Game News: Top 28 Games of 2024

Oh man, another year has gone and flown by, and what a year it has been! I feel like I've said this multiple times already before ... and I have, and will again next year!

We must acknowledge that while there have been so many amazing success stories for gaming, indie darlings like Crow Country, Balatro, and Copy Cat are making their debut on the scene and making a massive splash! And also getting some mighty fine AAA games this year, what a joy! But there has also been great sadness, with thousands losing their jobs again, and an industry that takes greed and fads over talent and people. Our thoughts are with everyone this holiday season, and we hope everyone gets back on their feet and makes games again soon. We wish those at the top get a visit from ghosts, or the DOOM SLAYER, and make things right in 2025.

So we celebrate the hard work of many talented developers, artists, QA testers, and designers who go above and beyond to make gaming what it is today. Especially the QA people!

Below are our top 28 games of 2024, which was no easy feat. There are so many incredible games we couldn’t fit on the list, and there are a few games which we didn't get around to playing properly. So we fitted everything we felt worthy, just plain old great, games that deserve more love and attention. Remember, this is our opinion, and we're here to shine a light on some games which do deserve all the praise. So, here we go, the top 28 of 2024!


28. Helldivers 2

Glorious, simply glorious! A video game kind of video game, which reminded us of our youth playing Gears of War, taking on a whole empire of bugs, in grit, grime, and carnage that looked, sounded and felt amazing. While having a few problems along the road, Helldivers 2 is still an incredibly fun, and action-packed game.


27. Stella Blade

Go to horny jail. While borrowing a lot of literal examples from other games, and feeling a little too close to Nier Automata at times, Stella Blade is still a stellar good time, that looks amazing (go to horny jail), and is a lot of fun to play. It's slick, stylish, and sexy as hell, with a lot of combat depth, interesting world-building, and awesome presentation.


26. Forgive Me Father 2

Forgive Me Father 2 is a remarkable, and immensely entertaining shooter the developers should be proud of. And one that any fan of the original and the genre needs to add to their gaming collection as soon as possible.

25. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

Now something completely different! It's as if Killer7, Escape Academy, and sprinkles of Return of the Obra Dinn were melted into a pot and they gave life to Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. It's a gripping mystery game filled with puzzles that require you to write stuff down and look through a codex, clues, and logic to understand and solve this maddening world of riddles, conundrums, and exercises of lateral expertise. It's a rather cool-looking game too!


24. Please, Touch the Art Work 2

Please, Touch the Artwork 2 brings forth a meaningful journey through a legacy of artistic achievement, with the most entertaining, and joyful point-and-click puzzle gameplay. The interactive world of art is simply stunning, due to how much each painting comes to life in many instances of hilarity, prolific gravitas, and visual melody.


23. Tekken 8

Tekken 8 is quite simply phenomenal, and a blazing return to glory after what feels like an age since Tekken 7. As a fan of the old games and a casual player for the last 15 years, I can firmly say that Tekken has once again become a fan favourite fighting game series once again.


22. INDIKA

INDIKA is a fever dream of a journey, and one that has many interesting questions, plenty of unsatisfying resolutions, and a questionable morality that will either make you fall in love with it or despite it. It is utterly compelling, for a game to take on a stance concerning storytelling, provide an uncompromising sense of gameplay, and not have it all revolve around or end on a climatic shootout or action set-piece.


21. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

A Metroidvania that proved worthy, and bringing an absolute banger of an entry in a classic series, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is one of the finest games Ubisoft have produced in a long while. It's a solid, captivating, challenging and highly rewarding adventure game that truly deserves more love upon its release. We need more games like it and hope Ubisoft brings us more of them.


20. Mouthwashing

This is going to hurt... and it surely did.

Horror can be a genre that truly affects you on so many levels, and Mouthwashing goes beyond that. It's an outstanding horror experience that gets under your skin, crawls into your brain, and destroys your soul. It's a little heavy, and on replays, it's not any easier. But it's an enthralling, haunting visceral journey that never lets up, and examines the deeper, darker parts of life that we don't want to know about.


19. Pacific Drive

You'll love it, or hate it. We were in the middle, but overall vastly enjoyed the world-building, story and various survival components of the game. It was a game we were super hyped for, and while not landing 100% with us, it still stuck with us, with various updates, and new features, Pacific Drive truly became a cult classic favourite with a compelling twist and engaging survival gameplay that was on another level.


18. Squirrel with a Gun

This game is awesome. You're a squirrel with a freaking gun, what else do you people want!? I bought like 4 copies for friends, and now my partner keeps asking if this is my go-to gift for people. Yes, and why? Because you're a squirrel with a freaking gun! It's so fun, and so silly, and I love the boss theme. Amazing!


17. Animal Well

Animal Well is an enriching, weird and visually glorious Metroivania, that takes players on a journey unlike few have taken us on. It's a weird game to look at without knowing the context, but the context is just otherworldly, the exploration deep and meaningful, and the sense of progression is just on another level. Truly an exceptional surrealistic journey through madness, that has logic and method.


16. Tomb Raider 1 - 3 Remaster / Soul Reaver 1 - 2 Remaster / The Thing Remaster

This is a little bit of a cheat, we've done this before, and it's a remaster as well. But damn it, these are both excellent remasters, and a fine formula to work on for future games that need a revival. Night Dive has had a stellar year for remasters of course, with the return of the cult classic, The Thing, which received some much-needed love and fixes, making it an excellent blast from the past. But having both the original Tomb Raider and Soul Reaver games make a return and feeling/playing/looking better than ever is masterclass craft right there! We can't wait to see more Tomb Raider remasters coming in 2025, hopefully, the Resident Evil games will see this, even be ported to the Evercade, and many more games need the Aspyr/Sabre remaster treatment as it truly works wonders.


15. Thank Goodness you’re here

What a silly, silly game. Absurd, just simply absurd and weird, and ... you can smack bums!? What!? Some guy is looking for tits? The birds? (Go to horny jail!), and is that man putting a big sausage through a hole in the fence... Dear god I love this silly, silly game and it's weird British humour!


Here we go, the top 14 games of 2024!


14. Bears in Space

Bears in Space is some of the most enjoyable, and goofy fun to be had, being an absolute banger, of funny writing, creative variety, and a joyous sense of game design and set-piece epic-ness. There’s so much here to admire, and the charm and personality of this lovable game does shine through. Okay, it's not a work of art, but omg, it's just so much fun, and highly creative, and it took three talented developers 7 years to make, meaning it's such a work of passion and love, you can't simply ignore that. And interestingly enough, it's one of two games from an indie Australian developer that took 7 years to make .... freaky!


13. Black Myth: Wukong

Okay, we've all seen Journey to the West in so many different ways... except usually how it is in the novel. With the Monkey King fighting and all that, I mean we got that 2010 game from Andy Serkis and that wasn't too bad. But now we have a faithful game adaption of the Chinese novel, that involves fighting giant Frogs, being a monkey, and fighting spiders who seem to have drunk 100 coffees. While it might not be for everyone, for those who like dodging, dodging, and even more dodging in their combat, pretty visuals, epic boss fights, and being a monkey, then Black Myth: Wukong is for you!


12. Batman: Arkham Shadow

We can finally be the Bat! The Batman games have kinda gone downhill in recent years, and it was high time we got something that not only lived up to the hype of the first two Arkham games but excelled in doing something new. Batman: Arkham Shadow puts us in Batman's boots and it's incredible! From the smooth movement, intense combat, compelling story, and awesome visuals, this is truly a worthy superhero game that should get more recognition for its superb.


11. Crypt Custodian

This is one of two cat-themed games on our list, within the top spots of this year's best games. This charming, lovingly crafted Metroidvania sees us clean up the afterlife, with plenty of weird monsters, cool puzzles and a lovable feline character leading the way. While Death's Door was near perfection, Cyrpt Custodian comes close to Crow theme death game, has plenty of heart, fun adventure mechanics, and is made mainly by one person! An outstanding example, one of many on this list, is about how creativity and the love of gaming can produce magnificent games ever created by one person!


10. Another Crab's Treasure

Another Crab’s Treasure is simply a wonderous video game, that’s bright, lovable, immensely charming, and so much fun, that you’ll wonder why nothing like this has been done sooner. It’s a remarkable and lighthearted Souls-Like with a great setting, brilliant writing, clever thematic beats, and fantastic gameplay features that compensate for the core combat. But any small issues aside, Another Crabs Treasure is a charming, heartfelt, creative Souls-like that has fun with the formula, and gives people the option to make the game easier, but giving a gun ... that's freaking brilliant and I wish more Souls games did that. Bloody Crab-tastic!


9. Copycat

The only other game which is more emotionally heartbreaking. To me, Copycat is an important video game for numerous reasons. I reviewed this and looked at this more subjectively as someone who has owned cats. My cat Tibbs was with me for 20 years, and at times, I never knew what was going through her mind, yet she was always there. Through breakups, COVID-19, and moving from home, Tibbs was by my side, and I’ll never forget her warmth and companionship. Her sudden passing has left me with so much unfathomable hurt which I'll never get over. However, playing Copycat was a cathartic experience that has made my pain easier to bear. I'm so thankful that a game like this exists, and many others will surely agree.

Copycat is a genuinely beautiful game that has so much soul, heart and warmth, with an important message on love and kindness that shouldn't be ignored. Truly a remarkable indie game from lovely people.


8. Balatro

Hey, another example of a game made mainly by one person, and it's bloody good! While rogue-likes can have a slight auto-pilot mode to them, looking at Vampire Survivors, there is no denying that for such a simple premise, Balatro is truly magnificent and fun, even after many, many hours. It does deserve the praise, due to it's stellar presentation, engaging and constantly gripping gameplay, and the sheer notion that by bringing such a simple set of mechanics, it can be way more fun than a ton of massive AAA games right now! But all I see now are jokers.... jokers and bananas .... dear joker ... I mean Balatro God!


7. Final Fantasy Rebirth

Final Fantasy 7 remake left a lot to be desired, but Rebirth rights all the wrongs and then some. This is an unbelievable adventure JRPG which takes the first remake, and advances everything, bringing us a beautiful world full of wonder, and deep exploration, combining meaningful combat, exceptional setpieces, and a great story that leaves us breathless. I ain't one for JRPGs normally and I know another certain JRPG came out (which I didn't play) which I hear is good .... but Rebirth is just insanely bold, brash, beautiful, and offers stellar gameplay, an amazing world to explore, and fun mine cart setpieces ... they are awesome, mine carts make everything better. Look at Temple of Doom.


6. Space Marine 2

Space Marine 2 is certainly a champion for gaming this year, whether it’s down to the staggering great presentation, the world-building, the sense of destruction and epic warfare, the excellent action gameplay, and perfectly executed multiplayer components, it truly is an outstanding game for 2024.

And while I do feel this is catered more towards multiplayer and co-op, it certainly is still bloody brilliant fun in solo, but you will get more from this (and not feel the strain of difficulty) by playing with your mates. Even if you’re not a Warhammer 40K fan, I can still highly recommend this beast of a game, to prove yourself with some awesome action gameplay, and to prove your loyalty to the Emperor. It's bloody good, and you're doing your bit for the emperor!


5. Silent Hill 2

Right, we all thought Blooper would mess this up, and we did so for fairly good reason. But when playing this, all that negative ill-will went away from gamers, and we all rejoiced in cheer as this is certainly one of the best remakes in gaming history, and an impressive counterpart to one of the greatest, most important games ever made. Silent Hill 2 remake is stellar in so many ways and will live on in as much fame, and glory as the original. Blooper have excelled themselves and shows they can indeed make great games, outside of Observer. Truly a remarkable game and one worthy of a top spot here and anywhere.


4. Astro Bot

One of the best PS5 games ever made, straight up the best next to Demon Souls remake, and .... Astro Bot Playroom. Yeah, Astro Bot is such a wholesome, fun and easy game to love. We need more games like this, maybe with a little less corporate lore in it, but still, this is just a super sweet, awesome game that is refined, immensely fun, and just good for anyone to play! I've been playing this and Crash Bandicoot again, and yeah, we need more refined, fun, innovative platformers again, which are just simple, yet confident, and a whole heap of good fun!


3. Conscript / Crow Country / Hollow Body

Okay, bit of a cheat, we've done this before, and we're doing it again as these three horror games are phenomenal, and all solo dev teams! Can that be a thing, solo teams? Anyway! These games are an incredible achievement, not only for the indie scene but for gaming as a whole. These projects were labours of love, taking years to make, and being crafted with care and passion that outshine the AAA scene by miles. Each game captures the essence of a classic survival horror titles such as Resident Evil, Silent Hill, or any classic 90's horror game. Conscript, Crow Country, and Hollow Body are f***ing fantastic games, worthy of all the praise, love and respect from the communities.


2. Saviourless

Honestly, we weren't expecting much, maybe at least a good adventure game with a nice visual style. Yet, Saviorless left its mark, piquing our interest and keeping me thoroughly engaged. This means it can sit high and mighty with the likes of INSIDE and Braid, as a profoundly beautiful narrative that will fascinate you, a remarkably stunning-looking adventure that will leave you breathless, and its ruthless, yet enjoyable gameplay and set pieces will make you feel like a true hero who’s conquered a massive quest of bravery and endurance.

There aren’t enough words to describe just how glorious Saviorless is and being Cuba’s first video game … it’s a phenomenal one. I can not recommend Saviorless enough, and for anyone who loves a great adventure tale, and gripping challenges, and admirer of immensely talented artwork, please go and check out Saviorless and experience something quite special indeed.


1. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

In short, this is the ultimate Indiana Jones experience you could play. This is true, and much more! Not only is this the most compelling Indiana Jones gaming experience to date, but quite frankly one of the best adventure experiences in modern gaming for the last ten years. The Great Circle delivers all the fan service we could ask for, from a brilliant story, all those wonderful sound effects, and a Troy Baker performance which is easily one of his best. But it also brings about an impressive immersive-sim lite experience that’s enjoyable, and fun, and still captures a sense of challenge and reward that will delight hardcore and casual adventure gamers.

In 2024 it was difficult to nail down a game that truly stood out as the best of the best. The number one game that will leave its mark not only in 2024 but for the future. And I’m sure we found that game with Indiana Jones and The Great Circle.


That's it everyone! Our top 28 games of 2024. What a year, and hopefully 2025 will bring us even more fantastic games and memorable experiences! See you again with more reviews and news right here on Game-News.