gameplay itself isn't groundbreaking, but the sculpted sound art was beautifully done by artist Larissa Honsek. Her royal characters and fantasy backdrops of rolling waves and fabulous palaces are utterly charming. "The game market is awash with the same aesthetics and gameplay (everyone copies everyone) and we really wanted something different," Stefanie Palomino, founder of Red Lab – the studio that developed the game – told CR.
Queen Rules is available from the App Store
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Described by its creator as "a multiplayer game for those who don't like multiplayer games," Fall Guys created a legion of fans who all loved the game's crazy obstacle courses and Jelly Bean-like characters. Players must survive through a series of levels – inspired by game shows like Takeshi's Castle – in a battle royale game that is equally addictive and angry. CR explored the design history behind Fall Guys in an interview with lead designer Joe Walsh.
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is available on Steam and PlayStation
The Last of Us Part II
This highly anticipated sequel to The Last of Us received rave reviews earlier this year and has been lauded for its refined storytelling and portrayal of LGBT characters – although some questions about how to deal with trans character Lev have raised. Set four years after the original title, it follows Ellie on her journey through a post-apocalyptic version of Seattle that is haunted by The Infected – zombies created by a mutated fungus outbreak. Violence abounds, and many have commented on the game's incredibly dark narrative, but it has also received praise for its writing. In a BBC review, Jordan Middler said writers Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross wrote "a story that is gripping and emotionally demanding".
The Last of Us Part II is available on PlayStation
Ori and the will of the wisps
In Ori and the Will of the Wisps, players immerse themselves in a dreamy world of dense forests and mountain peaks and wait to be explored. You play as the title character, Ori – a glowing rabbit spirit who runs and jumps through the game's beautifully designed levels. The graphics, which feel like Studio Ghibli backdrops come alive, are very detailed and meticulous. The character design is also impeccable and everything turns another platform game into a rich, narrative experience.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is available on Xbox, Steam and Nintendo Switch
Microsoft Flight Simulator
While a flight simulation game might not sound like the most exciting release of the year, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 – the 11th game in the ongoing series – is an impressive feat. It's as close as possible to a digital recreation of the world thanks to Microsoft Bing's satellite imagery, which has been used to create lifelike versions of 37,000 airports, 2 million cities, and 1.5 billion buildings. There is also real-time weather. Understandably, it's not for everyone, but in a year when many of us didn't go much further than the local park and back, there is definitely some magic in there. And even people who didn't play it had a laugh in August when it was found that a small typo in the middle of digital Melbourne had created a 212-story monolith.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is available on Xbox and Steam
Paper Mario: The Origami King
Nintendo's Paper Mario series has been hugely popular since its debut in 2000 when it introduced a two-dimensional version of the character. The games are known for their ironic sense of humor, expanded set of Mario world characters, and graphics that mix 2D and 3D to create clever puzzles that players can solve. The origami king once again delivers the laughs with a clever script and intelligently designed paper worlds that have to be explored. It's Nintendo at its best, without the fear of having fun with longtime characters but also pushing the limits of fighting game conventions.
Paper Mario: The Origami King is available on Nintendo Switch
Spiritfarer
In Spiritfarer, the players take on the role of the replacement for Charon – the ferryman who carries souls across the River Styx into the world of the dead. That might sound gloomy, but the cheerful illustration-style graphics and the unusual mix of gameplay are anything but. The main character Stella has to sail the ocean in search of ghosts, bring them to their final calm and improve their ship along the way. It's another game that feels a bit like a Ghibli movie come alive, full of animal characters and worlds to explore. IGN described it as "sliding into a warm bubble bath".
Spiritfarer is available on Nintendo Switch, Steam, Xbox, PlayStation and Stadia
Streets of Rage 4
The original Streets of Rage game, released for the Sega Mega Drive in 1991, is a cult hit. Its side-scrolling act, the story of three young ex-cops taking on a shadowy criminal syndicate, and his still classic soundtrack of Yuzo Koshiro have kept it in popular culture for the past 30 years. The announcement of a 2020 sequel to the Beat-Em-Up game worried some fans, but the comic-style graphics and no-nonsense gameplay made for a surefire winner. Granted, it's nothing very different from what it was before, but it's chic, well put together, and great fun.
Streets of Rage 4 is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox and Steam