Since 2015, The Game Awards, produced and hosted by Geoff Keighley, have celebrated the best gaming has to offer. Video games have provided a much-needed escape or cathartic release for so many people during this challenging and unconventional year, with more people playing games than ever before.
Luckily for them (and for longtime gamers), 2020 has been a great year for gaming. On top of next-gen consoles launching with the promise of what's to come, this year also saw a multitude of great games launch from triple-A studios and indie developers alike. The six nominees for Game of the Year are a testament to the range of experiences, as well as the fact that there truly is a game for everyone.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Perhaps no game has ever launched at a most suitable time than Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Releasing right when so many people were stuck at home due to quarantines and lockdowns, the latest entry Nintendo's long-running life simulation series provided a colorful and gentle escape from the grim realities of the real-world.
But beyond being the game so many needed and drawing new fans into the series, New Horizons is a leap forward for the Animal Crossing series itself. It features more customization options than any previous game, as well as new features and quality of life fixes. As the year has gone on, New Horizons has received various seasonal updates, including one coming this week, adding more content to keep the game fresh for players eight months after launch.
DOOM Eternal
Launching on the same day as New Horizons, DOOM Eternal provided players with a different kind of escape from life in March 2020. Instead of watering flowers and befriending villagers, the game allows players to rip and tear their way through demons to free the world from the forces of Hell. DOOM Eternal's aggressive and fast-paced action combat expands upon the 2016 series reboot with a strong campaign, better visuals and a thrilling soundtrack. While critics were split of the Eternal's worldbuilding and lore -- a novelty for a DOOM game -- this is still a worthy entry in one of gaming's most influential properties.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
So many have called 2020 the year of remakes and remasters, and for good reason. So many games, from Demon's Souls, Resident Evil 3 and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 to cult classics like Destroy All Humans! were either remade of remastered, so it's no surprise that one of them was nominated for Game of the Year. Out of them all, Final Fantasy VII Remake stands out for a variety of reasons.
On top of revisiting one of the most iconic games every made, FFVII Remake is a complete reimagination of the original. Not only does it modernize the graphics and gameplay, bringing the original PlayStation title to the PS4, but it also expands upon the story and rewrites its characters in interesting ways. What released this April is only part one, covering about a third of FFVII's overall story, but the new additions and teases left fans excited for what's to come.
Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima is one of just two games nominated that isn't a sequel or rerelease, but the lack of a recognizable protagonist or universe didn't stop Sucker Punch's game from exciting gamers and critics alike. It allows players to fill the shoes of Jin Sakai, a samurai who learns to use less conventional (and honorable) tactics to save his homeland from the first Mongol invasion. Combining a carefully researched depiction of feudal Japan, a vast open world and a story straight out of a Kurosawa film turned out to be a recipe for success, and Ghost of Tsushima has become the fastest-selling original PS4 exclusive.
Hades
Supergiant's Hades is the only indie title nominated for Game of the Year, and the honor is well-deserved. The game is offers a unique roguelike experience, combining fluid and thrilling gameplay with a powerful and engaging story and interesting characters from Greek mythology. Every time Zagreus attempts to fight his way out of the Underworld is thrilling, but Hades also manages to make death an opportunity for growth rather than the frustrating setback it usually is in video games. Each time you return to the House of Hades is a chance to try something new, upgrade your abilities and, of course, pet Cerberus (who is a very good boy).
The Last of Us Part II
The last Game of the Year nominee is perhaps 2020's most talked about game: Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II. Even before it launched (after several delays), TLOU2 was a hot topic, with leaks causing some gamers to criticize the game before it was even available. But despite the controversy that drove much of the online conversation around its launch, TLOU2 is a still remarkable achievement in gameplay, graphics and storytelling.
The sequel to the beloved original Last of Us puts players in the shoes of a now grown-up Ellie and, at times, new character Abby. The game's brutal story pushes both women to their limits, showing how continuing the cycle of violence and vengeance takes away a person's humanity. The fact that it reexamines the first game may have rubbed some players the wrong way, but neither TLOU or its sequel was made to make players feel heroic or even comfortable with their actions. Instead, this is a series that is just as much about hatred, grief and violence as it is about love, survival and forgiveness.