With new consoles slated to be unveiled in time for this year’s holiday season, it wouldn’t be surprising for the final games on the now-legacy Playstation and Xbox consoles to be few and far between as developers angle at newer systems. Sad as it may be, there are still some firecrackers set to be released before then. We’ve compiled a list of the games that we’re most excited for in 2020 to get you hyped for chucking a sickie and giving your controller a workout from bed. You may as well get started (since it’s basically the apocalypse out there anyway).
1. The Last of Us II (Naughty Dog, June 19)
Platform: PlayStation 4
Delay after delay hasn’t stalled the hype for the sequel to Naughty Dog’s 2013 smash-hit The Last of Us. The action-adventure, which sees stoic dad Joel escort stubborn teenager Ellie through a zombie-infested America, earned a following with cult-like loyalty to the couple’s story. After a short tease that positions a love interest for Ellie, we’ll see her become our focus protagonist as she moves into holding her own in the survival horror. For most gaming fans, there isn’t a Naughty Dog release not to like. May can’t come quick enough.
2. Dark Pictures: Little Hope (Supermassive Games, TBA)
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Interactive drama games can be polarising, particularly with the milking that they were given by Telltale Games. Having said that, when Until Dawn was released in 2015, it began a revival of the choices genre, with actors Rami Malek and Hayden Panettiere at the helm of a cabin-in-the-woods nightmare story. Supermassive Games have kicked off the Dark Pictures series in that same spirit, with the successful first instalment Man of Medan hitting shelves and download queues last year. The end of the ghost ship themed game teased the next in the series, Little Hope, set to spook in 2020.
3. Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt, September 17)
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Of course our ears perk up when we hear about a videogame with punk in its name, but did you know that Keanu Reeves was in this? John Wick himself stars in Cyberpunk 2077, which was pushed from April to September for its release for refinement on its respective platforms. The role-playing game follows a first-person mercenary in the open world of Night City, a dystopia in the Free State of California reigned by corporations and without law. We can’t wait to raise hell in the anarchy.
4. Doom Eternal (id Software, March 20)
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia (Nintendo Switch planned for a later date)
The follow-up to 2016’s Doom, which of course revived a legacy series, Doom Eternal takes place two years from where Doom left off. The fifth instalment in the franchise sees players step back into the shoes of the Doom Slayer, who comes to Earth to fight the demonic forces that have overrun it. There is no mission more important than saving the human race from annihilation, so no one can fault you for making this one a priority come March.
5. Resident Evil 3 Remake (Capcom, April 3)
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
A true horror game at its core, Resident Evil 3 is being remastered to be even more terrifying as main character Jill Valentine fights not only a zombie apocalypse but also Nemesis, an intelligent bioweapon. The original 1999 game is not just going to be revamped but is also getting an online multiplayer mode, Resident Evil: Resistance, so survival horror fans can all have near-heart attacks onset by fear together.
6. Final Fantasy VII Remake (Square Enix, April 10)
Platform: PlayStation 4
Final Fantasy fans have requested a remake of 1997’s Final Fantasy VII for over a decade, and in a rare occurrence for the gaming community, those prayers have been answered. Having said that, the classic game is going to be released in instalments, because good things don’t happen all at once. To jog your memory, the game will see players control Cloud Strife, a mercenary battling the Shinra megacorporation. With an April release date, fans still have time to replay the original for a truly holistic experience.
7. Halo Infinite (343 Industries + SkyBox Labs, TBA)
Platform: PC, Xbox One, fourth-gen Xbox
Halo Infinite, the next instalment in the old-faithful Halo franchise, is finally scheduled to be released sometime this year. For those worried about having to pick up a new-gen Xbox, the game will also be released on PC and Xbox One, which will hopefully mean that it’s slated for unveiling sooner rather than later. The sixth-main entry in the series, Infinite will continue the story of the Master Chief as its protagonist from where Guardians left off. That might be more exciting to some than others, with single campaign fans in the minority and multiplayer groups waiting in the wings to kick off their next adventure.
8. Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch, TBA)
Platform: PlayStation 4
While our prayers haven’t been answered for a new Infamous (it’s fine, we’ll keep praying), Sucker Punch have announced Ghost of Tsushima, an action-adventure revolving around the Mongol invasion of Japan. Players control Jin Sakai, one of the last samurai on Tsushima Island during this time. We don’t have too much information yet, but if we know anything about the quality of Sucker Punch’s previous work, we’re looking forward to it.
9. Watch Dogs: Legion (Ubisoft, TBA)
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, fourth-gen Xbox, Stadia
The third instalment in the criminally underrated Watch Dogs series will focus on the efforts of a hacker group who stand against an authoritarian regime dominating the United Kingdom with surveillance. The London open world setting plays host to multiple characters that can be manipulated through a third-person perspective, each with their own background and skillset to form a part of the story’s progression. With both single and co-op multiplayer modes, the game is currently awaiting a new release slot, having been tragically pushed back from its original due date of March 2020.
10. Little Nightmares II (Tarsier Studios + Bandai Namco, TBA)
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Little Nightmares was greeted with unprecedented success for a puzzle adventure game of its kind. It therefore comes as no surprise that a sequel was announced, as welcome as it is. The follow-up will take place after protagonist Six makes her escape, introducing a new character as they work together to reach the Black Tower against the dark reign of the Broadcaster. Interestingly, Six is set to be computed, with the new character, Mono, controlled by the player instead.
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