2020 has been an unusual year, to say the least. With gamers stranded inside due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the year saw quite a few ups and downs, and the video game industry saw soaring highs and crashing lows during this time. Gamers stuck inside made indie titles like Among Us big hits, while much-anticipated AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 crushed gamers who had been waiting for years.
It was a rough year, but 2021 is on the horizon and hope for better days is ahead. With the next-gen now officially current-gen, games are ready for a slew of new titles to go into 2021 strong. Gaming is thriving with a hefty list of upcoming new releases, but these 10 titles are the ones that gamers are especially excited about.
Horizon Forbidden West
A sequel to fan-favorite Horizon Zero Dawn, fans are eager to return to the world of Aloy and her post-dystopian society populated by roaming mechanical dinosaurs. Horizon is a relatively new IP for Guerilla Games, who departed from the sci-fi FPS series Killzone to create one of the PS4's best titles.
Horizon Forbidden West is one of many cross-gen offerings, releasing on the PS4 and PS5, with the PS5's advantage likely being ray-tracing capabilities. Set after the events of Zero Dawn, Aloy journeys to the West Coast to learn more about the events that led machines to rule the world and find a way to stop them once and for all. Zero Dawn was praised for its enthralling world, story and combat, and many fans look forward to the continuation of Aloy’s quest next year.
God of War Ragnarok
Considered to be one of the best video games of all time, God of War for PS4 captivated fans not only with highly innovative and brutal combat but with a captivating story about Kratos’ tale of redemption. Fans were treated to a teaser confirming that the sequel over the summer, but all that has been revealed to date has been a 2021 release date.
While not officially titled Ragnarok, the title has stuck after Santa Monica Studios heavily teased the inclusion of the classic Norse arc that saw the Gods fall. A hidden ending in God of War left players with a huge cliff hanger, as Kratos and Atreus, having defeated Baldur and angered Frey, found themselves face to face with Thor, the God of Thunder. Unlike Horizon, God of War Ragnarok is expected to be a PlayStation 5 exclusive.
Halo Infinite
Fans old and new are excited to control Master Chief in his endless fight once again to save humanity, no matter what new threat he faces. While initially set to be released earlier this year, Halo Infinite was delayed all the way into late 2021 after a cold reception to a gameplay reveal trailer. This delay had fans rather disappointed, but 343 Industries has assured players that it is necessary to give fans the Halo game they deserve.
Infinite has been in development since 2015 and has suffered from multiple setbacks and the pressure put on developers to make this a title worthy of the iconic Halo franchise. There’s still quite a bit of cautious optimism among players, but they can at least expect the graphics and enemy design to be much improved.
Persona 5 Strikers
Developed in the vein of Dynasty Warriors and Hyrule Warriors, Persona 5 Strikers combines the stylish world and combat of Persona 5 with the frantic action of the Musou genre. Players take on the role of Joker, the protagonist from Persona 5, who can wield multiple Personas. Joker and his team of Phantom Thieves will have to go on a road trip across Japan to battle against corruption that threatens the whole country.
Despite being a hack and slash game, players will have to think tactically, utilizing the environment and hazards such as exploding cars to their advantage. The game is set for release on February 23rd across the Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Microsoft Windows.
Bravely Default 2
Bravely Default 2 is the third game in the series but takes place directly after the original Nintendo 3DS offering. Much like Final Fantasy, Bravely Default 2 is not so much a sequel but focuses on a new and unrelated story with similar themes and world-building. It also carries over the series' trademark role-playing mechanics and turn-based combat.
Developed by Claytechworks, a demo of the game was released for fans to provide feedback, garnering praise for its graphics, art style and role-playing but causing a stir over the troublesome difficulty. The game is set to release on February 26th for the Nintendo Switch.
Deathloop
Developed by Arkane Studios, Deathloop is an action-adventure game where the player is stuck on the time looped island of Blackreef. As Colt, players are tasked with killing 8 individuals to stop the time loop, in which all targets need to be killed before midnight or else the day resets.
Like Arkane’s previous titles Prey and Dishonored, Colt can use combined methods to take out his targets, such as stealth, parkour and direct combat/gunplay. Deathloop also features a huge multiplayer component, allowing players to alternatively take control of Juliana, an agent tasked with protecting the time loop and stopping Colt by invading a player's game. This multiplayer is optional and can be disabled for those not wishing to be invaded, leaving Juliana to instead be AI-controlled when fighting the player character. Deathloop is set for release on May 21st for Windows and PS5.
Gotham Knights
Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin and Red Hood must band together to safeguard Gotham following Bruce Wayne's death and continue Batman’s legacy as the Gotham Knights. Gotham City will act as an open world, with vehicles to be used to explore.
Gotham Knights is a spin-off unrelated to the previous Arkham titles and allows players to switch between heroes as they battle classic villains such as Mr. Freeze and the Court of Owls. The game can be played solo or in 2 player co-op. While a specific date hasn’t been announced, the game is to release on Microsoft Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
No More Heroes 3
The fourth franchise installment and third series entry, No More Heroes 3 continues Travis Touchdown's story. Where past titles focused on Travis’s struggle against rival assassins, now he must use all his skills to instead repel an alien invasion, singlehanded if necessary.
Developed and published by Grasshopper Manufacture, No More Heroes 3 is set to bring players a fresh dose of the series' trademark hack and slash combat with a touch of dark humor. In addition to a launch window sometime in 2021, No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle have been ported to the Switch as well, allowing owners to get the full Travis Touchdown experience.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
Ready to become a creature of the night? Bloodlines 2 is the long-time sequel to the game that came out all the way back in 2004. Part of the World of Darkness series, the game is set during the holiday season in Seattle, where players can explore the city from a first-person perspective.
In this action role-playing game, players choose their vampire character from a number of different backgrounds that determine how they interact with others throughout the world. The game is set for release across most platforms, including last-gen and next-gen consoles. Originally slated for a 2020 release, it was recently delayed to 2021, though no official date has been announced.
Back 4 Blood
With how many video games there are about a zombie apocalypse, Back 4 Blood can be easily overlooked. But what’s notable about this title is that the team behind it previously worked on the acclaimed Left 4 Dead and assisted in the development of the Counter-Strike series.
Fans were quick to point out how similar it looks to the Left 4 Dead series, which shouldn't be a surprise -- it was announced in 2019 as a spiritual successor to the classic multiplayer survival horror title. Fans longing for more four-player co-op zombie-slaying can get in on the action on June 22nd on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.