2020 has been a huge year for gaming with plenty of stellar titles including Animal Crossing: New Horizonsremake Resident Evil 3and Final Fantasy 7 Remake. It was also the year that the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S were launched. It's been a banner year for gaming and a not-so-good year for the rest of the world due to the pandemic. That said, the new consoles helped pave the way forward for the next five years of gaming.
Some years have been better than others, but overall the last five years (2021-2025) have shown players a wide variety of masterpieces. So that no genre stands out, the selection will be varied; otherwise, it can turn into a list of the greatest RPGs, for example. They also need to score at least a 90 on various aggregate review sites, indicating that they have approached or fully achieved masterpiece status in the minds of many gamers.
Baldur's Gate 3
Tactical turn-based RPGs at their best
Baldur's Gate 3 gives turn-based RPG fans plenty to do, making it a compelling game to keep coming back to again and again. Character customization is top notch, offering two ways to customize characters, including the ability to choose from named characters.
Combat is both simple and complex, offering players many ways to approach battles that are challenging even on the simplest of settings. The branching story and characters are what fans adored the most, even though they encountered NPCs and even some villains among their party members.
Elden Ring
Challenging action RPG
FromSoftware proved they have a lot to offer in the Soulslike genre when they released Elden Ring. It was their first fully open-ended Soulslike game, giving players the opportunity to complete challenges in any order. While still a brutally difficult action RPG, at least players could level up and search wider areas for loot before going after the next big boss.
Multiplayer was also a great addition to the game as players could team up with two others online to explore. Perhaps the most interesting feature was the double-jumping horse Torrent, as most horses in games are not that flexible.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Creative action adventure game
The Legend of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom reused many assets from its predecessor, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand yet his version of Hyrule is just as compelling. Players could now explore the sky islands above Hyrule along with a giant underground open world that was as vast as it was disturbing for an action-adventure game.
The coolest new feature allowed players to customize their weapons and craft vehicles to cruise inside. Players could drive on land, sail through water, or fly through the air, and everything was incredibly well designed. Plus, it's now a better running game on Switch 2.
Hades 2
A roguelike that everyone can enjoy
Hades 2
- Released
-
September 25, 2025
Hades 2 is the first ever sequel Supergiant Games has ever made, and they hit it out of the park. It's not necessarily better than its predecessor, but they exist on different levels and are some of the most impressive and enticing ever created.
As Melinoe, players could fight in the underworld or above ground to deal with enemies on Mount Olympus. Both areas fed into the story, giving players more levels to explore and bosses to conquer. It's a great roguelike for starters, thanks to the upgrade system and God Mode ready for extra help.
Astro Bot
Platformer for all ages
As a character line, Astro Bot has been around since 2013 and has been delegated to small adventures, usually showcasing certain PlayStation products. 2024 Astro Bot entry was the first full console game, complete with tons of worlds to explore and great 3D platforming perfection.
It's a stunning platformer that does some things better than even the best 3D Mario games, from level designs to enhancements. It's also a fun tribute to PlayStation's thirty years as a brand, with lots of fun cameos, including Kratos from God of War to the more obscure Mister Mosquito from his titular PS2 adventure.
Resident Evil 4
Classic horror Reborn
Resident Evil 4 was a hit in 2005 when it was released for GameCube and PS2. While the remake played it safe, it proved that there is a reason not to mess with perfection. It still works as a horror game that is equal parts scary and exciting.
Third-person shooting is also great, as players can purchase and customize a variety of weapons from pistols to shotguns to sniper rifles. It settled Resident Evil franchise, and between the original game and this remake, they are some of the most impressive horror games ever made.
Forza Horizon 5
A beautiful racing game
Forza Horizon is a series that continues to surpass itself, with Forza Horizon 5 being another great entry. Set in Mexico, players have the freedom to compete in races if that's all they want, either alone or with friends online.
However, there is a completely unique open world to explore that is just as beautiful and expansive as other open world experiences. Ghost of Tsushima on Red Dead Redemption 2. Additionally, PS5 players got a chance to play it in 2025 thanks to the port, and some might argue that it surpasses their exclusive racing series, Gran Turismo.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Challenging Metroidvania
Hollow Knight: Silksong it took a very long time to come out, but now that it's here, fans agree that it was worth the wait. Some may think that it is too challenging in various areas and yet they were forced to play it. As a Metroidvania, there is nothing like it in any system except the previous entry.
It's massive, the combat is slick, the hand-drawn visuals are out of this world, and it's absolutely packed with NPCs, both adorable and grotesque, that are some of the best written in the industry.
