The year 2024 has come to an end so it is a game enough time as ever to look back at the games that have come out in 2024 starting with the very best games that have come out in 2024. These are the games of 2024 that had the best creative talent, best stories and best gameplay that kept us all going throughout all of 2024.

Rules:

No Eldern Ring Shadow of the Erdtree as it is only DLC content

No DLC Content

10: Black Myth Wokong

Developer: Game Science

We have one of those Souls/Borne type games that are meant to be super challenging games that are rewarding to overcome. This time with Black Myth Wokong where it takes inspiration from classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. With tight combat mechanics, beautiful well detailed landscapes, and an excellent soundtrack made the game truly an incredible journey worth experiencing. It also led to selling over 20 units worldwide and now holds a massive impact on gamers for its Chinese setting.

9: Silent Hill 2

Developer: Bloober Team

A remake of the second Silent Hill game that originally came out back in 2001. It gets a modern gaming treatment with modern combat mechanics like the Third Person Camera Perspective but still trying to be as faithful to the original as the storyline which is exactly like how it was in the original. It is also just as scary as the original game as well. Within 3 days of release, it managed to sell over a million units and earn massive positive ratings.

8: Helldivers II

Developer: Arrowhead Game Studio

Helldivers, the famous co-op shooter, made a change and went for a Third Person Perspective and the game is incredible fun. You and your buddies drop into procedurally generated areas and complete various missions while holding out against hordes of enemies. With a great variety of missions, solid gunplay and an excellent presentation it was one of the top cooperative games to come out this year.

7: The Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom

Developer: Nintendo EPD/Grezzo

One of the biggest changes that was made was playing Zelda and not everyone's favourite hero. Zelda uses the power of the Tri Rod to create Echoes of items all over the game, from simple objects and also being able to create Echoes of monsters who will fight alongside you. All of which can be used well to solve the various puzzles that are in the game. It still lives up to the other gameplay elements that you can expect from a Zelda game and the direction and ideas they have taken with this made this to be one of the more unique entries in the popular Zelda franchise.

6: Stellar Blade

Developer: Shift Up

While it may not have the best story but that doesn't stop Shift Up's Stellar Blade from being a top and enjoyable action-adventure game with a very hot and fantastic female character. The game's combat system and mechanics made you understand the attack patterns of enemies and perform counter attack them with precise timing. The character Eve has a Beta Gauge that fills up from successfully parrying and counter attacking so that you use different combat skills. The game also looks and plays fantastically well with very impressive looking environments and the designs of the enemies and the characters are beautiful, including the main character. Stellar Blade is one fantastic game for the PS5 that is worth owning.

5: Balatro

Developer: LocalThunk

Up for a simple game of poker? Well, forget that because here is Balatro which offers up so much that don't make it your regular game of poker. The game is a rogue-like deck building card game where you play your poker hands in order to score points and defeat blinds. You also get to improve your deck and being able to purchase Joker Cards that can offer up different effects as you play. Many of the cards you can get can help change the rules of the game so that it plays in your favour. There is so much that Balatro delivers on and it is a fantastically well executed game that has millions of people wanting to spice up their Poker game.

4: Tekken 8

Developer: Bandai Namco/Arika

Tekken 8 has been without a doubt one of the most incredible fighting games to come out this year and it shows that the series continues to refine itself with each new entry. It not only improved on the fighting system mechanics that were introduced in Tekken 7 but also introduces some new ones as well. Firstly, it introduced the Heat system which makes characters deal chip damage when enemies are blocking and change up several properties to their moves and also being able to perform Tornado hits to extend their combos. It also has a healing system where characters can regain some of their health by going into Heat State. The Story Mode was great allowing you to witness the showdown between Jin and Kazuya and the online game modes where also refined were really enjoyable to take your fights online. It also had the Arcade Quest where you can build your own custom character and enter into a virtual arcade arena where you partake in tournaments and it was just incredible reminding us of time when people used to go to actual arcade game areas to play competitive with everyone and that is what Tekken 8 nails. It nails not only the offline gaming aspect but also the hugely competitive aspect which will have us coming back for more, even if the DLC character choices are terrible. But hey, Tekken Ball returns as well because Tekken and Beach Balls go well hard.

3: Persona 3 Reload

Developer: P-Studio/Atlus

Here is a remake everyone wanted and the developers P-Studio and Atlus truly delivered on that. Persona 3 Reload is an incredible remake of Persona 3 and everything about is faithful to the original Persona 3 while also refining and modernising a lot of the game mechanics from the original to make it play like the later entries like taking full control of every party member in strategic turn-based battles. Being able to explore around the Tartarus again as well as being able to walk around the school campus ground again brings joy to our hearts. The updated graphical presentation is superb including the characters and the environments and the musical soundtrack remixes including some new tunes are so catchy that it is impossible resist not listening to the battle tracks 50 times over. If you have played the later Persona games like Persona 4 & 5 and wanted a modernised version of Persona 3 then you must invest in Persona 3 Reload, it is one of the best remakes of an old game to come out both this year and in recent memory.

2: Metaphor ReFantazio

Developer: Studio Zero/Atlus

Once again Atlus are the kings of the RPGs in all modern gaming for Metaphor ReFantazio is without a doubt one of the Best RPGs to have come out this year and one of the best periods, not just Turn Based RPGs. While it may not have the same romance options of the Persona games but what Metaphor ReFantazio offers is a truly outstanding storyline with cruel real-world themes that are well carried out by an excellent narrative and writing, world building and amazing characters. The gameplay also is some of the best for an Atlus game where it uses a hybrid system between the Press Turn system from the Persona games with Real Time Action played out in the field and the way battles shift in such a way works incredibly well. Metaphor ReFantazio is a true work of art and genius creativity and offers the finest amount of gaming talent that you can get from an Atlus game and it is one that all RPG fans must play. Final Fantasy you should bow down to Atlus' RPG masterpiece, you are not worthy of the gaming culture anymore.

Honourable Mentions

Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio)

Prince of Persia The Lost Crown (Ubisoft)

Animal Well (Shared Memory)

Warhammer 40000 Space Marine II (Saber St.Petersburg)

UFO 50 (Mossmouth, LLC)

1: Astro Bot

Developer: Team Asobi

And lastly we have a platforming realm of outstanding merits where Astro Bot features some of the best that the PlayStation 5 has to offer. It makes full use of the Dual Sense Controller's capabilities including the Haptic Feedback for the gameplay and has some of the most enjoyable level design that is well designed and clever and fun to play through. The best thing about Astro Bot is how it celebrates the 30-year anniversary by having the little robots dress up as many famous PlayStation characters like God of War, Uncharted, Horizon and so forth including some from licensed third-party companies. Another thing is that Astro Bot is an adorable little robot mascot character that any player can't help but fall in love with. Astro Bot is not just a game that celebrates everything that is PlayStation, it is a smart, well-crafted and designed platformer that takes every single advantage of the hardware and also the possibilities of the Dual Sense controller and how it can be used to its fullest in terms of gameplay. This is why we need more games like that to show off the innovations of new controller and hardware tech capabilities which makes Astro Bot the biggest and why the PlayStation is the most celebrated console of all time.

Written By Anthony Hayball (AQWBlaZer91)