I have been of the opinion that in the past few years, gaming has been experiencing a bit of a golden age. Triple-A studios are (sometimes) taking heed of industry trends and spending more time polishing games to be their best instead of releasing barely-finished titles, and many indie studios have carved their names into the legacy of gaming by releasing more and better titles into the mainstream.

This golden age shines through the end of 2023 and well into 2024 with promising titles being teased, confirmed, or officially announced. Across genres, game developers are putting their best feet forward, with some of these games hopefully being released sooner rather than later.

If you’ve been curious as to what games are on the horizon, here are 20 titles that are projected to drop within the next solar cycle that shine just bright enough to keep an eye on.

20. Avowed - TBC 2024 (XSX|S, PC)

Obsidian Entertainment returns to form with a brand new fantasy RPG- Avowed.

AVOWED - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Avowed is an upcoming narrative-driven RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, the makers of beloved classics like Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity. Obsidian is returning to their roots with Avowed, focusing on delivering a story-first experience directly impacted by the player’s choices. Players will have access to powerful weapons and magical abilities to help them survive in the harsh world of Eora and experiment with character builds as they take the reins of their adventure.

19. Granblue Fantasy: Relink - February 1, 2024 (PS4, PS5, PC)

The Protagonist of Granblue Fantasy: Relink travels with their companions.

GRANBLUE FANTASY: RELINK - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Take to the skies in Cygames’ new anime RPG Granblue Fantasy: Relink. Trouble stirs in the Zegagrande Skydom, ancient home of mysterious beings known as Astrals, and players must gather allies from across the cloud tops of the Skydom to stop it. Sporting anime aesthetics, flashy action combat, over 100 quests to complete whether alone or through online co-op, Granblue Fantasy: Relink seems like it has something for everyone to enjoy.

18. Palword (Early Access) - January 2024 (PC)

Palworld shocked gamers worldwide with gameplay screenshots such as the one above showing sheep-like Pals wielding heavy machine guns.

PALWORLD - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

If you have heard of Palworld, then you probably thought you were dreaming when you were told that someone was making a Pokémon-styled creature-collecting game with the added twist that both the players and the creatures would have access to military grade weapons and artillery.

Thankfully, this gem is not a dream, and is very much real.

An open-world multiplayer survival crafting game, Palworld, developed by Pocketpair, promises to be an absolute fever dream. The game’s reveal trailer introduces us to a beautiful cartoonish world filled with the mysterious “Pals”, creatures of diverse shape, size, and ability. It continues to show players taking control of their character, capturing and training Pals… often by giving them miniguns and rocket launchers then setting them loose upon other, less strapped Pals.

I will be playing this game immediately when it launches on Steam Early Access early next year, if only to figure out why the Pals need bazookas (and then maybe use them).

17. Hellblade 2: Senua's Saga - TBC 2024 (XSX|S, PC)

Senua’s harrowing journey across the stories of viking mythology continues in Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga.

HELLBLADE 2: SENUA’S SAGA - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Viking Iceland’s mighty Senua returns in the sequel to Ninja Theory’s 2017 hit with Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga. The frigid wastes of the North continue to beckon Senua on her brutal journey, this time with even more stunning visuals through current generation graphical technology.

Hellblade’s initial success was not only due to its unique story and gritty aesthetics, but also with the game’s incredible sound design. Ninja Theory spared no expense in creating the most immersive and suspenseful environment possible, which would not be possible without the three-dimensional binaural audio experience that resembles auditory hallucinations that someone with psychosis might experience.

I only played bits and pieces of the first Hellblade, but I am very much looking forward to diving into Senua’s mind once again next year.

16. Princess Peach: Showtime! - March 22, 2024 (Switch)

Princess Peach lunges with a rapier in her “swordfighter” role.

PRINCESS PEACH: SHOWTIME! - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Man, Peach just can’t ever get a break, can she?

The Mushroom Kingdom Princess’s show stolen by some (literally) rotten actors, Nintendo’s favorite girlboss cooks, kicks, and cuts her way stage left and right to get the spotlight back where it belongs- on her!

With a side-scrolling action adventure vibe mixed with familiar Mario Party-esque minigames, fans of Nintendo, especially those that are ride-or-die for Princess Peach, will finally be able to experience a game where she is more than capable of saving herself from any castle. 

15. Persona 5 Tactica - November 17, 2024 (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, Switch, PC)

Key art for Persona 5 Tactica, showcasing the game’s chibi renditions of the beloved Phantom Thieves.

PERSONA 5 TACTICA - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Those waiting for more of Joker and the Phantom Thieves won’t have to wait much longer with Persona 5 Tactica releasing on November 17th. Featuring an all-new story starring the cherished characters making up the ragtag group of vigilantes, Atlus brings the Phantom Thieves back to the Metaverse. Stumbling upon a strange world, the Phantom Thieves must free its people living under oppressive military occupation.

Persona 5 Tactica isn’t just getting a new look, though. Gameplay-wise, the traditional turn-based formula from Persona 5 is tweaked into a more rapid, strategic form reminiscent of Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle and XCOM, putting emphasis on the “tactic” part of “Tactica”. Players can build a dream squad from the members of the Phantom Thieves, utilizing unique abilities and specializations on their journey to defeat the Legionnaire military group and further uncover the mysteries of the Metaverse.

14. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown - January 18, 2024 (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, Switch, PC)

Screenshot from Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown’s reveal trailer showing the protagonist, Sargon, landing on a rampart.

PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE LOST CROWN - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Ubisoft revives the timeless Prince of Persia series with their new metroidvania title Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Players take control of Sargon, an intrepid warrior that utilizes Time Powers to slash and dash in bustling towns, dank dungeons, and rowdy arenas in search of riches.

Sargon’s journey will take him across the lands of Mount Qaf and its many secrets. True to the Prince of Persia style, players are encouraged to explore every inch of the world, discovering ferocious enemies, challenging puzzles, and mighty artifacts to aid them on their quest.

13. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden - February 13, 2024 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)

Red, one of the two protagonists that characters can play as, is a seasoned Banisher looking to save his wife Antea from a grim fate.

BANISHERS: GHOSTS OF NEW EDEN - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

From the creators of Life is Strange comes a new, quite different game. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is DontNod’s upcoming action RPG, where players will take the roles of Red and Antea, a Banisher couple that travels the length and breadth of New Eden in order to find a way to cure Antea of her ethereal affliction.

Banishers promises to be unique in that players play as both protagonists at once, swapping between the brute force and weaponry possessed by Red and Antea’s powerful ghostly attacks. As they journey, the player’s choices throughout the story will have lasting consequences on the narrative and the fate of not just Red and Antea, but all those in New Eden. What those consequences are- we will just have to wait until February 13th to see. 

12. Super Mario RPG - November 17, 2023 (Switch)

Mario and company take to Star Road once again, this time with a new coat of paint.

SUPER MARIO RPG - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

The cult classic returns with Super Mario RPG for Nintendo Switch. For those that played the original, there is little to say except the long-awaited remake is finally almost here, and it’s not just coming back with a fresh coat of paint.

Besides updated aesthetics to match what gamers would expect from a current generation Nintendo game, Super Mario RPG adds a new difficulty mode for casual play, new combat mechanics to master with the Chain and Triple Moves systems, an updated soundtrack, and much more.

As someone who never played the original Super Mario RPG, I am beside myself with excitement to experience Star Road for the first time through this new and improved incarnation.

11. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 - TBC 2024 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)

A Space Marine overlooks a war-torn battleground.

WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2 - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Saber Interactive throws players eyeball deep in Tyranid guts with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, the heralded sequel to 2011’s hit Space Marine. Like its predecessor, Space Marine 2 ensures that longtime Warhammer fans will have their bloodlust sated and their fantasies fulfilled as they tromp through dilapidated, war-ravaged worlds.

The game’s main draw is its vicious massive-scale combat, giving players agency on how exactly they wish to destroy. Current generation technology allows Saber Interactive to throw hundreds of enemies at players- whether solo or co-op- in huge environments with tons of space to rain holy Hell on the Emporer’s enemies. They are also kind enough to provide the means to mow down these enemies in their hundreds- Superpowered energy weapons, giant warhammers (ha!), and earth shattering ground slams are all but a few of the means of carnage available to gamers come the second half of 2024.

10. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League - February 2, 2024 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)

Players take on the role of iconic DC vigilantes, the Suicide Squad, in Rocksteady’s newest title.

SUICIDE SQUAD: KILL THE JUSTICE LEAGUE - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

If Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is promising anything, it’s that it’s going to be a wild ride.

From developers Rocksteady, creators of the Batman: Arkham franchise, comes a new game that seems like a mish-mash of bright, colorful, and exciting elements- much like the Squad themselves.

Gameplay trailers feature iconic DC vigilantes simply saying “no” to the laws of gravity, bounding their way across an open-world Metropolis and blasting weird… purple things? Look, I know as much about this game as the rest of you. At the very least, an interesting story premise of reversing the roles of Hero and Villain through the Squad hunting down a corrupted Justice League terrorizing the populace will likely draw attention from more than just diehard DC fans.

9. Tekken 8 – January 26, 2024 (PS5, PC, XSX|S)

Kazuya and Jin Mishima continue their clash with one other in the newest installment of the Tekken franchise.

TEKKEN 8 - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Tekken has never looked better than in Tekken 8. Current generation technology makes the iconically flashy fighter flash its brightest- even sporting realistic muscle flexing (if you’re into that sort of thing).

In the heat of battle, Tekken 8 introduces the Heat System, a new mechanic for the series that rewards aggressive play with even more aggressive options to act aggressively. I wonder if Tekken players like to play aggressively?

Tekken 8 seems to commit to the soul of the series and, new aspects aside, remaining distinctly Tekken. Fans have a lot to look forward to this January as the tragic tale of the Mishima bloodline continues to unfold.

8. The Wolf Among Us 2 - TBC 2024 (PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PS4, PC)

Sheriff Bigby, silhouetted against an alleyway, searches for clues in The Wolf Among Us 2. 

THE WOLF AMONG US 2 - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Telltale Games finally brings us back to Fabletown in The Wolf Among Us 2 as Sheriff Bigby, the Big Bad Wolf, picks up on a new case six months after the events of the original Wolf Among Us.

The first Wolf Among Us is one of my favorite Telltale titles. It combines classic fairy tales within a modern setting, all with a noir filter. The characters were dynamic, the story was gripping, and, in classic Telltale fashion, it felt like my choices as a player really mattered- because they did.

The Wolf Among Us 2 could be Telltale’s big return to form after some turbulent years.

If it’s anywhere near as compelling at its forerunner, then it would be hard to be disappointed.

7. Ark 2 - TBC 2024 (XSX|S, PC)

There are many threats in the wild world of Ark 2, some of which can be tamed and brought into battle- like this T-Rex

ARK 2 - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Vin Diesel riding a battle-armored Tyrannosaurus Rex. That’s it. That’s Ark 2.

If you somehow need more than that to convince you to check the game out, then how about a dynamically changing open-world generated in Unreal Engine 5 with a souls-like combat style, free-roaming traversal mechanics, crafting, skill progression, and full modding capabilities?

Did I mention the battle T-Rex?

6. Persona 3 Reload - February 2, 2024 (PS4, PS5, XSX|S, XBO, PC)

The turn-based RPG sensation comes back with new looks, new features, and the same fun.

PERSONA 3 RELOAD - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Persona fans have been having a great year, and Persona 3 Reload only ensures that that trend will continue well into 2024. A ground-up remake of the original P3, Reload brings back all of the original charm, while adding new character scenes, interactions, voiceovers, and activities.

I have only ever played Persona 5, and it knocked me out of the park and flew to the top of my list of favorite games. I’ve always had an intention of trying out P3, and Reload has given me every excuse to carve some time out of my playlist.

5. Nightingale - February 22, 2024 (PC)

A Realmwalker in Nightingale prepares to embark on their next adventure.

NIGHTINGALE - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Inflexion Games’ Nightingale brings unique environments, Victorian aesthetics, and Old Magicks to gamers everywhere. Players take the role of a Realmwalker, one with the ability to traverse the many lands of the Far Realms to interact with its worlds and creatures.

A shared world survival crafting game, players can team up with friends to explore the Far Realms, gather materials to craft tools and build homesteads, or hunt powerful fae-beasts.

Nightingale sparks a sense of childlike curiosity and whimsy in me that not many games are capable of doing nowadays. The minute I get my hands on the game, I am building a glider and jumping off the tallest mountain I can find and onto the head of the biggest monster- which I anticipate will go exactly as well as it sounds.

4. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - TBC 2024 (Switch)

One of Paper Mario’s main draws is its quirky humor, as seen here by Mario’s surprise at a shapeshifting pig.

PAPER MARIO: THE THOUSAND-YEAR DOOR - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

The ace in hole for last September’s Nintendo Direct was the reveal for the long-requested remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for Nintendo Switch. The GameCube classic will return with updated visuals, bringing the nostalgia of the Paper Mario series' most popular installment to a new generation of gamers.

Whether this version of The Thousand-Year Door will be your first foray into the two-dimensional Mushroom Kingdom (like myself), or a triumphant return to an all-too-familiar story, a good time is almost assured. Action-adventure styled and mixed with RPG and puzzle mechanics, lovable characters, and a storyline filled with humor, it will be an honor to welcome The Thousand-Year Door back into the fold.

3. Hollow Knight: Silksong - TBA (PS4, PS5, XSX|S, XBO, Switch, PC)

Hornet, Princess of Hallownest, travels on the back of a large bug in Hollow Knight: Silksong.

HOLLOW KNIGHT: SILKSONG - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Taken from Hallownest, Hollow Knight: Silksong puts players in the shoes of Hornet, the needle-and-thread wielding bug princess that begrudgingly allied with us in the original game. Taking on new and strange insectoid enemies, Hornet must learn the lay of the new land she finds herself in- revealing its secrets as she ascends to the mysterious kingdom’s summit.

Silksong keeps the foundation of what made Hollow Knight successful: a refined and elegant metroidvania combat system set in the wriggly, gothically adorable world beneath our feet. Team Cherry guarantees fans that Silksong will add to this with Hornet’s mastery of new “silken” abilities for deadly acrobatic maneuvers.

I enjoyed the first Hollow Knight very much, and I’ve always wanted there to be more of the world and its eldritch critters. I was as excited as anyone when Silksong was announced, and I hope to see what new treasures lie in wait along Hornet’s journey.

2. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth - February 29, 2024 (PS5)

The threads of fate and time pluck strangely in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. What new and familiar stories await Cloud Strife and friends?

FINAL FANTASY 7 REBIRTH - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

Leave it to Square Enix to release a Final Fantasy game on a day that only comes once every four years!

The second installment of the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy project, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth continues the story re-told in 2020’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake. After escaping Midgar, Cloud Strife and company venture across the world of Gaia, utilizing the powerful skills they discover and abilities they gain in a thrilling action combat system to progress as danger continues to mount on their journey. Their quest: dissolve the fog of secrets and mystery surrounding Sephiroth, the Shinra Corporation, mako- and even the planet itself.

The Final Fantasy franchise is perhaps my second favorite game franchise of all time, right behind Kingdom Hearts (though that might be cheating, now that I think about it). Final Fantasy excels at telling thrilling, emotional, and poignant stories unlike any other series. With dozens of games bearing the Final Fantasy name under Square Enix’s belt, not every single one is going to be a masterpiece, of course - but there’s a reason that a story like Final Fantasy 7’s is still being told nearly thirty years after its initial release.

After playing the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, I was stunned with how a story that has been around for so long could feel so fresh. If I know anything about games that have Tetsuya Nomura’s hand in them, it’s that whatever the full Remake project ends up being is likely to be a rollercoaster- and I am fully strapped in. New(ish) enemies, new(ish) allies, and a new story with faintly familiar echoes of a tale long told await- get on your chocobos and get ready to ride!

1. Hades 2 (Early Access) - Q2 2024 (PC)

Key art for Hades 2, featuring a new protagonist- Melinoë, Princess of the Underworld.

HADES 2 - OFFICIAL TRAILER (YOUTUBE)

The indie titan Supergiant Games is back, this time with something new- or rather- new for Supergiant. Breaking their tradition of new worlds, mechanics, and stories with each game they release, gamers worldwide felt their souls leave their bodies and descend into the Underworld when Hades 2, the studio’s first direct sequel, was announced at 2022’s Game Awards.

We know very little about Hades 2, other than that it will feature Melinoë, the Princess of the Underworld, as its protagonist and bring back much of the hair-raising and sweat-inducing rogue-like action present in its predecessor that bewitched gamers everywhere.

Hades is one of the most popular rogue-likes of this generation, with millions of copies sold since its full release in 2020. Hades 2 has a lot to live up to, but knowing Supergiant Games, the one thing they never fail to deliver is a damn good game.

I look forward to fighting and dying on repeat next year!

2024 is shaping up to be a great year for gaming. New titles, long-awaited remakes, and some absolute wildcards to break up the same old, same old, there’s no better problem to have going into the holiday season than too many games to choose from.

If you’re interested in learning more about upcoming games, or just want to read more about your favorite game releases, check out these articles from Gamer’s Decide!

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