Unfortunately, March was one of the year’s weaker months compared to the others. But that doesn’t mean that the month didn’t have some of the year’s best games. March also had some big moments for the industry as a whole. Sega of America laid off 61 employees, 600 Activision workers unionized creating the largest video game union in North America, and Sega Europe laid off even more employees after selling Relic Entertainment. A turbulent month for the industry for sure, before we head into the new year let’s look back and remember the best games of March.
The industry hit the ground running with the first few months of 2024 and March followed suit with its high-quality releases. From The Thaumaturge to Alone in the Dark, March had some of the best games of the year.
WWE 2K24
- Released On: March 5, 2024
- Available On: Windows, PS4, and PS5,Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S
- Metacritic Score: 81
- Metacritic User Score: 6.7
- All-Time Peak Steam Player Count: 8,789
- Average Steam Player Count: 1,459
WWE titles are staples from a lot of players’ childhoods, me included. It’s awesome to see that the franchise is still going strong. Critics believe that the reason why this title was received favorably when compared to its predecessors and other sports games, is the fact that this game wasn’t afraid to make incremental changes. Visual Concept’s dedication to refining a solid system led them to create one of the best sports games out there. If you just wanted a better WWE 2K23, then look no further.
Unicorn Overlord
©Perform heroic deeds and grow renown throughout the five nations. - Original / License
- Released On: March 8, 2024
- Available On: PS4and PS5,Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S
- Metacritic Score: 86
- Metacritic User Score: 8.3
Atlus has been on one of the greatest runs of modern gaming this year, starting with the very successful release of Persona 3 Reload. Only a few weeks after that they released one of if not the most underrated titles of the year, Unicorn Overlord. This game feels like a fresh take on the strategy RPG genre while still being a love letter to the games that came before it. Vanillaware also releases some of the most beautiful art direction in modern gaming and Unicorn Overlord is no different. Whether it’s a phenomenal story or just pretty artwork, there’s plenty to love with Unicorn Overlord.
Hi-Fi Rush
- Released On: March 19, 2024
- Available On:PS5,Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S
- Metacritic Score: 88
- Metacritic User Score: 8.9
- All-Time Peak Steam Player Count: 6,043
- Average Steam Player Count: 114
While Hi-Fi Rush was released last year, it arrived on PlayStation 5 this year on March 19. Hi-Fi Rush is one of the more unique releases of recent years. Unfortunately, the studio behind it was closed down. Gamers have criticized modern games recently for feeling formulaic and soulless. Hi-Fi Rush is vibrant colorful, and truly feels like something that isn’t afraid to be itself. A must-play.
Horizon Forbidden West
©Horizon Forbidden West key art - Original
- Released On: March 21, 2024
- Available On: Windows, PS4, and PS5
- Metacritic Score: 89
- Metacritic User Score: 7.3
- All-Time Peak Steam Player Count: 40,427
- Average Steam Player Count: 2,023
Horizon Forbidden West arrived on PC this year and finally, PC players can enjoy one of the best games of 2022. If you liked the original Horizon title then this game should join your backlog. Horizon Forbidden West is everything great about the first game with almost none of the flaws on top of just being a bigger better more polished experience. Whether you’re a fan of the first game or just someone who loves action RPGs, this is a game that’ll stick with you.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
©Capcom
- Released On: March 22, 2024
- Available On: PS5,Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S
- Metacritic Score: 86
- Metacritic User Score: 6.4
- All-Time Peak Steam Player Count: 228, 285
- Average Steam Player Count: 2,583
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is one of the more controversial releases of this year. The quality of the game is a mixed bag however it still earns its spot on this list because it does appeal to some gamers. This game is better than the original Dragon’s Dogma however it’s poorly optimized no matter if you’re playing on a console or PC. That being said the game’s world is incredibly dense and the story is pretty good as well. If you’re okay with middling performance, then this game might be worth a try but if playing at sub 60 fps in 2024 is a no-go for you, we understand.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©CheatCC/Jazz Stewart.