Biggest New Games Of December 2020: Cyberpunk 2077 vs. The World

I’m not going to lie to you, it’s begun to feel more like a crawl rather than a sprint to the finish line, but after the year we’ve all had, I’m just glad we’ve hit December. For many of us, at many times throughout 2020, it felt like this moment would never come, but here we are. Sincerely, I’m proud of each and every one of you reading this. We’re still here. We’ve got this.

But we’re not here to reminisce about the year gone by, we’re here to remind you about some of the big games that are launching in December. While for many, there’s likely to be only one big release in December (if it doesn’t get delayed again, sorry about that one), there are plenty of other titles worth your attention. Here are the biggest new games of December 2020 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, and Switch.

 

Red Dead Online (Standalone) | December 1st

Developer: Rockstar
Publisher: Rockstar
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One (PS5 & XBX|S backwards compatible)

Rockstar’s own rootin tootin’ shootin’ simulator, Red Dead Redemption 2, has been available on consoles since October 2018, which feels like aeons ago now. However, Rockstar are offering the online portion of the game, the aptly titled Red Dead Online, as a standalone offering, so if you’d rather jump in with friends and forget the story, this option is for you.

The standalone release of Red Dead Online includes all the previously released and upcoming content for the live service game, which has only improved since launch with the release of specialist job roles, more co-op missions, mode and XP progression than before. The additional cherry on top is that, for the first two months after launch, you can pick up the standalone for a 75% discount. Not bad, not bad at all.

 

Chronos: Before The Ashes | December 1st

Developer: Gunfire Games, THQ Nordic
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Stadia (PS5 & XBX|S backwards compatible)

Chronos: Before The Ashes has had somewhat of an interesting development cycle ahead of its launch on pretty much every platform under the sun. While it originally launched as Chronos, a VR title back in 2016, the game has now been overhauled to launch on PC and consoles with the subtitle Before The Ashes. If that sounds familiar to you, it’s because it’s a prequel to Remnant: From The Ashes.

As a game, Chronos is an action-RPG that’s been described by the game’s developers on the official website as “Zelda Dark Souls”, so there’s that. Players take on the role of a young adventurer exploring a labyrinth to kill a dragon. If you fail in your task, you’ll be booted out the labyrinth and can only enter again a year later, with your stats altered to reflect your age.

 

Empire Of Sin | December 1st

Developer: Romero Games
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, (PS5 & XSX|S backwards compatible)

If you’ve ever wanted to immerse yourself in Prohibition-era gangster life like Al Capone or, even better, Bugsy Malone, Empire of Sin looks like the best opportunity yet to do so. Instead of following the life of a gangster through the world of organised crime in a linear story, like the Mafia games, you instead create your own story.

Players pick from a series of noted crime lords, each with their abilities and proficiencies, as you vie for control of the Chicago criminal underground. A turn-based strategy game, players will manage their empire of less-than-legitimate businesses while dealing with potential conflict with rival gangs. Will you be a diplomatic mob boss, or will the streets run red with the blood of your enemies?

 

Twin Mirror | December 1st

Developer: DONTNOD Entertainment
Publisher: DONTNOD Entertainment, Bandai Namco
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One (PS5 & XBX|S backwards compatible)

DONTNOD have made a name for themselves for churning out excellent narrative adventures, with the Life Is Strange series and Tell Me Why garnering plenty of critical and commercial acclaim. Hopefully for the developers, and for us who wouldn’t like to see another Telltale situation again, Twin Mirror is another hit for the studio.

Another narrative adventure game, players take on the role of Sam, who’s returning to his hometown of Basswood in West Virginia. Along the way, he begins to investigate some shady goings-on around town, though it puts him in conflict with his own desire to reconnect with his family. Remember, the choices you make are important.

 

Worms Rumble | December 1st

Developer: Team17
Publisher: Team17
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5

Alright, look, I’ll be the first to admit that the Worms series needed to do something in order to stay relevant, but I can’t be the only one who’s a bit sad that the series decided to remove turns and add a battle royale. Personally, the series peaked with Worms 2: Armageddon, but that’s besides the point. There’s a new Worms game out, and it might be for you.

Worms Rumble sees up to 32 players compete against each other in Deathmatch and Last Worms Standing game types, with the usual level of customisation included. It’ll also include full cross-platform support across PC, PS4 and PS5, so you’re likely to find players whenever you’re playing, especially as the game was announced as part of December’s PS Plus line-up.

 

Immortals: Fenyx Rising | December 3rd

Developer: Ubisoft Quebec
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, XBX|S, Switch, Stadia

If Assassin’s Creed Valhalla or Watch Dogs: Legion weren’t enough in the way of Ubisoft games for you over the past two months, then perhaps Immortals: Fenyx Rising is more your speed. The name still sucks in comparison to the old one, Gods & Monsters, but it’s shaping up to be a good game nonetheless.

Based heavily on Greek Mythology, you control Fenyx, a demigod who is trying to protect the Gods from the wrath of Typhon. You’ll explore a large open world, and obtain a host of powers and abilities granted to you by the Gods themselves. It might look like a Greek version of Breath of the Wild, but that’s not a bad thing to aim for.

 

PHOGS! | December 3rd

Developer: Coatsink, Bit Loom Games
Publisher: Coatsink
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Stadia (PS5 & XBX|S backwards compatibility)

With no hint of irony, I truly believe PHOGS! should be a Game of the Year contender. We’ve already covered the level of awful this year has been for so many people, and PHOGS! is the correct amount of wholesome family content that we need right now. Shove your Cyberpunk 2077, PHOGS! is where it’s at.

PHOGS! sees players control a two-headed dog that’s joined together by a belly that’s so stretchy it’d give Stretch Armstrong an inferiority complex. Either solo or as a two-player team in local or online play, you’ll explore a variety of incredibly cute levels, solving physics based puzzles and generally having a whale of a time. Better still, it’ll launch on Game Pass to boot.

 

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 | December 8th

Developer: SEGA
Publisher: SEGA
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, XBX|S, Switch

If you’ve been playing Tetris Effect: Connected a whole bunch now that it’s available on Game Pass, like me, you might be looking for a game that’s a little less intense. Tetris Effect is fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but as soon as the game speed starts hitting double digits, my eyes begin to glaze over as the screen looks like that final scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Perhaps Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is more for me, as it combines the much-loved Japanese puzzle game Puyo Puyo, which was the basis for Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine on the Mega Drive, and the always enduring Tetris. As a sequel, this game will come complete with new modes, characters and content, so it should be a winner for fans of puzzle games.

 

Cyberpunk 2077 | December 10th

Developer: CD Projekt Red
Publisher: CD Projekt Red, Bandai Namco
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, XBX|S, Stadia

Alright, so for many players, this is going to be the Game of the Year, and their most anticipated release in a long time, and it’s not hard to see why. CD Projekt Red have established themselves as creators of top quality games, even if that has come at the expense of their staff members, especially in the lead up to the launch of Cyberpunk 2077.

As the mysterious and customisable V, you’ll cut your own path through the seedy and corrupt world of Night City, with multiple gangs and factions attempting to seize control. With plenty of weapons and equippable skills, you’ll be able to create the half-human, half-cybernetically enhanced killing machine of your dreams.

 

Override 2: Super Mech League | December 22nd

Developer: Modus Studios Brazil
Publisher: Modus Games
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, XBX|S, Switch

Big mechs knocking seven shades out of each other is usually a pretty effective pitch for a game, and it’s one that immediately drew me to Override: Mech City Brawl, and while it was a fun game, it could have been much better. Ah well, that’s what sequels are for, I suppose, and Override 2 looks like it could improve on the overall experience.

Instead of fights in cities and pyramids, Override 2 takes place in more confined arenas, and boasts faster-paced gameplay to boot. Combat in the first game could feel rather slow, so some improvements to the overall game speed are welcome. Couple all that with DLC characters borrowed from the Ultraman franchise, and Override 2 could be the best mech game yet.

 

Bonus: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition | Holiday 2020?

Developer: Engine Software
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Stadia (PS5 & XBX|S backwards compatible)

Alright, it’s been a few months since Ubisoft promised Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition would launch this December, and we’ve heard absolutely nothing since. I guess people can’t be mad at you for delisting the game a second time if you don’t re-release it in the first place. In any case, I’m wagering that we’ll see it as a surprise announcement at The Game Awards, available that day or something.

READ NEXT: 15 Best Games for Christmas 2020