Who says the Xbox Series X has no games? Sure, with cross-generation releases and limited exclusives, it wasn’t the most packed launch. That doesn’t mean there weren’t some real standouts worth your time! Here they are: our Siliconera Xbox Series X Game of the Year 2020 honorees.
These awards represent the consensus of the Siliconera staff. For more of the year’s award selections, check out our Game of the Year 2020 archive.
Winner: Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Yakuza showed up for a depleted console launch and delivered the long, engrossing adventure that many players needed. It’s got a strong new battle system. It’s got tons of side activities. If you need it, it’s also got an impressive dual localization. It may not show off the hardware like you’d want, but it’s a smooth-running, fast-loading version of a game that’s well worth playing. And that’s enough to earn Yakuza: Like a Dragon this honor.
Tetris Effect Connected
The original release of Tetris Effect was a joy for players, in VR and out. What it wasn’t so much? Multiplayer. With the new battle and co-op modes, Tetris Effect Connected feels both new and familiar, atmospheric and exciting. It lets you build teamwork with your pals, or take on a lot of them at once with your superior puzzle skills. It lets you revisit the Classic Tetris formula on a platform that isn’t so archaic, or just introduce newer players to your lifelong competitive passion. (Also it looks stellar on the new hardware.)
Gears Tactics
The Gears of War cast already looked a lot like XCOM soldiers, so throwing them into a tactics game felt like a no-brainer. What wasn’t a no-brainer was the execution. There’s a lot of thought in Gears Tactics, not only in making interesting gameplay but also making that gameplay feel faithful to the world and action of Gears.
What’s your Xbox Series X Game of the Year 2020? Share your thoughts (and check out recommendations from our staff and community) on our forums.
