2020 has been the year of the virus. The pandemic, lockdowns and rules introduced to reduce its spread have had a huge effect on just about every walk of life. The effect they’ve had on the video games industry has been interesting. On the one hand, real-life events such as trade shows and conventions have obviously been cancelled, and the release dates for some pieces of hardware were put back because of production being halted. On the other hand, video game sales have increased because people have been spending a lot more time at home and have turned to video games to pass the time.
Despite everything that’s been going on, hundreds of games have still managed to get released throughout 2020. Some titles have been delayed for various reasons, but most games that were planned for release this year have successfully made it to market. A major advantage the video game industry has is that games can be downloaded over the internet - you can easily acquire as many games as you like without having to leave the house to purchase them.
The list of new games for 2020 is extensive and diverse. A wide range of titles has been released, from major blockbusters to new indie games and everything in between. Let’s have a look at some of the more bizarre video games that have been released this year or are set to be released before the year ends.
Pokemon Sleep
Pokemon is actually the world’s largest media franchise with an estimated worth of around $100 billion. The franchise’s video games are a key part of its ongoing success. There are dozens of instalments in the series. The series is split into ‘generations,’ and each one of these includes several main games along with a number of spin-offs. The eighth-generation is underway, and one of its spin-off titles is Pokemon Sleep.
Pokemon Sleep is unreleased at the time of writing but is still set to be released sometime during 2020. It’s going to be a mobile game and will be compatible with both the iOS and Android operating systems. It’s so-called because it tracks your sleep, and this data influences the gameplay. Your sleep is tracked by the Poke Ball Plus accessory, an external device that was developed to be used with the following games:
• The mobile game Pokemon Go
• The Nintendo Switch game Let’s Go, Pikachu!
• The Nintendo Switch game Let’s Go, Eevee!
So far, not much information at all has been released about this game, though it’s apparently going to turn sleeping into entertainment, in a similar way to how Pokemon Go has turned walking into entertainment.
Spelunky 2
The first instalment in the Spelunky series was released back in 2008 and was warmly received by critics thanks to its gameplay and design. It focuses on a spelunker, or cave explorer, as they make their way through underground cave systems gathering treasures, defeating enemies, rescuing damsels in distress and avoiding traps. The game uses procedural generation, which means that each level is randomly generated, and no two play-throughs are the same.
Spelunky 2 came out earlier this year, some twelve years after the original. It offers all the same gameplay features and uses procedural generation to randomise levels. In this sequel, you’re playing as Ana, the daughter of the spelunker in the first game. Funnily enough, she’s visiting and exploring the moon to find her parents. While the core gameplay is the same as the first game, the sequel seamlessly introduces a number of new features and adds more backstory to the characters, fleshing them out a bit more.
If you’re after a quirky 2D rogue-like platform game, be sure to give Spelunky 2 a play. It’s available on Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4 and is mostly a single-player game, though it does offer multiplayer options, with both cooperative play and competitive play available. Up to four people can join in any play at the same time.