We’re now in the year 2020 and coming this holiday season will be the ninth generation of consoles — the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox: Series X — but since the year has only just begun, there are still a ton of games coming out for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. I feel it’s appropriate to remind those who are excited for those next generation pieces of hardware, there are still some awesome games coming our way. Let’s take a look at five games that will be available on PlayStation 4 this year.
Marvel’s Iron Man VR
Release Date: February 28th, 2020
Developed by Camouflaj (the same studio behind Republique) you will step into the role of the iconic Marvel character. Director Ryan Payton wrote that the studio is looking to make a “a deeply personal, and appropriately funny, narrative” in Iron Man VR that sees Tony confront “ghosts from his past.” While Ryan has told people this publically, we still don’t know much else about the game, let alone how many hours you will spend playing it. Look for it to hit shelves late February.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Release Date: March 3rd, 2020
This one has been on PlayStation fans’ and Final Fantasy fans’ minds ever since they showed the tech demo at E3 in 2005 (just to show off the power of the PS3). Now 15 years later, Final Fantasy VII Remake will finally be here and featuring a few changes. Rather than releasing the remake all at once, Square Enix says the revised game is “a multi-part series, with each entry providing its own unique experience.” The remake will also have real-time combat, with players directly controlling one character. They can switch between their party’s three characters on the fly.
Familiar elements of the original FF7’s battle system will return as well. There will still be Limit Breaks, the special abilities that can only be used sparingly in combat. There’s also an ATB gauge building up over time, though it won’t determine how often you can attack.
Big surprises are also on the way with the story, so get ready to grab this in March.
Nioh 2
Release Date: March 13th, 2020
The original Nioh marked a return for its developer, Team Ninja, who struggled for years to create an action game experience that rivaled the quality of its work on the original Ninja Gaiden. This March, the studio is looking to continue that success by releasing Nioh 2. Like its predecessor, Nioh 2 is set during the Sengoku period of Japanese history — this time in the year 1555, which is at the height of this era of near-constant military conflict and social upheaval. The upcoming sequel looks to improve upon the first in a variety of ways as well as change things up to keep things fresh. Look for it to hit store shelves on March 13th.
The Last of Us Part II
Release Date: May 29th, 2020
Originally planned to release on February 21st, The Last of Us Part II looks to continue the story of Joel and Ellie as they survive in a world where clickers aren’t the only problems they face. Ellie is older now and has a life, but that life was taken from her and she is looking for revenge for having a loved one taken from her, and Joel is there to help her in her time of need. No multiplayer is coming with the game at launch, but Director Neil Druckmann said a multiplayer section is in development for a later date. Look for The Last of Us Part II this May.
Ghost of Tsushima
Release Date: Summer 2020
Being developed by Sucker Punch, Ghost of Tsushima takes place on the titular island in 1274 during the first Mongol invasion of Japan. As the last samurai, Jin realizes he has to abandon his culture’s way of fighting with honor if he’s to have any hope in pushing back the invading army. In order to succeed, he’ll have to adopt the way of the Ghost and fight with trickery, stealth, and misdirection. Besides that, not much else is really known … but from the sound of things, this is looking to tell the story of the birth of ninjas — but I could be wrong. Either way, the game launches this summer.
There are several other games coming out this year, including third-party titles, but I wanted to highlight some of the highly anticipated ones. Be sure to pick-up any upcoming games that catch your eye!
