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2020 is almost here, so we’ve asked GameSpot’s staff to share which games they’re looking forward to most in the new year. New consoles are going to dominate the headlines, but at the end of the day it’s all about the games, and there are a ton of exciting ones to look forward to. When you’re done reading this entry, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our Best of 2019 hub.

For years, Team Ninja’s Nioh was one of my favorite action games set in ancient Japan. I particularly love that setting, so my passion for it came naturally. But then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice happened, and all of a sudden, my appreciation for Team Ninja’s interpretation of the Soulsborne genre dwindled. Like Nioh, Sekiro fulfilled my dream to see a grim wartorn Sengoku-era Japan in a video game, but it did so in ways that Nioh could only dream of–which is all the more shocking as it pulled this off using a fictional kingdom. Still, I find myself excited for Team Ninja’s second shot at Nioh. The studio always had a knack for crafting challenging combat mechanics that allow you to express yourself through stylish combos–a quality I find appealing as a fan of character action games. It just may be the opportunity the series needs to further cement a place in the Soulsborne genre.

Nioh 2‘s combat looks to build upon the original in significant ways by expanding the abilities available. Set during the height of the Sengoku-era (Yes!), you play as a nameless mercenary you create yourself, who just so happens to be half-demon. This unique bloodline affords you a host of devastating supernatural powers, such as the ability to summon demons and even transform into one yourself for a limited time. At a glance, these additions don’t sound like they’ll reinvent the wheel, but I’m hoping the new abilities will enrich the combat with a deeper focus on experimentation. I loved Nioh’s combat, but it grew easy to stick to a single loadout and strategy. More abilities and weapons could expand the tactics available and make combat that much more thrilling.

If there’s another aspect I hope is further developed, it’s Nioh’s sense of place. The original’s world was a smattering of ravaged shrines and villages, which, while I appreciated, didn’t offer much visually to make your journey through feudal Japan genuinely memorable. The army of demons you fought also lacked intrigue and were repetitive in design–something I found unacceptable when you consider all the mythological creatures available in Japanese culture. Based on trailers, Team Ninja seems to be addressing these issues in Nioh 2. There are more intriguing otherworldly locales; your character is capable of traversing the demonic realm this time. And it appears there’s a larger cast of gruesome foes to slay, like a terrifying anthropomorphic horse creature and a fiery cat-lady demon with wagon wheels for legs.

The more I recall just how outstanding the original Nioh was at making me feel like a graceful master samurai who can slice a foe as quickly as sheath their blade, the more excited get about playing the sequel. After giving it some thought, I’m not looking for Nioh 2 to dethrone Sekiro in my love for all action games set in ancient Japan. I firmly believe they can both exist and be exceptional at different things.

Aside from the recent open beta, not much major news has circulated about Nioh 2. While those slivers of gameplay have given us some understanding of how it’ll play, Team Ninja hasn’t revealed many explicit details around its story. Hopefully, we’re due for more information and another hands-on with Nioh 2 before it launches on March 13, 2020.

For a brief rundown on everything you need to know about Nioh 2, be on the lookout for our explainer highlighting all the essential details.

2020 is almost here, so we’ve asked GameSpot’s staff to share which games they’re looking forward to most in the new year. New consoles are going to dominate the headlines, but at the end of the day it’s all about the games, and there are a ton of exciting ones to look forward to. When you’re done reading this entry, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our Best of 2019 hub.

While far from the only game deserving of such credit, Final Fantasy 7 was a key factor in Sony’s first-at-bat home run with the original PlayStation, not to mention its gross dominance over its former business partner’s console, the Nintendo 64. FF7 possessed all the ingredients Sony needed to tell the world that playing games on PlayStation was unlike anything else, and it worked. For the game it is, and the impact it had, few games carry the notoriety of FF7. The first chapter of the long-awaited remake will arrive on PS4 next year, and even though it will be confined to the first major location in the story, it’s still my most-anticipated game of 2020.

Square Enix has made it clear that the remake won’t be a carbon copy of the original game in a 4K costume, which sounds like the right move. Slightly upgraded ports of the ’97 release are readily available on modern platforms, and despite how innovative it was at the time and how much of it still holds up today, its heart and soul are clearly of a bygone era. The remake is an opportunity to introduce a more believable world, flesh out the main characters after decades of examination (and numerous spin-off games), and transform the turn-based combat system into something more engaging and dynamic than before.

Having played a 20-minute demo during E3, I can confidently say that I like the general direction of the new real-time battle system. Square Enix has introduced a modern, free-roaming third-person camera, and it brings you closer to Cloud, the iconic lead character who is also, thankfully, represented in much greater detail than his former rudimentary PS1 model. During battle, wielding his massive buster sword and executing special Limit Break moves feels both new and grounded in tradition. You can assign specific actions to buttons, or open the Tactical menu, which brings combat to a near-halt, affording you the opportunity to consider your options and choose the best move for the conflict at hand.

There is, of course, a lot more to FF7 than fighting. I can’t wait to see what’s become of the script, and whether or not the characters from my imagination have been changed in significant ways. I’ll admit, Barret’s over-the-top voice acting seen in trailers and demos thus far has me worried, to a degree, but I’m still looking very much forward to see the end result for him and the rest of the cast. The same goes for Midgar city, a place known for its downtrodden slums in the shadow of the towering Shinra Electric Power Company building. I’ve only seen the inside of a Shinra power reactor, which is thematically dull compared to Midgar proper, so I still have a ton of questions about Square Enix’s handling of the infamous city.

I want to believe that the years of apprehension on the development side was because the creators’ expressed reverence for the original game is paramount. When they say they don’t want to screw it up, I hope “it” refers to the creative opportunity, rather than FF7’s brand value. So far, I’m admittedly giving them the benefit of the doubt because I want to see what they’ll come up with, and because my early demo did a lot to convince me of the new battle system. Next year’s release will be the first step in a long journey to recreate one of the most iconic games of all time, and I’m admittedly counting down the months until its March 2020 debut to see what’s become of it after all these years. But if you’re curious to pick up the game when it launches, head to our Final Fantasy 7 Remake pre-order guide for more details and links.

The highly-anticipated new show focusing on the iconic Star Trek character Jean-Luc Picard has been renewed for a second season. Season 1 of Star Trek: Picard doesn’t premiere until early next year, but it has been confirmed that star Patrick Stewart will return for Season 2.

As reported by Deadline, Picard Season 2 looks likely to have 10 episodes and will premiere on CBS All Access. Season 1 will have the same number of episodes and arrives on January 23, 2020. There are no further details about Season 2 available yet, but current showrunner Michael Chabon won’t be returning, as he’s about to oversee an adaptation of his acclaimed novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay at Showtime.

Stewart played Picard in 7 seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the new show will feature a number of familiar faces from that show, namely Brent Spiner as Data, Jonathan Frakes as Riker, and Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi, plus Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine from Star Trek: Voyager. For more, watch the latest trailer here and check out GameSpot’s guide to everything we know so far about Star Trek: Picard.

In related news, it was recently reported that there are two new Star Trek movies in development. The planned fourth movie in the current reboot series was seemingly cancelled earlier this year, but ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish has stated that more movies are on the way. However, it’s unknown if one of these are the Quentin Tarantino-written R-rated Star Trek that the filmmaker has described as “Pulp Fiction in space.” Just recently, Tarantino said his Star Trek movie is unlikely to happen, although he said an official conversation on the subject has not yet taken place.

Disclosure: CBS All Access is owned by CBSViacom, GameSpot’s parent company.