For players, 2023 was one of the most successful years of the last decade in terms of releases of game titles. The year 2024 has every chance to repeat this success or even surpass the previous year.

Large and small studios are preparing a lot of original games, remakes and sequels. And some of them have been preparing for release for more than a year. We have chosen the most anticipated games that are worth paying attention to, the release days of which gamers should mark in the calendar that would not miss the release of interesting or masterpiece game release in 2024.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Publisher: Sega
Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Genre: open-world turn-based JRPG
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: PC on Steam, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series
Release date: 26 January

Story. Former yakuza Ichiban Kasuga is getting his life back on track after the events of the seventh instalment of the series. When he discovers that his supposedly dead mother is living and well in Hawaii, Ichiban immediately flies to find the woman. On the island, the hero willfully meets the legend of the underworld Kazuma Kiryu – and learns that for some reason they have the same goal.

Why wait. Exactly the same reason why we wait for any part of Yakuza – or Like a Dragon, as it is now called in the West. Trailers promise that Infinite Wealth’s plot will break fan’s heart. And there will be a lot of side quests, friendship mechanics with a dozen of colourful partners, and mini-games – from traditional for the series karaoke to photo-hunting for townspeople in provocative outfits. You can even build your own island like in Animal Crossing.

In addition, Infinite Wealth will send characters outside of Japan for the first time in the series. On the streets of Honolulu, Ichiban and his friends will be looking for adventures on their own heads and defeat local gangs in turn-based battles.

Tekken 8

Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Developer: Bandai Namco Studios
Genre: fighting game
Game modes: Single-player, co-operative, online
Platforms: PC on Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Release date: 26 January

Story. The direct sequel to Tekken 7 begins a new chapter in the Mishima family conflict. Fighter Jin Kazama once again clashes with his father Kazuya while the world is at war with both heroes. Unexpectedly, the protagonist’s mother, Jun Kazama, who for years had been presumed dead, makes herself known. Perhaps she and other characters will finally manage to stop the chaos.

Why we’re waiting. Tekken 8 improves on the already successful gameplay formula of the last instalment. The environment is destructible, in three-dimensional arenas fighters have a place to deploy and use a whole arsenal of techniques. Battles, as always, are spectacular and fast-paced. Among the main changes is the Heat system: it temporarily changes and strengthens the properties of many blows. This encourages you to fight more aggressively.

Traditionally, the game will introduce several new characters, including a French agent with a katana and a hooligan girl, wielding the martial art of taido. Familiar characters will be redesigned: they will change their appearance and balance, add new techniques and modify old ones. You can train on different characters in several single and multiplayer modes.

Helldivers 2

Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Arrowhead Game Studios
Genre: co-operative third-person shooter
Game modes: Single-player, online
Platforms: PC on Steam, PlayStation 5
Release date: 8 February

Story. In the future, a squad of elite Hell Troopers tirelessly battles giant bugs and mindless robots. All for the sake of freedom, peace and democracy to flourish on the planet Super Earth.

Why we’re waiting. Helldivers has every chance of being the perfect co-op shooter. The game will wickedly banter, challenge with firefights, and alternate between dissimilar locations. Some missions will throw the Paratroopers into a rainy jungle, while others will take them into a desert where sand covers their eyes. Players will be able to split up and complete different missions, but eventually everyone unites for a boss battle.

In the 2015 original, you had to watch the battlefield from above, but now you can control the soldiers with the camera from behind. And otherwise, the sequel resembles classic multiplayer shooters, where players work together to complete tasks. However, the mechanics from the last part have not gone anywhere. In Helldivers 2 you also need to be on your guard: Paratroopers can injure each other or crush each other with a crate of weapons called from the sky at the wrong moment.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Developer: Don’t Nod
Genre: Action-RPG
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: PC on Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Release date: 13 February

The plot. 1695, North America. Ghost hunter Red Macrae wants to revive his beloved Anthea Duarte. After her death, the girl turned into a ghost and now accompanies Red everywhere. To bring Anthea back from the world of the dead, the couple is forced to seek common ground with ghosts.

Why we’re waiting. Don’t Nod studio, creators of the touching adventure Life is Strange and harsh role-playing action Vampyr, is responsible for the game. So Ghosts of New Eden will surely catch you with its plot and charismatic characters in difficult circumstances.

The story will be non-linear, with the ability to choose answers in dialogue and make plot-driven decisions. You can force the heroes to compromise their principles and start cooperating with the hated ghosts. Or you can weigh everything up and stay on the path of struggle – and it is not a fact that it will bring more benefit to the heroes.

The Thaumaturge

Publisher: 11 bit studios
Developer: Fool’s Theory
Genre: role-playing game
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: PC on Steam; PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Release date: 20 February

Plot. 1905, Warsaw under the Russian Empire. Thaumaturge
Wiktor Szulski explores the city and searches for otherworldly beings who have inhabited the locals.

Why we’re waiting. The Thaumaturge is an isometric role-playing game with a lot of freedom of choice, reminiscent of Disco Elysium. It is created by CD Projekt RED studio, known for “The Witcher” series. We expect at least a well-developed plot and interesting side quests.

It is also one of the few games about Poland in the early 20th century. Judging by the trailers, The Thaumaturge will take you on a good tour of a bright city of contrasts, where poor neighbourhoods nestle in the shadows of rich neighbourhoods.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix Creative Business Unit I
Genre: Open World JRPG
Game Mode: Single-player
Platform: PlayStation 5
Release date: 29 February

Story. At the end of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, sullen mercenary Cloud Strife and his friends leave the fantasy metropolis of Midgar. In search of the villainous Sephiroth, the team embarks on a journey through the blooming expanse outside the city.

Why We’re Waiting. Rebirth, like the first part of the reimagining trilogy, is not a simple remake. The authors partially retell the plot of the 1997 original, but flesh out the story with new details and context. Some moments are changed altogether, including crucial plot twists. As a result, you pass a kind of familiar game, but it gives you no less impressions than a brand new title.

That’s what makes the new Final Fantasy 7 trilogy so appealing. No matter how much hardcore fans explore the trailers, even they don’t know how the story of Cloud and his friends will end in the remakes. Gameplay-wise, Rebirth is the same JRPG with dynamic real-time battles. Heroes travel through forests, mountains and open-world settlements. If you get tired of running around huge locations, you can jump on a riding bird chocobo or stand on a segway. And if you want to take a break from the story, you can search for side quests or play mini-games.

Alone in the Dark

Publisher: THQ Nordic
Developer: Pieces Interactive
Genre: Survival Horror
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: PC on Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Release date: 20 March

Story. Actress Emily Hartwood hires detective Edward Carnby to find her missing uncle. The investigation leads the partners to Derseto, a blood-chilling estate where forces of evil lurk.

Why we’re waiting. This is a new reboot of the legendary 1992 horror Alone in the Dark. The gameplay is the same as in the original: two main characters wander around the gloomy locations, solve puzzles and fight monsters. But now the camera is behind the shoulders of the characters.

Mikael Hedberg, the author of excellent horrors SOMA and Amnesia: The Dark Descent, is responsible for the script. We anticipate the same creepy adventure with colourful characters and intriguing plot.

Dragon’s Dogma 2

Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: open world action-RPG
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: PC on Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Release date: 22 March

Plot. The protagonist’s heart is stolen by a dragon. Protagonist gathers a squad and goes to fight the destroyer of worlds, and at the same time becomes a link in the political game of two countries. Each wants to capitalise on the return of the monster.

Why We’re Waiting. Dragon’s Dogma 2 is not a direct sequel, but rather a reimagining of the original game. The plot hasn’t changed, and the events take place in a parallel world. There is a dragon there too, stealing the hearts of warriors. The gameplay basis has not changed either. The hero, together with his partners, explores the open world, performs tasks and fights with monsters. He is helped by the so-called pawns. They are not developed co-parties, but rather mercenaries, which you can create and customise for yourself.

As in the first part, in Dragon’s Dogma 2 you can assign pawns to help other users. Even if you close the game, your subordinates will gain experience and level up. Pawn exchange is the only online component in the action game, there will be no full-fledged co-op. Battles with giant monsters will return in the sequel, like in Shadow of the Colossus and Monster Hunter. You need to climb on giants and attack weak points. And a new version of the RE Engine adds environment interaction to Dragon’s Dogma 2. Can’t win a battle? Blow up a dam and flood your enemy, or pile rocks on top of them.

Rise of the Ronin

Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Team Ninja
Genre: open world action
Game Mode: Single-player
Platform: PlayStation 5
Release date: 22 March

The plot. In 1860s Japan, another crisis is simmering, ready to erupt with unprecedented force. Representatives of the military government are increasingly clashing with supporters of the Emperor, while people from abroad are arriving in the newly discovered country. A path through the chaos is sought by the protagonist, a nameless samurai pursuing personal goals.

Why we’re waiting. The creators of Nioh and Ninja Gaiden are back with a new action game. Rise of the Ronin is different from the studio’s previous titles. Pseudo-historical setting was replaced by more or less realistic one, and fully open world reminds of Ubisoft games or adventure action Ghost of Tsushima.

In battle, the hero is able to combine cold and firearms. And in the course of the story will have the opportunity to kill or spare important characters. Some of them are real historical figures of that period. Each choice will affect the further plot, but how the story will unfold after the next decision, it will be difficult to predict.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Developer: Ninja Theory
Genre: third-person action
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: PC on Steam, Xbox Series, the game will be released immediately on the Game Pass service
Release date: 21 May

Story. After the events of the first game, the Celtic warrior Senua is sent to Iceland. While the heroine rescues her companions from Viking captivity, her mind is plunged further into darkness.

Why we’re waiting. The first Hellblade was a short chamber adventure. But in the second part, the creators swung on a saga of epic proportions. The trailers showed mythical giants, changing caves, and cult with masks. Money for the sequel is clearly not spared, so we can expect a sequel, in all respects superior to the original. The picture will definitely be better: judging by the clips recorded on the game engine, the graphics in Hellblade 2 is almost photorealistic.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Developer: Saber Interactive
Genre: third-person shooter
Game modes: Single-player, online
Platforms: PC on Steam, Xbox Series, PlayStation 5
Release date: 9 September

The plot. The protagonist of the first part, the brutal space trooper Titus, lands on distant planets and fights against crowds of tyranid monsters. The protagonist kills thousands of opponents and saves humanity in the name of the Emperor.

Why we’re waiting. The original Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine was released in 2011. The announcement of the sequel was a pleasant surprise for fans of the universe. The authors of the zombie shooter World War Z are responsible for the game, which means that in the novelty dozens of bloodthirsty enemies will be thrown at the protagonists at the same time.

As in the first part, in Space Marine 2 you need to alternate between shooting and close combat. Titus has at his disposal powerful firearms and chain swords, tearing tyranids apart. In battles with more dangerous enemies you need to block and counterattack in time. There will also be spectacular kills in the spirit of DOOM Eternal.

Hades 2

Publisher: Supergiant Games
Developer: Supergiant Games
Genre: action with “roguelike” elements
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: Early Access on Steam and Epic Games Store on PC, full version will be released on consoles, it is not yet known which ones.
Release date: second quarter of 2024

The plot. Several years have passed since the finale of the first part. The protagonist’s sister Hades, the immortal princess of the underworld Melinoa, is trying to stop the titan Kronos. He has escaped from his imprisonment and captured his own son, Hades.

Why we’re waiting. Hades 2 will be the first sequel in Supergiant Games’ history. No wonder: the circulation of the first part exceeded one million copies. The sequel will return everything that the original was loved for: bright locations on different levels of ancient Greek hell, a lot of bosses, and items for creating unique builds. In some places the first Hades reminds of a visual novel with several plot and romantic lines – you can expect the same from the sequel.

It is worth considering that in 2024 Hades 2 will be released in Early Access and only on PC. The release of the finished game on all actual platforms will take place at least two years after that.

Broken Roads

Publisher: Versus Evil
Developer: Drop Bear Bytes
Genre: role-playing game
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: PC on Steam, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series, Nintendo Switch
Release date: first half of 2024

The plot. In post-apocalyptic Western Australia, only the strongest survive. Perhaps your hero will be among them. Create him in the editor and send him on a journey across the scorched wasteland. At the same time get ready to make difficult decisions almost at every step.

Why we’re waiting. Broken Roads is an unusual mixture of Mad Max and isometric RPGs like Disco Elysium. The authors came up with a unique moral compass system: your character’s decisions will be influenced by your worldview. A nihilist cannot become a humanist in an instant, and vice versa. Answers in dialogues can slightly change the character’s philosophy and shift the arrow of the moral compass. But you won’t be able to change the character quickly.

Otherwise Broken Roads looks like a great role-playing adventure in an unusual setting. You take part in turn-based battles, wander through the desert surrounded by kangaroos and emus. In addition, the developers want to tell about the culture of Australian peoples. In video games this has not been paid much attention to yet.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown

Publisher: Nacon
Developer: KT Racing
Genre: racing
Game modes: Single-player, online
Platforms: Steam and Epic Games Store on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch
Release date: first half of 2024

The plot. You participate in the Solar Crown racing competition on Hong Kong Island. The goal is simple: beat all your rivals and become the champion.

Why we are waiting. Full-fledged new part of Test Drive hasn’t been released for more than 12 years. The niche of open-world racing was firmly occupied by Forza Horizon and The Crew, but Solar Crown still stands out against their background. It offers a relaxing ride through the detailed recreated Hong Kong to electronic music, join one of the two game clans and drive on city tracks between rows of cars.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Publisher: GSC Game World
Developer: GSC Game World
Genre: shooter with elements of RPG and “survival” in the open world.
Game modes: single player, online
Platforms: PC on Steam, Xbox Series. The game will be immediately available on Game Pass service
Release date: 5 September

Plot. Our days, 17 years have passed since the second Chernobyl accident. The wastelands of the Exclusion Zone are covered with grass and poppies, but the danger has not gone away. The main character, a mercenary called Skif, must get to a certain Heart of Chernobyl and decide the fate of the entire zone.

Why we’re waiting. Even before the release, you can see that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is many times more ambitious than the past parts. It will be the first in the series to introduce a full-fledged open world without loading screens. Artificial intelligence of enemies will be improved, and shootouts will become even more intense. In addition, survival elements will appear in the game. If you don’t want to sacrifice your protagonist’s accuracy, feed him in time and send him to sleep.

Customisation will also be expanded. Dodgers like sights and silencers are put on weapons even on the move. And also stalker will be able to change clothes – but it will not affect the characteristics.

Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2

Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Developer: The Chinese Room
Genre: first-person action role-playing game
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: PC on Steam, Xbox Series, PlayStation 5
Release date: Autumn

The plot. The oldest vampire wakes up after three hundred years of hibernation and finds himself in the thick of a war between clans of bloodsuckers in the centre of modern Seattle. The hero has to find his place in the new world and choose his companions.

Why we’re waiting. The original Bloodlines attracted with its off-the-beaten-path RPG setting and interesting quests. We have chances to get a great sequel, because one of the BioWare veterans is responsible for the narrative design.

However, Bloodlines 2 is a project of complicated fate. The sequel was handled by Hardsuit Labs studio for several years, until key developers started to leave it. Publisher Paradox Interactive announced that Hardsuit Labs is no longer making Bloodlines 2, and handed over the project to The Chinese Room studio. It is known for the adventure games Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture.

New developers have abandoned almost all the developments of Hardsuit Labs. The team is rewriting the story and changing gameplay mechanics, including combat and pumping. There are no other details about gameplay yet.

Avowed

Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Genre: First-person RPG
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: PC on Steam, Xbox Series, the game will be released immediately on the Game Pass service.
Release date: Autumn

Plot. An envoy arrives on the island of the Living Lands, whose inhabitants are threatened by a deadly disease. The hero needs to find out what is happening in the region and save the people – or doom them to perdition.

Why we’re waiting. Obsidian Studios has been experimenting in recent years. In 2020 it released cartoon “survival” Grounded, in 2022 – detective adventure Pentiment, where the characters and environment are drawn in the style of medieval manuscripts. Avowed will be Obsidian’s first major role-playing game since the action thriller The Outer Worlds. Not much is known about Avowed so far. Trailers show a classic RPG in the best traditions of Obsidian. Compact open world, combat – first-person, black humor in place, thoughtful dialogues will reveal the characters and the universe of the game

Avowed does not limit the choice of weapons. Swing a sword, shoot a bow or rely on the power of magic. If desired, you can enlist the support of two companions. They will be controlled by artificial intelligence. Fans of the Pillars of Eternity RPG series should pay special attention to Avowed: the games share a common universe.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: MachineGames
Genre: First-person shooter with adventurous elements
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: Steam on PC, Xbox Series
Release date: 2024

Plot. From the museum at Marshall College, where Indiana Jones works, an artefact is stolen. Uninteresting at first glance trinket need Nazis. To find out why exactly, the archaeologist goes to the Vatican. Soon the hero learns that the artefact is connected with the mystery called the Great Circle.

Why Waiting. Indiana Jones games haven’t been released in over 13 years, and good ones haven’t been released in forever. The Great Circle is developed by the authors of Wolfenstein: The New Order shooter and stealth action Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. That’s why we don’t worry about the adventure component.

The hero will solve complex puzzles, fight with a whip and search for artefacts. Film fans will be pleased with references to the events of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and the face of young Harrison Ford. The creators claim that the events of the game are canonical to the timeline of the franchise. If the experiment succeeds, we may get a few more games about the archaeologist in the hat.

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf

Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: BioWare
Genre: fantasy action-RPG
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Release date: not yet known

Story. The game continues the story of Dragon Age: Inquisition. At the centre of events is the self-taught mage Solas, one of the companions of the protagonist of the last part. In Dreadwolf he becomes the main antagonist.

Why we’re waiting. Dragon Age is one of the premier fantasy gaming franchises. After the controversial second part, BioWare released Dragon Age: Inquisition, which many fans welcomed warmly. However, the sequel has to wait for the tenth year.

Judging by leaks and insiders’ statements, Dreadwolf will be the biggest game in the series. And there will be no online elements in it, the news about which upset the fans a few years ago. Alas, the development is not going quite smoothly, and in August 2023 BioWare underwent major layoffs. It’s also alarming that almost five years have passed since the announcement – and we haven’t seen any gameplay footage or even a story teaser.

Star Wars Outlaws

Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Massive Entertainment
Genre: open world action
Game Mode: Single-player
Platforms: PC on Ubisoft Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Release date: not yet known

The plot. The action unfolds between the films “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi”. The protagonist, a young smuggler Kay Vess, decides on the biggest heist of her life and embarks on a journey through the corners of the Galaxy.

Why we’re waiting. Outlaws is the first Star Wars game in a seamless open world. Kei pulls off spectacular heists, races speederbikes and gets involved in spaceship battles. You can influence the course of the plot: the mechanics of choosing answers in dialogues is responsible for this.

Gameplay-wise, Outlaws is more of a stealth action game than an action film. The heroine relies on gadgets, wit and environment peculiarities rather than on brute force or superpowers. In addition, if Kay gets caught by the Empire, the heroine will be hunted down. The system with search levels reminds of GTA and Red Dead Redemption series

If Massive Entertainment does well, we could get an ultimatum adventure game based on Star Wars. Though without a Jedi in the main role.

Little Nightmares 3

Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Developer: Supermassive Games
Genre: platformer
Game modes: Single-player, co-operative
Platforms: PC on Steam, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series, Nintendo Switch
Release date: not yet known

Story. Two friends, Lowe and Alone, are trying to escape from a trap – the Spiral of Strange Places. They will have to work hard to survive in a hostile world.

Why we’re waiting. The Little Nightmares series has been leading the niche of horror platformers for several years now. The release of the new instalment was a matter of time. Almost nothing is told about the threequel, but the authors are already bragging about co-op. Running from monsters and swinging over obstacles will be possible online or on one screen.

Silent Hill 2

Builder: Konami
Developer: Bloober Team
Genre: horror
Game mode: single player
Platforms: PC on Steam, PlayStation 5
Release date: not yet known

Story. James Sunderland, an ordinary American, receives a letter from his deceased wife Mary. She invites him to Silent Hill, where they once spent a wonderful holiday. James sets off, but Silent Hill is not what he remembers it to be. The lifeless streets are covered with thick fog, and instead of people, ugly monsters roam the town.

Why we’re waiting. The last numbered part of the legendary horror series Silent Hill was released more than a decade ago. Now Konami is serious about reviving the franchise. After the failed experiment in the form of an interactive series Ascension, the remake of the second part will be released. Polish studio Bloober Team, known for Layers of Fear and Observer. And they are assisted by the creators of the original – monster designer Masahiro Ito and composer Akira Yamaoka.

The remake will feature advanced graphics on Unreal Engine 5, a third-person view and an updated combat system. The storyline is untouched, with Bloober Team stating that they want to keep the spirit of the original. But there are still some scripted changes. James was made a little older, new scenes were added, and some dialogue was updated.