2024 already promises plenty of full releases, but early-access titles are also on the rise. Here’s a list of our picks for the Top 10 early-access games you need to keep an eye on in 2024.
Top 10 Early Access Games to Keep an Eye on in 2024
10. Thrive: Heavy Lays the Crown (Early Access Release Date: 2024)
Heavy it lays, indeed. Thrive: Heavy Lays the Crown is a realistic city-builder designed to evoke a low-fantasy medieval setting, complete with serfs, knights, and good old medieval logistics. In this game, you’ll be playing as the inheritor of a failed monarch, a scion destined to bring about the glory days in the shadow of a magical plague. You’ll be questing for a better future, assisted by the wise men of your Curia and the sweat off your loyal citizens’ brows.
If you’re looking for a true city-builder fix that won’t tank your setup (looking at you, Cities: Skylines 2), then Thrive: Heavy Lays the Crown is the game for you. Early playtests are available on the game’s official website, with the game’s full release set for sometime in 2024.
9. Roots of Yggdrasil (Early Access Release Date: January 24, 2024)
2024 will start strong with the full release of Roots of Yggdrasil to Steam Early Access. This Norse mythology-inspired roguelike deck-builder also doubles as a city-builder. In Roots of Yggdrasil, you play Sunna and her tribe of Vikings in the aftermath of Ragnarok. With the Nine Realms shattered around you, it’ll be up to you and your careful planning and foresight to rebuild the world as you knew it.
Roots of Yggdrasil is an absolute riot of a game that implements its mechanics well, despite the chimeric nature of its component genres. It’s also a refreshing take on the increasingly common "end of the world" premise. The end of the world has passed, and a new dawn awaits in Roots of Yggdrasil, available on Steam Early Access starting January 24, 2024.
8. Palworld ( Early Access Release Date: January 2024)
Explore, work, build, and fight alongside mystical creatures called "Pals" in Palworld. Live peacefully among these Pokemon-adjacent monsters or take the fight to the ruthless poaching syndicate. Soar across the skies, enjoy pitched battles, or perhaps just craft yourself a new home in the vast lushness of Palworld.
Palworld will be available on Steam Early Access starting January 2024.
7. Witchfire (Early Access Release Date: September 20, 2023)
Witchfire is a roguelite FPS that pits you against monsters and horrors with nothing more than a pistol, some magic, and your reflexes. Witchfire’s visuals and art direction are certainly on par with triple-A titles, though the game leaves room for improvement in content and progression. But hey, that’s early access for you, and with a roadmap as promising as Witchfire’s there’s certainly more to this game than meets the eye.
No official full release date has been announced for Witchfire at the time of writing, but according to its content roadmap, we can expect plenty of new content updates this 2024.
6. Enshrouded (Early Access Release Date: January 24, 2024)
You’ve heard of Minecraft, no doubt, but have you heard of the next up-and-coming survival co-op RPG called Enshrouded? Yes, this new game promises voxel-based building similar to the pixels and cubes of Minecraft but in glorious HD. Mix in heart-pounding combat, nerve-wracking survival mechanics, expansive lore, and a well-developed crafting system, and you’ve got a fantasy survival game that’s sure to keep you and your friends entertained for hours.
Enshrouded will be available on Steam Early Access starting January 24, 2024.
5. Sons of the Forest (Early Access Release Date: February 24, 2023)
2023 saw our first look into the long-awaited sequel to a classic for the survival horror genre, The Forest. Sons of the Forest promised plenty of innovations to the admittedly dated mechanics of the first game, including an automatic NPC assistant for single-player playthroughs, improved graphics, and an overall smoothed-out gameplay experience. Throw in a three-legged mutant that you can befriend and you've got yourself a deal.
Sons of the Forest has been in Early Access since early 2023 but will be releasing its 1.0 version on February 22, 2024.
4. Archaelund (Early Access Release Date: January 9, 2024)
Archaeulund is an upcoming dungeon crawler/top-down turn-based strategy from 4 Dimension Games. Go through cavernous dungeons full of traps and treasure in first-person, then switch to a tactical turn-based grid when combat arrives. Uncover secrets on the titular frontier of Archaelund and quench your thirst for adventure.
Archaelund is set to release to Steam Early Access on January 9, 2024.
3. Death Must Die (Early Access Release Date: November 14, 2023)
Vampire Survivors and Hades are both iconic games for the roguelike genre, and Death Must Die seems to be a great amalgam of both. Sporting a unique premise, good voice acting, and the most addicting gameplay loop this side of the mortal coil, Death Must Die proved itself worthy of our scrutiny and it passed with flying colors.
The game is still in Early Access and could use some polishing here and there but with a full release slated a full year after its initial release, you can count on a polished death-defying experience come late 2024.
2. Lethal Company (Early Access Release Date: October 23, 2023)
Lethal Company is a multiplayer horror game that needs no introduction. Taking the internet by storm in late 2023 with its sheer goofiness and unique premise, Lethal Company has deeply embedded itself in the hearts and minds of gaming groups across the globe. Due to its success and presence in the gaming scene, it’s hard to believe that this game is in Early Access.
There’s no official announcement regarding its full release yet, but you can count on a few more quality updates to grace its moons as 2024 continues.
Eyecatching Honorable Mentions
ULTRAKILL Act III: GODFIST SUICIDE (Early Access Release Date: 2024)
ULTRAKILL’s been spattering our screens with hell-ridden gore and unhinged memes since 2020, but its third and final act is just around the corner. Dubbed in the game’s usual overkill naming convention as GODFIST SUICIDE, this final act promises to grace us with its usual over-the-top action and difficulty. With the first ring of the third act released in December 2023, you’ve got to keep an eye out for the last two in 2024.
Voyagers of Nera (Early Access Release Date: 2024)
I just can’t get enough of co-op survivals, and Voyagers of Nera is looking like another game I’d like to add to the list. Sporting crisp visuals, fun gameplay, and a staggering 16-player limit for each game, Voyagers of Nera is sure to rustle up some memories for your gaming group.
No official release date has been announced for this game, but it has been confirmed to become available on Steam Early Access sometime in 2024.
Nightingale (Early Access Release Date: February 23, 2024)
Open-world survival craft games are dime-a-dozen nowadays, but Nightingale decidedly stands out with its premise, vibe, and aesthetics. Set in a world where the fae are both real and dangerous, this game promises tons of RPG survival fun in stylish Gaslamp Fantasy fashion.
Nightingale will be released on Steam Early Access starting February 23, 2024.
1. Windblown (Early Access Release Date: 2024)
The only thing I gleaned from Windblown’s reveal trailer during The 2023 Game Awards is that Motion Twin does not miss. Windblown is a lightning-fast roguelite from the creator of the legendary roguelite-metroidvania Dead Cells. Venture deep into the Vortex to hone your lethality and become the greatest killing machine. Whether by yourself or with a friend, there’s always the tiniest edge you can earn to finally reach that perfect run.
Windblown’s release date is yet to be determined, but it should be available on Steam Early Access sometime in 2024.
