What's The Best Game Of 2020's First Half?

We have officially crossed the halfway point of the year and while 2020 has thrown a big ol' wrench through everyone's plans, we still managed to already rack up a few stellar games. So lest we forget around Game of the Year time, let's try and go over what the best games have been, so far. Depending on what genre you enjoy, your taste might differ, so we'll throw in a few that might not stack up to the democratic process. We also have a few people with hipster tastes over here.

Granblue Fantasy Versus might be the first primo title to drop in 2020, even if that was in Japan prior to Western release. Developer Arc System Works is running a formula that just doesn't miss, with fluid fighting mechanisms that get accompanied by a radiant art style.

Dreams is another early release, if you discount the lengthy period the PS4 exclusive stayed in Early Access. The community there has shown that they can recreate virtually anything with the tool set of the game, even scenes from next generation tech demos.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is likely the one banger that will resonate the longest with people this year. Dropping right as global quarantine hit, the life simulation game offered an idyllic escape to many who wanted to go to a world where everything is cheerful. At least, people who have a Nintendo Switch could feel this way.

Final Fantasy VII Remake, well, what to say? Who would've expected this meme of a game to live up to expectation and then some? Somehow, developer Square Enix pulled off a breathtaking reimagining of a classic role-playing game (RPG). Once again, Cloud Strife has made a lasting impact on a generation.

Phantasy Star Online 2 is another anomaly of a bygone time. This massive multiplayer online (MMO) game is a time capsule of how games used to be. Grinding is still as goofy and intoxicating as it ever was. It's ridiculous to see this still appear in the current year, but here we are.

Valorant is out for real now and it's just a damn solid shooter. There seems to be infinite room for shooters, but not too many have quite risen to the heights of this Counter-Strike homage yet, this year. Particularly, the people who want to go back to skill-based gameplay are served some tight combat in this one.

The Last of Us Part II is the current hot button, with a whopping 94 Metacritic score. While there's some scuffle on the outside of the game, the majestic adventure game from developer Naughty Dog has clearly landed deep in the heart of fans and critics. This is going to be a tough one to beat, come end of the year.

 

What's your favorite game, so far, this year? Let us know in the comments.

 

Daav Valentaten, NoobFeed
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