The new year is off to a strong start with news about video games, especially the Tetris world record, but also the games that players are most anticipating in 2024.
Before I start my list, I wanted to share with you some cool news to start the year. You probably know the musical theme of this game ? We talked about it on RFI, the world record on Tetris was broken on December 21st by a 13-year-old American teenager, his name is “Blue Scuti” and he is the first person in 35 years to achieve this gaming feat in Tetris its original version on the NES console until it “crashed”, i.e. reached the end after 157 levels.
For some this is an achievement, for others it is not praiseworthy. A Sky News presenter who revealed this information added that as mother, she advises Willis Gibson aka Blue Scuti to “step away from your screen and get some fresh air.” A remark that has been very negatively received by gamers, especially on social networks, as it reminds us of how stigmatized the gaming community remains.
She is called a “hater”, a person who knows nothing, and I agree, this additional comment with a mocking face was really not necessary on the part of the moderator. I continue to insist that playing video games is a hobby like any other. Furthermore, there is no completed study proving that they are addictive or cause violence in children. Remember that it is up to parents to monitor how often their children play. To end this topic, I would like to congratulate Blue Scuti, who made history by doing what many adults failed to do!
The most anticipated games in 2024
There are obviously essentials that everyone expects, like Star Wars Outlaw, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Death Stranding 2, Silent Hill 2 and Mass Effect 5, which are more triple-A.
For my part, I'm waiting impatiently for Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. It's the big return of one of Ubisoft's iconic licenses. This game has a special meaning to me because Prince of Persia was the first adventure game I played that really impressed me enough to make video games a passion. Since there hasn't been a new game since 2010 after The Forgotten Sands, I've been waiting impatiently for this remake! I actually had the chance to preview it at Paris Games Week and I liked this return to basics. It will be released on January 15th on all platforms.
I'm also waiting for Tekken 8, the fighting game that shaped my youth. The game that made me realize that I wouldn't systematically win by persisting with the controller. It's coming out on January 26th and I can't wait to read Jin Kazama's story.
Thirdly, I can't wait to discover Hades II, whose date has not yet been announced but which will certainly be released in 2024. Hades is a role-playing and action game from Greek mythology that we try to escape from the house to leave “daddy” so to speak. What's cool outside of gameplay is that in the first game, all of the gods and goddesses that the main character Zagreus deals with come from all walks of life. So the myth of the straight white Greek god is over and we want Supergiant Games, who developed the game, to stick to it as Hades II will offer a heroine this time!
The fourth anticipated game, although it was only announced a month ago during the Game Awards, is Tales of Kenzera: Zau, which will be released on April 23, 2024. It's always a good strategy to announce a game and then release it quickly! Here we are dealing with a 2D action-adventure game in which we play as a shaman who has lost her father and makes a deal with the God of Death to bring him back from the darkness. This time we are in Afro-fantasy with characters and universes inspired by African cultures and the life of the creator himself, who also lost his father. The game is being developed by Surgent Studios, founded by Abubakar Salim, the man who voices Adéwalé in Assassin's Creed. Isn't that refreshing?
We end with Skull and Bones, a pirate and sea battle game that we have been waiting for since 2018. Unfortunately it has been postponed many times, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this time will be the right one. The freshwater date is set for February 2024!
What do you want from this list?