Mark's Top 10 Games of 2020 (December Playlist) (Patreon)

Hey everybody.

It's that time of year again, when I let you know my 10 favourite games of the year. It's always tricky to pick just ten when I played so many, but I had to go with my gut and pick the games that made me smile, the games I couldn't put down, and the games I couldn't stop thinking about.

I'll do the ten, then drop some honourable mentions. Okay? Let's start this list, which is in no particular order. Watch it above, or read it below. Your choice.

The Last of Us Part II (PS4)

Love it or hate it, you have to admit that the Last of Us 2 is an audacious game. I won't go into the actual events of the story, for spoiler reasons, but Naughty Dog pulls absolutely no punches and that lead to a game that I found gripping, shocking, and thought provoking.

Now. It's not entirely successful. It asks these really interesting questions about the perspective of a video game protagonist. But, by holding onto kinda dated storytelling - you know, super rigid rules, no choice or reactivity, instant fail states, etc - the answers to those questions aren't quite so compelling. It's really hard to explain this stuff without spoilers, but hopefully you get what I mean.

In terms of the actual gameplay, I thought the stealth was really strong. The AI is pretty good, Ellie has loads of options, the environments are open, and there are lots of clever twists like attack dogs that can follow your scent, and genuinely terrifying rangers who communicate exclusively through whistling. I also dug the exploration, the puzzles, and cinematic set pieces. And, of course, the level I deconstructed in my video this year.

Demon's Souls (PS5)

I couldn't put this game down. There's something about the Souls games that makes me always want to know what's around the next corner. What secret, what trap, what enemy, what vista, what item? I just have to keep exploring further.

And that's the thing about Souls games - as much as people hype up the intense difficulty and massive bosses, those aspects don't really appeal to me. I just love exploring these worlds, and the lack of maps, sign posts, and hand-holding. (Though, I should say that the high difficulty level does create some genuine stakes while exploring and gives the game an exciting air of danger).

Now, I didn't play the 2009 original. But if this remake is faithful to that game then, boy, From kinda knocked it out of the park first try. So much of what makes Dark Souls so good was already in the first game - just with some slightly janky stuff, like bad bosses and the wonky world tendency system, that would get ironed out in later games. I also dig the world layout, though it suffers the same difficulty curve issues as the back half of Dark Souls 1.

Spelunky 2 (PC, PS4)

Spelunky 2 is very much "more Spelunky". I mean, this game feels more like an expansion pack than a sequel at times, given how little it changes from the first one. But I suppose, as the saying goes, don't fix what ain't broken. Plus, there are changes: you can choose between different levels, there are liquid physics and rideable mounts, and other small tweaks.

The main thing, though, is just a big influx of fresh items, enemies, secrets, and areas which all do a perfect job of giving me the same feelings I had when I first played Spelunky 1. Feelings like "what does this do?" and "oh, I guess it kills me". There's always something new you haven't explored, something just out of reach.

That's what makes it feel like an expansion pack, I guess: the major changes aren't to structure, gameplay, or systems - but just stuff. And, if you ask me, that's all I really needed. Don't change anything, just gimme more Spelunky and I'll be happy. And I was. And I am.

Astro's Playroom (PS5)

Astro Bot always felt like Sony's best-kept secret. Rescue Mission was this terrific platformer that's made with endless charm, creativity, and joy - provided you own a PlayStation VR headset. But now, there's no excuse: this thing comes free with the console. And so now everyone gets to see how great Asobi is at making charming little games.

This one is supposed to be a showcase for the PS5's new capability - a way to show off the controller and its gimmicks. But it goes further, with great level design, tonnes of secrets, unlockable stuff, speed run challenges, and more. And if that wasn't enough, the whole thing is a meta museum for PlayStation history.

Every level is packed with robots acting out famous PlayStation games, and the hidden items are, like a PS2 controller or a GPS for a PSP. It's like a Sony version of Smash Bros. And yes, I know there was a Sony version of Smash Bros, but we don't talk about that. We talk about Astro Bot, who definitely deserves another full adventure.

Disc Room (PC, Mac, Linux, Switch)

Disc Room is one of those games that I played in a single sitting, over a long afternoon, and then never touched again. But sometimes that's all you need: a burst of clever ideas and addictive gameplay that simply refuses to outstay its welcome.

So the basic idea is like a chewy bitesize iPhone game: there's razor-sharp saw blades flying all over the screen and you've got to wiggle your way between their bullet hell pattern. Slap on some ads and an in-app purchase store and you're golden. But the devs didn't settle for that.

Instead, each disc room is part of a huge Zelda-like dungeon. And each room comes with challenges: some of which are just about high scores, but others are clever puzzles. And that's what drew me in the most: wanting to uncover all the secrets and figure out all the conundrums. It reminds me of games like Fez and Braid. Good stuff.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (PC, PS4)

I really like the idea of battle royale games. A hundred people drop onto an island filled with weapons, and the last person standing is the winner? Sounds great! Unfortunately, I often find the games themselves dull - lots of waiting around, you die and have to start again, it just doesn't work for me.

But Fall Guys! Now that's good! Making it a platformer instead of a shooter works really well. Splitting things into rounds means that you get lots of small wins all the time, rather than a million losses and maybe one big win. And the random round picker keeps things fresh.

And when you finally do win - boy, that's a big deal. That's exciting. That's an adrenaline rush of the highest order right there. I stopped playing the moment I won, of course. I was always chasing that win and now I'm done. But the journey to that point was great. All the failures, the near misses, the cheaters, the bullies - all made for terrific drama to my big season finale.

Song of Bloom (iOS)

I think this one might have squeaked in at the very end of 2019, but close enough. This is a mobile puzzle game that uses virtually every way of interacting with your phone to create immensely clever conundrums. It's constantly surprising and inventive in a way that will keep you tapping.

I mean, there's not much else to say - there is a story but it's vague and artsy. The structure is non-linear and explorative. And I really don't want to show off too much of the game for fear of spoilers. But this really scratched the itch left by games like The Witness and the like.

Half Life Alyx (PC VR)

Okay, it's not usual that a game can end up on my Game of the Year list if I haven't actually finished it - that's usually not a good sign. But I'll make a special exception for Half Life as Windows stopped recognising my Oculus Rift halfway through the game.

But what I did play was very special. Part of this is just nostalgia: the game plunges you into City 17, using the familiar sights and sounds of the Half Life universe. The citadel is enormous, striders are terrifying, combine soldiers are up in your face. I love the world of Half Life and the opportunity to actually be there is really cool.

And it's also super fun to play. This perhaps isn't exclusive to Alyx, so much as its just the advantages of playing in VR, but shoot-outs are immersive, intense, and rather… experimental, I guess? A favourite moment involved opening a door just an inch so I could poke my gun through and blast the enemies behind from safety: something only possible because of the intense granularity of movement afforded by the controllers. Here's hoping the Rift starts playing ball again.

Immortals Fenyx Rising (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X)

Well, this is a surprise. Immortals is an open-world Ubisoft game - which is usually the definition of bland, safe, boring design. And it's also a brazen rip-off of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which is something I usually can't stomach - ripping off other people's ideas is always pretty lame.

But, lo and behold, I really like this game. It basically takes the Assassin's Creed formula, but makes it light, fluffy, kinda funny, and way less self-serious. And it throws in a bunch of stuff I loved about Breath of the Wild, like the open structure, the paraglider, physics puzzles, and more.

It's also got a pretty cool combat system, which is surprisingly deep and complex. You've got tonnes of different moves that can be chained together, and lots of different enemy types to deal with. It definitely doesn't feel like Assassin's Creed: more like a cartoon version of Devil May Cry.

It's just the perfect sort of game to zone out to during these winter months. I liked it. A lot.

Paradise Killer (PC, Switch)

Paradise Killer is a detective game where you try to solve a bonkers, complicated, nested crime by exploring an open world island and then - once you're satisfied you know whodunnit - return to the judge and make your case.

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed by the actual detective and courtroom mechanics - it's not exactly Obra Dinn or Ace Attorney. But I also have to admit that I was engrossed the entire time - by the imaginative world building, the weird character traits, and the draw of finding one more clue, or figuring out one more bit of the mystery.

It's a well written game, with real heart and creativity behind every decision - from the kooky portraits to the strange character names to the vapourwave soundtrack and to the PS2-era world design.

And there we have it. So, some games that came close to ending up on the list include Ori and the Will of the Wisps - which is just another great platformer with a light Metroidvania structure. 

The Pedestrian is a clever puzzle game that gets a lot out of its central conceit. Same goes for the map-moving puzzler Carto. Hades didn't gel with me like everyone else, but I still put many, many hours into it. 

And Spider-Man: Miles Morales surprised me with just how effecting its simple, heartfelt story ended up being.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for your amazing support this year! See you in 2021!