Assassin’s Creed Shadows may have been delayed to next year, but November is no slouch when it comes to new games. We’re getting sequels to some fantastic games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and The Case of the Golden Idol, new games in series like Mario & Luigi, Horizon, and Microsoft Flight Simulator, and more. While not quite as densely packed as a busier-than-usual October, some late game-of-the-year contenders certainly have a chance to pop up over the next month.
With so many games are coming out every week nowadays, that can be a lot to sift through. To help, I’m kicking off the month by spotlighting seven upcoming video games that should be on your radar. Pick these up, and they should round out your game library and backlog as we head into 2024’s holiday season.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership (November 7)
Recommended if you like: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Mario RPGs are in a bit of a renaissance right now. Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door both got remakes over the past year, and now we’re getting a new entry in the Mario & Luigi franchise. Mario & Luigi: Brothership brings back the series as you remember it, with cartoonish exploration and battles where Mario is controlled with the A button and Luigi is controlled with the B button. This particular adventure sees the pair go to a new land called Concordia, which they must reconnect to the Uni-Tree after it is split apart. It will likely be the last major Mario game to release on Nintendo Switch, so it’s worth checking out.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch on November 7.
Slitterhead (November 8)
Recommended if you like: Siren
If you’re into funky and experimental games from Japanese developers, you’ll want to play Slitterhead. It’s the first title from Bokeh Game Studio, which was founded by Silent Hill, Siren, and Gravity Rush creator Keiichiro Toyama. It’s a body horror-action game where players control a spirit hopping between human bodies to fight the titular creatures. The closest comparison I can make for Slitterhead is an action-focused take on Siren, but you’ve never played anything quite like Slitterhead before. I was deeply intrigued by what I played of it at Summer Game Fest and it should be on the radar for those looking for a horror game, even after Halloween.
Slitterhead launches for PC, layStationS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on November 8.
The Rise of the Golden Idol (November 12)
Recommended if you like: Return of the Obra Dinn
The Case of the Golden Idol was a surprise indie darling when it launched in 2022, thanks to its unique gameplay that had players solve murders by finding keywords around the murder scene and then placing them together properly to deduce the culprit. It’s getting a sequel later this month that;s set 300 years after the original. The Rise of the Golden Idol features 20 new cases for players to investigate, giving us more of a good thing. This is certainly the indie game to watch this November.
The Rise of the Golden Idol launches on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android via Netflix on November 12. It has a free demo on Steam.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake (November 14)
Recommended if you like: Metaphor: ReFantazio
This year has been kind to RPG fans thanks to games like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and one more big one is in store. That game is Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. As its name implies, this is a full-on remake of an NES classic that sports the same art style as games like Octopath Traveler. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to play Dragon Quest III for the first time or just want to revisit this classic with a fresh coat of paint, this remake will be worth your time.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake launches for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch on November 14.
Lego Horizon Adventures (November 14)
Recommended if you like: Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
While Horizon Zero Dawn just got a PS5 remaster, Sony is also offering a new way for younger players to get into this hallmark PlayStation franchise. Lego Horizon Adventures reimagines the events of Horizon Zero Dawn as an isometric Lego action game that parodies the events of the original. It’s certainly one of the bolder swings PlayStation has taken with a major IP in some time, especially considering this is also releasing on Nintendo Switch, so I’m very curious to see how Lego Horizon Adventures pans out.
Lego Horizon Adventures launches for PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch on November 14.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (November 19)
Recommended if you like: RFS — Real Flight Simulator
Asobo Studio did a great job when it brought Microsoft Flight Simulator back in 2020, and now it’s expanding on this hardcore, realistic flying simulation series again. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 brings a variety of visual and gameplay improvements with it, with some of the most notable additions being new mission types based on things like aerial firefighting and search and rescue. You probably already know whether or not this game will be for you, but Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 looks like it will be a worthy continuation of this long-running franchise nonetheless.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 launches for PC and Xbox Series X/S on November 19. It will be part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate catalog from day one.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl (November 20)
Recommended if you like: Chernobylite
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl was a cult classic survival horror shooter set in a supernatural version of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, and its long-awaited sequel is finally here. It ups the ante from its predecessor in almost every way, and what I played at Summer Game Fest suggests this will be a very tense and thrilling shooter. It has seen several delays due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, so it’s a relief and commendable that GSC Game World will finally be able to release S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 this month.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl launches for PC and Xbox Series X/S on November 20. It will be part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate catalog from day one.
More new games in November 2024
- Farmagia — November 1
- Metal Slug Tactics — November 5
- Planet Coaster 2 — November 6
- Atomic Picnic — November 7
- Chicken Police: Into the HIVE! — November 7
- Empire of the Ants — November 7
- Goat Simulator Remastered — November 7
- River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next — November 7
- Farming Simulator 25 — November 12
- Tetris Forever — November 12
- Mind Over Magnet — November 13
- Dungeon Inn — November 14
- Follow the meaning — November 15
- My Sims: Cozy Bundle — November 19
- Stray for Nintendo Switch — November 19
- Towers of Aghasba — November 19
- Genshin Impact for Xbox Series X/S — November 20
- Bounce Arcade — November 21
- On Your Tail — November 21
- Critter Cafe — November 26
- Neon Blood — November 26
- Ravenswatch — November 28
- Snow Bros. Wonderland — November 28