February 2024 was a packed month, picking up where 2023 and January left off. Granblue Fantasy: Relink turned out to be a bigger hit than anticipated, and I still haven’t managed to finish Persona 3 Reload. Unfortunately, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League turned out to be a disaster, but Helldivers 2 more than made up for it. We’re still spending time in Last Epoch, which faced its own set of issues when exiting Early Access last month. However, the biggest release, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (review), is finally here, and millions of gamers are likely to be occupied with what I consider one of the best games ever made.
Moving onto March, if Final Fantasy VII Rebirth doesn’t catch your interest, maybe these upcoming games will. It’s not as busy of a month as February, but March still has a few titles I’m really excited to play, including Unicorn Overlord.
The Outlast Trials
The Outlast Trials, which entered Early Access on PC on May 18, 2023, officially launches on March 5, 2024. As a first-person psychological horror game, this is the third installment in the Outlast series, yet it serves as a prequel to the first two games. Set in the Cold War era, The Outlast Trials introduces support for up to four-player co-op, allowing you to survive the trials with friends.
The Outlast Trials releases on March 5 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley
Shown at the February 2024 Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a story-rich musical adventure game. The game centers on Snufkin’s efforts to restore the valley by aiding its quirky, memorable characters and critters. Set in Tove Jansson’s Moomin world, the game mixes open-world mechanics with puzzles, stealth, and melodic elements.
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley releases on March 7 for Switch and PC.
Unicorn Overlord
My most anticipated game of the month now has a demo available where you can try the game out for five hours. Unicorn Overlord comes from Vanillaware, the team behind one of the best games I’ve ever played, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. The developer has an unmistakably unique style, and although the demo portion of the story seems a bit generic, I have faith that there’s a lot more to it than what we can see in the first five hours.
Unicorn Overlord releases on March 8 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch.
WWE 2K24
It’s been a while since I’ve paid attention to WWE, but WWE 2K24 has caught my attention. This entry will feature the 2K Showcase of the Immortals, enabling players to recreate iconic moments from WrestleMania’s 40-year history. The game will feature a variety of match types, including Guest Referee, Casket, Gauntlet, Ambulance, and will even support multiple Superstars in Backstage Brawl.
WWE 2K24 releases on March 8 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Contra: Operation Galuga
As someone who grew up in the 1980s, playing video games on the original NES, I have a lot of fond memories of Contra. After all, this is the game that made “up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A-start” famous. Contra: Operation Galuga is a reimagining of the classic game from the 1980s, featuring new stages, new enemies and bosses, new play mechanics, and even support for four players in Arcade Mode. Like the original, Story Mode will offer two-player co-op.
Contra: Operation Galuge releases on March 12 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC.
Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection
Fans of the classic Star Wars Battlefront games will want to pay attention to Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection. This compilation includes the original Star Wars Battlefront and Star Wars Battlefront II, with some new additions. Classic Battlefront receives the Jabba’s Palace bonus map, while Star Wars Battlefront II is enhanced with four bonus maps (Bespin: Cloud City, Rhen Var: Harbor, Rhen Var: Citadel, and Yavin 4: Arena) and two heroes (Asajj Ventress and Kit Fisto). This collection supports both online and offline play, with online support for up to 64 players.
Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection releases on March 13 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC.
Outcast – A New Beginning
Many might not remember the original Outcast game, released on PC in 1999. For those who do, Outcast – A New Beginning is set to launch in March as a long-awaited sequel. We’ll see Cutter Slade return once again to the alien world of Adelpha. The original team behind Outcast 1 has reunited for this project, with development by Appeal Studios and publishing by THQ Nordic. For those interested in learning more, a demo is available.
Outcast – A New Beginning releases on March 15 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush may not be a new game, but it’ll be a fresh experience to PlayStation owners. One of the four games from Xbox that is going multiplatform, Hi-Fi Rush comes from Tango Gameworks and it’s a rhythm-action game that emerged as a surprise hit in 2023.
Hi-Fi Rush releases on March 19 for PlayStation 5.
Alone in the Dark
Despite a couple delays, there’s still hope that Alone in the Dark will deliver a fun experience. Serving as a homage to the 1990s cult classic horror game, it stars actors Jodie Comer and David Harbour in their first video game roles. In this psychological horror, penned by Mikael Hedberg of SOMA and Amnesia fame, Comer plays the role of Emily Hartwood, while Harbour gives his take on Edward Carnby.
Alone in the Dark releases on March 20 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition
Originally launched in 2022 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, Horizon Forbidden West is now finally making its way to PC as a complete edition, including the Burning Shores DLC (review). As the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn, this all-new adventure sees Aloy heading west, featuring support for Ultrawide, Super Ultrawide, and 48:9 triple monitor setups. It also includes enhancements like NVIDIA DLSS 3, NVIDIA DLAA, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS technologies. In addition, Horizon Forbidden West on PC will feature unlocked frame rates.
Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition releases on March 21 for PC.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
For many gamers, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is poised to be March’s most anticipated release. This long-awaited sequel from Capcom is nearly upon us, and all previews suggest it will deliver an excellent experience. It wouldn’t surprise me if Dragon’s Dogma 2 receives several Game of the Year nominations in 2024.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 releases on March 22 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Princess Peach Showtime!
With the successor to the Switch expected to launch next year, we might not see many major titles from Nintendo in the meantime. Princess Peach Showtime! could serve as a fitting farewell to the Switch, marking our beloved Princess’s first solo adventure. It looks to have all the charm we’ve come to expect from Nintendo games, and for once, Peach won’t have to share the spotlight.
Princess Peach Showtime! releases on March 22 for Switch.
Rise of the Rōnin
PlayStation’s major title for March is Rise of the Rōnin from Team Ninja. Set in war-torn, 19th-century Japan, Rise of the Rōnin is an open-world action RPG that should be familiar to Nioh players. The game features a dynamic story, evolving with the choices players make throughout the campaign.
Rise of the Rōnin releases on March 22 for PlayStation 5.
The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered
If you’re not tired of playing RPGs by the end of March, grab The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered. The original turn-based RPG was released on the Nintendo 3DS in 2015 to mixed reviews, but it does have a certain charm to it. The remastered version also adds a new guidebook function that aims to make it easier for newcomers to get started.
The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered releases on March 22 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC.
South Park: Snow Day!
I don’t actually expect South Park: Snow Day! to be a great game, but I do think it’ll provide some fun and entertainment, especially with friends. You can play with up to three friends, use matchmaking, or go solo with ally bots to battle through the town of South Park. Just keep your expectations low, considering the game is priced at only $29.99.
South Park: Snow Day! releases on March 26 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC.
