The top 10 video games releasing in 2024 we’re most looking forward to
2024's release calendar isn't full yet, but already we have a pretty good idea about what big titles PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo intend on launching.
2023 turned out to be one of the very best years for video game releases we'd seen for quite some time, with heavyweights like Baldur's Gate 3, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Street Fighter 6 surpassing most people's expectations. That's why the pressure is on for all three major console platforms to equally excite us with a slew of new top-tier video game releases, keeping the momentum going with even more ambitious titles designed to push these machines further.
2024 could even be the year we learn more about Nintendo Switch 2, so there's lots to be excited about. But, of course, it's the video games themselves that will decide whether or not 2024 ends up being a banner year. With that in mind, here's the top 10 video games releasing in 2024 that we’re most looking forward to.
Skull and Bones
I long for the day when Ubisoft’s ill-fated pirate simulator finally sees release – and 2024 could be the year. Originally set for release in 2018 – you reads that correctly – Skull and Bones has suffered several delays ever since, until it was kicked further and further down the road, with the most recent one coming as a result of poor reception in closed beta. However, February 16, 2024 looks like when this sea-based multiplayer adventure with friends looks to finally set sail.
It's hard to believe that Skull and Bones originally started out life as a spin-off of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, a game which almost every fan of that series agrees is a highlight. The concept of sailing to islands in search of loot and treasure seemed pretty well established, so lord knows what has been proving such a tough nut for Ubisoft to crack with Skull and Bones. We’re still excited to play the finished product, nevertheless, because AAA pirate games aren’t prevalent enough.
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Little Nightmares 3
Tarsier Studios absolutely nailed its duo of bite-sized spooky delights in the first two Little Nightmares games. The baton has been passed onto Supermassive Games, a respected horror developer in its own right, for Little Nightmares 3, which casts players as two new characters for this third chilling outing. This marks the first time the series has supported online multiplayer co-op, challenging pairs of players to puzzle and platform through the scares together.
Little Nightmares 3 will see co-op multiplayer come to the series for the first time. (Supermassive Games)Although still without an official release date, Little Nightmares 3 is already looking great from what little we’ve seen so far. Having fresh protagonists in Low and Alone will also make it the perfect jumping on point for newcomers, with the former utilising a bow and arrow to get by while the latter uses a wrench. Little Nightmares 3 doesn’t look to just expand the creepy world, but its gameplay and mechanics too.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
The last game Rocksteady released was 2015’s Batman: Arkham Knight. The developer is set to return to this universe in a very different way on February 2, 2024, in the form of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which swaps the open-world superhero simulator format in favour of a co-op shooting experience. Players will have the choice to play as Captain Boomerang, Harley Quinn, Killer Shark, and Deadshot, each with their unique skills, in the attempt to take down a brain-washed Justice League team.
Hopes are high that, despite some bland gameplay showcases released so far, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will be a far more successful co-op take on the DC universe than 2022’s Gotham Knights. Rocksteady has been given plenty of extra time to get the tone and angle right, after all, so here’s hoping all four of the playable heroes feel unique and that this is a respectful continuation of the Batman: Arkham saga.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
With the release of the Resident Evil 4 remake and Street Fighter 6 in 2023, Capcom has been absolutely on fire lately. That’s why it’s hoped that the long-awaited Dragon’s Dogma 2, a sequel well over 10 years in the making, will be worth it. Fortunately, from what we can tell so far, Dragon’s Dogma 2 looks to offer players the same epic adventures, giant climbable beasts, and impeccable pawn companion system, all presented with souped-up graphics that make the first game look like a dry run.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 makes the switch to the RE Engine to give other fantasy RPGs a run for their money visually, telling an all-new story that doesn’t require you to play the first one. Although those that have will have a better idea what to expect from the world, which Capcom is said to have been influence by the emergent nature of GTA 5 when creating. Set for release on March 22, 2024, Dragon’s Dogma 2 promises to a be a meaty game to sink your teeth into early on in the year.
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
Square Enix’s mission to remake and remould the entirety of Final Fantasy 7 continues in February of next year, with the second part, Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, taking Cloud and the crew out of Midgar and into the new worlds outside. It brings the same beautiful visuals and strategic gameplay to this second part of what’s intended to be a trilogy, adding in new mechanics like Synergy abilities and Chocobo riding to further engross you in this remixed version of the beloved JRPG.
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth also sees the introduction of fan-favourites Red XIII and Sephiroth as playable characters, letting you swap in and swap out your ideal party of heroes beyond just Cloud, Barrett, and Tifa. We now know that this version of the Final Fantasy 7 story isn’t afraid to completely change up what fans know, and this sentiment is only set to continue when it launches on February 29, 2024.
Fable
Following Redfall falling flat on its face and the so-so reception of Starfield, Xbox is in need of a big win in 2024. Luckily, it has more than a few AAA exclusives up its sleeve planned to release next year, and the one we’re hoping hits this window is the reboot of Fable. No true gameplay has yet been shown, sure, but the cinematic trailer released during 2023’s Summer Games Fest Xbox Showcase was proof that the tongue-in-cheek tone and engaging world remains intact.
This new Fable reboot comes to us from developer Playground Games, who Xbox players will certainly recognise from its work on the Forza Horizon games. This marks quite the departure, then, for a team primarily known for creating approachable arcade racing within a beautiful world. And it’s that last point that has us excited most when thinking about the prospect of returning to Albion on Xbox Series X|S.
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Star Wars Outlaws
2024 should mark our first time seeing what developers other than EA can achieve with the Star Wars licence since Lucasarts relinquished the rights from the publisher a few years ago. In this case it’s Star Wars Outlaws from Ubisoft, a full-fledged open world adventure set between the events of Episode 5 and 6 that will let players explore the underbelly of locations in the Star Wars universe. Confirmed familiar sights so far include the moon of Toshara, Kijimi, and even Tatooine.
You'll be able to travel by foot or by bike on Star Wars Outlaw's various worlds. (Ubisoft)Though an exact release date for Star Wars Outlaws is yet to be pinned down, the debut gameplay trailer shows a lot of promise. Shootouts appear to be cover-based and the visuals are up there with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s depiction of this famous universe. Outlaw Kay Vess seems to be as endearing as heroes come, too, especially with her companion Nix by her side, all as part of a story that will see the pair try to pull off the biggest Outer Rim heist the galaxy has ever seen.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
The next major instalment of Sega’s recently rebranded Like a Dragon series of cool, lengthy, and often very silly RPGs returns on January 26, 2024 with the arrival of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Ichaban Kasuga’s story continues, only this time he’s joined by original Yakuza protagonist Kazuma Kiryu in a new adventure that takes place outside of Japan for the very first time, transporting our favourite familiar crime bosses to Hawaii.
The traditional turn-based combat from 2020’s Like a Dragon makes its return, although Kiryu will offer players the ability to fight in real time thanks to his unique “Dragon of Dojima” job. In all these ways and more Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth appears to be a celebration of all the franchise’s eras, kicking us off early next year while riding off the hype of 2023’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.
Princess Peach: Showtime!
Super Mario has been hogging the limelight for too long – with 2023 being another prime example. And while Nintendo is still hesitant to give Waluigi a starring role in his own game like he deserves, everyone’s favourite princess will be the star of her own adventure next year in the expertly titled Princess Peach: Showtime! Taking place within the Mushroom Kingdom’s Sparkle Theater, you’ll guide Peach through various on-stage scenes, fighting and solving puzzles via a boatload of showstopping guises.
Princess Peach Showtime! looks to be taking full advantage of its theatre setting. (Nintendo)Peach will take on roles like a Kung Fu master, Pastry Chef, Musketeer and more in a bid to prove she’s the star of the show. It looks to be a very different type of 2D platformer compared to what we’d typically expect from Nintendo, sure to be one of the most exciting last first-party games to launch on Nintendo Switch. Princess Peach: Showtime! takes centre stage on March 22, 2024.
Banishers: Ghost of New Eden
Red and Antea are the ghost hunters caught in an awkward predicament in Banishers: Ghost of New Eden, the new third-person RPG from developer Don’t Nod. Described as a spiritual successor to 2019’s Vampyr, it promises to have players make decisions that are similarly tough, as Red must choose whether to bring Antea back to life or usher her on to the next phase of her journey after she falls victim to an evil force and transformed into a spirit.
Combat in Banishers: Ghost of New Eden appears much more in-depth than in Vampyr, with Red and Antea both playing effectively against different enemy types. When not banishing ghosts the pair also have their quirks in exploration, which comes in handy when investigating many of the game’s Haunted Cases. Banishers: Ghost of New Eden looks to be Don’t Nod’s biggest game yet, coming early on in the year on February 13, 2024.
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