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Well The Years Start Coming and they don’t stop coming…
2020 was, to put it mildly, a bit of a hard year for a lot of folks. After a constant barrage of upheaval and events, it’s safe to say that just about everyone needs a long vacation. Games however, have provided a much needed reprieve, with a bevy of landmark titles having been released to help distract us from what’s going on every single day.
Now that we’re marching along in 2021, some are taking a look back at the year and putting together just how much happened.
One developer used the year as inspiration to make their first game.
Playable on the site 2020game.io, 2020 Game seeks to make some sense of an insane year through familiar platforming gameplay.
Developed by Max Garkavyy, 2020 Game was developed over six months as a solo project, the game puts players in the role of an unassuming individual that is trying to navigate their way through the myriad of major events the year had. From wildfires, to toilet paper crises, to the election, the game covers most of the global events and movements with tight, simple platforming.
Something it manages is to capture some of the absurd whimsy as well. While it manages to pay some attention and tribute to the year’s more somber moments, much of the short runtime is spent jumping and avoiding obstacles to reach checkpoints, or your home for mandated quarantines.
By the end you’ve survived the year, but the future holds, well even more. Zombies, aliens, and even Godzilla loom almost as if to say that, just because the year’s over, doesn’t mean the work is done.
In The Year To Come
Though the run time of the game is short, the charming pixel graphics and snappy gameplay show a lot of love, and more than that a lot of promise. After beating it, a screen pops up with a donate page, with Garkavyy stating his dreams to make games full time.
While it’s not mandatory to do so, there is a certain charm and quality to 2020 Game that speaks to something a bit greater. It’s clear to see even from the simple presentation of the experience that with a budget, time, and a fresh premise, the core of the gameplay here could be used to create something fun and engaging
