Loading Screen: 12 AAA Games To Watch In 2024

In today's special edition - we end the year with 12 of the most anticipated AAA titles of 2024. Come see what's in store for gaming from the biggest developers in the industry.

With how AAA games tend to work, we've limited ourselves to games that are dated for 2024 already (and that aren't as likely to slip). I'm also limiting this to no remakes or remasters, and actual full releases that are coming out.
World Of Warcraft: The War Within, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail and Destiny 2: The Final shape will all be vitally important - but we'll let the expansions speak for themselves as they arrive.

FFVII Rebirth

Launches February 29th 2024

Now that we're past the shock of FFVII Remake, and Intergrade not being a glossy shine up - the surprise is gone and we can really start to dig in. Square Enix aren't just retelling the story of FFXVII - they're remixing it, engaging with what that means and doing their best to create something new and interesting out of it.

With recent previews talking about the game featuring whole new towns, and being inspired by playing the likes of The Witcher 3 - this should build on the gameplay of Remake and then start to really open up.

The narrative potential will be the big draw here, but the fact that we're getting this just before we get a new 14 expansion and 16 DLC? 2024 bodes very well for Final Fantasy Fans.

Star Wars Outlaws

Launching in 2024

Gently being framed as a Han Solo (or Dr Aphra) simulator - Star Wars Outlaws is offering a different approach to Star Wars, one we haven't really had since 2002's Bounty Hunter where the focus is on the underworld and smuggler elements of the sci-fi franchise.

Recently delayed into the latter half of the year - there's a lot of potential in Star Wars: Outlaws. Massive Entertainment just showed us they have the chops to make games that aren't The Division with the surprisingly well reviewed Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - while the pitch for this game being Scum and Villainy Star Wars rather than lightsabers and Jedi is appealing to a lot of people.

Frostpunk 2

Launching in 2024

Frostpunk 's tight focus on balancing your resources and population support earned it a well deserved fanbase - Frostpunk 2 looks like it takes everything great about the first game and expands it.

No longer trying to race against time to huddle against a generator, now your city will sprawl across the ice - with the exploration systems now designed to build the narrative of this world even further.
But as the population grows, the shift in how the game plays will become apparent.

The player is no longer playing with or against a population who demand leadership, instead they're proposing their own society as different groups start to assert demands on how the city should be run after the threat of the frost is gone.
In true Frostpunk style, decisions made early on have massive ramifications down the line, as extremist splinter groups might take those early ideologies to their logical extremes - with the player trying to balance everyone at once.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Launching January 26th 2024

RGG Studio's take on Japan is one of the most detailed and earnest in gaming - with the Yakuza and Like A Dragon games modelling the details of that society in a way that truly makes those games special.

So what happens when they also move to America? The Hawaii set Infinite Wealth will be the full pairing of series veteran character Kiryu Kazuma alongside newer entrant Ichiban Kasuga - but the core story will span the Pacific Ocean as the two shift from Japan to Hawaii in search of the latter's mother.

This is an RGG game, so you already know there's going to be side missions with incisive writing, combat that challenges players and a tone of sheer enthusiasm that's hard to ignore.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

Launching 2nd February 2024

You'll note that the title above is games to watch - not necessarily the best. The recent closed beta for Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League was leakier than a sieve - but shockingly, all the feedback was incredible.

When players got a hands on - somehow it all worked. The writing was on point, the characters felt like good adaptations, the movement and Arkham style combat in particular came in for praise, despite the initial reception to a gameplay showcase in early 2023.
What was missing though from the conversation on the beta was any discussion of the live service elements, seemingly switched off for that demo - the grinding for gear score and the like that will likely put off some.

The good news - you can hopefully still play a good version of SS: KTJL in 2024. You'll just have to wait for the offline mode to come out a few months after release

Metaphor: ReFantazio

Releasing in Autumn 2024

For some, the fact that Metaphor: ReFantazio is an Atlus RPG from many of the key creatives of the Persona series is enough for them to already be on board - and we will see you in the next entry.

For everyone else, this will be a high fantasy setting where all of the Atlus mainstays are there in turn based battling, party relationships and growth and a stunning UI. This time though they're offering some additional new features - including the option for real time battling when you're grinding lower level enemies - and then there's the narrative angle.

The Royal Tournament above is an election - one that the player will be working towards - where all the competing factions of the game seek to be the most popular among the people, to determine the next sovereign.
It's not like anything Atlus has done before - so if you weren't already on board, this might actually be just different enough to hook you.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Shadow of Chornobyl

Releasing in 2024

Even before being delayed due to the invasion of Ukraine striking the developer's lives - STALKER 2 is one of those games that no one had expected to actually be announced, let alone be close to release.

The full follow-up to one of the most cult hits in all of gaming, and the progenitor of many spiritual successors, STALKER is seemingly offering everything the original did and more.

Seeking to take full advantage of Unreal Engine 5, this is a first person shooter that sees players delving deep into the heart of a radioactive zone.
One that is filled with reality warping energies as well as the creatures and people affected by them.
The original STALKER worked on the principle that the player was nothing special - and that anything they did in that game was earned through hard work and smart play. STALKER 2 seems like it's going to be much the same - but a lot prettier.

Rise of the Ronin

Launches on March 22nd 2024

Set just prior to the Meiji Restoration - Team Ninja's Rise of the Ronin is promising a full historical epic in the form of an open world combat game.

Here's the thing - we know Team Ninja can make a satisfying third person action game with Nioh, Strangers of Paradise and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty just being the most recent examples of this. That much is a given, this game is likely going to play superbly.

But the open world traversal including gliders, horses and grappling hooks being shown above, as well as recent interviews where the devs talk about how much they're looking forward to showing audiences an under-represented era in Japanese history could be the things that make this truly stand out for the team.

Banishers: Ghost of New Eden

Launches on February 14th 2024

I'm a big fan of the flawed but fun Vampyr from Dontnod - a game where they paired their narrative choice driven storytelling chops with a third person action game. It didn't completely hit the mark, but it had a real charm that made it stand out in a sea of third person action games.

This is the spiritual successor - a love story between two ghost hunters, that hasn't ended when one became a ghost themself. Players will switch between the living and the dead, using the unique skills of each as they explore a 16th century North America, battling the supernatural.

This seems to have the same model of narrative as Vampyr, where you'll be able to banish ghosts to ensure your goal of resurrecting your loved one is met - but to do so might mean punishing the innocent who don't deserve it. Moral choices and magic combat in equal measure - but hopefully this is a great update to that original formula.

Princess Peach Showtime

Launches on 22nd March 2024

The first full outing for Nintendo's Leading Lady since 2005's Super Princess Peach will hopefully have less emotion based powers - instead echoing Super Mario Bros 3 as she tries to save a theatre troupe by taking on costume based powers from within the plays themselves.

With each show being a new costume, and each costume giving new powers that map to new gameplay challenges like detective puzzles, kung fu rhythm games and more - this feels like an overdue and inventive entry for a character that couldn't be further from the upgrade based platformer we saw her in last.

VTM: Bloodlines 2

Launching in Autumn 2024

Plagued by production chaos - the fact we're comfortable putting Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 down as releasing in 2024 is a feat in and of itself.
This won't quite be the immersive sim that the original was though.

Rebuilt from the existing assets of Hardsuit Lab's Bloodlines game - this will still be in Seattle, still being a first person Vampire 'em up, and still based around choosing to play your way through the narrative.
But now players will be playing as an ancient predator, one with a wealth of powers to make them truly feel superior to the rest of the supernatural population they'll be meeting.

While not all of VTM's clans will be present in the game from launch - the Chinese Room's reputation for atmosphere and writing should be a sign we're going to get something memorable.

Space Marine 2

Launches on September 9th 2024

Delayed for a whole year for polish - Space Marine 2 is a sequel to what I consider one of the definitive 7/10 games. Not perfect by any means, but Relic's Space Marine was the distillation of what a 40K action game can be in tone, feeling and sheer fun.

Space Marine 2 looks to be building on that! The aesthetic and narrative seem to be clear parallels to the original - but what's making this game stand out is what developer Saber Interactive is bringing to the table.
World War Z showed that they could deliver hundreds of zombies on screen at any one time - and now they've translated that to the chittering hordes of the alien Tyranids in a fashion that is straight out of the canon.

Space Marine 2 doesn't have to be perfect to match it's successor - but considering that no one thought it could even be made after the collapse of THQ - it simply coming out might be enough for some.

That's your lot for now - 12 AAA Games across a variety of genres for you to get excited about ahead of 2024.
There's going to be way more - and we'll likely start seeing announcements soon - so tell us what you're hoping for in the Member's Lounge and we'll all get excited together