- 1: Hades - the best game I played this year and the best I’ve played in a while. It reminds me of how I felt about Hollow Knight at the time I played it, it just does everything so incredibly well. A fantastic gameplay loop that leaves you hungry to dive back into hell time and time again.
- 2: Ori & the Will of the Wisps - this would be a fairly easy pick at #1 if not for Hades. Improves on everything about the original Ori, which was already a masterclass of 2D gaming. Lots of emotional moments, beautiful art, stunning soundtrack. Top notch stuff here, can’t wait to see where Moon goes next.
- 3: Ghost of Tsushima - I was initially cool on this game, but after reflecting on it throughout the year I realized just how much I liked it. It’s exactly what I wanted out of a game set in feudal Japan. Sure, it can feel a bit “samey” over time and not all open world activities hit, but it’s just a fun game that doesn’t require a ton of brain power to enjoy. Gorgeous visuals btw.
- 4: Final Fantasy 7 Remake - FF7 was a huge part of my earlier years, one of my favorite RPGs up there with Suikoden II & P4 Golden. I wasn’t sure what to expect for this remake, but they nailed such a large portion of what made the original so special. There’s some stuff here that doesn’t connect with me - the dungeons, filler, and ending in particular - but I’m excited to see where they go in this retelling of a classic.
- 5: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity - First off, the story was really dumb and doesn’t pay off. That said, this is far and away the best musou game I’ve played and was a great one to play while listening to a book or podcast. It’s just mindless fun, and sometimes that’s ok. Being a Zelda game didn’t hurt either, I love that world.
- 6: Yakuza 5 - I know this came out in Japan forever ago, but this was the first time it hit U.S. shores. It’s another Yakuza game, not much more to say. I love the story, Kiryu, and just the vibe of this series. Can’t wait to start up Like a Dragon after I wrap up a few other games.
- 7: Carrion - it’s always cool to see games that subvert the hero trope and put you in the role of the baddie. In this case, you’re the monster which is just a great premise. The movement is fluid and unique, the puzzles are just the right difficulty to keep the game moving forward. Only real negative is I wish there was a better mapping system.
- 8: Last Campfire - Hello Games isn’t known for much outside of No Man’s Sky, but Joe Danger and now The Last Campfire show that this developer can create some fun little games of a reasonable scope. This melancholy world is beautiful to explore, the puzzles aren’t overly difficult. It plays great on mobile, made for some fun evenings.
- 9: Little Orpheus - another mobile game, this 2D platformer is a looker. It has a cool narrative structure, fairly tight gameplay, and never overstays it’s welcome. I love that it never takes itself seriously, it brought a smile to my face multiple times while playing.
- 10: Animal Crossing New Horizons - If you’d have asked me in March/April, this would have been #1. I love AC, and this is no different. I just fell off hard one day and haven’t wanted to go back.
- Best Ongoing Game: Final Fantasy XIV
- Best Publisher: Nintendo
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