The Top 50 Games of the 2020s (So Far)

At the beginning of the decade, the gaming industry experienced an unprecedented boom as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the isolation mandates and remote work generating more playtime and creating a perfect storm of increased profits for publishers and hardware manufacturers. By the end of 2020, the 9th console generation had kicked off, with both the Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X/S hitting store shelves and quickly becoming nearly impossible to find. However, as the pandemic became more manageable and normal life resumed, companies refused to adjust, resulting in wave after wave of layoffs, studio closures, and further consequences. Despite these setbacks, the industry has continued to churn out one groundbreaking experience after another, as evidenced by looking back through the top games of the 2020s so far.

In just 5 years, we’ve seen an impressive slate of games released that rival the best titles from the two decades preceding them, with some of the best games of the 9th console generation having a legitimate claim to being some of the best games ever made. Of course, there’s also been a noted push toward remakes of classic games, raising questions about whether the industry is too risk-averse and reliant on sure-fire sales successes in proven franchises rather than fostering new creative talent and original IP. Still, gamers have been eating good over the last 5 years, and we still have the second half of 2025 left to go (complete with some excellent-looking games on the horizon). With any luck, the incredible games of the last few years are just the tip of the iceberg for what’s to come in the latter half of the decade.

• Release Date — January 27, 2023
• Developer — Motive Studio
• Publisher — Electronic Arts
• Genre — Survival Horror
• Review Aggregate Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Motive Studio’s Dead Space remake is a faithful reimagining of the 2008 classic that retains all the scares and core gameplay of the original while significantly updating its sound and visuals. The original Dead Space still held up incredibly well in a modern context, and the Dead Space remake just makes it look as impressive as it’s always played.

• Release Date — September 26, 2023
• Developer — CD Projekt RED
• Publisher — CD Projekt RED
• Genre — FPS, Action RPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S

As games themselves become more ambitious and advanced, they continue to get sizable DLC expansions that rival the scope and quality of content on offer in other full games. One of the best of the bunch is Cyberpunk 2077‘s Phantom Liberty DLC, which introduces some of the best story content and missions in the game.

• Release Date — July 29, 2022
• Developer — Monolith Soft
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — JRPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — Nintendo Switch

Monolith Soft was able to finally close out its trilogy of Xenoblade Chronicles games with a bang with 2022’s Xenoblade Chronicles 3, which is not only the best game in a series of modern classic JRPGs but also one of the best games in the genre, period. Somehow, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was able to refine the gameplay of the two entries preceding it while also sticking the landing for the themes and ideas permeating the entire series’ narrative.

• Release Date — August 1, 2024
• Developer — Coal Supper
• Publisher — Panic Inc.
• Genre — Puzzle, Adventure
• Review Aggregate Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Take one part Untitled Goose Game and one part sardonic look at life in a small Northern England town, and you have Thank Goodness You’re Here!. The gameplay of Thank Goodness You’re Here will feel right at home to fans of the puzzle-laden adventure of Untitled Goose Game, but its humor, wit, and charm are entirely its own and well worth the price of admission.

• Release Date — January 26, 2023
• Developer — Tour De Pizza
• Publisher — Tour De Pizza
• Genre — Platformer
• Review Aggregate Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, Nintendo Switch

When it originally released at the beginning of 2023, Pizza Tower initially flew under most players’ radars until a groundswell of word-of-mouth recommendations saw it become one of the most popular games on Steam. It’s fast, frenetic, plays like the classic Wario World platformer, and features an art style reminiscent of the alternative cartoons of the early 1990s on MTV and Nickelodeon. What’s not to love?

• Release Date — May 1, 2025
• Developer — Julián Cordero, Sebastián Valbuena
• Publisher — Panic
• Genre — Adventure
• Review Aggregate Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

A deeply personal, autobiographical game about soccer, Despelote is arguably one of the most charming games of the decade and a great reminder of the power that sports have to bring a community together. For a game about kicking a soccer ball around in first-person, Despelote has a lot of heart.

• Release Date — June 16, 2022
• Developer — Angel Matrix
• Publisher — Annapurna Interactive
• Genre — FPS, Platformer
• Review Aggregate Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

As far as FPS titles go, you’d be hard-pressed to find one from this decade that’s more unique than Neon White. Instead of playing like a traditional FPS, Neon White is all about using the deck of ability cards you’re given to shoot, jump, and glide across smaller, arcade-style levels that are built for speedrunning, trying to continually outdo both your personal best and the leaderboards as you slay demons in this incredibly stylish anime-inspired shooter. It’s an absolute blast and runs perfectly in handheld mode on Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch.

• Release Date — January 26, 2024
• Developer — Bandai Namco Studios
• Publisher — Bandai Namco
• Genre — Fighting
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Bandai Namco’s flagship Tekken franchise took a bit of an extended break before returning in early 2024 with Tekken 8, and it’s the best the series has been in years. Aside from how impressive Tekken 8 is from a visuals and performance standpoint, Tekken 8 has a huge roster, is balanced for more accessibility, and still has a thriving competitive scene.

• Release Date — June 10, 2021
• Developer — Wishes Unlimited
• Publisher — Finji
• Genre — Adventure
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

As far as charming, low-stakes adventure games go, one of the best of the last few years is Chicory: A Colorful Tale. Its writing and characters are charming, its puzzles are low-stakes, and its colorful gameplay and painting mechanic are easy to learn and surprisingly soothing to use.

• Release Date — June 26, 2025
• Developer — Kojima Productions
• Publisher — Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Genre — Action-Adventure, Stealth, Open-World
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PlayStation 5

One of the newest games to qualify as one of the decade’s top games so far is Death Stranding 2, which should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Hideo Kojima’s track record. It maintains everything interesting about the first game while improving its actual gameplay and pacing, making it a sequel that delivers the best of both worlds.

• Release Date — June 28, 2023
• Developer — Mintrocket
• Publisher — Mintrocket
• Genre — Adventure, Management, Roguelike
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

The viral success of Dave the Diver comes as no surprise to anyone who’s played it, as it’s easily one of the most unique, fun, and addictive games of the last few years. Catching fish during the day to serve them at your oceanside sushi restaurant by night is a gameplay premise that most wouldn’t have thought of, but absolutely works in practice.

• Release Date — December 8, 2022
• Developer — Matthias Linda
• Publisher — Deck13 Spotlight
• Genre — JRPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

While it was slightly overlooked thanks to other retro-inspired indie RPGs on the horizon like Sea of Stars, hindsight has been kind to Chained Echoes, which is currently experiencing a bit of a boost in popularity ahead of a major DLC releasing this August. When a game lists Final Fantasy VI and Xenogears as two of its biggest inspirations, you know you’re in store for a special kind of JRPG.

• Release Date — August 7, 2023
• Developer — Kinmoku
• Publisher — Kinmoku
• Genre — Adventure, Visual Novel
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC

There have been plenty of adventure games that pay homage to the 1980s or even the 1990s, but Videoverse is one of the few that harkens back to the glory days of the early 2000s, complete with era-appropriate approximations of what it was like to use the Internet. For anyone who was a pre-teen or teenager in the year 2000, Videoverse is a bona fide nostalgia bomb.

• Release Date — March 11, 2020
• Developer — Moon Studios
• Publisher — Xbox Game Studios
• Genre — Metroidvania
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Following up the excellent Ori and the Blind Forest was always going to be a challenge, but Moon Studios somehow delivered an even better Metroidvania with Ori and the Will of the Wisps, cementing it as one of the best modern titles in the genre.

• Release Date — June 15, 2023
• Developer — Broccoli
• Publisher — Broccoli, Aksys Games
• Genre — Visual Novel, Music/Rhythm
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — Nintendo Switch

One of the better Switch-exclusive visual novels is Jack Jeanne, which mixes the traditional gameplay elements of a visual novel/adventure game with a music/rhythm game. The visual novel genre has flourished on the Switch, and Jack Jeanne is one of the best newer titles available on the console.

• Release Date — October 20, 2023
• Developer — Insomniac Games
• Publisher — Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Genre — Action-Adventure, Open-World
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5

Following from the excellent Marvel’s Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 takes Insomniac’s winning formula for adapting Marvel’s web-slinger into a video game and ups the ante in just about every way. Rather than just control Peter Parker, players get to swap seamlessly between the original Spider-Man and newcomer Miles Morales.

• Release Date — August 14, 2020
• Developer — Wube Software
• Publisher — Wube Software
• Genre — Simulation, Management, Automation
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, Nintendo Switch

Collect resources. Build machines. Automate those machines to build other machines of increasing complexity. Factorio‘s core gameplay loop sounds simple enough, but once hundreds of hours melt away, leaving only the directive that the factory must expand, you’ll understand that Factorio is anything but simple.

• Release Date — October 23, 2023
• Developer — Black Tabby Games
• Publisher — Black Tabby Games, Serenity Forge
• Genre — Visual Novel, Horror
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

There are a surprising amount of critically acclaimed narrative-led adventure games that have come out in the last few years, but Slay the Princess sets itself apart from the pack by being one of the few that mixes point-and-click adventure with horror elements. It’s just as engrossing as it sounds.

• Release Date — March 20, 2020
• Developer — Nintendo EPD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Simulation, Management
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — Nintendo Switch

Nintendo’s latest iteration of Animal Crossing came at the perfect time, releasing just as the COVID-19 pandemic was reaching critical mass and citizens were instructed to shelter in place. While the real world outside was scary and uncertain, millions took solace in their carefully crafted digital islands, and it was just the distraction we needed.

• Release Date — May 9, 2024
• Developer — Shared Memory
• Publisher — Bigmode
• Genre — Metroidvania, Puzzle
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S

The Metroidvania has been in the swing of a renaissance since the release of games like Ori and the Blind Forest and Hollow Knight, but titles like Animal Well prove there’s still plenty of new territory to cover for the genre. Animal Well is smart, features a gorgeous art style, and some of the most devious puzzles this side of La Mulana.

• Release Date — February 20, 2024
• Developer — Localthunk
• Publisher — Playstack
• Genre — Deckbuilder, Roguelike
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — Android, iOS, PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

One of the only other games of the last few years to rival Factorio for its addictiveness is Balatro, which is such a brilliant and perfectly designed roguelike deckbuilder that it almost took home Game of the Year in 2024.

• Release Date — September 10, 2024
• Developer — Coffee Stain Studios
• Publisher — Coffee Stain Publishing
• Genre — Survival, Crafting, Automation
• Review Aggregate Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC

Imagine Factorio but in full 3D, and you’ve got the basic premise for Satisfactory. But while automation elements are certainly at play in Satisfactory, it places a greater emphasis on base-building and survival gameplay that’s to its benefit.

• Release Date — December 5, 2024
• Developer — Freehold Games
• Publisher — Freehold Games
• Genre — Roguelike, RPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC

We use the term “roguelike” pretty loosely, often using it to refer to games that are technically “roguelite”. One of the few true “roguelike” games in recent years is the excellent Caves of Qud, which is just as impressively complex — and intimidating — as the classics in the genre like Dwarf Fortress.

• Release Date — September 1, 2020
• Developer — Paradox Development Studio
• Publisher — Paradox Interactive
• Genre — Grand Strategy, Simulation
• Review Aggregate Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Grand strategy fans are a very particular breed of genre fans, and it takes a game as special as Crusader Kings III for them to collectively stand up and take notice. While Crusader Kings III does innovate and improve on the series’ formula, as you might expect, it also features some truly out-there potential in terms of how you approach diplomacy and conquest.

• Release Date — March 6, 2025
• Developer — Hazelight Studios
• Publisher — Electronic Arts
• Genre — Action-Adventure, Platformer
• Review Aggregate Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S

After winning Game of the Year with its 2021 co-op game It Takes Two, Hazelight Studios immediately set to work on its blockbuster follow-up, Split Fiction. Split Fiction feels like a celebration of the medium itself, with one jaw-dropping setpiece after another and enough creativity on display to fill 5 games, much less a single title.

• Release Date — August 25, 2022
• Developer — Northway Games
• Publisher — Finji
• Genre — Visual Novel, Life Sim, RPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Being a teenager is hard, but imagine being a teenager in outer space? That’s the basic premise behind visual novel/life sim hybrid I Was a Teenage Exocolonist, which does a great job of capturing the tough choices of growing up, all while being an excellent game with some compelling characters and writing.

• Release Date — August 18, 2020
• Developer — Asobo Studio
• Publisher — Xbox Game Studios
• Genre — Simulation
• Review Aggregate Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, Xbox Series X/S

It’s almost hard to believe that Microsoft Flight Simulator has been around almost as long as the medium of video games itself, with the first entry shipping for the Apple II back in 1979. But the 2020 edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator would practically be unrecognizable to players of the original, boasting some of the most impressively realistic mechanics and visuals of any game in the flight simulation genre.

• Release Date — December 8, 2023
• Developer — Eremite Games
• Publisher — Hooded Horse
• Genre — City-Builder, Management, Roguelike
• Review Aggregate Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC

Eremite Games’ Against the Storm is one of the best roguelikes of recent years, perfectly capturing the best gameplay loop of a city builder and letting players attempt it again and again with some perfectly balanced meta-progression and randomization that make each new run even better than the last.

• Release Date — September 18, 2024
• Developer — Mossmouth
• Publisher — Mossmouth
• Genre — Action, Shooter, Platformer, RPG, Strategy, Compilation
• Review Aggregate Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC

When UFO 50 was first revealed, players assumed it was a WarioWare-style collection of mini-games, but it’s actually so much more. Instead, UFO 50 is a full-blown collection of titles for a console that never existed, with a “who’s who” of celebrated indie game creators at the helm of 50 different retro games that could rival the best of what the NES or PC Engine had to offer.

• Release Date — December 7, 2021
• Developer — Square Enix Creative Business Unit III
• Publisher — Square Enix
• Genre — JRPG, MMORPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Despite being a traditionally solo experience, Final Fantasy has found incredible success in the MMORPG space, first with Final Fantasy XI and then again with the relaunch of Final Fantasy XIV. Since then, Final Fantasy XIV continues to be one of the most celebrated and successful Square Enix titles of all time, helped immensely by its phenomenal expansions, of which Endwalker is one of the absolute best.

• Release Date — November 11, 2020
• Developer — Bluepoint Games
• Publisher — Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Genre — Action RPG, Soulslike
• Review Aggregate Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PlayStation 5

The 2020s have been home to several incredible remakes of beloved titles, and Demon’s Souls‘ PS5 reimagining is a lesson in how to do it right. Bluepoint Games (which had previously done a commendable job remaking Shadow of the Colossus) treats FromSoftware’s Soulslike template with the utmost respect, delivering a visually stunning and faithful remake of one of the 7th generation’s most important games.

• Release Date — April 10, 2025
• Developer — Dogubomb
• Publisher — Raw Fury
• Genre — Puzzle, Roguelike
• Review Aggregate Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

There are a surprising amount of games released just this year that rank as some of the best-reviewed titles of the decade, and one of the most interesting of the bunch is Blue Prince. This roguelike puzzler ticks the boxes that you’d want from either half of its genre combination, and it continues to reveal deeper and deeper layers of complexity the more you play.

• Release Date — June 2, 2023
• Developer — Capcom
• Publisher — Capcom
• Genre — Fighting
• Review Aggregate Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — Arcade, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S

Following the somewhat rocky launch of Street Fighter V, Capcom made sure that the next iteration of its legendary fighting series came out of the gate strong, with Street Fighter 6 being the best the franchise has been in years. The new open-world story/career mode is great, but it’s Street Fighter 6‘s near-perfectly balanced multiplayer that will see players coming back to it for years.

• Release Date — November 5, 2021
• Developer — Playground Games
• Publisher — Xbox Game Studios
• Genre — Driving/Racing
• Review Aggregate Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

It’s no wonder that Forza Horizon 5 continues to be one of the most crowd-pleasing racing games around, especially if you’re just a casual fan of the genre. Contrary to the realistic simulation of Gran Turismo 7, Forza Horizon 5 strikes a careful balance between authenticity and arcade fun that makes it easy to pick up and enjoy, and its open-world setting means you’re spoiled for choice of things to do.

• Release Date — April 25, 2023
• Developer — Monolith Soft
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — JRPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — Nintendo Switch

It says a lot about the quality of the Xenoblade Chronicles series’ expansions that they typically rank higher than the mainline games themselves, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3‘s Future Redeemed DLC is no exception. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is already one of the best JRPGs of the last 20 years, and its final, culminating expansion is a must-play part of the experience.

• Release Date — October 20, 2023
• Developer — Nintendo EPD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Platformer
• Review Aggregate Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — Nintendo Switch

The side-scrolling Super Mario Bros. games each hold a special claim to being some of the best platformers ever made, and Nintendo is still at it 40 years later with the series’ latest entry, Super Mario Bros. Wonder. In a lot of ways, Super Mario Bros. Wonder feels like the rightful successor to Super Mario World on the SNES, and it’s arguably more essential for a Switch owner’s library than Super Mario Odyssey.

• Release Date — February 29, 2024
• Developer — Square Enix Creative Business Unit I
• Publisher — Square Enix
• Genre — JRPG, Action RPG, Open-World
• Review Aggregate Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5

Square Enix’s ambitious trilogy of games reimagining Final Fantasy VII is one of the most anticipated projects of all time, initially hinted at during the PS3 era and then finally realized in 2020. For the middle chapter, the team went all out, delivering a stunning open-world recreation of one of the most beloved and iconic worlds in all of gaming, complete with an emotional and surprising story that sets up what’s sure to be an epic conclusion to the reborn Final Fantasy VII.

• Release Date — April 24, 2025
• Developer — Sandfall Interactive
• Publisher — Kepler Interactive
• Genre — RPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 93% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Speaking of groundbreaking RPGs, Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 practically came out of nowhere to immediately dominate the 2025 Game of the Year conversation, ticking just about every box you can think of for a “perfect” role-playing experience. From its combat and mechanics to its heart-wrenching story and stunning score, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the few new RPGs that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the genre’s giants.

• Release Date — March 24, 2023
• Developer — Capcom
• Publisher — Capcom
• Genre — Survival Horror, Action
• Review Aggregate Score — 93% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — iOS, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Capcom already proved itself adept at remaking the classic Resident Evil games with 2019’s Resident Evil 2, and it only upped the ante for its remake of what is many players’ favorite game in the series: Resident Evil 4. RE4‘s remake is just about as close as you can get to both a perfect action game and a perfect reimagining of a beloved title, going so far as to challenge the original for its supremacy.

• Release Date — September 17, 2020
• Developer — Supergiant Games
• Publisher — Supergiant Games
• Genre — Action Roguelike
• Review Aggregate Score — 93% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — iOS, PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Despite originally launching into Early Access in 2018, Hades wouldn’t get its official 1.0 launch until the fall of 2020, cementing it as one of the best and most important games of the decade. One only need look at the sheer amount of action roguelikes following closely in Hades‘ footsteps to see its impact, and that it’s still one of the best-selling and most-played games on Steam speaks volumes about its importance.

• Release Date — March 23, 2020
• Developer — Valve
• Publisher — Valve
• Genre — FPS, VR
• Review Aggregate Score — 93% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC

While the VR craze seems to have been little more than a flash in the pan, Valve’s attempt at the format still stands as one of the best and most unique experiences players can have in the VR space. Half-Life: Alyx is more than just a cash-in on the Half-Life IP, as it’s also a reminder of how expert Valve is at getting creative and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in a given gaming genre or format.

• Release Date — June 19, 2020
• Developer — Naughty Dog
• Publisher — Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Genre — Survival Horror, Stealth, Action
• Review Aggregate Score — 93% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5

I sincerely hope we never get a Last of Us part III, because the heartbreaking and tragic tale at the core of The Last of Us Part II did such a good job continuing Ellie and Joel’s character arcs that it would cheapen its impact to take the story any further. On top of its layered and complex narrative, The Last of Us Part II also does a great job at refining and improving the stealth and combat mechanics, establishing itself as a sequel that’s just as essential as the timeless original.

• Release Date — November 9, 2022
• Developer — Santa Monica Studio
• Publisher — Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Genre — Action-Adventure
• Review Aggregate Score — 94% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5

Another fantastic sequel to a modern classic, God of War: Ragnarök builds upon the formula of 2018’s God of War in terms of its exploration and combat while also fleshing out the story of Kratos and Atreus in exciting ways. Were it not for the absolute juggernaut that was Elden Ring, Ragnarök would have been a shoo-in for 2022’s Game of the Year.

• Release Date — October 11, 2024
• Developer — Atlus, Studio Zero
• Publisher — Sega
• Genre — JRPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 94% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Shoji Meguro had already cemented himself and his team as some of the most important creators working in the JRPG space with Persona 3 through 5, and Studio Zero’s first original title as an independent studio continues in those footsteps with an incredible story, flawless JRPG gameplay, and stunning visuals and art direction. Metaphor: ReFantazio feels like a mix between Persona and Final Fantasy, and it rivals the best games in both of those iconic series.

• Release Date — June 21, 2024
• Developer — FromSoftware
• Publisher — FromSoftware, Bandai Namco
• Genre — Action RPG, Soulslike
• Review Aggregate Score — 94% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

We’ve seen quite a few expansions make their way onto the list of top games of the decade so far, but one that stands above the rest is Elden Ring‘s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. It may have some issues when it comes to its balancing and how it handles late/post-game progression, but it’s otherwise a near-flawless expansion that feels like it immediately became an essential part of the Elden Ring experience.

• Release Date — September 6, 2024
• Developer — Team Asobi
• Publisher — Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Genre — Platformer
• Review Aggregate Score — 94% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PlayStation 5

2024’s Game of the Year winner, Astro Bot, was a refreshing reminder of the joy that video games can elicit, tapping into the same feeling players got when playing Super Mario World or Super Mario 64 for the first time, all while tying in generations of PlayStation references and history. This is an essential game for every PS5 owner.

• Release Date — March 31, 2020
• Developer — Atlus, P-Studio
• Publisher — Sega
• Genre — JRPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Just barely beating out Metaphor Re:Fantazio for the coveted spot of being the decade’s highest-reviewed JRPG is Atlus’ other genre highlight, Persona 5 Royal, which adds in an impressive amount of new content and remixes the core experience enough to be considered both the definitive edition of the game and a whole new title. It’s no wonder that Persona 5 would serve as the series’ mainstream breakthrough, as it’s just that good.

• Release Date — February 25, 2022
• Developer — FromSoftware
• Publisher — FromSoftware, Bandai Namco
• Genre — Action RPG, Soulslike
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

FromSoftware’s work on the Dark Souls trilogy would help bring the company notoriety and inspire a legion of imitators, but Elden Ring will likely go down as the studio’s magnum opus. A near-perfect action RPG that features one of the most densely packed and impressive open worlds in gaming history, Elden Ring is a game for the ages that will continue to influence and inspire for decades in the same way that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time did 24 years prior.

• Release Date — May 12, 2023
• Developer — Nintendo EPD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Action-Adventure, Open-World
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — Nintendo Switch, Switch 2

Of course, leave it up to The Legend of Zelda series to have one of the best games of the decade, with Breath of the Wild‘s sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, taking one of the top spots among the best games of the 2020s. Tears of the Kingdom‘s emphasis on survival, crafting, and non-linear gameplay makes it a true creator’s paradise, and it happens to feature an incredible story to boot.

• Release Date — August 3, 2023
• Developer — Larian Studios
• Publisher — Larian Studios
• Genre — RPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 96% (Universal Acclaim)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

It’s wild to think that Larian Studios initially pitched Baldur’s Gate 3 back in 2011 and had their pitch turned down, especially when you see the insane level of success that its eventual version of the game brought to Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast. Baldur’s Gate 3 is, in many ways, the perfect RPG, tapping into player agency and freedom of choice in a way few games can and perfectly mirroring the experience of playing pen-and-paper D&D with a skilled Dungeon Master.