The December Games Playlist - Here are our top picks
Cyberpunk 2077 might have stolen everyone's thunder this December, but there are some brave souls who have decided to stick around regardless.
Image: CD Projekt RED
Long ago, the games releasing in December 2020 lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when Cyberpunk 2077 attacked.
Don't worry; no one's exterminating other clans or waiting for comets to pass by, but it's safe to say the December games market was turned on its head due to CD Projekt RED's announcement two weeks ago. By shifting CP2077's release three weeks down to December 10, the studio basically "forced" many other developers to delay their own schedules for fear of getting overshadowed by the sheer awesomeness of Keanu Reeves.
As a result, we'll have to wait a lot longer for cool games such as Bloober Team's The Medium to show up, but on the bright side, December isn't completely devoid of life. Despite the risks, there are some developers who have decided to stick around for the holiday season, and including CP2077, that's a total of eight titles to go through. Well, let's get started!
1. Worms Rumble (PC, PS5, PS4 - December 1)
The latest instalment in the beloved Worms franchise is our first customer for the month. Developed by the brilliant (and slightly insane) minds at Team17 Digital, Worms Rumble brings a whole new spin on the series with a real-time battle royale mode.
Granted, battle royales aren't the newest kid on the block, but it's certainly a refreshing departure from the turn-based moose-launching action we've come to expect from Worms. There's crossplay for up to 32 players per match, and with many iconic weapons, such as the Bazooka, Baseball Bat and Holy Hand Grenade already been confirmed to return, "crazy" seems like a gross understatement here. Fire in the hole!
2. Sam & Max Save the World Remastered (PC, Switch - December 2)
It's been over two decades, and we still can't get enough of the Freelance Police duo. Not that it's a bad thing.
Developed by Skunkape Games and lovingly "blessed" by series creator Steve Purcell, this nostalgic remaster of the duo's first season of episodic adventures will be a blast to the past for many gamers. Of course, you can certainly expect a lot of other things to get blasted as well, but it's all in a day's work for the Freelance Police.
Oh, and you might want to check the brake lines before you drive off into the slapstick comedy sunset, just in case Max chewed them in two or something.
3. Immortals: Fenyx Rising (PC, PS5, PS4, XSX, XBO, Switch, Stadia - December 3)
Third on our list for December is Ubisoft's Immortals: Fenyx Rising, an open-world action-adventure title based on Greek mythology. Players take control of a demigod named Fenyx, who embarks on a quest to save the Greek gods from the legendary Titan Typhon.
When we first got a look at it a few months ago, we had a joke at the office saying this was essentially "baby's first God of War", but credit should be given where it is due - this looks pretty good aesthetically, and there's always space in our hearts for a good narrative.
Accordingly, we're hoping it checks all of those boxes when we finally get to play it, but the real kicker here is probably the combat - the combos seem smooth and satisfying to pull off, and seeing Fenyx wield everything from magical swords to giant lightning-charged hammers makes for some interesting variety too.
4. Orwell's Animal Farm (PC - December 10)
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
I doubt this quote needs any introduction. It's as the title suggests - this is George Orwell's infamous novella put into game form, and it's a rather unique blend of strategy and storytelling. Developed by Nerial, Orwell's Animal Farm allows players to venture through the author's portrayal and critique of totalitarian politics alongside familiar characters from the book, such as Boxer, Napoleon and Squealer.
Naturally, in keeping with modern narrative-centric titles your choices will play a part in shaping the end result, and it's up to you how you want to manage the available resources, roles and the other dynamics on the farm.
In a nutshell, this is a pretty niche game, but one that looks quite interesting if you've either read the novel, love unusual indie titles, or (spoiler alert!) simply feel that the hardworking Boxer deserved better.
5. Cyberpunk 2077 (PC, PS4, XBO, Stadia - December 10)
Let's get one thing straight. This isn't a description of Cyberpunk 2077 - it's a criminal record.
As the title which single-handedly turned the entire December games market on its head, CP2077 (and CD Projekt RED) would normally be hanged, drawn and quartered for its crimes. But then, this is no medieval kingdom, and CP2077 is no normal game. Especially not when you have the Internet's boyfriend as your mascot.
Just kidding, folks. We're just happy the game is finally here, and come December 10, players can finally start their adventure in Night City as the enigmatic mercernary V. To be honest, we don't need to elaborate too much - the game's vast open world, immense diversity of cultures and perspectives, amazing gameplay and gorgeous aesthetics speak for itself.
6. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart (PS5 - Holiday 2020)
Alright, welcome to the "To Be Confirmed" section, where we house the titles that aren't really sure if they want to take the fight to CP2077 in December. We've got three titles for today, and the first of these is Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart.
The R&C games have been really exciting thus far, but it seems like it's about to get even crazier with the latest instalment, which will see the dynamic duo jumping through space-time rifts to stop a tyrannical emperor from exterminating life as we know it. As a canon sequel to Into the Nexus, the game was one of the big highlights for us during its reveal back in June, and we're still waiting with bated breath for Insomniac Games to announce a release date.
Frankly, our best guess is that it'll arrive sometime in January 2021 rather than December, but hey, surprises are always welcome!
7. Elden Ring (PC, PS4, XBO - TBC 2020)
Aha, now here's a title that could actually go toe-to-toe against CP2077. The only problem is: we don't know when developer From Software actually intends to release it. First revealed at E3 2019, Elden Ring is shaping up to be From's biggest project to date, considering they even brought in Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin to do up the lore for the game.
As the latest Soulslike title from the renowned developer, this game is going to be a heavy-hitter for sure, not just in business terms but in-game as well. In fact, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has mentioned that it's director Hidetaka Miyazaki's most ambitious title yet, but only time will tell if the game is really all that it's cracked up to be. Come on, From - hurry it up!
8. Twelve Minutes (PC, XBO - Q4 2020)
Our final contestant for December is another indie title, this time from developer Luis Antonio and published by Annapurna Interactive. Amusingly, Twelve Minutes will probably occupy a lot more of your time than the title suggests - it explores the story of a man who is stuck in a time loop where he is doomed to die over and over again until he figures out the truth of those "twelve minutes" and how to counteract it.
It's an interesting take on the concept of time loops, blending in the "locked room" claustrophobia of a whodunnit with thriller undertones and click-and-drag-style gameplay. I'm always game for a good mystery, and having a star-studded voice cast doesn't hurt either - the likes of James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley and Willem Dafoe will be lending their talents to this intriguing title. What's not to love?
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