Now that Microsoft has finally managed to buy Activision Blizzard King, it's time to move on to what matters most: gaming! And that's a good thing, because the year 2024 already promises a lot of titles in different genres, designed by renowned studios. If you like JRPGs, action/adventure games, FPS, metroidvanias and flight simulators, you will be in heaven.
Summary
- Ara: Untold Story
- Explained
- Eiyuden Chronicle: One Hundred Heroes
- Harold Halibut
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
- Reload Persona 3
- Replaced
- Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
- STALKERS 2
Ara: Untold Story
With Ara: History Untold, Oxide Games and Microsoft offer the player the opportunity to build a nation and lead it through the twists and turns of history. Extensive program! Ara will take the form of a 4X, namely a strategy game based on the four pillars of exploration, exploitation, expansion and destruction. If the game reminds you of a certain Civilization, that's completely normal, as the studio was founded nine years ago by former members of Firaxis. In a world that evolves according to the player's actions, we are sure that he will be able to research technologies, develop his industry and manage everything down to the smallest details. The software will also allow us to embody some of history's most influential characters such as Nefertiti, Sappho and George Washington. For console players, please note that Ara: History Untold is currently only announced for PC.
Explained
Revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase 2020, Avowed immediately piqued the curiosity of RPG fans. What could be more normal when we know that one of the masters of the genre, Obsidian, is in charge and that the software will be set in the universe of Eora, the same world as that of Pillars of Eternity? Avowed is playable in first-person perspective and places the player in a new island region called The Living Lands. Equipped with swords, axes, shields, but above all magic, he will face a varied bestiary. The guards, giant spiders, skeletons and bipedal reptiles will have a lot of fun! With dazzling colors, a story that promises excitement, and various options to get rid of the threats, Avowed is an Xbox/PC/Game Pass exclusive to look out for.
Eiyuden Chronicle: One Hundred Heroes
Here's hoping we don't have to wait another year to get our hands on it, as Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes was originally announced for 2022 before being pushed back to 2023 and then April 2024. Funded by a successful crowdsourcing campaign launched in July 2020, the title is a JRPG dreamed up by the creators of Suikoden. The story of this production is actually entrusted to Yoshitaka Murayama, while Junko Kawano is responsible for the character design.. In program ? Turn-based battles in stunning high-definition 2.5D graphics, boss battles, a cast of 100 heroes joining the protagonist, and a fortress-building system for developing armies. All with a story with themes of war and friendship. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will be released on Game Pass on April 23, 2024.
Harold Halibut
The little indie gem of this big list is him! A bit like Cuphead, Harold Halibut stands out from the crowd at first glance. However, this isn't about shooting everything that moves. The software, developed by small indie studio Slow Bros, is a real adventure game. Therefore, in order to progress, you will have to discuss with the other characters, carefully observe your surroundings and solve various puzzles.. What's special about Harold Halibut is that the characters and setting elements were created by hand before transitioning to the digital world of video games. Everything was made from plasticine, fabric and other materials. As for the game's story, Harold Halibut plays in a spaceship stuck in the waters of an oceanic planet far from our solar system. The player plays a maintenance worker who also acts as a teacher's assistant. Whose goal? Repair the ship and leave from there. Release planned for 2024, in Day One Game Pass.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Do we still have to present the Arlesian of independent games, the highly anticipated Hollow Knight: Silksong? Originally intended to be a simple expansion of Hollow Knight before the developers realized the project was too big, Silksong is now a true sequel. The title is still being developed by Team Cherry and will feature Hornet, the protector of the ruins of Hallonest.. The latter is equipped with useful moves to advance in environments full of traps and enemies. All we know today is that the player will be invited to explore an entirely new kingdom. Hollow Knight: Silksong was originally planned for release in 2023 and is still in development. Even if availability in 2024 is possible, it is still good to point out that no official release date has been communicated yet.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
At the time of the announcement during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023, many players thought that this Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was just a DLC for the base game. Not at all. MSF 2024, developed by the French Asobo, actually is A new software that is supposed to bring a little variety to the activities in the sky. In the announcement video, we learn about firefighting aboard a Canadair, cargo transport by helicopter, industrial goods transport, mountain rescue, agricultural aviation, aerial power pylon construction and even experimental flights. As usual with the license, the graphics are once again a dream. This Xbox/PC exclusive will be released on Game Pass in 2024.
Reload Persona 3
Persona fans who have subscribed to Game Pass are definitely in for a treat. Persona 3 Reload is a remake of Persona 3, released on PlayStation 2 in 2006. In case you're wondering, the game is actually a reimagining of the original Persona 3 and not a remake of Persona 3: FES or Persona 3 Portable. Developed by P-Studio and later by Atlus, this JRPG combines elements of RPG and dating sim. The player plays the “protagonist”, a high school student who has gained the power to summon a persona that joins a group of people with the same ability. Together, their mission is to defeat the threat of the Shadows. Additionally, the player must try to live his high school life while preventing the apocalypse. Persona 3 Reload will be released on Game Pass on February 2, 2024.
Replaced
Since its ceremonial announcement during the Xbox Games Showcase 2021, REPLACED has almost managed to make us forget about The Last Night. Developed by Sad Cat Studios and Coat Sink, REPLACED is a retro-futuristic 2.5D SF action platformer with meticulous art direction. The player embodies REACH, “an artificial intelligence trapped in a human body against its will,” according to the developers. As the videos show, Replaced is an action-packed cinematic platformer with very pretty pixel art and stunning lighting effects. The studio promises “a deep and captivating dystopian story set in an alternate dimension in the 1980s.” We only want one thing: to lend a hand. The release is planned for 2023, with “Replaced” finally appearing in Game Pass in 2024.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
It's easy to forget with the flood of major titles in recent years, but Senua's Saga: Hellblade II was the first revelation of the Xbox Series. Ninja Theory production has only played the technical demo card so far. Be it in 2019, 2021 or more recently 2023 at the Xbox Games Showcase, the British studio has done everything to show that its future baby will delight our eyes. As far as the story and gameplay are concerned, few details have been leaked. All we know is that Senua, still shaken by the events of the first game, decides to save the victims of tyranny. But to do so, she must overcome the darkness that lies before them… and within them. This Xbox/PC exclusive game will arrive on Game Pass in 2024.
STALKERS 2
We're no longer expecting postponements, but this time it's almost certain: the GSC Game game is scheduled to arrive in early 2024. Originally announced in 2010, STALKER 2: The Heart of Chornobyl is an FPS with survival and RPG elements. Those who have had the chance to try it on PGW know that the software is not linear with the system of quests to choose and that to progress you need to know how to manage your inventory effectively. With a terrifying atmosphere, STALKER 2 plunges the player into a huge open world full of dangerous mutant creatures. The “A-Life” system, which allows NPCs to live their own lives even when the player is not present, is back and, according to the developers, is even being improved. So we can't wait to dive into the making of GSC Game and see how much our actions will change the course of history. STALKER 2 was only announced for Xbox and PC. It will be available on Game Pass from day one of its availability.
Via Xbox Game Pass
Gaming News
It's official: Microsoft is increasing the prices for Xbox Game Pass and its series
Business News
Xbox Game Pass: review of Microsoft's service 4 years after its launch
Business News
Game Pass: Interview with Ben Decker (Xbox) about the service's ambitions