Even in a normal year, we love to play video games. But when the pandemic hit, and social life hits a wall, we really took to video games like it was toilet paper – it became a necessity. The year 2020 has certainly been a bit surreal, and some games really defined the year’s mood.
From exploring fantasy hoods to sabotaging your teammates and collecting playable characters, here are just some of the most popular video games that defined how we spent 2020.
Among Us
This game really exemplified our paranoia. In the game, you’re on a spaceship with a bunch of friends, but unbeknownst to everyone, one of you is a saboteur. But who? Those who’re accused of being the culprit will be jettisoned through the airlock – and they may be innocent. You’re dealing with guilt, paranoia, and (if you’re the saboteur) discovering your own deviousness to survive. In 2020, Among Us really helped us expose our most selfish selves – just swap the spaceship with Covid-19.
The Last of Us Part II
This is a survival horror game set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a deadly viral pandemic that created hordes of zombie-like humans. Playing as either a vengeful Ellie or Abby the soldier, you arm yourself with firearms, improvised weapons, and stealth to fight human enemies and cannibalistic creatures. The game follows a storyline that’s uncompromising and upsetting – it abolishes the promise of escape, reminding us of the awful things humans can do to each other.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
In a year when social gatherings are limited, Animal Crossing: New Horizons transported us to a deserted island that gave us a safe place to hang out with friends. As a human on an island filled with anthropomorphic animals, your task is to build a society – at your own pace. There are no bosses to fight or high scores to hit, and you can do as little or as much as you want. You’ll have mortgages and debts to repay, but these goals feel attainable – like a stress-free version of Life 1.0.
Genshin Impact
This open world gacha RPG is one of the most profitable mobile games in history. In the game, you can switch between 24 Characters to use their talents, and to get the Characters you want, you complete missions to buy Wishes – like gacha capsules, you may not get what you want. You can drop real money to buy, but it may not even guarantee you’ll get it (especially rare ones like Venti and Diluc). Genshin is a money pit. Another reason for its success? Just look at the amount of fanart out there.
Cyberpunk 2077
One of the most anticipated games of 2020, set in a dystopian world where people pay to upgrade their bodies with technology. You play as V, a tough character who goes from job to job in Night City until you discover a chip granting eternal life. Due to an accident, you insert a chip in your head to protect it. Sadly, the game tried to accomplish too much, and once it was released, it was riddled with bugs and glitches, prompting the developer to issue refunds. A disaster for a best-laid plan? That’s just too 2020.
