2020 was not the best year the Earth has ever had — in fact for many it was one of the worst — but gaming helped a lot of people pull through the hard times. This year in particular had a plethora of fantastic titles on all platforms, and some of them managed to be quite lengthy too.
For those wanting some straight-up action games to enjoy from 2020, the following list details the longest ones that came out this year. A few of these are open-ended, but none of these are straight-up open-world games. At the start, they are of a manageable length, but by the end, we talk about some epic adventures. (All data is taken from How Long To Beat.)
10 Half-Life: Alyx (11 1/2 Hours)
Hearing about Half-Life:Alyx is like hearing about your friend's vacation to Spain while the best you ever get is visiting some family in Rhode Island. Still, for anyone who has the income and space to buy a VR headset and a powerful enough computer, Valve's most recent entry in the franchise is a revelation for VR gaming. Hopefully the technology becomes more accessible in the years to come so more can experience this fascinating return to City 17.
9 Godfall (12 1/2 Hours)
The looting formula worked wonders for Gearbox with the Borderlands series. The same magic is lacking in Godfall. It is described everywhere as a completely average action game. Still, anyone looking for a something new to play on their PS5 could do a lot worse. With releases like Demon's Souls and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, it is also easier to do a lot better.
8 Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity (12 1/2 Hours)
While it is not quite the sequel to Breath of the Wild, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity retains the trademark art style and transfers it to the Musou genre.
While it falls into many of the genre's trappings — some of which are negative — any fan of the most recent mainline Legend of Zelda owes it to themselves to try this out. It should hold them over just a little longer while waiting for the true successor to Breath of the Wild.
7 Doom Eternal (13 1/2 Hours)
When it comes to linear first-person shooters, Doom Eternal is one of the best you can find this year. It is also one of the lengthiest for the genre, where most modern campaigns take anywhere between six and eight hours. The action retains all the heart of the classic Doom games from the 90s, but also adds its own flair. The only real lackluster area is the multiplayer, but this is barely a complaint when the campaign is so compelling.
6 Hades (18 1/2 Hours)
While it was in early access for a while, it was not until the official release of Hades when the buzz really started humming. Seemingly out of nowhere the roguelike shot to the top of many game of the year lists. Like many of Supergiant's games, the integration of narrative into gameplay is astounding. Anybody who games on the PC or has a Nintendo Switch has to experience this masterpiece.
5 Demon's Souls (21 Hours)
The PS3 version's average runtime on the website clocks in at about thirty hours. This large difference is probably explained by two factors; fans' familiarity with the title and the extremely impressive load times thanks to the PlayStation 5's SSD.
With the current generation just starting to rev its engines, there are few reasons for an early adopter of Sony's new console to go without purchasing this remake of FromSoftware's cult classic.
4 Last Of Us Part II (24 Hours Hours)
This PlayStation 4 exclusive polarized the entire gaming community, but the majority of those who went through it agree upon The Last Of Us Part II's stellar quality. Not only is the story a gut punch dragging players through heart-wrenching scenes, but the graphics are extremely impressive. It is one of the greatest looking games of all time. No one can tell what Naughty Dog will do next, but they made sure the PS4's last year as the current generation was a solid one.
3 Spelunky 2 (26 Hours Hours)
With a game like Spelunky 2, it is difficult to say if the average player will actually spend twenty-six hours trying to beat it. Given the roguelike nature and procedurally generated dungeons, players can spend a lifetime enjoying the title without ever actually completing a run. Ultimately, it is not about beating the game. Players are simply encouraged to discover and learn about the mechanics and have fun. Death is no big deal in Spelunky, even though it resets all progress.
2 Sakuna: Of Rice And Ruin (30 Hours)
Sakuna: Of Rice And Ruin is one of the more unique games on the list. Half farming simulator and half action/adventure, but always a good time. The synthesis of the two genres does a better job of recreating farm life than most other farming simulators on the market. After all, real farmers often have to violently contend with wild animals stealing their crops and livestock.
1 Nioh 2 (45 Hours)
Where FromSoftware's games are often feasibly beatable, the Nioh franchise takes the formula and almost makes it a point to torture players. Not only is Nioh 2 incredibly lengthy, but right from the start players are likely to pull their hair out in frustration. It is easily one of the hardest games of the year. However, it is equally rewarding. Anyone patiently waiting for more news on Elden Ring could find a much worse action game with which to pass the time.