With 2019 almost over we have been hit with some of the best games that this year has to offer. The release of the PS5, and the new Xbox, along with the rise of the Nintendo Switch means that 2020 will be the final big year for this current generation of console. Despite being on their final legs, that doesn’t mean that 2020 is not stacked with amazing games. So from a highly anticipated sequel to a historic franchise return to form here are the most anticipated games of 2020.
10. Psychonauts 2
Developer: Double Fine
Release Window: 2020
Platform: Xbox One, PS4, and PC
Announced back during the 2015 Video Awards and develope by Double Fine, Psychonauts 2 is the long-awaited sequel of the 2005 original. The story follows a secret US government project where young children with psychic abilities are placed to hone their powers in order to fight villains. The interesting part about this game is that Psychonauts 2 is actually a sequel to the VR game Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruins. This means that if you want to get caught up before the game comes out, I suggest looking up a playthrough of the VR game. Promising to improve on the original game’s platforming while maintaining the charming humor that feels like a call back of early 2000s cartoons, such Invader Zim, and Ahhh Real Monsters!! If you played to original than this is a can’t miss.
9. Destroy All Humans! Remake
Developer: THQ Nordic
Release Window: 2020
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, and PC
Destroy All Humans was one of those games that has gathered a strong following behind it, I used to go home every day and play the game on my PS2 and feel satisfied every time I kidnap a cow, and brainwashed humans. THQ Nordic has made a reputation for themselves after buying out enough THQ’s franchises and rebranding themselves from Nordic Games to THQ Nordic. They feel like the spiritual successor of THQ trying to bring back all those classic PS2 and Xbox games and show what made the original THQ so legendary. This spot could go to either Destroy All Human! or Spongebob Squarepants Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated, but for nostalgia Destroy All Humans take this spot.
8. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
Developer: BANDAI NAMCO
Rease Date: January 16, 2020
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, and PC
Dragon Ball has gone through a renaissance during the last few years with Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 giving fans a chance to be part of some of the most historic events of the series. Dragon Ball Super adding another great chapter to the long-running show, and of course Dragon Ball Fighter Z becoming one of the best fighting games this generation. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is an RPG that has you take control of Goku as you go through the story of Dragon Ball. It is always a treat to see a new way to experience the timeless story of Dragon Ball, and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot’s RPG take on the story will be very interesting to play for die-hard fans.
7. Marvel’s Avengers
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Release Date: May 15, 2020
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia
Marvel’s Avengers is a platforming third-person game where you control members of the Avengers to fight against an upcoming evil. Despite Avengers Endgame becoming of the highest-grossing movies of all time, and superheroes becoming part of the mainstream, the reason why this game is low on this list is because of the initial reactions that fans had upon the game’s debut. The games appear to have created their models for the characters, which is weird because the models that they went for look so different from the actors that fans are used to seeing portray the heroes. To be fair when your Captain America does not look like Chris Evan than what are you doing. Despite the initial backlash, the gameplay footage, along with the reveal of Miss. Marvel as a playable character has gained interest from the fan base. Hopefully, the game is able to live up to the hype.
6. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Developers: Moon Studio
Release Date: February 11, 2020
Platform: Xbox One, and PC
Ori and the Blind Forest is one of the greatest Xbox One games and most influential game this generation, an amazing platformer that still looks visually amazing up to this day. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the sequel to this amazing game and it takes Ori to an adventure in search of the family of the baby owl after the end of the first game. One claim that is always made when talking about the original Ori is that the game is heavily styled as a Metroidvania style game. The developers of Ori went on an interview and claim that they want to evolve the Metroidvania formula and transform it into what they call Ori. With such a claim I can’t wait to get my hands on the game, for a chance to experience the world of Ori again.
5. Watch Dogs: Legion
Developer: Ubisoft Toronto
Release Date: March 3, 2020
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia
Watch Dogs is the biggest disappointment this generation, Watch Dogs 2 is one of the biggest surprises this generation. In other words, the Watch Dogs franchise has had plenty of ups and downs. So here is where Watch Dogs: Legion comes in, easily the most ambitious game this generation the gimmick of the game is that you get to control everyone. Heavily inspired by Brexit, Watch Dogs: Legion has the player recruit as many characters as possible. The game was delayed, and it is not clear whether or not it will release next year, to give the player a chance to play as a killer old granny.
4. Halo Infinite
Developers: 343 Studios
Release Window: 2020
Platform: Xbox One
Of all the games on this list, Halo Infinite has the least amount of information with only a trailer revealing the game. Halo Infinite is meant to bring back Halo after the mishandling of the Halo Masterchief Collection, and the divisive Halo 5: Guardians. The only reason why the game is so high on this list is because of the Halo name alone and the strides that were made to fix it. The Halo Masterchief Collection is not only in a playable state, but it is still getting updated. With a PC release, along with the long-awaited inclusion of Halo Reach. 343 has made strides to improve the Halo franchise after getting the rights from the legendary developer Bungie. Halo Infinite will be a fresh start for the franchise, and hopefully, the game will be less Halo 5 and more Halo Reach.
3. Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Developer: Square Enix
Release Date: March 3, 2020
Platform: PS4, Xbox One
Final Fantasy 7 is one of the most influential games ever made, almost every gamer has had some kind of experience with the game. Despite the countless additions to the franchise, there has always been a desire to have the classic RPG re-imagine for a modern generation. The graphics have been redone, as the game is no longer just a remaster, but it follows the style of The Crash N.Sane Trilogy as a complete remake of the game. There are still a lot of questions about the game, as it is being advertised as an episodic game. This has raised confusion among the fans because of the structure of the original story it has fans asking when do the chapters end, what decisions carry over, and how long is it going to take between releases? Despite all the questions, the game is shaping up to become one of the best games of 2020.
2. Last of Us Part II
Developer: Naughty Dog
Release Date: February 21, 2020
Platform: PS4
The Last of Us might not be everyone’s favorite game, but the popularity of the game can not be underestimated. The original Last of Us arrived on PS3 back on June 14, 2013, during the tail end of the PS3 lifespan, and it was one heck of a send-off. It is still amazing to imagine that the best PS3 game would arrive during the consoles last year. You play as Joel a man trying to stay alive after a zombie apocalypse ravaged the planets. He is given a chance to save the world when he meets Ellie a young girl who is immune to the virus. The game came out during the peak of the zombie craze The Walking Dead was still going strong on its third season, and movies such as Warm Bodies were flexing the potential of zombie storytelling. Naughty Dog, the creators of Crash Bandicoot, just wrapped up the Uncharted Trilogy, and the biggest question was what’s next? Naughty Dogs craft one of the best zombie based narratives in any media by focusing less on the monsters themselves and instead writes a story about loss and redemption. Despite the divisive ending, the finale was concrete, but still open enough for a sequel, it was just a matter of time.
Despite all the teases and hints, Naughty Dog has stayed mostly silent as the current generation of games kept floating by. Last of Us Part 2 was revealed back in 2016 during the Playstation Experience. Taking place years after the original you now play as an older Ellie, the story will focus on her own survival and the effect that the apocalypse had on the world years later. The trailers have so far revealed short parts of the story, but have a greater focus on gameplay. Last of Us Part 2 seems like a sure-fire hit for Sony, luckily for players, Sony wants the developers to take their time making the game to make sure it delivers. The game was delayed, and now is set for a 2020 release date, and the wait will be worth it
1. Cyberpunk 2077
Developer: CD Project Red
Release Date: April 16, 2020
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia
Keanu Reeves is in this game, that should be enough to sell it, but here is some context. CR Project Red is one of the biggest developers this generation, they first arrive in the spotlight with their first big game The Witcher, a great game if not a little rough around the edges. However, their biggest spotlight came with the release of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, despite having one of the best stories of 2011, the game was overshadowed by Skyrim. The formula was there and people were starting to see the potential the franchise has, and then came next-gen consoles. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is not only the best game this generation, but it is also the most influential. After the game’s release other games were made using the same formula, for example, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey was praise for feeling like a breath of fresh air for the franchise, but critique that in order to make these changes it needed to abandon its identity and pretty much become The Witcher.
After creating the best game this generation, what was the young studio going to do next? A hint came from the dialogue of the Witcher 3 where Ciri said that she traveled to a place where the carriages were flying, in other words, CD Project Red was going to the future. Cyberpunk 2077 was announced a futuristic noir game that takes has the player take control of Mercenary V as you take missions in the cyberpunk city of Night City. Despite a few controversial changes the hype train kept on riding after a few hour-long streams that showed massive amounts of gameplay. Along with a few trailers showing more and more about the story. However, the biggest shocker of the game was during Microsoft’s E3 conference where Keanu Reeves arrived revealing his role in the game as your sidekick. The weakest part of the game to me is box art, just a guy in front of a yellow background, and if that is the worst that can be said about the game than that is a great thing. Cyberpunk 2077 arrives on April 16, 2020, and it is easily the biggest release of 2020.