As we're now four days into 2020, we're looking ahead at the release calendar for games and it's looking pretty good.
The likes of 'Cyberpunk 2077', 'Doom Eternal' and 'The Last of Us Part II' are all set for release in 2020, although plenty more are on the way - just with no exact date as of yet.
With that in mind, we've included both games with exact dates and those without. We kick things off with...
10. 'Ghost of Tsushima'
Ever since the first gameplay footage came out for 'Ghost of Tsushima', it's looking like this could well be the crowning achievement of the PlayStation 4. Odds are it'll probably get a re-release on the PlayStation 5 too, but what a game to finish out the PlayStation 4 on. No release date set as of yet, however Sony are promising this for 2020.
9. 'Streets of Rage 4'
Look, we're probably putting this in just because it's nostalgia-driven and we're of a generation that played 'Streets of Rage' incessantly. Either way, it's in and we're not taking it out. Yes, the graphics look decent and no doubt there'll be some questionable dialogue, but who cares? It's a fourth 'Streets of Rage' game. No release date set for this, however it'll be released across Xbox One, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.
8. 'Warcraft III: Reforged'
Speaking of classics, real-time strategy behemoth 'Warcraft III' is getting a remastering with a release date set for January 28th on the PC and Mac. The launch trailer is promising all-new modelling and animation, as well as 4K gameplay support, but really, what will win people over on this is just how effectively it brings the action out in the way the original did and whether that still holds any charm for people.
7. 'Marvel's Avengers'
Although the reaction to the gameplay trailer for this was somewhat mixed, there's no denying that there is a lot of expectation on it. Not only that, Square Enix have a lot to live up to with this and with an IP such as this, it's going to attract a lot of attention. 'Marvel's Avengers' hits shelves on May 15th of this year.
6. 'Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2'
As much as any game has been delayed, announced, delayed, announced, delayed then announced again, 'Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2' is one of the few that's actually on its way. 'Cyberpunk 2077' is the other, but more on that later. While the initial announcement had this pegged for the first quarter of 2020, odds are it'll now likely push to the latter part of the year so as to not compete with 'Cyberpunk 2077'.
5. 'LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga'
How is it that some of the most addictive, wildly entertaining 'Star Wars' in recent years has been a LEGO version of the game? Now that 'The Rise of Skywalker' is in cinemas, it was only a matter of time before this came around. No release date has been set as of yet, but expect it to be the last LEGO 'Star Wars' game for some time.
4. 'Empire of Sin'
John Romero of Romero Games - based in Galway, no less - are working on a 'X-Com' style strategy game set in Prohibition-era Chicago, where you take control as one of several mob bosses in a bid to control the city and the crime therein. Word on the street, see, is that this will hit the streets, see, in the second quarter of 2020. See.
3. 'Doom Eternal'
Although it was originally slated for 2019, id Software took the bold step to push the game back to March 20th of this year in order to ensure the game was as good as it can possibly be. Seeing as how suprising 'Doom' was on release and how good the gameplay footage has looked for this so far, here's hoping it can live up to the expectations.
2. 'The Last of Us, Part II'
It really is telling that Naughty Dog are trying their best with 'The Last of Us, Part II' that they specifically dropped the multiplayer option in order to ensure the game was at its best on single-player. Really, in this day and age, multiplayer games are so often lacklustre and plodding affairs that often have high learning curves and poor interaction. Keeping it as a solitary experience also works with the game's themes, too. 'The Last of Us, Part II' lands on shelves on May 20th.
1. 'Cyberpunk 2077'
It's not just that this game features Keanu Reeves as Johnny Silverhand, or that it's made by the people behind 'The Witcher' series. It's that this game was released all of six years ago and it's only just now making its way onto gaming platforms. Think about that - they had to wait that long for the technology to catch up with it, and it's now finally a reality. April 16th, 2020. Book a few days' off work, because it'll be (hopefully) worth it.
