2019 was a pretty solid year for first-person shooters.
Respawn Entertainment air dropped Apex Legends onto unsuspecting gamers and provided them with one of the best battle royale games of the year. Call of Duty returned to its most memorable sub-series with a Modern Warfare reboot. And popular franchises in the genre, such as the Metro games, Far Cry and the latest incarnation of the Wolfenstein series, added its own sequels to the FPS mix. Now that we’ve entered the new year, it’s time to take a peek at all of the first-person shooters that are set to hit the gaming landscape. DOOM is giving us even more demons to kill, Halo is heading to “infinity and beyond” with its next entry and plenty of newcomers/genre stalwarts are throwing their hats into the FPS mix.
So without further ado, let’s break down all of the awesome first-person shooters that will land in our laps come 2020.
Marvel’s Iron Man VR
Developer: Camouflaj
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PS4 (PlayStation VR)
Release Date: February 28
The House of Marvel has been going all-in on its video game efforts in recent years. 2020 marks the arrival of an AAA-action/adventure Avengers game that’s built up tons of hype and anticipation. As for Marvel’s resident iron-suited hero, Iron Man will give fans the chance to step into his famous suit of armor in Marvel’s Iron Man VR. Players will fly through the air as Tony Stark’s alter-ego and put his repulsor hand blasts to good use against all types of mechanical foes. The reliance on virtual reality mechanics will do a big part in presenting Marvel’s Iron Man VR as the most immersive Marvel Comics game fans have ever experienced. PS VR owners should definitely add this one to their “make sure to cop this in 2020” playlist.
DOOM Eternal
Developer: id Software
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Release Dates: March 20 (PS4, Xbox One, PC), TBA (Nintendo Switch)
DOOM (2016) thankfully took it back to basics and ultimately succeeded! It brought back all of the elements that made the original games so memorable while adding a new level of gore that made each kill as satisfying as the last. The Doom Slayer’s work was seemingly done back on Mars, but it turns out his mission is far from over.
Hell’s forces have invaded Earth, which means it’s time to reload your BFG and send them back to where they came from. DOOM Eternal is set to offer the same high fun factor featured in the last game thanks to new melee weaponry, increased maneuverability, new demons, and a unique asymmetrical multiplayer game mode. Retro FPS fans and newcomers alike should be ready to do damage as the iconic Doom Slayer once again.
Half-Life: Alyx
Developer: Valve
Publisher: Valve
Platforms: PC (Virtual Reality Headsets – Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest and Windows Mixed Reality)
Release Date: March TBA
Once again, it appears that Valve seemingly hates the number three when it comes to video game sequels. But they’ve still gone and done the unthinkable – they’re choosing to develop another game in the highly-regarded Half-Life franchise. It won’t just be a traditional FPS, however – it will be a full-on VR title that’s built from the ground up for the evolutionary gaming hardware.
Half-Life: Alyx has all the makings of a dream scenario come true for diehard Half-Life fans – it places fans in the role of Alyx Vance during her and her father’s crusade against the Combine, which places it right before Gordon Freeman’s arrival in Half-Life 2. That means this VR game’s tale will play an integral part in the franchise’s overall history and hopefully answer a lot of unanswered questions. Hopefully, the VR gameplay is strong enough to deliver the answers fans have been waiting years for in a fun and interesting manner.
Disintegration
Developer: V1 Interactive
Publisher: Private Division
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: TBA
V1 Interactive’s offering a unique take on the FPS genre with the clever inclusion of real-time strategy elements. Disintegration offers up a traditional package that includes a thrilling single-player campaign and a deep PvP multiplayer suite, but its approach to gameplay is anything but. Players will take the commander role as they stay airborne on their trusty Gravcycle and send out their ground troops to dominate the opposition. As you blast anyone unlucky enough to speed across your path, your troops will put in work right alongside you and your crew of fellow Gravcycle riders. Disintegration is an intense game of rival pilot crews and troops going to war that looks to offers a fresh take on the FPS genre.
Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond
Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Publishers: Electronic Arts, Oculus Studios
Platform: PC (Virtual Reality – Oculus Rift)
Release Date: TBA
The last time gamers got their hands on a Medal of Honor game, it was all the way back in 2012 with the disappointing Warfighter. The WWII shooter franchise is finally emerging once again, but this time it’s reviving itself with a focused foray into virtual reality. And with Titanfall development studio Respawn Entertainment at the helm, it looks like we’re in for a quality return to Medal of Honor’s emotionally charged WWII gunfights. In Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, you’ll step into the uniform of an agent of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) as you look to bring down the Nazi forces that oppose the French Resistance. Expect lots of big story moments that tug at the heartstrings and some big action setpieces to compliment them.
Rocket Arena
Developer: Final Strike Games
Publisher: Nexon America
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: TBA
The method towards attaining victory in Rocket Arena is a bit different from other first-person shooters. A regular old kill simply won’t do – grabbing victory by the horns means you’ll need to send the opposition flying high into the sky! This 3v3 arena shooter features the fast-paced, frantic action you’re used to playing non-stop in games such as Overwatch, Paladins, and Quake Champions. Players will join up with their chosen trio, explore colorful locales within the world of Crater, and attempt to blast their foes into the great beyond. Rocket Arena’s varied suite of modes (Knockout, Rocketball, Mega Rocket, and RocketBot Attack) looks like they’ll be enough to keep you embroiled in the action for a very long time.
And here’s a few first-person shooters that were released years prior, but are now making their way to certain consoles for the first time in 2020:
• DOOM 64 (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC): March 20
• Ion Fury (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch): TBA
Heavy, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. Our product recommendations are guided solely by our editors. We have no relationship with manufacturers.
See Also