For all intents and purposes, 2020 was the worst fucking year. At least it wasn’t a bad year in gaming, though? While it didn’t quite hit the highs of 2013—the last transition between console generations—there were still some solid bangers to drop. Even better, you can grab most of the year’s best games at heavily discounted prices.
The Last of Us Part II, $29.99 (PlayStation Network)
This is probably one of the most divisive games of the year, which is to be expected as a follow up to one of the most acclaimed games of all time. I was firmly in the camp of “The Last of Us doesn’t need a sequel.” Having completed the game, I more or less feel the same way. I don’t think it’s a bad game by any means, and there was quite a bit I enjoyed about it. I just left the game with the same feeling I had after Toy Story 4; it was good but unnecessary.
Those are just my feelings on the game, though, and there is a good chance you won’t share those same sentiments. I mean, it did win Game of the Year at The Game Awards, so clearly this game resonated with a large swath of people. If you were interested in the game but were feeling a little iffy on it, this is a solid price to grab it at.
Final Fantasy VII: Remake, $29.99 (PlayStation Network)
I’ve written about this game already this week, so I’m not going to go too deep here. FFVII: Remake is a fun reimagining of the classic Japanese Role-Playing Game (JRPG). I would recommend this game to anyone who has even a fleeting curiosity about Final Fantasy. While it only contains about the first third of the original game, it’s still a blast to play and the ending actually left me both satisfied and excited to see this interpretation of the story continue.
Trust me, if my prolonged rambling about JRPGs has grabbed your interest in even the slightest, this is the game you should check out.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, $44.99 (PlayStation, Xbox, PC)
Black Ops Cold War continues the streak of good games the series has been on since 2018’s Black Ops 4 and last year’s Modern Warfare. While Black Ops Cold War has a slightly slower pace than those games, it’s still a solid shooter all around. Personally, it’s been my go-to game over the last month and a half simply because it’s a satisfying pick up and play experience. Between the campaign, multiplayer suite and zombies mode, you’re getting a decent amount of content for the price.
Star Wars: Squadrons, $23.99 (PlayStation, Xbox)
In my opinion, this was the sleeper hit of 2020; the little Star Wars game that could. A dogfighting game controlled entirely from a first-person view of a cockpit, Star Wars: Squadrons allows you to live out your fantasies of being an ace X-Wing pilot. A dual narrative campaign allows you to play as both a pilot for the Empire and Rebel Alliance, with each ship having its own strengths and weaknesses. While the campaign is a fun but slight ride, the multiplayer is where the heart of the game really shines. A budget title, the game initially launched with a light amount of content but a recent update added some new ships and a new map. I hope that we see at least one or two more content drops because this is a really fun and unique Star Wars game.
Those are only a handful of the games on sale right now. Ghost of Tsushima, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2, Hades, and Persona 5 Royal are just some of the bangers that are also available at a discounted price. If there was a title you were interested in this year, trust me, it is more than likely on sale.
So as always, stay safe, wear a mask, wash your hands, and play more video games. See you in the new year.