The best upcoming games of 2020 (and beyond)

We're officially in 2020, and you better believe we're in for a lot of gaming goodness this year thanks to all of the jam-packed line-up of upcoming games on the way. So many highly anticipated games are coming to take up a large chunk of your time, such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and The Last of Us 2 (to name a few). You'll certainly have enough to keep you busy in the months ahead. 

There's also a variety of exciting indie releases to watch out for in 2020, such as the time-looping thriller 12 Minutes, the dungeon-crawling love fest Boyfriend Dungeon, and the touching, cosy management sim, Spiritfarer. And if you can believe it, that's barely scratching the surface of the frankly massive and ever-growing list of stellar s all of the most exciting releases we'll be seeing in 2020 on a variety of platforms, and from the way it's already shaping up, it's going to be a very big year for exciting game releases. We also look beyond the year to more releases we can hardly wait to get our hands on, even if we might not see them until the launch of the Xbox Series X and the PS5.

Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition

(Image credit: Cardboard Computer)

Platform(s): Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Release date: January 28, 2020

Cardboard Computer's point and click adventure is made up of a series of different acts, with the first releasing back in 2013. Three acts soon followed the first and steadily released over the course of seven years, with extras in between. Now, the fifth and final act is finally in sight with the upcoming release of the TV edition, which will see the atmospheric narrative journey release on consoles for the first time since launching on PC. Set on the secret highways of Kentucky, you encounter many different people travelling the roads along the way. Beautifully written and uniquely stylised, Kentucky Route Zero takes you on a wonderfully strange and poignant journey. If you've yet to experience its unique storytelling, the release of the TV edition is the perfect excuse to give it a try; you won't regret it.

Zombie Army 4: Dead War

(Image credit: Rebellion)

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: February 4, 2020 

Rebellion is bringing back the undead horde fest with the upcoming release of the Zombie Army 4: Dead War. Yes, the folks behind Sniper Elite are delivering another standalone shooter that sees you take on a zombified Hitler and his undead army. As a great co-op option for those who love a spot of a zombie shooting and humanity saving, the latest entry includes a new campaign, expanded horde mode, upgraded kill-cam, and enhanced melee combat. Once again set in an alternative, undead take on history, this will scratch your zombie-fighting itch and then some. 

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Platform(s): PC, Xbox One
Release date: February 11, 2020

Ori and the Blind Forest is an absolutely enchanting game, with gorgeous, hand-painted backdrops, an affecting story, and the kind of demandingly difficult 2D platforming that's hard to put down. And fortunately, this gem is getting a sequel: Ori and the Will of the Wisps, which takes us back to Ori's beautiful but treacherous world and shows us new regions and creatures in the lush Nibel forest. Details are still hazy, but it looks like Ori will be teaming up with a purple-feathered owl whose species seems to have been wiped out (save for one) by some calamity. 

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

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(Image credit: Nintendo)

Platform(s): Switch
Release date: March 20, 2020

Ah, Animal Crossing. Folks have been dreaming about a new entry in the adorably gentle little life sim since New Leaf floated onto the 3D. Thankfully Nintendo answered all our prayers when they finally announced a new adventure by the name of Animal Crossing: New Horizons that's set to make its way to the Switch in 2020. And it already looks amazing. Set on a deserted tropical island, you get yourself the Nook Inc Getaway package and aboard a plane to go on the best long-term vacation. With crafting, oodles of customisation, and so many new features coming to the world of Animal Crossing, we can't wait to reunite with Tom Nook and Isabelle.

Doom Eternal 

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Release date: March 20, 2020

Of course a sequel to 2016's Doom reboot is happening. Not only was it a magical comeback for FPS veteran developer id Software, but the game's flippant approach to contemporary game design and indulgent storytelling was a breath of fresh air in a claustrophobic corridor of play-it-safe products. Doom Eternal will bring the horrors of Hell to the Terra Firma itself, and Doomguy is not happy about it. Ready your trigger fingers for another epic battle with the underworld's pantheon of demonic fiends and nasties.

Persona 5 Royal

(Image credit: Atlus)

Platform(s): PS4
Release date: March 31, 2020

The Phantom Thieves are coming back in full swing for another round of Persona goodness with what is kind of like an enhanced edition of Persona 5, with plenty of extra content. Royal introduces an entire new semester, a new area, new characters and an additional story arc. If you held off from tucking into the excellent adventure the first time around, Royal is the perfect excuse to dive in. It's also a good reason to have your heart stolen by the Phantom Thieves all over again. 

Half-Life: Alyx

(Image credit: Valve Software)

Platform(s):  PC (potentially console)
Release date: March 2020

Yes, that's right. A new Half-Life game is coming out in 2020. This time around Valve is taking Half Life into the world of VR. Set between the events of the Half-Life and Half-Life 2, you'll be playing as Alyx Vance who just so happens to have the fate of humanity resting on their shoulders… no pressure. As part of a growing resistance, you have to try and take on an alien race known as the Combine and keep humanity alive. Valve has revealed it will involve "puzzle solving, deep environmental interactions, and visceral combat." 

Resident Evil 3 Remake

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(Image credit: Capcom)

Platform(s):  PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release date: April 3, 2020 

Yes, it's official: Capcom is releasing a remake of Resident Evil 3 and will reunite us with Jill Valentine and Carlos Oliveria. Oh, and the horrific villain Nemesis. The Resident Evil 2 Remake was one of the best recent releases, and if it's anything to go by, the return of 3 will take us on another updated zombie-infested fright fest. It'll be great to see the new take on the original 1999 release. When it was revealed at a  recent State of Play, it was announced that 3 will also include the multiplayer spin-off Project Resistance to boot. 

Final Fantasy 7 Remake

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Platform(s): PS4 (Timed exclusive)
Release date: April 10, 2020

You've wanted it so badly, and eventually, you're going to get it. Fans had been pining for the seminal RPG Final Fantasy 7 to be remade with slick modern visuals, and at E3 2015, Square-Enix finally obliged with a glorious glimpse at Cloud Strife's big comeback. We've since learned plenty about Final Fantasy 7 Remake, like the fact that it's planned to be split up along full-game-sized episodes, and features action-heavy real-time combat in the same vein as Final Fantasy 15.  

Dying Light 2 

(Image credit: Techland)

Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release date: Spring 2020

No calendar is complete without a zombie game or two on the horizon, and Dying Light 2 has a good chance of being the only zombie game you'll need for the foreseeable future. Techland got off to fantastic start with the original Dying Light in 2015, and its sequel intends to healthily expand those parameters in every regard. With its reactive world, branching narrative, finessed combat, and radically upgraded visuals, Dying Light 2 is everything you could hope for in one, beautifully apocalyptic package, and then some. There's no release information as of yet, but our barbed wire baseball bats are already prepared and eager for zombie blood.