10 video games you need to play in 2020

Meg Bethany Koepp
Ubisoft / Naughty Dog / Atlus / Xbox / Techland

2020 is gearing up to be a massive year for video games, but which ones are worth buying? We’ve compiled a list of the best releases on platforms such as PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.

Now that we’ve entered an era where video games are $60 a pop, it leaves many to wonder which titles are worth their hard-earned cash, and which aren’t worth the hype at all.

With so many releases in 2020, it can be difficult to choose which ones to buy, but not to worry – we’ve put together 10 that definitely deserve your money this year.

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Final Fantasy VII Remake

Square EnixIt’s time to return to Midgar.

FFVII is often regarded as one of the best Final Fantasy titles among fans of the JRPG series, so you can imagine how the internet reacted when a 2020 remake was announced for PlayStation 4.

Set in Midgar, the game follows mercenary Cloud Strife on his quest to save the world from the Shinra corporation seeking to destroy the planet by using its life essence as energy, and to stop Sephiroth – a superhuman villain set on becoming a god.

The first episode of the remake is due for release on March 3, and features real-time battle mechanics, as well as an altered version of the Active Time Battle system from the original.

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Cyberpunk 2077

CD PROJEKT RED
This futuristic RPG is set in an open-world dystopian city.

If you’re not already sold on Cyberpunk 2077 after Keanu Reeves was announced to be a non-playable character in the CD PROJEKT RED title, then maybe this will convince you.

The open-world role-playing game is set in dystopian Night City in the Free State of California, and sees the player take on the role of V – a fully customisable mercenary with many stats, classes, and perks to be explored.

The first-person title is set for release on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia, and is available on April 16.

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Nintendo
New Horizons takes you to a brand new island.

In what is probably the most relaxing game on this list, the latest installment in the Animal Crossing series is a game that shouldn’t be slept on – it actually promises to be quite good.

Unlike other titles in the franchise, New Horizons is set on a deserted island this time, and sees you, the player, build your village from the ground up with many new features such as new tools, decor, and quest-like goals.

If taking a break from first-person shooters or other violent games to laze around, go fishing, and create a virtual town seems like an idea for you, it might be worth picking the Nintendo life sim up when it releases on Switch on March 20.

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DOOM Eternal

id Software / BethesdaThe DOOM Slayer is back.

In a game about as far as the last pick as you can get, DOOM Eternal promises to be the bloody, gore-filled FPS sequel to the 2016 id Software title that fans have been craving.

Players will once again take on the aggressive shooter as the DOOM Slayer in order to save the world, and will have a whole new arsenal of weapons at their disposal, such as the Meat Hook, and a new Equipment Launcher.

The blood-soaked title comes out on March 20 on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Google Stadia, and is set to release on the Nintendo Switch on a later, unknown date.

Dying Light 2

Techland / Square EnixFight off zombies in the sequel to Dying Light.

As the successor to the hit zombie survival game Dying Light, DL2 is squared up to be a worthy sequel. Set in a post-apocalyptic world 15 years after the events of its predecessor, it stars a new protagonist.

The open-world map of The City is four times bigger than the original, and players will have to make decisions that affect the game’s story and ending, and can also completely close off areas of the city – so choose carefully.

The sequel comes out in Spring 2020 with no concrete date set yet, and will be playable on PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One.

The Last of Us Part II

Naughty DogEllie returns five years after the events of the first game.

In what is one of the most highly anticipated games of 2020, The Last of Us Part 2 continues the adventures of Ellie and Joel in a zombie-filled world set five years after the first, though players take control of the girl this time, who is now 19-years-old.

It features new settings, new characters, and upgraded gameplay mechanics such as guard dogs who can track the player’s scent, adding a whole new element of fear.

The third-person survival game is due for release exclusively on PlayStation 4, and hits the shelves on May 29.

Ghost of Tsushima

Sucker Punch Productions / Sony Interactive EntertainmentPlayers take on the role of a lonely samurai on Tsushima island.

If samurais are your thing, then Ghost of Tsushima will no doubt be a game for you to pick up this year. Set during the first Mongol invasion of Japan in 1270, it follows the last samurai, Jin Sakai, on Tsushima Island as he fights for his country’s independence.

The title features a large open-world to be explored, as well as many other characters to interact with, and side-quests to complete. Stealth plays a big part in the gameplay, too.

It comes out later this year on PS4, with no concrete date announced yet, but is due to be some time in either Q2 or Q3.

Halo Infinite

Xbox Game Studios
Master Chief returns.

Infinite is the sixth main game in the Halo series, and is promised to be the best yet. Its story is said to be “much more human” than other entries, and Master Chief returns with his “greatest adventure yet to save humanity.”

The first-person shooter continues as the third chapter in the Reclaimer Saga, and is said to be set on a Halo ring – a giant ring-shaped superweapon.

At E3 2019, the game was revealed to be a launch title for the Xbox Series X in Q4 2020, and will also come out on Xbox One and PC at the same time.

Persona 5 Royal

AtlusThe popular JRPG returns with this enhanced re-release.

The Phantom Thieves return in this improved version of Persona 5. Like 4 and Golden, it isn’t a completely new game, but rather an enhanced experience of the first game that adds new characters, storylines, and more – and it’s gearing up to be fantastic.

It follows the story of the main protagonist who has been sent away to live in a coffee shop in Tokyo, Japan after being handed a criminal record. There, he meets several friends and acquires the power of Persona, which he must use in order to save the world.

The action-packed JRPG title is already out in Japan, and releases to the rest of the world on May 31 on PlayStation 4.

Watch Dogs Legion

UbisoftHackers take over the United Kingdom in Legion.

After the failure of the first game, some players haven’t been so keen to return to the Watch Dogs series, even after the second entry was said to be better. Legion is the third title, and actually has fans excited – because it looks epic.

Set in a dystopian London, United Kingdom, the player controls many characters as they recruit people into infamous hacker group DedSec to stop the authoritarian regime, who each possess their own set of abilities and skills.

The third entry was originally set for release on March 6, but it has been pushed back from anywhere from April to March 2021, possibly because it’s due to come out on PlayStation 5, as well as PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and Google Stadia.