RPGWatch Feature - GOTY 2020 - Best RPG

The RPGWatch visitors have cast their votes for the best RPG of 2020. So check out this article to see how you ranked the releases in 2020.

More information.

Who would have predicted at the start of the year that W3 would beat out CP2077 and that the old HZD would take out AC:V!

Expected results, but also unexpected in the long-view!

It's been cool to see the (belated, from my perspective) love for Horizon: Zero Dawn. Definitely a cool game. I wish I'd played the Frozen Wilds DLC, but at this point I don't know that I could pick it up again.

I suppose this year's votes are somewhat atypical?

Originally Posted by Redglyph
I suppose this year's votes are somewhat atypical?

No - I don't think so.

I thought The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III would be in the top 10, because the series is popular for some Watchers.

I find Wolcen a curious choice at 9th place. I haven't played it myself, but the reviews on Steam have kept me away. I am curious if people voted for it as a default choice, or if they really enjoy it
I am also surprised with H:ZD at 3rd place, because I've seen reviews say the rpg elements are weak (or questions if it is an rpg), even if the game itself is good.

"Wasteland 3" in first place…probably well deserved. I would have most likely bought it myself, if I hadn't had such rotten luck with W2.

Started playing it twice over, both times from the beginning and about a dozen hours in, only to run in to a recurring game-stopping crash while travelling on both attempts. I don't think that has ever happened to me before, at least not without being fixed either with patching or changing of settings/drivers.

If it had been in development a little longer Cyberpunk 2077 would perhaps be the GotY 2020.

No, it would habe been (a competitor for) GotY 2021.
(If "little longer" > 21 days.)

WL3 beating CP77 and HZD being third speaks volumes of what a weird year 2020 was.

Or they could have put more working hours on the important RPG stuff and simply cut some unnecessary features.

The simple 80/20 rule often works:

• Make a list of all features you want to implement
• Rank them
• Concentrate on the first 80%
• Cut the rest 20%

If some time is left at the end of the project implement the best of the rest.

21 people voted for Horizon Zero Dawn. 20 people voted for Assassins Creed Valhalla. The difference between them is small. Basically people voted for the first 2 games and None. The rest are just left overs.
And for HiddenX, 3 people voted for ToCS, putting it at 11th spot. If not two of those 3 put the game in first place, it would have been much lower. So it wasn’t that popular compared to other games.

Since I didn't cast my very prestigious vote before the deadline, the results of the poll are suspect at best.

Yep basically as I predicted except for third place. As Myrthos said above first two are winners the rest are leftovers. Also as I told HiddenX no JRPG would win again.

Fair results.

And now let's move to 2021, which looks so much more exciting!

Sad to see Troubleshooter so low on the list.

WL?

ToCS3 not in top10?
Lemme take glasses to be sure…



The rest is almost as I've expected.

Originally Posted by HiddenX
No - I don't think so.

I thought The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III would be in the top 10, because the series is popular for some Watchers.

The 'None' that earned the 3rd place looked strange to me, but I see that it got even more votes in 2019 with 25%, and the first place in 2016.

Does that mean that people didn't even have an opinion on 3 games, or that they prefer not to vote if they don't like it? I suspect the latter. That's quite interesting, and I suppose that removing this empty spot is the best way to deal with it (rather than force at least 3 votes).

@Redglyph, I wouldn't bother with that. It's the same "this year was a bad year for RPGs, hope the next is better" mantra here year after year…Just how people are. They like to complain and taking away their "None" option could lead to an outrage

I always pick three games and picking none on a poll is pointless.

Just a re-post of my picks.

Game of the Year Picks

1. Cyberpunk 2077
2. Wasteland 3
3. Assassin Creed Valhalla

Most Promising for 2021

1. Baldur's Gate 3
2. Solasta: Crown of the Magister
3. Urban Strife

It was tough picking the most promising as other games have my interest also.

• Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
• Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness
• Vampire - The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2
• Encased
• Alaloth: Champions of the Four Kingdoms
• Gothic Remake
• Elden Ring
• Nighthawks
• Gamedec
• Edge Of Eternity
• The Waylanders
• Mechajammer

I still have to play The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III.

I also voted for CP2077 but am kind of happy they did not win seeing the state the game was in 2020. They did not deserve it which is a shame, really. Congratulations to inXile, though! First GoTY for them on RPGWatch?

Debatable as CP2077 was GOTY for me. The PC release though.

Wasteland 3 nah it was to consolefied for my taste and I found it lacking in content. Lets just say if it wasn't turn based you could finish the game in 20-25 hrs at most.

They also haven't released any sizable DLC content in over six months. So I'll counter your point above , and say it deserved to get second or third place.