With the year coming to a close, players are now able to look back on the games released over 2020 and see what titles did the best, and which weren't quite so popular. Whether they are for the Nintendo Switch, or other consoles, players have seen many AAA and indie titles come to the market for 2020. While games like Animal Crossing: New Horizon and The Last of Us Part 2 have made a big splash that many have heard about, some might be surprised to see what ranked the best and worst according to Metacritic.
A good example of a game that no one saw coming this year was the title Hades. The indie game, developed by Supergiant Games who also made Pyre, gave fans an exciting, Greek Myth-inspired dungeon adventure through the underworld. Hades scored twice on the top ten list for Metacritic for 2020, with it's Nintendo Switch version taking 4th place with a score of 93 and the PC version in 7th. Hades challenges what a roguelike dungeon crawler can look like, and boasts fantastic voice acting and narrative to match the smooth game mechanics. However, it is not the only title ranking at the top of the list this year.
Some games didn't come close to making a favorites list this year. According to data provided by Metacritic, games like Fast and Furious Crossroads came in at the bottom of the pile with a score of 34. Titles that do poorly can be a real gamble for players. Whether it is an indie game that doesn't quite hit the mark, or a AAA game that doesn't meet expectations, sometimes titles deliver an underwhelming experience for gamers. However, this year's top spot for the worst game comes in a tiny package.
Metacritic's Worst Game of 2020: Tiny Racer (Switch)
Metacritic's worst game of the year goes to Tiny Racer, which released on July 31st for the Nintendo Switch. This game will put players back $10 USD for the chance to race around in tiny cars against friends or on their own. However, according to the game's reviews, Tiny Racer's mechanics aren't great and the graphics leave something to be desired, giving the game an unfinished appearance. Tiny Racer received a 29 on the Metacritic scoreboard.
Metacritic's Best Game of 2020: Persona 5 Royal
Sitting at the very top of the list this year is Persona 5 Royal, released on March 31st for the PS4 and costing players $49.99 USD for the base edition. The Persona series has always been popular, with Persona 5's original 2017 release enjoying a 93 on Metacritic. However, the updated game has added to what originally made the story so popular, allowing the game to be fun for new players as well as for fans of the original release. According to Metacritic's 2020 list, Persona 5 Royal received a score of 95 and holds the top game spot by a solid two points.
While plenty of games enjoyed success this year, some titles like Persona 5 Royal and The Last of Us Part 2 really stood out above the crowd. Other games like Hades may not have taken the top on Metacritic, but getting 4th place isn't a bad spot to be. For titles like Tiny Racer however, the bottom of the pile isn't the best way to be remembered in the years to come, and players will likely invest their time and money into more successful titles going into the new year.