Yakuza: in what order to play the entire saga in full (2020)

I just saw some gameplay for Yakuza 7 and I'm drooling from every orifice of my body. Anyone have any idea when to expect pre-orders to open for PC? On that note, can anyone please spoil me the role of Kiryu in the game?

Kiwami 1 and Kiwami 2 was big for me but for me the biggest step up in overall quality is 4 for me.
Haven't finished it yet but gameplay and graphics improved dramatically and the story was a lot more interesting, well more written in my opinion.
Also the 4 playable characters is such a breath of fresh air as playing with Kiryu only for 4 previous games gets a bit tiring. What made 0 and 4 great for me was playing with the different personalities and fighting styles.

It's like Dunkey always says - "if you want something done right, you gotta do it all by yourself"
TLDR play order for the mainline series:

1. Yakuza 0
2. Yakuza Kiwami
3. Yakuza Kiwami 2
4. Yakuza 3
5. Yakuza 4
6. OPTIONAL - Yakuza: Dead Souls - NOT CANON TO THE MAIN SERIES STORY
7. Yakuza 5
8. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
9. OPTIONAL - JUDGEMENT - HAS REFERENCES TO THE MAIN SERIES BUT ISN'T INTEGRAL
10. Yakuza: Like a Dragon
11. OPTIONAL - Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise - PURELY SPINOFF TITLE USING GAMEPLAY FROM YAKUZA SERIES

Hey there kyodai, this is the New and Improved "I'm Tired of Seeing This Posted 300 Times a Day" Yakuza series play order post! We haven't had one of these stickied in a long time, and I doubt this one will be, but at least we will have something to link to! Please feel free to link to it as you see fit! This guide covers the titles on all available current/next gen platforms and PC. Yes I know Yakuza exists on PS2 and PS3, nobody cares anymore. This guide is also just in reference to the NA releases and doesn't go into the PSP titles or the JPN exclusives ISHIN and KENZAN. This is to help the influx of new Xbox and PC players. I will update this post as new releases on PS5 and the like become available!
PLEASE NOTE! All physical releases for the PS4 and XB1 will work on new gen PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles.
​
WHERE TO START WITH THE YAKUZA SERIES
REGARDLESS of what console you play on, the games are meant to be played chronologically. There is the argument that the story is best played by release date and I will refute that statement until my dying breath. Because it doesn't make sense. Why would you play through the series, then go back to 0, a prequel, then BACK to 6, the end? That's dumb. In the same vein, if you want to experience the entire saga the way it's intended, DON'T SKIP GAMES. Just watching the cutscenes leaves sooo much to be desired.
YOU START THE SERIES FROM YAKUZA 0.
0 is available on all platforms and can be had the following ways:

• Digitally on PlayStation, Xbox and PC
• Digitally as part of the Yakuza Origins bundle on Playstation
• Digitally with GAMEPASS on Xbox and PC
• Physically as a standalone blue case release on PS4
• Physically as a standalone red case Greatest Hits release on PS4

NEXT IS YAKUZA KIWAMI
Yakuza Kiwami is a remake of Yakuza on the PS2. It uses a very similar style to Yakuza 0 combat wise and is about half as long. Kiwami is available the following ways:

• Digitally as a standalone title on PlayStation, Xbox and PC
• Digitally as part of the Yakuza Origins bundle on PlayStation
• Digitally with GAMEPASS on Xbox and PC
• Physically as a standalone blue case release on PS4
• Physically as a standalone red case Greatest Hits release on PS4
• Physically as a standalone Steelbook release on PS4

AFTER THAT IS YAKUZA KIWAMI 2
Kiwami 2 is a remake of Yakuza 2 originally released for the PS2. This is the first CHRONOLOGICAL game to use the Dragon Engine. The combat is most similar to Yakuza 6 and JUDGMENT. It's available the following ways:

• Digitally as a standalone title on PlayStation, Xbox and PC
• Digitally as part of the Yakuza Origins bundle on PlayStation
• Digitally with GAMEPASS on Xbox and PC
• Physically as a standalone blue case release on PS4
• Physically as a standalone red case Greatest Hits release on PS4
• Physically as a standalone Steelbook release on PS4

NEXT IS YAKUZA 3
Yakuza 3 was first released on the PS3 in NA and Japan and acts as a sort of soft reboot for the series in HD. Until just last year it was only ever available on disc but now you've got the following ways to grab it:

• Digitally as a standalone title on PlayStation, Xbox and PC
• Digitally as part of the Yakuza Remastered Collection on PlayStation, Xbox and PC
• Physically as part of the Yakuza Remastered Collection on PlayStation
• Physically on PS3

LOGICALLY, YAKUZA 4 IS NEXT
Yakuza 4 marked the first time RELEASE DATE WISE that you could play as someone other than Kiryu. 4 introduced 3 new protagonists to the mix and can be played the follow ways:

• Digitally as a standalone title on PlayStation, Xbox and PC
• Digitally as part of the Yakuza Remastered Collection on PlayStation, Xbox and PC
• Physically as part of the Yakuza Remastered Collection on PlayStation
• Physically on PS3

YOU GUESSED IT, YAKUZA 5 COMES AFTER THAT
Yakuza 5 brings us 5, count em', FIVE protagonists and is arguably the largest game in the series (although 7 comes damn close). Until recently, 5 was a downloadable only title on the PS Store but can now be purchased as such:

• Digitally as a standalone title on the PlayStation, Xbox and PC
• Digitally as part of the Yakuza Remastered Collection on PlayStation, Xbox and PC
• Physically as part of the Yakuza Remastered Collection on PlayStation

FINALLY WE END WITH YAKUZA 6
Yakuza 6 is the final chapter of Kiryu's saga and for now is only available:

• Digitally as a standalone title on PlayStation
• Physically as a standalone blue case PlayStation release
• Physically as a standalone Artbook case PlayStation release
• Physically as a standalone red Greatest Hits PlayStation release

THE SERIES STARTS ANEW WITH YAKUZA: LIKE A DRAGON
The newest title in the Yakuza series is Yakuza: Like a Dragon. This game features a totally new protagonist and main area to explore, as well as introduces a brand new, turn based battle system. It's a fantastic game and a welcome change to the formula, despite what Reddit would have you believe. Grab it any of the following ways:

• Digitally as a standalone title on PlayStation, Xbox or PC
• Physically as a Steelbook release on PlayStation and Xbox
• Physically as a standalone blue case release on PS4

​
And that's it! Feel free to browse but not to carouse!

Hey yall wanted to share my thoughts on all the games I completed this year some of which was back log some of it being 2020 releases but anyway im glad I actually completed a good handful of games this year and hope to finish even more in 2021 anywhere here we go.
Borderlands 3 I put about 100ish hours into Borderlands 2 and beat it a few times both on my Xbox 360 and PC, its by far one of my all time favorite open world games and have been looking forward for the sequal for years. I got the game on release but barely played it until around March of 2020 when I finally decided to finish it. Honestly it was a bit of a disappointment in terms of story and characters (one of the greatest aspects of Blands 2. The villains are pretty forgettable along with most of the plot and the humor just didnt hit as much as the first 2 games but besides the gameplay was still great as ever its all smooth and rewarding feeling so at least there is that. Overall it was pretty mediocre and unfortunately not the great Sequel I waited 7 years for.
Spongebob Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated.
When I was a kid I had this game for the PS2 but never beat it cuz I was like 6? but anyway when I saw Rehydrated was coming out I was pretty hyped as it seemed this was really coming from the heart and from what I remember being 6 and playing they did the game really well! The new graphics looks great but keep that cartoony look and all the characters are talkative and expressive as ever. The gameplay is smooth and I dont think I ever ran into and glitches or bugs. Really the game is just pure fun and totally give it a recommendation to anyone who has ever slightly considered it plus its not crazy long it took me about 10 and a half hours to beat.
DOOM Eternal
I played DOOM 2016 back when it came out and thoroughly enjoyed it (I was 16 at the time and all I played was League of Legends and Battlefield) it definitely was a fresh breathe in the land of shooters so a sequal I was totally on board for, but this? Holy shit Id Software took DOOM 2016 and said nah that game was shit look at this. Seriously the amount of new stuff added to this game from D-16 is crazy and it just is so much damn fun to play. Im not one to really go out of my way for collectibles but this game really had me searching like an animal for everything. I beat it on Ultra Violence and damn let me say the game is a lot harder than the previous game but it really is up to your skill of switching weapons, dashing, killing, getting health, killing, throwing the wrong type of grenade and waiting for it to recharge. In fact right now its the only game I played from this year im replaying (this time on Nightmare) just to see if I can do it. Easily my game of the year for 2020 and im really sad it got gipped at the game awards especially for its soundtrack where it lost to an acoustic guitar from the last of us.
Pokemon Sword
Wont dwell on this long, I beat Shield the week it came out last year since Pokemon is my all time favorite game series. Um good game not great compared to the other pokemon games but ya know I liked it and got to add another game to the list of completed games so uh yeah.
Halo Reach
So I bought the Master Chief collection for PC in January and got around to start going through all the games in the later half of the year. Growing up I only ever played Forge or Firefight with my friends on Halo and never sat down and finished any of the stories except for Halo 2 for some reason? in 2017 I got Halo 5 and beat the story on that and since then got more interested in Halo and honestly have gone neck deep in Halo lore (as we speak im on the 2nd book of the Halo novels) Anyway Reach. Awesome game, a great re-introduction to the series that played perfectly on my PC. I played this and all the Halo games you will read about on Heroic and even if it pissed me off sometimes the accomplishment I felt afterwards was rewarding enough. I think the strongest part of the game is the story telling the fall of Reach from Spartans who arent the Master Chief. Its a sad game honestly and the music and environments reflect that but they also at some points do reflect that small glimmer of hope for Humanity. Ive actually been listening to the Reach soundtrack on occasion and cant get that line out of of my head "there will be another time..."
Halo: Combat Evolved
Should have stated in the Reach review that im playing the games in Chronological order so next on the chopping block was Halo CE and I can say yes this is definitely Combat Evolved. One thing I tried doing when playing this game was putting myself in the shoes of a gamer in 2001 and I can see why this game was as popular as it was (especially cuz I have played or at least attempted to play shooters from years prior) it just works. The gameplay is so fluid and everything works so well together that its crazy they got AI and Item interaction working like this on an Original Xbox. The story here is good, its nothing crazy...yet but Id say in terms of 2001 games especially shooters I stronger story than most. Guns just feel impactful, the way enemies interreact with the player in their attacks or how they dodge grenades is amazing. Id my only gripe comes with how much Back tracking is used in some levels or how one certain level that was already pretty long and a bit annoying is literally reused 2 missions later just in reverse. But still great game that I think holds up well 20 years later hell id even say certain gameplay aspects like enemy is some how better here than some modern games.
Halo 2
What if we took Halo CE and put in new weapons like the legendary Battle Rifle, improved almost every aspect from the first game and made the story x10 better? Boom Halo 2. I beat this as a kid on my OG Xbox back in like 2012 so this was almost still a new experience for me and at least one I can appreciate now. Not much to say about the gameplay here since its stayed about the game but the introduction of the new selection of weapons and the option to duel wield is great. Really I just want to talk about the story (minor spoilers) But like the fact we got to play as the Arbiter with the covenant is awesome and seeing the development of a branded heretic Elite learn the truth of everything and the betrayals and the drama happening within the Covenant is amazing. I love the characters even if they arent crazily fleshed out but that might be from just good chemistry and performances like Johnson and Miranda and my girl Cortana of course. Really I could write a small essay on Halo 2's story but I wont, not now at least. Some minor gripes with the game for me the levels are great and while not repeated I say some are less memorable than the ones presented in Halo CE not to mention in later Levels when fighting the brutes the arsenal of weapons almost shrinks and maybe it was just me but it feels like you are ill-equipped in a couple later game levels where you only have plasma/covenant weapons to fight brutes where it seems to me at least Human weapons work better against them which kind of made the game harder and definitely helped up that this games had my most deaths this games Heroic hit different from the previous games. Its hard though, I dont know which game I liked better CE or 2 maybe in time I can give a definite answer but really they are both Bangers. (Also the updated Cinematic graphics are beautiful)
Halo 3
Grinded this games story out pretty over the last week of Decembeearly January. The final game in the Trilogy, and Bungie just hitting us with Banger after Banger really just not much I can say here I havent already said in the previous it just kept building upon what the last game introduced with more weapons and equipment (Bubble shield hang) again a super memorable story I say somewhere between CE and 2 in terms of quality. I loved the dynamic between Chief and The Arbiter. For a game released in 2007 for the Xbox 360 id argue for the most parts the game holds up really well and makes for some of the most memorable levels in all of Halo like that damn Warthog run, and the difficulty here felt super balanced for the most part (We dont talk about the Cortana mission tho) I can see why Halo was such a big deal when they came out and I know it was also for the Multiplayer but I guess that just adds to how well made these games were and how they hold up all these years later. Going into 2021 I have Halo 3 ODST and Halo 4 left to play and finish and am very excited for both. Like I also mentioned ive been reading the books as well and am on the 2nd book with the next 2 ordered and waiting for me to read.
Conclusion
8 games may not seem like a lot to some but for me it is especially since I tend to play lots of multiplayer games or games that are basically endless (hence games like No Mans Sky) I think for the most part I came away this year having played a lot of great games and cant wait to beat more in 2021 currently here is the list of games I have in my Library and will attempt to beat.

• Halo 3 ODST
• Halo 4
• Far Cry 4
• The Outer Worlds
• Firewatch
• Persona 4 (halfway done)
• Gears 5
• Yakuza Zero
• Resident Evil 7
• Yoshi's Crafted World
• Paper Mario the Origami King

Black Friday is like Christmas for us game collectors. What deals did you all get?
Here’s mine:
Switch:
Link’s Awakening
Fire Emblem 3 Houses
Let’s Go Pikachu
New Super Mario Bro U Deluxe
PS4
Resident Evil 7 Gold
Red Dead Redemption 2
13 Sentinels Aegis Rim
SNES
Donkey Kong Country CIB

I've compiled a list of games with their known FPS. There might be mistakes, so please let me know if you find any. Gameplay videos are linked to the title.
This will now be updated on the spreadsheet so you can filter the results. Now with resolution & game pass info!
Step-by-step instructions to measure FPS here if you want to help me out and I'll link your video.
Link to Xbox Series X list here.
​

GAME TITLE	INSTALL SIZE (GB)	NORMAL FPS	PERFORMANCE MODE FPS	OPTIMISED FOR S?	XBOX 360 OR OLDER?
A Plague Tale: Innocence	41	30
A Way Out	17.4	30
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown	43.3	60
Alan Wake	6.8	30			Y
Alice: Madness Returns	6	30			Y
Alien Isolation	24.4	30
Apex Legends	56.4	60
Anthem	62.2	30
Aragami: Shadow Edition	7.3	30
ARK: Survival Evolved Explorer's Edition	132	60
Armed and Dangerous	4.6	30			Y
Army of Two	6.2	30			Y
Assasin's Creed III: Remastered	44.6	30
Assasin's Creed: Odyssey	66.4	30
Assasin's Creed: Origins	66	30
Assassin's Creed: Unity	39.3	30
Assassin's Creed: Valhalla	50.5	30	60	Y
Assetto Corsa	24.2	60
Astroneer	2	30
Banjo Kazooie	0.59	30			Y
Batman Arkham Knight	47.4	30
Battle Chasers: Nightwar	9.9	30
Battlefield 3	28.8	30			Y
Battlefield 4	38.8	60
Battlefield Bad Company 2	8.4	30			Y
Battlefield I	74.9	60
Battlefield V	82	60
Battlefield: Bad Company	6	30
Battlefield: Hardline	55	60
Battletoads	8.7	30
Beholder	2.4	30
Black	2.6	30			Y
Black Desert	50.2	60
Blair Witch	13.2	30
Bleed 2	0.34	30
Bleeding Edge	15	60
Borderlands 3	62	60		Y
Brutal Legend	6.6	30			Y
Burnout Paradise Remastered	7	30
Call of Duty: Cold War	133.4	60		Y
Call of Duty: Warzone	85.5	60	120
Call of the Sea	10.2	60		Y
Children of Morta	1.8	30
Cities Skylines	7.8	30
Code Vein	32.3	60
Control	42.1	30
Crackdown	6.9	30			Y
Cricket19	16.2	30
Crysis	4	30			Y
Crysis 2	6.5	30			Y
Crysis 3	5.9	30			Y
Cyberpunk 2077	59.2	30
Dante's Inferno	6.1	60			Y
Dayz	10.9	60
Dead by Daylight	33.2	60		Y
Dead Cells	1.3	30
Dead Space	6	30			Y
Dead Space 2	13	30			Y
Dead Space 3	15	30			Y
Death Squared	0.73	30
Deliver Us the Moon	8	30
Descenders	10	30
Destiny 2	70	60		Y
Dirt 4	32.9	60
Dishonored 2	51.9	30
Doom Eternal	57.3	60
Double Dragon Neon	2.9	30			Y
Double Kick Heroes	2.8	30
Dragon Age II	7.5	30			Y
Dragon Age Inquisition	45.9	30
Dragon Age Origins	7.1	30			Y
Dragon Quest XI S:Echoes of an Elusive Age	31.6	30
Drake Hollow	3.4	30
Dungeon of the Endless	4.9	30		Y
Enter the Gungeon	0.45	30
F1 2019	41	30
Fable Anniversary	5.5	30			Y
Fable II	8.4	30			Y
Fable III	7.6	30
Fallout 76	81.1	30
Fallout New Vegas	5	30			Y
Far Cry 5	50.4	30
Far Cry New Dawn	26.8	30
Farming Simulator 17	10.4	30
Fe	2.4	30
FIFA 20	49	60
FIFA 21	40	60
Fight Night Chamption	6.2	30			Y
Final Fantasy IX	4	30
Final Fantasy VII	4.1	30
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered	3.1	30
Final Fantasy XV	83.9	30
Final Fantasy XV: Multiplayer Comrades	35.6	30
Fishing Sim World: Pro Tour	26	30
For the King	0.87	30
Fortnite	22.1	60	120	Y
Forza Horizon 4	72.3	60
Forza Motorsport 7	98	60
Frost Punk	3.5	30
Full Spectrum Warrior	3.3	30			Y
Gears 4		30
Gears 5	64.1	60	120	Y
Gears of War	7.2	30			Y
Gears of War 2	7	30			Y
Gears of War 3	7.8	30			Y
Gears of War Judgement	7.5	30			Y
Gears of War Ultimate Edition	44.7	30
Gears Tactics	28.2	60		Y
Goat Simulator	3	30
Golf with your Friends	3.9	30
GreedFall	11.6	30
Grim Fandango Remastered	4.7	30
Grounded - Game Preview	3	30		Y
Grow Up	0.84	30
Halo 5	97.5	60
Halo Spartan Assault	2.5	60
Halo Wars 2	43.8	60
Halo Wars: Definite Edition	9.5	60
Halo: Master Chief Collection	125.9	120	120	Y
Haven	3.7	45	60	Y
Heavy Weapon	0.55	30			Y
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice	15.4	30
Hello Neighbor	2.4	30
Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition	7.7	30
Hyperscape	16.5	60
Ikenfell	0.37	30
Immortals Fenyx Rising	25	30	60	Y
Indivisible	4.4	30
Jetpac Refuelled	0.5	30			Y
Journey to the Savage Planet	6.5	30
JoyRide Turbo	1.5	30			Y
Killer Instinct: Definitive Edition	48	60
Knights and Bikes	3.2	30
Madden NFL 20	44	30
Maid of Sker	6.1	30
Marvel vs CAPCOM: Infinite	64	60
Mass Effect	7.4	30			Y
Mass Effect 2	13.1	30			Y
Mass Effect 3	15.4	30			Y
Mass Effect Andromeda	46	30
Max the Curse of Brotherhood	3	30
Medal of Honor Airborne	6.6	30			Y
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain	30.4	60
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War	72	30
Minecraft	0.42	30
Minecraft Dungeons	3	30
Mirror's Edge	6.2	30			Y
Monster Hunter World	53.7	60
Monster Sanctuary	0.94	30
Moonlighter	1.4	30
Morkredd	5.7	30		Y
Mortal Kombat X	41	30
MotoGP 20	18.3	30
NBA Live 19	45.1	30
Need for Speed	20	30
Need for Speed: Heat	31	30
Need for Speed: Payback	24	30
Need for Speed: Rivals	16	30
Neoverse	3.9	30
New Super Luckys Tale	6.8	30
NHL19	33.3	30
NHL20	34.4	30
NieR: Automata	44	60
Night in the Woods	6.5	30
Ninja Gaiden II	7.5	60			Y
No Man's Sky	11.9	45	60	Y
Observation	7.2	30
Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition	10.5	60
Ori and the Will of the Wisps	5.7	60	120	Y
Overcooked 2	8.7	30
Oxenfree	2.9	30
Path of Exile	14.7	30
Payday 2: Crimewave Edition	23.4	30
Perfect Dark	0.78	30			Y
Perfect Dark Zero	6.2	30			Y
Phogs!	5.5	30
Pillars of Eternity	14.3	30
Power Rangers - Battle for the Grid	1.6	30
PUBG	21.2	60
Quantum Break	47.49	30
Rage 2	60.1	30
Rainbow Six Siege	43.7	60	120	Y
Red Dead Redemption II	122.3	30
Remnant from the Ashes	45.6	30
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard	21.3	30
Rocket Arena	10.7	60
Rocket League	19	60	120	Y
Rogue Company	11.9	60	120	Y
Rory McIlroy PGA Tour	35.8	30
Ryse	37	30
Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell	5.6	30
Screamride	4.5	30
Sea of Solitude	1.4	30
Sea of Thieves	17.4	60		Y
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice	12.7	30
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	22.8	30
Shadow Warrior 2	6	30
Shadows of the Damned	6	30			Y
Sims 4	16.3	30
Skate 3	6	30			Y
Skyrim: Special Edition	32.7	30	60 *UnlockFPS mod
Slime Rancher	1.3	30
Sniper Elite 4	48.2	30
Soulcalibur VI	19	30
Spiritfarer	6.7	30
SSX	4	30			Y
Stacking	1.6	30			Y
STAR WARS: Battlefront	41.6	60
STAR WARS: Battlefront II	83.8	60
STAR WARS: Jedi Fallen Order	38.8	60
STAR WARS: Squadron	24	60	120
State of Decay 2	18.1	60		Y
State of Decay: Year-One	3	30
Stellaris	7.6	30
Subnautica	8.5	30	60 *vsync in console
Sunset Overdrive	26	30
Superhot	3.6	30
Surviving Mars	10.4	30
Swim Sanity	0.79	30
Sword Art Online	25.6	30
Tales of Vesperia	28.7	30
Tell Me Why: Chapter 1-3	20	30
Tetris Effect Connected	4.9	30		Y
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2	11.2	30
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan	27	30
The Elder Scrolls Online	94	30
The Gardens Between	1.7	30
The Long Dark	9.1	30
The Outer Worlds	25.2	30
The Surge 2	8.1	30
The Witness	4.1	30
Thief	21	30
Titanfall	19	60
Titanfall 2	69.1	60
Trials of the Bood Dragon	14.5	30
UFC3	22.9	30
Unravel	3.3	30
Unravel two	3.1	30
Unruly Heroes	2.9	30
Untitled Goose Game	0.98	30
Unto the End	2.3	30
Vambrace Cold Soul	5.3	30
Vanquish	7.3	30			Y
Viva Pinata	5.5	30			Y
Warframe	44	60
Warhammer Vermintide II	57.6	60		Y
Wasteland 3	14	30
Wasteland Remastered	3	30
Watch Dogs Legion	39.5	30		Y
Wasteland 2: Director's Cut	9	30
We Happy Few	11	30		Y
What Remains of Edith Finch	3.4	30
Wolfenstein Youngblood	42.5	30
World War Z	20	30
Yakuza 0	26	60
Yakuza Kiwami	22	60
Yakuza Kiwami 2	40	60
Yes Your Grace	0.9	30		Y
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair	3.6	30

So, I've been loving reading all the posts about the games you all have played this year and I was inspired to also share my games. I will not go too much into the games but mostly share a few short thoughts on them. Also, I will list them in chronological order, i.e. the order in which I played them through. There will also be one or two recent games that I played at release.
 
January
Lego City Undercover (Wii U): My first Lego game and I had a lot of fun with it. Others have described it as GTA for children and this might be rather accurate. It has a fun open-world, a lot of collectibles if you like those, the characters are great, and the whole game just makes fun of many movie tropes and many of the lines made me actually laugh. It is a great game for children but also adults as many lines are clearly direct toward adults, especially all the movie parodies may not be picked up by younger gamers. All in all, I loved this game and I am looking forward to other Lego games (open for any recommendations).
Score: 8/10
Pokemon Silver (Game Boy/Color): It wasn't really the first playthrough but I wanted to play one of the old Pokemon games that I have played in my childhood since I had stopped after the third generation and the only newer games that I have played were the Sun/Moon games. It aged pretty well even with some of the outdated mechanics. Had a lot of fun and I was blown away by the endgame content since I never discovered that as a child.
Score: 9/10
 
February
Concrete Genie (PS4): Unexpectedly fun game. You play as this boy with a magic brush with which you interact with the world and which is also the main mechanic of the game to defeat enemies and solve small puzzles. Loved the art style of the game, loved the adorable creatures you could create, and it had a nice message.
Score: 8/10
 
March
Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles (PS4): A wonderful little game. I loved the look of the game. It was beautiful and gave off a really cozy vibe. There are no real (if any) enemies. You rather collect things, carry out tasks given by the villagers while still having an overarching story, albeit a rather negligible one. It got a little repetitive toward the end but that was probably because of my effort to achieve the platinum trophy. The mechanics were also not all fully-fledged out but it is all in all a very charming game.
Score: 7/10
Picross 3D: Round 2 (3DS): What can I say? Plain old Picross with a ton of content (my playtime was roughly 83 hours). I loved playing this at night in bed right before sleeping. If you like Picross games I can highly recommend this one.
Score: 10/10
 
May
Days Gone (PS4): Fun open-world zombie game. Has a charismatic and likable protagonist and I had a lot of fun exploring the world. For some, the beginning might be rather slow but I was hooked from the beginning. The story can be generic at times but I still enjoyed it a lot. And one of the best aspects was the hordes. Oh boy, are they scary when you first encounter them but working toward defeating them is incredibly satisfying. Also, loved the soundtrack. There were moments when a track set in and you had to ride your bike from one point to another and you were just vibing with the music. I am looking forward to the second game.
Score: 8/10
A Way Out (PS4): Played it with a friend, loved it more than I expected I would. It is a unique take at a co-op game with a split screen. I really liked how one character was doing something entirely different while the other one is throwing chickens into the air. In all seriousness, the game and the story would be nothing special if it weren't for the co-op aspect but that makes this game just so good. One moment you have action filled sequence and in the next you're playing piano with your buddy. There were many great little moments in this game and it even switched up the gameplay at some points. It surprised us in many ways in the six hours we played the game.
Score: 8/10
 
June
Yakuza Kiwami (PS4): My first Yakuza game and I loved every minute of it. It does not have a big map but that little district is filled to the brim with wacky characters and side quests, a lot of fun mini-games and activities, while the main story is rather serious and suspenseful. Love Kiryu, the protagonist, and the fighting mechanic. The finishers are just brutal, but so much fun. But I will never grasp the mechanics of mahjong.
Score: 9/10
Firewatch (PS4): A short "walking simulator". Beautiful art style and setting. Gave off a rather cozy vibe and the little mysteries were interesting enough but it didn't really click with me.
Score: 5/10
Gris (PS4): Beautiful art style, beautiful level design, and it really touched me on an emotional level without a single dialog. Also, the music is just incredible, it added so much in specific moments. It is a short game, so you could easily play it in one afternoon.
Score: 10/10
The Last of Us: Part II (PS4): One of the games that I wasn't patient with and played on release. It had a big controversy as most of you surely know, but I loved this game to bits. Beautiful graphics, improved gameplay mechanics, interesting and lovable characters and so many incredible details. You could see the love that was poured into the game. There were some aspects I did not enjoy and which I cannot mention without spoiling the game but they were negligible. In fact, my score may even change to a perfect ten when I play this game a second time with a fresh perspective. Whatever the case may be, I commend Naughty Dog for their daring direction they took with this game even if it did not resonate with everyone.
Score: 9/10
 
July
Death Stranding (PS4): (Might contain a slight spoiler!)Another controversial game that I thoroughly enjoyed. I do not know why it hooked me so much to play as a delivery guy but it did. It has an interesting albeit often confusing story. I liked the characters and fell in love with the BB. And the soundtrack was just incredible, one of my favorite tracks was "BB's Theme". I think I have never cried so much while slowly walking through an empty world. It is a weird game but I loved it nonetheless.
Score: 8/10
 
August
The Walking Dead Definitive Series (PS4): I wanted to finally play the complete Telltale Walking Dead Series. I played the first two seasons back when they were released on the PS3 and loved both seasons, especially the first one. Loved all four seasons, even though the third one is the weakest. But the fourth one was a fitting and beautiful farewell from the developers after the demise of Telltale. It was really bittersweet to see the credits. Also, cried like a baby. Would play again.
Score: 9/10
Flipping Death (PS4): Fun, little puzzler. You play as Penny who meets an untimely demise and is mistaken as the replacement for death while he goes on vacation. It is a wacky story with charming characters and interesting gameplay mechanics. Had a lot of fun with it.
Score: 8/10
Batman Arkham Asylum (PS3): My first Batman game and it was incredible fun. I realize now where many games with similar mechanics have been inspired by. The fighting is fun albeit sometimes clunky. I liked the setting of the asylum (I always assumed it was just in the asylum, did not expect a whole ass island) and I am already looking forward to the other games.
Score: 8/10
 
September
Grand Theft Auto 4: Complete Edition (PS3): Finally got around playing this through. I played it several times in the past decade but always only a few hours. It has now become one of my favorite entries in this series. The graphics on the PS3 are really bad since it was not properly optimized. It is kind of blurry but I got used to it. The story was really entertaining and was one of the best in the series. I liked Niko, I liked the setting of Liberty City and I even got used to the abhorrent driving mechanics. The DLCs were also fun although I enjoyed the Ballad of Gay Tony more than The Lost and Damned.
Score: 8/10
A Plague Tale: Innocence (PS4): Great game by a smaller studio. The setting of the Inquisition and the Plague was fresh and unused and I liked the brother-sister dynamic. There are no games that I know of where you play as the older sister with a younger brother and this kind of resonated with me as an older sister. The story got a little weird toward the end and I think the developers had to cut some content but it did not affect my enjoyment too negatively.
Score: 8/10
 
October
Okami (PS4): Oh boy, have I fallen in love with this game. For some reason, I had always put off playing this game and I finally did and did I enjoy every single minute of it. The art style is just chef's kiss, that watercolor kind of graphics is just beautiful. I loved Amaterasu, I loved Issun and I loved all the other characters in this game. The gameplay was fun and the ending had no right to be so emotional.
Score: 10/10
Assassin's Creed (PS3): My first AC game and I liked it very much. The protagonist was not that likable and the missions were rather repetitive (you basically did the same three types of missions over and over again) but I could understand why it was so revered back when it was released. The aspect of climbing basically everywhere was a lot of fun albeit not always accurate. And even today, the arrival at a new city is really mesmerizing and I can only imagine how blown away people were back then.
Score: 7/10
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (PS3): A fun little gem with great voice actors. Fun gameplay mechanics and an interesting story albeit not fully fleshed out. But I liked the dynamic between Monkey and Trip. A shame that a sequel is unlikely. I would have loved to see a continuation.
Score: 8/10
The Escapists: The Walking Dead (PS4): I like the idea of the Escapists games but this one got rather repetitive and even had a game-breaking bug that I had to figure out somehow because the developers never made an effort to fix it. Funnily enough, it was the patch that broke the game so I had to play without it for that level.
Score: 6/10
Soma (PS4): A psychological horror game that poses many philosophical questions about one's mind and identity, and what makes us human. It was kind of a project with a friend who cannot play horror games on her own but liked to watch me play. We had a lot of fun but the enemies were quite unnecessary and rather strenuous and annoying than scary. However, as I wrote, the story was interesting, and the ending kind of caught me off guard even though I kind of expected it.
Score: 7/10
 
November
Little Dragons Café (PS4): It is a charming game in the likes of Harvest Moon but it misses its potential. It gets repetitive pretty fast and the controls are a bit clunky. The mechanics of running a café also got stressful at times and this combined with the exploring part was not very well balanced; I felt rushed so many times I played it on and off again for a bit but I was glad when I finished the story. It is a shame that it was not more fleshed out.
Score: 6/10
Monster Hunter World (PS4): I played this game on and off again since the beginning of 2019 but really intensively at the beginning of 2020 with some friends. It is the best Monster Hunter in the series as it is more friendly to the new players and not as cryptic as the other games (but still you have to figure out a lot by yourself and or just having a lot of tabs open on your phone). It is so much fun fighting the different monsters, grinding for better weapons and armor. I had the most fun with my friends, all using different weapons and just trying to finish off a freaking Kirin. At some point, I just decided I was done with it with over 180 hours of game time until I will buy the DLC.
Score: 9/10
Sleeping Dogs (PS4): I did not expect much but fell in love with this game. It has an interesting story and picks up on the undercover detective trope, so it is not the most original idea but is executed well enough. I liked the protagonist and loved the setting of Hong Kong. I also liked that there was emphasis put on melee fighting rather than gunfighting. The DLCs were not as fun but were a sweet bonus. I would love a sequel to this.
Score: 8/10
 
 
So, this became longer than expected and I am sorry for any mistakes or not being as eloquent as other posts here but I enjoyed writing this up and reflecting on all the games I have played this year. Thank you, if you took the time reading any of it.
Edit: For some reason I totally forgot one game: A Way Out. I have added that to the list.