A new year and a new decade are upon us. The start of this decade has the potential to be a fantastic one with some huge AAA games coming in early 2020. Plus the addition of the new Xbox Series and, so far, unrevealed PlayStation just around the corner. It’s, therefore, time to talk about some of our most anticipated games of 2020.
Cyberpunk 2077
I think you’ll find that most people’s most anticipated games lists will see this one pop up as it looks amazing. That being said I do still have some reservations about Cyberpunk. Not because of how the game looks or how good I think it will be. What it comes down to is my own time. I can already tell that Cyberpunk will be a big game and I’m notoriously bad at completing long games. As a result, I’m not sure whether I will either have the time or want to commit to completing such a big game.
Who am I kidding, I’m going to buy it, aren’t I!
At last year’s EGX I was able to attend the 45ish minute demo – which I think was the same as the E3 one. During the demo we got to see the lush rich world of Night City, we got to look at a few different characters builds showcasing how scenarios can be approached in various ways. It was all very impressive getting to see how you can approach situations in multiple ways. Having said that, there were a few bugs and issues with the demo, so maybe it’s not that surprising the game has now been delayed.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Ori’s first adventure was an incredible experience, it was challenging, rewarding, moving and a beautiful game to look at. As a result, it firmly nestled into being one of my favourite games of all time. And with that in mind, I can’t help but get excited about the prospect of more Ori.
The fluidity and agility of the game was an area that really shined in the first. Ori could zip around the map in a blistering fashion. Which only got faster and more fluid the more the game progressed. I think that Ori and the Blind Forest set a new bar for Metriodvania’s and I hope that the Will of the Wisps continues to challenge players and raise the bar to another level.
There is no doubt that from the trailers we’ve already seen Ori’s next adventure is shaping up to be an excellent one.
Half Life: Alyx
This one might seem like a strange choice and I guess it is seeing as I don’t have a VR headset. Nevertheless, I’m looking to get one as I’ve been intrigued by VR games for a long time. I feel that the new Half Life game is a great reason to get stuck in. I’m hoping and almost expecting Alyx to push VR to the next level, to make it something worthwhile having in your home making it more mainstream.
With the recent release and success of Boneworks it feels like we’re on the cusp of a great time for VR. Yes, it’s expensive to get in to, but the more ‘system sellers’ the platform can produce the more justifiable it will become. As a result of the announcement of Alyx pre-orders and sale of Valves Index headset jumped significantly. It seems the demand for VR is there, people are just waiting on something to pull the trigger.
Actual details of the game are scarce though. We’ve only seen one trailer and it didn’t give away any details about what we can expect. That being said, it was enough to not only hit me with that Half Life nostalgia but also make me want to fully jump into the world of VR.
-Will
The Last of Us Part II
What can I say about the hype levels for this game? Playing the first game in its remastered form on PS4 was one of the most thrilling, unique, terrifying, fear inducing games I’ve played. The story plays out one of the strongest bonds and relations built in a video-game I’ve ever played. There are only a handful of other duos or characters for that matter in video-games I care about as much as Joel and Ellie.
I remember talking about the game with my wife after various sittings with it, updating her on the progress I’d made and what I was doing with Ellie. She replied that It sounded as if I thought Ellie was real the way I was describing what I had to do to protect her. By the end of the game it had rightly so made it’s way onto a list of unforgettable experiences I’ve had that I will treasure and look back on fondly.
Here we are, 2020, 4 years after its reveal, we’re in the year that we can play the next chapter in this world with these characters that I’ve become so attached to. Things have changed, Ellie has gone from the little girl you want to protect to very much the protector of other people. The teaser trailers for it are spine tingling, the game play videos for it are intense and brutal. There are so many expectations for this game. It’s sadly hit one delay, but if more time is needed to polish this gem and make it as great as it can be, let it cook a little longer.
Ghost of Tsushima
Another of Sony’s first party studios that have been hard at work since their PS4 launch title is Sucker Punch. They delivered the gorgeous looking Infamous: Second Son & First light within the launch stages of the PS4, and the games still hold up today offering some of the most stunning visual performances the console has put out. Plus they were fun games to boot.
Since they’ve released, Sucker Punch have been hard at work on a new project. naturally rumours come out that it’s another Infamous, or a return to the Sly series. Then at Paris Games Week in 2017 we were treated to a trailer that can melt eyes of the simply stunning looking Ghost of Tsushima. A brave and bold new direction for this studio. It appears to be another fine case of Sony letting their first party studios get creative and try something new which has been a huge success for them during the PS4 generation with hits like Killzone, Days Gone and seemingly Dreams.
Still on track to release on PS4 (although I still have my suspicions that this will end up being a PS5 title), between this, Dreams and The Last of Us II, Sony are really seeing this generation out with a bang. I’m a tad sad to see the generation come to a close as it’s been a spectacular generation of sensational games, but with the studios hard at work after their releases, the output they can get next gen should be staggering.
– Murr
