Hillcrest [Last Of Us: Part 2]
The quintessential Last Of Us: Part 2 level. It has everything we want — and adds an unforgettable new opponent. After infiltrating Seattle with Ellie, you eventually make your way to the neighborhood of Hillcrest to meet up with an ally. Arriving in the overgrown suburb, Ellie has to face off against a squad of survivalist killers with trained dogs. Dogs are a terrifying opponent that can sniff out and track you by scent. We don’t like hurting dogs, but this is one of the tensest chapters in the game — who knew Man’s Best Friend could be far scarier than the undead abominations?
Oscorp Science Center [Spider-Man: Miles Morales]
This packed level has all the strengths of Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Late in the game, the new Spider-Man travels to the abandoned Oscorp Science Center on Manhattan Island to stop a terrorist plot. You don’t just fight bad guys — cool henchmen of the Tinkerer with programmable matter gear that changes shape in an instant. You also get to relive a heartwarming moment with an old friend in an extended flashback. Miles gets to explore the science center, look at exhibits, and even get a quick cameo from Doc Ock. It’s everything we love about Spider-Man on the Playstation.
Cosmic Ocean [Spelunky 2]
Did the hardest game of the year also need a secret level that’s almost impossible to beat? 99% of players will never reach the Cosmic Ocean in Spelunky 2, and even the ones that do, only a tiny fraction will complete it. That doesn’t make it any less awesome. The audacity of the creators is kind of admirable — to reach the Cosmic Ocean, you have to bring a unique bow (and a unique arrow, you need both) to the secret final boss of the game, which already requires an incredibly hard series of steps to reach. The Cosmic Ocean is a mysterious realm that’s replete with possibilities — and it has a total of 95 floors. Good luck reaching the bottom of that.
Delve into the greatest levels of 2020. The list continues on the next page.