2020 is going to be punctuated with some cutting-edge hardware reveals from Sony and Microsoft with the PS5 and Xbox Series X respectively. However developers have lined up a surprisingly solid roster of games to look forward to in the year as well. And the best part? Most of them would run just fine on what you already own. In no particular order, here are the games we’re looking forward to in 2020.
Best games to play in 2020
Project Sakura Wars
From the house of Sonic and Yakuza comes Sakura Wars. This mech action-RPG meets dating sim is the latest in a long line of titles that debuted on the Sega Saturn. Spanning five mainline entries and numerous spin-offs, only one game — the cheesily-titled albeit fun to play Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love — ever made it to English-speaking territories with Project Sakura Wars slated to be the second. Sporting some interesting changes to its combat and sharp visuals courtesy of Sega’s in-house Hedgehog Engine 2, this is one PS4 exclusive we can’t wait to get our hands on.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
If Judgment and the Yakuza Remastered Collection wasn’t enough, Sega’s RGG Studio surprised us with Yakuza: Like a Dragon. A new protagonist, fresh setting, and turn-based combat instead of the series’ staple real-time action make this an intriguing proposition for fans and newcomers alike. Much like Project Sakura Wars, this PS4 exclusive has no release date yet though we’d expect Yakuza: Like a Dragon to grace store shelves in the first half of the year, quite likely before E3 much like Judgment.
Resident Evil 3 Remake
After the excellent Resident Evil 2 Remake it was but obvious Capcom would be revisiting the third mainline entry in the series. A late 2019 announcement and an early release signals that the Osaka-based company is exceptionally confident on what it has to offer. And judging by the footage we’re not surprised. Look out for this on April 3 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
A steady stream of Final Fantasy VII Remake trailers and slivers of information have been trickling out for most of 2019. With the March 3 release date and a rumoured demo on the way, will Square Enix’s hotly anticipated retelling of its 1997 PS1 classic have any secrets to reveal? We won’t have to wait too long to find out. Well, unless you plan on playing it on PC or Xbox One.
Persona 5 Royal
An enhanced take on 2017’s student-leading-a-double-life-as-a-thief-with-supernatural-powers simulator, Persona 5 Royal promises a new Phantom Thief to add to your party, one more dungeon to explore, more of Shoji Meguro’s fantastic music, an additional semester to partake in school hijinks, and PS4 Pro support that was missing when Persona 5 released. What’s there not to love? It’s out on March 31 for the PS4.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
In Animal Crossing: New Horizons you’ll take over a deserted island, customise it to your liking, and explore the world around you. While some worry that Nintendo has been awfully quiet on what else to expect in 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons may just be the only game you need if it’s anywhere close to the addictive nature of past entries in the series.
Ghost of Tsushima
The only game not made by a Japanese studio on this list, Ghost of Tsushima gets the nod for its gorgeous presentation and slick-looking swordplay. This PS4 exclusive has no release date yet aside from a nebulous 2020 window, but Sucker Punch’s track record has us optimistic on what to expect when it’s finally out.
Guilty Gear Strive
Guilty Gear Xrd Sign put Arc System Works on the map for a lot of people. While the fighting game community has always known about and enjoyed games by Arc System Works, Guilty Gear Xrd Sign and Dragon Ball FighterZ put them on the map for the mainstream audience. Both games look phenomenal and Guilty Gear Strive looks even better. Guilty Gear Strive is aimed at a larger audience and this decision has made a few of the series’ hardcore fans skeptical about the release. Hopefully Arc System Works will assuage those fears as more of the game is shown off leading up the release later this year on PS4.
Granblue Fantasy: Versus
Arc System Works has constantly proved itself as the best developer for fighting games targetting casual and hardcore audiences over time with games like Dragon Ball FighterZ and Guilty Gear Xrd Sign. When Cygames announced a fighting game based on Granblue Fantasy by Arc System Works, fans of both companies were very excited. Granblue Fantasy: Versus has looked better with every new reveal and it is going to be interesting seeing how the story mode plays out when the game releases in February for PS4. Granblue Fantasy art and music coming together with Arc System Works visual flair and skill is going to be amazing.
Nioh 2
When Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja, and Sony brought out Nioh for PS4 a few years ago, a lot of people found a great new take on the soulslike formula. Nioh was more punishing but offered a setting that resonanted well with many people accompanied by great designs and combat. It struggled when it came to level design and hopefully Nioh 2 can fix that. Nioh 2 seems to offer more customisation and new skills that will change how the game feels. It is a prequel to the original Nioh. Hopefully Sony can release more than just the standard edition for Nioh 2 in India just like it did with Death Stranding.
It’s telling that a lot of the better games to play in 2020 are exclusive to the PS4. Perhaps indicative that Sony’s 100 million PS4 install base is too tempting to ignore for many a developer and publisher.
