As this year sees the eighth console generation draws to a close, it was bid farewell by a swansong of great games in 2020, some of which are undoubtedly the most impressive yet seen on PS4 and Xbox One. Today, as part of Twinfinite’s annual award season, we’re taking a look back at the best action/adventure games of 2020.
The Best Action/Adventure Games of 2020
Honorable Mention: Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Guides Editor Chris Jecks: Way back in 2018, Insomniac Games brought something special to the video game world. Marvel’s Spider-Man allowed us to realize our dreams of swinging through the streets of Manhattan, whipping around with a nonchalant grace as we kept the character’s beloved city safe from thugs and the dastardly plans of Doc-Oc.
It scratched that Spidey itch we’d all had for so long, and then some, delivering satisfying combat, traversal, and an engaging story rolled into one.
Fast forward to 2020 and Insomniac brought the goods once again with Spider-Man: Miles Morales. A standalone expansion of sorts to the original title, the game saw Peter Parker jetting off to Europe, leaving Miles to step into the suit of everybody’s favorite neighborhood Spider-Man.
It took all of about 10 minutes for me to remember why I gave the original game a 4.5/5 back in 2018, and capitalized on the already excellent experience with new Venom moves that delivered powerful, cinematic attacks that drop thugs in style.
These new additions to Miles’ arsenal were bolstered by a heartwarming story that gave us goosebumps by the end, and a plethora of collectibles and side challenges to keep you entertained after the credits rolled.
As 2018’s Spider-Man was one of the best PS4 exclusives, Miles Morales is a no-brainer for anyone craving more web-swinging action. Plus, it stood as one of the PS5’s launch titles, making use of the super-fast SSD and extra horsepower to make Miles and Manhattan look better than ever before.
The Best Action/Adventure Games of 2020
Honorable Mention: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Senior Editor Alex Gibson: After Assassin’s Creed endured a torrid debut on PS4 and Xbox One hardware with Unity, the franchise has gone from strength-to-strength boasting a new RPG-centric design.
It started with a soft reboot in the form of Origins and has continued in 2020 with Valhalla, a beautiful, sprawling open-world experience that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the very best action games of the year.
In fact, it might very well be one of my favorite Assassin’s Creed games, thanks to its focus on exploration, branching dialog, and most importantly, the complete change of setting to Britain during the Viking Age. Indeed, where Odyssey’s Mediterranean setting felt too similar to Origins’ Egypt, Valhalla really does feel like a breath of fresh air.
Britain looks absolutely superb, from the rolling countryside of the south to the dramatic hills and mountains further west and north. In particular, the Roman ruins that scatter the landscape make for a unique and breath-taking spectacle that hides all sorts of interesting secrets.
The storytelling, too, is great for the most part, with each of England’s regions playing out almost like large interconnected side-quests — even if there were one too many by game’s end for my tastes.
As for the gameplay experience, it’s a familiar affair but is certainly an improvement over Odyssey, with a new skill tree that offers plenty of choice as to how players approach its combat and traversal.
I really hope Ubisoft keeps the Viking setting around for at least another entry before moving on.
The Best Action/Adventure Games of 2020
Second Runner-Up: Final Fantasy VII Remake
Senior Editor Alex Gibson: If you were skeptical of Final Fantasy VII Remake 12 or so months ago, you weren’t alone. After all, even beyond a controversial plan to turn the game into a series, its long production cycle had a misfiring start under developer Cyberconnect, and even Square Enix’s own most recent efforts with Fantasy XV hardly inspired confidence.
But the more it was showcased, the more it seemed as though the project was being handled with special care, and as it turned out, Final Fantasy VII Remake is a very special game indeed. Against the odds, it’s proved to be a modern classic that feels connected to the original while paving its own, bold path at the same time.
I loved almost every minute of the adventure, mostly because even though I felt sure what was around every corner I was continually surprised. From its fantastic battle system to the compelling new twists and turns of its revised story, Final Fantasy VII Remake is a gold-standard of JRPGs in the modern era.
The question now, of course, is where it goes from here, and how on earth any ending ever can be more dramatic than what we’ve seen in part one. I’ll be sticking around to find out, though, that’s for certain.
The Best Action/Adventure Games of 2020
First Runner-Up: The Last of Us Part II
Reviews Editor Zhiqing Wan: Since its initial reveal, it’s been clear that The Last of Us Part II would have a lot to live up to. Not only would it need to be a satisfying continuation of the powerful narrative from the first game, but it would also need to up the ante on the gameplay front. The good news is, it achieved both of those things.
The Last of Us Part II is much darker and grittier than the first game in terms of story, and that translates extremely well to how the game actually plays.
We won’t mince words here; this isn’t a very pleasant game to play. Ellie may be lighter and swifter than Joel, but there’s still a weight to her actions and the game makes sure you feel every slice and stab of her knife as you cut your way through humans and infected alike.
Part II also drastically improved its AI, as enemies now actively communicate with each other and react accordingly to what you do. Truly, the reactive AI is easily the most impressive part of the game as it no longer feels like you can just cheese enemies with broken stealth mechanics or hiding and hoping that they’ll forget about you.
While some levels may drag on for too long, causing the pacing to feel off at certain points, The Last of Us Part II never fails to make the player feel tense every step of the way. It’s a grueling and exhausting game to play, but maybe that was the point all along.
The Best Action/Adventure Games of 2020
Winner: Ghost of Tsushima
Senior Editor Alex Gibson: Admittedly, every time I hear people suggest Ghost of Tsushima is “just another open-world game,” I’m triggered. Sure, its design is unquestionably based on a popular blueprint, but the finesse and innovation with which it’s been executed are surely the takeaways everyone should instead be praising!
How many other open-world games, for example, are designed the same cinematic initiative as Ghost of Tsushima, from the minimalist HUD to the complete lack of waypoints?
How many games, period, have you reflect on story beats in hot springs to increase your health, compose poetry for cosmetics, and follow foxes for perks?
Granted, a lot of this turns out to be busy work by the game’s end, but I just love the magic of exploration in Ghost of Tsushima, especially given the utterly drop-dead-gorgeous aesthetic of its setting. Indeed, Tsushima might be loosely based on history, but its visual charm is more enchanting than any high-fantasy game I’ve ever played.
Then there’s the combat — oh, the combat! Who needs a lock-on when you have sword-play that’s this tactile? And even now I just cannot resist an Akira Kurosawa-inspired showdown with any rogue Mongols still patrolling Tsushima after my single-handed liberation of the islands.
Not that I’m struggling for things to do, mind you, thanks to the release of its surprisingly robust co-operative multiplayer expansion, Legends. The new mode came out of nowhere and added a wealth of new content to slice through, which makes the most of the game’s brilliant combat system with even tougher challenges than the single-player experience.
All in all, I consider Ghost of Tsushima one of 2020’s biggest success stories, marking the arrival of what seems destined to become one of Sony’s landmark IPs moving forward, and earned its spot as the best action/adventure game of 2020. Here’s hoping an even better sequel isn’t far away.
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