Previewing my 2021 in Gaming

Once again I find myself at the start of a new year trying to plan out what I think my year in gaming is going to be like. I have my usual collection of games both new and old that I am interested in playing as well as pieces of hardware that I would like to buy. A number of the games an items are very much up in the air as to when or even if in 2021 that they will come out. In addition there is also the matter of availability to purchase new and interesting hardware in an age where robots and scalpers are buying everything and reselling it at a very high markup. This post is probably more aspirational than practical but with that being said, here is the list. 

New Games

• Control Ultimate Edition (Series X, Feb 2)

Control was my top game on 2019 but I felt shorted in my play through of it due to wanting to rush through so I could play Gears 5 when that game came out. As such I have wanted to revisit Control almost since I beat it. The release of the two DLC expansions as well as the Next Generation update which will include higher resolutions, better framerates and even Ray Tracing provided me with the perfect excuse. I am not a fan of having to buy the "Ultimate Edition" to get said update as it should have been free to the version I already had. With that said I scored said "Ultimate Edition" on a Black Friday Sale for $20 and traded in my physical copy to a local used game store for $16. I do feel pretty good for getting the next gen version and two pieces of DLC contend for basically $5.   

• Persona 5 Strikers (PS4, Feb 21)

I had stated at the end of my play through of Persona 5 Royal that I was not interested in Persona 5 Strikers being a Dynasty Warriors style of game. I  am also put off by the idea of a game that does not feature the Social Linking of a "Real" Persona game and reduces the characters the one note everyone remembers about them (thus making them more one dimensional). Finally there is that this is a sequel to Persona 5, not Persona 5 Royal so it will not feature the new characters  to that version of the game. With all of the stuff being said I am interested in this game because of the preview footage saying it is much closer to a Persona Game that I though it would be and it looks like it could be good as well.  Persona 5 Strikers will also be relativity short (about 40 hours) making me much more willing to give it a chance (not to mention my lack of much else in the new game department for 2021). I am concerned that ATLUS might put streaming restrictions that would prevent me from doing a full playthrough on my You Tube Channel when Persona 5 Strikers comes out  in late February. Regardless, I am now leaning in favor of playing it

• CrossCode DLC (Series X, Early 2021)

I gave CrossCode a try because it was on Game Pass and it looked neat. I did not expect to end up doing a full playthrough of it and I certainty did not plan to buy any story DLC for this Retro-Bit Action RPG. The fact that I am now eagerly awaiting the arrival of said DLC (sometime in early 2021) says a lot of how I feel about CrossCode. I am not sure where this DLC is going to take the game (although I do have an idea) but I am willing to go wherever CrossCode takes me. I just hope it comes out between my playthroughs of other games so I can jump in as soon as possible.    

• Mass Effect Legendary Edition (Series X, June) 

The Mass Effect Trilogy was one of the Xbox 360 series I felt bad about missing completely when they came out. I played a little bit of the first game (I stopped shortly after the first Mako sequence) and never came back to it. I am including this compilation of the 3 main Mass Effect games more as a possibility than a probability due to my concern about stuff like the Mako stuff in the first game not being improved (or removed)  and how long of an endeavor playing through all three of those games would be. At this point my lists for 2021 is so sparse and uncertain that I could go either way. 

• Halo Infinite (Series X, Fall 2021)

Halo Infinite is the one New Game I will play this year (Assuming it does come out in 2021 that is). I have played through Halos 1-5 (both in original release and the Master Chief Collection) and Halo Reach so it was a forgone conclusion I will get and play this game when it comes out. I was unconcerned about the graphics of the game footage when Halo Infinite was shown off because I never came to Halo as a graphics powerhouse but I do hope they make improvements to the visuals because I would like to have something pretty and new to play on my new system (the Xbox Series X). 

• GTA V (Series X, 2021)

I played and enjoyed Grand Theft Auto v "back in the day" when it came out in 2013 on the Xbox 360, where I did finish the story and saw credits roll. I also bought the Xbox One version and played a little of that but never finished it. At the dawn of another console generation we now have another new version of this 8 year old 360 game and it is on my list of possible game pickups for 2021. I know it makes be a bad person that I am even considering buying this game for a third time but with this year being so slim on new games I am interested in, here it is on my list. I  should say in my defense that the Xbox One version never got a patch to support the Xbox One X so I did not get to see it in 4K. I am also hoping for some fancy stuff like Ray Tracing or Mod support. I strangely do want to play through GTA V again as I do have fond memories of the story and gameplay but I am worried about the licensed soundtrack and my ability to stream the game with it without a Copyright strike (an option to disable such songs to make it streaming friendly would be nice, the way quantum Break did). I am uncertain as to how series my interest in a new version of GTA V is, I will have to wait to see where I am in my streaming schedule when this game comes out. 

• Horizon Forbidden West (PS4, 2021)

The first game I did a play through stream with my current format was Horizon: Zero Dawn on the PS4. The first Horizon game was also the first game I got for that system (it came it came with my PS4 Pro). I very much enjoyed playing the first Horizon game even though I can't remember much of the story of it. I am able to play the sequel because it is coming out on the PS4 and while it will not be as good looking as the PS5 version (at least I do have a PS4 Pro). I do want to play Horizon: Forbidding West when it comes out but as there is no firm release date I may not be able to get to it when it comes out pending on my streaming schedule when it does. 

• Cuphead DLC (Series X, 2021)

Cuphead was my favorite game of 2017 and one of my favorites of the generation. Needless to say, I have been hotly anticipating the release of the Delicious Last Course, which is DLC for Cuphead. The Delicious Last Course was supposed to come out in 2020 but has been delayed to this year (for the moment). I rather doubt that the Delicious Last Course is coming out in 2021 but I will play that whenever it does come out as Cuphead is awesome and I want more of it. 

• Cyberpunk 2077 (Series X, 2021)

How does a game that cam out last year show up on my list of new games for 2021 that I am interested in? When that game did not really come out in 2020 and the real version (as in Series X version) is scheduled to come out in 2021. At this point I have no idea if I am going to get Cyberpunk 2077. I don't even know if the next gen patch will even get released as the company (CD Project Red) may go under before then. I don't even know if I want to get this game but it is on this list because I am still interested in this game for some reason. I will be keeping an eye out for when (or if) the Series X patch comes out and if Cyberpunk 2077 gets other improvements and fixes in the meantime. 

Old Games

• Persona 4 Golden (Steam)

I played through the original release of Persona 4 for the PS2 back in 2009 as well as about half of the Vita version of Persona 4 Golden back in 2013. I also recently did a full play through of Persona 5 for the PS4 that took about 140 hours. One would think that I would be a little "persona-ed out at this point but not only do I plan on likely playing Persona 5 Strikers but I also want to do a fully playthrough of Persona 4 Golden that I recently got on sale from steam. I know there there is a decent amount of content added to the Golden version of Persona 4 and I only saw a little bit of it when I played it on the Vita, as such I think that fact with how long it has been is a good reason to give it a go this year. I am concerned about playing a game on the same PC that I am streaming on in terms of performance and stability (not to mention the effects my weird  multi-monitor setup has on it) but I think that a game  as un-taxing as this should also be a good test case for the viability of PC game based streaming in the future for my channel. I just have to make sure I pick a large open time of the year to do such play through because like Persona 5 Royal, Persona 4 Golden is going to be another 100+ game. 

• The Legend of Zelda Windwaker HD (WiiU)

Last year I finally beat my first 3D Legend of Zelda game with Twilight Princess HD on the WiiU. This year I want to keep that beating 3D Zelda game train rolling with the other big HD recent remake The Legend of Zelda Windwaker HD on the WiiU. I played a decent amount of this game on the Dolphin emulator but I got stuck and never went back. This time I plan on getting a Prima style strategy guide to make sure I do not get stuck again but am able to see the end of it. Windwaker was a game I was very dismissive of when it came out because I felt like it was doing a me to with the Cell-Shaded graphics at a time when it seemed like a fad. Now that I am older I know better and what is more I think the visuals of that game look better in HD than they did in SD on those old CRT. My concerns are about getting stuck again (hence the guide I need to track down a physical copy of) and how long of a game it will be considering how many other long games I am looking at this year. 

• Halo MCC and Halo 5 Guardians

I started my play through of the Master Chief Collection last year with the intention of getting caught up with what is likely my all time favorite game series in advance of the next game Halo Infinite coming out. Then said Halo game got delayed a year an my 2020 plan is now my 2021 plan. Regardless I am still going to make my way through the remaining Halo MCC games and Halo 5 Guardians to make sure I am ready for the next game when ever it comes out. I am using these games as sort of a palate cleanser between other bigger games (like between Persona 5 Royal and CrossCode last year).  

• Half-Life Alex

Half-Life (don't call it 3) Alex was a game I wanted to get last year but due to the GPU on my desktop meeting the bare minimum specs I decided to wait until I got one of them fancy RTX 3000 GPUs which turned out to be impossible for me. I still want to get this game and I still want to upgrade my GPU but at this point that may not be possible this year. I include Half-Life Alex on this list as more of a hope (or even a dream) then an actual plan but we will see. 

• Gears Tactics 

I was very into the idea of an X-Com style turned based strategy game set in the Gears of War universe when it was announced at E3 a few years ago. That game is actually out now, on game pass and even on my Xbox but I have not had the motivation to play it nor has Gears Tactics been much in my conscious. Regardless I still want to do a full play through of this newest Gears game I just need to find a good time of this year to do so.  

Hardware

• RTX 3000 GPU or New Desktop Build

I still have money saved up and set aside for an upgrade to my Desktop's GPU that I want to spend on a new RTX 3000 series GPU (ideally a 3080) but I am unwilling to spend above MSRP as I do NOT want to support scalpers. As such I am willing to wait until supply becomes more available. The big thing for me is at this point my I7 6700k is no spring chicken either and in order to upgrade that I need a new mother board and possible a new case to fit all of this stuff. I may just end up building a new Desktop carrying a few of the components (such as the Liquid CPU cooler and the 2TB M2-SSD) and going new on almost everything else. Even if I go down that route I need to have even more patience as CPUs have become rare in this day in age as well. I will also have to save up some more money as my GPU fund will not cover a new PC build. I still have some decisions to make in this regard. 

• Super Switch

I have been interested in getting a Nintendo Switch but I have always wanted to wait for the best version of the system. I understand that the rumors of a "Super Switch" coming out this year are stronger than ever and as such I will once again wait. This upgrade is supposed to have extra hardware in the Dock that allows it to output 4K and it will have better battery life as well. Much like everything else even slightly interesting that is tech related I expect if/when such a system comes out it will be impossible to buy at MSRP. I might get on the ball about ordering it as soon as it is possible (like I did with the Xbox Series X last year) but I am not counting on it. I am willing to wait though as I do not want a Switch mini (no output to TV means no go) and me being a graphics whore with a big fancy  OLED TV I want my 4K. When Nintendo releases such a system upgrade I will make an attempt to purchase it and then I will have plenty of switch exclusives to play and feature on my channel.  

• OSSC Pro

I have been using and Open Source Scan Converter for a few years on my channel now and I recently heard of the existence of the OSSC Pro which is expected to feature support for Composite and S-Video built in as well as some kind of FPGA based system emulation similar to a MiSTer. I have been at least somewhat interested in the MiSTer  but I would much rather have such functionality in a device I would get anyway (limited HDMI inputs on my Receiver and all). I also like the lager foot print with more direct ports removing the need for breakout cables for audio and being a more stable box that I have a bunch of heavy duty cords plugged into. I have no reason to believe that the OSSC Pro is coming out this year but the shortness of this list means I have to include it here. 

Conclusion 

There is an awful lot of TBAs and maybes on list of games and hardware for 2021. I do not really have a big list of new or old games I am interest in for this year but many of them are long ones so they should still take up plenty of my time. I am hoping that the recent hardware shortages can be lessened at some point this year as there is some stuff I do want to get. I should also keep an open mind about the unexpected as far as new games as I never know when I might want to "step out of my comfort zone" and try something new. The bottom line is that  while I hope for a good year in gaming for 2021 at this point it is unrealistic for me to expect one. 

My 2020 in Gaming

With 2020 coming to a close I though it would be a good time to do my year in Gaming, just like I have in previous years. I rarely post to my blog so when I do I try to make it at least somewhat worthwhile. Even though for various reasons (obvious and otherwise) 2020 has been a difficult and bizarre year I still had a decent one for both new and old games and even a few hardware purchases. Come join me as I recap some of the highlights of my 2020 in gaming. 

My Top 5 Games of 2020

I did not play quite as many "New" games in 2020 as I did in 2019 nor did I take as many risks in the ones that I did finish but I did enough to assemble a top 5 list here as well as a bonus game.

5. Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima was not a game that I had planned to play in 2020 but the timing of its release shorty after I completed another game listed further here as well as some decent reviews and previews convinced me to give it a try anyway. While I did enjoy the game overall there were some rather unfortunate forced stealth missions (with one really bad one where for story reasons you can't take out any of the guards). I prefer when stealth is optional and beneficial and I always hate it when stealth is forced. As an open world game Ghost of Tsushima does have a decent variety of missions and side activities.  The controls and combat systems work quite well and allow for a good amount of customization although the number of outfits you have on hand does become to much to keep track of at a point. Most of the main story missions and side story quests were interesting enough to keep me engaged but the content of the story itself very interesting and the ending is quite weak. The visuals of this game are top notch, for the most part. The landscapes always look like something from a painting in an art gallery they are that good. This is not a game I want to go back to but for what its worth I did enjoy my time playing through Ghosts of Tsushima. 

4. Doom Eternal

Bigger, Longer, Louder, and Harder are words that can describe Doom Eternal in comparing in to the previous game a.k.a. Doom 2016. Doom eternal takes that last game and adds stuff life much more elaborate platforming sequences and amps up the difficulty by a lot. If you had trouble with Doom 2016 you will struggle mightily with Doom Eternal. For my part there were many battles (especially near the end) where I had to repeat battles many times. I did find that struggle rewarding though (for the most part) and by the end even though I was struggling I always felt like I could figure it out and get through it. The Story of Doom Eternal for me never really existed and I am okay with that as this is not the game to come for to get story from. Doom Eternal is one big combat puzzle that is always throwing new enemies that often get introduced as boss but then turn to more regular enemies that you some times have to fight more than one of at a time. Doom Eternal is a hard but rewarding game. If you like Doom 2016 you will most probably like this one as well. 

3. The Last of Us Part 2

I very much enjoyed playing through the first Last of Us back in the day but I had a very difficult time in that first area (Boston). I struggled so much so that I had to stop playing for a while and force myself to go back and finish it. I am glad I did go back and I can say that the second game The Last of Us part 2 is a much easier and more approachable game than the first one, even in the stealthy parts. I was able to make my way through most if the game without much difficulty (I was playing on Normal for the record) and only struggled with one really annoying boss that was a big bullet/damage sponge. Looking back the big thing I remember about the story is that Elie (the main protagonist) is kind of a jerk (understandably so) and she just winds up making things worse for everyone at the end of the day. There are some cool moments in the game (including flash back scenes) and an interesting use of the PS4's very underused touchpad. The Last of Us part 2 is also an impressive looking game, despite lacking in color (understandable in the post apocalypses) and portrays a world that looks quite destroyed. One of my favorite scenes involve a scripted walk/ drive through an abandoned NFL stadium in Seattle that has been turned into a survivors camp that had a lot of neat detail that I really enjoyed. I am glad a played through the Last of Us part 2 and if you have played the first one you owe it to yourself to play this one as well. 

2. Persona 5 Royal

I watched the Giant Bomb Endurance Run of Persona 4 for the PS2 back in 2009 and was so inspired by it that I bought a copy of the game and played it on an emulator (I did not have a PS2) to completion (over taking Giant Bomb) while continuing to watch the said play through. Needles to say that game had a big impact on me in the year 2009. When Persona 5 came out I was uninterested in it due to that lack of the characters I had found memories of from Persona 4. When Persona 5 Royal was announced as an updated version I started to consider getting it, which lead to me actually getting it and doing a fully 140 hour play through of this game that only a couple of years ago I was steadfast in my refusal to get. Persona 5 Royal is a better game than Persona 4 from almost every possible perspective with better graphics, a more slick and usable menu system, more meaningful story content, more characters and more customization of everything. With that being said I spent the entire time comparing characters and moments to stuff from Persona 4 and I feel like I could never appreciate the game on its own terms. I also came to the thought that although better that Persona 4, Persona 5 Royal was so polished and streamlined that it felt a little hollow in comparison. There was no down time and no room for the lighter moments (such as the camping trip or the water melon party). I can't really put my thoughts about this into words that well but it felt like the main story stuff was on all the time and that the lighter stuff was missing when compared to Persona 4. With that said there is a reason this game is so high on my list and that is because it is awesome. J.R.P.G.s are not my kind of game but the Persona series is one of the few (if only) exceptions to that general dislike. As of the writing of this blog posts I am still under the influence of this big long game and thinking about the further adventures of my character. Persona 5 Royal is a game I can recommend to anyone with 140 hours to spend on a game.  

1. Ori and the Will of the Wisps 

It is no surprise to me that my most anticipated game of 2020 is also my favorite. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the sequel to one of my favorite games of the generation and it bests it in every possible way. The world is bigger, the characters more numerous and more well written, the story more touching, the graphics more beautiful, the platforming more tight and the combat more meaningful. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is (in my opinion) without question the Game of the Year for 2020. The fact that this game is out on every current platform means that there is no excuse for anyone to not play it. I guarantee that if you like any kind of video game you will love Ori and the Will of the Wisps.  

Bonus: CrossCode (in progress as of end of 2020) 

Just like last year I have to include a game that came out in 2020 that I started playing that year but did not finish in time. Last year that game was Sekiro and this year it is CrossCode (which came out on console and Game Pass in 2020) a Action RPG that is a cross (get it?) between Secret of Mana, the Legend of Zelda, and Phantasy Star. This is a game I tried on a whim simply because it was on Game Pass and I like it. When I got the Series X I saw that CrossCode was enhanced for it so I played it again and I liked it even more, so much so that I started a fully play through it on my YouTube Channel as a Daily LongPlay series. This game has a lot of Persona style Character moments and some very challenging puzzle based dungeons and a very Super Nintendo graphical look. This is a game that makes me very thankful that I signed up for Game Pass as I would not have tried it otherwise. 

Older Games I also Beat

2020 was not just about new Games for me. I also completed a decent number of older games this year for the first time. The following is an unordered lists of the highlights of older games I have beat this year. 

Sekiro Shadows Die Twice

The the last game I started in 2019 is also first game I finished in 2020 and that is Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. This is the first and only game made by From Software that I had any interest in playing and for the purposes of my channel and my Daily LongPlay series the biggest risk I have ever taken in picking a game to play through given the reputation of the Souls series. I took this chance because I could tell that Sekiro was different from those games and that it looked much more like a Ninja Gaiden / Devil May Cry style game that I could get into. Sekiro ended up being more like a cross between those styles. I banged my head against almost every main and sub boss in that game over and over again and I never "got good" at the combat but at no point did I ever regret starting my play through or want to stop playing. With how hard that game was for me that I kept playing and enjoying it says something ( good about the game or bad about me, I'm not sure). Regardless I am very much looking forward to the next Sekiro game even as I have no interest in any other From Software game. 

Red Dead Redemption 1 

It took me too long to get around to playing Red Dead Redemption, even after I bought a dirt cheap used copy of it but I did that this past year. I could tell while playing that this is an older style of GTA game (that it clearly predates GTA5) and is very fetch quest heavy and rather barren landscapes. With that being said I did enjoy my time playing it for the most part. The story did not stick with me much as I can only remember the revenge part of it. I did enjoy riding around the vast game area on that hores much more than I expect. I played Red Dead Redemption on the Xbox One X via backwards compatibility and much of the game's graphics hold up pretty well at a higher resolution (4K in my case) after 10 years. I am really glad I played it when I did though thanks to the next game on this list.

Red Dead Redemption 2

I once again sing the praises of Xbox Game Pass with Red Dead Redemption 2 which was added to that awesome service shortly after I completed the first game. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a much more modern game than the first one in every possible way (other than the setting, being a prequel) and while it did have a very noticeable amount of input lag and some confusing controls with too much being piled on the controller I found the story and characters far more engaging than the first game. I think it might of been better to play this game first than Red Dead Redemption 1 as I would have been able to understand and appreciate the meaning of the events in the first game if I played the second one before hand. As it was I was able to get a better grasp of it after finishing Red Dead Redemption 2. I should also say that this is one good looking game that really make me excited for what the next gen systems can do natively (once we get past the cross generation era we are in that is) and if they do make a Red Dead Redemption 3 (if that is even possible) I am in on day one.  

The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess HD 

I have a confession to make, until 2020 I have never beaten a 3D Legend of Zelda game. I beat the original NES game and a Link to the Past and I have spent time playing many of the 3D games in the series. I beat The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD on the WiiU this year, thus ending that disturbing truth. This might not be the first of these games that I should have beaten first but I am glad it was as it was likely the shortest and easiest of those games to beat and based on the popularity (or lack therefore of) when I go on to other games in the 3D Zelda series I have no where to go but up. While there were a few annoying section (that one wagon escort mission) and this game was clearly inspired by Okami (itself a Zelda Cone) in many ways I did enjoy playing it and I look forward to playing my next 3D Legend of Zelda if they really are all better than this game, which I think is a good game in its own right.  

Shadow of the Colossus Remake

I played the original PS2 release of Shadow of the Colossus back in the day but I only beat a handful of the colossi before I stopped playing for what ever reason. When I bough my PS4 Pro I knew this was going to be one of the games I was going to buy and play. I had a lot of trouble with the last few Colossi (especially that last one with me getting very stuck on it). I don't really have much to say about this game other than I am glad I played this version which ran and looked way better than the PS2 original. This game has a vast and empty world that feature only you, your horse, your loved one and the Colossi you have to kill as living things to interact with. For as much as that was likely a limitation of the PS2 hardware for which this game was designed for but it does work now a days (even with way better hardware that could justify adding more stuff). Shadow of the Colossus is one those games I bought a Playstation 4 Professional model in order to play on. 

 New Devices I Acquired 

• RGB Deblur Mod for N64

In 2019 I purchase from a good will store a Nintendo 64 for about $13 (with the RAM expansion cart but without a controller) which was for me one of those situations I always hear about from youtubers who do that kind of deal shopping regularly that I assumed would never happen to me. I bought a cheap 3rd party controller and a cheap game and the system worked. I decided the best thing to do with this $13 N64 was to  upgrade it with a $150 RGB deblur mod (I am smart with money). Once I got this mod done and I got a good RGB SCART cable I set about building a small N64 game library with some notable classics such as Perfect Dark (my first game) Star Fox 64, Mario 64, Ocarina of Time and Golden Eye. I must say that the system looks much better on my 20 inch consumer grade CRT I got back in 2002 than on the big screen. I can see that the Nintendo 64 may not be the best retro system for this kind of setup as even with the RGB, the deblur and the OSSC it still does not look great. I am glad I got this done though as now I have access to some great game from the early 3D era that I can stream on my channel. I would not recommend that others do what I did though. 

• Old Dell Desktop (Retro PC) 

After spending way too much time watching YouTube channels like LGR and 8-bit Guy I decided I wanted a Retro Computer of my own so I bought an old Dell Desktop from a thrift store and I later went on Ebay to get a matching Dell CRT Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, Set of Desktop Speakers, as well as some RAM and a Graphics Card. I spent too much money on this project and the result is that I was sent the Wrong Ram (I did get a refund from) the speakers did not come with the AC Adapter (on me for not carefully reading the listing) and when I bought a separate plug the speakers still did not work, and a Graphics card that also did not work plus the HDD on the desktop is way too loud and finally the Monitor does not rest flat on its stand. I have after months finally started to address some of these problems but this is going to be a more long term project over the course of 2021 that may include downgrading from Windows XP to 98 for better MS-DOS support. I don't regret starting this project but I do wish I had been smarter about what stuff I got and from where. 

• Razer Kishi Phone Controller 

I am a Game Pass Ultimate (I may have mentioned that already) and as such I have access to X-Cloud, the gaming streaming service for phones and such and I also had to buy a new phone this past year that has USB-C so I went a nd bought a Razer Kishi Phone Controller to give game streaming a try. It is a pretty good controller for the most part and it was $80 (I did not get the one with the Xbox One button color coding as that would have been extra). This is a wired controller that goes on the sides of the phone Joy-con style and has 4 face buttons, 4 shoulder buttons, two analogue sticks, start and select buttons and a D-pad. It snaps on to the phone pretty easily and other than some flex it feels pretty secure.  I am not sure how much use it will get but if I ever switch to a phone service with unlimited data (or 5G) I might end up using it a lot. 

• Xbox Series X

I wanted to get an RTX 3080 this year but I was dashed. I also wanted to get the Analogue Pocket FPGA based handheld but I missed out on the pre-order. The one thing I was able to get is the Xbox Series X. I do not yet have any Next Gen exclusive games for it but I am sure they will come. I will be getting Halo Infinite (Game Pass) and perhaps Cyberpunk 2077 (when the patch is available) but for the moment I am just enjoying paying my "old"  games on this new hardware with faster load times, better frame rates and higher resolutions.  I like the look of the system even though I had to rearrange my entertainment setup to accommodate the better looking vertical orientation. I like the new controller as well with its better D-pad. I can't wait to try out some games with ray tracing on it ( I bought the Control Ultimate edition and eagerly await the next gen patch) and I also still have plenty of backwards compatible stuff to look at as well. 

Conclusion 

I did not play as many new games this year for many reasons such as Halo being delayed, not getting a better GPU for Half-Life Alex, and my time getting taken up by some long games, both old and new (looking at you Persona). I also did not take as many risks in the games that I choose as last year. I did enjoy every game I finished though. I was unable to get as much hardware this year as I wanted (I did try but I'm not paying scalpers). I was also disappointed by the lack of the Cuphead DLC, Tunic, the state of Cyberpunk 2077 (and its lack of true next gen support) and the lack of the Super Switch that I am waiting to get (maybe 2021?). Overall this was not as good of a year in gaming for me in 2020 but it wasn't bad either. I do hope for better things from gaming though in 2021.