If you’ve watched the 2023 Game Awards or just have your finger on the pulse of gaming, you may’ve noticed exciting sequels coming in 2024. There are callbacks to cult classics and second installations of titles from the recent past. Here are my top 10 upcoming game sequels in 2024.
What Are the Top 10 Upcoming Game Sequels in 2024?
Hades 2 (Q2 2024)
It’s time to wreak havoc across the Greek underworld once again with Zagreus’ chthonic nymph sister Melinoë. This dagger and sickle-wielding sorceress is on a quest to slay Chronos, the Titan God of Time who is also the father of Hades and other notable Olympians. Through her perspective, we’ll be seeing Supergiant expand their beautifully gloomy underworld. The game looks to be following a similar Rogue-lite pattern of the original as you wage a campaign across Tartarus growing stronger with each death and gaining powers through divine allies. The trailer revealed some familiar faces for mythology geeks like me including Apollo the God of Light, Nemesis Retribution Incarnate, and Moros Doom Incarnate.
The game will launch in Early Access as the original did with around as much content with Supergiant finishing the game up along with the community. There will also be a technical test with a smaller group of players which interested individuals can apply for. That said, Supergiant has yet to reveal how to apply for this test run. Overall, I couldn’t be more excited for this new Rogue-lite adventure, especially because magic and spells seem to be more of a gameplay element than with Zagreus.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl (Q1 2024)
The post-apocalyptic world of Andrei Tarkovsky’s novel turned S.T.A.L.K.E.R. video game franchise by GSC Game World is back in all its anomalous glory. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl reawakens the idea of the Zone, a radioactive area full of grim dark adventure, dangerous enemies, deadly anomalies, and mysterious artifacts. The game seeks to reintroduce the tropes that made it so memorable from warring factions in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, to horror survival elements, and tactical gunplay.
You’ll be taking the role of a lone stalker exploring this radioactive world and making their way to the heart of the Zone. What GSC Game World is going hard on is a compelling story with branching paths and interactive storytelling. Your choices will matter in this game and they’ll determine which ending you’ll get. Last but not least, the game looks stunning and incredibly immersive with a multiplayer mode to be added so that you can gather around a fire with your stalker buddies and swap stories.
Helldivers 2 (Q1 2024)
Speaking of gathering buddies around, Helldivers 2 will be here in February bringing that cooperative alien shooter experience to PC and PS5. However, Arrowhead is doing a similar thing that Risk of Rain 2 did and switching perspectives. What was once an isometric-like game is now a third-person shooter. If you’ve not played the original, you’ll be adoring the battle suits of Helldivers, the greatest military force across the galaxy in defense of Super Earth.
The enemy? Seemingly endless hordes of bug-like aliens each with unique move sets, characteristics, and tactics. You’ll be able to swap between different load-outs, weapons, armor suits, and so on with your buddies as you build the perfect team with your custom way of shooting things down. There are even special stratagems you can unlock to deploy explosive firepower. Earn Requisition, upgrade your gear and your ship, and do it all over again in a fast-paced and dynamic online co-op mode that’ll take you and your friends across the galaxy.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
While not a full sequel, From Software is known for epic and massive expansions with enough content to populate a small game. Just the Twitter release of the Shadow of the Erdtree promo image has spawned enough story theories to do so. The expansion will be adding new weapons, armor, NPCs and questlines, locations, items, bosses, spells, and much more. As with previous Soulsborne games and their DLCs, this will be a massive player-base revival for Elden Ring.
Due to the sheer amount of time the DLC is being developed, and having the scope of releases like The Old Hunters for Bloodborne and The Ringed City for Dark Souls 3, this might be From Software’s biggest expansion yet. Story-wise, Shadow of the Erdtree will be exploring the character of Miquella and his role in the Lands Between through his mysterious Halig Tree. Fan speculation based on leaked documents tells us that we might be getting this DLC sooner than we think in February 2024 but this remains to be confirmed.
Dragon’s Dogma II (Q1 2024)
More than a decade after the original, Dragon’s Dogma II is coming to PC and consoles in March 2024. The game will feature a completely new story centering on dragons, factions in political conflict, and epic fantasy adventure. This is great news as it means that the game will be much more accessible to players who haven’t played the original.
The combat system is more glorious than ever doubling down on the monster climbing mechanic from the original. You’ll face mythological monsters like griffins, giants, manticores, etc., as you fight and climb them locating their weak spots. The vast character-building system is also there with new classes like the Trickster and the Mystic Spearhand in addition to classics like the Thief, Archer, Warrior, and Sorcerer. The main fun of Dragon’s Dogma II will be mixing and matching these classes to create unique builds and ways to tackle new foes. Pawns are also back helping you create your very own monster hunting party.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Q1 2024)
Following the Summer Game Fest trailer, Rebirth continues the adventure from Part 1 with Sephirot being back, Cloud entering Kalm, Zack arriving at the Sector 5 church, and much more. There’s a lot to be excited about with Rebirth. The sequel will reintroduce the combat mechanics of Part 1 where you blend pause-based commands and real-time moves with new systems. One of these are synergy moves where you fill a Limit Break-like bar and unleash combination moves spawned from relationships and bonds with your party. There’s a lot to uncover here as this is a revamped story of the original FF7. I just hope fans of the original like myself can bear another Aerith storyline.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Ninja Theory’s Hellblade 2 is looking like a faithful continuation of the original story in the same interactive movie style. It’s essentially a cinematic experience with exploration, puzzle, and combat encounters thrown in here and there though it seems like the sequel is increasing the mechanical depth of these combat scenes. Furthermore, judging from the gameplay reveals and trailers there seems to be a focus on companions as well as you lead a band of warriors against the horrors of Norse mythology.
That said, Senua’s Saga has always been more of a psychological experience so I expect the game to explore Senua’s psyche much more than in the original. Additionally, another element I am incredibly excited about is one of my favorite groups Heilung producing the OST for the game. We’ve heard a fraction of their work at the Game Awards but I can’t wait to dive into the full game and immerse myself in the sound and visuals that Heilung and Ninja Theory have created. Hellblade 2 is going to be an experience to remember.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (Q4 2024)
Space Marine 2 is shaping up into everything we wanted the original to be and more. The Fourth Tyranid War is calling Captain Titus, now demoted to lieutenant, back into the fray. He’s been enhanced into a Primaris Space Marine now larger, stronger, faster, and more adept. The game pauses relentless Ork combat for a chance to showcase a Tyranid invasion. A mix of ranged and melee combat is back although with better graphics, weapons, and mechanics.
That said, it seems that the game’s story will be more focused on fighting in a squad with AI teammates. This is something that was also in the first game but the original didn’t focus on it as much. With the new co-op system in place, both the single-player and multiplayer experience will make you feel like you’re in an Astartes squadron. Equip yourself with bolters, flamers, meltas, and various power weapons and lay waste to the Tyrranid hordes. If you’re hyped for some more games in this universe then check out our top 10 Warhammer 40K games.
Path of Exile 2 (Q2 2024)
The Closed Beta for Path of Exile 2 begins in June 2024 when we can finally dive into this next-gen online multiplayer ARPG. PoE 2 will feature a separate story campaign from the original with new systems, classes, skills, bosses, and much more. The game focuses on six acts of the campaign with dozens of new environments and monsters with an ability system focused on skill combos.
Elemental interactions play a big role in the game where you can deploy combos like throwing an oil bomb and setting it on fire or freezing enemies into ice pillars and breaking them down with other abilities for bonus damage. There are 12 different classes to enjoy with 36 Ascendancies, a new skill gem system, and Dual Specialization skill trees. On the quality-of-life side of things, Grinding Gear has made it so that all your microtransactions from the original carry over into the sequel and vice versa. These exciting gameplay mechanics mixed with healthy ideas about microtransactions are what might make PoE 2 the most-played ARPG in 2024.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
Last but not least is the cult classic revival of VtM Bloodlines into a new-gen first-person game made by The Chinese Room, the developers of the original. Now this is an exciting prospect for us fans of the 2004 game, we’re just hoping this doesn’t turn into a Half-Life 3 type of deal. The Chinese Room has been revealing bits and pieces of the game with some gameplay videos showcasing essentially a similar gameplay and narrative setup to the first game.
It’ll be a massive action RPG set in Seattle where you’re playing a newly created Vampire or Kindred as they’re known in the World of Darkness universe the game is set in. You’ll be able to access a slew of supernatural powers based on your clan from super strength and speed to mind domination and blood magic. The game will thrust you into a vampiric world of political intrigue and warring factions. The game will supposedly be released towards the end of 2024 but that remains to be seen as there have been many delays. This doesn’t stop me from believing though as the 2004 Bloodlines is one of my all-time favorites.
This concludes my list of the top 10 upcoming game sequels in 2024. For more top 10 lists, check out our upcoming RPGs in 2024 as well as the best RPGs of 2023.
