Must-Try Games of This Era have redefined how players explore, experience storytelling, and interact with immersive worlds. These titles push design boundaries, encourage creative problem-solving, and reward curiosity with non-linear paths across consoles, PC, and mobile, all backed by thoughtful accessibility. Their ambitious scope, technical polish, memorable characters, and inventive mechanics make them must-play titles for any modern gamer and for communities hungry for shared adventures. From environmental storytelling to cinematic pacing, these experiences continue to influence new releases, set expectations for quality and scope, and raise the bar for sound design and performance. As you dive into this era’s catalog, you’ll find a blend of accessibility, depth, and replayability that keeps players coming back across genres and platforms.
Viewed through the lens of today’s gaming landscape, these standout experiences illustrate essential picks fueling the broader conversation about interactive entertainment. Many players describe them as the defining experiences of the current generation, signaling a shift toward player agency, narrative depth, and systemic design. From indie hits to blockbuster epics, these titles reflect evolving expectations around accessibility, replayability, and cinematic storytelling that shape future releases. They demonstrate how cloud streaming, modular updates, and cross-platform play have redefined what it means for a game to resonate over time. Together, they map the trajectory of modern gaming, where compelling characters, meaningful choices, and polished craftsmanship drive online communities and cultural relevance.
Must-Try Games of This Era: Must-Play Titles Shaping 2020s Video Games and Modern Gaming Trends
The Must-Try Games of This Era represent a crowded, vibrant moment in gaming where player agency, environmental storytelling, and cross‑platform accessibility redefine what a title can be. These must-play titles—from expansive open worlds to intimate character studies—embody modern gaming trends by prioritizing exploration, emergent moments, and meaningful progression over simple gear checks or linear routes. In this sense, they set a benchmark for what a defining experience in the 2020s can feel like, inviting players to invest in ecosystems that reward curiosity and experimentation.
From Breath of the Wild’s non-linear exploration and Elden Ring’s interconnected map to Baldur’s Gate 3’s deep systems and The Last of Us Part II’s narrative ambition, these games have become touchstones for what many players deem essential this generation. They illustrate the idea of must-play titles as living, evolving experiences—titles that influence future design language, inspire new players to dive into complex worlds, and help shape the broader conversation around what constitutes the best games this generation.
Defining Games of This Era: How 2020s Video Games Set the Standard for Best Games This Generation and Modern Gaming Trends
Defining games of this era sit at the intersection of technical polish, storytelling ambition, and systemic depth. The 2020s have brought titles that blend cinematic presentation with tactile, player-driven progression—whether through expansive fantasy epics, gritty open worlds, or roguelite loops that reward skill and strategy. This shift speaks to modern gaming trends that emphasize atmosphere, meaning, and replayability, while still pushing platforms—from console to PC and cloud—to support richer, more ambitious experiences.
As seen across offerings like Breath of the Wild, Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, God of War Ragnarök, The Last of Us Part II, and Baldur’s Gate 3, the era’s defining games are used to measure what the industry can achieve when scope, craft, and player choice align. These titles exemplify how 2020s video games have set the standard for the best games this generation, blending accessibility with depth, and demonstrating that cutting-edge visuals and storytelling can coexist with meaningful, thought-provoking gameplay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the must-try games of this era that define the 2020s video games and modern gaming trends?
Must-try games of this era span groundbreaking open-worlds, narrative-led RPGs, and bold action titles that shaped modern gaming trends. Notable examples include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for open-world freedom; Elden Ring for interconnected map design and challenging combat; Baldur’s Gate 3 for deep player agency and complex systems; The Last of Us Part II for ambitious storytelling; Red Dead Redemption 2 for immersive realism; Hades for accessible, story-driven roguelike design; and Horizon Forbidden West for technical polish and expansive world-building.
Which must-play titles best embody defining games of this era in storytelling, world-building, and innovation?
Must-play titles that exemplify defining games of this era typically combine strong storytelling with rich world-building and innovative gameplay. Examples include Breath of the Wild for player freedom and exploration; Elden Ring for a seamless, risky open world; Baldur’s Gate 3 for intricate dialogue and complex systems; The Last of Us Part II for ambitious narrative scope; Returnal for tight, looping roguelike action; and Spider-Man for fluid traversal and responsive combat.
| Title | Year | Key Points |
|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | 2017 |
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| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 2018 |
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| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 2015 |
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| Elden Ring | 2022 |
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| God of War Ragnarök | 2022 |
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| The Last of Us Part II | 2020 |
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| Cyberpunk 2077 | 2020 (with Subsequent Iterations) |
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| Hades | 2020 |
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| Animal Crossing: New Horizons | 2020 |
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| Horizon Forbidden West | 2022 |
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| Baldur’s Gate 3 | 2023 |
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| Marvel’s Spider-Man | 2018 |
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| Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | 2023 |
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| Returnal | 2021 |
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| Star Wars Jedi: Survivor | 2023 |
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