The 25 best games of 2024
Dec. 5, 2024Year in Review | GamesRadar+ has cast its votes, debated the list, and ranked its pick of the best Games of the Year
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There’s been experiences like Astro Bot, certifying PlayStation’s new mascot just in time for PlayStation' 30th anniversary. Helldivers 2 proved that there’s still promise in the live-service model yet, a raucous multiplayer shooter that demonstrates the power of online multiplayer. A salvo of excellent RPGs highlight that the genre still has plenty of room to grow, while Final Fantasy, Persona, and Silent Hill revivals showed that the past can have a hand in shaping the future. The independent development scene continues to deliver formative works, and… honestly, I could go on and on.
25. Black Myth: Wukong
Developer: Vanillaware |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X
For those people that developer Vanillaware’s Unicorn Overlord speaks to, it practically shouts. A punishing tactical role-playing game and throwback to classic titles from the 1990s with gorgeous, vibrant art and significant mechanical depth, Unicorn Overlord is as much chess as it is a Rube Goldberg machine with entirely different design sensibilities to most modern video games. Though it makes the game difficult to compare, it also makes it singular.
“Unicorn Overlord’s secret sauce is how your characters play off of each other. It is a bunch of beautiful systems interacting beautifully. The game strikes the perfect balance of motivating challenge and sandbox freedom, and I think that’s why I played it for over 40 hours in just five days,” says Austin Wood, author of thislove letter to Unicorn Overlord.
For years, there has been a distinct lack of something akin to Final Fantasy Tactics. There have been plenty of tactical RPGs, sure – Fire Emblem is still a going concern, for example – but few manage to come close to effectively combining the “just one more battle” impulse of moment-to-moment gameplay with a meaningful overarching plot, captivating characters, and incredible art direction. And, because this is Vanillaware, it goes without saying that all of the digital food also looks good enough to eat –the literal cherry on top.
Developer: Bloober Team |Platform(s): PC, PS5
Given the success Capcom has enjoyed over the past five years with its string of sublime Resident Evil remakes, it always seemed likely that Konami would want in on the action eventually. Perhaps Silent Hill would be revived for a new generation; Silent Hill 3 or The Room reinterpreted with new technology. After the collapse of Kojima Productions' Silent Hills, there was always this sense that anything was possible –exceptfor the return ofSilent Hill 2, a single-player horror adventure that is widely considered sacrosanct.
“However you approach it, Silent Hill 2 is an atmospheric and rewarding horror game up there with the Resident Evil remakes for reinventing a classic. While its strict adherence to the past can feel a little constrained at times, it nails the feel of the original well,” says Leon Hurley, author of ourSilent Hill 2 review.
And yet here we are. What’s impressive is how well developer Bloober Team preserved the overbearing, sickly atmosphere – a sad crawl into bloodied, unknowable depths. Bloober demonstrates a keen understanding of when to expand the scope and when to pull back to the blueprint, impressing with overhauled combat systems and dense puzzle design. Whether you were traumatized two decades ago or only now discovering that some scares leave a permanent scar, Silent Hill 2 is as mesmerizing as it ever was.
Developer: GSC Game World |Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X
“Even with its bugs, Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is the best hardcore survival shooter I’ve played, and few settings can live up to The Zone’s beauty or bleakness. For fans of punishing post-apocalypse games, Stalker 2 is truly incomparable,” says Andrew Brown, author of ourStalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl review.
It’s truly daunting how expansive this wasteland is, so too the challenges thrown your way by man and mutant alike. Enemy AI is domineering, shifting weight around improvised combat arenas with little regard for your safety. Weapons burn through ammunition and degrade to the point of no return at the most inopportune of times, every time. Getting lost in the world is a feature, not a bug, and the bugs themselves only strain, not strangle, an otherwise incomparable first-person adventure.
Developer: Coal Supper |Platform(s): PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch
“I’m still giggling at the thought of Matt Berry’s deathmatch with a mole, a number of characters' cartoonish facial animations, and the poor soot-stained man whose living room I kept wrecking. Whether you’re from Up Norf or not, Thank Goodness You’re Here is a wildly funny misadventure that’s well worth the few hours of your life,” says Andrew Brown,author of this whimsical op-ed.
Putting humor first, the plot follows our small hero performing odd jobs for Barnsworth residents, all of which are either surreally delightful or a setup for a pun. The comedic writing, visual jokes, and brilliant voice acting become more chaotic as you complete tasks. But still, everything blends seamlessly together here, creating one of the most polished gaming experiences of the year. Thank Goodness You’re Here is genuinely clever, creative, and manages to balance its weird ideas with laughter in a stroke of Monty Python-esque genius.
Developer: Coffee Stain Studios |Platform(s): PCSatisfactory understands that completing the simplest of tasks can sometimes bear the greatest rewards. Developer Coffee Stain Studios has spent the better part of five years tweaking the formula of its factory simulation experience through early access, a burgeoning genre that combines the survive-crafting elements of Minecraft with widescale automation systems – where your dedication to the cause allows for the construction of towering, intertwining machinery that’s as daunting as it is mesmerizing to behold. With Satisfactory now available in a more than satisfactory 1.0 state, what you’ll find here is the ultimate time sink.The simple act of connecting resource extractors to refineries via conveyor belts can just utterly consume your attention. Then you’ll start digging into the details, tweaking your mini-factory to improve efficiency. Soon you’ll find Satisfactory to be all-consuming, industrialization of an alien world infiltrating your dreams. If you’ve ever been curious about giving wide-scale construction and management games like Factorio a try but were turned away by the low-fi style, Unreal Engine 5-powered Satisfactory is the entry point to the genre you’ve been looking for.
Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
“Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is one of the best RPGs I’ve played in years. Kiryu and Ichiban’s intertwining stories make for a compelling tale and combat absolutely sings on every level, making each battle over dozens of hours feel fresh and exciting,” says Hirun Cryer, author of ourLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth review.
The shift towards turn-based combat continues to impress, so too the ways RGG Studio shatters the model when it sees fit. Absorbing character studies help bring together a narrative delicately threading past and present, and an undeniably ridiculous array of set-piece encounters ensure that you’re never left without something to gawk at. Lush new settings, refined mechanics, and a dedication to distraction are just some of the ways Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is able to separate itself in a crowded year.
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
For all the success of the revived Modern Warfare framework, it’s been difficult to ignore this sense that Call of Duty had lost its way with recent games struggling to innovate after blowback to both historical and futuristic endeavours, and suffocating under the weight of serving the wider interconnected ecosystem. It’s impressive then thatCall of Duty: Black Ops 6feels like such a breath of fresh air. There’s the expansive single-player campaign which looks beyond the greatest hits, a reanimated zombies offering which finds pure co-operative thrills, and a delightfully robust multiplayer offering.
“With the best Call of Duty campaign in years, and a tweaked movement system that really springs to life in multiplayer and zombies, Black Ops 6 is both a return to form and a great entry point for new or lapsed players coming to the series through Xbox Game Pass,” says Luke Kemp, author of ourBlack Ops 6 review.
The IW 9.0 engine – introduced by Infinity Ward for Modern Warfare 2, laying groundwork for the series' evolution – meant that Treyarch had to rebuild Black Ops' foundational design. Omnimovement was born, a movement system which allows for sprinting and sliding in any direction. It’s a change of pace which helps familiar encounters feel fresh again, particularly across such a diverse span of multiplayer maps and Mission: Impossible inspired campaign encounters. In Black Ops 6, you get a glimpse at the future of Call of Duty.
Developer: Simogo |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Switch
There’s a puzzle exceptionally early into Lorelei and the Laser Eyes that made me put down my Switch, shake my head, and smile. See a static screenshot and the mesmerizing, haunting visual identity will be immediately apparent; see it in motion, perhaps you’ll tune into its unconventional wavelength, an oddly unsettling experience; but the only way to truly grasp at the brilliance of Lorelei and the Laser Eyes' underlying design is to dive into it yourself with a pen and paper close at hand. A thing of pure beauty.
“Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is an intricate puzzle box of interconnected parts. At times it can feel overwhelming, but ultimately this stylish noir’s captivating puzzle design anthology and spellbinding story feels like an entirely new and contemporary kind of puzzle game from Simogo,” says Rachel Watts, author of ourLorelei and the Laser Eyes review.
Developer Simogo has delivered a truly mesmerizing non-linear mystery. Its handcrafted puzzles are dazzlingly complex in both structure and execution, where eventual success often requires careful examination as you run it all back in your head. In a game of surreal illusion, you’ll often marvel at the ways in which you’re able to break its spell. Lorelei is obtuse, purposefully so, but the subtle ways in which it teachesjust enoughabout roman numerals, strobogrammatic numbers, and zodiac signs to get by speaks to the undeniable quality of the experience.
Developer: 11 Bit Studios |Platform(s): PC
Death comes for us all. That’s the principal message developer 11 Bit Studios seeks to convey in Frostpunk 2, an often destructive and frequently nihilistic city-building survival game where you’re left to desperately manage a civilization always on the brink of collapsing. Perhaps the freezing temperatures will do it this time and a famine the next; another run ended due to uncontainable illnesses here, and another because of shattered faction alliances there. Frostpunk 2 is beautifully, brilliantly brutal in the best possible sense.
“Frostpunk 2 successfully expands on everything that the original brutal city builder had, and its larger scale, great story campaign, and new faction system are as “fun” as a calamity reduction simulator can get,” says Jarrett Green, author of ourFrostpunk 2 review.
Frostpunk 2 builds on the legacy of its predecessor by widening the scope, with survival measured in weeks rather than days. Complex resource-management systems allow for rapid expansion, and oversight of workforces and population relationships are an ever-present burden. As bleak as it can be, there’s something utterly engrossing about the way 11 Bit pushes you to mitigate calamity on a micro level and manage catastrophes on a macro scale.
Developer: Atlus |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series XWhat happens when you take one of the most distinctive RPGs on the PlayStation 2 and Persona 5-ify by about 10% or so? You get Persona 3 Reload, one of the best RPG remakes ever. The unforgettable and constant hip-hop soundtrack isn’t just intact, but enhanced and expanded, as are the visuals that combine daytime bright blues and whites with the sickly greens and yellows of the Midnight Hour. It’s at this mysterious time of day that balancing social commitments with your school pals pays off.Your choices power up your party and collection of demonic allies as you trawl Tartarus in an attempt to save the town. This mega dungeon is still a grind, but has been much improved in Reload. Still mostly random, new tilesets and a gorgeous art style makes each area you move through feel distinct, and new tactical options in combat make each encounter more interesting. A dense yet unforgettable journey across both tense battles and its moving story, Persona 3 Reload is one of the best ways to play a true gaming classic.
Developer: Suspicious Developments |Platform(s): PC
“While it doesn’t offer the same kind of strategic depth offered by obvious inspirations like XCOM and Into the Breach, this is a rewarding alternative to those same ideas, with a narrative package around it that finalizes the push into a slightly different space,” says Ali Jones, author of ourTactical Breach Wizards indie spotlight.
Silly but rarely outright foolish, it’s extremely funny, a real genuine sense of ownership running through it that lets you stay grounded in its comedic slant on the precursor to World War 5. And as much as it’s an homage to some of those genre giants, it’s willing to acknowledge where their staple mechanics don’t fit. That willingness to adapt to its own needs, whether narrative or mechanical, is a big part of what turns Tactical Breach Wizards from just another strategy game into one of this year’s hidden gems.
Developer: Bandai Namco Studios |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
With both Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter returning to fine fighting form last year, there was an immense amount of pressure on Bandai Namco Entertainment to deliver a worthy competitor. The returning King of Iron Fist tournament has been nothing short of a masterclass, regardless of whether you’re a seasoned combatant or are only just taking your first steps into the arena. Tekken 8 doesn’t just build on solid franchise foundations, it evolves them in ways that frequently surprise and delight.
“Bandai Namco has delivered the best Tekken to date, proving once and for all that that plenty of depth makes for a vibrant fighter, justifying its current-gen exclusivity to deliver a skull-thrasher that really feels like an evolution rather than a simple update,” says Oscar Taylor-Kent, author of ourTekken 8 review.
New universal mechanics like ‘Heat’ enhance abilities once per-round to encourage more creative risk taking, supported by a well-implemented Recoverable Health Gauge and returning Rage system. Encounters are fierce dances across beautifully rendered 3D spaces, the vast 32-character roster only furthering the depth on display all throughout the experience. Bandai has delivered a series high in Tekken 8; it’s a rich, detailed, and widely accessible fighter that doesn’t pull any punches.
Developer: Capcom |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
Over the years, we’ve seen a lot of the RPG genre’s rougher edges sanded down in favor of simplicity. Clearly, someone at Capcom didn’t get the memo.Dragon’s Dogma 2is an ode to journeys that beat the destination, with its combination of limited fast travel and monster-ridden roads making for some truly unpredictable adventures across the nations of Vermund and Battahl. Capcom refuses to hold your hand, but your party of player-made Pawns – creations that range from astounding to horrifying – offer all the company you need.
“Dragon’s Dogma 2 excels when you’re out in its open world with your pawn allies – finding hidden caves and treasure, fighting monsters, and generally losing track of time. A somewhat conservative sequel, then, but one that retains its predecessor’s charm,” says Jon Bailes, author of ourDragon’s Dogma 2 review.
But best of all are all the seemingly small touches that bring Dragon’s Dogma 2 to life. Greatest is the ability to grab enemies – even those who can fly halfway across the world while you cling on for dear life – but things like destructible bridges, which take time to repair even if they’re essential to your route, create a living, breathing world that refuses to bend for players. Sprinkle in phenomenal combat (did I mention you can grab people?) and you’ve got the makings of an all-timer RPG.
Developer: Ninja Theory |Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X
It’s been a long time since an Xbox Game Studios production really felt as if it were at the cutting edge of interactive entertainment. Perhaps that’s why Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 seems so revelatory, with developer Ninja Theory delivering what should be considered one of the best-looking and best-sounding video games of the generation so far. It’s a visual and auditory assault on the senses, a world of uncomfortable illusions and hallucinatory rituals enveloping Senua as she faces new threats inland.
“Ninja Theory doesn’t tiptoe around its heavy themes but welcomes them with well-honed empathy, tempered by an even keener creative edge this time around to deliver an unforgettable narrative adventure experience that’s hard to watch, yet harder to turn away from,” says Jasmine Gould-Wilson, author of ourHellblade 2 review.
But Hellblade 2 is far more than a showcase of Ninja Theory’s prowess with Unreal Engine 5 and advancing motion-capture techniques. It’s a solemn descent into the depths of Senua’s psychosis, as solitary as it is loudly overwhelming. Internal battles remain a focus, but external challenges have been considerably improved – the adventure imbued with faster, more frenetic combat; every battle a desperate struggle to survive, one cinematic sword swing at a time. Hellblade 2 is a journey well worth taking.
Developer: Shared Memory |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series XSpend an hour in the company of Animal Well and you may wonder why this seemingly simplistic 2D exploration game has ranked so highly on this list of GOTY contenders. There’s no combat, no direction given, and exceptionally basic puzzles to solve. A lo-fi Metroidvania with a stripped-back pixelated visual style. Spend five hours with Animal Well and you’ll be up to your neck in its brilliance, struggling to comprehend the complexities hidden deep within the depths of this darkened world.It’s best if you take Animal Well on its own terms. It’s not that dissimilar to games like Fez, Outer Wilds, and Tunic in that respect, really delivering if you’re able to resist the urge to seek guidance. This is a game of discovery, after all; an astonishing achievement from a solitary developer. Loops around the world blur together, gadgets transform into tools to decrypt complex, cryptic environments, and every inch of progression a new mystery to solve in an otherworldly puzzle box. As we said in ourAnimal Well review, it’s a pure, singular delight.
Developer: Nintendo EPD, Grezzo |Platform(s): Switch
“The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a refreshing, albeit brief, series experimentation that blends modern and classic series elements. Using brand-new magic to battle and solve puzzles fits neatly into the top-down Zelda formula,” says Sam Machkovech, author of ourZelda: Echoes of Wisdom review.
The titular princess takes center stage in an experience which is able to deftly weave the feel of classic top-down Zelda titles with some of the freedom afforded by the modern 3D experiences. The ability to conjure echoes of elements encountered in Hyrule is refreshing, so too is the way that developer Grezzo is able to ground all of its puzzle-solving and combat around the new system. Echoes of Wisdom will remind you of all the reasons you fell in love with The Legend of Zelda to begin with.
Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X
Sometimes it’s the smallest innovations that can have the largest, longest-lasting impacts on a genre. Take what Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown quietly achieved for Metroidvanias this year, introducing the ability to pin screenshots of seemingly insurmountable traps and pitfalls directly to your map for further scrutiny later down the line – once Sargon unlocks new powers and abilities to further aid in his exploration. Such a simple idea executed with absolute precision; navigating a labyrinthian world has never felt so purposeful.
“In its most inspiring moments, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a wonderful Metroidvania. Its labyrinthian 2.D map is crafted with care and is intelligently balanced, brought to life by the game’s vibrant color palette that’s as gorgeous as it is inviting,” says Joe Donnelly, author of ourPrince of Persia: The Lost Crown review.
There’s more to The Lost Crown than a few neat tricks, mind. It’s an exceedingly enjoyable experience that does well to weigh its challenge between scintillating combat encounters and intuitive puzzle design, all of it draped in an arresting visual presentation. Shifting focus away from the titular prince proved controversial for Ubisoft Montpellier, but it paid off in the end – giving the studio space to both pay homage to the series' origins and carry the torch forward for the wider Metroidvania revival.
Developer: Square Enix |Platform(s): PS5
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is where it all could have fallen apart for Square Enix. In the second installment of a planned trilogy, the developer was faced with the undeniably difficult task of threading nostalgia into a reimagined tapestry; balancing the legacy of an identity reveal and weight of a character’s death with a desire to deliver something fresh for a new generation of players. That Rebirth is such a resounding success only speaks to the quality of its production.
“It’s a rare thing to see Square Enix make a direct sequel and it’s been made to count here with a second act that meaningfully improves the past and charts a course for an explosive finale. How to modernize Final Fantasy is a question Square Enix has long pondered, and the answer may well be found within Rebirth,” says Iain Harris, author of ourFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth review.
Rebirth is a true system showcase for the PS5. It’s an audaciously sized experience, a pseudo-open-world setup ensuring that there’s always some distraction to follow – the experience earned here integral to surviving later game challenges. Battles smartly evolve the action-combat framework established by Remake, while sharp writing brings the package together, with standout performances from the core cast ensuring the story drips with heart, humor, and suspense. Square Enix really did achieve the impossible with Rebirth.
Developer: Saber Interactive |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
Here’s a hyperbolic statement that still somehow gets to the heart of whyWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2works as well as it does: It’s almost as if developer Saber Interactive staged an exceptionally elaborate Warhammer 40K tabletop campaign, shrunk you and two buddies down to miniature size, willed the entire setup into existence, and then threw you into the thick of it all. It’s the scale of the experience which sells it, the massive environments having this almost toybox quality which ignites the imagination.
“Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is an exceptional, larger than life shooter that raises the bar for all Warhammer adaptations. A dizzying sense of scale, along with some of the slickest combat around, will leave you often breathless but always grinning,” says Andrew Brown, author of ourSpace Marine 2 review.
Developer: LocalThunk |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, SwitchTaking a standard pack of playing cards and the scoring system of poker, Balatro ingeniously plays with this innate knowledge to create a roguelike that’s all about bending the rules. New cards can be shoved into your deck wholesale and upgraded with Tarot cards – making a Four of a Kind is a lot easier with 10 aces, after all. Planet cards, meanwhile, increase your scorecard for each hand, meaning careful play can result in a Pair outsourcing a Full House in no time.Then there are the Jokers. Each has a unique rule that completely changes how you play, and developer LocalThunk is constantly adding new ones. From allowing you to skip numbers in a Straight, to sacrificing other cards to increase a Multiplier, and many, many more, they’re powerful on their own, but become exponentially more game-breaking when used in concert. You’ve always the option to use winnings to tweak and adjust your strategy between rounds, and Balatro is constantly tempting you to retool your plan, making you feel like a true King when your new idea pays off.
Developer: Studio Zero |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
“Metaphor: ReFantazio is a triumphant evolution of Atlus' best, and offers a gripping new story supplemented by a loveable cast, dungeons begging to be explored, and a gorgeous art direction that makes you feel like you’re wandering the pages of a fairytale book,” says Catherine Lewis, author of ourMetaphor: ReFantazio review.
Part of that is the visual design, with Metaphor: ReFantazio asserting the sort of undeniable style that other RPGs only dream of capturing. Part of it is the way characters interplay, breathing life into the complicated machinations of the wider narrative. And then there’s the staggering depth to combat, turn-based battles given life by an outrageously expansive Archetype job system. Whether you’re a Persona fan or lover of fantasy-RPGs looking for your next fix, you won’t play anything quite as all-encompassing as Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Developer: BioWare |Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
“Dragon Age: The Veilguard is an approachable, expansive action-oriented RPG and feels like a true end to whatever the franchise was before. The book’s not finished, but a significant chapter has closed,” says Rollin Bishop, author of ourDragon Age: The Veilguard review.
Developer: Team Asobi |Platform(s): PS5
“Astro Bot doesn’t just deliver on the promise and potential displayed in PS5 pack-in demo Astro’s Playroom, but soars above and beyond to serve up a near-perfect platformer to rival – and possibly surpass – the best of Super Mario’s Mushroom Kingdom romps,” says Matt Cabral, author of ourAstro Bot review.
Astro Bot is a perfectly weighted experience, where every dash, jump, and dive must be carefully calculated amongst a fray of countless obstacles. It’s an exceptional system showcase for the PS5 too, this series once again demonstrating the unique draw of the DualSense controller. Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee and Rayman – these were the platformers which defined PlayStation’s past, and it is Astro Bot which so resoundingly reflects its future.
Josh West is the Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar+. He has over 15 years experience in online and print journalism, and holds a BA (Hons) in Journalism and Feature Writing. Prior to starting his current position, Josh has served as GR+’s Features Editor and Deputy Editor of games™ magazine, and has freelanced for numerous publications including 3D Artist, Edge magazine, iCreate, Metal Hammer, Play, Retro Gamer, and SFX. Additionally, he has appeared on the BBC and ITV to provide expert comment, written for Scholastic books, edited a book for Hachette, and worked as the Assistant Producer of the Future Games Show. In his spare time, Josh likes to play bass guitar and video games. Years ago, he was in a few movies and TV shows that you’ve definitely seen but will never be able to spot him in.
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