2024 Video Game Guide

Video Games January 12, 2024 - 02:00 PM 0 Comments Matt Farmer

A new year means brand new games releasing on your favourite consoles. Whether you want to revisit old favourites that have been reloaded or maybe there's a series you've liked the look of but want to know more about before you buy, we are going to break down the top 10 games you'll want to pick up in the first half of 2024!

Keep reading to learn about a variety of games that are perfect for beginners and gaming gods alike. Not every game on this list will be for everyone but hopefully there will be at least 1 or 2 that will stand out to you that you might want to pick up. As always the games in this list are all available for pre-order on our site!

Prince of Persia - The Lost Crown

To kick start our list we've got the latest entry in the gaming classic Prince of Persia series with The Lost Crown! In this brilliant tribute to the side-scrolling 1989 original game, you use your time powers and combat skills to perform deadly attacks to defeat the time-corrupted enemies and mythological creatures. This game changes up the Prince of Persia formula in many ways, one of which being that the character you play as is in fact NOT THE PRINCE! In the Lost Crown you play as Sargon, one of seven legendary Persian warriors called the Immortals, who is out to save Prince Ghassan. You'll be expected to solve puzzles in your journey to find treasures, whilst completing quests to learn more about the corrupted Mount Qaf. Its side scrolling action and refreshing artistic direction really makes this game pop, and with 60fps on all platforms we see this game being a strong start to 2024 when it releases 18th January!

Tekken 8

Next on our list we've got Tekken 8, the brand-new entry in the legendary Tekken franchise, bringing the fight to a new generation! The Tekken arcade game from 1994 has long changed, with 32 redesigned, unique fighters and the introduction of the all-new ‘Heat’ system to crush your opponents. Tekken 8 continues one of the longest running video game storylines, featuring the father-and-son grudge matches that made the series so memorable. After defeating his father, Heihachi Mishima, Kazuya continues his conquest for global domination, using the forces of G Corporation to wage war on the world. The game includes a variety of brand new single player content such as the new Arcade Quest mode, teaching players who are new to the series the basic mechanics as well as some all-new mechanics. You also get to customise your own character in Arcade mode also in its own unique storyline. The gameplay is still as fun as the original, with brand new mechanic - the heat system! Giving players the ability to harness aggressiveness as a tactic and incorporate offensive attacks into their playstyle "heat system" has special movements and character abilities based on each character’s unique features. We can also look forward to series staples "rage arts" making a return too. We're excited to see what else Tekken 8 Launch edition has in store for us when it releases 26th January!

Like a Dragon - Infinite Wealth

Releasing on the same day as Tekken 8, we're also excited to get our hands on Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Another game based on an iconic franchise, Infinite Wealth is the latest entry in the famous Yakuza series, which was renamed to Like a Dragon. Filled to the brim with fast paced RPG battles featuring tongue in cheek action, this new game will not disappoint long time fans. Adapt your party's skills to the situation with outlandish jobs and customisations to strategically subdue enemies with over-the-top moves. There's plenty to do in the game as you explore all that Hawaii has to offer, with a huge mix of side quests and activities to enjoy at your leisure. This is a great place for new players of the Yakuza series to start as it'll give you a good look at what the series has to offer whilst giving some stunning and colourful visuals. After being nominated of the 2023 Game Awards most anticipated game, why not secure your pre-order now?!

Persona 3 - Reload

The next game on our list has fans hyped all over the world, with a remake of the beloved Persona game, Persona 3 - Reload. First releasing in 2006, Persona 3 shook up how the Persona games looked, going from the traditional top down RPG to the 3D fully immersive environments we know today. Step into the shoes of a transfer student thrust into an unexpected fate when entering the hour "hidden" between one day and the next. Awaken an incredible power and chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fight for your friends, and leave a mark on their memories forever. The game takes the outdated yet iconic visuals of the original, and makes them look incredible whilst still keeping the charm of it's 2006 predecessor. If you're looking for a game with a great story and a cutting edge turn based playstyle, then Persona 3 Reload is perfect for you. The core of the game is to wisely choose how you spend your daytime activities on Port Island, such as building relationships with characters in your party and gaining experience from classes to better your experience in The Dark Hour to take down the hoards of shadows. You'll learn how to pick and choose from a variety of Persona's in your arsenal to take down Shadows, with addictive mechanics that just feel great! We'll leave some of the bigger story lines for you to discover for yourself when Persona 3 - Reload releases on the 2nd February!

Suicide Squad - Kill the Justice League

We can't wait to finally race around the open world of Metropolis as our comic book favourites in Suicide Squad - Kill the Justice League. From the creators of the infamous Batman Arkham series, Kill the Justice League is a genre-defying third-person action shooter where the ultimate band of misfits must do the impossible to save the world - Kill the Justice League. The team is built up of the most iconic villains from DC's roster including, Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang and the imposing King Shark. Having such a wide variety of characters will let you experience the unique fusion of gunplay, melee combat and even traversal, giving us the most out of this dynamic open world experience. As with the comics, this game will have the classic Suicide Squad comedic moments that draws fans to the franchise. For those wanting to experience the game on PS5 you'll be treated to the PS5's DualSense controller's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers as well as 3D audio with the Pulse 3D wireless headset, taking the experience of soaring around Metropolis battling enemies to the next level. With the game having multiple push backs will this game be worth the wait, or will the team fail this mission? Find out for yourself when Kill the Justice League launch edition releases on the 30th of January and the regular edition releases 2nd of February!

Biomutant

This next entry is a change from what we've already seen on this list, being a game that promises a unique martial arts styled combat system. That game is Biomutant releasing for Nintendo Switch on 14th February (how romantic!?). The game originally released in May 2021 for PS4, Windows and Xbox, but we'll be focusing on its new Switch release. Biomutant is an open-world post-apocalyptic Kung-Fu fable RPG, featuring some gorgeous creature and weapon designs making you really feel every swing, stab and dodge. It's environmental story telling is top notch, letting players explore the vast open world to find parts to build the ultimate weapon. The games branching storylines revolve around " the Tree of Life", which is slowly getting gnawed away at causing it to come under threat. You choose 1 of 6 tribes to ally with to either help the Tree of Life grow and thrive or to take advantage of this opportunity to expand their territory and power. Now being released on the Nintendo Switch, and well after its original release, will this port be received well by players? We think it will and highly recommend to pre-order a copy to try out this unique gaming experience for yourself!

Mario vs Donkey Kong

Our next release for 2024 takes us on an adventure with the Jumpman himself in Mario vs Donkey Kong! The age-old rivalry that heated up on Game Boy Advance reignites in Mario vs. Donkey Kong on Nintendo Switch. Featuring all-new graphics, solve all kinds of puzzles and test your platforming smarts as you try to recover the stolen Mini-Marios! Gameplay sees Mario navigate through fun puzzle rooms utilising a variety of tools such a block switches in order to obtain a key to a hidden Mini-Mario toy. The game also harks back to some traditional 2D Mario move sets, being perfect for old and new players a like. It's meant to be light puzzle gaming that's perfect for families to play together with it's local co-op feature. This could be handy in harder levels and might just shed some light on new ways to get to your end goal. With it's simple "find the key, move onto the next level" approach that can't go wrong, we can see this entry in the Super Mario games being a win when it arrives on Nintendo Switch on the 16th of February.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Join Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII in the upcoming stand alone game Final Fantasy VII Rebirth! Final Fantasy VII was the first in the series to get the 3D treatment, making way for how the Final Fantasy games push the boundaries of gaming and influence how other video games are made. This game is the second part of the 3 part reimagining of the original game which expands upon the story and characters we already know. Fans weren't sure whether this trilogy would stay truthful to the original or make major plot changes, but were pleased that the remake had a great mix of both! Rebirth has the daunting task of picking up where the last part left off, with the gang hot on the heels of Sephiroth. The combat system is nearly identical to that found in the first game with elements of the turn-based strategy that Final Fantasy VII is known for. We'll be treated to a new combat option in the form of the Synergy System, allowing for multi character combo attacks. Along with this we will see a secondary metre, which can be used when 2 characters have built up enough Synergy Gauge. Not only does this act as an additional Limit Break but also looks amazing too, with combinations of your favourite characters teaming up to pull off some mind blowing moves. We're really excited to explore the large pockets of new zones, expanding on what were relatively empty sections of the game, turning them into fully explorable and immersive locations. Are you excited about the next chapter in this epic remake!? Let us know in the comments and don't forget to pre-order your copy for PS5 for the games February 29th release.

"REBIRTH is the highly anticipated new story in the FINAL FANTASY VII remake project, a reimagining of the iconic original game into three standalone titles by its original creators. In this game, players will enjoy various new elements as the story unfolds, culminating in the party’s journey to The Forgotten Capital!"

Princess Peach - Showtime

Heading back to the Mushroom kingdom we're really excited to play Princess Peach - Showtime! Peach and friends arrive at the Sparkle Theatre to see a show when the wicked Grape and the Sour Bunch suddenly make their grand entrance and take centre stage. The perfect performance has become a terrible tragedy and it’s up to Peach to save the play – and the day! We haven't seen a Peach focused game since 2005's Super Princess Peach on the Nintendo DS, so it's definitely a refreshing welcome for Mario Bros fans. The game play centres around new character Stella, the theatres guardian, and her ribbon that allows Peach to cut her way through obstacles and small enemies. The main feature however is Peach's new transformations, allowing her to solve clues and fight off bad guys. The trailer shows off a few of these transformations showing us the Swordfighter Peach transformation, allowing her to swing through tough vines. We also get a glimpse at Detective Peach, allowing her to find hidden clues to solve puzzles. It takes a similar formula to Luigi's Mansion 3 where each level will be a different show, each with different abilities and mechanics. One of the last transformations we saw was Patisserie Peach, having her create many different sweet treats in fun mini games! It's definitely going to be a bright and colourful addition to the roster of Mario games releasing this year and we can't wait to start exploring each show for ourselves when Showtime! releases for Nintendo Switch on the 22nd of March.

Kingdom Come Deliverance

The last game on our list hasn't got a set release date yet other than early 2024. Kingdom Come - Deliverance was hailed for it's super realistic graphics and next level immersive gameplay. It's been a long time coming as the original game released way back in 2018, but this is made up by the fact that this version is being labelled the Royal Edition. This version on the Nintendo Switch will include the base game as well as all the DLCs: Treasures of the Past, From the Ashes, The Amorous Adventures of Bold Sir Hans Capon, Band of Bastards, and A Woman's Lot. You'll be living in the medieval era, smashing and slashing your way through Bohemia to shape the world's fate. Bringing this game to the Switch will hopefully deliver this brilliant gaming experience to the masses with the ability to play the game on the go. With the first game being incredibly successful and genre-defying, we think that a sequel will be inevitable soon!

"Kingdom Come Deliverance is a story-driven open-world RPG that immerses you in an epic adventure in the Holy Roman Empire. Avenge your parents' death as you battle invading forces, go on game-changing quests, and make influential choices. Explore castles, forests, villages and other realistic settings in medieval Bohemia! The Royal Edition contains Kingdom Come Deliverance and all released DLCs."

Well, that was our list of the top 10 games you can look forward to in the first half of 2024. As always you can find links to all the games we've mentioned in the related products section! Do you agree with our list or are there some games that you're looking forward to that we haven't mentioned? Let us know in the comments and thank you for reading!


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About Matt Farmer

Matt is the News Editor at Total Cards, where he spends his time reporting on the biggest stories in the world of TCG's and beyond. He enjoys spending his spare time being a forever DM, he has a vast knowledge of all things Dungeons & Dragons, and has a keen eye for great board games!

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