You don’t always have to jump online and go through a game with other players. Sure it’s nice to go along a campaign with a friend or two, but sometimes you rather just sit back and enjoy a video game alone. Either after a hard day at work or a long session at school, tuning in to a fantasy world and going through a video game can turn things around. If you’re a fan of single-player focused video games and want a heads up on what to expect for 2020, then we have you covered. In this list, we’re going to showcase some of the more anticipated video games releasing in this coming year. Likewise, check back often as we’ll continue to monitor and update this post when new video game titles are revealed.
Watch Dogs: Legion
- Developer: Ubisoft
- Publisher: Ubisoft
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO, Google Stadia
- Release: March 6, 2020
Watch Dogs is receiving a third installment in 2020 known as Watch Dogs: Legion. The video game will be based in London this time around as DedSec is looking to take out a new regime that has control over the United Kingdom. This is still an action-adventure title with a new open world to explore, but there is one big change that the game franchise is focusing on for this upcoming title. Instead of having players go through the campaign as one particular character, Watch Dogs: Legion has players swapping through characters. Announced at E3 2019, Ubisoft showcased the game in which players are constantly recruiting NPCs into DedSec and it’s through these recruits that players will be able to swap between these cast of characters for their unique skill sets.
As a result, players can go into a mission as a big brute focused on force to a little old granny that’s skilled with various gadgetry. The choice is yours, but do know that these characters can bite the dust. As a result, if a character is killed off during battle, they are no longer accessible meaning you may have to go out and find a replacement. This seems to be an ambitious game design choice and one that we’re eager to try out.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Developer: Nintendo
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platforms: NS
- Release: March 20, 2020
There’s a big fan base for Animal Crossing and with each new installment comes a flock of players looking to pick up a copy. Animal Crossing: New Horizons was a game that was originally slated to launch in 2019 but has since been pushed back for 2020. The title acts similar to the past installments, where players are building up a community and living day-to-day life. However, there are some new mechanics such as crafting your own tools through the resources you gather. Likewise, this game is set on an island that you’ll have to clean up and manage. Once you have everything in order you’ll slowly build up a community to interact with.
This game series has mainly retained the same mechanics and goals, but with this latest installment, there does appear to be some influence from the Harvest Moon franchise. Whether that hurts the game or helps remains to be seen, but for now, we can expect to purchase our vacation package from Tom Nook when the game hits the market on March 20, 2020.
Beyond Good & Evil 2
- Developer: Ubisoft
- Publisher: Ubisoft
- Platforms: TBD
- Release: TBD
There has been a cult following ever since Beyond Good & Evil released and we know that a new installment in the franchise is in the works over at Ubisoft. It may not be the installment fans had been hoping for as instead of a sequel that takes place after the events of Beyond Good & Evil, this upcoming installment is actually a prequel.
Announced back in E3 2017, Beyond Good & Evil 2 is an action-adventure game set in an open world environment. Not too many details about the game have been released yet but we do know that the title will put players into the role of a lowly pirate who is working to become a legendary pirate known across the galaxy.
Cyberpunk 2077
- Developer: CD Projekt Red
- Publisher: CD Projekt
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
- Release: TBA
CD Projekt is known for their works with The Witcher series that started all the way back in 2007 and didn’t wrap up until 2016. Now that The Witcher game series has come to an end, more of a focus has been put on their upcoming project, Cyberpunk 2077.
Cyberpunk 2077 is open-world RPG that’s set in the distant future. Apparently, this upcoming title will also be massive and the biggest open-world title that the developers have ever worked on. As a result, we can expect a long narrative, a seamless filled open-world environment along with countless quests to complete. From the gameplay footage, we have seen so far for the game, this science fiction based world will have players exploring a massive city and tweaking their character with new useful augmentations. After all, it’s not easy work being a mercenary and you’ll need every advantage you can get as you take on new odd jobs.
The development team has proven to be quite ambitious with The Witcher series and we’re hoping that the studio can provide another incredible experience with this upcoming release. In the meantime, we recommend checking out the gameplay footage released so far when it comes to Cyberpunk 2077 as it gives a great look into the game world and some of the combat mechanics you’ll have when going through various missions.
The Elder Scrolls VI
- Developer: Bethesda
- Publisher: Bethesda
- Platforms: TBA
- Release: TBA
After years of dealing with releases of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Bethesda made the announcement at E3 2018 that the next iteration of the franchise is in development. The problem here is that we have practically no information at all about the game. Bethesda didn’t offer any details but instead stated that the next installment to The Elder Scrolls franchise will be a next-generation game and will release after their newest upcoming IP, Starfield. The Elder Scrolls franchise has mainly been a single-player narrative focus experience and we expect the game to retain those aspects when it does release. For now, we will have to keep tabs on the game and update the post when new information is revealed.
Gods & Monsters
- Developer: Ubisoft
- Publisher: Ubisoft
- Platforms: NS, PC, Google Stadia, XBO, PS4
- Release: February 25, 2020
From the same team that brought out Assassin’s Creed Odyssey comes a visually different experience. Gods & Monsters was officially revealed during Ubisoft’s E3 2019 press conference briefing and it another title from the team that involves Greek mythology. In this game, players step into the role of a customized character who must stop the Typhon, a force that had taken out the Greek gods but it seems that these goods have given you powers to aid you during your journey of slaying down the beasts that come your way.
Visually, this game looks very similar to Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and again, similarly, there will be puzzles, dungeons, and bosses to take out. This will also be an open world based video game but we don’t have any details yet on just how large this world is especially in comparison to the team’s previous release of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel
- Developer: Nintendo
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Platforms: NS
- Release: TBD
During Nintendo’s E3 2019 Direct upload, we got a surprise reveal of a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The original title was a huge hit when it first released on the Nintendo Wii U and later on for the Nintendo Switch. This was both a generally well-received open world action-adventure along with being a solid installment to The Legend of Zelda franchise. At any rate, during the last few moments of Nintendo’s E3 2019 Direct, we got the unveiling of The Legend of Zelda: breath of the Wild sequel. It currently doesn’t have any details about what we can expect other than the small teaser trailer showcasing Link and Zelda venturing down into the depth below where something has awoken. We expect that the same open world will be free to explore though maybe new areas will pop up. With the first installment to this Breath of the Wild series being a single-player beloved hit, we have high hopes that Nintendo will be able to deliver a similar experience with its sequel.
System Shock
- Developer: Nightdive Studios
- Publisher: Nightdive Studios
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
- Release: 2020
System Shock is an action-adventure title that released back in 1994 for the PC. Now, years later, we’re getting a remake from Nightdive Studios. This studio is hoping to recapture the game’s success but now in a whole brand new revamped way. This project has been in the works for a few years now and even went through a bit of a hiatus but the development studio is back to work and is hoping to see the game release within 2020. After being funded through Kickstarter and surpassing its original intended release of December of 2017, there are definitely fans out there that are waiting on this game to finally get through development. From the looks of it, we may not have to wait too much longer before we are all trapped in the Citadel Station and must fight our way to survival from the mutated crew. With that said, you can check out the official gameplay footage for the title up above.
Twin Mirror
- Developer: Dontnod Entertainment
- Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
- Release: 2020
Dontnod Entertainment has a new episodic adventure title for players to enjoy. The development studio may be best known for their Life is Strange series but the next episodic journey coming this year that’s not attached to the Life is Strange franchise is Twin Mirror. This is an upcoming psychological thriller which follows a protagonist named Sam who returns back to his old hometown to attend the funeral service of his best friend. Things take a turn for the worse when he awakens with no memories of the previous day while covered in blood.
The development studio is not known for delivering video games with a multiplayer component. Ever since their first release, Remember Me a last generation game that released in 2013, Dontnod Entertainment has only developed titles with single-player in mind. They also seem to thrive on their narrative journeys that are filled with choices and consequences which does give some incentives in not only playing it casually on your own but going back to replay the game to see just how certain situations would have potentially played out.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
- Developer: Square Enix Business Division 1
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Platforms: PS4
- Release: 2020
One of the biggest Final Fantasy titles to have released is finally getting its much-deserved remake. Final Fantasy VII has been rumored to be remastered, rebooted and remade for years. Fans have been pleading for Square Enix to return and give the game a proper facelift after its initial release on the PlayStation, but it’s only now with the PlayStation 4 that we’re finally going to see that remake become a reality.
Square Enix had unveiled that this remake would also see the return of key members of the original production. Likewise, there would be some changes such as making gameplay more of an action RPG rather than the standard turn-based RPG we’ve seen from the original title.
While the story will retell the original narrative, the remake will be released episodically. According to reports, the decision to go with an episodic release was simply due to the fact that developers would not be forced to make any cuts. Furthermore, the studio decided to drop the turn-based RPG component for a more fast-paced action RPG experience which can be viewed within the video posted above.
