My most anticipated games of 2024

After my recent top 10 of 2023, it’s time to look ahead to what 2024 will bring when it comes to gaming. I looked at all the games on their way to me and figured I might as well make a top 10 out of it. So here we go!

Games to look forward to in 2024

Just like last year, I’m going to count down my most anticipated games for 2024 rather than sort them by expected delivery date – not just to prevent misinformation, but also to keep my own anticipation in check. I’m glad to have toned down on crowdfunding games in general, except when it comes to a few proven favourites (one company even has three entries on this list!). It was therefore harder to make a list this year than it was last year, which I take as a good sign. Heck, two games on here are entries from last year still! Without further ado, please fasten your seatbelts and put down your drinks in a secure spot – it’s anticipation time.

10. Palm Laboratory

Last year, this game was already on this list as well. Coming from a small independent publisher that does the whole board game thing as a side gig, I begrudgingly understand why it’s taking so long, but that doesn’t take away my excitement, even after another year of waiting. I just want a new Palm game to take with me on trips as soon as I can!

Read my Palm Island review here.

9. Escape the Dark: The Last of Us

I’m a sucker for The Last of Us – it’s one of my, if not the, most memorable games I’ve ever played. When this was announced I was skeptical because the Escape the Dark series looks like a dressed-up luck-fest. What I saw of this latest iteration made me interested in trying – in all honesty in large part because of the theme.

8. Dragonbond Quest

I love the Sadler brothers and their innovative card games, taking a system and reiterating it. I hated/loved Heroes of Terrinoth, and clearly saw its potential. This year, they will be coming out with Dragonbond Quest to pull them out of their design sabbatical. Little is yet known beyond its name, back story, and its (at least visual) similarities to Heroes of Terrinoth and Warhammer Quest, but I’m eager to see Dragonbond Quest take the Sadlers back to their design form.

7. 20 Strong: Tanglewoods

Another repeat offender in the exact same spot; well, kinda. Yes, 20 Strong was my number 6 last year as well, but that was its first outing. For 2024, I’m looking forward to the first batch of expansions set in the world of Tanglewoods, designed and created by Manny Trembley (he of Dice Throne fame). I’m looking forward to this new batch of expansions for this very cool little dice game, if only so I can find new ways to lose horribly, and grossly misjudge how many dice I should allot to a given test.

Read my 20 Strong review here.

6. Hoplomachus Remastered: Pandora’s Wake

I would’ve called you crazy (and perhaps added a few expletives) if you would’ve said the expansion to Hoplomachus Remastered would be higher than Hoplomachus Victorum‘s. (It was my number 1 last year!) Despite being a solo-only game, I felt Victorum demanded too much of a time commitment to keep in my collection. Even the newly released ‘Quicktorum’ variant couldn’t tide me over. Instead, I found that Remastered gave me the same tactical combat experience in a way shorter time period, so I welcome the new content Pandora’s Wake offers.

Read my Hoplomachus Remastered review here.

5. Imperium: Horizons

Two years ago, I finally succumbed to Imperium: Classics. As a civilization deckbuilding game, it was a game that should be right in my wheelhouse – and it was a huge hit. I didn’t get Legends, because I felt I already had enough content to last me a while; each box comes with eight civilizations. Well, Horizons dials it up to fourteen (!), and introduces some new mechanisms as well – and hopefully a good storage solution for sleevers like me. Oh, and I should receive my German crowdfunding playmat this year, too!

Read my Imperium: Classics review here.

4. Skytear Horde: Monoliths

Speaking of good storage solutions… I reviewed Skytear Horde this year, and I was veritably impressed by how well it emulates an MTG-like experience for solo play, including deck construction. I loved the art, and the components; all it needed was another expansion with more cards to open up deck construction even more, and a better-written rulebook. My base game copy’s insert was… serviceable, so I’m excited to be receiving a large box to store everything in – including that sweet, compact yet functional playmat.

Read my Skytear Horde review here.

3. Mageling: Rise of the Ancient Ones

Another repeat entry on the list, and at the same spot as last year, too. I just hope this year it gets delivered, but I understand the difficulties of managing a crowdfunding campaign besides a full-time job and being a parent. Writing this is a reminder I should get Mageling back to the table again, because damn is this game good. While it didn’t show up in my list of most played games in 2023, it’s still in my top 10 most played games of all time – and I plan on cementing it there even further.

Read my Mageling review here.

Read my Rise of the Ancient Ones preview here.

2. Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs

I love Gloomhaven – I am lucky enough to have played through the entire thing with a dedicated group, because I wouldn’t be able to play through it by myself. You need at least two characters, plus you need to manage the monsters. If only there was a way to play it true solo; well, soon you can! Buttons & Bugs is the answer to a question no one asked: what if you cross Gloomhaven with ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids’? It’s smaller, both literally and figuratively: the regular cast of playable characters has been shrunk down to the size of, well, buttons and bugs. Meanwhile, the game itself has shrunk considerably as well, fitting in a small square box with only a handful of cards, cubes, counters and minis. I just hope Rick Moranes makes a cameo appearance somewhere.

Read my Gloomhaven review here.

1. Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era

Spiel in Essen is always one of the highlights of my year, perhaps right there at the top. This year, of all the memories made at the fair, there was one clear winner: getting to play a scheduled private demo of the upcoming Elder Scrolls game, demoed by Andrew Santoro at the Chip Theory Games booth. I felt privileged that Andrew invited me a few weeks before, and it was a joy to get to know this reiteration of the Too Many Bones system. I have fond memories of Skyrim, but sadly they don’t seem to make ’em in the variety I enjoy the most: fully playable offline. Luckily, somewhere next year (I hope), I don’t need to wish anymore for more Elder Scrolls content I can enjoy offline by myself.

Looking forward to 2024

Last year, and the year before, I was clamoring for quality over quantity. Last year I didn’t really succeed at that – I played 110 different games, 69 of which were new to me. This year, my count is 101 different games played, including 61 new-to-me games. Whoopsy, I guess? Still, I felt like I did accomplish this goal a fair bit. I played more different games with my group, which grew in size and therefore in game library

For one, I dialled down my Essen acquisitions this year, and I feel I’ve already gotten more leeway out of those than I did at the same time last year. Just because you can’t get a game doesn’t mean you should! Right now I have only three Essen games left unplayed Vengeance, Micro Dojo, and Explorers of the Woodlands. Bonus: none of those look too daunting to dive into.

I backed 4 games last year: Gloomhaven Buttons & Bugs, Hoplomachus Remastered: Pandora’s Wake, Elder Scrolls, and Escape the Dark: the Last of Us (and a few to get access to the pledge manager for review copies). Hoplomachus and Elder Scrolls were planned, so I had saved up for them. The other two not so much, but I enjoy their franchises enough to warrant a purchase. I am happy with the result and look forward to less crowdfunding this year.

Another thing I want to do is get to play games more that I already enjoyed and reviewed. When looking for a game to play, it’s easy to get out a new one first so you can gather info for that upcoming review, but this way, lots of good games get overlooked. I might make a challenge for myself in the BGStats app just to remind myself to play certain games again.

I hope all of you had a great Christmas and a great New Year’s Eve with lots of games. Let’s use 2024 to keep on playing games and sharing our love for the hobby online. Solo gaming is one of the most interactive parts of the board gaming hobby! Let us continue to excel at sharing and spreading the love. The world can do with more of that.

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