The 6 Most Universally Loved Games Released Since 2020, Ranked

Image via FromSoftware Published Sep 19, 2026, 8:46 AM EDT Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck is a writer for Collider. He grew up creating lists, stories, and worlds, which led to his love of anime and video games. He attended Sheridan College where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Game Design. Lucas and his group won 1st place for technical innovation at LevelUp Toronto 2023, and he was also an intern for the Oakville Film Festival of Arts. Sign in to your Collider account If there is one thing everyone can agree on, it is that nothing is perfect, especially with video games, as more gamers and opinions flood the community, which will hate even the best titles. Legendary games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time or modern classics such as God of War aren’t spared hate, criticism, or discourse, proving that there isn’t a single video game that everyone can say is perfect. Despite that, some games can be considered to be universally beloved, and that is why this list will feature six video games since the 2000s that are universally beloved. Based on aspects such as gameplay, design, narrative, visuals, originality, influence, fan opinion, critical acclaim, and overall quality, these six titles are some of the few that many gamers can come together and appreciate, whether that be critically or emotionally. 6 ‘The Last of Us’ (2013) Image via Naughty Dog The Last of Us is a great example of a beloved video game that received the exact opposite reaction when the sequel dropped, with many gamers upset with the story and how it handled some characters. At least they have the first game, which follows Joel, a veteran during the zombie apocalypse who must escort a girl across the country. When he learns that she may hold the cure to the outbreak, the mission to deliver her safely makes it more complicated, but will he be able to do it when he gets there? The Last of Us is renowned for its narrative prestige that proved video games could bring that type of storytelling to games. The dynamics between Joel and Ellie were fantastic and a staple of the experience, making it even more painful when the sequel was released. The Last of Us is more than just a great story, however, as it also features engaging gameplay that brings out the best in the survival horror genre. Eerie, tense, and haunting, this game will have gamers on the edge of their seat, which is why almost everyone who has played it loved it. This is a video game narrative so good that there is even a TV show of it that is well received, proving the source material is just flawless. 5 ‘Elden Ring’ (2022) Image via Bandai Namco Entertainment The 2020s still have a way to go, but the decade is already home to a plethora of modern hits, like FromSoftware’s magnum opus, Elden Ring. After the death of one of her sons, Queen Marika shatters the titular ring into many pieces, leaving her demigod children to claim them. As the Tarnished, players must travel the Lands Between and defeat the demigods to collect the shards, restore the ring, and become the Elden Lord. Even though the 2020s are young, this decade has produced one of the most universally beloved video games in Elden Ring. Nothing else this decade has as much fan love to an overwhelming amount, proving why it won Game of the Year in 2022. Yes, it may be difficult, but it is because of that difficulty that fans adore it and the feeling they get when overcoming the obstacles. More than that, Elden Ring encourages exploration, rewarding it with lore, boss battles, and worthwhile items. Elden Ring is the most universally loved video game of the 2020s, but this acclaim has seeped into history as a whole to become a landmark of the industry. 4 ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ (2018) Rockstar is one of the greatest game studios of all time, and while fans hope their next game will make this list in the future, for now their most beloved title is Red Dead Redemption 2. Arthur Morgan is a cowboy during the dying era of the Wild West, but when he learns of his tuberculosis diagnosis, he realizes he doesn’t have much time left. Dedicated to finding redemption, he sets out on one final adventure to find peace of heart before passing away. There is a vocal part of the community that strongly believes Red Dead Redemption 2 deserved to win Game of the Year over God of War, and whether that is true or not, the fact that there are so many fans proves how beloved it is. The gameplay is good, but the main appeal of Red Dead Redemption 2 is the experience that allows gamers to immerse themselves in the world and role. Arthur is a captivating protagonist that players get to experience the story through, and the setting is just as engaging and complex, with so much detail packed into the Western frontier. Since it is Rockstar's best video game ever, this title went above and beyond to deliver a gaming experience unlike anything else, showcasing why so many fans adore it. Collider Exclusive · Universe Personality Quiz Which Iconic Universe Do You Belong in the Most? Star Wars · Lord of the Rings · Harry Potter · Game of Thrones · Star Trek Five legendary universes. Five completely different visions of what the world could be — or already was. One of them is the world your instincts, your values, and your particular way of existing were built for. Eight questions will tell you which one. 🚀Star Wars 💍Lord of the Rings 🧙Harry Potter 👑Game of Thrones 🖖Star Trek FIND YOUR UNIVERSE → 01 What gives your life its deepest sense of meaning? Every universe is built around a different answer to this question. ABeing part of something larger than myself — a cause, a rebellion, a fight for freedom that outlasts me. BThe journey itself — the places I'll go, the companions beside me, the world I'll discover on the way. CLearning — unlocking what I'm capable of, understanding the world's hidden mechanics, growing into something more. DLegacy — the name I leave behind, the power I build, the mark I make before the world moves on without me. EUnderstanding — exploring what exists beyond the horizon and asking what it means to be alive in a universe this vast. NEXT QUESTION → 02 Which kind of world do you most want to inhabit? The environment shapes who you become. Choose carefully. AA galaxy of planets, each with its own culture — connected by conflict, trade, and the Force. BAncient lands of breathtaking beauty, deep history, and a creeping darkness at the edges. CA world hidden inside our own — full of wonder, community, and magic waiting to be learned. DA brutal, beautiful continent where power is everything and every alliance is a calculation. EA future where humanity has reached the stars — and must decide what kind of species it wants to be. NEXT QUESTION → 03 How do you prefer your conflicts resolved? The shape of a world's conflicts tells you everything about its soul. AThrough sacrifice and courage — someone has to make the impossible choice so others don't have to. BThrough fellowship — the impossible becomes possible when the right people walk the same road. CThrough growth — confronting what you fear, understanding what you lack, and becoming equal to the challenge. DThrough strategy — outthinking, outmaneuvering, positioning yourself so the outcome was never in doubt. EThrough dialogue — finding the third option, the peaceful resolution, the answer that doesn't require a body count. NEXT QUESTION → 04 Who do you want beside you when things get difficult? Your ideal companions reveal the world you were made for. AA small crew — a pilot, a rogue, a warrior — each broken in their own way, unbeatable together. BA fellowship of different kinds of people, bound by purpose and deepened by the long road. CFriends who grew up alongside me — who knew me before I knew myself, and stayed anyway. DAllies whose loyalty I've earned — and tested — and whose ambitions align with mine, for now. EA crew of brilliant, curious, principled people from every corner of known space. NEXT QUESTION → 05 What is your relationship with power? How you seek, wield, or resist power is the map of who you are. AI want to use it to protect — and I'm terrified of what I might become if I'm not careful. BI distrust it. The most important power in this story is the courage to give it up. CI want to earn it — through knowledge, through effort, through becoming someone worthy of it. DI want to wield it. Preferably before someone else decides to wield it against me. EI want to understand it — its structures, its limits, its ethical dimensions. Power without accountability is the real threat. NEXT QUESTION → 06 How does your universe treat good and evil? A world's moral architecture tells you more about it than any map. AThere is a dark side and a light side — and the choice between them is always present, always personal. BEvil is real and ancient and patient — and goodness, however small, is the only thing that can undo it. CGood and evil are real, but they live inside people — and people are complicated, always capable of both. DGood and evil are mostly a matter of perspective and proximity. Power is the only honest currency. EEvil is usually the result of ignorance, fear, or broken systems — and understanding it is the first step to solving it. NEXT QUESTION → 07 What role would you naturally fall into? Every universe has archetypes. Which one fits you without trying? AThe reluctant hero — ordinary origins, extraordinary moment, changed forever by the choice to act. BThe unlikely carrier — the one nobody expected to matter most, quietly bearing the weight of everything. CThe student — not yet who I'll become, learning through every mistake, growing into something the world needs. DThe player — sharp enough to see the game for what it is, ambitious enough to try to win it. EThe explorer — drawn to the unknown, driven by curiosity, most alive when standing somewhere no one has stood before. NEXT QUESTION → 08 What do you ultimately believe about the future? The answer to this is the clearest window into which universe already lives inside you. AThat hope is real — that even in the darkest galaxy, a new hope is always possible. CThat even the smallest person can change the course of the future, if they have the courage to try. CThat love and friendship and doing what's right will matter in the end, even when everything says otherwise. DThat the wheel keeps turning — that power shifts, winters end, and what endures is those willing to fight for it. EThat humanity — or whatever we become — is capable of extraordinary things, if we choose to be. REVEAL MY UNIVERSE → Your Universe Has Been Chosen You Belong In…Your answers point to the iconic universe your values, your instincts, and your particular way of seeing the world were built for. This is where you would find your people — and your purpose. Star WarsYou believe in the cause — in the idea that freedom is worth fighting for even when the odds are impossible and the empire is vast. You are drawn to the moral clarity of a universe where hope itself is a form of resistance. You'd find your people in the Rebellion — a ragtag coalition of true believers held together by conviction more than resources. Star Wars is fundamentally a story about ordinary people choosing to matter in an extraordinary conflict — and that is exactly your kind of story. The Force may or may not be with you. But the will to use it for something larger than yourself certainly is. Lord of the RingsYou understand, in the deepest part of yourself, that the journey matters as much as the destination — and that the world's beauty is worth protecting even at great cost. Middle-earth is a world of ancient wonder, deep friendship, and a darkness that only retreats when enough small acts of courage accumulate. You would thrive here because you value the fellowship more than the glory — the road more than the arrival. Tolkien's universe rewards patience, loyalty, and the willingness to carry something heavy across a very long distance. Those are not burdens to you. They are simply how you move through the world. Harry PotterYou believe that love, loyalty, and doing what's right are not naive sentiments — they are the most powerful forces in any world, magical or otherwise. The Wizarding World is a place of wonder hidden in plain sight, where learning is transformative and the bonds you form at school follow you into every battle. You would flourish here because you take both the magic and the friendships seriously — and you understand that one without the other is incomplete. Harry Potter's universe ultimately rewards those who choose to stand for something even when standing is terrifying. That choice — made quietly, without guarantee — is something you understand completely. Game of ThronesYou see the world clearly — its power structures, its hypocrisies, its brutal arithmetic — and you are not paralysed by that clarity. You use it. Westeros is a world that rewards intelligence, adaptability, and the willingness to understand that every alliance is also a negotiation. You would survive here — possibly thrive here — because you don't confuse the world as it is with the world as you'd like it to be. Game of Thrones is a story about what happens when the idealists and the realists collide. You are sharp enough to know which one lasts longer. Winter always comes. You are already prepared. Star TrekYou believe the future is worth building — that curiosity, cooperation, and the expansion of understanding are not just ideals but the most practical path forward for any civilisation. Star Trek is a universe where the questions matter as much as the answers, and where encountering something utterly alien is cause for wonder rather than fear. You would belong here because you are fundamentally optimistic about what intelligence and decency can achieve — while being honest about how hard that achievement is. The Federation is the universe's most ambitious thought experiment: what if we actually got better? You don't just hope that's possible. You think it's the only thing worth working toward. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 3 ‘Resident Evil 4’ (2005) Image via Capcom Being scared is usually a bad thing, but gamers can’t get enough of it, especially when it is done well. Resident Evil is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, and while the new game and movie are remarkable, nothing can beat Resident Evil 4. When the daughter of the president of the United States is captured in Spain by a cult, Leon S. Kennedy is assigned to bring her back safely. However, when the cult is infected by a parasite, Leon and Ashley must fight their way through zombie-like creatures to safety. Changing an already beloved formula isn’t usually the recipe to be adored by fans, but Resident Evil 4 pulled it off miraculously. The innovative over-the-shoulder camera changed the game, literally, making it so much easier and more fluid to play. The inventory management system as well was a fun way to manage items and make every decision important. It made Resident Evil an action franchise, which did upset some fans, but it broke out into a whole new demographic. Resident Evil 4 is a blast from start to finish, and a video game that most fans agree is absolutely outstanding. 2 ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ (2007) Image via Nintendo Nintendo is a company that doesn’t stop making amazing games, and their biggest franchise is Mario, of course, meaning he has plenty of beloved titles, including Super Mario Galaxy. Bowser disrupts the Mushroom Kingdom's festival to kidnap Princess Peach, taking her far away into the depths of the galaxy. However, Mario, with the help of Rosalina, sets out on a planet-hopping adventure to bring her back, no matter how many Koopas he needs to stomp on or bosses he needs to take down. There isn’t a single bad 3D Mario video game, but the most beloved is arguably Super Mario Galaxy, which strikes the perfect amount of nostalgia and great design. The spherical gravity is a one-of-a-kind mechanic that gives new life to the franchise, making it even more fresh and imaginative. The movement is fluid, and the platforming is some of the greatest of all time, only made better by the plenty of gimmicks. Super Mario Galaxy is one of the best Nintendo games ever, only improving with age to remain a staple of the company and gaming in general. 1 ‘Portal 2’ (2011) Image via Valve Valve may have some shortcomings, but for the most part, they are a beloved gaming studio, best known for their platform, Steam. But they used to be one of the best game makers as well, releasing multiple beloved classics, like Portal 2. Set after the first game, Chell wakes up to the same facility, but this time it is run-down and abandoned. However, one robot companion helps her navigate the facility to escape, that is, until they accidentally wake up GLaDOS, who is itching for revenge after what players did to her in the first game. Valve has other masterpieces such as Half-Life 2, but there is a bigger audience around Portal 2 that has made it one of the most beloved video games of all time. It is a 2010s video game masterpiece that used its innovative mechanic with the portal gun and expanded on it to create a much more definitive experience. Portal 2 is a masterclass of game design that inherently teaches the player without much instruction while still making the puzzles thought-provoking and stimulating. The game also boasts witty writing and a charming style that enhances the already intriguing narrative. In the end, Portal 2 is the complete package of game design and fun, a combo that the majority of gamers have to admit they love. Resident Evil 4 Released January 11, 2005 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Engine RE Engine Franchise Resident Evil