[cap-drop]J[/cap-drop]ust because a game isnt quite fully baked yet doesnt mean it isnt worth playing or capable of rivaling feature-complete games. Through the years, weve seen a number of early access titles filled with tons of content and polished to such a degree that puts other full games to shame. Baldurs Gate 3immediately comes to mind. It offered well over 40 hours of compelling content in its early access state before its award-winning full launch in 2023. This list comprises games operating with that same kind of spirit; one where potential is strikingly obvious right out of the gate. As well see, a couple of these titles show ample signs of being future GOTY winners.1. Path of Exile 2If theres one game on this list that couldve fooled us into thinking it was already a complete package, its Path of Exile 2. Its not an exaggeration to say that Path of Exile 2stands as the best action RPGs available right now, and its still early days with the full launch a year away. Between the intricate build customization, varied macabre environments, and story oozing with rich lore, were looking forward to just how much more jam-packed with content Path of Exile 2will get with its full launch sometime in the coming year.2. Hades 2The first sequel from the beloved indie dev, Supergiant, is already amazing and its still only in early access. Hades 2takes the brilliant roguelike structure of the first game and adds a whole lot of magic (literally) and added polish to the mix. The sequel expands upon the well-written Greek pantheon featured in the prequel, introducing a new protagonist in Melinoe, the sister of Hades 1s hero. Hades 2 aims to outdo Hades in every respect, which is already evident by the sheer number of new locations and the plethora of content present in its early access state.3. Wild WoodsThis four-player co-op indie game tasks players to defend a wagon going through some dangerous woods. Sounds rather simple, right? Well, it shares some very creative elements from Kunitsu-Gami, another game that has you gathering resources during daytime to prepare for night combat. The four-player cooperation elements serve as a good foundation for added maps and challenges leading up to its full release. Though, since Wild Woods just became available for early access on December 9th, odds are that it has a ways to go until its complete launch.4. PalworldWith well over eight million units sold and record-breaking Steam player counts, Pocket Pairs Palworldis doing well for itself despite the looming Nintendo lawsuit. Palworlddrew in a substantial number of players disillusioned by Pokemons latest offerings. The base building and gun-toting Pal battles are great fun, and with the Feybreak update coming December 23rd, players have a lot more content to look forward to.5. EnshroudedEnshroudedmay be yet another survival crafting game, but it executes each of its components well above most of the competition. The combat is rather satisfying with its action RPG mechanics and parry-laden fights. If youre struggling to make ends meet in this hostile open world, there are 15 other players who can help (or hinder) you in your journey. Enshrouded is notable for meeting a majority of its roadmap goals as it inches ever closer to its full 2025 release.6. Manor LordsWhat really sets Manor Lordsapart from other city builder strategy games is its unwavering attention to medieval historical accuracy. Theres a laudable amount of detail regarding town expansion and resource management with historical systems like burgage plot structuring all in play. These intricate town management systems raise the stakes of the real-time strategy battles tenfold, adding a level of immersion and urgency to the genre. Were looking forward to seeing how this one-man passion project turns out with its official launch.7. AstrometicaThis survival crafting game just released in early access on December 10th and Im already invested in what it offers. Unlike other endless space exploration games (like Starfield), the variety of ships within Astrometica are actually used to explore various anomalies and secrets. Theres even asteroid belts to navigate your ship through. Youll need to settle down in a base to survive the cold hostility of space, though, and Astrometica delivers with its compelling tech tree and outpost crafting.8. The Rogue Prince of PersiaMade by the studio that put out the acclaimed Dead CellsDLCs, this roguelite Prince of Persiatitle is in a quite the polished state half a year after its early access debut. As the title suggests, The Rogue Prince of Persia features procedurally generated levels filled with the kind of acrobatic platforming and action that the genre has been known for. Players who enjoyed Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownor classic 2D platforming titles will find a lot to love with The Rogue Prince of Persia.9. Rogue CommandRogue Command is another roguelike game on this list, yet in the form of a classic RTS title. I dont know if Ive seen a classic RTS in this roguelike format before. Its an intriguing gameplay conceit to have entirely different builds and units with every run, butRogue Commanddoes a good job keeping runs approachable and fun thanks to convenience features like a 10% time slow-down. Despite its early access status, theres quite a lot of content here already, including 100s of units and over 20 map types.10. Finnish Cottage SimulatorConsider me surprised to see Finnish Cottage Sim achieving an overwhelmingly positive rating on Steam with thousands of reviews as of its November 15th early access launch. The charming graphics and quant atmosphere help it stand out among the more budget-minded simulator games. But its really the variety of quests and dynamic 6-player multiplayer that have hooked players into this fun and relaxing take on cottage living.11. DunjungleIf you like The Rogue Prince of Persia, Dunjungleis another early access title worth checking out. This fast-paced action platformer roguelite distinguishes itself with customizable equipment and classes to exploit enemy weaknesses with. The gameplay loop is more frenetic and punishing than something like The Rogue Prince of Persia with its lack of checkpoints, but thankfully theres plenty of equipment and progress that stays with you between runs. Dunjungleis one of the most instantly gratifying early access games on the list thanks to its poppy drop-in, drop-out gameplay loop.12. CataclismoStrategy players with a love for Legos need to try out Cataclismo. The games combination of real time strategy battles with brick-built base building forms a rather unique experience. Structures are effortless to construct thanks to the clear piece-by-piece process of building them. Seriously, if you like stacking bricks together, Cataclismo satisfies with a bevy of architectural pieces to get creative with and RTS combat to test your structures against.13. AskaAskaisnt just another survival game; besides careful resource management and fights against wildlife and scavengers, the game asks you to manage your own tribe. This management wrinkle really adds a lot to the game. Take the unique way you add villagers to your village; you essentially craft villagers into existence out of resources, how cool is that? This fresh perspective on the survival genre further personalizes the village management aspect of the game, making survival that much more interesting and engaging.14. New Arc LineThis early access game is for the classic role-playing fans. New Arc Lineis set in a dystopian magi-tech setting where you begin as a penny-less immigrant aboard a steam ship to the new world. Between the range of NPC companions that you can recruit and build relationships with and the blend of mechanical and magic-based combat styles, New Arc Linehas been an early access favorite for those who love choice-heavy RPGs.15. ATLYSSATLYSSis one of those comfy and casual online RPGs that hits the sweet spot for those pining for some old-school nostalgia. The open world is rewarding to explore and quest through and the colorful PS2-stylized graphics really make it stand out. Players will have no trouble finding others to adventure with, considering the high concurrent player counts, though ATLYSSis unique in that none of the content is locked to multiplayer and can be experienced solo.Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.