A lot of longtime video game players feel the 1990s and early 2000s were the golden age of gaming. They remember a time before games constantly needed online connections, relied on potentially unfair ‘pay-to-win’ systems, or used digital codes that could become unusable later on.
Despite claims to the contrary, the 2020s have already delivered a wealth of incredible games, and we’re only halfway through the decade! Several titles are already considered modern classics, and are poised to become cherished memories for gamers just like the retro games we love today.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Is Still The Best Cozy Game
The Animal Crossing series is unique among Nintendo games because it doesn’t have a traditional goal. You won’t find any epic quests or rescues – instead, you focus on creating a charming town, befriending its adorable residents, and working off a loan from Tom Nook before he gets serious about collecting!
Animal Crossing: New Horizons became incredibly popular on the Nintendo Switch, becoming the second best-selling game for the system. Players were eager to create and customize their own virtual villages. Its release in 2020, when many people had extra free time due to the pandemic, likely contributed to its success, offering a relaxing escape while they waited for things to return to normal.
For a lot of players, Animal Crossing: New Horizons provided a welcome distraction and sense of community when they needed it most. It’s become one of the most memorable games of its time.
Resident Evil 4 Remake Elevated One Of The All-Time Greats
Resident Evil 4 is widely considered one of the best video games ever made. It was such a success that its creator, Capcom, has found it difficult to replicate since. The game’s impact was so significant that the Resident Evil series needed to refocus on its original survival-horror style to regain its momentum.
The latest game replaced Leon with a character who shows more emotion when facing the creatures. Capcom seems to believe the best way to surpass the original Resident Evil 4 is by completely rebuilding it with enhanced content.
Honestly, they toned down a lot of the goofy stuff and over-the-top hero lines, which was a good thing. But thankfully, they didn’t touch the awesome action and level design. Leon still kicks serious monster butt, just like always!
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Is The Best Modern Action RPG
While Final Fantasy 7 Remake was well-received, it only told the story of the Midgar portion of the original game. Because of this, some beloved characters weren’t included, and battles were restricted to a team of four.
With Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the game finally moves beyond the city of Midgar, giving the story the space it needed to grow. The combat is also much better, with new abilities, moves, characters, and summons that let players try out different strategies.
One of the biggest improvements in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is its much larger and more diverse world compared to the first game. It’s packed with side quests and minigames, offering a lot more to do than was available in Midgar. Hopefully, future installments will continue to build on this progress.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon Was The Biggest Surprise Of The Decade
The Yakuza series is known for its many minigames. When Sega announced Yakuza: Like a Dragon as a turn-based Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) set in modern Japan, many fans initially believed it was a joke.
I was completely blown away by Yakuza: Like a Dragon – it really stands with the best RPGs out there! The story is genius: the main character loves Dragon Quest so much that he literally sees the world like a turn-based RPG, which is a perfect way to explain the gameplay. And as a longtime JRPG fan, I absolutely loved all the nods to classic games brought into a modern setting. It was such a fun experience!
It’s disappointing that the game’s sequel wasn’t as successful as hoped. Still, Yakuza: Like a Dragon proved that stories about unlikely groups of criminals can be just as exciting as classic adventure tales.
Hades 2 Outstripped Its Predecessor
The original Hades is considered one of the best indie games ever made, offering a large-scale action-RPG experience within the world of the Underworld. Despite its strengths, Hades initially suffered from a shortage of unique content.
The combat in the game is excellent, but players quickly tired of fighting the same enemies and revisiting the same areas, even with randomized elements. Hades 2 improved upon the original by offering a significantly larger amount of content, including entirely new levels based around Mount Olympus.
Just that single improvement makes Hades 2 worth playing. It resolved the main problem with the first game, resulting in a fantastic sequel.
Persona 5 Royal Improved a Genre-Defining JRPG
Persona 5 revitalized the JRPG genre with a fresh approach. Instead of traditional, slow-paced fantasy battles, it offers quick, stylish combat set to the beat of the music, all within vibrant, modern cityscapes.
Battles in Persona 5 weren’t just fights; the fast pace, music, and visual effects made them feel like energetic performances instead of simple attacks.
The game received a major update after its release, adding a new character and expanding the stories of the existing ones. This version is considered the best way to experience the game, particularly on newer systems where the graphics look fantastic.
Pokémon Pokopia Has Redeemed The Franchise
The quality of Pokémon games has noticeably dropped on the Nintendo Switch. It seems Game Freak hasn’t been able to create a truly great Pokémon experience for the console.
The next Nintendo Switch could be a major success, thanks to the new Pokémon Pokopia game. It’s the first console title in the series to really excite fans. Set in a damaged version of the familiar Kanto region, Pokémon Pokopia features a unique protagonist: a Ditto that can transform into a human-like form and unite the region’s Pokémon.
Okay, so in Pokémon Pokopia, you team up with Ditto to basically rebuild the Kanto region from scratch – and it’s seriously one of the most satisfying crafting games I’ve ever played. As someone who grew up with the original Pokémon games, it felt amazing revisiting everything, but honestly, even if you’re new to Pokémon, this is a fantastic way to jump in and experience the world for the first time.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Toppled Its Triple-A Rivals
For a while, many people thought traditional turn-based role-playing games were a thing of the past. Square Enix shifted its focus to online multiplayer games and fast-paced action RPGs, while FromSoftware gained popularity with difficult, real-time action games that demanded quick reflexes.
The game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 demonstrated a strong desire for well-made, turn-based RPGs that offer something new. Unlike typical fantasy games, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 features a unique premise: each year, a mysterious entity eliminates people of a specific age, and that age gradually decreases.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 impressed players by letting them actively participate during battles. It was a standout game that caught the attention of other developers and might help bring back the popularity of traditional turn-based role-playing games.
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Turned Hyrule Into A Toybox
When the Nintendo Switch first came out, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was the game everyone needed to have. Its huge success, however, made it challenging to create a follow-up.
Nintendo surprised everyone with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The game begins with Ganondorf rising from below, causing sections of Hyrule to float into the sky and sending Zelda back in time. Tears of the Kingdom dramatically changed Hyrule, letting players explore both the skies above and the dangerous depths below.
The game introduced an expansive creation system Ganondorf’s servants.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Is The Ultimate Adaptation Of Dungeons & Dragons
Despite the well-known name, the legacy of Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn – often considered one of the best RPGs of all time – actually created some doubt about Baldur’s Gate 3. Fans were hesitant because the sequel was being developed by Larian Studios, a team not involved with the original games.
Larian Studios exceeded expectations with Baldur’s Gate 3. The game is built on the well-known rules of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition and features a captivating story that adapts to your choices. Baldur’s Gate 3 is remarkably reactive, offering numerous ways to overcome challenges and ensuring a fresh experience with every playthrough.
The game’s fantastic characters and diverse ways to create them are almost a weakness. It’s tempting to restart with a new character just to experience different storylines, making it hard to finish the game once you’ve started.
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2026-05-10 05:47