Games were more important to us this year than ever before. Stuck in our homes, stressed over the dozens of disasters 2020 threw our way, video games were always there for us, so let’s celebrate the best of them – and talk smack about the rest.
The first annual Lusties take a look at the various aspects that go into creating a video game experience, from characters, to music, to representation, and beyond. Not only that, we reflect on the the industry as a whole, and all that it’s gotten up to this year. Good and bad.
Without further ado, here’s our nominees for the 2020 Lusties!
Best Story
Best Remake/Remaster
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX
- Persona 5 Royal
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
- Mafia III: Definitive Edition
- Saints Row: The Third Remaster
- Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition
- SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle For Bikini Bottom
Biggest Disappointment
- Warcraft III: Reforged
- Resident Evil 3
- Crucible
- The Academy: The First Riddle
- The Last of Us Part II
- Marvel’s Avengers
- Super Mario 3D All-Stars
- The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
Best New IP
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Bugsnax
- Hades
- 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Best Sequel
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Streets of Rage 4
- The Last of Us Part II
- Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Biggest Tearjerker
- Persona 5 Royal
- Neversong
- The Last of Us Part II
Best Protagonist
- Doom Eternal
- Resident Evil 3
- Mafia III: Definitive Edition
- The Last of Us Part II
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Super Mario 3D All-Stars
- Yakuza: Like A Dragon
Best Indie
- Hades
- Monster Camp
- Coffee Talk
- Fall Guys
- Bugsnax
- Monster Crown
- Stoneshard
- Honorable mention for Among Us, since it isn’t a 2020 game.
Best Villain
- Animal Crossing (Tom Nook)
- Persona 5 Royal (Redacted)
- Crash 4 (Dr. Neo Cortex)
- Fall Guys (Yellow Team)
- Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Nintendo)
Wildest Industry News
- Xbox Buys Bethesda
- US Military on Twitch
- Cyberpunk Delays
- What The Fall Guys Beans Really Look Like
- AOC plays Among Us
- Biden Campaigning on Video Games
- Apple v Epic
- Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 Mess
Most Anticipated
- Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart
- Hitman 3
- Resident Evil 8
- Fable
- Avowed
- Deathloop
- Dragon Age 4
- Octopath Traveler Sequel
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Outriders
- Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Earthblood
- Returnal
Positive Impact Award
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Being there for us in lockdown
- Fall Guys – Hosting an auction raising $1,000,000 for charity
- The Last of Us Part II – Amazingly extensive accessibility options
- Pokémon Go – Helping small businesses throughout the pandemic
Best Vibes
- Tetris Effect Connected
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- SpongeBob Battle for Bikini Bottom
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
- Bugsnax
- Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory
Best Diversity
- The Last of Us Part II
- Raji: An Ancient Epic
- Bugsnax
- Paradise Killer
- Monster Camp
Best Soundtrack
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps
- Doom Eternal
- Hades
- Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory
Game of the Year
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Persona 5 Royal
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Hades
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
The winners will be announced early December, but who do you think should take the crown? Do you think we’ve missed any? Let us know in the comments below!
