- Get link
- Other Apps
My 8 most anticipated video games of 2024.
The 2023 list
First off
though, a look back at those 8 games of my 2023 list to see where they've ended
up. Surprisingly, of the 8 games I listed last year, I ended up buying 6 of
them and reviewed three: Burning Shores, Spider-Man 2 & Forspoken.
The only
game I didn't buy, aside from the delayed Plucky Squire, is Fire Emblem:
Engage. I really used to like Fire Emblem and while I still do, as I said
before SRPGS like Fire Emblem and Triangle Strategy are a type of games I
really need to be in the mood for. I simply haven't been in the mood for
another SRPG in a while. Even if I do get that itch again, I'm going to give
Three Houses' DLC 'Cindered Shadows' a go first. Never say never, but I don't
see myself buying Engange for quite a while. Not at full price, at least.
Now, on to
the 2024 list!
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Release date: January 18th
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Going through the games by their release order, as far as those are known, the first game up is a title that seems to follow in the footsteps of Metroid Dread. The first Prince of Persia game in over a decade goes back to the series' roots with a 2.5D platforming action adventure. It´s because of its 2.5D visuals and the inclusion of Metroidvania elements that I compare it to Dread, a game I very much enjoyed, and the reason it´s on my radar at all.
As a fan of
that game and other MetroidVania´s like the Shantae series, the trailers of The
Lost Crown speak my language. With some good visuals, a level of
customizability in the equipable amulets and the promise of a setting heavily
inspired by Persian Mythology, the title has some great promise. Not enough for
me to pick up the game on day one, I don´t have that kind of faith in Ubisoft,
but if the reviews are good I will give it serious consideration when the mood
for another Metroidvania adventure strikes me.
Another Code: Recollection
Release date: January 19th
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
I can´t say that I ever heard of Another Code until the last Nintendo Direct. On further inspection, I did see the boxart of Another Code: R - A Journey into Lost Memories pop up once or twice in online stores but that's about it. The trailer of this double remake, which goes the Spyro: Reignited Trilogy route here, pulled me in. '
The
atmosphere it gives off is so strikingly strong that it just demands my
attention. The eerie piano, the beautiful cell-shaded graphics and the
lighting. The promise of puzzles and mysteries to unravel. It all just clicks
with me. I've never played a 'point-and-click' or 'visual novel' game before,
but the demo that's now out might just push me over the edge if it clicks.
Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered
Release date: February 14th
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Tomb Raider
1-3 Remastered is basically a 'put your money where your mouth is' situation.
For years I've wanted the older Tomb Raider games accessible on modern
hardware. As someone who only recently discovered the series, getting to play
all but the 'Survivor' trilogy is quite difficult. You'd need both the proper
hardware and these old games: quite a costly and timely endeavour.
I would've
been satisfied with a simple re-release but this collection also gives the
graphics of the first three games a bit of extra polish. It's far from
something like the visuals of the Reignited Trilogy in that these titles
haven't been remade to fit modern graphics and whatnot. It's more that
the games have been polished up to look sharper, be in HD, and have extra
textures while keeping the style of the originals. They keep the
'artistic-intent' of what the original PS1 games looked like.
Not going to lie, I would've liked a more thorough visual
rework, the more or less look like HD ports of PS2 games, but if these titles
have updated controles (goodbye tank controls) then I don't see any reason not
the buy these remasters and finally give the 'orginals' a go. Through a
physical copy, preferably.
Princess Peach: Showtime!
Release date: March 22nd
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Princess
Peach: Showtime! is very much here out of morbid curiosity. My fondness for
Mario has grown over the years and with the Mario Movie still fresh enough in
my mind, all Mario-related media catches my attention easier than usual. So,
when this game was teased in a Nintendo Direct, it was one of the games that
when the screen went black it stayed with me.
The look
was brief, but it looked interesting enough. That it is Peach's 2nd ever solo
title (that doesn't make a gameplay mechanism out of her emotions going out of
control) is a big part of that, I admit.
The 2nd
trailer, the one that actually showed gameplay and went into the setup, gave me
more mixed feelings than others though. I do like the entire theatre aspect
(the musical atmosphere, the sets, the costumes that change up the gameplay
etc.) but there's just something about the perspective and how slow and heavy
the gameplay seems that I don't love. I also worry that the gimmick of
different outfits that change the gameplay will lead to a title that lacks
cohesion. A jack of all trades, master of none type of situation.
I will have
to see more of the gameplay and, again, wait for the reviews but if this game
is a good and unique enough experience that addresses the issues I have with it
now, then I might just give it a go.
Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution
Release date: TBA
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, PC
I mentioned
Shantae when talking about why the new Prince of Persia game caught my
attention so I think it comes as no surprise that the upcoming 6th game in the
series is still on this list. And with quite an interesting story behind it
too! Before the release of the original Shantae on the GameBoy Colour in 2022,
developer WayForward where already working on a sequel for the GameBoy Advance.
With the poor sales performance of the original though, no one wanted to fund
the sequel and the game got shelved.
Now though, the title is back. WayForward, together with Limited Run Games, are now completing the game to give us the GBA title we missed out on. Well, as close as the original vision you can get all these years later. Crunchy sprites, an interesting gameplay gimmick and that classic Shantae wit. Plus: a multiplayer mode, the first one the series has gotten. Yeah, this game's looking like a fun time and window into the past.
The Plucky Squire
Release date: TBA
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
The one and
only holdover from last year's list is the Indie title 'The Plucky Squire'. I’m
not really invested in the Indie scene, but The Plucky Squire is on my radar
because of its interesting style and gameplay. It’s about three storybook
characters who “discover a three-dimensional world outside the pages of their
book. They must jump between 2D & 3D realms to save their friends in
this charming action-adventure”.
What this translates to is that you jump between 2D and 3D
gameplay. The characters will jump outside their pages of the book and continue
their adventures in the room the book is lying in. From the desk to the little
print that is on the coffee cup. That looks like a fun and unique experience.
Bonus: former Pokémon designer James Turner is one of the developers.
Visions of Mana
Release date: TBD
Platform(s): PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
The timing
of announcement of this game is an interesting coincidence. In 2020 I played
the Trials of Mana Demo, alongside that of Dragon Quest XI Echoes of an Elusive
Age: Definitive Edition, and quickly decided that both demos were fun enough to
keep both titles in my head. Even though I had checked out deals on the game
ever since, I never actualy bought it untill I decided to finally bite the
bullet this Black Friday when the Switch version was discounted.
Yes, it´s the
technical inferior version of the title but I´ve sat through the entirety of
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 with its similair pop-in issues, so it´s all good. A
small price to pay for playing it on my favourite console, really. I haven´t
played the game yet but because Trials of Mana has been in my mind quite a lot,
this game caught my eye. From what I´ve seen and experiences from Trials of
Mana, Visions of Mana looks like a bigger version of that game with,
undoubtedly, more modern convenices and lots of added bells and whistles.
The absence
of a Switch logo in the trailer is a peculiar detail. However, with 2024 very
likely the year that the Switch successor will drop, I imagine that console
will be put on the platforms list after its big reveal. If the PS4 can run it,
I imagine Nintendo's next console can as well.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Release date: TBD
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Last but not least is the, in some circles, long awaited re-release of the most popular game in the Paper Mario series: The Thousand-Year Door. I first learned of this game through YouTuber Arlo who, way back in 2019 started, a campaign about the game: #RemasterThousandYearDoor. He knew it would not lead to a Thousand-Year Door remaster but he hoped that his effort would lead to more visibility for the game, thus more peopple trying it out and talking about it. That this conversation could push the needle when it came down to it.
So those are the 8 games coming, if everything goes according to plan, in 2024 that I'm looking forward to. As you've read, my hype level for 2024 is on the lower side of the spectrum. Some fun and interesting looking games, sure, but all titles I can wait for. Assuming they even turn out well in the first place but that's OK. Not every year can be a banger.
Plus: I can use the 'time' to play through my backlog. Actually finish Tears of the Kingdom and Octopath Traveller II, start Uncharted 4 and Trials of Mana and more. Well, until the 'Switch 2' is revealed alongside its lineup and/or Sony starts announcing some 1st party titles, at least.
Comments
The new games are awesome. I think ratchet and clank will get a musical game about nefarious along with lawrence, Courtney gears, and her older brother Cameron (new character) use a planet size groovitron to place ratchet and clank along with their friends and allies including rivet, kit, and others a musical curse on them while they must sing, dance, and fight there way to break the curse with a help of ratchet's long lost cousin (voice by Lin Manuel Miranda and also a new character) to stop nefarious (who was under a curse as well along with lawrence) and the gears sibling from ruling the galaxies.
ReplyDeleteSorry about all the typing. I hope crash, spyro, Jak and daxter, sly cooper, and others will return eventually.
ReplyDeleteNo worries. It´s better than not getting any comments at all, but do please try to post them under the appropiate article please.
DeleteGot it. What do you think about the ratchet and clank musical idea?
DeleteHonestly? Haven't given it much thought yet. I noticed some serious problems with the formatting of this article (different fonts and font size) which I've been fixing the last 40 minutes.
DeleteThat said, I do like musicals so I wouldn't mind it.
Yeah.
DeleteMaybe this ratchet and clank game is going to added in the ideas wiki website. This game would feature James Monroe iglehart, Neil Patrick Harris, Justin lapena, Halle Bailey, jack black, and more.
Delete