18 min read
2024 was jam-packed with games—so many, in fact, that I didn’t even have time to write about them on this blog. Yeah, let’s go with that. From excellent remakes to breakout indie phenomena, 2024 had it all. JRPG fans were spoiled with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Persona 3 Reload, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Dragon’s Dogma 2, and Metaphor: ReFantazio. From the shadows, poker roguelike Balatro took the world by storm, digging its claws into the dopamine receptors of millions. S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 beat the odds and managed to release despite its troubled development, giving the world the most realistic rain in a video game, ever. UFO 50 was a celebration of indies and NES classics that I just couldn’t get into. Approximately 1.3 trillion friendly fire incidents occurred as a result of the 380mm Barrage in Helldivers 2.
Of course, it can’t all be good. Layoffs continue to impact countless individuals in the industry worldwide. Corpo cunts continue to miss the mark with a hyper fixation on making the next live service money printer, telling gamers to get used to not owning their games. A culture of toxicity that predicates itself on driving engagement through controversy and negativity continues to grow as the clicks keep rolling in.
But fuck all that. We’re here to talk about good games—no, the best games—of 2024. Starting off with:
The Honourable Mentions…
Fallout London
Fallout London is an incredible feat. It’s a mod for Fallout 4 that’s as large as some big-budget AAA games. If it was a fully realised game it would no doubt make it into the top ten, but it’ll have to settle for being the best mod I’ve ever played. It’s not the first mod to include a lot of content or a big open world, but it’s the first one I’ve played that does so with such consistently high quality. Everything from the art, the design, the writing and voice acting: all of it, a monument to what the modding scene is capable of. It even attracted celebrity guest performances such as Sylvester McCoy and Colin Baker. Fallout London is an incredible accomplishment and it’s all made for FREE. The team behind the mod has plans to form their own indie studio and I couldn’t be more excited to see what they produce.
Judero
Bursting at the seams with personality and utterly unique, Judero is an epic tale that wears its cultural influences on its sleeve. It’s also an inherently weird game, which swaggers between tales of Scottish folklore and contemporary portraits of fascism, environmentalism, the role of law, and anything else its seemingly self-aware characters deign to spin a yarn about. The moment-to-moment gameplay was mildly frustrating at the best of times and a bit boring at the worst and its technical performance is unfortunate, but this is still a game worthy of a look simply for its one-of-a-kind experience.
Clickolding
One of the biggest surprises of the year, for me at least, was when the Among Us developers announced that they were publishing a game about clicking a clicker in a seedy hotel room while a mysterious figure in a disturbing mask watches from an armchair in the corner. It’s an experience that sticks with you, for better or worse. Hopefully, we see more weird little games that take around an hour to beat that can worm their way into your brain like this one did with me.
The Countdown…
10. Dungeons of Hinterberg
A supremely relaxing jaunt around some Austrian mountains. Dungeons of Hinterberg is part Persona, part Zelda and part Diablo. Why not wander around the town and build up your relationships with a crew of dungeon-delving thrill seekers and the mild-mannered townsfolk. Or you see the sights and explore the world uncover hidden loot, tough enemies to battle, awe-inspiring perches to drink in the view, or portals to the eponymous dungeons which are always filled with danger and mystery.
Those dungeons are the meat of the game, with each area offering a unique mechanic. It could be a whirlwind you can use to propel yourself over hazards or a magical hoverboard you can grind sick rails on. Each area and dungeon is designed around these bespoke abilities which creates this focus on fun and inventive level design. The environments are gorgeous, full of little details like leaves being swept away in a gust of wind or grand set-pieces like a snowy descent. The game makes fun a priority at every step of the way, I’ve even come to appreciate the character moments a bit more, even if I found them lacklustre when I first played through the game. I’ve written about Dungeons of Hinterberg more extensively in my actual review which is available here.
9. Helldivers 2
Come on you apes! You wanna live forever? It might have taken yonks but we’ve actually got a game that does some justice to its inspiration, with the over-the-top, hyper-cinematic, tall glass of Liber-tea that is Helldivers 2. So many moments from this game feel like they could be the best moments from a more tightly scripted, expertly directed experience. Precise airstrikes clobbering towering behemoths while you and three of your fellow Helldivers scramble to hold off a horde of bugs long enough for an extraction ship to pick you up; a thermonuclear device detonating in the distance while you rampage around in a mech suit; diving away from so, so many explosions. This is the Starship Troopers game I always wanted.
Once things ramp up, and they always do, Helldivers 2 delivers pure adrenaline. Thankfully too, progression wasn’t bogged down by microtransactions even though it easily could have been, given the game’s structure. It even makes good use of its nature as a live service game to create ongoing in-universe events that bring thousands of players together to fight for a common goal which created one of my favourite moments of the year. Helldivers 2 is better than it has any right to be and managed to grab my attention even as someone who doesn’t really play a lot of multiplayer (and especially live service) games.
8. Path of Achra
A lo-fi, low fantasy roguelike which I’ve been messing around with for the better half of the year. Path of Achra is a testament to the roguelike genre, runs are short, build variety is ridiculous and every win or loss feels like progress. I’m not the biggest fan of roguelikes, but Path of Achra’s commitment to experimental builds and its Conan-inspired world sets it apart. If you thought Balatro, and I have nothing against Balatro, but if you thought Balatro had the juice for your dopamine addiction then you haven’t seen what a single late-game turn in Path of Achra has to offer you.
In my last run, any action I took whether it was moving, attacking, praying or even standing still would deal ice damage in a radius around me to all enemies, teleport me across the screen, and then spawn several snakes which would slither off and attack even more enemies as the impact from my teleportation dealt a wave of astral damage around me. Any time an enemy died, would then in turn heal me. If you think it sounds like it’s too easy to cheese, well even on that blessed run one wrong move ended it all. The combat log moves insanely fast, damage numbers fly across the screen and any loot you find has the chance to make you an unkillable god if you know how to use it. It’s an immensely satisfying experience, and it’s my go-to roguelike for short bursts on my Steam Deck. There is no greater honour.
7. Content Warning
It takes a lot for me to get sucked into a multiplayer game. Helldivers 2 had the juice, it’s an excellent sandbox of chaotic explosions, murder and mayhem; but one game this year did something really weird. I don’t know if you know this about me, but weird stands out and me likey weird. Content Warning presents as a vision into humanity’s future as emotionally starved psychopaths who will do anything for social media clout. In other words, 2024.
You’re armed with a video camera and a growing selection of other gadgets that can assist you in your journey to internet stardom. With three friends (or strangers), you delve into the horrific ruins of the old world. Here you’ll find traps, monsters and rare artifacts. Your goal? To film these things, especially when your friends are screaming in terror or are being eaten by horrible creatures. Then you return home, upload it to the internet and watch the views roll in. This game makes you into a monster; when you see your friend strung up by a ceiling trap about to be killed, instead of helping them you instinctively reach for your camera. It’s good content, after all. The other genius feature of this game is that you can save the clips you capture in-game. At its peak, Content Warning’s Discord had hundreds of these clips shared in it, a lot of them were absolute gold. It’s unfortunately not as active as it was earlier in the year, but it’s a game I’ll be thinking about for a long time.
6. Dread Delusion
If you take Warhammer 40k and Morrowind, you get Dread Delusion. This game is a trip, an enigmatic one at that. It’s not as difficult as some classic RPGs like Morrowind but it doesn’t hold your hand either in the best and worst ways. Some almost essential items, like the compass, can be easily missed. The combat is very basic and with a limited variety of weapons, it can turn stale fast. Like a lot of my favourite games, there’s something greater underneath despite these flaws. Dread Delusion has a remarkable world, an inventive levelling system that doubles down on exploration, good and often witty writing; it’s a game you can get lost in.
Its retro-style graphics are surreal and dreamlike, your imagination fills in the blanks and it manages to get me more invested than a lot of games with hyper-realistic graphics. This is a world that yearns to be explored, and every inch of it deserves your attention. I am unabashedly thankful for its measure as well, this isn’t a long game by any means. It’s a condensed open-world experience that respects your time, rewards curiosity, and doesn’t overstay its welcome. An excellent indie adventure RPG.
5. Arco
Set in a fantastical version of Mesoamerica rife with magic, cowboys, ancient temples and monsters, Arco is a straightforward revenge story with a satisfying and smart tactical combat system. The combat and RPG mechanics are streamlined and encounters feel frenetic and rhythmic; quick restarts encourage players to experiment. Creativity is rewarded and the approach taken to the quasi-turn-based combat makes everything feel fluid. Turns play out over a few seconds, and you can usually take your time deciding what to do next, whether it’s dodging, using a weapon or some other ability. It manages to make it feel different from other turn-based tactical games, especially since you’re usually just controlling one or two characters.
And that’s without even touching on the art; Arco has some of the best pixel art I’ve ever seen, with stunning vistas, bustling towns, hideous monsters and machines, all beautifully designed and lovingly crafted. Almost every screen in Arco made me stop for a moment to just stare and appreciate how gorgeous it is, while they also tell a story all on their own. The music fits the mood, with a few standout tracks that hit at just the right moment as you’re exploring an overgrown tomb or fending off a dozen bandits. A remarkable adventure through an unforgettable world.
4. 1000xRESIST
Sometimes a story can only be told through a video game. I have a special place in my heart for games that use the medium to its fullest potential to tell a story. Without giving too much away, 1000xRESIST spins a sprawling yarn about belonging, culture, ego, family and so much more. It is a saga, and it is executed extraordinarily well. The writing feels deeply personal, you can tell there’s genuine experience behind the words on the screen and the voice acting conveys this consistently and memorably.
1000xRESIST could reasonably be called just a walking simulator or just a visual novel but to reduce it down to just these things diminishes the complexity with which it delivers its story. It’s a game that puts on a play and invites you to participate on its stage. To be curious and explore, ask questions. To feel happy, sad or even bitter. It does all this in a way that respects the player’s intelligence without being overly complicated. A modern masterclass of storytelling in gaming, proving that there is still room for innovative narrative design in this medium.
3. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
I slept on this game for far too long. It really didn’t sound like my cup of tea; a hack-and-slash, tower defence, village management game all rolled into one. I am always happy to be proven wrong though, if you can believe it. Kunitsu-Gami is a game that somehow manages to tie all these different elements together in a cohesive way. Capcom didn’t stop there though, they also gave the game a distinctive visual style with traditional Japanese influences and beautiful animation.
Combat is a dance, each move and ability is delivered with a flourish and everything feels punchy and satisfying. This game would still be great if it was just combat but you also have villagers to manage. You can assign roles to rescued villagers; a melee woodcutter, a ranged marksman, or a sumo wrestler, these units can then be positioned on a map for when night falls and “Seethe” pour out of a defiled Torii game to attempt to halt your advance. Once you liberate an area, you can assign those villagers to repairs in each area which will be carried out while you’re on the next stage. It all comes together to make a really fun, in-depth and satisfying game. Plus, you can pet the dogs, cats, cows, pigs, deer-…I could go on, but it’s for the best if you just check it out yourself. Capcom should be lauded for taking a risk on Kunitsu-Gami when they easily could have just dedicated their resources to another guaranteed success like Resident Evil.
2. Animal Well
They put kangaroos in this one, and that appeals to my sense of national pride. So then, it is very impressive that even if there were no kangaroos in Animal Well it would still take the number two spot. Animal Well is a super tight platformer/metroidvania with more secrets than the KGB (what a timely reference - Editor Kyle). Almost every screen in Animal Well has some puzzle or challenge to overcome, and each solution leads to yet another delightful problem to solve, like a nesting doll of pure intrigue. Tools and items are drip-fed to players, they’re all remarkably unique in a genre that all too often falls back on double jumps and dashes. What other metroidvania, or game even, lets you use a frisbee as a mode of transport and as a solution to puzzles.
Another standout to me was the audio design; there is no “music,” rather, the game utilises background noise to build this dynamic, player-driven symphony when you hop across floating bubbles with expert timing or use a slinky to activate a series of buttons. These moments feel like magic and they stand out so much more than a conventional soundtrack would have done. It doesn’t hurt that the game looks gorgeous too, with bright neon colours against its moody deep blue background. Exploring this world and unravelling its secrets was an absolute pleasure and I’m excited to see what the developer does next and I’m just as excited for future projects coming out of its publisher Big Mode.
1. Crow Country
Survival horror has seen something of a renaissance since the release of Resident Evil VII in 2017. That’s not to say the genre was dead before then, but compared to the consistent stream of excellent survival horror games we have now, it was undoubtedly waning. Crow Country is a return to form for survival horror, it touches up the classic formula with modern design choices that make it an absolute pleasure to play.
With a moody yet adorable PS1-era-styled aesthetic, each area feels like a small diorama and has its own distinguishing theme. Whether it’s an underwater wonderland or a haunted village, each area is a microcosm, chock full of puzzles and tense boss fights. The game leans into its puzzles, feeling more like an adventure game at times, the puzzles are brain ticklers but aren’t half as hard as some of the worst the genre has produced. Crow Country even has an emphasis on replayability and speedrunning which I adore, with unlockable weapons and optimal paths to discover. The people you meet along the way are charming and build on top of the lore of the world, sharing tidbits of history that unfold the mystery of what happened at Crow Country.
The music hits and I am happy to share that the save room music is an all-time soothing melody (as is tradition); the rest of the music captures the melancholy dread that the environments so often inspire. Of all the games I played this year, Crow Country had the most elegant core gameplay and the most striking visual design and it managed to build on top of its survival horror roots to deliver something new. I might just be a sucker for survival horror but for my money, Crow Country takes the cake.
So, that’s a wrap on 2024. I might do a follow-up retrospective later which can deal with all the more boring personal shit I want to talk about. I started a blog, abandoned it and returned all in the space of half a year. Impressive, even for someone with my level of ADHD. I still love video games and I still love writing about them, and I want to get better and be more consistent even if only for my own sake. So, hopefully, I’ll see more of me in 2025 and I can write about even more amazing games.