After a non-stop number of hits in 2023, what promise does 2024 hold?

2023 was fantastic for games and players. I wouldn’t be surprised if many of us have a significantly sized backlog of games we wish to play. Two games I’m eager to return to and spend more time on are Alan Wake 2 (I get easily scared) and Baldur’s Gate 3 (there’s just so much more to explore). There are a few more games I wish I could replay at leisure.

However, as 2024 unfolds, we’re bound to encounter numerous new experiences to try and master as we discover new favorites.

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Games from major studios and franchises will be available right from January as the first new Prince of Persia in years launches on January 15. Early glimpses reveal it to be a survival platformer. If it is anything like the Ori franchise, we might begin the year on a high note.

The five games that I am most excited about in 2024 are:

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II (Microsoft exclusive: Series X/S, and PC): Promised since the reveal of the Series X in 2019, the successor to Senua’s horror-filled survival journey is set to launch in 2024. The game’s promotional material showcases a hauntingly beautiful Iceland, promising players an experience of ‘fear and fury’ accompanied by haunting, bone chilling music.

Senua’s survival in this second journey, which looks to be more challenging than the first, is an experience we must all endure together to survive. This one is for those that crave fear in their games.

Rise of the Ronin (March 22, 2024 – PS5 exclusive): Three years after the remarkable success of Ghost of Tsushima, a new open-world Japanese Action RPG emerges from the Sony stable. Team Ninja’s game is set in 19th century Japan and is set at a time of civil strife, Western invasion, and rampant chaos, the game promises players a dynamic narrative paired with a robust and user-friendly combat system.

Promotional material shows an almost complete game with all the requisite elements for a successful action RPG, however, only time will tell how the game will fare. Luckily, March isn’t too far away.

Avowed (Microsoft exclusive: Series X/S, and PC):Taking place in the world of Eora (the same realm as Pillars of Eternity), Avowed is Obsidian’s latest offering into the first-person Action RPG genre, following their successful streak with titles like 2019’s The Outer Worlds and 2022’s Pentiment.

Should Obsidian manage to conjure magic for a third time with Avowed, this game will undoubtedly be a must-try. By the time it launches (exact date unclear), we might just be finishing our nth playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3, don’t you think?

Skull and Bones (February 13, 2024 – PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC) – There’s finally a launch date in sight for Skull and Bones! Initially announced in 2017, it’s been a long seven years for fans eagerly anticipating the pirate combat elements reminiscent of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag. Despite years of waiting and numerous delays, the promise of online virtual naval combat still holds strong.

If Ubisoft meets the current launch timeline and delivers a nuanced combat system with seamless matchmaking and online battles, there’s nothing stopping us from donning virtual eyepatches and acquiring cutlasses. Parrots optional, eh?

Star Wars Outlaws (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC)–An open world Star Wars, need I say more? Set between the cinematic events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, – Outlaws promises a unique story, an expansive galaxy, and spaceflight for its players. With the success of EA’s journey with Cal Kestis, could Ubisoft enter the fray and make “A Galaxy far far away” the best place for open world experiences? I really hope so!

These are my picks for 2024. However, only the future can tell us which ones of these will be worth the wait as the year rolls on. Till then we all have our backlogs to get back to.