Editor's Note: Looking for honorable mentions and titles #11-20? Look no further:
10. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (PS5, PS4, XSX, XOne, PC)
Cody Medellin: Yakuza: Like A Dragon showed that Sega's Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio could successfully pivot from a very serious Japanese gangster action tale to a gangster RPG that gets absolutely gonzo at every possible opportunity. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth promises to crank that up while also moving the action to Hawaii, the first time the series has been set outside of Japan. The early looks have been overwhelmingly positive, and we don't have to wait long to see if the final game is everything that fans want and more.
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9. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (PS5)
Redmond Carolipio: For people of a certain age like me — old enough to have played the original and gone through the fulfilling emotional storm it brings — playing Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth will probably feel like a spiritual experience. There's a part of me that still can't believe this is really a thing, but now with real-time combat and the good vibes I'm still feeling from Remake and FFXVI. I'm both excited and frightened to see what narrative changes could be made and just how damn good this is going to look.
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8. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl (XSX, PC)
Tony "OUberLord" Mitera: Oh look, the game that was also on my "Most Anticipated" list for 2021, 2022, and 2023! Signs sure seem to be pointing toward the game finally releasing in 2024, but at the same time, I'm leaving room for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 on my 2025 list just in case. I absolutely love this series for its immersive gameplay and overall aesthetic. These are games where you kit up and fight hideous creatures within a radioactive exclusion zone to try and find the riches contained within, and then you come back and smoke a cigarette while listening to a fellow explorer strum a guitar before you become another of the zone's cautionary tales.
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7. Dragon's Dogma II (PS5, XSX, PC)
Cody Medellin: The original Dragon's Dogma was an excellent title that riffed on the Monster Hunter formula with a single-player focus. The fact that we're getting a sequel is exciting enough, so even if it featured nothing mechanically new, it would still be cheered by fans. It's a common feeling for almost all of the big sequels this year, since most have been dormant for a long while.
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Rainier Van Autrijve: When Pacific Drive was announced in 2022 as a first-person driving survival game, I did a double take. The game grew on me, though. I'm a sucker for racing games, but I'm not very good at them, so since this is more of a "driving game," I might actually stay on the road for longer than five seconds. Racing titles usually have a wealth of modding and tuning options, and you almost need to be a licensed car mechanic to get handle on it. While Pacific Drive has a fully customizable car (and upgradable garage/base), it seems simplified to the point of being manageable for mere mortals. The other part that has my interest piqued was the survival aspect, which immediately had me thinking of S.T.A.L.K.E.R., with the similar Exclusion Zone and anomalies. There's only a month to go before I'll be revving my engines to scavenge the wasteland.
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Rhi "StormyDawn" Mitera: To say I'm excited for Avowed would be an understatement. Pillars of Eternity and its sequel Deadfire are two of my favorite games of all time, and I can't wait for the chance to dive back into the world of Eora. What I've seen so far is beautiful and fascinating, and the combat looks dynamic and fun. I look forward to spending way too many hours exploring the Living Lands.
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4. Black Myth: Wukong (PS5, XSX, PC)
Chris "Atom" DeAngelus: Black Myth: Wukong has been one of those games that has been in development forever but looks better each time it is shown. Putting players in the shoes of the famous Monkey King, Black Myth: Wukong looks to be a blend of Dark Souls and Devil May Cry, with fast-paced and intense action in a distinctive and beautiful mythological setting. The long wait for Wukong is almost over, and it has the potential to be a breakout hit.
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3. Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (XSX, PC)
Redmond Carolipio: The original Hellblade was probably my favorite game of 2017, if not one of the most impactful titles I've ever played. It was impossible to pull away from Senua's cripplingly tortured journey to Hell itself as she battled the voices scraping away at her in her head. Now we're getting the big-budget sequel treatment and what appears to be a more empowered (and even terrifying) Senua. We've seen enough trailers and snippets — this has a chance to be a landmark piece of work for the Xbox.
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Chris "Atom" DeAngelus: The original Hades is one of the most enjoyable roguelike games ever made. It takes the simple act of dying and makes it an engaging part of the core game as you find more plot, more characters, and more gimmicks with each failure. The blistering-fast gameplay was simple to pick up and yet delightful to play, so it was a raw joy. A chance for a second bite at the pomegranate seeds with Hades II is exciting enough, but the new protagonist, new gods and new setting all serve to make Supergiant's first sequel into something that's truly worth getting excited over.
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1. Star Wars Outlaws (PS5, XSX, PC)
Redmond Carolipio: Since the outstanding Fallen Order, I've been sort of low-key begging for more titles in this newest gaming generation that take place in the Star Wars universe but do not have me inhabiting the body of a Force-sensitive protagonist in a third-person setting. And as if on cue, here comes a heist adventure with who looks to be a charismatic lead. I'm here for it.