Top Ten Video Games of 2024

Posted by: Edo in Best of the Year December 17, 2024 1 Comment

There are too many good video games and not enough free time.

I’ve put together a pretty nice list of cool games which were my favourites in 2024 but just know that for every one that I enjoyed, I also didn’t find the time to play a bunch more which are apparently also excellent.

So in case you were wondering why they didn’t make my list, I didn’t have time to play Silent Hill 2, Helldivers 2, Animal Well, Indika, Frost Punk 2, Kunitsu Gami, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Pacific Drive, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 or The Crimson Diamond.

Hopefully I might catch at least one or two of them next year.

Otherwise what else is there to say? Video games are as rad as ever and the range of entertainment they offer feels broader than ever, from spectacular high fantasy 60 hour RPGs like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to thought-provoking, emotionally charged sci-fi adventures like 1000xResist and Mouthwashing. There really is something for everybody out there.

With that said, here are my ten favourite games of 2024.

Metaphor Refantazio

Developer: Studio Zero
Publisher: Atlus, Sega
Platform played: Steam Deck

JRPG powerhouse Atlus continues to go from strength to strength. The studio has been making games for decades but in the last ten years they have made serious strides growing their audience and honing a particular JRPG template that mixes dungeon crawling, social links and narrative structure that they established with Persona 3.

With each mainline Persona game since then, Atlus have added greater depth to their combat systems, added more sizzle to their art style and continuously found ways to make their games shine. I think the expectation was that Persona 6 would be their big mainstream breakthrough game but instead its come a little earlier than expected thanks to the critical and commercial success of Metaphor Refantazio.

With Metaphor, Atlus has successfully transposed the modern Persona formula onto a fantasy RPG about a kingdom entering the first stages of democracy after the death of its king. There isn’t any particular gameplay innovation to explain this success. Instead what we have is a case of extremely polished gameplay fundamentals that is elevated to greatness thanks to the superb writing, a fabulous cast of characters, industry-best voice acting and some absolutely insane art direction that makes Metaphor one of the most visually striking RPGs ever produced.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Developer: FromSoftware Inc
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Platform played: Steam Deck

Shadow of the Erdtree is the largest DLC that Fromsoft have ever produced. Creator Hidetaka Miyazaki humbly downplayed the size of the new shadow realm location, comparing it in size to Limgrave in the original game. It’s honestly at least double. Miyazaki is sneaky like that.

To level the playing field for everyone making the jump from the base game regardless of how many runes they have, players need to acquire “scadutree blessings” which act as stackable percentage multipliers to your stats and effectively supersede runes and levels as the most important measure of how ready you will be to fight Shadow of the Erdtree’s notoriously brutal end game bosses.

Messmer the Impaler, Bayle the Dread and Promised Consort Radahn are all absolutely savage bosses that will likely take you dozens of attempts to defeat. In the case of Radahn, he is so absurdly powerful he may even require a top to bottom respec of your character, depending on what you’re bringing to the table.

The beauty of Fromsoft games is the satisfaction derived from eventually besting these formidable challenges and happily 2024 was the year these games finally clicked for me. I poured a hundred hours into Elden Ring, beat the game, then immediately moved onto Shadow of the Erdtree. The formula never lost its appeal, I had no feelings of burnout and after another twenty hours or so, I completed Shadow of the Erdtree and managed to topple Messmer, Bayle and Radahn. At times it definitely felt impossible but sometimes you just need to tweak your build, switch up which talismans you use or simply be patient and learn their patterns and time your attacks.

When it clicks, there’s nothing more satisfying.

Thank Goodness You’re Here

Developer: Coal Supper
Publisher: Panic Inc
Platform played: Nintendo Switch

In Thank Goodness You’re Here, players take on the role of an unnamed little yellow man who travels to the fictional town of Barnsworth to meet the mayor. While you wait for him to finish a meeting, the player is called upon to help various townspeople (the local butcher, a man with his arm stuck in a sewer grate etc) with odd jobs.

Curiously, the little yellow man doesn’t appear to have fixed dimensions. Sometimes he is close to the normal proportions of a human being and other times he is small enough to fall into a pint glass.

Thank Goodness is a weird little game with a lot of sexual innuendo and absurdist humour. It’s also super short and has Matt Berry providing voice over. These are all attributes that make the game great and a proper game of the year contender.

I didn’t realise this until I finished the game but when you get told the mayor is busy and can’t meet you in the game’s introduction, its actually possible to set the controller down and just wait for the duration of the meeting time to elapse. Outstanding.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios
Publisher: Sega
Platform played: Playstation 5

Yakuza/Like A Dragon has been a favourite video game series of mine for the better part of two decades and the series has never been stronger with new games getting published once every twelve months. Despite the intense release cadence, the quality of series remains consistently high and Infinite Wealth is no exception.

This latest chapter unfolds mostly in Hawaii, a new location for the series. It interweaves the stories of newcomer Ichiban Kasuga alongside series stalwart Kazuma Kiryu.

The main storyline is hugely entertaining and it is bolstered by some of the biggest side content (I’m reluctant to call them minigames at this stage) the series has ever seen. Infinite Wealth has a whole ass Animal Crossing island, a Pokemon-style collector mode and a management sim to entertain players.

But all the extra trimmings would count for nothing if it wasn’t for the charm and likeability of its central protagonist Ichiban Kasuga who I maintain is easily the best protagonist in modern gaming. Ichiban is positive, open minded and earnest and just the sort of hero we need for the day and age we live in. A dude that just wants to get by and do right by his friends.

Not one to rest on their laurels, a new Like A Dragon game is only a month away – a pirate themed adventure focused on anti-hero Goro Majima. RGG continue to be some of the hardest working developers in the industry.

UFO 50

Developer: Mossmouth LLC
Publisher: Mossmouth LLC
Platform played: Steam Deck

UFO 50 sounds like an impossible proposition on paper. Famed indie developer Derek Yu (Spelunky) and a small team of colleagues have created three fictional game consoles from the Eighties and created fifty games for these devices, made as if they were products of their time.

For something like $35 Australian dollary-doos you get fifty whole games including platformers, metroidvanias, beat em ups, shoot em ups and even RPGs. Sure there’s a couple of stinkers in there but honestly the standard of the average game is improbably great and there are a handful of genuinely terrific titles in the mix (Mortol 2, Mini and Max, Porgy and Bashido Blade are some of my favourites).

At a meta level, I like that some of the games have sequels so you can see both graphical and feature improvements from one game to the next. It really adds to the sense that this is a curated selection of the best games in the UFO software library.

I have played less than half of the games in UFO 50 so far and have already got my money’s worth. An absolutely insane project in terms of ambition and scope and I can’t believe they pulled it off with such a small team. Incredible.

Wild Bastards

Developer: Blue Manchu
Publisher: Maximum Entertainment
Platform played: Steam Deck

I was a big fan of Blue Manchu’s sci-fi shooter Void Bastards which was released in 2020. They are back with a spiritual successor Wild Bastards which keeps the space-faring motif but they’ve now added a Western theme and somehow juggled even more genres into the gameplay loop.

This time around the game is a [deep breath] rogue-like, first-person arena shooter but it also has strategy elements thanks to the roster of robots available for you to choose (these can be cycled in and out of combat) as well as a robust character-levelling system that lets you update their abilities and find effective synergies between your units (e.g one robot can have the ability to create decoys to lure out enemies and then you can switch to a tank-class character who can charge in with heavy fire-power).

In summary its an improbable blend of about four or five different genres in a single game.

It sounds like it’s a lot of take in and I guess for the first 30-40 minutes while the game teaches you these mechanics it kind of is but once the game gets going, it really starts to cook and you’ll experience one of the most enjoyable and unique indie shooters in the market today.

The cherry on top is the charming art style and snappy dialogue which ties the whole package together quite nicely.

Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth

Developer: Square Enix Creative Business Unit I
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform played: Playstation 5

When I was a kid and fell in love with the early Final Fantasy games, the graphics were simple enough that your imagination was doing a lot of the heavy lifting in picturing the characters, the world they lived in and the creatures they battled.

As the games began to improve in graphical fidelity (from, say, Final Fantasy X on the PS2), it basically came at the cost of the game’s size and scope. Moment-to-moment gameplay became more linear as you explored narrow corridors and for a long time we didn’t really have anything to match the world-spanning scope of a Final Fantasy 6 or 7.

Until now. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is basically the dream game from my childhood come true. It has staggeringly great graphics. We’ve basically reached the point of having playable character models that resemble or even improve upon the visual fx in the Final Fantasy movies but this time you actually get to control them in a fully open world environment with massive expanses of land to explore with no loading screen in sight.

It’s a staggering achievement and happily the combat system, the storytelling and the other ingredients that make for a memorable RPG (sidequests, memorable NPCs etc) are all absolutely gold standard.

It’s been something like six months since I finished this game and honestly there are times where I still can’t believe we finally got this game. As a kid I loved Final Fantasy VII so much and this feels like a near perfect reimagining to me.

Astro Bot

Developer: Team Asobi
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform played: Playstation 5

There are many games where I am late to the party. This year I only just got around to playing and beating Elden Ring and Baldurs Gate 3, many months after everyone else.

Astro Bot is the rare instance where I felt like I was first to the party, like I knew a band before they hit the big time.

I’ve been a loud and proud supporter of Team Asobi’s mascot platformer ever since I played Rescue Missions on the PSVR1 six years ago (my Game of the Year in 2018). Both this debut game as well as the free pack-in with the Playstation 5 hardware felt like bite-sized experiences that promised a ton of potential in the future.

In that light, if Astro Bot counts as being the first full-blown ‘proper’ release from Team Asobi, I think it can be considered a resounding success. The game oozes charm with its cute characters and whimsical animation. It constantly delights with new ideas for stages at every turn and it has a sublime difficulty curve that eases the player in with simple stages to start, before turning up the heat with its later levels. Hard, but never unfair.

Rounding out the package is a full-throttle trip down memory lane for the Playstation brand which celebrates its 30^th anniversary this year. There are a ton of fabulous cameos and some surprising deep cuts from the back catalogue. I didn’t expect to see the likes of Vib Ribbon and Jumping Flash referenced in a 2024 video game but here we are.

Mouthwashing

Developer: Wrong Organ
Publisher: Critical Reflex
Platform played: Steam Deck

I think 2024 was the year that the PS1-styled retro aesthetic finally clicked with me. Signalis originally made me reconsider my aversion to the janky and blocky 32-bit art style but this year we got a flood of top tier PS1-alikes in the form of Crow Country, Fear the Spotlight and Arctic Eggs. Arguably the pick of the bunch is the astounding Mouthwashing.

I first read about Mouthwashing on a message board three months ago. It sounded interesting – a crew aboard a freighter ship has an accident that leaves them stranded in space – but at the time I passed on it (I was in the middle of my Elden Ring playthrough). Since then the word of mouth has just built and built for this game and finally in December I picked it up on sale and jumped in.

The game is not what I thought it was. It has the look of a game that could have jump scares and Silent Hill-style combat but instead Mouthwashing is a psychological horror and most of the conflict within the game is derived from the actions of the crew onboard the vessel which you discover through its chronologically jumbled narrative.

The game is super short. All killer/no filler. You can complete it in a night. Boy does it take some dark and unexpected twists and turns though. Some of the revelations I found to be truly disturbing and hit me like a gut punch. Mouthwashing is definitely deserving of the praise and word of mouth. Do yourself a favour and check it out. It’s best enjoyed knowing as little as possible before you jump in.

Balatro

Game of the Year

Developer: LocalThunk
Publisher: Playstack
Platform played: Steam Deck/Nintendo Switch/Mobile

In January during Steam Next Fest, which showcases the latest indie games, I heard a lot of buzz for a rogue-like poker game called Balatro. So I downloaded it, gave it a try for 30 minutes and then I immediately purchased the full game with a quickness.

Since then I have played and played and played. I experienced some of the absolute best that gaming has to offer this year. Baldurs Gate 3. Elden Ring. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Metaphor Refantazio. And in between, I’d always go back to Balatro.

On paper it seems such a simple concept I’m surprised it hasn’t been done before. But the secret sauce that elevates this game is developer LocalThunk’s ingenious array of Joker abilities (there are over 100), the surprisingly deep variety of other gameplay mechanics that can change your fortunes in a run (planet cards, spectral cards, vouchers, card modifiers, variable deck types) and the unquantifiable x-factor that gives a great game its “just one more go” pull which Balatro has in spades.

I’ve written and rewritten a few paragraphs trying to explain and quantify why this game is so good. I don’t even like regular poker but something about this game has its hooks in me and has had them in me for twelve months straight. But I’m struggling. Honestly, if you haven’t tried it, you just need to and then you’ll understand. It’s video game crack. But the good wholesome kind that doesn’t have loot boxes, microtransactions or any other bullshit that is so pervasive in other popular games. It’s just good honest game design.

Final Fantasy Rebirth was magnificent. Defeating Promised Consort Radahn in Shadow of the Erdtree was a glorious experience. Metaphor Refantazio is probably Atlus’ best work to date. But it was never in doubt for me. The best game of 2024 is Balatro and it isn’t even close.

Honorable Mentions

Tekken 8

This year saw a welcome return of the evergreen King of Iron Fist tournament. I’m not sure why Namco tried to bluff us into thinking Heihachi was gone for good (spoiler: he isn’t) but what I will say is that Tekken 8 has one of the most ludicrous and enjoyably OTT story modes in the series’ history.

Steamworld Heist 2

An entertaining indie squad-based strategy shooter.

Tactical Breach Wizards

An entertaining indie squad-based strategy shooter but also funny.

Hades 2 early access

I only put a couple of hours into this so far but clearly Supergiant Games are once again building towards something pretty great when it hits version 1.0.

Rise of the Golden Idol

A lovely sequel that really scratches that itch for when you want to feel like a clever detective hunting down clues and solving mysteries.

Prince of Persia The Lost Crown

An excellent Metroidvania with great combat, some innovative quality of life features and, not to sound like a broken record, but I haven’t had enough time to finish this yet.

1000x Resist

Maybe the first great post-COVID era game to explore the effects of a global pandemic on humanity. 1000xResist has uncommonly great writing and sophisticated storytelling by video game standards.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

A Zelda game where you finally get to play as Zelda! Echoes of Wisdom is a bold and creative new direction for the series and although the execution of summoning echoes is a little clunky at times, the ambition is much appreciated.

Unicorn Overlord

A cleverly constructed and beautiful looking strategy RPG from Vanillaware, makers of Dragon’s Crown and 13 Sentinels.

Best of the Backlog

Baldurs Gate 3

In 2024 I finally played and finished Larian’s seminal CRPG Baldur’s Gate 3. As someone who isn’t very familiar with either the genre or the franchise, it took me some time to wrap my head around the game’s combat system and incredible level of freedom it offers in terms of character design and exploration. There is a lot to learn when you get started but once everything clicked I was in heaven.

I’m not saying anything here that hasn’t been said a thousand times before but the game has a fabulous cast of characters (both the writing and voice acting is top notch) and really does encourage and reward player agency on a level that no other game of this type has attempted before. It’s rightly considered one of the best games of the generation.

Elden Ring

I’ve tried and failed before to get into Fromsoft games. Like many others, I found them perplexing, difficult and obtuse. But in 2024, I finally, finally, finally had a breakthrough with Elden Ring. This game is rightfully lauded as one of the best action RPGs ever created. The Lands Between is an incredible world to explore full of breathtaking vistas and jaw-dropping secret locations. There were multiple times in Elden Ring where I thought I had discovered everything there is to see, only for the game to casually unveil a massive new location for me to explore.

The bosses are the heart and soul of Elden Ring. Like clockwork, every time you confront one for the first time they will absolutely annihilate you and leave you thinking surely there’s no way to beat them. But then persistence kicks in, you study their moves, learn from your mistakes and eventually you’ll find a path to victory. Defeating the toughest bosses in Elden Ring gives you an incredible sense of gratification that few other games can offer.

Dark Souls 3

After beating Elden Ring and its DLC Shadow of the Erdtree, I went back to try Dark Souls 3 and sure enough, now that I better understand the mechanics of these games, it was much easier to get settled in and make progress. I’m only 4-5 hours in but I look forward to dying many more times and seeing what DS3 has to offer.

Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door

One of the most beloved games in the Paper Mario franchise was previously only available on the Gamecube but thankfully its become much more accessible thanks to this recent port to the Switch.

Best Platform

Steam Deck

Xbox and Playstation do these end of year summaries of your online profile that’s like Spotify Wrapped but for your games. I personally logged less than five hours all year for my Xbox account and I apparently didn’t play any games for my Playstation since September. Both systems are sitting there collecting dust. Which is kind of crazy when I look back on how much I loved the old Playstation and Xbox consoles in the early to mid 2000s.

Life gets busy and your habits change. I don’t read as much as I would like and I barely watch any tv shows. Video games are still my favourite way to unwind but I barely have time to sit down in front of the tv and play a game the old way.

Instead, almost all my gaming is done on two portable devices – the trusty old Nintendo Switch which is now seven years old and the Steam Deck. God bless Steam Deck. It’s as close as you can get to an all-in-one gaming device. Is there anything better than portable gaming that lets you play the latest and greatest titles like Elden Ring and Baldurs Gate 3 from the comfort of your bed, your couch, your toilet or wherever. Not only that, playing online is free and its the best platform for discovering the plethora of weird and niche little indie titles that seem to only get better and better each year.

Mostly it’s a Balatro machine for me.

If you’re a lapsed gamer and its because you are time poor or feel like games in general feel stale and samey, get a Steam Deck. It does pretty much everything you’ll ever need in the most convenient form factor possible.

The FAT Website est. 1999

Top Ten Video Games of 2024

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