The Best Reviewed Games of 2024

2024 was a noteworthy year for gaming, offering a blend of big releases, stellar remakes, and unexpected indie hits. While the sheer number of high-scoring games wasn’t as overwhelming as in previous years, 2024 still delivered a rich selection of experiences. This article delves into the highlights of the year, exploring the key trends that shaped the landscape.

A Big Year for RPGs

2024 boasted a remarkable lineup of RPG releases, each delivering unique gameplay and captivating narratives. The year’s high-scoring RPGs included:

• Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, a continuation of Ichiban Kasuga’s journey, transported to the shores of Hawaii.
• Persona 3 Reload, a stunning remake of a beloved JRPG.
• Unicorn Overlord, a strategy RPG with captivating visuals from Atlus.
• Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the highly anticipated sequel to the Final Fantasy 7 remake, offering an expansive open world.
• Metaphor: ReFantazio, a compelling fantasy RPG from the Persona team, tackling political struggles with modern-day parallels.
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard, a return to the Dragon Age universe, marking a significant gap in the series’ output.
• Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, a reimagining of a classic JRPG in a modern pixelated aesthetic.

Sim City

Simulators experienced a resurgence in 2024, offering diverse and engaging experiences. Notable titles included:

• Satisfactory, a captivating factory simulator where players build industrial complexes on an alien world.
• Sons of the Forest, a follow-up to a successful survival game, building on its predecessor’s strengths.
• Microsoft Flight Simulator, providing a realistic flight experience.

Indies Get Their Year

Indie games shined brightly in 2024, showcasing creativity and depth. The year’s breakout indie hit was:

• Balatro, a roguelike poker game with innovative mechanics.
• Hades 2, a follow-up to a successful roguelike game, set for early access.
• Animal Well, 1000xResist, and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, indie games excelling in unique gameplay and storytelling.
• Stardew Valley, the critically acclaimed farming simulation, marked by significant updates over its lifetime.

The Live-Service Train Keeps Going

Live-service games continued their presence in 2024, with significant updates and expansions driving engagement. The year’s highlights include:

• Destiny 2: The Final Shape, the latest update to Bungie’s shooter, ending a chapter well.
• World of Warcraft: The War Within, a significant expansion delivering a fresh start.
• V Rising, gaining a full release and a high review score.
• Fortnite, experiencing a fantastic year with Marvel collaborations.
• Infinity Nikki, a new entry in the Nikki fashion series blending dress-up with open-world RPG elements.
• Helldivers 2, becoming a breakout live-service hit, with a massive player base.

Big Names, Big Review Scores

Established franchises delivered noteworthy titles. Key highlights include:

• Tekken 8, showcasing a significant evolution for the fighting game.
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, praised for a strong single-player campaign.
• Life is Strange: Double Exposure, a worthy sequel to a beloved episodic adventure series.
• Sonic x Shadow Generations, a well-received update of a popular game, introducing an iconic enemy character.
• Astro Bot, an exceptional platforming experience.
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, MachineGames’ latest adventure bringing a beloved movie character to the gaming world.

Nintendo’s Quiet Year

Despite a relative lack of major releases, Nintendo still delivered engaging games that resonated with players. The year’s highlights included:

• Super Mario Party Jamboree, a return to the party game formula, returning to basics and receiving high acclaim.
• Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, a remarkable remake of a beloved RPG.
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, a unique top-down Zelda game.

The Big 10

Only one new game achieved a perfect 10 review score, a testament to its quality. The standout title was:

• Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, a substantial expansion of the acclaimed role-playing game, adding new areas, gameplay mechanics, and lore to its already impressive foundation. It felt more like a sequel than an expansion.