The artful escape
- Genre: adventure.
- Developer: Beethoven & Dinosaur.
- Publisher: Annapurna Interactive.
- Platforms: PC, Xbox One, iOS.
- Release date: 2021.
In The Artful Escape, we take on the role of the gifted teen guitarist Francis Vendetti, the nephew of legendary folk musician Johnson Vendetti. Events kick off right before Francis's first live show in Colorado. After meeting the inhabitants of the city, the hero begins to look for his stage image, going on a psychedelic journey according to his own imagination.
Players will have to find themselves in a variety of situations with the participation of bizarre aliens, visit the most beautiful locations, and listen to pleasant music at every step. The environment will react to the guitar parts played by Francis: plants will bloom, animals will move more actively, and fountains will pulse in unison with the melodies. You can use the guitar at any time, and not only for performing songs but also for doing various tricks like driving on your knees and hovering in the air.
Francis can be changed at will: come up with a stage name, choose a home planet, decide on his background, and even put on his favorite costume to help him create the perfect image. The developers themselves call The Artful Escape "a pleasant mixture of rock operas, adventure games, and guitar solos."
CrossfireX
- Genre: Shooter.
- Developer: Smilegate Entertainment, Remedy Entertainment.
- Publisher: Microsoft.
- Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S.
- Release date: 2021.
The multiplayer shooter Crossfire has been around for over ten years and during this time has managed to gain a huge audience - over 650 million users. However, it was only available on PC and only next year will it begin to conquer consoles. For this purpose, Smilegate has prepared a superweapon in the form of a story campaign, which is being created by Remedy Entertainment.
For the creators of Max Payne, Alan Wake, and Control, this will be the debut first-person shooter, but the team is confident in their abilities - in an interview, the developers assure that the game should expect the same elaboration of the world, the same high-quality dialogues and the same interesting characters as and in their other games. Do not think that it will be a banal story about nameless warriors - in CrossfireX, they want to tell about heroes that will be remembered.
Remedy had to study a lot of materials related to Crossfire - for more than ten years a lot has been added to the shooter, and the story should make sense and not conflict with the universe created by its authors. At the same time, the Finnish team is practically not limited in anything - freedom of creativity allows developers to implement crazy ideas for which Remedy games are famous.
Far cry 6
- Genre: Shooter.
- Developer: Ubisoft Toronto.
- Publisher: Ubisoft.
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S.
- Release date: 2021.
Far Cry 6 will take place on the fictional island state of Yara (clearly peeped in Cuba), led by Anton Castillo, played by actor Giancarlo Esposito. Anton's father, who previously ruled the country, was killed during the revolution, which greatly influenced the hero's worldview - he is sure that the island needs total control. He won the elections by rigging the results and continues the work of his father, teaching his son Diego the same principles by which he lived.
The protagonist will be Dani Rojas, a resident (or resident) of Yara, who joined the resistance squad in order to remove Anton from the presidency and return the island to its former glory. According to the developers, there will be "the most ambitious open-world" in the history of the series and the largest map on which there is a place for the jungle and coastal cities and farms. The gameplay will be a classic Far Cry with tons of weapons, gadgets, and vehicles.
From the fifth part, the system of mercenaries will return (among which there will again be animals), and the main character will be voiced. There are practically no other details yet. The shooter was originally planned to be released on February 18, but due to the pandemic, the development will drag on until at least April.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
- Genre: Action.
- Developer: Tango Gameworks.
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks.
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5.
- Release date: 2021.
In the universe of Ghostwire: Tokyo, all the inhabitants of the capital of Japan mysteriously disappeared, and the city was inhabited by spirits from another world. The main character, for unknown reasons possessing supernatural powers, is trying to cleanse Tokyo of ghosts and encounters a group of people in hannya masks - they will help him find out what happened to the city.
The game is executive produced by Shinji Mikami, whose latest work is The Evil Within and its sequel. But if that series was more like survival horror, then Ghostwire: Tokyo is called an adventure thriller, although, of course, it will not do without a creepy atmosphere. The combat system in the game is in charge of Shinichiro Hara, the animation director for Doom (2016).
The player will fight with opponents not with the usual weapons, but with gestures - the developers want users to feel like "cool ninja exorcists", so they offer an unusual hybrid of karate and magic. Unlike many other games in which mages are physically weak, here they move like martial arts masters and can finish off opponents both close and at a distance. At the same time, it is important to study the strengths and weaknesses of enemies - what is effective against some may turn out to be useless in the fight against others.
Gotham knights
- Genre: Action.
- Developer: WB Games Montreal.
- Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4. PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S.
- Release date: 2021.
The creators of Batman: Arkham Origins did not talk about their next major project for a very long time, but not so long ago they broke the silence. Set in the Batman: Arkham universe, their new game, Gotham Knights, will tell the story of four main characters at once: Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood and Robin.
We should expect a large open world within Gotham City, which will allow you to explore both alone and in co-op with a friend. The characters will obviously be very different from each other: Batgirl is trained in kickboxing and capoeira, Nightwing has excellent acrobatic skills, Red Hood knows a lot of fighting techniques with different types of weapons, and Robin is a master of stealth.
From the outside, it may seem that Gotham Knights is just another game-service, but this is not at all the case. Much attention is paid to the plot and they promise to make it interesting even for those who plan to play solo offline. There will be no "grind", you will not have to pay much attention to pumping, and between the characters, they will be allowed to switch at any time before the start of the next mission. At the same time, each superhero will have his own skill tree, thanks to which it will be possible to develop characters in the direction that interests you first of all.
Senua's Saga : Hellblade II
- Genre: Action.
- Developer: Ninja Theory.
- Publisher: Xbox Game Studios.
- Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S.
- Release date: 2021.
During The Game Awards 2019, the Xbox Series X design was unexpectedly shown and the Hellblade sequel was announced almost immediately. The debut trailer impressed with the graphics and made the audience question whether the game really looked like that, but what was shown was played on the game engine in real-time - probably the final product will look even better.
It was planned to work on the sequel even before Microsoft acquired Ninja Theory studio. In the second part, players will travel to Iceland - the developers specially visited this island state to recreate the most beautiful locations in the game. If the first part was completed in seven hours, then the continuation will be much larger - Senua will have to go through the territory of Iceland "hundreds of miles".
The soundtrack is performed by the neo-folk group Heilung, using Old Norse texts from archaeological artifacts in their compositions. Unfortunately, there are no other details - immediately after the announcement, the developers stopped communicating with the community and are actively engaged in the development itself, in parallel supporting their multiplayer action Bleeding Edge.
Hitman III
- Genre: Action.
- Developer: IO Interactive.
- Publisher: IO Interactive.
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4. PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S.
- Release date: January 20, 2021.
The third part of the Hitman restart will be the final of the trilogy. As before, the player will be offered six huge sandbox levels in which to eliminate one or more objectives, and there will be a huge variety of opportunities for this.
Too many innovations should not be expected - as in the case of the sequel, the developers only improve what they did great the first time. Agent 47's arsenal will be replenished with a couple of new types of weapons, and the main new gadget will be a special camera that allows you to access certain zones without using key cards or passwords. With this camera, it will be possible to organize meetings with potential victims or open elevator doors to find a new path to the goal.
The next-gen console versions will boast 4K @ 60fps support, while the PS5 will feature full DualSense controller support for the ultimate immersive experience. And if that doesn't seem enough, you can put on a PlayStation VR virtual reality helmet and go through not only the missions from Hitman III but all the maps from the first two parts.
Hogwarts Legacy
- Genre: action, role-playing game.
- Developer: Avalanche Software.
- Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S.
- Release date: 2021.
For the first time, we learned about the new high-budget game in the Harry Potter universe back in October 2018, when its trailer of poor quality somehow got on the Web. The announcement was delayed for a long time, but the main thing is that the game was not canceled in the end - Hogwarts Legacy is planned to be released next year.
The game tells about the 1800s, so neither Harry Potter nor any other characters from the books we will meet here. As a student of Hogwarts, we will go to lessons at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, visit the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade, as well as other vast locations in a large open world. Obviously, it will not do without learning spells (and using them), making potions, meeting fantastic creatures, and many other elements that are required for such a project.
Fans of the universe dreamed about something like this fifteen years ago when the Harry Potter games were getting worse and worse, and they wanted a large-scale adventure in the spirit of numerous films with actors inevitably maturing. Now this announcement causes nostalgia for those times, and it is very interesting how popular the upcoming novelty will become - will it attract mainly the "oldies", or there will also be millions of young people who want to join Gryffindor and find out who is cooler at Quidditch.
Humankind
- Genre: Strategy.
- Developer: Amplitude Studios.
- Publisher: Sega.
- Platforms: PC.
- Release date: April 22, 2021.
Historical strategy Humankind will allow players to create their own unique civilization, leading humanity from the Neolithic era to the present. The ruler will have to choose from more than fifty different historical cultures, each of which can influence the final result. According to the developers, there may be millions of options for civilization - the number of possible outcomes is incalculable.
It sounds very ambitious: you have to see real historical events with your own eyes and meet famous people, experience great scientific discoveries and the appearance of wonders of the world, and every decision and action is taken will affect the world around you. The avatar of the leader of the people will constantly change as civilization develops, and new skins will begin to open as the level rises - a great opportunity to brag about achievements in multiplayer designed for 8 players.
Obviously, it will not do without wars. In battles, you will have to monitor the terrain and take advantage of its advantages, carefully think over the hostilities and choose the location of your own city wisely so that it would not be so easy to attack it. If the developers manage to realize everything they promised, strategy lovers will disappear in Humankind for as long as in both Endless Spaces from the same team.
King's Bounty II
- Genre: role-playing game.
- Developer: 1C Entertainment.
- Publisher: 1C Entertainment.
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch.
- Release date: March 2021.
In 2008, the creators of Space Rangers released King's Bounty: The Legend of the Knight, an RPG with turn-based strategy elements, which is rightfully considered one of the best domestic projects. Since then, there have been several additions and even a sequel titled "King's Bounty: Warrior of the North", and next year there will be an official numbered sequel - King's Bounty II. Those who missed past games do not have to make up for a lost time - the action of the "two" takes place in the world of Antar, and Endoria and Teana from the previous King's Bounty will be mentioned only in rare references.
The player will be offered a choice of three heroes (warrior, paladin, and magician), who can be developed in four directions: order, anarchy, strength, and skill. Pumping takes place not only through the distribution of skill points according to the selected branches but also depending on the decisions made as you progress - for example, if you are too aggressive, the anarchy indicator will increase. Decisions will also affect the plot, however, the choice of replicas in the dialogues will not appear, and it will not work to fail the quests - as the task is completed, you will receive such a reward for it.
There won't be too many changes in the combat system, but some of them are significant. First, the model of each unit in the squad will be displayed separately - if there are five trolls in the group, then there will be five of them visually. And secondly, from now on, landscape and relief will play an important role.
Little nightmares II
- Genre: adventure, arcade.
- Developer: Tarsier Studios.
- Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment.
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch.
- Release date: February 11, 2021.
The sequel to the creepy platformer Little Nightmares follows the events following the Sixth's escape from the Womb. She will meet the boy Mono, who wears a bag with slits for eyes on his head, and together they will go to explore a metropolis inhabited by zombie residents. The townspeople are under the influence of the announcer, transmitting information using a high tower, which the heroes are trying to reach.
Those who played the early version note that the atmosphere in the sequel has remained the same eerie as in the first part. This is still a fully 3D game with a side camera, and there are no significant innovations in the sequel. The only noticeable difference is the change of the main character: we control Mono, who uses a flashlight instead of matches. With its help, you can not only illuminate dark areas but also stop enemies, like ghosts in Super Mario.
As before, they are frightened here not by the sudden appearance of monsters, but by an uncomfortable environment. Now you find yourself in a room with unpleasant mannequins, which seem to come to life at any moment, then hands suddenly begin to reach out to the character, from which you want to run away as soon as possible. The main thing is that this time the protagonist (and the player) will not be so lonely - the Sixth helps Mono climb high ledges and sometimes brings objects to solve puzzles.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
- Genre: Action.
- Developer: Daedalic Entertainment.
- Publisher: Daedalic Entertainment.
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One.
- Release date: 2021.
From the creators of quests and 2D adventures you least expect to get a large-scale three-dimensional game, but the Daedalic team decided to take on such a burden, and even swung at the Lord of the Rings universe. Adventure thriller The Lord of the Rings: Gollum tells about Gollum, inside which there are two personalities - villainous and benevolent.
The goal of the developers is to reveal this hero, so the plot will not overlap with the books and will tell about the events before them. The game will begin in Barad-Dur, where Gollum is being held against his will, but the authors assure that Sauron's fortress will not be the only location available. Familiar characters, including the Nazguls and Thranduil, will also meet.
Gollum will pay much more attention to stealth rather than using abilities to deal with opponents. One of the main components is the constant struggle between Gollum and Smeagol, two parts of the character's personality, and the player will have to take one side or the other, making decisions from time to time. It is not specified in what situations the choice will appear, but in any case, you should probably count on several endings.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Genre: Action.
- Developer: Insomniac Games.
- Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment.
- Platforms: PlayStation 5.
- Release date: 2021.
Although Sony plans to support the PlayStation 4 for at least a couple more years and release new games for it from its own studios, there will be no PlayStation 5 without exclusives. One of them is Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, a fun and colorful adventure about heroes who were born back in the days of the PlayStation 2.
The main villain will be the emperor, who controls robots and wants to destroy organic life. Ratchet and his partner Clank will have to take weapons in their hands and manipulators again, unite with familiar allies, meet new heroes (including a Lombax girl from another reality), and jump from one dimension to another.
The latter, according to the developers, was made possible solely thanks to the fast SSD in the PlayStation 5. Interdimensional adventures with quick transitions from teleportation to battles and vice versa were supposedly impossible on the consoles of the previous generation. Other features include support for DualSense adaptive triggers, ray tracing, performance mode with 60 frames per second, almost instant downloads, 3D audio, and many other features that will make it possible to fully experience the new generation.
Shadow Warrior 3
- Genre: Action.
- Developer: Flying Wild Hog.
- Publisher: Devolver Digital.
- Platforms: PC.
- Release date: 2021.
In the third part of Shadow Warrior, we will once again control Luo Wen. This time, he and Orochi Zilla, who has turned from an antagonist to a partner, will try to catch the ancient dragon, which by their efforts escaped from captivity. It accidentally happened! This will be even more spectacular first-person action than the previous installments - the developers want to give players as much freedom as possible and make them feel powerful in every fight.
Many elements from the last game in the series, including procedurally generated maps and weapon characteristics, were either simplified or completely removed from the third part. But it was not without additives - the locations grew in height, and Luo Wen was given more opportunities in battle, including a grappling hook, running along the walls, dashing in the air and other dexterous movements. The goal is to make us "feel like a ninja from our favorite anime," so that the action becomes even more fun.
The scene of action will again be neo-feudal Japan, inhabited by youkai demons, and the main character will gain strength with the help of the technologies of the ancient samurai. Humor will also not disappear anywhere and will get even closer to the brink of decency - this time Luo Wen even tried to write a backstory so that jokes were related to his interests, including video games, comics and American films.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
- Genre: Action.
- Developer: Fatshark.
- Publisher: Fatshark.
- Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S.
- Release date: 2021.
The creators of two Warhammer: Vermintide at the end of 2020 announced their new project, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. Fatshark did not go away from what she does well, so we are once again waiting for cooperative action with a first-person view. This time, the inquisitors will travel to the hive city of Tertius and fight members of the chaos cult who are trying to conquer the planet Atom Prime.
As in Vermintide, only a close-knit squad of four players will be able to pass the most severe tests. It is necessary to master not only close combat but also long-range - the developers promise a well-developed shooting system and parity between firearms and melee weapons.
There are very few other details: obviously, there will be different classes, the skills of the characters will allow you to customize, the equipment can be improved, the appearance can be changed - but all the details will be shared later, while the development is far from complete. Journalists who played the early version report that it's basically the same Vermintide, but with some interesting additional features like dynamic maps and deadly weather phenomena.
These are, of course, not all the expected games, but the rest did not make the list for various reasons. Some, like Tunic and 12 Minutes, are endlessly carried over - we have already written about them in previous articles, since then there has been almost no new information, and the games have not yet gone on sale. Others, like the new God of War and the sequel The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, are shrouded in mystery - we've only seen short cutscenes that say little. Be that as it may, there will be a lot of high-profile releases in 2021. Let us know in the comments what you are waiting for!
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