Games of the Year

Let’s face it, this year could have been better in almost every conceivable way, with one exception: video games! This year has been a wild ride, but there’s never been a better time to delve into escapism with single player games, or connect with friends in online games casting aside the additional free time many consumers have had as a result of the pandemic, these sales have been driven by a deluge of outstanding games. We sat down to acknowledge some of the best games released in 2020.

Best Single Player Animal Crossing: New Horizons The meteoric success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons was a perfect storm of extraordinary circumstances. Upon its release in late March, the world was in the depths of uncertainty. This game provided a personalised digital zen garden in which millions of fans, new and old, quelled their anxieties. If you own a Switch, but don’t have Animal Crossing, you need to fix that.

Best Narrative The Last of Us Part II Without any spoilers, The Last of Us Part II was all about telling a story, a story that could only be told through a video game. It is heart-wrenching and heartwarming, it is violent and gentle, it is a story of opposition and unity. Every aspect of the game feeds into it: the tension of the stealth, the atmosphere of the exploration. It is truly unmatched in this year or any.

Best Music Hades This was one of the more hotly contested categories. While If Found…’s gorgeous, atmospheric soundtrack almost cinched it, it had to go to Hades. Composer Darren Korb manages to blend traditional Greek instrumentation with heavy metal to construct the sound of a hell from antiquity that’s as exciting in its first hour as it is in its hundredth.

Best Remake/Rerelease: Kentucky Route 0: TV Edition Game we loved, but completely forgot: Dreams Games we were late to: Control, To The Moon, Celeste Best Dog: Cerberus from Hades Worst Dog: Every Dog from The Last of Us Part II (except for Alice) Most Buckwild Concept: Renal Summer, My Name is Mayo 2 Most Festive Game: Donkey Kong Country (1994)

Best Direction Raji: An Ancient Epic Developer Nodding Head games is a studio composed of alumni from Ubisoft to Zynga. They have come together to form a studio in Pune in India, and their debut game Raji: an Ancient Epic is steeped in that culture. While some platforming is rough around the edges, Raji is an adventure that is a fascinating jumping off point for learning about a fascinating mythology, with a unique style among games of this profile. I hope it is the first of many games from India to grace our consoles.

Best Multiplayer Good Job! In a year where most people were asked to stay home from the office, Good Job! asks you to return to do menial tasks to work your way up the corporate ladder. It is a charming couch co-op game that is perfect for introducing people to video games. Simple tasks, destructible environments, curated levels, and cute hats are sure to bring a smile and laugh to anyone who plays.

Best Indie Dev Dreamfeel for If Found… Dreamfeel is a small team based right here in Dublin. Their most recent game, If Found… has generated considerable conversation on the worldwide gaming scene, being nominated in the Games for Impact category at the 2020 Game Awards. If Found... is a deeply personal experience rooted in outmoded Irish attitudes, and this cultural context, seldom seen in games, makes it all the more unique. The story of Achill native trans-woman Kasio is one that shows the destructive results of repressing self expression. This is lovingly rendered through beautiful art and a progressive soundtrack. We would implore anyone to give this truly novel experience a go.

Best Art Spiritfarer Developer Thunder Lotus’ previous game Jotun enamored us with the beautiful fluidity that its larger than life bosses moved. In contrast to that Norse inspired epic Spiritfarer is a personal game about connecting with people passing to the next life and the animation does a lot of work in selling that personal story, everything from how characters snuggle when you hug them, to the playful antics of the adorable Daffodil the cat is lovingly animated in a manner that oozes character.

Games of the Year Animal Crossing: New Horizons | If Found… | The Last of Us Part II We couldn’t reach a consensus on Game of The Year without plunging into a furious skuffle. Since that would violate COVID restrictions, we each chose one game that we felt was deserving of the title. It was still tough to narrow down our choices to three, given the sheer quantity of amazing games to release in 2020. Now, equipped with brand new console hardware, we look forward to 2021 with optimism. Here’s to another great year in gaming!

WORDS BY SEÁN CLERKIN, ROBERT GIBBONS, SAM HAYES