Best Games of the Generation (so far)

[Mikeaveli]

Leaks have indicated that new consoles will be arriving in 2028, so we are just over halfway through the generation. What are your picks for the best games released since November 2020?

9.5/10:
Cyberpunk 2077
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel

9/10:
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Forza Horizon 5
Psychonauts 2
Shadow Generations
Persona 3 Reload

8.5/10:
System Shock (could probably move up)
Silent Hill
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil Village

Click to read more...

 

[Andrei79]

Baldur's Gate 3, TotK, Elden Ring, Hades, Cyberpunk 2077, Metroid Dread, Tunic have been my standouts.

However, there are many games I haven't played.

Also, too bad we cant add 2019, three of my all time favorites are from the previous year: Sekiro, Disco Elysium and Outer Wilds. Three genuine 10/10s and masterclasses of game design.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Baldur's Gate 3, TotK, Elden Ring, Hades, Cyberpunk 2077, Metroid Dread, Tunic have been my standouts.

However, there are many games I haven't played.

Also, too bad we cant add 2019, three of my all time favorites are from the previous year: Sekiro, Disco Elysium and Outer Wilds. Three genuine 10/10s and masterclasses of game design.

BG3, Elden Ring, and Hades were all such huge leaps forward for their respective genres, so much so they’re basically new standards. Hades all but killed other roguelikes for me, same with BG3 and CRPGs.

Elden Ring kind of stands on its own for me. I’ve been a long time Soulslike fan. I think they’re the best kind of video games out there. And the fact ER was able to transcend its own genre and bring Soulslikes mainstream is such an achievement.

 

[Frankie Spankie]

Since 2019, I've been keeping a spreadsheet with every game I've beaten and rating /10. Only two in that time have a 10 rating from me: Half-Life: Alyx and Baldur's Gate 3

That being said, I do have several 9.5 ratings:

Black Mesa

Desperados III

Divinity: Original Sin

Divinity: Original Sin 2

Katana Zero

Metro Exodus

Mini Motorways

Neon White

Opus Magnum

Return of the Obra Dinn

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew

System Shock

System Shock 2

Thronebreaker

UnMetal

Wasteland 3

Yakuza: Like a Dragon

 

[Shareefruck]

Cheating a bit by counting updated versions and remakes, but going with this:

5.0 (Unreserved Favorite)
1. Disco Elysium: Final Cut (2021) [I think the addition of world class voice acting is significant enough to include it, personally]
2. Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition (2020)
3. Tactics Ogre Reborn (2022)
4. Into the Breach: Advanced Edition (2022)

4.5 (Masterful)
5. Tunic (2022)

4.0 (Immaculate)
6. Balatro (2024)
7. Animal Well (2024)

3.5 (Great)
8. Black Myth: Wukong (2024)
9. Elden Ring (2022) [could rise, but I haven't taken that big of a bite of it yet]

3.0 (Very Good)
10. Metroid Dread (2021)
11. Street Fighter VI (2023)
12. Sifu (2022)
13. Cyber Shadow (2021)

2.5 (Good)
14. Hades (2021)
15. Silent Hill 2 Remake (2024)

 

[Shareefruck]

Also, too bad we cant add 2019, three of my all time favorites are from the previous year: Sekiro, Disco Elysium and Outer Wilds. Three genuine 10/10s and masterclasses of game design.

I don't think a year exists where three more beautifully conceived games were released at the same time, personally. Absolutely insane.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

I don't think a year exists where three more beautifully conceived games were released at the same time, personally. Absolutely insane.

Sharee, with your love of Sekiro and Metroidvanias, you gotta play Nine Sols. My personal GOTY 2024.

 

[Shareefruck]

Sharee, with your love of Sekiro and Metroidvanias, you gotta play Nine Sols. My personal GOTY 2024.

I'm familiar with it, but haven't played it. I'll try to keep your impression in mind, but to be perfectly candid, I haven't been too interested because:

a) Aesthetic/art style is an important factor that I'm very particular about, and I actively dislike the way it visually looks, how badly/amateurishly I feel that it's drawn, and how awkward and stiff the animations feel-- I keep hearing its animation praised, but I really don't get that from seeing it in action. The whole thing has a very fan-made feel to me in a bad way.

b) Me "loving" Metroidvanias can be a bit misleading. My general attitude about them is that I feel that 99% of Metroidvanias do it wrong and don't understand what makes the genre great (only a handful "get it", IMO). To give an idea, I weirdly love Hollow Knight DESPITE actually feeling that it's a pretty poor Metroidvania. I've heard Nine Sols described as "A Metroidvania that changes the mind of people who don't like Metroidvanias" and took that as a bad sign, personally (this is also what I heard about Prince of Persia The Lost Crown this year, which I did play and ended up disliking).

c) While it's been well received, it hasn't been SO well received that it's forcing me to give it a shot. I've watched some videos on it and didn't come away too impressed.

Maybe I'll give it a shot at some point, but pretty low priority

 

[syz]

2020s that came out before new consoles
13 Sentinels, Genshin, Hades, Granblue Fantasy Versus

2021
Vampire Survivors, Disco Elysium, Inscryption

2022
Elden Ring, Pentiment, Citizen Sleeper, Signalis

2023
Alan Wake 2, Star Rail, Armored Core 6

2024
Balatro, 1000xResist, Kunitsu-gami, Nine Sols

 

[x Tame Impala]

Does TW3 remaster count because I’m floored with this game. It’s so big and so fun.