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Elise Favis

2019 was a strong year for games. Remedy’s Control let us explore a cerebral, David Lynch-inspired world; Respawn wowed us with the surprise release of battle royale title Apex Legends; and Hideo Kojima’s mind-bending, package-delivering thriller Death Stranding received love from fans and critics alike.
So what does 2020 have in store for gamers?
The new year leaves us on the precipice of a new console generation. Titles like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, Halo: Infinite and Godfall have been announced for next-gen platforms, while others haven’t revealed PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X versions (i.e. Cyberpunk 2077) and will release for the current generation. Despite this transitional period, we still have plenty to be excited about.
Here are five games we’re looking forward to this year.
Cyberpunk 2077
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Google Stadia
Release date: April 16


Cyberpunk, a science fiction subgenre about dystopian futures and humans with robotic limbs, has a storied history in video games, with games like Deus Ex and Shadowrun. The cyberpunk trend has slowed somewhat in recent years, but Cyberpunk 2077 hopes to bring it back to the forefront.
The game – from the makers of The Witcher series, CD Projekt Red – was first announced back in 2012. Now, eight years later, it’s finally almost ready for release.
Set in the futuristic metropolis of Night City, the world is geographically smaller than The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt , but it’s expected to be denser with more verticality. It’s one of the first massive open worlds to exclude loading screens completely, leaving you with uninterrupted immersion.
Keanu Reeves is making an appearance in the game, too, and it’s more than just a brief cameo. Reeves will play Johnny Silverhand, an iconic character from the original Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop game on which the video game is based. We expect his role to be nothing short of breathtaking.
The Last of Us 2
Platform: PS4
Release date: May 29


Some, including myself, were hesitant about a sequel to The Last of Us. The first entry from 2013 had a fitting end; possibly one of the best endings in a video game to date. But after witnessing several trailers for The Last of Us 2 that have trickled into event showcases over the past couple years, I’m being convinced otherwise. Maybe there’s more for us within the game’s painful yet beautiful world.
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Developed by Naughty Dog, The Last of Us 2 is a tale of revenge. Instead of playing as Joel, the protagonist from the original, you now play as a teenage Ellie who has been through hell and back. She’s no longer pulling out her joke book to tell some pun-filled one-liners, or awed by the remnants of beauty that remain in a ravaged United States. She’s mad. In fact, she’s furious. She’s lost too many loved ones to a traumatic zombie apocalypse and she’s seen too many horrors. She isn’t letting it go.
Exactly where The Last of Us 2 takes us and who is along for the journey remains to be seen (Joel shows up briefly in a trailer from E3 2018, but it’s unclear if he’s a mainstay companion). But we expect it will be one hell of a ride when it releases this May.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Platform: PS4
Release date: March 3


It’s been a long time coming. Final Fantasy VII Remake began to feel more like a dream than reality when it was a no-show at events like E3 for several years. However, it’s now come back from the dead. With a release date in tow and gameplay trailers showing it in action, like the recent sneak peek from December’s Game Awards, we have a better idea of what to expect from this highly anticipated, reimagined classic.
Final Fantasy VII Remake ditches the iconic turn-based format of the 1997 original for a flashier, action-driven alternative similar to Final Fantasy XV. If you’re set on playing turn-based combat, though, you can hop into the settings and switch to classic mode.
With slick visuals and a modern twist, Final Fantasy VII never looked better.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Platform: Xbox Series X, PC
Release date: To be announced


The first Hellblade , which came out in 2017, was a harrowing tale about a woman named Senua suffering from psychosis and venturing into the depths of hell to save her lover. But Senua’s story isn’t over: developer Ninja Theory announced during the 2019 Game Awards that a sequel is in the works.
Little was shown outside a short trailer, where a camera panned over rural landscapes and showed Senua covered in ritualistic markings as she screamed. The first Hellblade was a deeply and painfully emotional game; one that sticks with you for a long time. We hope that Ninja Theory continues its effective portrayal of mental health in this new chapter.
Hellblade 2 is one of the few titles confirmed for the next-gen Xbox Series X. The game’s release date is unknown, but as a next-gen console title it will arrive on or after Xbox Series X’s holiday launch (likely between October and December).
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release date: March 20


Animal Crossing fans have been clamouring for another mainline instalment since New Leaf, which was released in 2012 on the Nintendo 3DS. Animal Crossing: New Horizons brings the popular simulator franchise to Nintendo Switch and it comes with a bevy of changes.
The game moves out from the usual urban setting of Animal Crossing to a deserted island. With crafting, more customisation options and changing seasons that can be matched to reflect your real-life region, it already looks like it’s going to be a great experience.
Expect new and returning villagers, too. Familiar characters, like Tom Nook and Isabelle, will help this tropical island feel like home.
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2020 upcoming games: 5 hottest releases, from Cyberpunk 2077 to Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Keanu Reeves plays Johnny Silverhand in video game Cyberpunk 2077, due for release on April 16 on PS4, Xbox One, PC and Google Stadia. Image: CD Projekt Red

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Handout image shows screen grab from computer game The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt (2015). [23DECEMBER2019 FEATURES]

Handout image shows screen grab from computer game Minecraft (2010). [23DECEMBER2019 FEATURES]

Handout image shows screen grab from computer game Poke?mon Go (2016). [23DECEMBER2019 FEATURES]

Handout image shows screen grab from computer game  Candy Crush Saga (2012). [23DECEMBER2019 FEATURES]

Handout image shows screen grab from computer game  Fortnite (2017). [23DECEMBER2019 FEATURES]

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Asgard’s Wrath is just one of the many games of 2019 that have heralded a new, welcome change in virtual reality gaming. Photo: Sanzaru Games, Oculus Studios

Passion project to powerhouse: how PlayStation’s Gran Turismo game became a bestseller, and its potential virtual reality future on the PS5x

A still from a Gran Turismo game. Photo: Sony

A model displays the new racing software for Sony Computer Entertainment's video game console PlayStation 3 "Gran Turismo 5" at the Tokyo Game Show 2007 in Chiba, suburban Tokyo 20 September 2007. Some 200 hard and software video game makers exhibit at the Asia's largest trade show.  AFP PHOTO / Yoshikazu TSUNO (Photo by AFP)

Polyphony Digital Inc president and creator of the series best selling PlayStation Gran Turismo Japanese Kazunori Yamauchi gestures inside a lotus Ayrton Senna at Ascari racetrack during the launch of racing video games Gran Turismo 6 in Ronda on December 3, 2013.    AFP PHOTO/ JORGE GUERRERO (Photo by Jorge Guerrero / AFP)

Japanese game designer and creator of the video game "Gran Turismo", Kazunori Yamauchi, poses playing "Gran Turismo" where the virtual "Vision Gran Turismo" (screen) concept car developed by French historic manufacturer of racing and sports cars Alpine, is used as virtual car, on January 28, 2015 at the Concept Cars and Automobile Design exhibition in Paris. AFP PHOTO / ERIC PIERMONT (Photo by ERIC PIERMONT / AFP)

People enjoy driving the videogame "Gran-Turismo 6" of Sony Computer Entertainment as which will be launched next month at the press preview of the Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo on November 20, 2013. The  43rd Tokyo Motor Show  runs until December 1, features 177 exhibitors including parts suppliers from a dozen countries.  AFP PHOTO / Yoshikazu TSUNO (Photo by YOSHIKAZU TSUNO / AFP)

epa08028398 A man plays the Gran Turismo racing simulation video game as he visits an exhibition, titled 'Game On. The History of Video Games 1972-2020' at the Canal Foundation in Madrid, Spain, 27 November 2019. The exhibit will open to public from 29 November 2019 to 31 May 2020. EPA-EFE/David Fernandez

A still from a Gran Turismo game. The bestselling franchise in Sony PlayStation history began as a passion project 25 years ago. Photo: Sony

Lifestyle

Entertainment


There’s plenty to be excited about for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and even Google Stadia owners this year
Some exciting titles like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 have been announced for next-gen consoles



There are plenty of games to be excited about for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and even Google Stadia owners as we look ahead to 2020’s hottest releases, from Cyberpunk 2077 to Animal Crossing: New Horizons.


Nintendo

Sony

Microsoft

Google

2020 upcoming games: 5 hottest releases, from Cyberpunk 2077 to Animal Crossing: New Horizons

There’s plenty to be excited about for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and even Google Stadia owners this year Some exciting titles like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 have been announced for next-gen consoles

There’s plenty to be excited about for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and even Google Stadia owners this year

Some exciting titles like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 have been announced for next-gen consoles