The year 2020 was most definitely a very difficult year for everyone throughout the entire planet because of the COVID. However, even that did not stop gamers from enjoying some of their most anticipated games. Not to mention, with the release of the next-gen consoles, the year 2021 will surely reach to a new plateau. Here are the best games from each gaming category.
Action/Adventure
Ghost of Tsushima
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
John Wick: Hex
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Winner: Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima delivered an action-packed adventure that would make any gamer genuinely feel like a Samurai. As you play as the protagonist Jin Sakai, you embark on a large number of objectives in the open-world game. Not to mention the use of stealth as another method of defeating the Mongols. The most mesmerising aspect of this game is you get to experience one of the most devastating wars in Japan’s history.
RPG
Cyberpunk 2077
Biomutant
Persona 5 Royal
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Winner: Persona 5 Royal
Persona 5 Royal is simply a role-playing juggernaut. This critically acclaimed title tells you the story of a group of troubled teenagers who also claim to be phantom thieves realise that they are living in a toxic world. They know that to get freedom and justice, they will have to live a rebellious lifestyle. With the use of a phone app, they embark on a number of adventures. Persona 5 Royal is jampacked with brand new characters, new locations, story depth and so much more.
Sports
EA Sports UFC 4
FIFA 21
NBA 2k21
Winner: FIFA 21
It is extremely fun playing against friends, family colleagues, etc. on this great title. Understandably this instalment was nominated for the category of best sports/racing game at The Game Awards 2020. It’s cool to see a generational talent like Kylian Mbappe be the face of the new FIFA game, and surely is a dream come true for him also. With the new gameplay features, this game provides more fluidity to the performances of players, making this game feel a lot closer to real-life football. From agile dribbling, to creative passes and runs, to positioning, to collisions, this makes it all the more enjoyable as you are playing as your favourite clubs whilst performing these moves. Let’s not forget about the awesome and realistic career mode which is arguably the highlight of this instalment. To add more awesomeness to this, FIFA 21 is now also available on the next-gen platforms PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X & S.
Simulation/Strategy
Football Manager 2021
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Crusader Kings III
Winner: Crusader Kings III
Set in the middle ages, this strategic masterpiece was unsurprisingly nominated for best simulation/strategy Game at The Game Awards. Probably the most important thing in this title is your army because without your army, you are simply a vulnerable target for invasion. The very first thing that players will have to realise is that in this game you play as an actual person, and your character is vital in getting the most out of this experience. Priests, Knights, and spymasters await your every command in this historically enriched world. Shaping your dynasty, rewriting Medieval history and defending your faith against heretics and non-believers are amongst the many features players can explore in this third instalment, as well as enrol in hundreds of events.
Multiplayer
Apex Legends Season 7
Valorant
Winner: Valorant
One of the latest free to play multiplayer FPS games that also got so much media coverage. Especially from some of the top Esports teams in the gaming world. It was unsurprising that this game was nominated for Best Esports Game, Best Multiplayer, and Best Community Support at The Game Awards. With this tactical shooter, you team up with up to four of your peers and you can play as a set of characters and agents and are tasked with either attacking or defending and you can use special abilities to give yourself the edge over enemies to claim victory.
Fighting
EA Sports UFC 4
Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate
Winner: Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate
Of course, the latest instalment from the iconic fighting game would win the best fighting game of the year. From legendary characters, to great intros, to wicked combos, to insane fatalities all truly highlight why this game deserved the award. To add to this, the newly enhanced visuals that brought more spice to the game. Let’s not forget the DLC content comprising of iconic figures such as Rambo, T-800 (The Terminator), Robocop, The Joker, and so on to add some more awesomeness to the game.
GOTY 2020
Ghost of Tsushima
Valorant
The Last of Us Part II
Winner: Ghost of Tsushima
What can you say other than the fact that Ghost of Tsushima was nothing short of a masterpiece? The story, the side missions, the gameplay, the audio/soundtrack, etc. that were implemented was of top quality. The side missions were just as enjoyable as the story, so you were definitely getting your money’s worth. Plus, with the inclusion of the gorgeous 4K resolution, the game was arguably Game of the Year. Other than The Last of Us II of course, there is no other game that even comes close to reaching Ghost of Tsushima’s level. So far, however, there is a very small percentage of people that genuinely had some criticism of the game, which sort of tells gamers who have yet to play this game that Ghost of Tsushima is close to perfection. Exploring Tsushima Island with the tropical and beautiful locations, fighting and protecting against Mongols and overall, just reliving one of the most devastating wars in the history of mankind.
