Have the Best Games of the 2020’s Already Released?
I think people will look back on the 2020’s as the strangest decade in gaming history. On one hand, it is the decade where triple-A development has committed a public form of suicide. While yes, there have been tons of successes on the triple-A scale; it has become quite obvious even to lesser informed consumers that games are too bloated, and don’t focus on being tight experiences like they used to. We saw possibly the biggest failure in gaming history with Concord, and Marathon and Highguard are looking to follow its example.
On the other hand, the 2020’s have provided us with an almost absurd level of the highest quality of game. Not only that, but I really do think that people have generally expanded their comfort zones of what a “good game” is. I’m still so genuinely happy and surprised that Balatro was nominated for Game of the Year alongside Astro Bot and Metaphor: Refantazio in 2024.
The decade started off unbelievably strong with games like Cyberpunk: 2077, Half-Life Alyx, and The Last of Us Part II. Cyberpunk pushed Western RPGs to their pinnacle, becoming the new definition of what that genre should be. Half-Life Alyx finally validated the existence of VR technology beyond quirky little games, rail shooters, and games making VR modes years after a standard release. The Last of Us Part II in typical Naughty Dog fashion pushed storytelling capabilities forward in gaming.
In 2022 we received the landmark title of Elden Ring. Elden Ring once again accelerating the open world genre forward. It stands possibly above Breath of the Wild as the father of a new breed of open world games. Ever since Far Cry 3, open world games began to feel like giant to-do lists. But games like Elden Ring breathed life into the formula. It reminded gamers what a full priced triple-A game should be.
As 2023 rolled on, many analysts and fans theorized that it would end up being the greatest year in gaming history. It truly was one for the history books; we received a new Zelda and Final Fantasy within a handful of weeks. Alan Wake II brought us that signature Remedy weirdness in its best form yet. And gamers even got unexpected high quality joys like Metroid Prime: Remastered.
I want to make it clear that I have been more than satisfied by 2024 and 2025’s offerings. But a small part of me does wonder if we’ve already seen the best games of the 2020’s? Looking at the biggest games of 2024 like Astro Bot, Balatro, Metaphor: Refantazio, and Animal Well- none of them hit the same heights as the games from 2023 and beforehand. The same goes for 2025’s games. 2025’s most beloved game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is comprised of game design we’ve seen for the past ten plus years (and even older in some instances).
As more and more games release it becomes harder to innovate. Games are mostly iterations of ideas we’ve already seen, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with that. But there’s something so exciting about seeing the medium you love take a huge step forward in terms of possibilities. In ten or so years, we’re going to have kids in our families asking us how it felt when Elden Ring first came out; the same way kids ten years ago asked their older friends and relatives how it felt to play Ocarina of Time at release. All I’m really saying is hardcore gamers have been eating good recently. It feels like we hit this amazing cadence of grenre defining games:
2017: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2018: Red Dead Redemption 2
2019: Death Stranding/Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
2020: Cyberpunk 2077/ The Last of Us Part II
2022: Elden Ring
2023: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom/ Alan Wake II/ Baldur’s Gate 3
I would describe 2024 and 2025 as “excellent yet calm” when compared to the years that preceded it. And I do wonder if that calmness will continue with 2026. I will get my answer once we see if GTA 6 gets delayed to 2027. If it does release in 2026, I am confident it will be another industry defining moment.
