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What a year, right? 2024 has been merciless for video games, a medium that has endured significant blows from seemingly every direction. It’s been one of the most subdued years for triple-A titles in recent times and one of the most challenging for studios across the board.
Yet amid all this, there have been – as there always are, and likely always will be – a flourishing, unstoppable tide of exceptional, creative, thoroughly delightful video games. This year has been about resilience but also about unexpected, incredible hits. New, bizarre, unforeseen treasures emerging to fill the gap left by the big-budget titles, which appear ready to fiercely compete for your attention in 2025 instead.
Congratulations on making it through this year. Thank you, as always, for your readership. And we hope you enjoy this compilation of fantastic games – the true reason we’re all here in the first place. Presenting the 50 finest games of 2024, ranked.
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
At the heart of The Plucky Squire lies an idea so remarkable it’s astonishing no one has executed it before. The ability for a picture book character to gain consciousness and leap out (and back into) the pages of the book to influence its narrative is a concept I can’t believe isn’t already part of a Pixar film. In a video game, even after experiencing it two dozen times, the notion never truly feels stale. It’s an exceptional idea, and The Plucky Squire exudes charisma as your small hero strives to save the day by navigating through his picture book’s chapters, and then into the bedroom of the book’s youthful reader. The game isn’t flawless – at launch its extensive writing threatened to alienate a similarly youthful audience, while some of its repetitive, guiding puzzles should have ideally been trimmed. Fortunately, a recent update has aimed to rectify some of that – and the brilliance of that initial key concept remains intact.
Read more in our The Plucky Squire review
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
“Hope you folks know how to fish,” states Infinite Wealth’s central character Ichiban Kasuga just before a massive shark beaches itself on your boat. A turn-based combat against this creature ensues, the absurdity of the situation barely sinking in as you try to fight a monster even the formidable Jason Statham would be hesitant to tackle. But this is Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth. It’s a game brimming with moments like this, the kind you usually wouldn’t anticipate but somehow do here. As with other titles in the series, you might attempt to justify to someone why they should engage with it, but it’s not until they actually play that the realization hits. There are no other games like this, and they should be cherished. – Tom Orry
Read more in our Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth review
Platforms: PC
The pandemic. Cloning. Gene modification. Hong Kong’s Umbrella Revolution. The end of the world. 1000xResist engages with all of these themes throughout this personal 3D visual novel, illuminating what kind of culture might emerge from this petri dish of catastrophes. The outcome is one of spiraling intricacies, a slow-burning narrative of belief, deceit, and conspiracy that suddenly erupts as it reaches its core, launching the world of heroine Watcher, her clone-like sisters, and their All Mother goddess creator into chaotic turmoil. Memories become crucial battlegrounds to uncover and unearth the truth behind Watcher’s lineage. As the reasons and mechanisms of this peculiar and enigmatic world begin to materialize through these capricious and dreamlike flashbacks, we witness the large, unpleasant chaos of well-intentioned actions that have gone astray at its core. 1000xResist offers no simple resolutions to any of its major thematic discussions, but that’s exactly why this raw and profoundly personal journey is so unforgettable and significant. – Katharine Castle
Read more in our 1000x Resist review
Platforms: PC
Dubbed ‘totally normal gardening game’, Grunn is far from ordinary, and the creators Sokpop Collective take pleasure in misleading you at nearly every turn in this subtly eerie game. Your objective appears straightforward – as you reach the entrance of a tangled country residence on a sunny Saturday morning, you have until Monday to tidy up the place before the owners return. The gardening itself is satisfyingly tactile, and the shoomp shoomp of the grass and hedge shears, along with the combative movements of your trowel, all feel astounding under your fingers. However, you’ll soon come to realize that there exists something significantly darker and stranger beneath the surface of Grunn, with these bizarre forces actively pursuing you. Via a collection of mysterious polaroids, Grunn progressively reveals itself as a horror-tinged adventure game, assigning players the task of aligning various items with the correct puzzle scenarios to peel back its layers and uncover the core of this deliciously disturbing experience. You won’t manage to accomplish everything in a single session, but each journey equips you with more insights and shortcuts to disentangle its tantalizing enigma. It’s remarkably unsettling, and truly a grower. – Katharine Castle
Discover more in our Grunn Wishlisted feature
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
I won’t pretend, I found the Black Ops 6 campaign significantly more enjoyable than many games ahead of it on this list. I don’t know if that’s going to get me exiled from the EG Slack or something, but I must express my truth. The various multiplayer modes CoD presented this year didn’t captivate me at all, partly because they didn’t hook me, but mostly due to my lack of time to invest in an online multiplayer shooter. Nevertheless, BLOPS 6 offers the finest campaign in a Call of Duty since 2016’s Infinite Warfare. There, I’ve articulated it. It’s a standout. I believe that’s ample information for you to judge me with, but just understand that I’m correct about this, and if you disagree, you’re mistaken. Here’s to dreadful campaigns for the following eight years! – Tom Orry
Explore more in our Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 review
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
These Digital Eclipse compilations are challenging to summarize, but here’s the general idea. Picture an extravagant special edition DVD box set of several classic films, thoughtfully curated, and introduced with context, insight, and appealing bonus features. A combination of a collection and a narrative all in one. The latest installment, from the creators behind the remarkable Making of Karateka, centers on the iconic Jeff Minter, the sovereign of psychedelic arcade marvel games. This delves into all of his previous creations, but don’t be deterred by that. Numerous older, less-known games continue to feel startlingly fresh, even as you rewind to the mid-80s. Preserved with affection. This encompasses video game heritage. – Chris Tapsell
Uncover more in our Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story review
Platforms: PC
A demonic romance narrated through the prism of survival horror, Sorry We’re Closed stands out among numerous excellent PS1-homage games featured in our list this year, but it’s arguably the most stylish amongst them all. With its vibrant color scheme and punk rock ensemble of everyday individuals merely attempting to navigate survival in downtown London (albeit a distorted downtown London that has somehow transformed into a mecca for angels and demons all vying for heavenly dominance), this is a raw and poignant narrative where exposing your heart proves to be an unexpectedly lethal task. Store worker Michelle embodies this truth more than anyone, after attracting the attention of archdemon The Duchess and being cursed with an additional eye that can penetrate reality’s veil to reveal the sordid, demonic underbelly. Should she fail to comply with The Duchess in three days, she’ll endure torment for all eternity, yet as she battles for her life in an extraordinary blend of third-person puzzles and first-person shooting, Sorry We’re Closed illustrates that there’s still much to appreciate about fixed camera perspectives, gritty low-fi aesthetics, and confronting god/the devil directly to reclaim your liberty. – Katharine Castle
Discover more in our Sorry We’re Closed review
Platforms: PC
What if Sniper Elite transformed into a low-fi conspiracy-driven shooter with multi-kill dynamics akin to pinball or the Crash Mode from Burnout? Well, you might end up with something akin to Children of the Sun, an independent shoot-’em-up that blends elements of shooter and puzzle genres. Crouched from a distance, your task is to position a shot – and its ensuing ricochets – that eliminate all targets, while you uncover the motives behind your enigmatic protagonist’s revenge against a lethal cult. The visuals and narrative – as thin as it may be – are delightfully sensational, while the rapid-fail-and-try-again gameplay lets you indulge in just one… more… attempt… – Tom Phillips
Discover further details in our Children of the Sun review
Platforms: PC
Ah, the burden of anticipation. Two and a half decades after the inception of the groundbreaking Homeworld game, nine years post a successful remaster, and five years subsequent to a crowdfunding initiative for a sequel, Homeworld 3 appeared poised to become yet another complex, galaxy-encompassing real-time strategy title set in three-dimensional space. What materialized from hyperspace was, in many aspects, the game I envisioned: a thrilling evolution of its predecessors, featuring new factions and settings, yet accompanied by iconic ship aesthetics exuding primary-coloured exhaust trails, generating genuine battle sounds amidst stunning nebulae as a Middle Eastern influenced ambient electronica plays softly in the background. A fresh emphasis on maps with monumental structures suited for cover or ambush was an ingenious twist, offering a revitalized canvas for the game’s impressive art direction and fostering more engaging combat settings.
Nevertheless, a ultimately unsatisfying campaign that centered on a few poorly developed characters contrasted sharply with the grand, survival-focused narratives that won the original games such devoted admiration, resulting in review ratings plummeting to levels that led to a halt of the extensive post-launch development plans merely four months later. The game’s storyline and its roguelite War Games mode still warrant attention, with the final 1.3 patch delivering essential balance and gameplay enhancements, yet I worry this might mark the concluding chapter in this legendary series. – Will Judd
Explore more in our Homeworld 3 review
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Puzzle games centered around plant cultivation have surged in popularity in recent times, but Botany Manor unquestionably stands out as one of the finest examples within this niche sub-genre. Situated within a grand and scenic Somerset manor, amateur botanist Arabella Greene takes it upon herself to explore and recreate rare strains of unusual flora that will only thrive under the most precise and enchantingly whimsical conditions. Consider the flower requiring the exact wind temperatures of its mountainous habitat, or the rust-removing river weed that blooms only at a specific water heat. Or the plant that imitates the wing hues of a moth at a designated hour of the day, or reflects the dormant heartbeat of a particular woodland creature. As you search for each plant’s respective seed pouch throughout the estate and attempt to deduce precisely what is necessary for each to flourish using the notes, letters, and other in-game cues you discover, Botany Manor unfolds as a remarkably intricate and artistic puzzle adventure. It demands time, dedication, and a fair bit of attention to unravel these dilemmas, yet this game truly cultivates growth, no doubt about it. – Katharine Castle
Learn more in our Botany Manor review
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
In MechWarrior 5: Clans, you embody the creatures abruptly emerging from the walls; however, the walls represent the edge of known existence, and the creatures are equipped with towering BattleMechs. Plenty is familiar to enthusiasts of the immensely captivating sandbox of MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, yet that title’s gradual advancement of a mercenary company undertaking various tasks gives way to a more riveting linear narrative through the significant (and less significant) events of the Clan invasion of the Inner Sphere, complete with animated cutscenes rich in in-universe terminology. As operatives of a technological superpower concealed from the centuries of turmoil and neglect endured by the remainder of humanity, your advanced machinery outpaces, out-armors, and delivers more formidable impacts.
“`than anything you will encounter from your adversaries. This allows your five-member team to slice through swarms of foes in exceptionally enjoyable fashion, and provides you with some flexibility to try out different weapon configurations and ability enhancements before the game’s challenge heightens in the concluding chapters. Best of all, the entire experience can be enjoyed in cooperative mode if you prefer – and even with improvements to AI companion management, dominating the surats is consistently more enjoyable with a sibkin. – Will Judd
Explore further in our MechWarrior 5: Clans episode of what we’ve been engaging with
Platforms: PC, PS5, Switch
Arranger is clever, stunning, and intriguingly, surprisingly welcoming. Its concept indicates a realm of astonishingly clever conundrums where only the top puzzlers will prevail, but this game doesn’t merely aspire for you to overcome its obstacles; it also encourages you to feel intelligent and to progress at your own tempo. Such are commendable aspirations.
At its core, Arranger presents gamers with a tile-based universe in which rows and columns shift alongside the player’s movements, and numerous objects reappear on the screen, emerging from the left after vanishing off the right, for instance. Embracing this notion, you’re dispatched on a lovely journey, transitioning from one locale to another, resolving dilemmas, partaking in battles – you maneuver swords and similar items in conjunction with your rows and columns – and even confronting bosses.
It’s refined content, yet it’s supported by a delightful hint and bypass feature which allows you, if desired, to have an on-screen marker that consistently directs you to the correct path, and you can easily skip over any puzzler that’s bothering you. All of this is paired with exceptional writing and world construction. Arranger is a delight. – Christian Donlan
Explore further in our Arranger: A Role Puzzling Adventure review
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
A game filled with ambiance. From a mechanical standpoint, Fear the Spotlight doesn’t feature an abundance of intricate elements, but it precisely captures the late 90s/early 2000s horror vibe. The experience is divided into two segments, parallel narratives that unfold following a calamitous séance. The first predominantly takes place on school premises as the main character endeavors to locate her friend while evading the glaring orange searchlight emanating from the singular antagonist. The second part is more intimate, focusing on the life of the previously mentioned missing friend, mainly set in her former family residence. More frightening than the first segment, this narrative delves into Japanese horror influences like Ringu and Ju-On: The Curse. Although there isn’t much difficulty involved, the nostalgic puzzles and outstanding retro graphics provide a refreshing contrast after years of intense horror crafted to jolt you. – Tom Orry
Explore further in our Fear the Spotlight review
Platforms: Meta Quest 3/3S (VR)
Look upward. This is the tagline DC is employing for its new Superman film. It’s also something you can do with your actual head while engaging with Batman: Arkham Shadow on the Meta Quest 3. Observing your surroundings isn’t novel in a VR experience, clearly, but it constitutes the initial aspect of Camouflaj’s remarkable Batman simulator. While Bruce Wayne, renowned for his frequent exclamations of “I am the Batman,” or similar, in this game you are indeed the Batman. Never before, even in the Rocksteady titles, has this sensation been more palpable. Central to this is the fact that Arkham Shadow embraces the combat we have come to expect from Batman games. Admittedly, it’s streamlined here to accommodate a broader audience (no martial arts training required), yet it simply functions. – Tom Orry
Explore further in our Batman: Arkham Shadow review
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Modern titles that emulate retro aesthetics are enjoying an extended resurgence, aren’t they? One of the standout illustrations this year is the PS1-era nostalgic horror, Crow Country. Rather than merely bank on nostalgia through intentionally outmoded designs, SFB Games crafted a game that could have seamlessly fit into an era when gamers were being spooked by the wonders that were Resident Evil and Silent Hill. It features intelligent puzzles, which are crucial in effective survival horror, but even more importantly,the environment is exceptionally depicted. There’s an outstanding sense of location here, which raises it above the typical endeavor at mimicking games of this kind. Oh, and it’s humorous, too, which is a characteristic games frequently struggle with. – Tom Orry
Discover more in our Crow Country review
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S
Often eclipsed by the immense triumph of its counterpart Age of Empires, Age of Mythology is, quite frankly, an absolute hit, a standout early-00s era RTS from a period when the seemingly serious strategy genre began to embrace a touch of absurdity. Yet, I will always assert that “a touch of absurdity” is precisely what contributes to a great RTS, and Retold is an excellent revamp, smoothing out the rough, polygonal edges of the original while retaining all of its quirky charm. Outrageous divine powers still roam—now with cooldowns (very modern!) instead of just one-time use—and the whimsically absurd physics remain intact. Witnessing colossi and giants bounce into the sky due to a meteor will never lose its charm. Likewise, enjoying an old-school comp stomp with pals against the upgraded AI never gets old. Whether you overlooked the original, cherished it, or have yet to immerse yourself in real-time strategy but wish to give it a shot, I can’t recommend another game before this one. – Chris Tapsell
Platforms: PC, PS5
Pacific Drive isn’t the most accommodating of games. If you’re like me, your initial several hours will be spent lamenting it (or shouting at it). And then the subsequent several hours will likely be spent doing just that again. Maneuvering through the soggy woodlands of the Pacific Northwest with nothing but a battered, possibly-haunted vehicle and a grumpy radio sidekick, you’ll find yourself smashed, crashed, flipped, hurled, shocked, poked, and bonked by various barriers, spanning from slightly terrifying ‘anomalies’ of the Zone to the vehicle’s boot dropping on your head—your own ineptitude personified. This game revels in its delightfully, hysterically sadistic nature, yet it is also infused with intelligent design features—the garage, where you pause to recuperate, reconstruct, and make gradual RPG-style advancements between expeditions, truly serves as the game’s core—and also presents an enthralling, Strugatsky brothers-influenced atmosphere. It’s one of the most distinct games of this year, and it also seems to perfectly tap into the current wave: eccentric physics, dark humor, masochism, and a necessity to persist regardless. – Chris Tapsell
Discover more in our Pacific Drive review
Platforms: PS5
I find myself conflicted about Stellar Blade. Having harbored little to no expectations for its launch, I was astonished by how amazing the combat is. I don’t intend to appear foolish, but I mistakenly began playing with the assumption that I would encounter some fairly conventional hack ‘n’ slash mechanics, yet in reality, Stellar Blade feels less frantic. It’s not souls-like, yet it isn’t entirely dissimilar to those games, either. The fact that Stellar Blade looks exceptional only adds to its appeal; it stands as one of the most stunning titles I’ve experienced on PS5 in 2024 (and looks even better on PS5 Pro). However, I won’t sugarcoat it: I find the absurd costumes quite unappealing. I recognize there’s an audience for that, but I believe these designs detract from a top-tier action game. – Tom Orry
Discover more in our Stellar Blade review
Platforms: iOS, Android
To be honest, I initially thought TCG Pocket would simply be one of those ‘interactive experiences’ that heavily focused on pack opening, assembling attractive digital items, and stripping as much cash from fans as feasible. And, okay, it somewhat fulfills that premise—but hold on, hear me out. It’s also a truly remarkable card battler. This might come as no surprise—Creatures has been crafting this card game for several decades now, after all—but there are some brilliantly subtle modifications to the formula that render it incredibly effective here. Energy has transitioned from being tied to cards in your deck to a generation system, which is enhanced and adapted by the cards you develop decks around. Battles are quicker, and while they may be somewhat trivial by most competitive criteria, counterintuitively, that also makes it even more enjoyable. If you happen to lose, it’s…
Alright – you spent five minutes, and likely gained some insightful information about the deck you crafted or the choices you made during the process. The interconnected systems, spanning luck-based components like packs and surprise selections, to the numerous missions, AI and online confrontations, collectibles and beyond, are remarkably complex. And indeed, the art is genuinely beautiful. This is among the finest games to emerge from The Pokémon Company in a while – don’t dismiss it without giving it a shot. – Chris Tapsell
Discover more in our Pokémon TCG Pocket review
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S
Modern games often feel exceedingly polished, overly focus-grouped, and incredibly safe that it’s a surprise when a major title launches and defies those conventions. Stalker 2 resembles an extraordinarily ambitious indie project from a decade and a half ago, yet possesses the production quality of a contemporary AAA game. It encountered numerous challenges upon its release (and continues to do so even after several updates), but no other game launched this year can rival its breadth. It’s an open-world FPS, but dissimilar to any you’ve previously experienced unless you’re familiar with an earlier Stalker title. Games need not be so excessively refined that they lack any distinctive features to be deserving of your time and investment. Stalker 2 validates this notion. It’s riddled with more imperfections than the entirety of Sony’s first-party offerings this whole generation. – Tom Orry
Explore more in our Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl review
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S
A title centered on fleeing to the Austrian Alps to escape everything, Dungeons of Hinterberg resonates profoundly if you’ve felt somewhat exhausted recently, or if the pandemic still lingers faintly in your thoughts, or if your year has simply been challenging. This game is likely closest to this year’s A Short Hike, which encapsulates the calming atmosphere of a real location, highlighting presence, mindfulness, and friendly strangers offering snippets of small talk or counsel. Yet, it’s also a very delightful, concise, and intelligently crafted title: a fusion of Persona and Zelda, merging environmental puzzles, playful camera angle shifts, a hint of light third-person combat, followed by a tranquil retreat to the nearby mountain village in between. For those who indulge in gaming as a form of escapism, few this year have delivered it better: a dreamy, heartwarming, timely escape that is incredibly welcome. – Chris Tapsell
Check out more in our Dungeons of Hinterberg review
Platforms: PC, Switch
Another splendid, small-team indie of 2024, Arco stands out as a treasure of an action-adventure game, entirely illustrated in charming, vibrant pixel art (there’s a nostalgic sense of the year 2013 about it, in a positive light). Clever combat revolves around brief, engaging, and strategic encounters, while the atmosphere wonderfully blends Western and fantasy elements: a solitary traveler, an authentically South American interpretation of the cowboy narrative, a grand, enigmatic tree. There’s depth and nuance here, condensed and polished into something compact yet impactful. – Chris Tapsell
Delve deeper in our Arco review
Platforms: PC
Caves of Qud represents an everlasting game. It merges Dwarf Fortress and the original Rogue, crafting a dense fantasy realm and eons of history, utilizing it as a lush backdrop for exceptional dungeon exploration.
Everywhere you glance, there’s something unique. The visuals – just a notch above ASCII – evoke memories of all-night gaming sessions in aged University computer labs, while the prose is poised and peculiar, intertwining narrative with distant futures and their terrors, all amidst a backdrop of ruins and peculiar fungi. Dungeons are procedurally generated, yet the central narrative beats remain constant, which places the focus squarely on the player themselves. Who do they evolve into? What journey do they embark on? How many limbs and digits are they willing to swap for laser cannons? These are all fantastic inquiries for a game to ponder.
Within all this lies a game that resonates with a hidden theme of 2024 in gaming. Similar to UFO 50, this game bears the characteristics – and several ideas – of gaming’s past, yet approaches everything in a manner that makes even more visually extravagant titles seem relatively outdated. Even if you don’t believe Caves of Qud is suited for you, give it a go.a shot. – Christian Donlan
Discover further in our Caves of Qud review
Platforms: Switch
I genuinely think that Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is among the top games of the year and on the Nintendo Switch overall. It’s just that exceptional. While it’s not flawless and lacks high-score leaderboards for online rivalry, it’s an absolutely vital local multiplayer game suitable for all generations. I’ve relished countless hours playing this with my son, essentially demonstrating to him that despite the considerable advantages of his youth, he still can’t surpass me at video games when reduced to tiny challenges.
The truly remarkable aspect of NWCNE (apologies, just wanted to create something that resembled a professional wrestling organization) is more of an incidental result, actually. By introducing my son to these treasures of the gaming realm, he has now sparked an interest in engaging with the complete games. He has invested hours into Super Mario Bros., Excitebike, and Metroid. That’s the enchantment of Nintendo. – Tom Orry
Explore more in our Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition feature
Platforms: PC, PS5, iOS, Android
What a revitalizing experience Infinity Nikki offers. If you’re weary of the typical open-worlds centered on combat, then allow me to recommend a journey through Miraland’s vibrant, fairytale scenery instead. Where other games may present bosses to confront, Infinity Nikki boasts high-stakes fashion duels across rooftops and eerie forests, merely for the sake of being as theatrical as possible. Yet when Nikki does need to roll up her impeccably-styled sleeves to confront some mischievous beings, it’s primarily aimed at ‘purifying’ the poor creatures, not eliminating them.
When not embarking on explorations, or saving the world in one of the most delightfully absurd tales I’ve ever encountered (where fashion is revered alongside ancient deities), the only genuine goal is to dress Nikki up to appear adorable. And if you enjoy capturing photographs in those charming outfits, be ready to create some top-notch shots, featuring one of the most comprehensive Photo Modes in gaming.
Simple ideas, yet a joyous execution of those concepts, transforms Infinity Nikki into the exuberant, eccentric adventure that it is. – Jessica Orr
Learn more in our Infinity Nikki review
Platforms: PC
Timemelters emerges from a team of creators behind Sang-Froid: Tales of Werewolves. That title was a unique blend of strategy and tower defense, possessing a remarkable sense of its own character. Timemelters advances this concept and truly tests the extent of how many fresh notions a player can manage at once. That’s a commendation.
You play as a witch in a fantastical version of Scotland, yet truly you’re a versatile attack unit endowed with the ability to cast spells, reverse time, create clones to combat alongside, and navigate through wormholes that connect the maps in non-Euclidean knots. The spark of brilliance that clarifies it all is this: you possess only one hit point. If you falter at any point in the game you’re done for, compelling you to thoroughly explore each map and its challenges, disassembling objectives, figuring out how to reinterpret space, and gradually becoming the kind of clever player you always aspired to be. 2024 offered a plethora of remarkable games, but few taught the player as much about their own capabilities as this one. Plus, it’s an absolute blast. – Christian Donlan
Discover more in our Timemelters review
Platforms: PC
One of this year’s most intriguing detective games, No Case Should Remain Unsolved offers a profound exploration of the unpredictability and delicacy of the human psyche. It’s the kind of mystery game you should genuinely play without absorbing too much beforehand, as mentioning anything about its storyline or intricate details might dangerously tread into spoiler territory. Yet, the essential facts of the case are as follows: you assume the role of a detective haunted by one exceptionally traumatic case from your past that has long grown cold, and finally you are assigned the task of sifting through your fragmented memories of all the various eyewitness accounts to attempt to uncover the truth. As you begin reconstructing a sequence of events and aligning fragments of statements to the appropriate speaker in the correct sequence, you will gradually discover other, concealed aspects of the case that continuously challenge and broaden your comprehension of it. But the true masterpiece of this game lies in its skillful weaving of its narrative, and how closely it safeguards its deepest, most heart-wrenching secrets. It’s expertly crafted and essential for all aspiring detective enthusiasts. – Katharine Castle
Delve deeper in our No Case Should Remain Unsolved feature
Platforms: PC, Ps4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
This year’s premier Metroidvania and a fresh standard for the genre overall. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is an agile, swift fantasy of an action platformer, blending precise and demanding traversal methods with an epic quest of impressive magnitude. As the valiant fighter Sargon, you are tasked with rescuing the eponymous prince from the vast, maze-like dungeon of Mount Qaf, a menacing and foreboding realm that pits ally against adversary and rewinds time itself. It’s a captivating escapade, reminiscent of both the series’ legacy and the contemporary, energetic style of anime and graphic novels. It also addresses the recurring issue of tedious backtracking in the genre with its innovative screenshot feature, enabling you to attach images of locked passageways, enigmas, or anything else that piqued your interest directly onto the map. Alongside its exacting and proficient platforming, this showcases an astounding success from the Rayman Legends crew, and it’s a misfortune that we won’t witness more of it in the future. – Katharine Castle
Read more in our Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown review
Platforms: PC
I Am Your Beast possesses a quality reminiscent of the classic Batman television series’ comic book visual effects – BAM! ZIFF! BOFF! FWIP! – albeit with less campiness and significantly more turmoil. One of several titles emerging from Xalavier Nelson’s Strange Scaffold this year, which perhaps is less of a traditional development studio and more of a collective, allowing various developers to engage, imprint their vision, and swiftly produce a concise, engaging game lasting a few hours, with an extraordinary premise that elevates it beyond typical expectations for a modest budget. Among these, I Am Your Beast stands out as the most brisk and tightly constructed, a relentless revenge narrative featuring intensely satisfying, thunderously impactful gameplay to support it. KAPOW! – Chris Tapsell
Read more in our I Am Your Beast review
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
This year, there has been increasing discussion concerning the demise of double-A games, which is quite intriguing. For one, I am fairly certain that we engaged in that same dialogue around 2013. However, more importantly, I am still not completely convinced that it’s accurate. Perhaps double-A games haven’t vanished but have rather become significantly more costly, mirroring the escalation in triple-A budgets. Regardless, consider Space Marine 2, a title that embodies double-A qualities in both spirit and essence, and in nearly every aspect other than its production costs.
I must stress: this is meant as a very substantial compliment. Space Marine 2 is a delight in cooperative play, especially against AI onslaughts, but also through its substantial, exhilarating, and straightforward pleasures campaign. It’s visually stunning, richly detailed, yet possesses a slight hint of harmless jank around the edges, observable in those distant adversaries and extravagant explosions. Moreover, it is wholeheartedly, thoroughly devoted to the premise. This is an exceptionally authentic 40k experience, abundant with minute details – lore for the lore enthusiasts! – and overflowing with gothic, dark future ambiance. When combined with mechanical elements inspired by the contemporary Doom (2016), such as its parry-and-execute framework, it becomes an absolute triumph. It’s the second-best game this year for gathering friends and blasting through hundreds of xeno scum. – Chris Tapsell
Read more in our Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 review
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Unusual, stylish, and (mostly) effective – Indika is arguably the most A24-like video game of the previous year. There is much at play here, but it is difficult to overlook the remarkable visual presentation – and the influence that such striking visuals have on the overall gaming experience. Envision morphing, transitioning, and surprising camera angles and movements, or abrupt shifts to entirely different perspectives or artistic styles. Contemplate deeply considered character animations – Indika bites her nails and glances around nervously when idle. Imagine bicycle sprints and thought-provoking explorations of faith and subjugation. While the actual mechanics
“`themselves – efficiently, some platforming and minimal puzzle-solving – may not overflow with originality, yet there’s a significant lesson here for a medium that has, let’s confront it, been remarkably sluggish to develop when it concerns the classic cinematography and direction in visual storytelling. That lesson revolves around how much can be extracted from a game with genuine consideration – regarding how and where you position your camera and what is visible on screen, but also what actions you opt to take and for what reasons. – Chris Tapsell
Discover more in our Indika review
Platforms: PC
There exists a plethora of highly intelligent individuals engaged in video games, and one of those particularly brilliant minds is Tom Francis from Suspicious Developments, creator of Tactical Breach Wizards (and I’m not merely asserting that because he has contributed to Eurogamer). Tactical Breach Wizards is a skillful, concise, and profoundly humorous interpretation of turn-based tactics, placing you in control of a bearded, sage-like SWAT team that kicks off each scenario with a magnificent, thunderous boom through the entrance. From that point, you must clear a minuscule, intricately designed room, reminiscent of Into the Breach, employing ingenious systemic tools – into the wall! Out the window! – to shuffle and propel opponents around the arena as you proceed. As Matt Wales eloquently noted in his superb review, “Tactical Breach Wizards is utterly obsessed with defenestration”. Count me in! This exemplifies the essence of tactical fantasies. – Chris Tapsell
Discover more in our Tactical Breach Wizards review
Platforms: PC, with PS5, Xbox Series X/S coming in 2025
The original Frostpunk became somewhat of a cult classic within the PC strategy community for its gritty approach to settlement survival. The sequel elevates the stakes: difficult choices are even tougher. Politics are intriguingly divided into clashing sets of values: Progress and Adaptation; Merit and Equality; Tradition and Reason. There’s an exhilarating tension to it – an endless struggle, a civilization perpetually on the brink of conflict – and simultaneously a profound depth. If grand strategy games have always felt excessively remote for you, too ‘God’s eye’ and geopolitical, then zoom in on this one. This game immerses you right at ground level, amid the dirt and snow, and the gruesome decisions on how to survive against the odds. It’s one of the finest strategy games in quite a while. – Chris Tapsell
Discover more in our Frostpunk 2 review
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Netflix
The Case of the Golden Idol was always anticipated to be a challenging sequel, but developer Color Gray Games has remarkably surpassed expectations with this ambitious follow-up. Launching the timeline ahead 300 years into the paranoia-laden 1970s, this narrative of corporate conspiracies and egregious murders grabs your interest at every turn. Technically, it’s somewhat less bloody and gory this time, with certain scenes merely showing brawling television contestants, exploding outdoor cinemas, or even poetic performances with cryptic, hidden meanings to unravel. However, the crimes and mysteries remain just as captivating, and piecing together who committed what, why, and how in each of its freeze-frame vignettes continues to be as exhilarating as ever, particularly now that its dedicated windows and organized puzzle boards make them more accessible to engage with and decipher. It’s intricately crafted, making it one of the most gratifying mystery games of 2024. – Katharine Castle
Discover more in our The Rise of the Golden Idol review
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Capcom has been performing extraordinarily well lately, and its mythological adventure through the demon-laden torii gates in Kunitsu-Gami is no exception. This action-driven strategy game is a true feast for the senses, merging its dynamic and colorful kagura dance combat style with a demanding tactical foundation of strategic tower defense. The objective is to safely guide the priestess Yoshiro through the cursed and corrupted areas of a mountainside community, protecting her from waves of outrageously grotesque demons while serving as her primary guardian Soh and organizing groups of recruitable villagers to take on different roles and responsibilities.to optimally defend the territory. Long-range marksmen and sturdy lumberjacks are ultimately accompanied by formidable wizards and teleporting ninjas, but the demons you’ll confront also transform in a similar fashion, as do the environments, goals, and hurdles you’ll meet throughout your journey. There are countless innovative concepts to grapple with in Kunitsu-Gami, ensuring you’re always faced with inventive obstacles to conquer, and the vigor and passion it offers you is perpetually utterly contagious. An exhilarating experience from beginning to end. – Katharine Castle
Discover more in our Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess critique
Platforms: PC, Switch
You should always prioritize a Simogo title. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes takes a dramatic shift from the frenetic, sugary electro-pop of the platformer Sayonara Wild Hearts, the studio’s prior creation, instead favoring subdued, atmospheric, monochrome puzzle-solving set in a peculiar, desolate mansion in the woods. Some of those enigmas can be alarmingly tough – this one leans on a notebook-and-pen approach, and you’ll find yourself far more content if you embrace that notion from the beginning, rather than resist out of arrogance, as I tend to do initially. You make space for a Simogo game, yet this is one you must allocate hours for, not just to engage but to contemplate, mull over, and analyze from all angles. Similar to a classic puzzle macguffin, yet also akin to the intriguing art pieces this game weaves its web of astounding clues around. – Chris Tapsell
Discover more in our Lorelei and the Laser Eyes critique
Platforms: PC
Creating a sequel to a game like Spelunky must have been intimidating, so in many respects, Derek Yu’s reaction is completely logical. He gathered a group of skilled friends and gradually they all crafted something bizarre and distinctive. UFO 50 isn’t merely a game; it’s the library of a console that didn’t actually exist, but could have.
Let’s be real: it’s initially overwhelming. All of UFO 50’s titles are complete experiences, and they’re all accessible from the start. This means that when you first boot the game, you face a daunting choice. Where do you begin? However, as you choose a direction and venture outward, transitioning from RPGs to puzzle games to strategy games – so many strategy games! – you start to realize it’s not solely about maximizing everything, but about discovering the games that resonate with you and delving into them thoroughly, and then proceeding to something fresh.
Over time I suspect every title will have its turn. Of all the entries on this list, this is the one I believe you are intended to grow with for a decade or longer, truly extracting the best from it. 50 games, bizarrely intertwined lore, diverse artistic styles, and a stunning approach to pseudo-history. As sequels to one of the finest games ever crafted go, it’s hard to find fault. – Christian Donlan
Discover more in our UFO 50 critique
Platforms: Switch
Three years ago, it would have been challenging to envisage that the natural successor to titles like Deus Ex, Dishonored, and other esteemed immersive sims would be Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda series. Yet just as Tears of the Kingdom clearly demonstrated last year with its limitless Ultra Hand contraptions, Nintendo’s imaginative spirit has only flourished over the years, and the array of magical building components at your disposal in this year’s Echoes of Wisdom is a remarkable extension and evolution of that particular problem-solving approach. Zelda shines as a compelling protagonist in her first significant role as the series lead, and her ability to repurpose everything from beds and children’s trampolines to the most formidable foes that have haunted Link throughout 30-plus years of questing to surmount the challenges ahead makes this one of the most audacious and inventive Zelda games yet. It challenges our notions of what the future of the franchise might look like without a sword-wielding hero at the forefront, and achieves this through imaginative and graceful authenticity. Here’s to hoping it’s not another 30 years before Zelda gets to return to her extraordinary debut role here. – Katharine Castle
Discover more in our The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom critique
Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
It’s the game that has generated buzz across the community…lips (and mind, and device, and smartphone and nearly every gadget available) since it swept the globe with its arrival in February. Balatro has been an unstoppable phenomenon this year, enthralling audiences with its roguelike poker experiences that turn deception and deck manipulation into the main attraction. Whether it’s enhancing your hand’s score by taking advantage of all sorts of special abilities derived from its cleverly designed Joker cards, or boosting the stats with mystical twists via booster packs of supplemental celestial enhancement cards, Balatro is a melting pot of inventive artistry – a sensation that’s further amplified by its wonderfully disorienting music and mesmerizing, swirling visuals. The objective, naturally, is to cleverly utilize your limited set of playable hands to surpass the high score discreetly established by your rival. But as the stakes escalate with each round, so too do the number of zeroes attached to those scoring objectives, demanding increasingly strategic maneuvers to maintain your progress. It’s a creation of remarkable complexity and delightful straightforwardness, rightfully regarded as one of the finest and most unforgettable titles you’ll encounter this year. – Katharine Castle
Discover more in our Balatro review
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
The original Dragon’s Dogma was launched at the very end of a console generation that, quite frankly, everyone had grown tired of. It’s not that we didn’t appreciate the PS3 and Xbox 360, but they were approaching seven years old at this stage which back then, when Moore’s Law was still in play, made them the gaming hardware equivalent of a still operational Roman aqueduct: impressive and aesthetically pleasing, yet artifacts of the past. Entirely incapable of meeting modern exigencies. Likely deteriorating somewhere.
As a result, Dragon’s Dogma wasn’t entirely the game that had been imagined. Features were omitted. Trade-offs were accepted. Common during the best of times, but trying to cram Capcom’s Elder Scrolls into a scant half gig of RAM would have been demanding. Nonetheless, it managed to impress: warranting a substantial DLC expansion, multiple re-releases, and a Japan-exclusive MMO. The business, regrettably, remained incomplete. When work commenced on a sequel, the aim was clear: execute it properly this time. A broader and more intricate map. Additional settlements. Two capitals. A monstrous race to rival humanity. Vividly created NPCs and superior quests. An enlarged pawn system featuring a contentious but undeniably brilliant meta-game involving a lethal ailment that propagated among users. Dragon’s Dogma 2 achieved what the original game had to rein in, realizing a singular vision that had eluded its developers previously, finally operating on hardware that could do it justice. Assuming you possessed a VRR TV. Look, just be quiet.
It’s the decade-long pursuit of that vision which leaves the most significant impact. There’s nothing remotely like it: quests aren’t mere lists, they are challenging odysseys into an untamed wilderness, where you can sense civilization fading with each step. Its landscape is ruthless, fast travel barely exists and requires effort to organize, and night really means night: traveling in darkness signifies peril and complete obscurity, instead of merely being tinted blue, as nighttime often appears in other titles. Yet there is beauty in the inhospitable. Vast panoramas, forests as thick as in real life. And this game showcases the most lifelike mountains I’ve witnessed outside of the Scottish Highlands: they are undeniably present. Formidably towering. Astoundingly expansive. Unconcerned with obstructing your view, infinite draw distance notwithstanding. There are mountains, and you will gaze upon them.
In the interval between Dragon’s Dogma and its sequel, the RPG landscape has experienced several revolutionary changes. The cultural supremacy of Soulslikes mercifully peaked and then receded. Titles like The Witcher 3 and Zelda: Breath of the Wild triggered massive transformations in world design that are still profoundly apparent in new and forthcoming games. However, for Dragon’s Dogma 2, all that might as well have never transpired. It remains entirely unaffected by all the advancements that have been made in this genre, striving solely to be the best incarnation of itself. The inception of the project might have stemmed from Capcom’s ambition to have its own rival to Oblivion and the like, but it achieved something far more commendable than that: it finally evolved into Dragon’s Dogma. – Jim Trinca, Destroyer of Word Limits
Discover more in our Dragon’s Dogma 2 review
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
In a year marked by political elections and outstanding RPGs, there couldn’t be a more fitting 2024 title than Metaphor: ReFantazio. From Atlus, the masterminds behind the Persona series, it transitions from high-school narratives to grand fantasy and finds its storyline centered around an election to restore justice to the realm and thwart a tyrant from brainwashing the populace. It’s a tribute to diversity as well as a salute to the RPG genre, boasting a diverse cast of characters and themes against prejudice wrapped in an intelligent Archetype class system and nods to beloved 90s classics.
Above all, it’s an exceptionally well-crafted RPG in its own right. Building upon the foundation established by the Persona games, its calendar structure expands into a heroic quest, its menus are intricately designed, and its operatic soundtrack features one of the finest battle themes ever. Its turn-based combat is quick and exhilarating, its Archetype system rich with complexity, and its narrative layers upon itself to question the very essence of what a fantasy storyline can embody. Metaphor: ReFantazio is grand and lyrical and enchanting, but it also represents a game filled with optimism for the future – something we could all benefit from a little more of this year. – Ed Nightingale
Discover more in our Metaphor: ReFantazio review
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch
When I initially tried out Thank Goodness You’re Here! during a short demonstration at GDC, I was concerned it might merely be a game focused on absurd humor and hitting folks. However, after playing more, I came to the conclusion that it genuinely is a game centered around absurd humor and hitting folks, and that’s fantastic. It features a blend of various influences, reminiscent of Beano and Aardman Animations, infused with that distinct, red-faced, lip-puckered Matt Berry style of humor (you likely understand what I mean from that alone. And yes, he’s in it too). Among the numerous titles launched this year that only span a few hours and come at a low price, this one stands out significantly. Video games can be quite serious endeavors; perhaps it’s time to indulge in a light-hearted laugh for a while instead. – Chris Tapsell
Discover more in our Thank Goodness You’re Here! review
Platforms: PC
This year has certainly not lacked exceptional horror titles, but few have portrayed the swift unraveling of the human psyche under stress quite like the ingeniously surreal Mouthwashing. From the very onset, you are aware that your spaceship freighter and crew are doomed – after all, you’re the one setting their collision trajectory in motion. As time toggles between the moments before and after this crucial incident, we witness how it all initiated, how it slowly begins to collapse, and the explosive and abrupt breakdown of several minds simultaneously. Mouthwashing takes pleasure in misleading you at nearly every turn, yet it maintains a rapid and invigorating pace that captivates you. Everything on this cursed vessel is deceptive, and its confined spaces and passageways shift and distort in a remarkable manner mirroring the crew’s declining mental stability. Moreover, it isn’t shy about injecting humor into the narrative, evident through its sharp, clever script and several notably dark comedic exchanges with the near-mummified Captain Curly. There is simply nothing comparable to Mouthwashing available right now, and it’s genuinely revitalizing. – Katharine Castle
Explore more in our Mouthwashing review
Platforms: PS5
What defines the essence of a remake? How can one maintain a blend of the old and the new while retaining the excitement of the original game? These are the inquiries Square Enix is delving into with its Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, with Rebirth serving as a contentious central installment. While some of its narrative alterations may come across as intricate, they have undoubtedly sparked discussion among players. Concurrently, the elaborately crafted open world, rich storytelling, and stunning performances have built upon the cherished original, breathing life into its narrative in ways that players from the 90s could only imagine.
Although it represents just one segment of a larger trilogy, it stands as an exceptional RPG in its own right. The combat is a clever combination of real-time and command-based action, its expansive soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal, and it is (perhaps excessively) brimming with activities: from chocobo races to monster hunting, dancing and piano playing, all the way to the fully engrossing Queen’s Blood card game. Rebirth offers an entire realm for Final Fantasy enthusiasts to immerse themselves in while sustaining the original’s tonal shifts from dark sci-fi intrigue to eccentric characters, campy cutscenes, and the undeniable homoerotic tension between its protagonists. Square Enix has adopted an extravagant and maximalist strategy towards gaming remakes, a choice that has undoubtedly played to its advantage. – Ed Nightingale
Peruse more in our Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth review
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
When reflecting upon Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I think of its path to release – and the sense of relief I imagine BioWare’s development team experienced witnessing their project finally launch to a predominantly positive reception after a sometimes arduous decade. Veilguard is certainly not an immaculate game, with signs of its decade-long journey visible in certain aspects. However, while it represents a different proposition compared to Dragon Age: Origins – unsurprisingly, considering it arrives 25 years later – and as much as…
While it remains slightly overshadowed by last year’s groundbreaking Baldur’s Gate 3, Veilguard asserts its presence, bolstered by its affiliations with other BioWare masterpieces.
In Veilguard, I can perceive the character development from Mass Effect 3 and Citadel, especially notable in the remarkable Davrin and Emmrich, alongside the aim to craft a thrilling climax reminiscent of the excitement we experienced in Mass Effect 2. This adventure is the developer’s most delightful journey yet, featuring remarkably crafted environments that evolve progressively, solidifying it as BioWare’s most visually stunning and aesthetically pleasing endeavor to date. It marks a return to form and rekindles my enthusiasm for BioWare’s Mass Effect team as they build upon these principles in the future. – Tom Phillips
Explore further in our Dragon Age: The Veilguard review
Platforms: PC, PS5, Switch
Animal Well embodies the essence of a game you wish to immerse yourself in. It presents a nocturnal realm teeming with nature and peculiar relics, yet it is also intricate, elaborate, and dotted with unexpected discoveries. It’s one of those exceptional artworks that stays with you for a prolonged period, evolving into a true companion. It invites you to decipher its thought processes.
However, at its core, it’s quite uncomplicated. It’s a Metroidvania where you navigate a sprawling, interlinked network of caverns using new gadgets to uncover new routes. The items are wonderfully mundane – a frisbee, a slinky, a yo-yo – and the ways to utilize them continually evolve. Mechanically, there’s a strong impression that you’re retracing the designer’s journey, uncovering the possibilities within your quirky toolkit just as they did.
The game’s environment is perpetually evolving, offering fresh opportunities and insights to those who master the art of observation. It partly revolves around recognizing patterns and partly about taking clever lateral leaps – frequently, your most bizarre instincts will lead to rewarding outcomes.
While this ingenuity is impressive, what lingers as time passes is the sheer ambiance. This is a pixel-art universe chiseled straight from the nascent days of personal computing, radiating all the peculiarities that accompany it. You’re not solitary in the depths; beautifully animated, whimsically crafted creatures inhabit the same caves and pathways alongside you. Our initial experience with Animal Well was filled with joy – now more than ever, we yearn to relive that first encounter. It is truly a splendid creation. – Christian Donlan
Discover more in our Animal Well review
Platforms: PS5, PC
How does one even commence to enhance something as meticulously crafted as the original Silent Hill 2? Each move, every rhythm of protagonist James Sunderland’s harrowing journey through the notoriously misty town is so infused with profound significance, integral for grasping the wider narrative, that altering it excessively could lead to its unraveling. However, the developer Bloober Team’s adept remake of Silent Hill 2 is nothing short of remarkable, not just modernizing the cherished survival horror classic with astute mechanical refinements and a hauntingly beautiful redesign, but also broadening and enriching it in genuinely beneficial ways.
This remake showcases incredible equilibrium, maintaining a fierce respect for the original while being bold. It meticulously follows every story beat, every legendary moment, except in moments where there is scope for surprises; dialogue remains largely untouched, yet outstanding performances uncover new emotional depths; anticlimaxes transform into unforgettable peaks; it offers clarity whilst preserving its enigmatic essence; and, remarkably, it even mischievously validates a long-standing fan theory, allowing this fresh portrayal of Silent Hill 2 to harmoniously coexist with its predecessor. But above all, it plays flawlessly. Bloober adeptly explores new dimensions within the original’s rigid framework while maintaining masterful control over tone – and its profound malevolence reaches genuinely horrifying heights. That the studio accomplishes all this with a lighthearted sense of amusement, and renders one of gaming’s most gut-wrenching concluding sequences even more devastating, speaks volumes. – Matt Wales
Read more in our Silent Hill 2 Remake review
Platforms: PC, PS5
There is a strong argument to be made for many titles on this list as potentially being the game of 2024, but Helldivers 2 might just be the frontrunner. Released amid a wave of devastating layoffs in the industry, as publishers struggled to adjust to an evolving, post-pandemic market while analysts frantically sought answers to what truly constitutes success, Helldivers 2 presented the solution: gameplay, above all trends and uncertainties, has always reigned supreme – and exceptional gameplay derives from innovation first, from granting developers the time, space, and resources to take risks. In this case, developer Arrowhead’s brilliant invention was to blend the comedic genius of its more niche twin-stick games – titles like Magicka and the original Helldivers – with a delightfully inventive concept: a “Game
Master”, in the now-notorious Joel, who orchestrated and reacted in real-time to the endeavors of the gaming community, maneuvering the strings of the game’s cosmic conflict from a distance.
The outcome is a type of grand, divine farce unfolding across battlefields, territories, and planets. There’s a feeling that this entire scenario is somewhat of a joke – that “robot Vietnam” is indeed a deliberate nightmare, and just as one planet achieves salvation due to immense collective effort, another will be thrust into a far more horrific struggle of its own. Yet, it also suggests that you’re still part of the whimsy – bashing in Komani code-style combinations into my controller to summon an air strike, complete with frantic, finger-pointing ‘beep boop beep’ animations in-game, never fails to amuse me. Nor does ‘accidentally’ dropping my pod directly on a cheeky teammate’s head. It’s self-inflicted, darkly humorous, inventive, playful, strategic, thematically coherent, anti-fascist, mechanically solid as anything, and unquestionably innovative. If we must still insist on financing or crafting games by formula, fine – give that one a shot. – Chris Tapsell
Discover more in our Helldivers 2 review
Platforms: PS5
I have referred to Astro Bot as “mid-tier Mario”. You might perceive that as critical and excessively harsh on what is a delightful, joy-filled gaming experience, but that’s not my aim. If I mentioned I could make you rich, but only as rich as a mid-tier billionaire, I doubt you’d be displeased (aside from the new-found anxiety of needing to figure out how to use that wealth wisely). Mario has so vastly outpaced competitors in the 3D platforming realm that being mid in this context is quite a remarkable feat. Sony has now established a heavyweight in the genre, and consequently, I feel a renewed confidence in the industry’s commitment to it.
Popularity does carry weight, yet sentiment holds its own significance when constructing a brand. With Astro Bot, Sony has made people feel positive about the PlayStation. Not only in the present moment, but throughout their lives with the console. High-budget blockbuster narrative experiences have garnered PlayStation accolades and millions of players, but Astro Bot allowed me (and many others) to connect on a fundamental level. It’s enjoyable to engage with video games. I didn’t realize I required that reminder, but apparently, I did. – Tom Orry
Explore more in our Astro Bot review
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
The greatest unexpected success of 2024, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a title that has quietly nestled into our hearts, knocked us over the head with its guitars, fly swatters, and dusty brushes, winning us over instantly with its mischievous charm and captivating smile. This is a game that completely grasps what Indy embodies, both as a character and as a franchise, placing us firmly in the loose beige trousers of this whip-wielding explorer whose globe-trotting treasure hunt takes us from the hushed corridors of the Vatican, the blistering deserts and jungles of Egypt and Thailand, along with a few more explosive and spine-chilling locales in between.
Within those settings, the developer MachineGames has designed a series of rich and profoundly inhabited spaces, providing players the means to devise multiple approaches into closely guarded locations, an array of weapons and silly, everyday items to batter Indy’s foes with, as well as a whole museum’s worth of intricately crafted enigmas, puzzles, and side quests to savor along the journey. Indeed, the aforementioned ‘Field Work’ missions are often so significant and integral to unraveling more about the main storyline that they feel almost like standalone narrative missions. It makes everything seem crucial and worthy of your time in The Great Circle, enticing you deeper into its central mystery so you can uncover every last secret it has to unveil.
It’s also just an outstanding action game, blending approachable, nimble stealth mechanics with robust melee combat and some genuinely engaging tactile puzzle segments. It’s all supported by a fantastic cast as well, whose memorable performances and exceptional voice acting add an extra layer of refinement to the overall experience. The Great Circle is everything you would desire and expect from an Indy game and more, and we can only hope MachineGames gets to continue its role as long-term Indy caretakers in the future. It feels like an audacious new chapter for this studio, and it will be an exhilarating ride to witness what it embarks on next. – Katharine Castle
Discover more in our Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review
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