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As WP's managing editor, I edit review and preview articles, attempt to keep up with the frantic pace of Rainier's news posts, and keep our reviewers on deadline, which is akin to herding cats. When I have a moment to myself and don't have my nose in a book, I like to play action/RPG, adventure and platforming games.

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WorthPlaying's Most Anticipated Games of 2020 - Part 1

by Judy on Jan. 28, 2020 @ 12:01 a.m. PST

After much deliberation, voting and tallying, we have finally completed our list of top 20 most promising games for 2020. We're starting with titles ranked 11-20, so come back tomorrow for the top 10. Head on over for the results!

20. TIE: Skull & Bones (PS4/XOne/PC) / System Shock (PS4/XOne/PC)

Tony "OUberLord" Mitera: Look, Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag was an amazing pirate game that I would've enjoyed more if it had less of the Assassins Creed bits in it.  Skull & Bones does exactly that by taking the successful naval combat from Black Flag and building a game around it.  The multiplayer sounds very similar to the also-entertaining Sea of Thieves, but Skull & Bones is also set to have a single-player campaign.  I put a lot of time into sinking ships and stealing their cargo in Black Flag, and I'm due for at least a few hundred tons more of ill-gotten goods once Skull & Bones sets sail.

Cody Medellin: We mentioned System Shock back in 2018, and while it skipped the 2019 "Most Anticipated" list, we're throwing it back here based on what we saw from the latest preview build. Time has been kind to the original story, but it'll be the updated visuals and tweaked mechanics that determine if this remake will be embraced as much as the original classic. Provided that the adherence to the original mechanics will still resonate with players today, this may be one of the year's better titles.

Read more WP impressions about Skull & Bones
Read more WP impressions about System Shock

19. Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (XSX)

Redmond Carolipio: I thought the first Hellblade deserved some Game of the Year consideration, even though it was relatively small compared to other titles. Ninja Theory's tale of mental illness — and how they handled it within the framework of a tragic warrior tale — was a very important piece of art that called for more exploration. Now we're getting it, and seeing how Senu

Read more WP impressions about Senua's Saga: Hellblade II

18. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch)

Rhi "StormyDawn" Mitera: While the mobile game Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp has done a lot to help fill the void between main installments of the Animal Crossing series, seven years is still a long time to wait. Good thing New Horizons looks every bit like it'll be worth the wait. It does a good job of balancing new additions and updates while still maintaining all the things that make the series great. I am so ready to owe Tom Nook money again.

Read more WP impressions about Animal Crossing: New Horizons

17. Bayonetta 3 (Switch)

Andreas Salmen: There's no telling whether we will see Bayonetta 3 in 2020, but if we do, it'll surely end up being one of the highlights of the year. If it's remotely similar to its predecessors, we can look forward to crazy set pieces and a combo slasher that's easy to pick up but difficult to master. If anything can push DMC from its rightfully claimed throne, it might just be an overly sexualized witch slicing up demons and angels on a Nintendo platform. We're certainly looking forward to how Platinum Games will manage to take the series up yet another notch.

Read more WP impressions about Bayonetta 3

16. Elden Ring (PS4/XOne/PC)

Joseph Doyle: You didn't have to watch "Game of Thrones" to know how the final season went. Luckily for us, George R.R. Martin gives us a new grimdark fantasy narrative to sink our teeth into. No gameplay has been seen yet, but since it's a FromSoft game, we can assume some heavy fighting and incredibly macabre lore. The magic touch of Martin is incredibly intriguing, with perhaps some surprise mechanics (no not those) up his sleeve and some distinct "Lord of the Rings" vibes. There's something both brooding and alluring from the sparse visuals we've been provided, and I'm just eating up.

Read more WP impressions about Elden Ring

15. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 (PS4/XOne/PC)

Rhi "StormyDawn" Mitera: Vampire: The Masquerade was my first tabletop RPG a very long time ago, and I have sunk many, many hours into 2004's Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've played it within the last six months. The World of Darkness setting and V:tM have grown and changed a lot in the 16 years since it's come out, and I look forward to seeing how many of those changes make it into the new game. I am sad they won't let me be a Nosferatu this time around, though.

Read more WP impressions about Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2

14. Half-Life: Alyx (PC)

Redmond Carolipio: Alyx has been one of the most memorable characters in the Half-Life mythos, which still has a lasting impact with its tone and style. It's about time she had a title to truly call her own, and it's a shame it's taken this long. This also has potential to be a truly signature VR title for people still reluctant to invest in VR as a go-to gaming platform.

Read more WP impressions about Half-Life: Alyx

13. Watch Dogs: Legion (PS4/XOne/PC)

Adam Pavlacka: The original Watch Dogs felt like a videogame version of "Person of Interest," with its commentary on how technology was infiltrating everyone's lives. Watch Dogs 2 was lighter in fare, so the idea of returning to a more serious take with Watch Dogs: Legion is appealing. Set in a post-Brexit London, Legion should have some pointed opportunities for political commentary and varied missions, especially with the "play anyone" premise of the game. This is something that the Hitman games have toyed with (via costume changes), but those were levels of a limited size. The characters in Legion can go anywhere in the world, and they aren't just a different skin. Playing as a grandma is going to offer up different abilities than playing as a boxer.

Read more WP impressions about Watch Dogs: Legion

12. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 (Switch)

David Silbert: When Nintendo announced that a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was in development, it set the internet ablaze with speculation. Where and when does the new game take place? Will Zelda be playable? And, most importantly, how long must we wait to play it?

The sequel's admittedly a bit of a long shot for a 2020. We've seen tighter timelines before, as Majora's Mask was famously made in a single year, so one can hope!

Read more WP impressions about The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

11. Dying Light 2 (PS4/XOne/PC)

Chris "Atom" DeAngelus: The original Dying Light was perhaps the ideal evolution of the zombie survival action genre that Dead Island started. Dying Light 2 looks to be a big step up. The game is set in a world that's truly overrun by zombies. You'll be tasked with finding the key to surviving in a world where humanity is no longer the top of the food chain. Balancing zombie-killing with civilization-building and tons of parkour, Dying Light 2 has the potential to stand out above the slavering hordes of zombie games.

Read more WP impressions about Dying Light 2

Editor's Note: ... but what about the rest of the list? Check back tomorrow to find out which titles cracked the top 10 for the WorthPlaying team!

UPDATE (Jan. 28, 2020):

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