2024 is finally here, and that means a lot of new video games to look forward to! While 2023 delivered big on games, this year is likely to be quieter. But that doesn’t mean that 2024 doesn’t have a lineup of interesting titles. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is the first that comes to mind, as Cloud and the gang journey out of Midgar and explore expansive environments riding atop their Chocobos. Or you could sail into the Indian Ocean and live out your pirate fantasy in the much-delayed Skull and Bones, don the outfits of DC Comics supervillains to kill the Justice League, take on deadly irradiated anomalies in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, and get lost in the hustle and bustle of Hawaii in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

Elsewhere 2024 serves as home to some returning franchises, from a Hades sequel focused on the Princess of the Underworld, to Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, finally coming with new developers at the helm, and three remakes of timeless classics — Persona 3 Reload, Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater, and Silent Hill 2. Then there’s Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws, where you ping-pong across the galaxy to pull off the biggest heist, while Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has you explore the puzzling tunnels of Mount Qaf using time-bending powers. A chunk of these titles don’t even have proper release dates but are scheduled for or expected to launch sometime this year.

With that, here are the games we’re most excited to play on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X in 2024.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Release date: January 18, 2024

Prince of Persia is returning to its side-scrolling platformer roots, plunging you into Mount Qaf, an interwoven world filled with puzzles and spiky obstacles looking to mar your progress. The Lost Crown puts you in control of Sargon the Immortal, a young dual-wielding warrior tasked with saving the abducted Prince Ghassan by harnessing new-found time powers and engaging in flashy cinematic battles against mythological beasts. It drops on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch consoles.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered

Release date: January 19, 2024

Naughty Dog is remastering the fairly modern The Last of Us Part II for the PS5, boasting tech improvements such as unlocked framerates and a native 4K output. While the game already received a next-gen update in 2021, this new version adds a few game modes into the mix, starting with a roguelite mode that has you play as familiar characters from the post-apocalyptic series and engage in randomised encounters with the Infected, clickers, survivors, and more. Remember that each death takes you back to the starting point, though repeated runs can benefit from modifiers.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Release date: January 24, 2024

Yakuza fans are in for a treat this year as RGG Studio’s upcoming Like a Dragon title not only ventures outside its primary Japanese setting but also features two familiar protagonists — a much-awaited team-up between the afro-haired Kasuga Ichiban and the weary Kazuma Kiryu. This time, we’re headed to the exotic tourist spot of Hawaii, Honolulu City, flush with sun-baked beaches and shorelines, hotspots for arcade gaming, souvenir shops, and some downtrodden areas where you can deal with the local mafia. The combat continues to remain turn-based and soulful Karaoke sessions also return in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, launching across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.

Tekken 8

Release date: January 26, 2024

Having defeated his father, Heihachi Mishima, the spiky-haired Kazuya embarks on a quest for world domination powered by his cutting-edge biotech company G Corporation. Wanting to end the global war is his son Jin Kazama, having reunited with his biological mother Jun, who was presumed dead in Tekken 2. Built from the ground up on Unreal Engine 5, Tekken 8 brings a new ‘Heat System’ mechanic that can grant characters special movements and enhance their abilities through flashy and aggressive means. This is all adding to the redesigned fighters and high-fidelity new-gen graphics, of course.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Release date: February 2, 2024

Join the newly recruited Task Force X — composed of volatile misfits Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, and King Shark — to take on the impossible mission of killing members of the Justice League, who’ve fallen prey to the Brainiac’s mind control. Engage in high-octane battles across the sprawling streets and rooftops of Metropolis using the weapons you have on hand or raw skills tailored to each supervillain (or heroes, in this case), from bombs that pop confetti to boomerangs that help you teleport across the arena. Rocksteady’s superhero looter-shooter is playable in both solo and multiplayer co-op and will be out on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X.

Persona 3 Reload

Release date: February 2, 2024

After years of speculation, the Persona 3 remake is finally headed to modern platforms, putting you in the shoes of a transfer student moonlighting as a hero to investigate the ‘Dark Hour’, the period hidden between one day and the next. Expect refined visuals and smoother gameplay mechanics that mirror the newer entries, as you forge relationships at your school and take on part-time jobs to fill out your day. Persona 3 Reload, however, misses one crucial element from the original — it excludes the ability to play as a female protagonist, which would’ve opened up a whole new storyline.

Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash

Release date: February 2, 2024

2023 was an excellent year for fighting games, with Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1 providing plenty of kicks to their legion of fans. This year promises some exciting entries in the genre, too. Tekken 8 is arriving this month, and Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash, Bandai Namco’s adaptation of the popular anime, is set to hit the shelves next month.

Developed by Byking and Gemdrops, Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash will focus on the events from the first season of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime, with the game’s single-player story putting players in the shoes of series protagonist Yuji Itadori. The game will feature 15 playable fighters in its roster, as players take on cursed spirits. You can also form teams of two fighters and take part in 2v2 battles. Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash releases February 2, a day after its launch in Japan, across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X and Nintendo Switch.

Helldivers 2

Release date: February 8, 2024

Enlist in the Helldivers, the galaxy’s last line of defence, and combat alien forces by either taking them head-on, raining down artillery, or sneaking into the enemy territory to catch them by surprise. The sequel forgoes its storied top-down presentation for a third-person shooter affair, as you pair up with three recruits and unload large-scale destructive power, collect resources for upgrades, and explore vast terrains to unravel the larger lore.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

Release date: February 13, 2024

Developed by Don’t Nod, a studio known for its narrative-focused Life is Strange series of games, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is an upcoming third-person action RPG, where players take on the roles of a couple of spirit hunters. The ghost-hunting couple, Antea and Red, is tasked with investigating a curse that has fallen upon the community of New Eden.

But when a case goes wrong, Antea dies leaving Red grieving her loss. Unable to move on to the next realm, she returns as a spirit to aid her partner in ghostly adventures that lie ahead. The two Banishers, with their distinct abilities, must take on the realms of the living and that of the dead to uncover haunting mysteries. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden arrives February 13 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series S/X.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong

Release date: February 16, 2024

In this remake of a 2004 classic, the scheming Donkey Kong has stolen all the mini-Mario toys from the factory, forcing our titular Italian plumber into a wild goose chase across green pipes, goombas, and puzzling obstacles that force you to think outside the box. In addition to standard hops, Mario is equipped with backflips and handstand jumps that help him reach higher areas and clear stages, culminating in a boss fight with the tie-donning loudmouthed gorilla. Mario vs. Donkey Kong also comes with a local co-op feature when it releases exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.

Skull and Bones

Release date: February 16, 2024

After numerous delays, Ubisoft’s naval combat game that has you pillage your way from an outcast to a pirate captain, while besting traitors and enemies in the furious waves of the ocean, is finally coming this year. Sail with your friends or be everyone’s foe when the game launches across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X; pre-order grants three-day early access.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake

Release date: February 28, 2024

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, the acclaimed 2013 adventure title that explored the relationship between two brothers through innovative gameplay and an evocative story, is getting a remake. Publishers 505 Games announced the remake for current-gen consoles and PC at The Game Awards 2023, though it’s not clear if the original game director, Josef Fares, will return for the development.

The remake promises upgraded visuals and many quality-of-life changes to the original game while telling the same emotional tale of two brothers undertaking a surreal adventure. Players take control of the two brothers, completing puzzles and platforming in tandem and utilising the unique skill sets of each character. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake arrives February 28 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series S/X.

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth

Release date: February 29, 2024

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth picks up right after Cloud and his gang leave the towering walls of Midgar, arriving at the mining village of Kalm, lush with greenery and blooming flowers. While our silver-haired antagonist Sephiroth returns with a vengeance, it seems Square Enix will mess with the original FF7’s timeline to incorporate new story beats, including a small segment of him frolicking in the woods with our heroes. Also, the crimson lion-looking creature Red XIII is available as a playable party member in this sequel. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is a PS5-exclusive.

Alone in the Dark

Release date: March 20, 2024

Blending gothic horror with Lovecraftian themes, Alone in the Dark puts you amidst a twisted mystery at the Derceto Mansion, where Jeremy Hartwood went missing after sending out a disturbing letter. Play as either the brooding detective Edward Carnby (David Harbour) or the family niece Emily Hartwood (Jodie Comer) and take on bizarre zombie-like creatures and giant roaches in pursuit of the truth, in addition to solving elaborate puzzles Resident Evil style. This reboot was initially set for an October 2023 release but got delayed into the next year to avoid conflicting with an already busy autumn calendar.

Dragon’s Dogma 2

Release date: March 22, 2024

Set forth on a grand new adventure as the Arisen, a warrior who is destined to slay the dragon residing in an underground gaol and claim the throne in a fantastical experience that’s entirely determined by what class you pick. A group of Pawns — otherworldly beings — will accompany us on the journey, aiding us during combat and presenting unique dialogue options that keep things lively. Judging by the trailers, playing as a sorcerer seems to have the most potential, letting you create bridges out of water and rain down fiery meteors.

Rise of the Ronin

Release date: March 22, 2024

From the creators of Nioh comes Rise of the Ronin, where you venture on an epic journey across 19th-century Japan that has fallen into a state of turmoil. As a nameless warrior, glide through the skies or explore the plains naturally on a steed, and reshape history by working with real-life historical legends like Ryōma Sakamoto, with consequences that contort based on the choices you make. Play around with a variety of swords and spears, deflect incoming arrows, or imbue armaments with fire to deal hefty damage. This one is a PS5 exclusive, too.

Princess Peach: Showtime!

Release date: March 22, 2024

Princess Peach’s trip to the Sparkle Theatre is interrupted by the conniving Grape and the Sour Bunch, who steal the show and turn the venue into a creepy affair. Accompanied by the theatre’s floating guardian Stella, players must face off against oncoming enemies using a magical ribbon, in addition to transforming into a swordfighter, allowing her to slice through obstacles. During downtime, she could also take on a detective form to track down clues, turn into a pastry chef, or become a Kung-Fu master to unload kicks and slaps.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape

Release date: June 2, 2024

The latest DLC for Bungie’s live-service shooter takes the campaign to a new free-roam location called the Pale Heart, setting up a conflict against The Witness in an epic conclusion that ends the war of light and darkness. The expansion also introduces three new Super abilities, from blades hones by the void, a Storm’s Edge dagger, and Song of Flame that lets you buff weapons and allies. Destiny 2: The Final Shape will be out on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox systems.

Black Myth: Wukong

Release date: August 20, 2024

Step into a dark fantastical realm of ancient China as the Destined One and engage in epic punishing boss fights against fairies, colossal monsters, and cowardly gods to uncover an obscured tale drawing from ‘Journey to the West’. Experiment with spells, weapon arts, and bodily transformations such as turning into a tiny insect to scout locations or sending in a hundred clones to overwhelm opponents. Black Myth: Wukong is confirmed for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Release date: September 9, 2024

Captain Titus returns as the brutal Primaris Space Marine in this Warhammer sequel to put an end to the relentless Tyranid hordes, a swarm of deadly xenomorphs, across several planets. Team up with your friends to obliterate the aliens while talking smack or engage in a solo affair where your teammates are controlled by AI. Originally set to release in 2023, Space Marine 2 was delayed to ensure further polish and will be out on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X.

Broken Roads

Release date: First half of 2024

Delve into the decaying Australian outbacks and experience a wild west post-apocalyptic journey tailored by compelling characters and quests that contort and branch into something wild. Drawing from tabletop CRPGs like Disco Elysium and Fallout, Broken Roads also brings in a morality system governed by a compass, which continuously shifts based on the choices the player character makes — going from utilitarian, humanist, Machiavellian, and nihilist views to create a unique identity.

Hades 2

Release date: Q2 2024 (Early Access)

Just like the original, Supergiant Games will first drop Hades II in early access, allowing players to test the waters and share relevant feedback. The sequel has you play as the sickle-wielding Princess of Hell Melinoë — Zagreus’ sister — as she’s forced into realms that lie beyond the Underworld to vanquish the Titan of Time Chronos. Witchcraft and magic attacks seem to be the core here, in addition to the boons you collect on each run and the legendary cast of new and returning Greek Gods, ranging from Moros doom incarnate, the god of light Apollo, and Nemesis retribution incarnate. Hades 2 will be available in early access in Q2 2024 on Steam and Epic Games Store.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Release date: First half of 2024

The long-awaited entry in the acclaimed S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a first-person shooter survival horror title, much like the Metro series of games. The game is being built on Unreal Engine 5 and gameplay trailers have showcased immersive visuals. Players will take on deadly anomalies and other threats inside the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. The developers have promised that player choices will leave a lasting impact on the game world.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has been delayed due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian developers GSC Game World, however, have continued development on the title under gruelling circumstances, with many team members even joining the Ukrainian armed forces to resist the invasion. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is set to arrive as an Xbox Series S/X and PC exclusive in Q1 2024 and is planned to be a launch title on Xbox Game Pass.

Hyper Light Breaker

Release date: Early 2024 (Early Access)

Sequel to the acclaimed 2D action title Hyper Light Drifter from developers Heart Machine, Hyper Light Breaker blows up the scope by going full 3D open world. Sticking to its frenetic action roots, Hyper Light Breaker will feature melee and ranged combat in a roguelite setting. While the first game showed off retro pixel art visuals, the sequel features a colourful cell-shaded art style, with the same synth-wave beats underlining the action.

There’s a focus on smooth traversal using hoverboards and gliders as players explore the Overgrowth. The game also features online co-op, allowing you to team up with friends, experiment with different builds and take down regional bosses to finally face up to the Abyss King. Hyper Light Breaker arrives in Early Access on PC sometime early this year.

Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater

Konami is bringing a ‘faithful recreation’ of Hideo Kojima’s acclaimed stealth game Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, which also served as the origins story for protagonist Naked Snake. In it, the operative is assigned on a one-man sneaky mission to rescue a Russian weapon designer Nikolai Stepanovich Sokolov and sabotage an experimental, tank-like superweapon called the Shagohod. Much of the gameplay is situated around forests and swamps, forcing you to rely on camouflage and engage in a hand-to-hand combat system called CQC. It is being developed using Unreal Engine 5.

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Silent Hill 2

James Sunderland is once again plunged into the foggy and disturbing town of Silent Hill to find his deceased wife, who seems to have sent him a mysterious letter. This remake of a timeless classic comes from Bloober Team, which is a warning sign for many since the developer is known for treating trauma in a distasteful way to compensate for weak character writing. Silent Hill 2 will also be presented with an over-the-shoulder camera view, which the studio claims is supposed to help with immersion.

The Wolf Among Us 2

The ruthless Bigby Wolf is returning to the gritty noir New York City to solve a new mystery that involves the fables, specifically Tin-Man and Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz. Picking up six months after the events of season one, the Sheriff of Fabletown survives winter under a whole new administration spearheaded by Snow White, at a time when the worlds of the Mundies (humans) and Fables (fairy tale characters) have started to intertwine. The Wolf Among Us 2 launches across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2

After spending years shuffling between studios, The Chinese Room finally took on development duties on Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, set in modern-day Seattle, as you trudge along its dark alleyways as an Elder Vampire and strike relationships with power players to decide what the town will become. Just like the prequel, blood will be your key to sustenance and powers, as we stalk our prey cunningly, charm our way into high societies, or rain terror by leveraging special abilities such as summoning bat swarms, teleportation, and heightened agility to traverse the map with ease.

Star Wars Outlaws

Set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Outlaws follows Kay Vess, a cunning space scoundrel with a bounty on her head, who is on a mission to pull off the biggest heist in the galaxy with the help of some friends from the intergalactic underworld. Take on risky contracts and interact with crime syndicates to gradually build up your reputation; all the while exploring the vast outer space and terrains to chase new adventures. There are no Jedi powers at play here, so brush up your aim with your trusty blaster and other weapons you find in the open world.

Stellar Blade

Devil May Cry fans who’ve been itching for another adrenaline-fueled action game can look forward to Stellar Blade, coming sometime this year, exclusively to the PS5. In it, you’re tasked with saving humanity — which is in deep slumber — from extinction by reclaiming planet Earth from the monstrous NA:tives. Trailers have showed off a lightning-fast combat system involving swords to slice past enemies and a unique blaster that seems to function like an EMP.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

We wish we knew more about this Nordic sequel beyond its jaw-dropping new setting of Viking Iceland, where our protagonist Senua is headed next to free those who’ve succumbed to the horrors of tyranny. Hellblade II promises to be more brutal that its predecessor and will be laden with puzzles exhibited through psychotic visions — all of which is built using Unreal Engine 5 for that extra oomph in the graphics department. It launches on PC and Xbox Series S/X.

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Lost Records: Bloom & Rage

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage follows a group of four schoolgoers — Swann, Nora, Autumn, and Kat — who after a traumatic supernatural event in the summer of 1995, are forced into reuniting after a whopping 27 years of not keeping in touch. It’s a narrative-focused adventure centring around a long-buried secret, with an art style that might be quite familiar to those who’ve played Life is Strange. It’s the same developers, after all, Don’t Nod.

Ark 2

Learn to survive in a strange primitive land dominated by dinosaurs in Ark 2. This sequel has been completely redesigned with an improved third-person camera view, souls-like melee combat, and a chaotic new environment. Dynamic world events and a sensory-based creature AI make exploring the world even more challenging than before, and supposedly, the campaign will see Vin Diesel reprise his iconic role of Riddick. The dino-hunting survival experience will launch across PC, Xbox Series S/X, and Xbox Game Pass.

Slapping ‘Lego’ in front of a video game title is essentially the opposite of putting ‘Rated M for Mature’ on the back of its box. It tells you that the game is safe to play for a younger audience. The ‘M’ label, on the other hand, tells the kids what they actually should be playing. But Lego video games aren’t just for kids, even if they’re a big chunk of the target demographic. Adults, too, can have a good time with these brick-and-benign versions of beloved franchises. I’ve dipped my toes in Lego Harry Potter and Lego Star Wars. 2022’s The Skywalker Saga, in fact, is perhaps too densely packed for humans of the non-adult kind.

Lego Horizon Adventures, while not nearly as packed to the brim with things to do and nowhere close to being as mechanically deep, is likely going to be a fun time for grown-ups, too — specifically the ones who’ve played and liked Horizon video games on PlayStation. Guerrilla Games’ latest Horizon title — the second one in two weeks — is a candy-coloured reinterpretation of Horizon Zero Dawn, which just got a remaster that dialled up the graphical presentation of the 2017 breakout PS4 hit. Lego Horizon Adventures, on the other hand, amps up the silliness.

The condensed, cleaned-up version, however, is not a 1:1 adaptation. Just like other Lego video games, it contracts the source material’s story, puts it through a kid-friendly filter and delivers it with trademark tongue in cheek humour. That might not be everyone’s cup of tea. After all, why play the Kidz Bop version when you have the real thing, especially when Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered looks as pretty as it does? The Lego version of the game is strictly linear, and thus constrained in many ways. But for people looking to play something fun and light with their family during the holiday season, Lego Horizon Adventures more than gets the job done.

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The Lego-themed spinoff is still telling the story of Aloy, the plucky, red-haired, rock-climbing protagonist from Horizon games. But it drains out all the dark stuff and doesn’t care about the pesky details. Baby Aloy is found at the heart of the All-Mother Mountain and entrusted to Rost, who brings her up and trains her outside the tribe. The Lego version skips the harsher realities of the story, where Aloy and Rost are shunned by the Nora tribe and live as outcasts. Here, once Aloy grows up and triumphs at the proving, she’s accepted into the Nora village, Mother’s Heart, with open arms.

The more serious themes are either diluted or left on the cutting room floor, but the outlines of the environmental disaster story are still present, albeit packaged in a relentlessly positive, feel-good wrapper. Mysterious cultists attack the proving, Rost dies (but in a more ‘Rated E for Everyone’ way), and Aloy is left to figure out secrets of the old world and take on a new threat. She has the hologram of Dr. Elisabet Sobeck to guide her and the friends she makes along the way to aide her in her quest to defeat the cultists’ leader, Helis, and restore peace and balance to the lands.

Lego Horizon Adventures reinterprets an environmental disaster story for a younger audience
Photo Credit: Sony/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

Lego Horizon Adventures only concerns itself with the broad strokes of Zero Dawn’s story. So, it’s a strictly linear affair with straightforward levels instead of an expansive open world, that can be rushed through in about six or seven hours. And to its credit, the game handles the trimming quite well. It manages to maintain the essence of the narrative and shed the more nitty-gritty parts that would have dragged it down. The tone is that of a Lego movie — silly, self-referential, and sweet. But just like a Lego movie, you’re also often wondering “Did I really order this?”. There are some positives to this approach though. Lego Horizon Adventures is having way more fun and taking itself a lot less seriously than Horizon Zero Dawn. And that ends up adding a bit flavour to what was, despite an interesting premise, a terminally bland story. Playing the remastered version recently reminded me just how humourless and lifeless the characters were in the original game. Here, they have the energy of a high schooler on seven cups of coffee.

Lego Aloy ditches the brooding for banter. In Horizon games, she talks in a burdened tone and exhausted sighs; here, she’s upbeat and quippy. Returning voice actor Ashley Burch is unshackled and playful, injecting Aloy with infectious optimism. Other characters are extrapolated to sillier extremes. Varl, for instance, was a loyal and stoic friend to Aloy in Zero Dawn. Here, he’s still loyal, but he’s also an idiot. He can’t walk two steps without tripping over and falling. And the Lego version of Erend, who was a hard-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside ally in the original game, is a donut addict. The villains and their motivations are silly, too. Helis, for example, is more adorable than intimidating. He just wants more sun, so his nefarious scheme is to eradicate all trees (and consequently all shade).

Lego version of Aloy and her friends are sillier
Photo Credit: Sony/ Guerrilla Games

The story is also framed by a narrator, who dishes out meta commentary on what a good job he’s doing, aside from contextualising the invisible details of the plot and describing the unfolding events. It’s cute and clever but can become a little grating at times. And that holds true for the game’s overall tone, too. But it’s perhaps best to know that not all jokes will land and accept that that’s okay. It is, after all, a Lego game, and its humour, whether it works for you or not, is familiar territory.

And at the end of the day, Lego Horizon Adventures is not targeting the grizzled PlayStation 5 user who just wrapped up Silent Hill 2 and is looking for their next game. There’s a reason why Sony is simultaneously releasing Lego Horizon on PC and, more notably, Nintendo Switch. There are over one hundred forty-six million units of the Switch around the world — a lot of them belong to kids or are used as a family console. It might be harder to ask adult gamers to part with their hard-earned money for Lego Horizon Adventures, but it’s a much more sensible sell to parents looking for a game for their kids.

Lego Horizon Adventures follows kid-friendly rules
Photo Credit: Sony/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

The kid-friendly rules apply to the gameplay, too. Exploration and combat from Horizon Zero Dawn have been stripped down, part by part, and rebuilt in Lego bricks with simplicity at its core. Lego Horizon Adventures features a handful of linear levels that each come with about half a dozen missions, all of which feed into a wondrous central hub world — the Mother’s Heart village that serves as both your base of operations and your Lego wonderland of shiny things. And while the game strives to simplify almost every gameplay aspect from its inspiration, it does add cooperative play to the mix. Lego Horizon Adventures can be played solo, or in two-player couch or online co-op. I went through it by myself, and I’m positive it would have been more fun with a friend.

When you start a mission, you have the option to choose from four playable characters in the starting area of the level. While playing solo, the other three are left behind on the screen as you move out to complete your objectives. I’d have liked if the game allowed AI companions, so that your friends could accompany you on your adventures. They could have proved handy on the battlefield and their presence would have helped establish chemistry between the characters. Though they don’t accompany you, Varl, Erend, Teersa and Sylens are always in your ear via the Focus, dropping pep talk and puns.

Lego Horizon Adventures supports couch and online co-op
Photo Credit: Sony/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

The combat is, in a way, equivalent to you picking up two GI-Joes as a kid and mashing them together. You get a permanent weapon (a bow for Aloy, a spear for Varl, a hammer for Erend, and bombs for Teersa) and a rare weapon with limited ammo reserves that you acquire as pickups across levels. You hit the square button on the DualSense controller for a quick attack or hold it down to bring up a firing trajectory for more precise targeting. You also get a gadget, bound to the circle button, that serves a distinct combat function. Some of these are familiar, like the Tripcaster from the original game, that sets up electrified traps to trip up both crazed machines and cultists. Others are completely new and Lego-based; like the aptly named the Brick Separator, an L-shaped Lego piece that hammers down on your enemies with toy-breaking force.

Each level features cascading sections of platforming and enemy encounters. You jump over gaps, climb around ledges, explore half-heartedly hidden areas for more Studs and dive deep into the odd Cauldron where the machines are made, before you’re funnelled into an open combat arena littered with Horizon’s trademark robot dinosaurs. Just as the original game, the machines are the standout here. The dino designs lend themselves perfectly to Lego pieces as their building blocks. Every machine feels detailed, crisp and alive, and it’s quite satisfying to identify their weak points and break them apart brick-by-brick. Some of the larger machines, like the Tallneck and the Thunderjaw, look simply incredible and serve as standout set pieces in the game.

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Lego Tallnecks are just as majestic as ever
Photo Credit: Sony/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

The combat itself isn’t tough by any means, even at the hardest difficulty level, but late-game encounters can get quite chaotic. Running around in the arena, managing robots, cultists, environmental hazards, and weapon and gadget pickups can often feel like you’re juggling standing one-legged on top of a wobbly stool. Combat encounters are heavily focussed on elemental damage; you can freeze, light up or shock your enemies with the help of rare weapons, or throw a barrel at an oncoming machine to stop it in its track.

Aside from the main story missions, you can also go on Apex machine hunts after you complete the first of game’s four major regions. These are slightly more challenging encounters that shine a light on what has always been Horizon’s headline premise — shoot arrows at robot dinosaurs. Machine hunts, however, don’t introduce new complexities to the combat, which remains threadbare but mildly fun throughout. There aren’t many ways to interact with the game’s combat systems, especially if you compare it to LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, which was overflowing with gameplay variety. But that game was massive, required dozens of hours to go through the stories of nine Star Wars films. Lego Horizon Adventures, on the other hand, is lean for its own good and rolls the credits before repetitiveness can creep in. 

Lego Horizon’s combat is simplified and shallow
Photo Credit: Sony/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

The best parts of Lego Horizon Adventures, however, have less to do with Horizon and more to do with Lego. The game’s central hub, Mother’s Heart, is a literal playground. Here, you are the Lego god, crafting the village and its different areas, colouring its streets and sundries, and decorating just about every inch with Lego trinkets and assets. You explore the levels outside and collect Studs that you then spend back home on a never-ending renovation project. Completing missions and challenges grants you gold bricks that you can use to bring up buildings across the village. Every single item, from small-scale decor to large establishments, is deeply customisable, handing you the freedom to build a monolithic Lego set digitally.

Customisation options range from themes, colours, artefacts and trinkets from the world of Horizon, as well as other Lego properties like Lego City, Lego Ninjago and Lego Amusement Park. You can go completely crazy and adorn your village to your liking with the most random decor you can think of. In a game that lacks side-content, customisation becomes its own quest. Once you finish the story, you can continue your adventure by going on Apex hunts and ticking off challenges on the notice board to get more bricks to pimp out your village. By the end of the game, my home base was an anachronistic mishmash of clashing aesthetics and conjoined styles. These options exist for character customisations, too. You can, for instance, play the game looking like the blocky Lego version of Aloy, with her outfits borrowed from the world of Horizon games. Or you can go through it dressed like a hotdog. We all know which sounds more fun.

You can play Lego Horizon Adventures dressed as a hotdog
Photo Credit: Sony/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

This is also the best a Lego game has ever looked. Every physical object in the game is made from Lego bricks and the finer details of the world come alive like a toy in your hand. Machines are, of course, the highlight, but environments look incredibly rich and vibrant. The world of Lego Horizon Adventures is also just as diverse as Zero Dawn. Lush forests, white-capped peaks and sundried deserts, all rendered in pristine bricks and blocks, are colourful and evocative, even when they’re cartoonish. And the warm lighting lends a sliver of realism to the toylike fantasy of the game.

The environments of Lego Horizon are blocky but beautiful
Photo Credit: Sony/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

For all its innocent wonder, though, Lego Horizon Adventures is also not quite wondrous as some other Lego video games. Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Indiana jones aren’t just beloved franchises; they’re unforgettable pieces of nostalgia for generations of people all over the world. We grew up with those films and books, and consequently, a Lego-themed video game based on them holds a certain appeal. For adults, Lego games are a nostalgia trip, a way to dive back into that cherished world with childlike enthusiasm. And while Horizon titles on PlayStation are good games, they’re not indelible pieces of media memorabilia.

Which begs the question, who is Lego Horizon Adventures for, especially at its full $60 price tag? It’s obviously tailored for younger players and for devoted fans of the Horizon franchise. Heck, I own the Lego version of a Tallneck from the games, too, but I wouldn’t count myself among the core audience for this one. Lego video games tend to parody the mythos of their parent franchises, even if it’s done in tame ways. They play as both a love letter and a limerick to the source material. But Lego Horizon Adventures feels like it only exists as an embellishment.

Pros

• Short and sweet
• Extensive customisation options
• Beautiful, blocky visuals
• Lego robot dinosaurs!

Cons

• Shallow gameplay
• Missing nostalgia factor
• $60 price tag

Rating (out of 10): 7

Lego Horizon Adventures releases November 14 on PC, PS5 and Nintendo Switch. We played a review copy of the game on the PS5.

The Standard Edition is priced at Rs. 3,999 on PlayStation Store for PS5, Steam and Epic Games Store for PC, and $59.99 on the Nintendo eShop.

Realme GT 7 Pro is confirmed to launch in Realme’s home country soon. The company released the first official teaser of the upcoming GT series phone on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday. The phone is teased to come with Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC. Meanwhile, a new leak indicates that the handset will come with a whopping 6,500mAh silicon battery with 120W fast charging support. The Realme GT 7 Pro is expected to arrive with upgrades over the Realme GT 5 Pro.

Realme GT 7 Pro Launch Confirmed

Chinese smartphone maker Realme confirmed the launch of Realme GT 7 Pro in China via Weibo. While the exact launch date is still under wraps, a poster shared by the brand says it will be introduced this month. The teaser says that ‘it will live up to the GT name’. Realme has also released an image of the phone’s retail box confirming that it will ship with AI features.

Realme’s Vice President Chase Xu on Weibo posted that the Realme GT 7 Pro is a new dual-engine flagship “Snapdragon top flagship chip + periscope telephoto” (machine translated from Chinese). This post suggests that the new GT series phone will be powered by a new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip aka Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC and include a periscope telephoto lens.

Meanwhile, several rumours about the Realme GT 7 Pro have been appearing online. A new leak, courtesy of tipster Digital Chat Station, suggests that the upcoming handset will carry a 6,500mAh battery with 120W fast charging support.

Chase Xu has posted a poll asking users’ preferences for battery and charging combinations of Realme GT 7 Pro. The options include a 6,100mAh battery with 120W charging and a 6,500mAh cell with 90W charging support.

The Realme GT 7 Pro is said to feature a Samsung quad micro-curved screen with DC dimming. It is rumoured to include a 50-megapixel main camera. It is said to get IP69 dust and water resistance, an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and a thinner body of around 9mm.

Acer has refreshed a few Swift series laptops ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024, which will be held from January 9 to January 12 in Las Vegas. The Acer Swift X 14, Swift Go 14, and Swift Go 16 models have been refreshed with Intel Core Ultra processors. These chipsets were launched in December 2023 and are equipped with Intel AI Boost Neural Processing Units (NPUs), which are said to offer increased support for inbuilt AI-backed features. They also come with a dedicated Microsoft Copilot key. These laptops will be available for purchase in different regions across the world over the next few months, although their India launch has not yet been confirmed.

Acer Swift X 14, Swift Go 14, Swift Go 16 price, availability

The company has announced that the Acer Swift X 14 will start in the US at $1,399.99 (roughly Rs. 1,16,300), while the Swift Go 14 and Swift Go 16 will have a starting price of $749.99 (roughly Rs. 62,300) and $799.99 (roughly Rs. 66,500), respectively. The company has also confirmed that the Acer Swift X 14 and Swift Go 14 will be available for purchase in the US, the EMEA region and China in February 2024. The Swift Go 16, on the other hand, will be available starting in February in the EMEA region and in March in North American markets.

Acer Swift X 14, Swift Go 14, Swift Go 16 specifications, features

The Acer Swift X 14 features a 14.5-inch 2.8K (2,880 x 1,800 pixels) OLED panel with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The Acer Swift Go 14 and Swift Go 16 are equipped with a 14-inch 2.8K (2,880 x 1,800 pixels) touchscreen OLED with a refresh rate of 90Hz and a 16-inch 3.2K (3,200 x 2,000 pixels) touchscreen OLED with a refresh rate of 120Hz, respectively. These displays come with a peak brightness level of 500 nits and VESA Display HDR TrueBlack 500 certification.

All three laptops are powered by up to Intel Core Ultra 7 processors paired with up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, which also supports up to 32GB of LPDDR5X-6400 DRAM. The Acer Swift X 14 offers support for up to 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD onboard storage, while the Swift Go 14 and Swift Go 16 come with up to dual-slot 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage.

The company claims that Acer Swift X 14 and Swift Go 14 offer a battery life of up to 12.5 hours, whereas the Swift Go 16 is said to provide a run time of up to 10.5 hours. The Swift X 14 comes with two USB Type-C ports, one HDMI 2.1 port and one MicroSD card reader slot. Meanwhile, the refreshed Swift Go models have two USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB-A and one HDMI 2.1 port, alongside a MicroSD card reading slot.

Perplexity AI, the company behind the eponymous artificial intelligence (AI) search platform, announced on Tuesday that it will begin experimenting with ads this week. An earlier report highlighted the company’s plans of incorporating ads by the end of the year to boost its revenue. The AI firm says that ads will be shown in a format that does not clutter or ruin the user experience of the platform. Additionally, it highlighted that all ads will be marked as sponsored to inform users when an ad is being displayed.

How Perplexity Plans to Show Ads on Search Results

In a blog post, the AI-powered search engine shared details of how it plans to implement ads on the service. Claiming that it will not duplicate the SEO industry’s use of “arbitrary tactics to improve their rankings at the expense of user utility”, Perplexity says it will instead show ads in a format that is “transparent” and generate a user’s curiosity about a brand.

How ads will appear on Perplexity’s platform
Photo Credit: Perplexity

Perplexity will display ads as “sponsored follow-up questions” and “paid media” on the side of an answer. The ads will include a question that directly delves into the brand’s offerings. The AI firm also highlighted that if a user clicks on the sponsored question, the response will not be written or edited by the brand, and instead Perplexity’s AI will be used to generate an authentic answer.

The company also revealed that Indeed, Whole Foods Market, Universal McCann, and PMG are its initial brand partners, and users can expect to see ads from these firms in the coming days. While Perplexity plans to start its ad tests this week, they will only be shown to users residing in the US.

Perplexity says that the move to show ads will allow it to generate revenue and share it with its publisher partners. Perplexity pays partnering publishing companies to use their articles and data to generate response to queries.

“Experience has taught us that subscriptions alone do not generate enough revenue to create a sustainable revenue-sharing program. Especially given how rapidly our publisher program is growing, advertising is the best way to ensure a steady and scalable revenue stream,” Perplexity added.