Best new games to look forward to in 2020

(Pocket-lint) – There are plenty of incredible games coming to PC this year and beyond. From upcoming triple-A games to highly hyped gems, there’s plenty to look forward to, whatever your gaming passion.

Whatever your platform of choice – Steam, Epic, Uplay or Origin, there are loads of new PC games to add to your wishlist as well. These new games include bleeding-edge titles with ray tracing capabilities, as well as updates to your favourite RPGs, shooters and co-op masterpieces. 

We’ve hand-picked some of the best, including trailers for you to enjoy – so prepare your wallet and your wishlist.

Immortals Fenyx Rising is a new game being put together by the team behind Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. It’s a beautiful adventure puzzle game where you’ll be on a mission to save the Greek gods while solving puzzles and fighting off deadly foes along the way. 

“From the creators of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey comes a storybook adventure about a forgotten hero on a quest to save the Greek gods. Embark on a journey to the Isle of the Blessed, taken over by dangerous creatures of mythology. Prove your legendary heroism by taking on their leader, Typhon, the deadliest monster in all of mythology in a face-off for the age. Explore a beautiful fantasy world where tricky puzzles, mysterious dungeons and heroic feats await. The journey will be as challenging and rewarding as the final destination. Will you be the Hero of the legends foretold?”

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 has sadly been pushed back twice now. Sad times. However, this might be a good thing as it gives the developers more time to give the game a proper polish. 

This is the next open-world RPG from the incredible CD Projekt Red – the team behind the awesomely popular Witcher 3. The new game has plenty of promise and when we saw it at E3 and shown off in the gameplay trailer, we were utterly blown away. Even more so when the trailer dropped with an appearance by Keanu Reeves. Now we’ve seen plenty more in the way of teases including a wonderful live stream with plenty of details to get excited about. 

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond

If you have an aching hole in you where Medal of Honor used to be, then good news! Because Respawn Entertainment is in the midst of crafting another outing in World War II, under the Medal of Honor banner but in VR. That right, you’ll be playing as an OSS officer, infiltrating Nazi Europe and sabotaging the enemy from within. 

Hitman 3

Hitman 3 is pitched as the conclusion to the series and will see Agent 47 returning for his usual antics in the sandbox assassination game. Agent 47 will face his most important mission yet and with all the usual unparalleled player choice and replayability options too. One to look forward to.  

Outriders

From the team behind Gears of War Judgement and Bulletstorm comes a brand new co-op shooter with a dark sci-fi vibe.

This game is set to be a co-op game with 1-3 players able to drop in and out of the game at any point. 

You’ll be creating your own Outrider to journey across a hostile planet, through slums and shantytowns,  forests and mountains and deserts too. Outriders promises “countless hours of gameplay” and intense gunplay too. Certainly, one to enjoy with your pals. 

Humankind

From the people that bought your Endless Space comes a new historical strategy game that will let you re-write history. Create your own civilisation and then evolve through the ages. Playing Humankind, you’ll be facing significant historical events, making scientific breakthroughs, discovering the natural wonders of the world and more. All to build your own vision of the world.

Hazel Sky

• Release date: TBA
• Type: Action-adventure
• Publisher: Another Indie
  
• See it on Steam

Hazel Sky was revealed at PAX East and shows off an action-adventure game where you run about as Shane, a young engineer who’s trying to fix various flying machines. Certainly a quaint looking indie game. 

Kingpin: Reloaded

If, like us, you’re old enough to remember 1999’s Kingpin: Life of Crime, then you might be pleased to hear that the controversial game is getting a remaster later this year. This reboot will add 4K and ultrawide support, as well as rebalanced gameplay, yet keeps the same classic aesthetic. We’re looking forward to reliving the hazy days. 

Occupy Mars: The Game

• Release date: TBA
• Type: Space simulation
• Publisher: PlayWay S.A.
• See on Steam

From the same people who bought us Thief Simulator, Farm Manager 2018 and the Car Mechanic simulators comes a new game where your mission is to survive on Mars.

This new game is apparently a highly technical, open-world, sandbox centring around Mars colonisation. It will allow you to build and upgrade a base including everything from growing plants to learning how to generate oxygen and survive the harsh climates of Mars. 

Resident Evil Village

Dark, foreboding and full of “realistic terror” the next Resident Evil game promises it all. Resident Evil Village is set a few years after the events of Resident Evil 7 biohazard with peaceful beginnings ruined by tragedy. 

Psychonauts 2

Double Fine studios were at E3 2019 showing off gameplay footage for Psychonauts 2, alongside the annoucement that the company is joining Xbox Game Studios. 

Razputin Aquato is back for Psychonauts 2. This time around Razputin is getting stuck in with the Psychonauts and there’s plenty of acrobatics to look forward to. 

“Psychonauts 2 tells the story of Razputin Aquato, a gifted acrobat with psychic powers, as he fulfills his life-long goal of becoming an international psychic super-spy. In other words, a Psychonaut. Raz joins the Psychonauts at a dangerous time: a mole has infiltrated the organization and is planning to resurrect history’s most cruelly powerful psychic villains. Not knowing who to trust, Raz must dive into the history of the Psychonauts, and that of his own family, to fight the demons of their shared past.”

Rainbow Six Quarantine

Straight out of E3 2019 comes what appears to be a spin-off of the Rainbow Six Siege Outbreak mode that made an appearance in 2018. This is a standalone game that’s set in the near future.

A mutated alien parasite is infecting people and threatening mankind. The Rainbow Six team is on a mission to save the world – battling it out against the environment and trying to survive unpredictable missions. 

Dying Light 2

Dying Light 2 was originally announced at E3 2018, now it’s been shown off again at E3 2019. Zombie games are almost over-done now, but we still love them. Now there’s a 26-minute gameplay demo to whet our appetites as well. 

We also had a lot of good things to say about the original Dying Light, so we’re happy to admit we’re excited to see what first-person parkour fun the new outing has in store. Dying Light 2 also promises a world that changes based on your choices, so there’s much more to this game than smashing zombies and surviving. The new trailer shows the fight isn’t just against the brain nommers, but also factions of humans fighting it out for supremacy. We can’t wait to get stuck in. 

Techland Publishing announced that it’s delaying the launch of Dying Light 2 in order to properly fulfil its vision and deliver what it promised. 

Chivalry II

We adored the first Chivalry game. A gruesome, blood-curdling medieval battle romp that saw you chopping off heads with broad swords and cutting down your foes with gut-wrenching screams. 

Now while Mordhau is doing so well on Steam, it makes sense to see Chivalry 2 making a comeback. Excitement comes with this hack ‘n’ slash also set to feature cross-play between console and PC.

Halo Infinite

Halo The Master Chief Collection is making the move PC at some point in the near future. Now we’ve also got the news that the next instalment of the series is also going to be available for PC gamers.

Halo Infinite is the next chapter of the series which continues on from the Halo 5: Guardians storyline and promises an ambitious and unexpected direction for the game, powered by an all-new graphics engine. Halo has never looked so good. 

Going Medieval

• Release date: TBA
• Type: Medieval city builder
• Publisher: The Irregular Corporation
• See it on Steam

Going Medieval is pitched as an alternate medieval history colony survival sim. A plague has decimated most of the world’s population and it’s your job to survive. 

You’ll be building and expanding your settlement as normal but you can also enjoy building a multi-story fortress out of clay, wood, and stone. While defending your people from bandits and outlaws. 

Ready or Not

• Release date: TBA
• Type: Tactical shooter
• Publisher: VOID Interactive
• See it on Steam

Ready or Not is set to put you in the shoes of SWAT officers with a tactical shooter that’s designed to give you a realistic experience of what it’s like to be on the front line of dangerous policing. There’s a single-player campaign, PVP multiplayer and more. There’s apparently plenty of different ways to play, including non-lethal ones involving bean bag shotguns and more. We’re looking forward to getting stuck into this one. 

Evil Genius 2: World Domination

Ever wondered what it would be like if Gru from the Minions film had his own video game? This is probably as close as you’re going to get. The sequel to Evil Genius that released back in 2004 is finally coming. Now you’ll be able to build your own lair, plot and plan out world domination and even train a force of criminal minions to do your bidding. 

“A satirical spy-fi lair builder where YOU are the criminal mastermind! Construct your base, train your minions, defend your operations from the Forces of Justice, and achieve global domination!”

Far Cry 6

Far Cry 6 promises to throw players into an “adrenaline-filled, chaotic world of a modern-day guerrilla revolution.” It’s set in Yara – a fictional paradise that’s apparently frozen in time, ruled by a harsh dictator who’s trying to restore the country to its former glory. You’ll play a gorilla fighter attempting to burn the fascist regime to the ground. 

Far Cry 6 is said to be the “most expansive” game in the series. But it’s also going to be neat thanks to the appearance of Hollywood stars Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian, Breaking Bad) and Anthony Gonzalez (Coco). 

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Love Star Wars? Can’t get enough of Lego? How about a new game that promises the ability to play through all nine Star Wars films in a Lego-based adventure game? 

You’ll even have the ability to travel to any planet, in any order, at any time. We’ll be off to visit the Wookiees for sure. 

Gamedec

Gamedec is set to be an intriguing cyberpunk RPG. Playing this one you’ll be in the shoes of a private detective whose job it is to solve crimes inside virtual worlds. A game within a game? The developers say the game will adapt to your choices as you play. There is also no single solution to any situation, so plenty of choice on ways to play. 

Hood: Outlaws & Legends

• Release date: 2021
• Type: RPG
• Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
• See it on Steam

Hood: Outlaws & Legends is a new hardcore PvPvE multiplayer set in a medieval world. This game will see two teams of players competing in a dangerous world trying to pull off a heist – stealing precious treasure from an oppressive regime – while avoiding deadly and AI-controlled guards. 

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is the follow up to 2017’s fantastic Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. A psychological action-adventure with a rich and dark story that was essentially a dive into insanity via Viking Hell. The first game was utterly sublime, so we’re expecting more of the same from the sequel. This time it’s an exclusive for PC and Xbox Series X.

Shadow Warrior 3

• Release date: 2021
• Type: Action-adventure FPS
• Publisher: Devolver Digital
• See it on Steam

More demon slashing goodness from the Shadow Warrior series. We’ve always been fans of these games. Glorious colourful graphics, tongue-in-cheek humour and plenty of pew. Shadow Warrior 3 seems to promise more of the same and we can’t wait. 

New World

An intriguing and beautiful MMO from Amazon Games that will set players off against the dangers of a mystical land, warriors from other eras and other players too. New World promises exploration with “beauty, danger, and opportunity at every turn”.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2

The follow up to 2004’s awesome Vampire: The Masquerade – The Bloodlines is coming in 2021. The previous game was an utter RPG masterpiece packed full of vampires, dark alleyways and rich characters. The new game is written by the same creative genius behind that game, so we’re expecting more of the same here. 

The blurb is fairly exciting too:

“Sired in an act of vampire insurrection, your existence ignites the war for Seattle’s blood trade. Enter uneasy alliances with the creatures who control the city and uncover the sprawling conspiracy which plunged Seattle into a bloody civil war between powerful vampire factions.”

New trailers are coming all the time for this game, including glorious gameplay trailers from E3 and now a new one showing off RTX enhanced visuals for the game. We really can’t wait for this one.

End State

• Release date: Coming soon
• Type: Strategy
• Publisher: Iron Sight
• See it on Steam

End State is set a to be an interesting early access game coming later this year. It uses turn-based play allowing you to manage a mercenary company tracking down terrorists. 

There’s the promise of an open-world experience where you get to pick and choose the missions you play in a world with destructible environments that include bullet penetration and more. An interesting ballistics simulation system and enemy reaction system should make this an interesting game for sure. 

Scorn

• Release date: TBC
• Type: Horror adventure
• Publisher: Ebb Software
• See it on Steam

Scorn is an atmospheric horror adventure game in development by Ebb Software. It was originally scheduled to release in 2018, but is still yet to appear. It is inspired by the works of H.R. Giger who was part of the special effects team for the film Alien. The trailer certainly shows some horrific visuals and a spine-tingling atmosphere that fans of the genre will love. 

Phantom Brigade

• Release date: TBD
• Type: Turn-based tactical RPG
• Publisher: Brace Yourself Games
• See it on Steam

Phantom Brigade is a turn-based tactical RPG, that promises a cinematic spin on the genre. This game will also have a focus on in-depth customisation and player-driven stories. It will be your mission to lead The Brigade through a hard-fought campaign to retake their homeland.

Dead Matter

• Release date: TBC
• Type: Survival
• Publisher: Quantum Integrity Software Inc.
• See official site

Dead Matter has been in development for a while now after appearing on Kickstarter. This is a new zombie survival game that the developers how will “properly” balance survival mechanics with enjoyable gameplay. 

“We aim to create the first true zombie survival game with a design emphasis placed on making the game feel good to play, promoting engaging emergent gameplay by giving our players the tools they need to survive.”

Dragonhound

• Release date: TBC
• Type: MMO/Action RPG
• Publisher: Nexon

Dragon Hound is a new monster-hunting MMO that’s currently in the works. Not much is known about the game at the moment. What we do know is it’s being developed by DevCAT, the same team responsible for Vindictus. 

This game was shown off at GDC 2019 with full-on real-time ray-tracing goodness. Dragon mounts and plenty of online battles await with this one it seems.

System Shock

• Release date: TBC
• Type: Sci-fi action adventure
• Publisher: Nightdive Studios
• See it on Steam

Nightdive Studios is set to remake and reboot the classic sci-fi adventure System Shock sometime in the near future. The developers are promising a new game that’s true to the original while being given a refresh with modern visuals and gameplay. 

Fans of the series will be pleased to hear the original voice actor is returning too. The original game released in 1994, so this reboot is a long time coming and should certainly be an interesting one. System Shock 3 is also being developed, so we’ve got that to look forward to as well. 

Last Man Sitting

• Release date: TBA
• Type: Early access Battle Royale
• Publisher: PixelPizza Games
  
• See it on Steam

Last Man Sitting is probably the most ridiculous Battle Royale game you’re ever likely to see. Smartly dressed sit in green office chairs armed to the teeth. Shotguns, ragdoll psychics and a slippery floor are bound to make for plenty of shenanigans and much hilarity.  

Starfield

Starfield was teased by Bethesda in June 2018 as the first new franchise in 25 years. But that’s not the exciting part, Starfield is set to be a space-based RPG with plenty of glorious fun in the depths of space. Beyond that, we don’t know much other than we’re excited. 

The Elder Scrolls VI

Elder Scrolls fans have been waiting impatiently for a sequel to Skyrim for what might seem like forever. Now we finally have proof that The Elder Scrolls VI is coming at some point, we just don’t know much beyond that. Exciting times lie ahead though. 

Dead Island 2

• Release date: TBC
• Type: Survival horror action RPG
• Publisher: Deep Silver

It’s still early days, but there is some promise of a brilliant second outing for Dead Island 2 – another zombie-slaying adventure that we loved when we first played it on PC.

Weapon crafting, a bright and unusual island location and zombies in bathing costumes, this game had it all. The new trailer doesn’t show much, but it certainly looks like there’s going to be some of the same hilarity and good times.  

Deathloop

• Release date: May 2021
• Type: First-person action game
• Publisher: Bethesda
• See official site

Deathloop is a first-person action game from the same team behind Dishonored and Prey. And you can get a vibe from that while watching the trailer. 

Deathloop transports players to the lawless island of Blackreef in an eternal struggle between two extraordinary assassins. You’ll be hunting down targets all over the island while trying to evade death. 

Ghostwire: Tokyo

GhostWire: Tokyo is a new action-adventure game by Tango Gameworks where players will be set on a mission to “fight paranormal enemies and rid the city of a supernatural evil”. 

“After strange disappearances hit Tokyo’s population, it’s up to you to uncover the source and purge the city of a strange, new evil. Armed with your own mysterious spectral abilities, you will face down the occult, unravel conspiracy theories and experience urban legends like never before.”

We don’t know much else about this game yet, but it certainly looks intriguing. 

Sniper Elite VR

• Release date: Unknown
• Type: VR shooter
• Publisher: Rebellion

Rebellion is taking the popular Sniper Elite franchise into virtual reality with Sniper Elite VR. This new game is set to feature a new campaign in Italy, an exclusive first-person view, freedom of movement and the classic X-ray kill cam too. Should be interesting!

The latest trailer shows silenced pistols, Sten guns, dual-wielding pistols and, of course, sniper rifle action. 

Ascent: Infinite Realm (Elyon)

From the makers of Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds comes something completely different. An MMORPG with dragons, massive airships, many, many explosions and so much more. It certainly looks incredible, but we’ll have to wait and see. 

Twelve Minutes

Twelve Minutes is an “interactive thriller” where you take the role of a husband who finds himself stuck in a time loop after a romantic dinner with his wife turns into a nightmare.

Without warning, a police officer breaks into your home, accuses your wife of murder and beats you to death. When the events start all over again, you need to work out a way to change the outcome before facing another painful death. This game certainly feels like a mix of The Shining and Memento, so should make for an awesome gaming experience. 

Buildings have feelings too!

If you love city building sims but fancy something fresh, new and exciting then this might be it. This is an unusual sim where the buildings “can walk and talk to one another” have their own hopes and fears and feelings too.

Your job is not only to build your city but stop your buildings from dying. Bet you never thought you’d feel guilty about demolishing an old dishevelled hovel? You will now. 

Atomic Heart

• Release date: TBC
• Type: FPS action-adventure
• Publisher: Mundfish
• See it on Steam

A quirky, gory and fairly awesome looking FPS set in an alternative universe in the heart of the Soviet Union. Players will take on the role of a special agent who has been sent a highly secret object and is desperately trying to investigate what’s going on. Weird creatures, robots and a multitude of customisable weapons certainly make this one appear intriguing if nothing else. 

Skull & Bones

Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag proved incredibly popular and spiked interest in pirating based-shenanigans on the high seas. Since then, we’ve seen Sea of Thieves and the hilarity of Blackwake but Ubisoft’s Skull & Bones is making waves in the build-up to launch. Become the pirate captain you’ve always wanted to be and battle on the high seas on your own or with up to five other players. Grease the gangplank and ready the mainsail, this is surely going to be a glorious grog-swilling romp. 

Starbase

Starbase is a new space-based MMO from Frozenbyte. It’s set to feature a fully destructible and infinitely expanding universe. Which in itself sounds pretty downright awesome doesn’t it? This game has a focus on building spaceships and space stations with a mix of exploration, resource gathering, crafting, trading and more. 

A fully destructible environment with in-depth physics should make things interesting as something as simple as a fast-speed crash can rip a ship apart. 

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One

• Release date: 2021
• Type: Detective adventure
• Publisher: Frogware
• See it on Steam

From the developers of the excellent Sherlock Holmes game comes an open-world detective adventure where you’ll play as the young Sherlock Holmes investigating the death of his mother. The developers say there will be “minimal handholding” and you’ll be able to get everyone in the world to help with your investigation, even if that’s just asking for directions. 

Smalland

• Release date: Coming soon
• Type: Action-adventure/RPG
• Publisher: Merge Games
• See it on Steam

What would you if you found yourself shrunk down to a minute size where trees were suddenly the size of skyscrapers and even simple blades of grass tower overhead? That’s the world of Smalland and wonderful adventures await including running from packs of rates, trying to survive in a strange new world and even riding wasps as mounts. Sounds amazing. 

Body of Evidence

Daft and gruesome, Body of Evidence puts you into the shoes of a dead body disposal expert. Become Winston Wolfe – hide bodies and clean up the mess before anyone finds out. A time limit and a tongue-in-cheek sense of humour should make this a superb chortle. 

Biomutant

It feels like Biomutant has been in the works for a long time yet. But if you’re worried development has stopped, fret not because a new trailer dropped and it’s nine minutes long too.  

If you don’t know already, Biomutant is an open-world action RPG that looks like a total blast. With titchy little playable characters that remind us of Rocket from Guardian’s of the Galaxy and stunning graphics and gameplay, this one is surely going to be fantastic.

Biomutant, as you might have gathered from the name, will allow players to combine mutant powers, bionics and weapons to customise their characters into the ultimate hero or villain. The fate of the world is in your hands. 

Enlisted

• Release date: Unknown
• Type: MMO squad-based first-person shooter
• Publisher: Gaijin Software
• See the official site

Enlisted is in the early stages of development currently, but looks fairly promising. Even more so if you’ve played the hilarious Cuisine Royale, which is based off the same engine and design. Enlisted is a World War 2 based MMO shooter with squad play at its core. The game promises to let players fight in some of the most important and famous battles of WW2 with a focus on realism and historical accuracy.  

Totally Reliable Delivery Service

• Release date: 2021
• Type: Action-adventure
• Publisher: tinyBuild
• See it on Steam

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a delivery person and how hectic and crazy their working day must be. Then this game might be the perfect way to find out. Well, it would be if we lived on a world of bonkers ragdoll physics and colourful hilarity.

Think you can do a better job than your usual delivery service and get a package to its recipient without problem? Now’s your time to try.  

Backbone

Backbone is a quaint looking indie game with retro pixel visuals and is pitched as a “noir-inspired detective adventure”. Players will take on the role of Howard Lotor, a raccoon private eye who’s sniffing out clues, collecting evidence and exploring the world around him. There’s something alluring about this one and we’re intrigued to see how it plays out. 

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide

• Release date: 2021
• Type: Hack and Slash 
• Publisher: Fatshark
• See it on Steam

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is pitched as a “visceral” four-player co-op action game with healthy amounts of FPS action too. Details are thin but it’s being developed by the team behind the popular Vermintide so should be a blast. 

Industries of Titan

• Release date: 2021
• Type: City builder/Strategy Sim
• Publisher: Brace Yourself Games
• See it on Steam

Industries of Titan is set to be a fairly interesting city building sim/strategy game that’s set on Saturn’s moon Titan. Lovingly crafted by the same team that brought us Crypt of the NecroDancer, this game promises to let you build a massive metropolis from scratch. 

Taxi Simulator

Ever wondered what the life of a Taxi driver might be like? Well, wonder no more as you’ll soon be able to take on that role and slog your way through the ranks. 

Project Wingman

• Release date: 2021
• Type: Flight Simulation/Action
• Publisher: Sector D2
• See it on Steam

Project Wingman started life as a Kickstarter and is now nicely in development as a flight action game that will put you in the cockpit of an advanced fighter jet. Expect everything from intense aerial dogfights to large scale ground assault missions and more.

Elden Ring

Elden Ring is the result of a collaboration between George R. R. Martin (author of Game of Thrones) and FromSoftware (the team behind Dark Souls). Combine that knowledge with the trailer and you get an idea of a brutal and incredibly tough fantasy game coming at some point in the next few years.

We’d imagine this will be punishing, beautiful and story-rich. Certainly, one to look forward to. 

Kerbal Space Program 2

Kerbal Space Program is back, with a sequel to the highly thought of space-flight simulation game coming some time in 2020. If you enjoyed the sandbox fun of the first game, then you’re bound to found the new game a blast. There’s the promise of exciting new parts, colony building, interstellar travel and enhanced modding along with breath-taking visuals and a multiplayer system too.

Writing by Adrian Willings.