9 of the Best Games of the Past 9 Years [2020]
We’ve been able to get lost in gorgeous worlds, feel the thrill of victory and get our heartstrings pulled. The past 9 years have brought games that pushed the boundaries of storytelling, environmental player interactions, combat mechanics and so much more. Join us as we celebrate a few of these games with our “9 of the Best Games of the Past 9 Years.”
Now, in no particular order, let’s begin.
Witcher 3 by CD Projekt Red
A third-person action RPG based on the Polish fantasy novel series. You walk in the shoes of Geralt, a Witcher, known for slaying monsters. You’ll face war, nightmarish creatures, romantic interests, and questionable political actions.
A rich narrative, highly detailed world, good UX/UI, and engaging combat systems, among many other factors, have us placing this game on the list.
The Sexy Brutale by Cavalier Game Studios and Tequila Works
A murder mystery adventure puzzle game with time manipulation elements. You’re Lafcadio Boone, a guest of the Sexy Brutale, who soon discovers he has been stuck in a time-loop. He must relive the same day while trying to solve the murders of the other guests.
The Sexy Brutale makes it on the list for its fun well-used hide-n-seek & time mechanics, emotionally engaging and mystery-infused story, and its beautifully detailed top-down environments.
Orwell by Osmotic Studios
An episodic simulation game that pulls you in as a state operative that monitors surveillance sources in order to find national security threats. You’ll gather intel from in-game social sites, text messages, forums, phone calls and much more to discover the truth behind mysterious bombings.
Orwell’s amazing usage of well-developed & well-layered immersive tactics, the multiple ways the developer uses the information to build characters (as well as the connection to those characters) and the genius ways it makes the player look at their own life made this choice a no-brainer.
Tacoma by Fullbright
A sci-fi exploration adventure game set on the Tacoma space station in 2088. The entire crew has disappeared and you're hired to travel to the station and gather data of the events prior to the crew’s disappearance.
We had to add this game for its well-crafted story with fantastic twists & well-earned moments. Their AR mechanic to fast-forward and rewind through multiple simultaneous events made this game a refreshing experience.
Narcosis by Honor Code Inc.
A narrative-driven first-person survival thriller that leaves you stranded on the seafloor with limited tools. You’re an industrial diver that must take desperate steps to escape the depths before your oxygen and sanity give out.
Narcosis’ well-developed narrative, immersive world-building media elements, and its impactful psychological use of the environment make this a must list game.
Bioshock Infinite by Irrational Games
A first-person shooter with a story setting inspired by 20th-century events while also incorporating events from the two-thousands. You’ll enter the world as Booker Dewitt, an investigator hired to find a girl in the flying city of Columbia, which is led by a self-proclaimed prophet, Zachary Comstock.
Well-crafted twists & turns, deep use of philosophy and science fiction, gorgeous environments, and inventive new elements that create elaborate high-impact moments of combat inspired us to add this to the list.
Hyper Light Drifter by Heart Machine
A 2D action-adventure RPG inspired by the best of the 8-bit & 16-bit classics. You’re a sword-wielding Drifter collecting forgotten knowledge and lost technologies. Your adventures will lead you through a savage land with a dark history.
We added this game because of its fantastic visual storytelling, a superb blending of combat and puzzles as well as the artistic approach that further enhances the intrigue for the story.
Ruiner by Reikon Games
A Cyberpunk top-down shooter taking place in 2091. You’re a silent masked protagonist attempting to rescue your kidnapped brother with the assistance of a hacker. A story about vengeance, you’ll bash, slash, and shoot your way through varying enemies and crazy bosses to achieve your goals.
Masterfully implemented soundscape, in-depth skill trees and weapon options, smooth high-intensity combat, and an engrossing story gave us no choice but to add this one to the list.
Dying Light by Techland
Survive a zombie-filled post-apocalyptic city that’s been devastated by a mysterious virus. You’re an undercover agent named Kyle Crane who’ll scavenge for supplies, craft weapons and face hordes of the infected to save what’s left of humanity.
Techland has supported further development of this game for over 5 years after release with special events and game mode add-ons. They’ve created some fantastic landscapes to traverse through, terrifying creatures to survive against and their character parkour mobility has been some of the best we’ve experienced. We couldn’t think of this list without them.
