What’s In Store For The Rest Of 2024? P.3
Welcome back! This is the third and final part of our mini-series highlighting some great games coming out in 2024. There’s still a great chunk of games to look forward to from many categories of games, so even if you're only interested in one niche of game, I'm willing to bet you'll find something here to add to your wishlist! If you’d like to catch up on the previous articles, here are Part 1 and Part 2!
Throne and Liberty
Throne and Liberty is a new contender in the crowded MMORPG genre. It promises a blend of traditional fantasy elements with innovative gameplay mechanics. The setting is a high-fantasy world with political intrigue, magical conflicts, and sprawling landscapes. Player feedback from the beta has frequently noted how beautiful the game looks. There are expansive landscapes filled with lush greenery and intricate villages and ruins. Players aren’t limited by classes, instead the weapons you choose will dictate the fighting style you’ll have to adapt to. And adapt you will. Players have noted that learning the combinations and fighting styles is incredibly important to get the most out of your weapons, so read up! If you’re a fan of traversing beautiful landscapes -you’re in for a treat! Players have noted there is a lot of travel to be done. NCSOFT is known for its massively successful titles like "Lineage" and "Guild Wars," so it has big shoes to fill in the genre if it is to stand amongst the titans of the genre, but if anyone was to tackle this feat, it would be NCSOFT. If MMOs are your jam, look out for it on October 1st.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game
Are you tired of the main characters getting all the good games? Here’s one for you! This game features the beloved best friend of the iconic character we all (presumably) know and love, SpongeBob SquarePants! Players will play as Patrick Star as they explore the whimsical, underwater world of Bikini Bottom. As a spin-off from the highly popular "SpongeBob SquarePants" franchise, the game aims to capture the charm and humor of the original series while offering a sandbox gameplay experience that will provide the perfect setting for goofy and mischievous antics. To complete the sense of nostalgia, the game is voiced by the original voice cast of Spongebob Squarepants: Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick, Tom Kenny as SpongeBob, Rodger Bumpass as Squidward, Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs, and many more! If you’re in the mood for some wholesome and nostalgic fun, grab this one when it comes out on Switch on October 4th!
Just Dance 2025 Edition
It’s been many years since the Just Dance franchise graced us with its presence and has us hilarious videos of grandmas dancing to pop songs and little kids memorizing the dance to Boney M.’s Rasputin. In this newest release, we can look forward to 40 new songs and dances! It also includes a workout mode, a 1-month subscription to Just Dance+ for access to all the old songs in addition to regularly released songs with special perks for in-game events, and Just Dance VR where you’ll be able to fully immerse yourself in the world of dance!
Flint: Treasures of Oblivion
Fulfill your dream of being a swashbuckling pirate sailing the seven seas with your trusty crew! Or at least, that’s my dream. Flint: Treasures of Oblivion is a tactical RPG based on It's all about building up a crew and exploring the port towns and dangerous waters during the golden age of pirates. This is a debut game from developers Savage Level and inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's classic adventure novel Treasure Island where the plot follows pirates in search of treasure left behind by Captian Flint. In this game, you’ll follow Captain Flint himself, his shipmate Billy Bones, and their crew. While the game isn’t as large as say, BG3, there’s still a sizeable amount to explore. While the combat is based on a roll of the dice, the crews that you choose will either pay off or let you down in turn-based combat, so it’s important to be mindful of the company you keep. Find out if you can build the best crew when the game comes releases on October 24th!
Post Trauma
If you’re in the mood for a creepy game around Halloween time, Post Trauma sounds like just the game for you. This survival horror captures the classic tropes of horror in the environment without relying on jump scares to make it horror. Rather, the eerie environments and fixed camera angles do most of the heavy lifting along with some truly disturbing enemies. The story focuses on Roman, a tormented train conductor who finds themself trapped in an ever-changing hellscape. Players will need to pay attention to detail to solve the puzzles in the game, so much so that some who have played the demo at Gamescom found themselves taking pictures of them on their phones to bring up in the future. There is no in-game way to save these pictures, so some might find that disrupting the flow of gameplay, but the beautifully creepy settings might be enough to make up for this. If you’re someone who enjoys the slow, methodical approach to scary games, this seems to channel inspiration from the big horror games of the 90’s like Silent Hill, Resident Evil 2, and System Shock 2. While it is an indie, it has the potential to stand amongst the classics. Check it out when it releases on October 29th.
Antonblast
Antonblast is a fast-paced action platformer with retro arcade vibes that is anything but casual. Explosive energy is a theme throughout the game as you play either Dynamite Anton or his coworker Annie. You’ll use your “Mighty F’n Hammer’ to cause as much destruction as possible on your journey to get your souls back from Satan. Inspired by Wario Land, this Nintendo Switch game is a follow-up title to Antonball, which was a retro arcade with lite platform elements released back in 2021. Antonball was a hit with audiences, and played a huge part in the Kickstarter for Antonblast surpassed its goal in 72 hours and reached $144,741 in funding. Developers have stated on Kickstarter that every world in Antonblast is a “mini-metroidvania with a half-hour or more of exploration each on first run.” There is also mention of Hard Mode, Time Trials, and a Boss Rush alongside the “five-hour” main story mode. If you’re in the mood for a high–energy indie, this sounds like a fantastic time! Check it out on November 12th.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
If you’re someone who loves fine-tuning their flying skills in a more forgiving environment than the actual sky, you’ll be excited to get your hands on the newest Microsoft Flight Simulator. This newest release follows in the footsteps of its 2020 release that delighted the dedicated niche of flight sim devotees. The new Career Mode gives the player more purpose and structure to the game after it was overwhelmingly requested by casual players and dedicated simmers alike. Your performance as a pilot will impact your progression through the skill tree and reward you for smooth flights and landings. Through the passenger’s performance reviews you’ll earn in-game currency you can use to level up as you choose your professional path as you pick your area of expertise including commercial airline giant, air rescuer, racing, agriculture, and more. You can also compete with other players in weekly challenges for clout and bragging rights as you pick an aircraft best suited for the challenge. There are 30 additional aircraft added to the base game, like hot air balloons, and helicopters, and even more added to the deluxe, premium deluxe, and aviator editions of the game. An overhaul of improvements has been made to airports and aircraft as well as graphics and performance. Check it out on November 19th!
Alien: Rogue Incursion
Finally, another single-player VR game that makes that PS VR purchase worth it! Alien: Rogue Incursion is another game within the Alien world that throws you into the world and unnerves you in just the right ways! Face off against the unsettlingly intelligent Xenoporphs as they use the environment against you. Your choice of weapon and ability to keep your wits about you will be your saving grace against these unforgiving monsters. While some might be frustrated this is only being developed for VR, that’s even better news for those who enjoy it as it means developers can focus on utilizing immersive factors that make VR unique. The original storyline makes it a must-have for any fan of the universe and opens up the opportunity for the writers to be as creative as they like within the bounds of the franchise. This looks like an essential purchase for anyone with the equipment when it is released on December 19th!
That's all, folks! Thank you for joining me for this wild ride through the next months of game releases. Hopefully, I've covered a few games that you might not have heard about or a few you were excited to see get more coverage. Even if there aren't as many AAA releases as past year, there's bound to be something I've covered that piqued your curiosity, and what better time than a quieter year to get to dive into something new?!
What are you most excited to get your hands on?
