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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

2020 still has many blockbuster RPGs on the way

Like any other industry, fads come and go in the world of video gaming. Over the years, one genre in particular seems to remain steadily popular across all mediums – the role-playing game. They range from tactical to hack-and-slash, with settings anywhere from prehistoric to the distant future – but all RPGs tout immersive world-building, character progression and in-game interactions.

With life on pause with many quarantine orders still in place, it’s a better time than ever to get lost in these imaginative worlds crafted by ambitious developers. Several new RPGs are on track to release this year, and the following is just a small sample of what’s to come.

Cyberpunk 2077 – It wouldn’t be a 2020 game list if I didn’t include “Cyberpunk 2077,” which might be the most anticipated game of the year. Player agency seems to be the primary focus of the game being developed by CD Projekt Red, the studio known for creating “The Witcher” series – which catapulted the franchise into such success it spawned a successful Netflix original series last year.

If you love the settings of “Blade Runner” and “Total Recall,” “Cyberpunk 2077” will be right up your alley. With an expansive open world and player choices dictating the outcome of the story, CD Projekt Red is crafting a massive game with loads of potential. Its release has been postponed once already, but if all goes well, the gaming world will be able to play “Cyberpunk 2077” on Sept. 17 on Windows PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. A Google Stadia release is slated for the end of 2020, and it’ll be upgraded for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 when those consoles hit store shelves.

Baldur’s Gate III – Two decades have passed since the release of “Baldur’s Gate II,” one of the most critically acclaimed video games of all time with a Metacritic score of 95/100. The original saga was developed by BioWare, the studio which went on to create the “Dragon Age” and “Mass Effect” series. In recent years, BioWare made “Anthem,” an underwhelming open-world looter shooter akin to Bungie’s “Destiny” but somehow even less innovative. Few original employees remain at the studio.

For those reasons, it’s probably good that the torch is being passed to Larian Studios to craft “Baldur’s Gate III,” the developer best known for creating the “Divinity” series. The Baldur’s Gate saga is known for its “Dungeons & Dragons” setting, tactical game play, diverse worlds and in-depth character interactions. “Baldur’s Gate III” is slated for release in 2020, but even if it doesn’t come out in full this year, early access could arrive any day now. It will be playable on Windows PC and via Google Stadia.

Hellpoint – The debut game of Cradle Games studio, which is quickly being compared to “Dark Souls,” a popular but brutally difficult action RPG trilogy. While “Dark Souls” is renowned for its grimdark fantasy setting, “Hellpoint” takes place on a derelict space station occupied by weaponized robots and terrifying creatures.

It also touts cooperative play, including split-screen functionality. Fans of the genre will be right at home with a smooth combat system and thematically appropriate punishing difficulty. “Hellpoint” releases June 30 on Windows PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and the Nintendo Switch.