2020 is set to be a big year for the gaming industry. Naughty Dog hopes to capture lightning in a bottle once again with a sequel to one of the best critically-acclaimed games ever made. Xbox hopes to revitalize a franchise that became iconic due to its addictive multiplayer and legendary Spartan warrior protagonist. On top of that, both Sony and Xbox will be launching their next-gen consoles in 2020, which will almost certainly dominate numerous sites and forums over the coming months.
1.) Maneater
Some people may recognize Maneater from its trailer at The Game Awards that seemed to show a shark hurl a missile at a boat and try to feast on people in a Golf Course.
For anyone who wasn’t sold on this game based on that last sentence, you obviously need more fun in your life. All jokes aside, Maneater is a single-player action-RPG game from those at Tripwire Interactive where you play as a freaking shark that you can upgrade. If that doesn’t sound like the coolest concept of a video game ever, then this probably isn’t the right game for you. But, it does take a rightful place on this list.
Release Date: May 22nd, 2020
2.) Halo: Infinite
The franchise that revolutionized multiplayer gaming is making its way onto another console generation. 343 Industries returns with Halo: Infinite, the next installment of the beloved Halo series.
At the time of this writing, not much is known about this title outside of a few things. Halo: Infinite has been through a ringer, of sorts, with its development with the game’s lead producer and creative director leaving 343 Industries in 2019. While this could have no significant impact on the quality of the game, it is worth noting. Halo: Infinite will also have a brand-new engine called the Slipspace Engine and it will have a 4-player couch co-op.
Despite the development concerns, this is still Halo. It is a game that will play a significant factor in the next-gen Xbox consoles. We may not know much about the campaign or multiplayer, but Halo: Infinite is worthy of a spot on anyone’s most anticipated games list.
Release Date: Holiday 2020
3.) Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is a long-winded title, but it is so much more than that. From Hardsuit Labs, Bloodlines 2 is a sequel to the beloved cult-classic game from 2004. Caught in a war between vampire factions, you’ll have to make some critical decisions and uncover a dark conspiracy behind the war.
Even from an outsider’s perspective who never played the first game, it’s clear that Bloodlines 2 has the potential to be one of the best games of 2020. It has everything you would want in an action-RPG like this. An interesting premise, important decisions that’ll impact your allegiance to characters and seemingly fun gameplay. If it wasn’t for another game on the list that we’ll get to later, there’s a chance this could have been the most anticipated first-person RPG of the year.
Release Date: 2020
4.) Resident Evil 3 (Remake)
While it wasn’t the most popular title in the series, Resident Evil 3 became a cult classic amongst fans. In 2019, Capcom finally gave fans what they wanted when they released a remake for the genre-defining Resident Evil 2. This proved to be a massive success for the developer/publisher as the remake was adored by critics and gamers alike.
Due to this achievement, Capcom wants to capitalize on this adoration with another in-depth remake. Thus, we have Resident Evil 3. And there’s no reason to believe it won’t be another hit for the makers behind the famous zombie franchise. Plus, anyone who purchases this remake will get access to the 1v4 Project: Resistance multiplayer mode. With fantastic remakes and expertly crafted sequels hitting shelves over the last few years, it’s a great time to be a fan of the Resident Evil franchise.
Release Date: April 3rd, 2020
5.) Doom Eternal
This is sort of like Maneater, right? At this point, you are either on-board with the Doom franchise, or it just isn’t your thing.
Initially set to release in 2019, id Software/Bethesda’s Doom Eternal sees Hell come to Earth and puts you once again in the shoes of the Doomslayer. Rip apart demons with your bare hands or tear them to shreds with a multitude of epic weapons. Along with the campaign, there is the 2v1 Battlemode. This mode sees two people take control of demons while the other player takes control of the Doomslayer. Doom Eternal also has an Invasion mode that is set to be added to the game shortly after launch. The Invasion mode allows people to enter another player’s game as a demon.
Again, there’s a good chance you’ve probably made up your mind on this game already, whether that be picking it up on day-1, waiting for a sale, or not wanting to play it at all. Either way, let’s move on.
Release Date: March 20th, 2020
6.) Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima will be the PS4’s final big release before the PS5 hits shelves. Here is a brief synopsis for the game, courtesy of Metacritic:
First off, this game is gorgeous. It’s the first thing you’ll notice anytime you see a trailer. Its story seems to be engaging enough to pull gamers in as well. As the biggest game Sucker Punch has ever developed, Ghost of Tsushima has a chance to be something great. It could be a swan song for the PS4 before the PlayStation 5 inevitably steals all the limelight. We’ll only have to wait a few more months to find out.
Release Date: Summer 2020
7.) Dying Light 2
Dying Light 2 seems to take everything that made the first game so unexpectedly great and build on it in new and meaningful ways. Parkouring through zombie-infested streets and leveling up your character is still paramount, but there is a newfound focus on the game’s narrative.
In Dying Light 2, you’ll make crucial decisions that will profoundly impact your game and the characters that inhabit this post-apocalyptic world. This flexible story will, in theory, add on more replayability to the game. Along with this, you’ll be able to once again play with up to 3 other players in online co-op and it could support cross-gen in the future. To see more about the changes you can make to the story and the possibility of cross-platform support, you can click here to go to an interview Wccftech had with Producer Kornel Jaskula, Techland Chief Technology Officer Pawel Rohleder, and Narrative Designer Chris Avellone about those topics.
As long as Dying Light 2 can keep the fun mechanics and gameplay of the original, Techland will have another massive hit on their hands.
8.) Marvel’s Avengers
Marvel’s Avengers is a game that had a ton of steam behind it until an uneven reveal derailed its momentum. Gamers cited lackluster character designs and the absence of actual gameplay footage as the reasons behind their loss of interest.
However, the game has made strides in trying to reclaim its former hype. At Gamescom 2019, Square Enix finally showed off gameplay for Marvel’s Avengers. It showcased the variety of unique gameplay options while flipping through our Avengers cast. Throughout the remainder of 2019, we also received more information about alternate costumes and the narrative as a whole.
The reason Marvel’s Avengers has a spot on this list after the mixed reveal is simple enough. Potential. With its Destiny-like premise of obtaining gear and going on missions with friends as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Marvel’s Avengers has the potential to be excellent.
However, there was a game that released in 2019 with a similar selling point of collecting loot and mindlessly destroying things with your buddies. Despite its potential to be something truly great, BioWare’s Anthem failed to live up to expectations and quickly became one of the most disappointing games of the year. That’s why you should be extremely cautious when looking at Marvel’s Avengers when it releases in a few months. But hopefully, Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, and Square Enix learned from BioWare’s mistakes.
Release Date: May 15th, 2020
9.) The Last of Us: Part II
The Last of Us is regarded by many as one of the greatest games to ever release. So, naturally, there is some hype around the release of its sequel.
Set 5 years after the original, The Last of Us: Part II brings us back into the well-crafted world Naughty Dog created. In 2018 during a closed-door demo, Creative Director Neil Druckmann stated that Ellie was the only playable character in the game. Based on that statement and the wide variety of trailers we’ve seen since then, it’s safe to assume that Ellie will be the main focus of The Last of Us: Part II.
With The Last of Us: Part II putting the focus on Ellie, the status of Joel (the original game’s main protagonist) is left in a dangerous limbo. He’s been seen in trailers, but there are a plethora of theories on the internet detailing what his role could be in the game.
Regardless, what made The Last of Us so compelling were its superbly well-written characters, breathtaking visuals, and intense gameplay. As long as the sequel can keep those things intact, there’s a good chance we’ll see The Last of Us: Part II up for many Game of the Year awards in 2020.
Release Date: May 29th, 2020
10.) Cyberpunk 2077
Along with The Last of Us: Part II, CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 will be the talk of many most anticipated lists — and probably Game of the Year nominations. The Polish game studio has attained so much goodwill from fans after The Witcher 3 and CD’s approach to the game’s DLC. Fans were likely going to jump on-board with whatever big project the developer had cooking up next. Thankfully, that project was Cyberpunk 2077.
Set in the lively and futuristic world of Night City where tech upgrades, robots, and other augmentations reign supreme, you play as V. That synopsis may sound remarkably vague, but that’s because there is so much that can change outside of that. The game has been described as an ambitious RPG, and that covers it pretty well. You’ll be able to make substantial decisions regarding the story missions, create your own appearance, and craft the way V plays. If you want to be a brute and run into every situation, guns-a-blazing, you can do that. But you can also try to sneak your way in using hacks and your agility. It’s all up to you and how you want to play.
Oh, and Keanu Reeves is in this game as a badass voice in your head. What more can you want?
Release Date: April 16th, 2020
