Kicking 2024 Off Right
Many have been eager to proclaim 2023 as the best year in gaming history for months now. While that’s the sort of thing that becomes more clear as we have time to look back and consider the year in gaming, we can already say with confidence that 2023 has been a fantastic year for video game releases. With that being the case, it’s more important than ever to separate the very best games from the rest of what’s out there. Whether you’re looking for a gift for someone on your list or something for yourself, we have you covered. Between November 14th and November 22nd we’ll be bringing you daily guides designed to find the games players want in their favorite genres and on their favorite systems. Whether you’re ready to spend or you’re a true poor player, we have options for you.
Most of these guides are meant to help you find games you can go out and purchase now. What if the person you’re trying to buy for already has everything they’re looking for, though? Perhaps a preorder for an upcoming game is in order. The five games listed here are all set to come out early in 2024, so nobody is going to have to wait too long for their holiday gift unless the delay fairy strikes, or in the case of some of these games strikes again. While it’s hard to know for sure how good a game is that isn’t yet out yet, these are five games that have us incredibly excited to check them out in the early months of 2024.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
Release Date: April 23rd, 2024
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Suikoden II didn’t exactly burn up the sales charts upon release, but it’s become a cult classic over the years, the kind of game that shows up on any list of the best RPGs ever made. The team behind it continued designing mostly well-received follow-ups through the life of the PS2, but it’s been nearly 20 years now since we got a true successor.
That’s going to change in early 2024 when Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes reunites most of the creative team behind those games to create a game that feels like the true successor to Suikoden II, albeit with a fresh coat of paint since the creators don’t have the rights to that series. Fans of Suikoden have been waiting eagerly for years, but anyone who loves RPGs has reason to be excited about this one.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Release Date: February 29th, 2024
Platforms: PS5
We’re focusing on just the start of 2024 on this list, but we’d include Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on any list of most anticipated titles. After Final Fantasy VII Remake threw us all for a loop, we can’t wait to see what comes next in this remake, which isn’t quite a remake. The idea that we’re able to experience a story that made many of us fall in love with Final Fantasy again 25 years later while somehow not knowing what’s going to happen is thrilling. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth promises to answer major questions about the next steps in this journey.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Release Date: January 26th, 2024
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
Yakuza: Like a Dragon wasn’t just another game in its series. It changed the core gameplay of that series, creating something entirely new, which still retained so much of what we’ve loved about the series as a whole. It’s done so much to define the series that its subtitle has now been made the main title of the whole series. Infinite Wealth promises to follow up on that game, bringing back the new characters we love, such as new protagonist Ichiban, while marking the return of original series protagonist Kiryu. Seeing the two together should make sparks fly. We can’t wait to see what bringing the Dragon of Dojima back into the fold does for this title. We won’t have to wait long.
Persona 3 Reload
Release Date: February 2nd, 2024
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
While Persona 3 Reload may not be an entirely new game, it feels like it’s giving Persona 3 a whole new shot at life. Because the Persona series really caught on in the west with Persona 4, there are a lot of players who never fully explored this entry in the series. This remake looks to be an incredibly loving treatment, with a brand new UI, fully remade graphics, new quality-of-life features, and more updates that should give fans of the series plenty of reason to check it out in February.
Tekken 8
TEKKEN™8 – Closed Beta Test_20231023181535
Release Date: January 26th, 2024
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
There’s a lot of RPGs on this list. They look set to dominate the early part of 2024, for better or worse. If you’re not a big RPG fan however, don’t think there’s nothing for you in the early months of the year. Tekken 8 looks like a tremendous follow-up, which is set to provide fans of the series the first new Tekken in 8 years. There’s a lot of reasons to look forward to Tekken 8, whether you mainly play online or want to dig into the game’s surprisingly deep-looking single-player content. We’re excited to return to the fight in January.
