There have been a slew of promising tiles that have been announced for the 2020 gaming catalogue. We are going to look at a few of the most anticipated among the range of available consoles. We have action, adventure, indie games, and the best new promising AAA titles. The list will be in no particular order, so let's dive in...
First on our list is Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Releasing March 20th. One of the happiest and most beloved games to be expected this year is the switch debut of this fan favorite franchise. Animal Crossing NH, is going to be a bit different than previous installments. This time you are invited to a deserted island and are enlisted to help build a settlement, gather resources, and invite friends.
The original animal crossing tosses you into a completed town and lets you explore and make friends. So this one apparently letting you make your own settlement sounds interesting and promising. Mix in the mobility factor of the switch/switch lite, bringing friends to your island should be a breeze!
Our next game has been a long, LONG time coming. CyberPunk 2077, releasing in September(allegedly) I say allegedly because the game has been pushed back multiple times. Hopefully this means they are getting it right over at CD Project Red. This game has some of the smoothest looking trailers and has an incredibly interesting theme and look to the world. there has been a lot of talk and chatter about what the game actually is.
is it an action game, a shooter, and RPG, or a mix of all of them. We all just need to hope there is no loot crate or loot drop system that irritates players as we have seen on major releases the last few years. I am not sure that there is a more anticipated game all around than this one. so maybe by the end of this year we will get our hands on it, and see what the world of Cyberpunk, and Keanu Reeves has to offer.lol
The next big hitter on the list is DOOM Eternal, releasing on March 20th. This sequel to the popular 2016 reboot sees our "hero" return to earth to take the fight to the demon hordes. The sequel promises more speed and combat fluidity, which if you played the reboot is a scary yet exciting thought.
The reboot is a frantic free for all as it is. So increasing the speed and chaos could be a bit overwhelming to non hardcore players. The sequel will have a new invasion mode as well. this will allow players to enter other players games as playable demons. I think that will be a very awesome addition to the franchise. This title will be releasing on all the mainstream consoles, even SWITCH, at a later date though.
for a little dash of horror in your action, you can look forward to Dying Light 2, which drops in the first half of 2020. I was a fan of the original, however, there is a clear issue creators have with including the movements of parkour into a first person experience. The first installment had a lot of cool ideas and techniques they attempted, some sadly fell short. The sequel promises to put more effort into refining the parkour movements.
There has also been renewed effort into the vertical nature of the city line. Things will make more sense it seems. To many zombies to handle? Climb higher. There will be a new set of useful items this time around as well. Including grappling hooks and gliders! This is one I am certainly looking forward too!
Onto a better and brighter side of things now with a look at Gods and Monsters. There is not a tone known about this game just yet, with it releasing late 2020, we should see more at E3. it odes look great so far though. the look and feel seems to be geared toward a "LOZ Breath of the Wild" style. It is also created by Ubisoft, and headed up by the team responsible for Assassin's Creed odyssey.
This to me, as a Ubisoft fan, is a very interesting game. Odyssey was also my favorite installment in recent years. it is a massive game with a beautiful massive world, with plenty to do.
So if you mix all of that, with more Greek legends, in a Breath of the Wild art style? Yes, sign me the hell up!
Okay, Okay, okay I will do it. Halo: Infinite is one of the most highly anticipated games of the last couple years. As a Playstation household, this may be one of the few gems that pull me toward buying an X-box System. The new Series X system will no doubt make this game a powerhouse. Both the System and game launch this fall, as long as there are no delays.
The Halo franchise built the XBOX. So ensuring the success of a new game along with the new console is a real test. If both launch perfectly it will more than likely be a huge holiday season for Microsoft. This new entry into the series focuses on Master Chief waking up after a Cryo or extended sleep of some sort after his forces have already lost the war. The game will apparently focus on open exploration which will also be a newer turn for the series. Even those who do not own an XBOX will be waiting to see more of this come E3!
There are a ton more games to look forward to this year but I am going to finish with the one that i am looking forward to more than any other. Sadly thanks to being picked up by Microsoft, i will have to purchase a new Series X to play it more than likely. Senua's Saga or Hellblade 2, depending on who you ask is assuredly going to be an amazing title. Again, the creating force, Ninja Theory was snagged up by Microsoft so this will at least at launch be an XBOX Exclusive.
The original game came out of nowhere to shock fans. it focuses on a young woman named Senua, a barbarian who's village is attacked. Her husband is killed, so she removes his head, and carries it with her to face Hell in order to get him back. The amount of effort and time they put into legends and historical myths in the title was amazing.
However, the most incredible part was the fact that Senua was "cursed." Unbeknownst to her she has Schizophrenia as we would call it today. So throughout the game you constantly hear her conflicting voices, as well as see hallucinations. The team at NT did their research into mental illness as well in order to make this as realistic as possible.
Everything from the voices, the graphics, intricate puzzles, brutal combat, and perma-death at some points make the first installment one of the greatest games in history in my humble opinion.
Those are just a few of the games dropping this year. It looks to be a fantastic year of new consoles, new games, and who knows what else. Thanks for reading!