There’s forty games behind us and ten to go in our Most Wanted list for 2024, but this clutch of five games might surprise you for their somewhat more niche appeal. Surely we should be in the lands of big budget AAA games right now? Well, maybe we’re saving those for our final five…
10 – Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
PS5, XSX|S, PC – Late 2024
The nightlife of old town Seattle is to die for, isn’t it? Well, there’s plenty of options if you’re a vampire looking for a quick bite or a glass of the red stuff, and that’s exactly who you will be in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. It’s not all about overindulging though, as there’s a three-way struggle for power in the Vampire Court and you’ll be right at the heart of it.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 has not been the smoothest game to see through to release for publisher Paradox Interactive, who were on the cusp of cancelling it outright back in 2021, but chose to wipe the slate clean and bring in The Chinese Room. So, can they pull off a bit of a Dead Island 2 job?
9 – EDF 6
PS5, PS4, PC – Spring 2024
EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF! EDF!
What more do you need to hear? Set a few years after the Earth Defense Force was able to stave off the alien invasion in the last game (albeit at the cost of 90% of the world population) that threat is returning, for another go.
8 – Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 18th January 2024
Ubisoft is taking a fresh look at one of their classic franchises with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, turning it into a side-scroller once more, but with Metroidvania elements thrown in for good measure.
You’re not a prince in this game, though, and are rather one of a group of mighty warriors known as the Immortals, haring after the prince who’s been kidnapped. The journey to Mount Qaf will naturally be filled with enemies to battle, traps to evade and some bombastic bosses, but we’re also keen to see more of the inventive elements that featured in our hands on preview, with time-shifting mechanics for a grand environmental puzzle.
A demo will be available from 11th January, so this is definitely one to check out in a couple weeks!
7 – Helldivers 2
PS5, PC – 8th February 2024
Helldivers is making a comeback, but where the original game was a top-down shooter, Helldivers 2 is going all in on third person shooter action. You’ll get much, much closer to the action thanks to this, visiting varied planets that look simply gorgeous, taking on objectives and battling hordes of alien monsters!
The returning Stratagems system can call in orbital bombardments, fresh supplies and weapons, sentries, and more – you can choose and tailor your loadout for the mission and enemies you’ll face. Arrowhead knows how to shove “friendly” fire into their games, and this is still at the heart of Helldivers 2, so you’d probably want to be mindful of what your buddies are bringing.
6 – Hades 2
PC – Q2 2024 Early Access
Supermassive making a sequel is certainly a break from the norm, but given just how excellent the original was, we’re hardly complaining. Hades 2 will see the roguelike action head out from the Underworld and use witchcraft to combat the Time of Titan.
That gradually building storytelling will certainly remain an important element as well, and Hades 2 will feature Melinoë, the immortal Princess of the Underworld and Zagreus’ sister, with fresh characters to meet and interact with.
It might be a good while before the full release is here, and the game comes to other platforms, but we can’t wait to see what Hades 2 has to offer, even in its earliest forms.
That’s all for this bunch, and as we move into the final five games, we’ll be taking our time and talking about each one individually.
