2023 has proven to be one of the best years as far as gaming releases are concerned. Gamers were left spoilt for choice with quality releases across various genres – right from the staple action-adventure, to RPG, to horror, to live service games.
So much so that games, which in any other game would easily have been among the top contenders for best games did not even find a way into the lists this year – it was that great!
Looking into 2024 – the calendar is also rapidly filling up with anticipated game release dates, and as weeks pass and more and more release dates get confirmed – even the most ardent of gamers are sure to have a long list of games that just need to be played, but which they have not been able to take time out for.
These launches cover the gamut of new franchise launches, sequels to existing big franchise properties, or remakes of earlier beloved classics.
Also to add more complications – are games that are so addictive that even if they have been around for some time, the content around these games and the gameplay loops make them so captivating that inevitably, the temptation to keep going back to them wins over. Some of such games that we think are likely to be drawing gamers back in 2024 are:
1. Palworld
A game that broke records in terms of downloads for the first few days and the no. of active players on Steam – this was the sleeper hit no one was prepared for when it landed.
Combining elements of crafting, survival games, combat, and role-playing – Palworld, which quickly became famous and known as Pokemon with guns, has caught the imagination of gamer audiences across the world.
We believe this has got great staying power – and while there will be a set of audiences that goes away to other games through the year, the nos. that will stick, and the new nos. that will come will far exceed these. This is a game to watch out for in terms of nos. and success in 2024.
2. Destiny 2
The old warhorse that is Destiny 2 still keeps going strong – and the reason is not so difficult to fathom – simple but addictive gameplay, tight combat, and great use of live service concept to keep things fresh have made this one of the best live service games with some of the best gunplay mechanics ever in a game.
Sure, the last few months have not been the best, but when one realizes that this is a game that has remained strong for such a long period – 2017 was when it first came out – and that too in a category that is the most competitive among all video game categories – it takes some doing to be able to pull that off!
3. Coral Island
Who would have thought that a farming simulation game would make it to this list – but it has been one of those years, and yes, we have Coral Island – from developer Stairway Games and publisher Humble Bundle as one of the games that we predict will act as a giant time sink especially for fans of the genre.
And the reason is simple – it does all the things that it is supposed to do and deliver on, and it does all those things in just exactly the way it is supposed to be done! Simple sounding, but notoriously difficult to deliver on.
While the updates on the game have been on the lower side – we are sure that it will be delivered properly by the developer, and hence we have Coral Island on our list of games to watch out for!