Hard to believe, but there was much to be optimistic about when 2020 began. Journey To The Savage Planet – yes, that really was this year – kicked January off in colourfully amusing fashion, while Kentucky Route Zero finally reached the end of the line, a mere seven years after the first of its five Acts was released. A little way over the horizon was the first Edge 10 in 18 months, as Media Molecule’s dazzling Dreams emerged from beta as both a co-operative creative tool par excellence, and a platform for artists to share their work with the world. And the much-anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 was just a few short months away. News was emerging of an outbreak of a novel coronavirus strain in Wuhan, but it was generally assumed that the outbreak would soon be under control. Then came fatalities and reports that the virus had spread overseas, and the mood changed.
Naturally, the videogame industry, like all others, was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. As first social distancing measures and then lockdown regulations were put in place, supply chains were broken, while manufacturing slowed and, in some cases, ground to a halt entirely. Format holders and publishers alike were forced to hurriedly change or cancel long standing plans. Software and hardware releases were postponed, as distribution and certification hold-ups created further delays. And yet, unlike most other fields, the game industry largely remained in rude health throughout the year, and in some ways actively benefitted from the virus. With millions of people spending more time at home, many turned to games as an escape. Reports of yearon-year profit increases came regularly, and sales records were frequently broken.
This story is from the February 2021 edition of Edge.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2021 edition of Edge.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles
Anyone familiar with the concept of kitbashing is already halfway to understanding what Tomas Sala’s open-world builder is all about.
Children Of The Sun
René Rother’s acrid revenge thriller – an action game with its limbs broken and forcibly rearranged into the shape of a spatial puzzler – is at once a bonafide original and an unlikely throwback. Cast your eyes right and you wouldn’t blink if we told you this was a forgotten Grasshopper Manufacture game from the early PS3 era (we won’t be at all surprised if this finds a spot on Suda51’s end-of-year list).
Post Script
What does Rise Of The Ronin say for PS5 exclusivity?
Rise Of The Ronin
Falling in battle simply switches control to the next person up, and then quick revive fixes everything
Post Script
The pawn and the pandemic
Dragon's Dogma 2
The road from Vernworth to Bakbattahl is scenic but arduous. Ignore the dawdling mobs of goblins, and duck beneath the chanting harpies that circle on the currents overhead, and even moving at a hurried clip it is impossible for a party of four to complete the journey by nightfall.
BLUE MANCHU
How enforced early retirement eventually led Jonathan Chey back to System Shock
THE MAKING 0F.... AMERICAN ARCADIA
How a contrast of perspectives added extra layers to a side-scrolling platform game
COMING IN TO LAND
The creator of Spelunky, plus a super-group of indie developers, have spent the best part of a decade making 50 games. Has the journey been worth it?
VOID SOLS
This abstract indie Soulslike has some bright ideas