Over the next week, we will be posting features for what we've nominated to be the best games of 2020. Then, on December 17, we will crown one of the nominees as GameSpot's Best Game of 2020, so join us as we celebrate these 10 games on the road to the big announcement. Be sure to check out our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our Best Games of 2020 hub.

Who would have thought that 11 years after its initial launch, Demon's Souls--a game described by a current senior PlayStation executive as "crap" and an "unbelievably bad game" when he played it during development--would be the showpiece for a new generation of PlayStation console.

From Software's PlayStation 3 original was, at the time, something that felt harsh and alienating to many. But for those who clicked with it, the game was a wholly unique experience that offered rewarding challenges with a palpable sense of self-improvement, a thoughtfully constructed world to explore and unpack, and a fascinating narrative that rewarded those willing to piece it together.