The 2020s Most Important Games
The Decade's Best and Brightest So Far
We are now halfway through the 2020s, and I decided to look at the games that I think define the decade so far. Obviously, we have a few more months left for the year and another four years to go, but it’s never too late to see which games are leaving an impact and will be talked about for years to come. I tried my best to do this with as little bias as possible, and I’m focusing not just on whether a game is loved, but on whether it's consequential. Of course, this is all in fun and my opinion, so feel free to think of your own list and games you think will be in the discussion when the decade is over. I’ll be going each year starting in 2020.
2020
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
I don’t think there’s a game that defines video games in 2020 more than this one. With millions stuck at home during a once-in-a-century pandemic that would upend society and deliver the highest turnout for a presidential election in almost 100 years, the video game industry reaped rewards as people found escapism in games. One game that jumped to success was Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It was a perfect storm as millions stuck at home got a Switch and played this game for hours to pass the time. I got this for my wife as a Mother’s Day gift. She’s not really a gamer per se, but she does enjoy life simulation games like The Sims. She became obsessed with this game and now recognizes all the jokes, characters, and themes in the series. It was also hilarious that one of the first things she complained about was Tom Nook.
Cyberpunk 2077
My history with this game is one of asking for a refund, as I got it on the original Xbox One (the VHS system). It performed horribly, so I took the chance of a refund when they offered it. That being said, I did see over the year it got fixed and have stronger consoles that could play it. It’s gone on to become a bit of a cultural phenomenon, even getting a widely praised animated series. I’ve wanted to jump in and give it another chance for a while, and I’m here to announce that I will FINALLY be doing that as the very first game I play after I get through Metroid Prime 4. I’ve only heard great things about it, and the fact that it’s found its way into conversations despite its bad launch is a testament to its legacy.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
While this doesn’t take away from the legacy of the original 1997 PlayStation release, I do think the remake will go down in history with Xellenials and Gen Z as their entry to both the story of Final Fantasy VII and the series as a whole. The story of Cloud and company’s fight against Shinra and Sephiroth seems to be a timeless tale in the world of video games and the remake is the latest start to experiencing it. While it is only the start of the plot, this will be the one pointed to as many people’s first Final Fantasy game.
Hades
I wish I could rave and praise this game, but a couple of things. First, I’ve never played it, and second, I’m not a roguelike person, so I don’t plan to. That being said, I’m not blind to its impact and success. Hades is consistently brought up when discussing recent games, with its recently released sequel getting a ton of hype on my social media timelines. This is definitely going to leave an impression for years to come. With the rise of roguelikes, you can make a case that this one will be seen as a significant part of the genre’s history.
Notable Games
I can already hear some games people are not happy didn’t make this list, and again, you are entitled to name games that deserve to be here. However, I did set a pretty strict criterion for what gets on here, which means some games miss out. In 2020, the two games I considered that didn’t make it are The Last of Us Part II, which won the Game Awards Game of the Year, and Ghost of Tsushima, which may have launched a major PlayStation franchise. I didn’t include Tsushima because I think its sequel will be remembered more —not because I think Tsushima is bad; it was my 2020 Game of the Year —but because Yotei’s protagonist is being embraced more, and I believe that entry will have more impact. As for TLOU2, no, this isn’t bias, since I’ve been on record saying I really don’t like the story of that game, but I feel the first part has a bigger legacy than the sequel. It’s hard for a sequel to overcome its predecessor when it’s already known as a consequential game, as you will see with another game later on the list.
2021
It Takes Two
Look, I was pretty angry when this won Game of the Year at the Game Awards —not because I dislike the game (I’ve never played it )—but mostly because I have a personality clash with the loud and brash Josef Fares, who made it. Also, it beat out Metroid Dread, which, as a super fan of the franchise, did hurt. Petty grievances aside, there is no doubt this game has left a massive legacy. It’s brought up a lot in people’s favorite games, and I’ll admit that, despite not being crazy about the personality of its creator, I do wish I could play it, but I’m a single-player guy, and this game is only co-op. My introverted personality and limited free time prevent me from asking someone online to play with me, and I doubt my wife would be good at it. Maybe I’ll watch a Let’s Play one day? Either way, this is going to be in a lot of the greatest games lists in the future.
Returnal
Another roguelike, but I did try this one out. I gave this a spin when I got my PS5 back in 2022, and I quickly liked it, but because of the genre and not being a fan of losing everything when you die, I had to admit it would never be for me. That being said, I have heard this game come up a ton in Podcasts and PlayStation circles, and I do think this will be one remembered as one of the best games of the decade.
Notable Games
This was an interesting year, with a lot of excellent games, but they ultimately don’t meet the crazy strict criteria for games I think will be seen as consequential titles. Games such as Metroid Dread, Resident Evil Village, Forza Horizon 5, Psychonauts 2, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will be discussed as great games, but they’re franchise titles that are mostly known to fans more than to the industry as a whole. Again, I’m not saying these games won’t make people’s lists of favorite games because they are damn good games, just not seen as consequential titles for the decade.
2022
Elden Ring
Do I need to say more? Elden Ring was a juggernaut and officially completed the mainstream transformation of the soulslike genre. Elden Ring is a more accessible game that even newcomers can pick up and get by with, although it’s still definitely hard and has its issues dealing with difficult spots. Where this game excels is in its ability to keep you exploring and giving you plenty of places to go when you hit a wall with a boss. It’s a sales juggernaut, critically acclaimed, and got a controversial Game of the Year nomination for its DLC expansion. The From Software games were already on a roll, but this is their peak, as it’s gone on to launch a golden age of soulslike games.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Shocked? Let me defend myself. Consequential means changing up a franchise, and that’s exactly what this game does. I don’t see Kirby returning to the old formula after this one. It gave us an actual 3D Kirby game and has since become the franchise's best-selling game. While Nintendo fans will mainly talk about it, this a game that turned a long time franchise on its head and I fully expect the rest of the mainline series to follow the formulas it sets up.
Notable Games
Like 2021, there are a lot of great games that will still be remembered, but don’t quite hit that consequential rare air I’m looking for. We have God of War Ragnarok, but I personally feel the original is not only better, but also gets jokes about being more of a DLC than a sequel for a reason. Same with Horizon: Forbidden West, a game that feels more like an expansion (in a good way) of its predecessor but not something I would call essential or consequential. Also, no… despite the ridiculous fandom for Xenoblade, the third entry in the franchise would not make the list for me.
2023
Baldur’s Gate III
I have yet to play this game, but it’s absolutely on my bucket list, considering I have never seen a single bad word about it. Who would’ve thought that an adaptation of a Dungeons and Dragons subseries would be this dominating in video game awards? Not only have I seen people raising this game and seen it universally declared one of, or even the best, games of the decade so far, but I’ve also seen it reach the top ten of people’s overall favorite games of all time. Pretty safe to say this game is going to be a face of the decade.
Dave the Diver
I think this has become one of the more famous indie games, so I decided to add it to the list. I haven’t played this one, but I’ve heard it’s really fun and can get you hooked. It’s even received several collaborations, and I do believe it would’ve had a shot at a nomination for Game of the Year in a less stacked year.
Final Fantasy XVI
This game has become a bit of a polarizing one, especially among Final Fantasy fans; however, I do think its legacy is secured as one of the most important games of the decade for a few reasons. First of all, I think beyond the debates around fans, it's generally seen as a great game by critics and everyday consumers. It’s also the launching pad for Ben Starr, whose stardom has only grown since he voiced Clive, who I think is going to join the ranks of Cloud, Tidus, and Lightning among the most popular heroes of the series.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
I came close to not including this game, but I have my reasons for ultimately including it. I do think when it comes to the open world Zelda titles, Breath of the Wild is going to have more of a legacy than this one. However, I do think Tears of the Kingdom, despite people bringing up its predecessor more, is the closest the gaming industry has come to a Godfather situation. Breath of the Wild was such a consequential game that launched open world tries from franchises and changed up Zelda, so I just didn’t see a direct sequel matching it. However, Tears of the Kingdom, in my opinion, is Breath of the Wild on steroids, with a better story, better character arcs, and more fun combat. I said it back when I wrote about it; it's the equivalent of what The Godfather Part 2 was to The Godfather, and that is saying a lot.
Sea of Stars - Knowing I’m going to make Westen of BigNerdGaming mad with this one, I’ll count this as one of the more important games of 2023 for similar reasons as Dave the Diver. I think this game is loved too much not to include, and it will go down as a famous indie title of the decade. The game does feel more like a nostalgia piece than anything else, but it’s clear from the amount of fan art and passion I’ve seen that this is one of those that is going to be remembered this decade.
Notable Games
As you can see, 2023 was stacked. Notable games include Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Alan Wake II, two games that get good acclaim, but I don’t think are going to go down as the most critical games of the decade. I also loved Lies of P, Hi-Fi Rush, and New Super Mario Bros. Wonder, but those don’t reach consequential status. Also, a note that I have a soft spot for this year, not just because it was such a good year for games, but because it’s the first full year of 1UP Vault.
2024
Astro Bot
The Game of the Year winner and the game that showed that Nintendo wasn’t the only one making award-contending platformers, Astro Bot came out of nowhere. It became beloved by the PlayStation community and gamers of all kinds. We’ll have to see where things go for the little robot, but we could look back and see this as the launching point for the little robot becoming a major face in video games.
Balatro
I’ve been on record calling this the closest we’ve come to a Tetris experience. Balatro is a game you can sink into, then look up to see hours pass on the clock. It’s addictive, easy to understand, and even when you finally win, you want to go back and keep playing. This is not a one-hit wonder or fad; I see it like Tetris, and I expect many ports, potential collaborations, and spin-offs in the future.
Black Myth Wukong
While it may be a weird addition to the Game of the Year nominees due to its Open Critic score, I think what sets this game’s legacy is what it essentially launched. China is getting serious about video games, and this game was the first game from the country to get considerable mainstream attention. That alone will be its legacy, as more and more games from China try to replicate its success.
Metaphor ReFantazio
I don’t know much about this game, as I’ve yet to play it, but I do know it’s starting to build a following and praise similar to Persona 5. It also won some Game of the Year awards outside of the Game Awards, so it’s obviously one that I expect gaming critics and journalists to bring up when talking about the decade.
Notable Games
Some other games from the year that are going to be known as great games of the decade but just missed that important status are Silent Hill 2, Stellar Blade, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
2025 (So Far)
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Probably the game seen as the most important of the decade overall, Expedition 33 was made despite its challenges. The story behind it is movie stuff, created by a small team of former Ubisoft employees, a composer found on Soundcloud, and a story writer looking for a job. It all came together to make one of the most highly acclaimed video games, challenging the conventions of the troubled AAA industry. When we think of this decade, this will be its defining face.
Donkey Kong Bananza
When kids of this decade talk about the games they grew up with, Bananza will come up many times. Not only is this one of the best platformers of the decade, but it also marked the return of Donkey Kong, and it’s sure to leave memories for millions of kids. It’s also going to be forever linked to the Switch 2 launch window.
The Possible Ones?
Outside of that, we got some games I may consider consequential. I already said I believe Ghost of Yotei will have a better legacy than its predecessor. I also think Silksong could be added to this list, but I wasn’t ready to do so just yet. We also still have plenty of titles to go, and I have a feeling in my gut that the face of the industry, Mario, will not be denied a game to join it. Until then, we can appreciate when we do bump into those rare consequential games and know you’re playing history.
I have my grievances with Baldur's Gate 3 but I totally agree that it will be considered as a top 5 of the decade in the future. As for 2025, so many good games have come out, but I definitely think that Death Stranding 2 will make a mark. At this point it's no longer a niche game, and it's been the first game of the generation (console wise) that really pushes graphics to the next level. I've played most of the bangers that have come out this year and that one still sits comfortably at top 1.
I see Kirby and the Forgotten Land and I’m happy 😁