Games From The Last 5 Years That Are Masterpieces

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2020 was a huge year for video games, with popular releases like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the Resident Evil 3 remake, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake. It also saw the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles. While the pandemic made it a difficult year overall, these new consoles set the stage for the future of gaming over the next five years.

The last five years (2021-2025) have brought a lot of fantastic games across many different genres. To avoid focusing on just one type of game – like role-playing games – this list will include a variety of titles. All the games chosen have received very high scores – at least 90 out of 100 – on review sites, meaning many players consider them to be truly exceptional.

Baldur’s Gate 3

Tactical Turn-Based RPGs At Their Finest

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a fantastic turn-based RPG with a lot of depth, making it highly replayable. It lets you create characters in detail, and you can either design someone completely new or choose from a selection of pre-made characters with their own stories.

Battles are easy to learn but offer a lot of strategic depth, and even on the simplest difficulty, they can be quite tough. However, what players really loved was the story and the characters – not just your companions, but all the people you meet along the way, including some surprisingly compelling villains.

Elden Ring

A Challenging Action RPG

Okay, so FromSoftware really blew everyone away with Elden Ring. It was their first time doing a truly open-world game in the Soulslike style, which was awesome. It meant I could explore and level up pretty much however I wanted before taking on the really tough bosses. It’s still a super hard action RPG, don’t get me wrong, but being able to roam around a bigger world and get stronger before each fight definitely made things a little more manageable.

The game’s multiplayer mode was a fun addition, letting players team up with friends online to explore the world together. A standout feature was Torrent, the horse – it was much more agile than most horses you find in other games, with the ability to double-jump!

The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

A Creative Action-Adventure Game

Despite using many of the same elements as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom creates a Hyrule that still feels fresh and exciting. The game expands the world with expansive sky islands to explore and a massive, somewhat eerie, underground area – both adding incredible depth to the open-world action-adventure experience.

The latest update lets players personalize their weapons and build vehicles for getting around. You can drive, sail, or fly – and everything feels really polished. The game also runs much smoother on the Switch 2 now.

Hades 2

A Roguelike Everyone Can Enjoy

Hades 2 is the first sequel Supergiant Games has ever created, and it’s a huge success. While it’s not necessarily an improvement over the original Hades, the two games offer different experiences and are both incredibly engaging and welcoming roguelikes.

Playing as Melinoe, players battle enemies both in the underworld and on Mount Olympus, with each location playing a key role in the story and offering new areas and bosses to overcome. The game is a good choice for newcomers to the roguelike genre, offering helpful upgrades and an optional ‘God Mode’ for players who need a little extra help.

Astro Bot

A Platformer For All Ages

Astro Bot first appeared in 2013 as a character featured in short demos, typically showcasing PlayStation products. The 2024 Astro Bot game is the first full, dedicated console title, offering many worlds to discover and expertly designed 3D platforming.

This platformer is truly impressive, even surpassing some of the best 3D Mario games in areas like level design and power-ups. It’s also a delightful celebration of PlayStation’s thirty-year history, filled with fun appearances from iconic characters – from Kratos of God of War to the lesser-known Mister Mosquito from his PS2 game.

Resident Evil 4

Classic Horror Reborn

When Resident Evil 4 came out in 2005 for GameCube and PlayStation 2, it was a huge success. The recent remake mostly stuck to the original formula, and it showed why – some things are just perfect as they are. The game remains a thrilling and genuinely scary horror experience.

The shooting mechanics are excellent, letting players purchase and modify a wide range of weapons, from handguns to sniper rifles. This game significantly improved the Resident Evil series, and both the original and this remake are among the most captivating horror games ever created.

Forza Horizon 5

A Beautiful Racing Game

As a huge fan, I have to say the Forza Horizon series just keeps getting better and better! Forza Horizon 5 is fantastic – it’s set in Mexico and you can just jump in and race whenever you want, whether you prefer playing solo or with friends online. It’s all about the freedom to race how you like.

The game features a stunning and expansive open world, comparable to those found in titles like Ghost of Tsushima and Red Dead Redemption 2. PlayStation 5 players will be able to experience it in 2025 with a dedicated port, and many believe it’s even better than the popular Gran Turismo racing series.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

A Challenging Metroidvania

After a long wait, Hollow Knight: Silksong has finally arrived, and fans are saying it lived up to the hype. While some find the game quite difficult, they’re still drawn to play. As a Metroidvania, it’s unique and stands out as one of the best in the genre, rivaled only by the original Hollow Knight.

This game is huge and features incredibly smooth combat. Its hand-drawn graphics are stunning, and it’s packed with memorable characters – both cute and creepy – who are among the best written you’ll find in any game.

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2025-11-11 11:35