Top 20 Games To Hype Over Before 2020 Hits 

2020 is nearly upon us, but we still have a few more months to go through in 2019. While some of us may have been looking at next year’s video game releases, there is still a wide selection of great anticipated games to be excited over leading up to the new year. In this list, we’re going to showcase some of our top games we can’t wait to get our hands on still this year.  Please note that these video games are not ranked in any particular order.

#20 The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

• Developer: Nintendo
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Platforms: NS
• Release: September 20, 2019

There is no shortage of video game installments to The Legend of Zelda franchise and as a surprise reveal during Nintendo’s February Direct upload in 2019 we got the reveal of a new remake from the series. For those who owned an original Game Boy, you may have enjoyed The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. Now you can prepare to enjoy that game all over again in a massive overhaul on the Nintendo Switch. This series is a well-known action-adventure title where players take on the role of Link and essentially saves the day from evil. With so many installments released, it’s not too surprising to see Nintendo look back at some of the classics that haven’t had its time in the spotlight in a number of years.

As mentioned, this game is a perfect action-adventure that plays like the traditional old school Zelda titles. The game is done in a top-down perspective and given a more cartoonish style visuals. Throughout the game, players will be solving puzzles along with clearing dungeons and fighting bosses, much like how the series is known for. Best of all, if you’re not interested in the trend of battle royale titles and online focused gameplay then you can sit back and enjoy this single-player experience.

#19 The Surge 2

• Developer: Deck13 Interactive
• Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
• Release: September 24, 2019

Development studio, Deck13, has been around since 2002 with some of their latest titles being 2014’s Lords of the Fallen and 2017’s The Surge. The latter of the two will be seeing a sequel sometime in 2019 with publishers Focus Home Interactive.

The Surge was a science fiction action RPG which takes place in the future where humanity has used up the various world resources. As a result, humanity becomes strained with most seeking the use of technological advances to maintain their daily lives.

Mimicking the Souls series, The Surge franchise is aimed to be a difficult RPG with players encouraged to upgrade their exoskeleton suit for battles. So far, we know that this upcoming sequel will take place in a brand new city environment with larger level designs and a tweaked combat mechanic to offer more tactical strategy.

#18 Ghost Recon Breakpoint

• Developer: Ubisoft
• Publisher: Ubisoft
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
• Release: October 4, 2019

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon is making a return in 2019. The video game is set to follow after the events of Tom Clancy’s Wildlands and will retain some of the attributes that made that particular game different compared to other installments from the franchise such as being set in an open world environment. News is still a bit scarce at the time of writing this but it does look like the game will follow a team of special force operatives who are sent to an island owned by a billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist by the name of Jace Skell. Skilled and worldwide known for his technological advances, it appears that evil regimes have managed to secure plenty of Skell’s products to use as a weaponize weapon.

#17 Concrete Genie 

• Developer: Pixelopus
• Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Platforms: PS4
• Release: October 8, 2019

Concrete Genie is an upcoming PlayStation 4 video game title by developers Pixelopus. The video game follows a bullied teenager named Ash who lives in a town close to being completely abandoned due to pollution. Within the story, Ash finds that his paintings can come to life. Players will be using the DualShock 4 motion sensor to create landscapes and friends for Ash all the while taking care of the bullies and possibly preventing the pollution from taking over the town.

#16 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

• Developer: Infinity Ward
• Publisher: Activision
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
• Release: October 25, 2019

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a hyped video game title that players can’t wait to get their hands on. We’ve seen quite a bit about the game in terms of what developers are taking inspiration from along with multiplayer. With multiplayer being the main component to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, it wasn’t a surprise to see the development studio over at Infinity Ward also use the component as a key selling point for their upcoming release. But, with that said, there is a campaign mode tucked inside which has yet to make its way out into the public.

The last we have heard about a campaign mode came from when a fan reached out to the game narrative director. While the developer only gave a slight nod back at the idea of a campaign trailer, it was only until today that a new tweet came out from the official Call of Duty account revealing when we can expect that trailer to launch. We got a few keynotes to take notice of such a the open beta, crossplay details and of course the campaign premiere.

#15 MediEvil

• Developer: Other Ocean Emeryville
• Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Platforms: PS4
• Release: October 25, 2019

Sony is preparing for the release of MediEvil next month and while the game has been somewhat absent especially due to the likes of Sony stepping out from E3 2019, there is new footage that will give players a chance to see how the game looks today. You can, of course, check out that footage above. 

For those who are not aware of MediEvil, this is a game that follows Sir Daniel Fortesque, a knight that was resurrected to stop an evil sorcerer named Zarok. It’s a wacky story and hopefully one that will appeal to fans new and old. Gamers can expect to pick this game up on October 25, 2019, exclusively on the PlayStation 4.

#14 The Outer Worlds

• Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
• Publisher: Private Division
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
• Release: October 25, 2019

Obsidian Entertainment is a well-known and beloved video game development studio after they have released countless iconic RPG titles. For instance, the developers were responsible for Fallout: New Vegas and during The Game Awards 2018 came the announcement of The Outer Worlds. This is a brand new experience which resembles a bit like their past Fallout: New Vegas work. Within the game, players will be embarking on an adventure set in the distant future where mankind has colonized space. So far we know that players will be investigating megacorporations to find just how strong of a hold they have on life and the colonized worlds.

Just like with past RPG titles developed under Obsidian Entertainment, the gameplay narrative will present players with multiple answers and options. Depending on the options selected may result in various branching storylines. Unfortunately, we don’t have too many details regarding the game narrative and gameplay mechanics. However, as mentioned, this is an RPG adventure so players can still expect to see various customization options and a massive world to explore.

#13 Luigi’s Mansion 3

• Developer: Nintendo
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Platforms: NS
• Release: October 31, 2019

The Luigi’s Mansion series doesn’t have very many installments attached. Outside of its main debut on the Nintendo GameCube, the series only has one other console installment for the Nintendo 3DS called Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon. With the franchise, players are put into the role of Luigi who must bust a variety of ghosts and while we knew that the original installment was soon finding a release again in the market for the Nintendo 3DS, it came as a surprise that a third installment was in the works.

During a September 2018 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo revealed that Luigi’s Mansion 3 is being developed for the Nintendo Switch. Unfortunately, we didn’t get any details as to what this third installment will entail quite yet, but it’s supposedly coming into the market in 2019.

We’re likely going to see some type of Joy-Con motion controller gameplay featured within the game but again, at this point, we’re simply speculating as to what we can expect from the upcoming installment.

#12 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

• Developer: Respawn Entertainment
• Publisher: Electronic Arts
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
• Release: November 15, 2019

The development team responsible for Titanfall has been working on an untitled Star Wars project for a few years now. Until E3 2018, we have been kept in the dark when it comes to the story and gameplay experience players can expect from the title for a good while. That’s fortunately no longer the case.

This title looks to be shaping up nicely and there is certainly a big market ready for a Star Wars single-player campaign experience. Overall, the narrative follows a storyline where players take on the role of a Padawan that survived the Jedi executions. Now you must complete your training in secret and fight back to hopefully bring the Sith down.

#11 Death Stranding

• Developer: Kojima Productions
• Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Platforms: PS4
• Release: November 8, 2019

Within Death Stranding, players are essentially connecting locations though, in this world, there is a deeper connection that involves life and death. Hideo Kojima has been giving cryptic trailers and information about the game while also stating the title will chart out a new genre. However, since we are getting close to the actual release date for the title, we got a ton of new footage to examine over.

One of the latest gameplay footage helps give an idea of what else players can expect and this shows some new elements off as well that we haven’t seen before. For instance, we get a look at how our main protagonist, Sam, will manage the equipment he carries with along with some combat against hostile enemies. There’s still plenty of questions left unanswered for this new genre breaking title from the legendary developer, Hideo Kojima, but we’ll soon get some answers to those questions

#10 Need For Speed Heat

• Developer: Ghost Games
• Publisher: Electronic Arts
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
• Release: November 8, 2019

Need For Speed Heat will take place in a fictional city where players will be able to race both during the day and night though depending on the time of day will determine if you’re going through a sanctioned race or end up barreling down the streets at night avoiding law enforcement. While we didn’t get too many details about the game during the highlight at the livestream, we did get news regarding the NFS Heat Studio, an application that will be available for both Android and Apple iOS.

With this application, gamers can customize vehicles and deck them up with new unlocks. From there the design can be uploaded to the Need For Speed Heat video game. While the application is available right now for download, Need For Speed Heat is not slated to release until November of this year.

#9 Pokemon Sword & Shield

• Developer: Game Freak
• Publisher: Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
• Platforms: NS
• Release: November 15, 2019

The Pokemon franchise is long-running and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. After mainly being an RPG series that stayed with Nintendo’s line of handheld devices, Game Freak is bringing out the first new main entry to the Nintendo Switch later this year. Currently, the two installments are known as Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield which will take place in the Galar region. This region is filled with a variety of landscapes and landmarks.

While we’re still waiting to hear about the new features that will come with the game, players who are familiar with the previous installments will find that the beginning section of the game will have a choice presented before the journey begins. Pokemon Sword & Shield will have players deciding which starter to take which are the grass-type Grookey, fire-type Scorbunny, and lastly, the water-type Sobble. Likewise, there is going to be plenty of customization options this time around to give your protagonist a little bit of originality.

#8 Shenmue III

• Developer: Neilo, Ys Net
• Publisher: Deep Silver
• Platforms: PC, PS4
• Release: November 19, 2019

After what felt like eons of being stuck in development hell, Shenmue III will finally hit store shelves in August of 2019. This game has had a cult following for years with the first two titles being one of the more treasured video game titles of its time despite being a commercial failure.

Years later Yu Suzuki, series creator, unveiled Shenmue III during an E3 conference in 2015. Seeking help from the fans, the development team was able to fund the game production where players will follow Ryo Hazuki as he searches for his father’s killer.

Since the video game’s announcement, we have been hit with a few delays with the title most recently set for launch in 2018. However, a new delay that will supposedly allow the developers to further polish the game has pushed the game back until August of 2019 for the PC and PlayStation 4 platforms.

#7 Doom Eternal

• Developer: id Software
• Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
• Release: November 22, 2019

After the reboot of Doom, it seems that id Software and Bethesda Softworks are making a brand new installment. The video game will follow the events of the first title where it seems that Hell has arrived on Earth. Doom Guy will once again have to blast away countless demons to save humanity from the brink of destruction.

Gameplay has shown the protagonist fighting off a slew of demonic monsters that have run rampant across the city. There doesn’t seem to be any significant change to the gameplay mechanics from the Doom reboot so we fully expect the same over-the-top action-packed and intense quality of gameplay to show up for the sequel.

#6 Code Vein

• Developer: Bandai Namco Studios
• Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XO
• Release: September 27, 2019

Code Vein is an upcoming title being developed by Shift, which you may know from their past works such as the God Eater franchise. Since its announcement, little information was given out in regards to Code Vein, although, thanks to the Tokyo Game Show, a new narrative trailer was officially unveiled.

This is an action role-playing video game that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world that is flooded with vampires. It seems that the world’s blood supply is running thin and as a result, there’s become a division between vampires.

Our protagonist is a rookie who must fight against the Queen and the corrupted bloodthirsty vampires that gave their allegiance to this seemingly unstoppable force. Being an action role-playing video game, there’s more freedom in how players attack their opponents, but the developers have opted to run with a Dark Souls style approach.

#5 Super Meat Boy Forever

• Developer: Team Meat
• Publisher: Team Meat
• Platforms: NS, PS4, XBO, PC, Mobo
• Release: 2019

It would be hard to imagine running into a gamer who hasn’t played or at the very least, heard of Super Meat Boy. The video game was a massive success and a challenging platform title by indie developers Team Meat.

What was originally meant to be a mobile-only version of Super Meat Boy has gradually turned into a full-fledged sequel. Super Meat Boy Forever will once again have players going through dangerous obstacles, but this time, Meta Boy and Bandage Girl must work together.

In the narrative, Super Meat Boy Forever tells the story of Dr. Fetus who has managed to kidnap Meat Boy and Bandage Girl’s child, Nugget. While the platforming mechanics are present, there are some slight gameplay mechanic overhauls made for the upcoming sequel as well such as adding a combat system.

#4 Planet Zoo

• Developer: Frontier Developments
• Publisher: Frontier Developments
• Platforms: PC
• Release: November 5, 2019

If you enjoyed the old school simulation and management game Zoo Tycoon then you won’t want to miss out on Planet Zoo. This video game is being developed by Frontier Developments, a studio that released Planet Coaster and a company that knows how to make these type of simulation titles. Planet Zoo is set to be a spiritual successor to Zoo Tycoon with players being in control of designing, managing and operating the day-to-day of a lively zoo. It’s all about making a profit while keeping your guests entertain and the animals happy.

It’s worth mentioning that Planet Zoo is looking to make a massive improvement to the overall animal artificial intelligence within the game compared to the original Zoo Tycoon series. For instance, you’ll find that some animals do better with packs than others. Outside of animal intelligence, players can even breed animals and continue to create a lively and populated zoo full of healthy animals. Currently, the video game is set to release in November of this year with a beta taking place towards the end of September.

#3 A Knight’s Quest

• Developer: Curve Digital
• Publisher: Sky9 Games
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
• Release: Fall 2019

A Knights Quest and it’s being developed by Sky 9 Games. Within A Knight’s Quest, players follow a young lad named Rusty who is a rather clumsy adventurer that triggers a series of events that could lead to the destruction of his world. Now it’s up to Rusty in hopes of saving the day, but in his way are a vast assortment of enemies, puzzles, and bosses to defeat. 

It’s quite easy to see the inspiration from The Legend of Zelda in this game. However, don’t take our word for it, check out the gameplay trailer posted above. At any rate, it looks like gamers won’t have to wait very long before they can get a chance at playing this title. A Knight’s Quest is slated to launch within the fall of this year, for the PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch platforms. The question right now is, will you take on the challenge of saving Rusty’s world? 

#2 Detroit: Become Human

• Developer: Quantic Dream
• Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Platforms: PS4, PC
• Release: Fall 2019 (PC)

Set in Detroit, Michigan, and developed by Quantic Dream, gamers who enjoy choice-driven narratives will want to pick up Detroit: Become Human. This is a futuristic neo-noir thriller that’s based off an old 2012 tech demo from Quantic Dream that became viral online.

Players will take control of three different characters, all of which are androids. You will have Kara, a female android that has escaped the factory from where she was made. There’s also Connor, who is a male android that is tasked with hunting down deviant androids. Lastly, there is Markus, another male android who has begun an android revolution against the human race.

This video game is all about choices and it certainly seems that there will be a ton of them to choose through within the game. In fact, there are so many choices that each will alter the narrative storyline and can have grave consequences with your characters.

#1 Biomutant

• Developer: Experiment 101
• Publisher: THQ Nordic
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
• Release: 2019

In Biomutant, players take the role of a raccoon-like creature that must save the world. With a poisonous oil springing up from the ground, most the world is quickly infected and dying off. This also has spread to the Tree of Life, a giant tree that brings life to the whole world.

Players must go to each of the six roots of the Tree of Life and stop the oil and defeat each boss. Furthermore, the game will be tossing players several decisions that will affect the overall narrative storyline. Likewise, the choices you make will ultimately alter the world itself. Developers have stated that the entire world is open for players to explore with only sections blocked, forcing players to progress the narrative in order to gather the items required to access past unreachable areas.