RPG has expanded beyond the classic definition of the genre, with RPG elements seeping their way into almost every game out there these days. After all, the acronym does simply mean “role playing game.” However, there are many games that still embody the origins of the genre, and those are what we’re looking at for our Best RPG award this year. We think our list reflects some of the best this year, even if there are a few notable mentions that didn’t get nods (we’re a relatively small team, and we didn’t play everything). But which one was the best? Here are the PlayStation LifeStyle nominations for Best RPG in 2020.
Best RPG 2020 Winner
Final Fantasy VII Remake
It was a heated battle this year, but ultimately Square Enix’s journey through nostalgic Midgar prevailed. Final Fantasy VII Remake had so much room to disappoint fans, and while we weren’t particularly keen on the ending going full-on Kingdom Hearts and completely shifting the game thematically, it still managed to recapture the classic game in a whole new way. The battle system was a perfect blend of real time action and turn-based elements, and it’s new soundtrack was one of the highlights of the year. As one of the most beloved RPGs of all time, the Remake achieved the impossible and it has us salivating for what’s coming next.
Reader’s Choice Winner
Final Fantasy VII Remake
On the Readers’ Choice side of things, it wasn’t even close. Final Fantasy VII Remake won in a landslide. It’s easy for nostalgia to cloud a release around launch, but Remake garnering so much praise and adulation more than six months since it released shows the staying power and just how perfectly Square Enix executed on the idea. After years of hype bandaged over nervous apprehension, you were all thrilled with the return to Midgar.
Don’t miss our full lineup of nominees for the PlayStation LifeStyle Game of the Year awards. We’ll be revealing more winners all throughout the week, leading up to the Game of the Year on Friday January 1.
