Game of the Year 2020

goty 2020

Game of the Year 2020

Recommended Videos

Winner: The Last of Us Part II

game of the year 2020, twinfinite, goty 2020

Guides Editor Chris Jecks: Where do you start when trying to sum up a game like The Last of Us Part II? Its impeccable story, which raised thought-provoking questions on morality and quests of vengeance? The stellar gameplay? It’s incredulous levels of detail in its visuals and animations? Or the thoroughly fleshed-out, gritty world that Ellie, Abbie and the rest of the cast find themselves stuck in throughout the course of the 15-20 hour adventure? 

The Last of Us Part II doesn’t have one standout element like many other games do. The entire game raises the bar for the entire industry.

Its story has you almost reluctantly pressing through its gameplay (I’m being vague for the sake of spoilers), and on more than one occasion I was left surprised that Naughty Dog managed to outdo that incredibly tense boss fight with David from the first game.

It left me pontificating deep philosophical questions over the wants of one over those of the many, particularly in a world so dark, gritty, and oppressive as that which Ellie, Abby and Co. find themselves in.

A world where you need some bastion of light to see you through to the end of the day. It’s a stark reminder that you can’t simply know the full story by viewing one perspective. A person’s motives can seem unjust from one angle and completely validated from another.

While the narrative is the driving force behind The Last of Us Part II, it wouldn’t be enjoyable were it not for its tense, often-stealth-based gameplay.

There’s a level of finesse to the design that’s seldom seen elsewhere. The intelligent AI often groups together to press your position and force you out of hiding. They will pin you into a corner and close in like a pack of wolves.

The combat forces you to think on the fly, crafting the various scraps of materials that you’ve gathered over the course of your adventure to create a makeshift smoke bomb, just so you can have a few extra seconds to ponder your next move. 

The whole experience is then bound together with an exceptional level of presentation befitting of the narrative and gameplay. Naughty Dog has always been — in my opinion — unrivaled in its attention to detail, and The Last of Us Part II is no exception.

From the stitching in the character’s clothing to the bones in the character’s hands that can be seen so clearly in cutscenes.

last of us 2 abby

There’s also the way a nearby fire casts an orange glow across nearby snow and the lifelike tracks your characters leave in it as they trudge through, and the obscene levels of detail that’s gone into little things like moss clinging to trees.

Oh and there’s the fact Ellie actually plays real-life guitar chords when she kicks back for a quick jam amidst the apocalyptic chaos, through to the detailed workbench upgrade animations as she and Abby disassemble their weapons, before using various different tools and materials for each upgrade you make.

It truly is a stunning game, and Naughty Dog has left no stone unturned in its quest for perfect visual fidelity.

No matter how long I preach about The Last of Us Part II, I’ll never be able to do it justice. This game demands your attention. You simply have to play it, engage with its narrative, soak up all that immersive detail, panic when enemies start hunting you down like a wild animal. Feel what Ellie feels. Feel what Abby feels.

It’s an absolute pleasure to merely exist in its gritty, depressing world from the comfort of your sofa, if only for 20 hours. I didn’t think The Last of Us could be topped, but I’m more than happy to stand corrected. It’s Twinfinite’s Game of the Year for 2020, and quite possibly my favorite PS4 game of all-time.


Congratulations to our Game of the Year for 2020, The Last of Us Part II!

2020 was a disaster of a year for so many different reasons, but if nothing else, the video game industry still found a way to have another banner year and helped a lot of us get through some rough times.

The hard work that was done under such challenging conditions this year by game developers and other team members across the industry is absolutely appreciated here at Twinfinite.

Be sure to stay tuned to our front page for the results of our Game of the Year 2020 reader vote. Last year, once again, our readers and editors had a difference of opinion.

We’ve done the reader’s choice vote now for two years, and both times our readers and our editors selected different games for GOTY. Will it be three for three? Find out tomorrow. We love democracy, so tell us how wrong we are!


Twinfinite is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article 10 Things Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Changed From the Original Game That Made the Story Even Better
Image Source: Square Enix via Twinfinite
Read Article 10 Things Marvel Rivals Can Learn From Overwatch 2
Marvel Rivals promo art
Read Article 5 Ways Marvel Rivals Is an Overwatch Clone & 5 Ways It’s Completely Different
marvel rivals characters backs
Related Content
Read Article 10 Things Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Changed From the Original Game That Made the Story Even Better
Image Source: Square Enix via Twinfinite
Read Article 10 Things Marvel Rivals Can Learn From Overwatch 2
Marvel Rivals promo art
Read Article 5 Ways Marvel Rivals Is an Overwatch Clone & 5 Ways It’s Completely Different
marvel rivals characters backs
Author
Ed McGlone
Ed McGlone was with Twinfinite from 2014 to 2022. Playing games since 1991, Ed loved writing about RPGs, MMOs, sports games and shooters.