What a year, huh? 2024 was such a tough time for the games industry, there’s an entire Wikipedia article dedicated to the thousands of layoffs sustained throughout 2024. Despite industry instability, the many games that did see the light of day maintained an incredibly high standard.
3D platformers came back in a big way, harkening back to the classics from the 1990s. Massive RPGs continued to absorb all of our collective spare time, while returning franchises soared over the bar set by their predecessors. Oh, and a stupendously smart spin on poker took over the world.
Here are GadgetGuy‘s 10 best games of 2024, in no particular order, from cinematic epics to small-scale masterpieces. Some didn’t quite make the cut, mainly because I haven’t played them yet (looking at you, 1000xResist), but that just means there’s more to look forward to while I’m on holiday.
Astro Bot
- Platforms: PS5
I love 3D platformers, and Astro Bot is one of the best I’ve played. Perfectly distilling the trademark sense of challenge and joy the genre excels at, every moment playing Astro Bot is wonderful.
Every in-game level iterates on what came before it, eliminating any tedium from discovering each well-placed secret. Reminiscent of Super Mario Galaxy‘s bite-sized structure and approach to new ideas, Astro Bot is the closest anyone has been to reaching Nintendo’s signature personality and precision. In some cases, it even matches it, and I can think of no higher compliment.
Seeing a game like those I grew up playing win Game of the Year at The Game Awards this year just warmed my heart. I think there’s merit in critiquing Astro Bot‘s reliance on brand recognition, but its overall excellence reduces any such criticisms to a mere footnote.
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
- Platforms: PC, Mac, PS5, PS4, Switch
Every now and then, you stumble across a piece of media that feels custom-made for you and you alone. For me, Thank Goodness You’re Here! is that game.
Not even remotely related to the Australian TV show bearing a similar name, Thank Goodness You’re Here! is a riot. Inspired by classic British comedies, it’s a slapstick comedy game that sees you running errands for an oddball village’s zany residents. Except that none of the errands are even remotely normal, like helping free someone’s arm from a grate in a rather unconventional way.
Clever, crude, and endlessly hilarious, Thank Goodness You’re Here! is one of my highlights of 2024. I played it in one sitting accompanied by my partner, who watched on in horror while some of the jokes got deeply weird, prompting me to howl with laughter even louder.
James O’Connor’s review on GamesHub explains this game’s greatness far better than I possibly could. Or, for an even more chaotic experience, boot up the game with as little prior knowledge as possible.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Platforms: PC, Xbox
I’m not even an Indy guy and this game knocked my socks off. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a marvellous adaptation of the film franchise and its Nazi-punching spirit.
Exploring densely populated locales is half the fun, with MachineGames sparing no effort in recreating historically significant landmarks, like the Sistine Chapel. Befitting of a game starring an esteemed archaeologist, The Great Circle engages your mind; whether it’s solving mysteries or considering the best way to outwit fascist foes, this is such a meticulously designed game.
Hades 2
- Platforms: PC
To think too deeply that this game is still in ‘Early Access’ is to question reality itself. Already more substantial than the original, Hades 2 is an excellent sequel to the 2020 roguelike dungeon-crawler.
Instead of trying to overhaul a successful formula, Hades 2 simply builds on top of the existing foundation. Following Melinoë, the sister of Zagreus, this follow-up game expands on the established mythology to tell a compelling story of familial dynamics and power struggles in between bouts of fast-paced action.
New weapons, new locations, and a touch of the familiar help make Hades 2 such a moreish experience. Playing just one run is never enough; you want to keep coming back for more and get to the bottom of the godly war at hand.
A special shoutout needs to go to Darren Korb for yet another brilliant soundtrack that brings everything together. The musical theatre-inspired boss fight against a trio of sirens is one of the coolest things to come out of gaming in recent years. Other than the accompanying tune being incredibly catchy, the way it reacts to the ebbs and flows of battle is audio wizardry.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
- Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox
After many disruptions and challenges, Dragon Age: The Veilguard finally saw the light of day. And I’m incredibly glad it did. Boasting the most satisfyingly crunchy combat the series has produced, Veilguard also cleverly pilots several long-running plot threads to a safe landing.
There are times when Veilguard feels like a soft reboot of the Dragon Age franchise. 10 years between instalments is an eternity in the video game industry. Not many decisions from past entries surfaced in Veilguard, seemingly a result of its protracted development cycle.
Regardless, Dragon Age: The Veilguard delivers on multiple fronts. It acknowledges its past meaningfully while looking to the future, accompanied by another cast of characters I love dearly.
Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox
Japanese crime drama doesn’t come more fun and endearing than Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth. Picking back up where its predecessor left off, the turn-based combat is sharper and more streamlined, which is great considering how much battling is involved.
Even though the combat is substantial, Infinite Wealth‘s narrative is its true strength. Ichiban Kasuga is a charming goofball of a protagonist, carrying the torch passed on by Kazuma Kiryu to perfection.
Oh, and there’s an in-depth mini-game that feels almost as weighty as a standalone Pokémon game. Not to mention an island resort restoration side quest worthy of sinking countless hours into.
Balatro
- Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox, mobile
What else is there to say about the solo-developed indie game that took The Game Awards by storm? Balatro is poker, if poker let you cheat every turn by using the wackiest power-ups imaginable.
Simple on the surface but deviously complex once you start chasing higher scores, the concept of time doesn’t exist when you’re playing Balatro.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox
One of my favourite games of 2024, Metaphor: ReFantazio, like Indiana Jones, is another example of being the right game at the right time. Through a fantastical setting, Metaphor faces modern sociopolitical issues head-on, encouraging you to fight against archaic prejudices and strive for a better world.
Made by the Persona team, Metaphor adopts a similar turn-based combat and life simulation gameplay loop. Except there’s less stress to min-max your in-game time, thanks to increased flexibility and reduced friction in how you play.
It’s also incredibly stylish – if there’s a more beautiful game about overthrowing societal inequalities, I haven’t played it.
Cult of the Lamb multiplayer update
- Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox
Although not a new game as such, the co-op update for the Australian-made Cult of the Lamb is hefty enough to warrant a mention. I played a decent amount of the creepily cute game in 2022, but this year’s major update made it feel like the definitive version.
It’s as if Cult of the Lamb was made for two players. Not much has changed to the main concept; fight your way through dungeons to recruit cultists, and then manage the needs of your flock to grow in strength. What feels tangibly different is the pacing.
After the co-op update arrived, I played Cult of the Lamb in its entirety with my partner. For us, it captured what we respectively enjoy most when playing games. I like challenging combat and a strong sense of progression, while my partner loves customisation and deeply engaging with roleplaying systems.
Cult of the Lamb in co-op was a superbly balanced game for the two of us, earning its status as one of 2024’s best gaming experiences.
Star Wars Outlaws
- Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox
Star Wars Outlaws didn’t grab my attention at first. To be honest, I was burnt out on Star Wars, particularly after The Rise of Skywalker. Once I got my hands on Outlaws, that fatigue and cynicism quickly dissipated.
Before Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, I would’ve considered Star Wars Outlaws to be the best video game version of a film franchise to exist in. Now, it’s in an incredibly close second place. Every moment of Outlaws feels like exploring a meticulously crafted film set filled with life and secrets to discover organically.
Another factor that contributed to my initial apprehension towards Outlaws was its status as an open-world game. Too often, games add huge maps or endlessly repetitive content, mistaking scale for substance.
Not Star Wars Outlaws. It feels expansive without being excessive, giving you room to explore but with enough of a guiding hand to keep your interest. Kay and Nix are also highly endearing characters, and I hope to see more of them in the future.
Honourable mentions
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Thousand-Year Door is one of my all-time favourite RPGs. It’s cute, charming, and just mechanically complex enough to keep its combat feel interesting. Revisiting it on the Nintendo Switch was a delightful nostalgia trip, conjuring memories of days spent playing the original GameCube version.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Unlike many lifelong gamers, I never played the original Final Fantasy VII, widely considered one of the greatest games of all time. Regardless, I’ve loved experiencing the classic JRPG’s modern interpretation, and Rebirth was a stunning second stanza. Queen’s Blood, the in-game card battler, became my obsession for a few weeks in 2024.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
During the early hours of Laser Eyes, I was deadset on including this among my best games. What followed was not the fault of the game, but purely the result of my dumb brain fighting against me. There are brief sections where enemies apparate out of thin air to chase you down. Unfortunately, this immediately triggered my fight-or-flight response; I hate the feeling of being chased.
My partner played the rest of the game, with me helping with puzzles. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is fiendishly clever, requiring you to take notes to decipher its countless ciphers. It’s one of those games that makes you feel extremely smart one moment, and then extremely dumb the next. Good stuff (other than the chasing).
The Rise of the Golden Idol
Speaking of clever games, the Golden Idol sequel is another example. Unassuming on the surface, its gameplay consists of examining various scenes to identify who committed various crimes or occult shenanigans. As far as deduct-’em-ups go, this is right up there.
A game-breaking bug on the Nintendo Switch version at launch temporarily halted my progress, which took the shine off an otherwise fantastic experience. Had I not encountered the interrupted momentum, my opinion likely would’ve been even higher.
Unicorn Overlord
Strange name, great game. Vanillaware’s latest game following the brilliant 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Unicorn Overlord is another pivot from a studio determined to never sit still.
While its plot isn’t quite as compelling as 13 Sentinels‘ sci-fi protagonist-swapping caper, Unicorn Overlord‘s meaty strategy gameplay is incredibly in-depth. Easy to play in short bursts, I often thought about how to improve my units whenever I wasn’t playing.
The post GadgetGuy’s 10 best games of 2024 appeared first on GadgetGuy.
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