Sure, the electrifying excitement of 2025 will soon be loaded onto our screens, but there’s still time to revel in the wonders that 2024 has brought. From brilliant bots and the beautifully brick-built world of LEGO, to epic fantasy adventures and remastered classics, there’s something for everyone something for yourself.
A year of wide-ranging RPGs
It’s been an enchanting 12 months for expansive and magical lands filled with spell-casting heroes, pointy ears, and cities that populate the skies. Persona creators Atlas have entered a brave up-to-date world with their fantasy ReFantasia metaphorand with it, it received a lot of well-deserved praise thanks to its well-thought-out combat mechanics, elegant presentation and This battle theme.
Similarly, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth faced the unenviable task of re-creating one of the most influential RPGs of all time and maintaining the momentum of the previous, hugely successful game Final Fantasy VII Remake. Stick with the fantastic, fast-paced action RPG Granblue Fantasy: Reconnect delivered some very welcome co-op combat that was consistent with its extensive story, while Dragon Age: Guardian of the Veil wrapped up the year with an incredibly compelling exploration and an appropriately stirring soundtrack from composer royalty Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe.
On a slightly more grounded level – well, relatively speaking – Like a dragon: infinite wealth delivered power to any RPG fan who preferred the mean streets to spell sheets, with a fun combat system and a fun expansion of the opulent Yakuza universe.
A year of classic remasters
Not to be outdone by the influx of up-to-date titles inspiring the imagination, there has been an impressive range of classics that have returned with more than just a fresh lick of paint. Which was more than appropriate Epic Disney Mickeywhere the iconic mouse returns with up-to-date abilities to match his beautifully updated graphics.
Speaking of icons, Lara Croft fans had a treasure trove of familiar delights to discover Remastered Tomb Raider I-IIIand she wasn’t the only one who rediscovered archaeological wonders. Broken Sword – Templar Shadow: Reforged recalled George Stobbart and Nico Collard’s expedition to discover the arcane secrets of the Templars in an enhanced version of the favorite adventure game in 4K resolution.
In galaxies slightly more distant, Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster AND Beyond Good and Evil – 20vol Anniversary edition both deliver sci-fi entertainment in the FPS and action-adventure genres respectively – with an equally impressive turnout in fan-favorite fantasy RPGs via Grandii HD Collection AND Reload Persona 3. Oh, and for gamers craving remastered zombie action? Capcom had their finger on the trigger because Deluxe Dead Rising Remaster arrived on our screens with a number of… well, clever improvements. Actually, while we’re on the topic of horror…
A year of horror and retro-inspired horror
While many remasters have made hearts flutter, there have been plenty of comeback games that have truly rocked other hearts. Silent Hill 2 emerged from the fog in terrifying form thanks to a stunning remake that took us back to the nightmarish encounters with Pyramid Head, albeit with a high-fidelity presentation that only enhanced the unforgettable story.
There was also a terrifying cavalcade of up-to-date titles that were just as effective at making the hair stand on end on your hands holding the controller. For those who love retro accents, Country of Crows perfectly packaged, timeless survival horror gameplay in the familiar PlayStation visual style of the 90s. Similarly, Be afraid of the spotlight played with an old-school aesthetic to give the scary narrative an intense feel, while the ’80s also made a comeback with fun and disturbing asymmetrical multiplayer thrills Killer Clowns from Outer Space: The Gamebased on the 1988 cult classic.
If you prefer a more newfangled scare, It still evokes depth delivered a well-written, thoroughly memorable and claustrophobic psychological – and cosmic – horror film. Although entering space was also terrifyingly simple thanks to the fears that VR adventure combat brings Alien: Rogue Raid. And in your living room everyone will hear you scream…
A year of character platformers
Making an impact in the platform genre isn’t simple, but 2024 has provided us with a blueprint that we all look forward to emulating in the future. Of course, this year’s flagship was incredibly original and charming Astrobot. Team Asobi’s fun and feature-packed adventure became an instant classic thanks to its clever level design, great employ of the DualSense wireless controller, and several unforgettable scenes.
But let’s not forget about some neat, serene hits. Another Crab treasure introduced us to an aquatic, Souls-like action-adventure world inhabited by Kril, an livid hermit crab who can employ the trash around him as weapons and armor. On the slightly windier side, Penny’s Great Escape was a radiant and colorful throwback to an era of fast-paced and fast-paced platformers, with the title character looking to clear her name while being pursued by Emperor Eddie’s army of crazy penguins. This is exactly as wild as it sounds.
A year of original art design
2024 also hosted some of the most memorable games that not only had a distinct visual identity but also played well. Beautifully done stop-motion animation Harold Halibut contributed to the game’s 10-year development process, which resulted in physical dioramas being scanned into the game, resulting in a striking aesthetic of a charming graphic adventure.
The robust employ of color and contrast were the visual hallmarks of this lovely puzzle-based platformer Nevaduring a slapstick adventure Thank God you’re here! relied entirely on absurdist humor, in a radiant and bold style reminiscent of classic – and equally eccentric – British comedy comics.
He was also brave, but also blocky LEGO Adventures on the Horizona fun addition to Horizon Zero Dawn. Its visual ingenuity was enhanced by the discovery that everything you see in the game, including the impressive and imposing machines, can be built from real-world LEGO bricks and sets.
Which games and related trends were your favorites for 2024?
