The year 2023 is coming to a close. And as time carries on into the new year, we’ve got even more games to fill our endless backlogs, ranging from small surprises to our most anticipated known launches.
Really, 2024 is already shaping up to another big year for games. Right off the bat in the first quarter, we’ll see RPG fans eating well with the likes of Infinite Wealth, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Dragon’s Dogma 2, and Persona 3 Reload.
Princess Peach gets to take the stage, and Ubisoft might deliver a bit of a surprise with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Also, we’ll (probably) see the launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Skull and Bones. That’s just in the span of January to March!
But what are we looking forward to, here at Destructoid? We’ve put together a list of our most anticipated game of 2024 to this unranked, unordered list. Not to provide any sort of definitive must-watch, but rather, show you a smorgasbord of potential games to keep an eye on.
Our most anticipated games for 2024
Eric Van Allen: Metaphor: ReFantazio
I already won big last year, with my most anticipated game turning out to be the thunderous hit of the year. Not that this is a competition or anything. But I think we’re in a particularly good era for role-playing games, and of all the good RPGs already on deck for 2024, Metaphor is the next one I have my eye on.
We’ve been in a real good spot for high fantasy lately, so this SMT take on the genre already had me intrigued there. Then it roped me in with incredible menus and art. Now, in a recent dev video, the team has highlighted a cool hybrid of action and turn-based combat, as well as a time management system that’s very reminiscent of Persona. (Fitting, as Metaphor‘s got some big Persona names on staff, including director Katsura Hashino and character artist Shigenori Soejima.)
Odd name aside, Metaphor: ReFantazio looks primed to be a Persona-caliber hit in the RPG space next year. Even against the likes of a new Like a Dragon and Vanillaware tackling tactics, I know this is the one I’m extremely eager to dig into.
Zoey Handley: Chicken Police: Into the Hive
Each year, it’s easier for me to pick a known quantity for most anticipated, rather than one I’m hoping lives up to its ambition. I picked Pikmin 4 for 2023, which came and went. It’s great, truly. I very much enjoyed it. But then I moved on. It didn’t leave a lasting itch. So, while Hollywood Animals looks great on paper right now, Chicken Police: Into the Hive feels like a safer bet.
I loved 2020’s Chicken Police: Paint it Red. The noir photomanipulation aesthetic gives it a unique look and feel; it’s the passion behind the narrative that still sticks with me. There’s a lot of love behind the world and characters, and you can feel that craft throughout. It makes the odd misstep, but earnestness is often more valuable than lawlessness.
This carried through to the recent small prologue game, Zipp’s Cafe, which has only made me more excited about Chicken Police: Into the Hive. I don’t know if it’s going to be polished, impactful, or innovative, but I’m almost certain that it will be exactly what I want.
Timothy Monbleau: Visions of Mana
Picking a most anticipated game for 2024 was honestly really tough, since there are a lot of promising RPGs on the horizon that are right in my wheelhouse. In 2023, I had the chance to try out Persona 3 Reload, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Dragon’s Dogma 2. And frankly, I’m looking forward to all of those.
However, I often find that my most anticipated game isn’t necessarily the one I think will be a slam dunk, but the one I just want to be good the most. And from what we know of 2024, nothing compares to Visions of Mana on that front. It’s Square Enix’s first all-new console Mana game in well over a decade, and the little we’ve seen so far looks appealing. I love the vibes and the designs so far, and if the gameplay can continue the upward trend of quality we’ve seen between the Secret of Mana and Trials of Mana remakes, this could turn out to be a real hit.
Also… if I’m being honest, I really wanted to put Ys X here. However, I can’t exactly do that without any guarantee that it’ll actually come out in English next year. So I’m also kind of picking Visions of Mana because it’s the most similar-looking title to Falcom’s flagship series that’s on my radar right now. I’m not saying that’s a good reason to pick Visions of Mana as my most anticipated game, but it undoubtedly is a reason.
Steven Mills: Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Wow, 2023 was an amazing year for games but 2024 is already looking like it’s going to be just as good, especially for RPG lovers. It was hard not to join Eric here and go with Metaphor: ReFantazio. I’m a huge fan of the SMT formula, but Metaphor’s setting has me even more interested.
But after much back-and-forth, I went with Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. Being able to explore the world of Gaia on current-gen systems is going to be a blast. Cosmo Canyon? Costa del Sol?! The Gold Saucer?!?! As great as Final Fantasy VII Remake was, it feels like it’s going to end up being an appetizer compared to what Rebirth has in store. More importantly, it looks like the narrative will feature even more mystery and chaos in the story we all know from our childhoods, and I’m all for it.
I’m also very excited about the upcoming Factorio expansion, Factorio: Space Age. I have over 1,000 hours in the base game and still find myself going back in with various mod packs. The expansion looks as though it will expand on the base game with another 60-100 hours of content while also building upon the core systems that are already there. As I said, 2024 looks like it’s gonna be a great year.
Smangaliso Simelane: Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Hellblade: Senua’s Saga is a project that tries to do something a little different from your average game. It attempts to depict psychosis, but in a way that is authentic and utilizes different senses. The result is a work of art that is sometimes overwhelming but never sacrifices authenticity.
I love Hellblade, but it is rough around the edges. It features puzzles that are frustrating to solve, and the combat leaves much to be desired. Well, we have a sequel on the way and it looks like we’re going from an experimental AA game to a fully-fledged AAA title set to outshine its predecessor.
We haven’t seen much of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2’s combat and gameplay yet, but the visuals are stunning. This is Ninja Theory’s chance to improve and fully flesh out the innovative ideas introduced in Hellblade. My hopes are high that we’ve got something special on the way.
Andrea Shearon: Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
Endwalker put a nice bowtie on some of Final Fantasy XIV’s biggest threads, bringing one of the realm’s biggest battles to a close and bookending some of our earliest beginnings, harkening all the way back to A Realm Reborn’s theme song, “Answers.” Now, it’s time to start fresh with a new expansion in Dawntrail.
In a year where I backed off my usual FFXIV routine, it’s nice to look forward to another big adventure with Dawntrail’s breezy summer ambitions. As more of a hermit, swamp creature kind of gal, version 7.0’s summer vacation-style episode wasn’t my cup of tea at first, but it’s grown on me. If anything, I’ve learned to trust the process when it comes to XIV, and at some point, it’ll deliver on the emotional turmoil and extensional crisis story beats I crave.
Though a journey focused on Meracydia is my dream, I’m excited for what’s to come in Tural. Dawntrail era updates include major improvements to FFXIV visuals, new glamour features, two DPS jobs, and the return of one of my Endwalker favorites, Erenville. Throw in a couple of dragon cameos and more awkward Estinien moments, and I promise I won’t complain again until 8.0.
