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It would be embarrassing if I forgot to link the other pieces of our Brutal Gamer Awards for 2020. But I guess that’s why we have editors.
Welcome back to the BGA’s, the only 2020 Game Awards Show headlining what is basically, at this point, April. Almost.
Today is another look at the standouts of 2020 in miscellaneous categories, made no less important for their non-specific grouping.
Most Beautiful
Whether technically masterful or just mind-blowingly beautiful, these games are the ones where even just looking will fill you with appreciation for how far we’ve come.
Our nominees for Most Beautiful Game of 2020 are:
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Last of Us Part 2
- 13 Sentinels
- Final Fantasy VII: Remake
- Hades
- Demon’s Souls
- Spiritfarer
- Crash Bandicoot 4
And the winner is…
Ghost of Tsushima
In black and white or in color, Ghost of Tsushima is constantly beautiful. Cinematically inspired for every quest, every story mission, and every rise over the next mountain, there’s not a moment where I didn’t look out and think, “Wow.”
Best Remake/Remaster
Remakes and Remasters come in all shapes and sizes. Two of them are remakes and remasters. But there’s also ports, collections, and titles that share a name and nothing else recognizable with their originals.
2020 had a lot of them. Our nominees for Best Remake/Remaster of 2020 are:
- Demon’s Souls
- Destroy All Humans
- Mafia: Definitive Edition
- Final Fantasy VII: Remake
- SpongeBob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated
- Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
- Pikmin 3 Deluxe
- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX
- Resident Evil 3
- Command & Conquer Remastered Collection
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1&2
And the winner is…
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1&2
Remasters are pretty common these days, but it’s rare when you can say that one doesn’t just improve the looks of the original, but recaptures the magic and presents it as though it is a brand new experience. THPS 1+2 did that with gusto, as it returned its two-pack of classics to glory.
Best Soundtrack
In one editor’s humble opinion, Best Soundtrack is one of the year’s most important awards. Yes, it’s this editor. The original soundtracks that we keep whistling, singing, or youtubing for months to come are fair game, but so too are those that somberly carry the emotional backbone of gaming’s most memorable scenes.
Our nominees for Best Soundtrack of 2020 are:
- Hades
- 13 Sentinels
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Final Fantasy VII: Remake
- Doom Eternal
- The Pathless
- Spider Man: Miles Morales
And the winner is…
Hades
From the first foot out into danger, Hades’ blood-pumping soundtrack is everything we want and need it to be. Among the sweeping, gorgeous pieces of its competitors, Hades still manages to astound and mesmerize.
Best Voice Over Work
To commend the incredible acting chops of our industries voice (and often mocap) actors, we award Best Voice Over Work.
This year’s nominees are:
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Last of Us Part 2
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Doom Eternal
- Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
And the winner is…
Spider-Man: Miles Morales
It’s the voice acting that makes Spider-Man: Miles Morales star come to life. Peter Parker may be our friendly neighbor-hood Spider-Man, but he was a celebrity. Miles Morales is our friendly neighbor, Spider-Man, and this is made only more real by the stellar cast.
Best Narrative
The best-told, intricate, and intimate stories of the year deserve extra-special appreciation. From impeccable pacing and plotting to endearing characters and dialogue, it’s the writing that truly makes the best games memorable.
Our nominees for Best Narrative of 2020 are:
- 13 Sentinels
- The Last of Us Part 2
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
And the winner is…
Ghost of Tsushima
From the quiet character moments with the supporting cast to the grand duels that punctuate the action, the story of Ghost of Tsushima is masterclass from top to bottom.
Most Looked Forward To 2021 Game
Okay, it’s late in the year. Some games have already come out. Sue me.
Please don’t sue me.
Our nominees for Most-Looked-Forward-To Game of 2021 are:
- Disgaea 6
- Outriders
- Halo: Infinite
- Back for Blood
- Resident Evil Village
- Gotham Knights
- Far Cry 6
And the winner is…
Resident Evil: Village
We’re ready to explore the horrible and bizarre world Capcom is creating for our next foray into Resident Evil. After they’ve delivered such enticing titles in the series over the last few years, it’s not difficult to see why. Capcom is riding a wave of greatness, and we don’t anticipate it crashing with Resident Evil: Village!
So concludes the Miscellaneous Awards, as nominated by and voted upon by our board of editors. Let us know in the comments what games you thought provided the best OST, the best writing, and the best voice acting. Did you agree with us? No? Then maybe you’ll agree with individual writers’ opinions when you check out their own personal “Best of” lists for 2020.
Come back tomorrow to find out, once and for all, which games climbed to the top of our vague, abstract, and top-secret (ask and I’ll tell you) voting process. That’s right: you’ll finally find out Brutal Gamer’s Game of the Year.
