Matt and Paul are back for another year of sarcasm, smiles and silliness as they look at gaming’s biggest awards night. Join them for Part 1 of their look at all the reveals and award winners for 2020’s The Game Awards.
Player 2 Vs The Game Awards 2020 – Part 1
Loop Hero
Paul: Presented in true Devolver style with Nina Struthers at the helm I loved every bit of the way that Loop Hero was introduced. Do I love the game equally? Not so much. There are some cool ideas present, of that there’s no doubt, but I’m not sure that the game has quite clicked with me, at least not yet. Maybe a deeper dive, some hands-on opportunities or extended gameplay trailers, and I’ll possibly come around on it.
Matt: Nothing says Devolver like insanity and that’s exactly what happened with the presentation of Loop Hero. Will the game be good? I don’t know. I am not sure on the 8-bit graphics but then again the last Devolver game I wrote off before release was Disc Room and look how that turned out. One thing is for sure, it will certainly be a ride.
Tchia
Paul: A gorgeous Pixar animation style with a heavy New Caledonian influence and crazy Prey-style possession mechanic, you have me interested. This could be a very emotionally taxing experience and I’m all for it. Keen to see and learn more about this one
Matt: This reminds me of Windbound in more ways than one, so I am going to hold off on getting too excited. But boy do I want it to be good because holy hell it looks gorgeous. Stunning setting, but the gameplay loop needs to be on point.
https://youtu.be/G3s8klXynoY
Sea of Solitude: Director’s Cut
Paul: I never played Sea of Solitude when it first launched and I’ve long wanted to correct that. A port to the Switch courtesy of the newly revealed Director’s Cut might be exactly what the doctor ordered in that regard.
Matt: A fantastic game, Sea of Solitude is a title I put up there with Papa Y Yo and Hellblade as games that are both enjoyable and provide fantastic commentary and learning opportunities for mental health issues. If you haven’t played it, the Switch seems like the perfect place to start.
Shady Part of Me
Paul: The first “And You Can Buy It Now!” announcement of The Game Awards and it’s a good one. I took quite a liking to the Little Nightmares X Contrast inspired affair, and with it now out on Switch, I’m eager to give it a look.
Matt: I loved the look of this one. Not sure I have the time right now to dive in though. That is the problem with doing the whole “available now” thing right in the middle of AAA season. It tends to swallow your game whole.
Nier Replicant 1.22474487139…
Paul: Yoko Taro is straight-up taking the piss with this naming convention right? Either way, Nier Replicant is shaping up quite well, and I expect it’ll do equally well out in the wild with the newfound franchise love that stems from Automata. I’m still yet to progress far through Automata but I loved what I played so I need to find some time, roll credits on that and be ready for this April 23 release.
Matt: I have tried a couple of times to get into Nier Automata but it never really grabbed me, so I will probably pass on this, but there is no doubt there is a rabidly frothing fan base waiting to play this remastered version of the original game.
Century: Age of Ashes
Paul: Century was looking so good, may be shaping up to the game that Lair never could be, and then they revealed that it’s not trying to be the game that Lair was. Century is a multiplayer (only?) title and that doesn’t really do it for me. Dragon mounts and dog-fighting combat is something I can really get around, but a single-player setting is where I would most feel comfortable. Maybe they can prove me wrong, I’m open to loving this one.
Matt: When I first saw this I thought someone had finally made a Dragon Riders of Pern game but alas it wasn’t to be. Not sure we need another flying multiplayer title, even if it is on dragons. Like Paul I feel like not including a single-player component could bite them, so hopefully, they decided to explore the world with a decent story mode.
Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Paul: The internet has been speculating about the next Smash character for a while now, and despite Sephiroth being so obvious, it seems none of us had really considered it. The FF7 villain is yet another sword wielder for Smash which is a shape, but he’ll have a fantastic move set that will ensure he fits right into the fray. I’m keen to go back and take him for a spin so I guess Nintendo nailed this selection in my eyes.
Matt: The most overrated bad guy in gaming comes to Smash. Look it isn’t that Sephiroth is a terrible character, just that he seems to be held on a pedestal for video game baddies and I am a little sick of him. I am sure he will make a good character to play as in Smash though
Perfect Dark
Paul: For me, this is arguably the biggest news drop of the showcase. I know that Perfect Dark had been speculated about heavily over the last few months and the connection had been made to Drew Murray and The Initiative, but now that it is official, I couldn’t be any more excited. I loved Perfect Dark growing up, and Zero was such a kick in the teeth. With Drew at the helm, bringing years of Insomniac experience with him, I’m full of confidence that The Initiative’s first game will be a big success for Xbox.
Matt: Oh yes, about time we got confirmation of Perfect Dark’s return and while it was only cinematic I loved the themes it is shooting for. Corporate espionage with an eco-threat twist? Sign me up. I am very very excited to see which way this one goes. 1st person ala the originals or a move into 3rd person heading in a more Splinter Cell style game? Either way, this one is on my watch carefully list.
Back 4 Blood
Paul: I never really gave Left 4 Dead a proper go back in the day. I just wasn’t in any way a multiplayer guy back in the mid-late ’00s. That all said, my tastes have broadened in recent years and I’m quite keen on what I saw of Back 4 Blood. Hopefully, Turtle Rock can redeem itself after the commercial flop that was Evolve. A great game, but one with an incredibly short shelf life.
Matt: Left 4 Dead, The Original and still the best. There have been contenders for the crown but none have combined the pure PVE co-op joy that Turtle Rock gave us way back when. I am very keen to see if Back 4 Blood can take the title.
Scavengers
Paul: The Wintery setting looks nice but Scavengers otherwise looks like a pretty by the numbers co-op/competitive shooter. I won’t see myself taking this one for a spin, though for those who are keen, the beta kicking off today is great news
Matt: Another spin on the Battle Royale it seems. Looks like it could be fun, but I said that about Hyperscape so what do I know?
Hood: Outlaws & Legends
Paul: This game was one of my biggest disappointments of the year. Not because it’s a bad game (that I know of) but because I would’ve loved it to be a single-player jaunt. It’s not the sort of multiplayer game I’d dive into, and so sadly, I’ll probably be passing on this one.
Matt: When I first saw the trailer and the Focus logo I thought this was going to be A Plague Tale 2, boy was I disappointed when it turned out to be another multiplayer shooter, this time using the Robin Hood legend as a setting.
The Callisto Protocol
Paul: One of my most hyped reveals from TGAs was The Callisto Protocol. Glen Schofield created perfection with Dead Space 1 and 2, and then EA’s fingers ruined the third entry. Hopefully, this new sci-fi horror game can harness what made Dead Space’s first two entries so brilliant, and become a horror IP that I long for every few years.
Matt: Boy if that isn’t some creepy shit, I don’t know what is. Dead Space was a masterpiece so I am pretty sure the Callisto Protocol has every chance of scaring the pants off me while providing rock-solid gameplay.
Warhammer 40000: Darktide
Paul: Sadly my situation hasn’t changed from the last time we saw a Warhammer game. I’m not a Warhammer guy and as such, this isn’t on my radar. Maybe it’s me being closed-minded because the game looked pretty decent, but the Warhammer well runs so deep and if I dip my toe in I fear I could topple down it – so it’s better than I just keep my distance.
Matt: Vermintide is held in high regard by many out there so there is no doubt a 40K version is going to go down well. Another four-player co-op shooter though, that genre is getting pretty crowded right now, but I feel that the Warhammer licence will at least give it a leg up.
Open Roads
Paul: I’m a big fan of Steve Gaynor and what The Fullbright Company does, but I do have question marks over this one. The concept looks and sounds great, but are we trapped in the car the entire time? Do we get out and stretch our legs a bit? The idea of being trapped in the car for this narrative adventure doesn’t sound as appealing as going out and discovering the story in either Gone Home of Tacoma. That all said, Three Fourths Home shows it’s possible, so who knows!?
Matt: Never my sort of game, regardless it looks great and I feel like fans of Gone Home are going to find a lot to love here.
Disco Elysium: Final Cut
Paul: I never got to Disco Elysium last year, but I know how beloved the game is. What was the most interesting component of this reveal was the seeming fact that this Final Cut, that finally brings the game to console, might in fact be a PlayStation exclusive, at least temporarily anyway. It’s a nice strategic get by Greg Rice and Shuhei Yoshida, and I’m keen to dive in.
Matt: Disco Elysium is a game that I am itching to get into but time has conspired against me. This might be the push I need to play what many people think is one of the best CRPGs of all time.
Dragon Age
Paul: I want to love this new Dragon Age, but they continue to give us nothing to get excited about. The game could be brilliant, I believe it will be, but each trailer, now at two consecutive TGAs has given us absolutely nothing to work with. Bioware, please don’t come back with this one until there’s some gameplay you’re ready to show with your flashy, quite beautiful trailer.
Matt: Varric’s back I guess and we know for sure that Solas is the baddie. Apart from that, who the hell knows. Bioware has gone from my most trusted developer to getting a big “approach with caution” sticker so until I know more, I am not even thinking of buying a ticket on the hype train.
Endless Dungeon
Paul: I’m not familiar with The Endless Universe, but this game looks pretty cool! I don’t mind a good rogue-lite from time to time and the personality of this one speaks to me. Keen to see and learn more about Endless Dungeon.
Matt: I really liked the look of this one and as everyone knows I love a bit of rogue-like fun. There has to be that perfect balance of progression and unlocks otherwise people will drop off very quickly.
Crimson Desert
Paul: The fact that Crimson Desert is an MMO does dampen my enthusiasm a bit because that’s a time drain that I rarely have time for. It does look brilliant, though the lack of VO did make the trailer fall flat until the combat kicked in late in the piece. I’m keen to learn more, and who knows, maybe this can be an MMO for me?
Matt: Stunning looking game and while MMO’s generally aren’t for me, I can be convinced by the game catering to single players (see my enjoyment of ESO for proof of that) keen to see more.
Overcooked: All You Can Eat
Paul: All these years later and the Swedish chef still elicits a snigger from me. The fact that he’s joining Overcooked is great, but I don’t see myself diving in.
Matt: Who can hate the Sweedish Chef? Now in a game that makes you want to punch your best friend.
Warframe
Paul: This was a cool collab between Warframe and Unreal Tournament. Simple, but I’m sure enticing for fans of either franchise – I’m just not a fan of either franchise, so pass.
Matt: Warframe is fun (if daunting) UT was the GOAT multiplayer shooter. Cross the two and you get… well disappointment for UT fans not getting a new game.
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War
Paul: Every COD trailer makes the action seem so dire, so interesting, and then, more often than not, things just fall flat in my eyes. The millions of you out there that play the game religiously don’t care for my thoughts on it though, so go enjoy!
Matt: I really enjoyed COD Cold War’s single-player mode but the multiplayer left me feeling flat. I am going to pass on more of that Multiplayer. Maybe I am just too old for the level up grind anymore.
Season
Paul: Road tripping on your bike is cool. Partaking in that, through a game that has a wonderful art style such as the one present in Season is even better. I’m interested, but I’m keen to learn more before I commit to playing it.
Matt: Seems like a really cool premise with an almost (but not quite) Ghibli feel. Not sure exactly what the gameplay will entail but it is very much worth keeping an eye on.
Ark II
Paul: It was only a matter of time before Ark: Survival Evolved got a sequel revealed, and it makes sense that TGAs were the setting for the reveal. Also, does Geoff have a thing for Vin Diesel? Last year with Fast & The Furious: Crossroads, now Ark II and an Ark anime. There’s been a lot of Vin Diesel love in recent years and now excited to see what Vin will star in this time next year!
Matt: Every year we see a new Vin game and every year I am more disappointed that it isn’t a Riddick one (still the best movie tie game ever). Ark 2 holds a lot of promise I feel and a bit of Vin is never a bad thing. Also, did you see the voice cast for the spin-off Anime series? Holy shit.
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Paul: Look, *humble brag* I’m one of the few people in the world with the Fall Guys platinum trophy *end humble brag* – I really love the game. That said, I fell off a bit with Season 2 because they simply didn’t add enough new levels to change up the overall experience. Hopefully, with a few new Winter themed levels joining the mix for Season 3, there might be enough new stuff for me to jump back in and resuming my crown collecting ways. Here’s hoping that the December 15 drop gets me back in.
Matt: More Fall Guys means me going crook at the kids for swearing while playing that silly game. Can’t say I approve.
https://youtu.be/LL1x_04Yefw
Odyssey: Elite Dangerous
Paul: Never been an Elite Dangerous guy, but allowing people to go it on foot is a nice change of pace for the franchise. I’m keen to see how it works in a final product but it was nice to see the devs are keen to shake things up a bit.
Matt: It will be very interesting to see how the deep, complex spacefaring of Elite Dangerous translates into a First-Person adventure. Time will tell on this one.
Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow.
