2024's Most Anticipated Games - Jason's Picks
2024 has a hard act to follow to live up to the incredible release calendar of 2023. That said, there’s still no shortage of high quality games coming this year. No matter whether you play on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, or the Nintendo Switch and even its upcoming successor, you’re going to have a lot to play in 2024. Given that, we couldn’t simply pool the team’s thoughts into one top 10 countdown of the most anticipated games, so we solicited 10 from each person to discuss. Today, hear what Jason has to say about his 10 most anticipated games of 2023, sorted from 10 to 1.
10. Visions of Mana
It’s been 15 years since I’ve really thought about the Secret of Mana series with hope. Years of ho-hum releases and re-releases have dulled my edge, but in truth, Visions of Mana might change that. From what little we’ve seen this is looking really good, and whilst my expectations are tempered, the heart wants what the heart wants.
9. Clock Tower
I didn’t actually know this existed until I started this list but I saw this name, checked the news and knew I had to add it. This is the first time Clock Tower is coming to the West and I love me some Clock Tower. Hopefully this means we’ll see more of this franchise in the future. I sure hope so.
8. Persona 3 Reload
Don’t get me wrong, I’m miffed that they’re not including all the Persona 3 content, but Atlus are a company that lives by the old design of “Release a good game, touch it up and sell an extended version later”. I don’t like ti but that certainly doesn’t mean I don’t fall for it consistently. I’ve played Persona 3 twice, once as FES and once portable. Third time’s the charm. And likely so will the inevitable fourth time.
7. Helldivers 2
It’s been many years since Helldivers and with a pivot to third person, I’m mustard for some alien horde killing. This isn’t mindless fun like EDF is, but that doesn’t mean it’s not just as fun to destroy swathes upon swathes of enemies. With the right team and the right gamefeel, this’ll be a game played by people for years.
6. Lightyear Frontier
Seems like every farming simulation-esque game needs combat nowadays, and this is no different. Armed with a mech suit and a dream on an alien planet, you seek to set up a homestead, farm crops and raise critters. It’s been a while since I played a futuristic farming simulation, so this gets number 6 on the list.
5. Enshrouded
This looks a lot like Valheim, and that’s enough for me to be excited. Hard bosses, co-op, building. Everything a growing gamer needs to be big and strong. I’m a little nervous about this one as it promises a lot in the trailers. Specifically around terrain shaping and settlement building, but I think if it pulls off even some of those things, it’ll be a game worthy of keeping an eye on.
4. Bellwright
Zeitgeist is sometimes something to just get swept up in. I love survival games, and this did amazingly well at the last Steam Fest. If not for these things I don’t know if I’d know too much about this, but here we are. Sign me up for an awesome survival game in a brutal world that have settlement aspects, especially if they’re online co-op.
3. Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
I’m a lifer of FFXIV. The expansion’s coming and it’s a no brainer that I’ll play it. I’m surprised it’s further down the list than the top, because the expansions have been getting better and better every year. The new job, Viper, looks awesome, and who knows what the other job is. FFXIV time is special time for me, it’s something my wife and I both enjoy together and that special connection is plenty reason to be excited on its own.
2. Earth Defense Force 6
I wanted to get into EDF for years and it never super clicked. Then I played EDF 4.1 with my friends and everything fell into place. Now I’ve played 200 hours of EDF 4.1 and almost as many in EDF 5, and I am hype as hell for EDF 6 which, for all intents and purposes seems to be more of the previous game but tonnes better. The EDF deploys!
1. Dragon’s Dogma 2
Years ago I sat in a quiet hotel room with Itsuno-san and his translator, playing a demo for Dragon’s Dogma before it launched. I’d played a different demo prior, but this is where the game solidified itself as amazing in my eyes, getting consistent commentary from the director. There is no game that does mechanics and world quite like Dragon’s Dogma, and that’s why I own 8 copies of it and have played multiple hundreds of hours across various consoles. What a game.
So that concludes Jason’s list of his most anticipated games of 2024. What are some of yours? Hit us up via social media to let us know what games you are keen on in 2024!
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