The long-awaited next-gen consoles by Sony and Microsoft have finally begun to reach households. The verdict is still out on whether Xbox Series X may have finally redeemed its predecessor’s comparative let down in terms of sales. But, it’s safe to say that developers have got an impressive line-up of games planned for 2021 across a variety of genres to be experienced on the new Xbox.
A lot of these games serve as sequels to already popular franchises. It shall be exciting to see how developers better them for the next-gen. With sequels planned for games ranging from Resident Evil to Hitman, 2021 is going to be an interesting year for gaming, especially if you own an Xbox Series X.
10 Dying Light 2
The first game in the series served as a breath of fresh air in the genre. Developer Techland is back again with a sequel to 2015’s open-world survival horror zombie game, Dying Light. The first entry featured a unique approach to zombie games, with an open world, parkour, and excellent melee combat mechanics. Techland has stated that the game places far more emphasis on narrative than its predecessor with writers from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt also being involved in the development process.
Dying Light 2 was set to launch in 2020 but it was delayed indefinitely. It’s safe to say that the game will now launch sometime in 2021.
9 Chivalry 2
Coming in as a befitting response to all naysayers, Chivalry is certainly not dead. The medieval war game developed by Torn Banner Studios is all set to receive a sequel in the form of Chivalry 2 in 2021. Chivalry: Medieval Warfare featured brutal and bloody combat along with intense multiplayer matches with game modes such as king of the hill and team deathmatch. Chivalry 2 will be releasing on multiple platforms along with crossplay. The game, unlike its predecessor, will also feature horses, allowing players to play entire matches on horseback.
8 Little Nightmares 2
The unexpected success of 2017’s Little Nightmares has prompted developer Tarsier Studios to release a much-awaited sequel. The first game was widely praised, mainly for its excellent atmosphere complimented by an equally amazing soundtrack. Little Nightmares 2 will allow players to control Mono, a new character as they attempt to navigate Pale City, a broken down metropolis. The game will also feature Six, the protagonist from the previous game, albeit as an AI character.
7 Hello Neighbor 2
One of the better additions to the stealth-horror genre, Hello Neighbor was an instant hit among fans. Developer tinyBuild plans to release the sequel in early 2021 with the alpha being currently available to play on Steam. Hello Neighbor 2 will feature self-learning AI that adapts itself according to the actions of the player. The open-world is dynamic and so is the story as it depends on the choices made and actions taken.
All of this is packed in a sandbox experience promising to deliver a unique narrative to each player.
6 Resident Evil: Village
Serving as a direct sequel to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Capcom will launch the latest addition to the Resident Evil franchise in 2021. As is evident from the trailer, the new game takes on the reigns of its predecessor with a strong focus on horror elements. The players will get to play as Ethan, who will navigate a spooky village which contains some dark secrets. Capcom also claims to have placed a strong emphasis on the ‘realism’ factor of the game and it shall be interesting to see how it unfolds.
5 Psychonauts 2
The first entry in this quirky platforming series was released in 2005. Now, 15 years later, players will get to witness a true sequel to Psychonauts published by none other than Microsoft’s very own Xbox Game Studios. Players will get to play as Raz, a fresh psychonaut having powerful psychic powers such as telekinesis, pyrokinesis and levitation. Storywise, the game will pick up right after the events of Psychonauts 1 as Raz and company attempt to navigate the minds of several other non-player characters.
4 S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2
The upcoming year is definitely trying to make amends for fans of the survival horror genre because yet another fantastic franchise is going to receive a sequel. S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow Of Chernobyl is hailed as one of the best survival horror games of all time and developer GSC Game World is confident that S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 will improve upon its predecessor in every aspect. The game will be an Xbox exclusive and specially optimized for the Xbox Series X/S in order to deliver 4k gameplay and 120fps capabilities.
3 Hitman 3
Hitman 3 will serve as the conclusion to IO Interactive’s World Of Assassination trilogy. The game will let players take control of the formidable Agent 47 and carry out assassinations across the globe. The game will also allow players to carry over their progress from the previous Hitman games with the ability to import maps and levels as well. IO interactive has axed the Multiplayer and Ghost Modes which were a major part of previous entries.
2 Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Developer Ninja Theory announced the sequel to 2017’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice at The Game Awards in 2019. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 will feature Senua from the first game as she battles her own demons as well as the ones that the world throws at her. The first game was really well received and Ninja Theory have a lot riding on their shoulders with this one. The gritty reveal trailer didn’t tell us much about the gameplay or story but it shall be interesting to see how Senua’s travels pan out in this new instalment.
1 Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis
At E3 2020, SEGA announced a standalone expansion to their widely acclaimed MMO Phantasy Star Online 2. The original, which has been around since 2012 but only launched in the USA in 2020 is getting a complete overhaul with additional story chapters as well as an open-world. The game will release on the Xbox Series X and PC in 2021 with added character customization as well as improved graphics. SEGA also said that both the game universes will exist independently as well, giving players the option to remain in PSO2.
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