There’s really nothing quite like getting invested into a great shooter. With games like Destiny 2 reinventing itself with new mechanics and storytelling, and Doom Eternal leaning further into combat puzzle formula, the shooters of 2020 offered players new ways to embrace fast-paced action and responsive shooting gameplay in satisfying ways. Along those games, there were also other shooters like Half-Life: Alyx that embraced new technology to further enhance the sense of immersion and reshape our view of what first-person shooters are capable of.
In GameSpot’s best of 2020 coverage, we’ve pulled together a selection of the year’s best shooters across different platforms. This particular breakdown focuses on games that GameSpot has given a score of 8 and above, which includes both first and third person shooters. For more on 2020’s best games, including a breakdown of GameSpot’s Game of the Year pick Half-Life: Alyx, be sure to check out our hub page of all the year’s standout titles.
If you’re looking to see what scored best on specific platforms or what stood atop as the best in other genres this year, be sure to check out the features below. Otherwise, read on for all the best shooters in 2020 by score!
“Beyond Light might not be the biggest expansion, but it does feel like we’ve entered a new chapter in the game’s life, with new priorities and an approach that makes the game more resonant in a way that goes beyond satisfying shooting. On the whole, Destiny 2 might be more of the same than it is different, but what’s the same about it–like its phenomenal raids and tight, satisfying gameplay–is still largely pretty great, and what’s different is mostly making the game all the more worthwhile.” — Phil Hornshaw
“Though it can take a bit to get the hang of it, the intricacies of Doom Eternal’s combat, combined with its enhanced mobility and option-heavy level design, create a ton of white-knuckle moments that elevate everything that made Doom 2016 work so well. Its combat is just as quick and chaotic, but requires you to constantly analyze everything that’s happening in order to come out victorious. Once you get the hang of the rhythm of Doom Eternal, it’ll make you feel like a demon-slaying savant.” — Phil Hornshaw, Editor
“Not only has Half-Life: Alyx made good on its shift to VR, it has elevated many of the aspects we’ve come to love about Half-Life games. It may not be as bombastic as previous games, but the intimacy of VR brings you closer to a world you might have thought you knew over the past 22 years. Even when familiarity starts to settle in, its gameplay systems still shine as a cohesive whole. And as it concludes, Half-Life: Alyx hits you with something unforgettable, transcending VR tropes for one of gaming’s greatest moments.” — Michael Higham, Associate Editor
“Watch Dogs: Legion is an anti-fascist game, and it’s admirable that it sticks to that message and sees it through to a satisfying and affirming conclusion. It also bolsters the franchise’s clever hacking gameplay to offer more creativity than ever. One of Legion’s more profound messages is about what it means to be a true Londoner, and by the game’s end, you’ll have a DedSec crew made of wildly diverse and disparate citizens from unique cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds–all united in their goal to restore their home. If anything, that’s as powerful a message for the game as you can get.” — Alessandro Fillari, Editor
