Dragon Ball Z Kakarot
Dragon Ball Z Kakarot
Kakarot kakitin, let me begin - I came to win, battle me that's a sin.I won't ever slack up, punk you better back up. In other words, Dragon Ball Z Kakarot looks like a great game, and one we can't wait to play in 2020.
Advert
The upcoming Dragon Ball video game adaptation really does look like everything fans of the long-running series have waited all their lives for. In essence, it's a faithful, gorgeous retelling of the show's earliest years - specifically Goku's epic journeys and many battles.
Expect beautiful cel-shaded visuals, all your favourite characters, cinematic showdowns, and the most iconic sagas of the original run - all wrapped up in one glorious open world adventure. What's not to like? Nothing. Well, unless you don't like Dragon Ball Z I guess... but that's your loss.
DOOM Eternal
DOOM Eternal
2016's DOOM reboot was hands down one of the best first-person shooters I've played in years. A devilishly slick, impossible fluid descent into hell, packed with all the gore, guns, and guts you could possibly hope for - plus a heavy metal soundtrack that's so spicy it could burn your house down while you sleep.
Advert
All of which is to say that I'm incredibly excited for DOOM Eternal,, and you should be too. Everything that made the 2016 DOOM is coming back. Guns, guts, glory, face-melting metal riffs. You love to see it all, you really do.
That in itself should be cause enough for celebration, but the sequel is going bigger and better, with more demons to slay, limbs to pull off, and multiplayer modes to conquer. Strap in.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Square Enix
Believe me, I'm as amazed as you are that this game is finally coming out, but 2020 is on track to be a truly magical year where all kinds of crazy things happen. The first installment in the Final Fantasy VII Remake is just a drop in the ocean at this point - but what a drop it is.
Advert
We got to play Square Enix's anticipated remake at E3 and Gamescom, and we're here to tell you that it's okay to get excited. Like, get really excited. Maybe even let a little pee come out. It's okay. We're all friends here.
The way Square has managed to incorporate an exciting and engaging new combat system, all while retaining the essence of the PlayStation original is just... masterful. Fans new and old will no doubt get something out of Final Fantasy VII Remake, even if investing in the adventure again means watching Aerith kick the bucket a second time. In glorious HD, to boot.
Watch Dogs: Legion
Watch Dogs Legion lets you recruit anyone into your gang
A lot of games promise unlimited potential and near-limitless freedom, but Ubisoft might just have cracked the code with Watch Dogs: Legion. I was seriously unsure about the game's central gimmick - that you could take control of any NPC - but after playing an early build at E3, I came away confident.
Advert
Watch Dogs: Legion is wonderfully imaginative, and frequently hilarious, thanks to scenarios you find yourself in. After one hour with the game, I'd stormed a military base as a taser-wielding grandma before making my escape on a moped through the back alleys of Camden.
That was after one hour, with an early build. I can't wait to see how many more surprises Ubisoft has in store for us when Watch Dogs: Legion finally launches next year. This one has the potential to be massive.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
I've long been of the opinion that the NHS should describe Animal Crossing in the place of antidepressants. Nintendo's adorable rural village life sim has always been one of the most tranquil gaming experiences around, and the upcoming New Horizons looks like the absolute pinnacle of the franchise.
Advert
One of the joys of Animal Crossing has always been getting into debt with a friendly raccoon and working to pay your loan off. Don't ask why. What's great about New Horizons is that you end up in debt with a friendly raccoon, AND find yourself trapped on a deserted island that you need to work to improve.
I'm not entirely sure I'm selling this to anyone who isn't familiar with the franchise, but Nintendo Switch owners unfamiliar with Animal Crossing really should take a chance with New Horizons. I suspect it'll take over your life for a good few months. At least.
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 had my attention from the moment I knew it was being developed by the same studio who gave us The Witcher 3. It warranted further attention when I discovered Keanu Reeves would be in the game.
Those two things alone really should be enough to sell this one to you, but I guess you could also get excited by the utterly gorgeous dystopian sci-fi open world that's yours to explore. If that's what you're into.
You could probably also get on board with the level of freedom you're given to customise your character and engage with your surroundings and fellow characters. I suppose if you like the idea of playing one of the most in-depth sounding RPGs of all time, this one could be for you.
Marvel's Avengers
Marvel's Avengers
The Avengers might have disbanded on the big screen, but at least we can take comfort in the world of video games where... wait, oh... where the Avengers have also disbanded. This is awkward.
Okay, so Marvel's Avengers might not start on the happiest note. Earth's Mightiest Heroes are blamed for destroying San Francisco and ultimately crumble under the weight of the tragedy. Fortunately, Kamala Khan - aka Ms Marvel - eventually shows up to reunite the team and put the world right.
We've been promised an epic single-player adventure with a lineup of faces, as well as various play-styles for the team of heroes that all feel distinctly unique. Hulk smashes, Iron Man blasts, Cap bounces around levels with his shield, and Thor... also smashes, but with a hammer.
If Square really can combine the single-player and multiplayer components of Marvel's Avengers, this could be a superhero title that comic book fans come back to again and again in 2020.
Dying Light 2
In Dying Light 2, you play an infected
Brutal decapitations, a massive open world, endless possibilities, and more zombies than you can shake a sword at.... Dying Light 2 seems to have everything you could possibly want from a game.
Techland's first Dying Light was an absolutely incredibly achievement that rightly developed a cult following thanks to its heady blend of exploration zombie slaying action, and thrilling parkour.
The sequel is looking to build on those successful features, combining that same unique take on combat and traversal with an even larger, more engaging world that shifts and changes based on your many decisions - or lack thereof. Dying Light 2 is absolutely one to watch.
Halo Infinite
Halo Infinite
It's been too long since we've had a new Halo game. Some would maybe go a little further, and argue that it's been too long since we've had Halo game that didn't suck.
343 Industries is looking to please both camps with Halo Infinite - a game that will, on paper, both revitalise the Halo franchise and... not suck. Two incredibly lofty goals, I'm sure we can agree.
We're still not entirely sure what Halo Infinite looks like in action, or where exactly the story will go, but Microsoft is bigging it up as the first major exclusive for the next-gen Xbox. That in itself is enough to suggest that this could be the biggest Halo game yet.
The Last Of Us Part 2
The Last of Us Part II
Seven years. That's how long we've waited to see how life has been for Joel and Ellie since the iconic duo shared a difficult conversation on that hill. For seven years we've wondered if Joel was right to do what he did, if Ellie knew she was being lied to, if the pair had even stayed together and managed to survive.
The answer to all those questions and more arrive in 2020 when Naughty Dog finally releases The Last of Us Part 2. Given just how secretive the developer has been with this hugely anticipated title, I'd expect that there are more than a few twists, turns, and emotional gut punches on the way.
What sends Ellie on her gore-soaked quest for revenge? Do I have to kill every dog I come across in the game? Will Joel make it out alive? I honestly don't know... but I'm as scared as I am excited to find out.
Please do let us know on Facebook and Twitter which games you'll be picking up in 2020, and share advice on how on Earth any of us can begin to afford them all.
Featured Image Credit: Sony/Microsoft/Square Enix