We tracked more than 5000 games released on the PC this year.
But That’s too much even for the most harcore of gamers. So we collected reviews by critics
and gamers to bring you the 10 Best PC Games of 2020, arranged by playscore.
To see the complete list, visit our page of the Best PC Games of 2020.
10. Death Stranding The world wasn’t
ready for Hideo Kojima’s latest opus. It was first released on the PlayStation 4 as a timed exclusive
and it eventually made its way to the PC after a few months.
It was every PC players’ first dive into using the Decima Engine and it was great. During its
release though, it was met with polarizing reviews due to its unlikely gameplay loop.
But despite the influx of ‘walking simulator’ memes and naysayers, Hideo Kojima’s vision for
an open-world game about ‘reconnecting people’ is a visually arresting experience from start
to finish. It was an emotional roller coaster that captivated old and new fans of Kojima.
Paul Sullivan from COGConnected gave the game a 9.3, praising the game’s unique style,
calling it ‘a piece of art.’ On a normal IP with a triple A budget, it would be bogged down
with uninspired gameplay, but Death Stranding did something new and it receives a playscore of 8.93.
9. Factorio The PC has always been
home to videogames that don't necessarily cater to mainstream popularity when it comes to style.
It’s a place where any developer can showcase their ideas, be it crazy or simple.
Factorio was one of the few games this year that took advantage of that.
The joy in this title comes with its limitless layers of experimentation.
Players maintain and protect their workshops at all costs, and that’s where the fun begins. To
quote a critic from our website, PC Gamer reviewer Rick Lane gave it a 9.1 score. Calling it “...the
best management game I've played for ages…”. As a crowdfunded project, there’s a number
of gamers caught in its addictive gameplay and replayability. It receives a playscore of 8.95.
8. Yakuza: Like A Dragon It seems like we’re saying
goodbye to the Kiryu family line in this latest sequel to the acclaimed Yakuza series. Like A
Dragon remains as the familiar JRPG everyone knows, but as its community has gotten larger,
it’s time SEGA changes its formula, introducing fresh concepts without really removing its core
themes. In addition to its shift in gameplay, the improvement of its open-world exploration
really gave life to its new setting. Hardcore Gamer gave it a 9. Saying,
“...is no less than a brilliant reinvention for the Yakuza series and one of 2020’s best,
most complete experiences.” The game was a stark reminder to players and critics
that this is why they love videogames in the first place. It received a playscore of 8.95.
7. Risk Of Rain 2 When it comes to roguelikes,
the PC is a hotbed of creativity that can cater to even the most unusual of genres. Risk of Rain’s
sequel is a fantastic follow-up to a successful action-roguelike.And the change from 2D to 3D was
a much needed transformation to showcase the vibrant environments and treacherous places.
Like any roguelike game, each playthrough is procedurally generated, offering a myriad of
possibilities and strategies to challenge even the most veteran of players. PCInvasion gave the game
a strong 9.5, and praises it saying that “...Its pulse-pounding, off-the-wall, challenging action,
combined with countless secrets and unlockables…” Even with co-op, the game takes a completely
different turn, for the better or for worse. It’s Risk of Rain, but 2. A playscore of 8.98.
6. Persona 4 Golden It only took 8 years to get a legit PC port to one
of the most beloved JRPGs on the PSVITA. Persona 4 Golden is a coming-of-age story with a dash of
murder mystery and some serious Scooby Doo vibes that combines anime tropes and JRPG mechanics into
one lengthy game. Meeting and hanging out with the memorable characters inside this quaint
little town of Inaba has always been Golden’s strongest moments. Each of these personalities
are well voice-acted and they actually feel like real people, which is unlikely in a JRPG.
This is ATLUS’ crowning jewel before Persona 5 came out and it’s a miracle they ported it
to the PC. During release, it was met with an overwhelming amount of support.
Who knows? Maybe this is where we get more Persona ports in the future. A playscore of 9.01.
5. Desperados III THQ Nordic’s follow-up
to their acclaimed tactics game yee-haws its way to another chapter. Desperados III takes the epic
Wild West journey through 1870 USA and Mexico. As a Tactics game, outsmarting enemies and using a
wide array of infiltration abilities does get the job done. When all hope is lost, just blow stuff
up the cowboy way. Even GameSpot loved its sense of experimentation, saying it “...entices you to
tinker with all the toys it has on offer and fully explore the possibility spaces of its elaborate
levels.” They gave it a score of 9. It was met with positive reviews upon release. Players loved
its rich storytelling and brilliant level design that Mimimi created. Even calling it a functional
re-skin of their beloved Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun. It receives a playscore of 9.03.
4. Crusader Kings III It’s about time we finally
get the much-awaited sequel of this strategy game from Paradox Interactive.
In Crusader Kings III, we get to witness even more of their signature medieval grand strategy,
but with a bit more focus on RPG and character building. Compared to the previous Crusader
Kings entries, III will aim to create a more user-friendly and approachable experience.
The moment we get past the tutorial, the sun has risen and little did we know we have become
a Tyrant with some incestuous tendencies. It’s an engrossing experience, not the incest, of course,
i meant the overall improvement of this latest installment. PCGamer gave it a score of 9.4,
stating that “...it is always in motion, always jumping to new stories, so it never lets you
get too settled.” There’s a lot of stuff built here for series veterans, but for new players,
this is an ideal entry point for those who want to learn about strategy games. A playscore of 9.06.
3. Ori And The Will Of The Wisps We return to our favorite spirit
in his latest adventures through an ethereal forest. We’ve always known that the biggest
charm of Moon Studio's metroidvania platformer comes from its presentation.
Will of the Wisps is eager to boast its gorgeous landscapes accompanied by its serenading score.
It shows off the beauty of their magical forest through stages that look like tapestries of a
fantastical nature realm--filled with glowing lights and meticulously designed obstacles.
But everyone knows the game is more than just a piece of art… it’s a challenging
gauntlet that could rival even the most impressive platformers. Chris Carter from
Destructoid said that “...it loses some of the simplicity and innocence of the original game,
but it steps up in turn with bite and refinement.” and gave it a score of 9.5.
It’s a one two punch combo of art and technical cleverness, and it earns a playscore of 9.15.
2. Hades Winner of multiple Game of the
Year awards for the year 2020, Supergiant’s latest masterpiece has caught our attention with this
impressive roguelike action-adventure. It takes out all the best elements in a roguelike genre
and mixes it with a narrative that doesn’t seem to lose its sight in a game with a never-ending
cycle of life and death. The Greek mythos is the game's central backdrop and it’s
surprising to see some of our favorite Gods and Goddesses captured in Supergiant art.
Playing as the rebellious and angsty Zagreus is a great perspective to understand every bit of Greek
lore within its unforgiving world. Each run is a different adventure altogether. Receiving upgrade
resources, unlocking new weapons and mastering enemy patterns is key to a roguelike game and
Supergiant has a way of luring us back again and again into its vicious loop in the Underworld.
It received numerous perfect scores from renowned video game sites,
each praising its evolving gameplay and characters in a roguelike game. A playscore of 9.46.
Finally at number one and the best PC Game for 2020
1. Half Life: Alyx Valve takes the crown on our list. It may not
be the elusive Half Life 3, but it’s definitely a great new chapter to Valve’s expansive science
fiction series. It serves as a Prequel to Half Life 2 and it takes players into the shoes of the
familiar character Alyx. The biggest change in this latest installment is its VR capabilities.
Alyx was built exclusively for Virtual Reality and it’s considered as the best VR game to date.
IGN’s Dan Stapleton gave it a perfect 10 and even called it as ‘the game for the future’,
setting new technological standards for the next-generation. It’s their most ambitious work to
date, considering they’re no longer making enough games lately. Its downside, however, are the
demanding requirements. Players lacking the proper hardware might have to skip this one, as it’s
impossible to play the game without a VR setup. But nonetheless, it is indeed a technical marvel
and it will further lay the groundwork for the future of gaming. It earns a playscore of 9.49.