As we bid 2020 farewell, the final gaming releases of the year include immersive wartime adventures, Greek gods and monsters, a battle against time (and a dragon), gang warfare prohibition style and a little game called Cyberpunk 2077.
Empire of Sin
Make your moves to control the streets of Chicago in this turn-based strategy. Set in the Prohibition era of the 1920s, Empire of Sin tasks players with taking over the city one step at a time. From running a legitimate business to taking out your competition any way you can, the story is a careful balancing act that players must get right if they want to succeed. With gang bosses, locations, and combat inspired by the real-life events of the time, the fight is never over to be the King or Queen of Chicago.
Players who pre-order will unlock an additional character and a bonus mission at launch. The Digital Deluxe Edition includes a copy of the game, the pre-order bonus, a Mobster Pack with four additional recruits, a Golden Weapon skin set and a exclusive execution animation for your chosen boss character. The Digital Premium Edition includes a copy of the game, all the content in the Deluxe Edition and the Expansion Pass, which will include an exclusive clothing item at launch along with access to two game expansions when they launch.
Empire of Sin will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC and Nintendo Switch from December 1*
Chronos: Before the Ashes
Use your time wisely in this magical RPG. Playing as a character of your own design, the story of Chronos: Before the Ashes sees players head into a mysterious labyrinth to slay a dragon. Using a combination of melee combat, puzzle-solving, and magic, players will have to work their way through the caverns while trying not to die. If, however, they do end up dying then a new foe comes into play: time. Each death takes a year of life away from the player, altering their attributes and abilities for the next trip into the labyrinth.
Serving as a prequel to 2019’s Remnant: From the Ashes, this story was originally released on VR as simply Chronos in 2016 as the launch title for the Oculus Rift. This new version of the game overhauls the story, upgrades the graphics and audio elements while making the game playable without a VR headset.
Chronos: Before the Ashes will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC from December 1*
Immortals: Fenyx Rising
Gods and monsters await in this mythological adventure. Taking inspiration from the tales of Greek mythology, the story – narrated in part by Prometheus and Zeus – sees Greek soldier Fenyx stranded on the Golden Isle after an accident. Players will soon find themselves embroiled in a battle between gods as Typhon, a colossal titan, has come to the Isle to seek revenge on Zeus for their banishment to Tartaros. As players explore the Isle and fight mythical beasts, they will be able to unlock special powers by discovering divine artefacts and weapons.
Players who purchase the game on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 will be able to upgrade to the next-gen version (within the same console family) at no additional cost. Prior to the game’s release, a free demo of the game will be available on Google Stadia. The Gold Edition comes with a copy of the game, a Hades the Shadowmaster character pack, an Orion’s Blessed Weapons pack, Prism wing set and the Season Pass – featuring a bonus quest, When The Road Gets Rocky, in-game rewards and new gameplay experiences.
Immortals: Fenyx Rising will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Google Stadia from December 3*
Cyberpunk 2077
Dive into the future with this highly anticipated release. Cyberpunk 2077 puts players in the role of V, a mercenary trying to make a living in Night City, a megalopolis in California. Comprising of six regions and the surrounding Badlands, Night City is fully explorable as V embarks on a quest to find the ultimate modification implant – which is rumoured to make the user immortal. Players will be able to decide every aspect of V’s path through the game, with everything from V’s voice and look to weapons being customisable, dialogue choices and relationships will either open or close certain story threads and players will even be able to complete their missions without taking a single life in the process.
Players who pre-order through select retailers will receive a set of limited-edition Night City postcards. The Standard Edition includes a copy of the game with a reversible cover, a digital copy of the score, a Night City map, digital comic, a digital art booklet and a set of wallpapers for both desktop and mobile devices. The Collector’s Edition includes a copy of the game, all the digital content from the Standard Edition, a collectable Steelbook case, hardcover Artbook, pin set, Quadra V-Tech keychain, patches, Night city postcards and map, sticker set, World Compendium lore book, an annotated copy of A Visitor’s Guide to Night City inside an NCPD Evidence Bag and a 25cm statue of the protagonist V.
Cyberpunk 2077 will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC and Google Stadia from December 10*
Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond
See war from a new perspective in this VR title. In Medal of Honor: Above & Beyond, players are an agent of the Office of Strategic Services or the OSS. Touching down in WWII Europe, players will make their way across the continent and through history as they work with their allies to bring down the Nazi regime. Whether it be sabotaging a Nazi base, stealing and decoding battle plans while under heavy fire, or stepping onto the battlefield itself to face the enemy head-on, the story – directly inspired by real-life tales of the Second World War – will put players closer to history than ever before.
This new story from the Medal of Honor franchise has been built from the ground up especially for VR users. As players make their way through the campaign, they will be able to unlock the Gallery, which contains a series of short films featuring Second World War veterans. Working in collaboration with the charity Honor Flight, these veterans travelled back to the locations they fought in during the war to tell their stories and share their own personal experiences of warfare.
Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond will be available on Oculus Rift and Steam VR from December 11*
Free to Play
Those with an Xbox Gold or Game Pass Ultimate subscription will have four new games to add to their library for free this month. On Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, The Raven Remastered will be available from December 1-31*, with Bleed 2 available from December 16 – January 15*. On Xbox 360 – and Xbox One & Series X/S through Backwards Compatibility – Saints Row: Gat out of Hell will be available from December 1-15*, followed by Stacking from December 16-31*
Players with an active PlayStation Plus subscription will receive three titles to download and play for free this month. Starting December 1* Worms Rumble will debut on PS4 and PS5, with Just Cause 4 and Rocket Arena also downloadable. In addition, PlayStation will be hosting a free online weekend on December 19-20* for players to get a taste of multiplayer gaming on PlayStation.
For full information on this month’s Prime Gaming benefits and free games, visit the Prime Gaming website.
Also Released This Month
December 1*
- Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition (Xbox Series X/S, PS5),
- Monster Truck Championship (Switch)
- Project Wingman (PC),
- Twin Mirror: Lost on Arrival (Xbox One, PS4, PC),
- Worms Rumble (PS4, PS5, PC),
December 3*
- El Hijo – A Wild West Tale (PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch),
- Haven (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC),
- Morbid: The Seven Acolytes (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch),
- My Universe Pet Clinic – Cats & Dogs (PS4)
- Per Aspera (PC),
- Phoenix Point: Year One Edition (PC),
- Phogs (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch, Stadia),
- Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure 1 & 2 (Switch)
December 4*
- Commandos 2 HD Remaster (Switch),
- Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition (Xbox One, PS4, PC),
- FIFA 21 (Xbox Series X, PS5),
- Final Fantasy VII & VIII Remastered (Switch),
- Final Fantasy VIII Remastered (PS4),
- Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm and Exercise (Switch),
- Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered (Switch),
- John Wick Hex (Xbox One, Switch)
- Peaky Blinders: Mastermind (Xbox One, PS4, Switch)
- Pinstripe (Switch)
- Slide Stars (PS4, Switch),
- Speed 3 Grand Prix (PS4, Switch),
- Spirit of the North: Enhanced Edition (PS5),
- Suzerain (PC),
- Tracks – The Train Set Game (PS4)
December 8*
- Call of the Sea (Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC),
- Destiny 2 (Xbox Series X, PS5)
- Ori and the Blind Forest Definitive Edition (Switch)
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Switch)
- Overcooked: All You Can Eat (Xbox Series X, PS5)
- Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Switch),
- Temtem (PS5 – Early Access),
- The Pathless (PS5)
December 10* – Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia (PS4)
December 11* – Fahrenheit 15th Anniversary Edition (PS4)
December 15*
- Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend (Switch)
- Five Nights at Freddy’s: Most Wanted (PS4, Switch)
December 17* – Airborne Kingdom (PC)
December 18*
- Do Not Feed The Monkeys (Switch)
- Theme Park Simulator (Switch),
December 22* – Override 2: Super Mech League (Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5, PC, Switch)
December 31*
- Warhammer Chaosbane: Slayer Edition (Xbox Series X, PS5)
- WRC 9 (Switch)
*Dates refer to UK release only. International dates may vary and are subject to change. Information correct at time of writing.
Words by Megan Roxburgh
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