2020 was a big year for gaming with many stellar titles Animal Crossing: New HorizonsRemake of Resident Evil 3and Final Fantasy 7 Remake. It was also the year the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S launched. It was a banner year for gaming and not so good for the rest of the world due to the pandemic. That said, the new consoles helped pave the way for the next five years of gaming.
Some years were better than others, but on the whole, these past five years (2021-2025) have shown masterpieces by players. So that no one genre stands out, the choice will be diverse; Otherwise, it could turn into a list of the greatest RPGs, for example. Also, they must have reached at least 90 on various overall review sites, they have come close to, or have achieved absolute masterpiece status in the minds of many players.
Baldur's Gate 3
Tactical turn-based RPGs at their best
Baldur's Gate 3 Gives turn-based RPG fans a lot to work with, making it a compelling game to return to again and again. Character customization is top-notch, offering two ways to customize characters, including the option to choose from named characters.
Combat is both simple and complex, offering players multiple ways to approach battles, which are challenging even on easy settings. Branch's story and characters are what fans love the most, though, with their party members, NPCs encountered, and even some villains.
Alden Ring
A challenging action RPG
From Software proved that they had a lot to offer in the Soulslike genre when they released it Alden Ring. It was the first fully open-world Soulslike game from them, giving players the opportunity to tackle challenges in any order they wanted. While still a brutally difficult action RPG, at least players can level up and find loot in a wider area 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 not many horses in the games are flexible.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
A creative action-adventure game
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Reusing many assets from its predecessor, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildAnd yet its version of Hyrule is simply fascinating. Players could now explore the sky islands above Hyrule, as well as a vast underground open-world area that was too vast to be unsettling for an action-adventure game.
The best new feature allowed players to customize their weapons and craft vehicles to move around. Players could drive on land, travel on water or fly through the air, and it all felt incredibly well designed. Also, it's now a good running game on Switch 2.
Hades 2
A roguelike everyone can enjoy
Hades 2
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September 25, 2025
Hades 2 Supergiant Games is the first sequel 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 make for some of the most engaging and inviting roguelikes.
As Melino, players could fight in the underworld or the land above to face enemies on Mount Olympus. Both areas factored into the story and gave players more levels to explore and bosses to conquer. Thanks to the upgrade system and the god mode that stands for extra support, this is a great roguelike to start with.
Astro Bot
A platformer for all ages
Astro Bot, as a series of characters, has existed since 2013 and has been delegated to small adventures, usually featuring some PlayStation product. Year 2024 Astro Bot The entry was the first full console game, complete with multiple worlds to explore and excellent platforming perfection in 3D.
It's an amazing platformer that does some things even better than the best 3D was killed From gameplay, level design to power ups. It's also a fun tribute to thirty years of the PlayStation brand with lots of fun cameos, including from Kratos god of war On to the more obscure Mr. Mosquito from his titular PS2 adventure.
Resident Evil 4
Classic horror reborn
Resident Evil 4 It was a hit in 2005 when it was released for GameCube and PS2. Although the remake played it safe, it proved that there is 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 buy and customize a variety of weapons, from pistols to shotguns to sniper rifles. It made it flat Resident Evil franchise, and between the original game and this remake, they are some of the most engaging horror games ever made.
Forza Horizon 5
A beautiful racing game
Forza Horizon Forza Horizon 5 is the series outdoing itself with another great entry. Set in Mexico, players are given the freedom to compete in races if they wish, either by themselves or with friends online.
However, there is a completely unique open world to explore that is just as beautiful and expansive as any other open world experience. Ghost of Tsushima who Red Dead Redemption 2. Also, PS5 players were given the chance to play it in 2025, thanks to a port, and some might argue it beyond their exclusive racing series, Gran Turismo.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
A challenging Metroidvania
Hollow Knight: Silksong It took a long time to come out, but now that it's here, fans agree that it was worth the wait. Some feel that it is too challenging in different areas, and yet they were forced to play it. As a Metroidvania, there is nothing like it on any system save for 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 quirky, that are some of the best ever written in the industry.
