The year? Two thousand and twenty-four. The vibe? A digital deluge. Games dropped like loot pinatas at a launch party – a glorious, overwhelming cascade of pixels and polygons. From sprawling RPGs to tight, twitchy platformers, the gaming gods delivered. This wasn't just another year; it was a level up for the entire industry. So, grab your favorite controller, charge your headset, and let’s dive into the digital bounty. This ain't your grandma’s bingo night; this is gaming, evolved.
Big Releases:
- •Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: The second part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, continuing the reimagining of the iconic RPG.
- •Tekken 8: The latest installment in the legendary fighting game franchise, featuring intense battles and a dramatic storyline.
- •Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree: A major expansion to the critically acclaimed open-world action RPG, adding new areas, bosses, and lore.
- •Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth: The next entry in the Yakuza series (now known as Like a Dragon), blending dramatic storytelling with over-the-top action and minigames.
- •Dragon's Dogma II: The long-awaited sequel to the cult-classic action RPG, known for its unique "pawn" system and challenging combat.
- •Helldivers 2: A co-op focused shooter where players team up to fight hordes of alien enemies in chaotic and explosive battles.
- •Persona 3 Reload: A modern remake of the beloved Persona 3, with updated graphics, gameplay, and quality-of-life improvements.
- •Stellar Blade: An action game with stylish combat, a post-apocalyptic setting, and a focus on fast-paced action.
Action/Adventure:
- •Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess: An action RPG inspired by Japanese folklore and mythology, featuring unique combat and exploration.
- •V Rising (PS5 Release): A vampire survival action RPG where players build their own vampire empire and hunt for blood. This marked its console release.
- •The First Descendant: A free-to-play looter shooter with RPG elements, where players fight alongside other Descendants against alien invaders.
- •Nobody Wants to Die: A stylish action game with a unique visual aesthetic and a focus on narrative and atmosphere.
- •Gestalt: Steam & Cinder: A "Metroidvania" with a dieselpunk setting, combining exploration, platforming, and combat.
- •Rise of the Ronin: An open-world action RPG set in Bakumatsu-era Japan, allowing players to shape the course of history.
- •Tales of Kenzera: Zau: An action-adventure game inspired by Bantu mythology, featuring a unique setting and combat system.
- •Black Myth: Wukong: An action RPG based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, showcasing impressive visuals and challenging combat.
- •Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League: An action game where players control members of the Suicide Squad as they take on a brainwashed Justice League.
- •Skull and Bones: An open-world pirate game focused on naval combat, exploration, and building a pirate empire.
- •Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2: A brutal action game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, where players control a Space Marine fighting against hordes of enemies.
- •Senua's Saga: Hellblade II: A dark and atmospheric action-adventure game exploring themes of mental health and psychosis, with stunning visuals.
- •Zenless Zone Zero: An action RPG with an anime aesthetic and fast-paced combat in a stylish urban setting.
- •Star Wars Outlaws: An open-world action-adventure game set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, where players explore the criminal underworld of the Star Wars galaxy.
- •S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl: Open-world survival horror with shooter elements
- •Once Human: Open-world survival with action and RPG elements
- •Delta Force: First-person shooter with tactical elements
Platformers & Indie Gems:
- •Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown: A 2.5D Metroidvania-style game that revitalizes the classic Prince of Persia series.
- •Animal Well: A unique exploration and puzzle game with a distinctive pixel art style and mysterious atmosphere.
- •Yars Rising: A retro-inspired shoot 'em up with a focus on score attack and challenging gameplay.
- •Another Crab's Treasure: A "soulslike" game where you play as a hermit crab, battling enemies in a challenging underwater world.
- •The Plucky Squire: A charming adventure game that blends 2D and 3D gameplay in a unique and creative way.
- •Crow Country: A horror-themed adventure game with a retro aesthetic, evoking classic survival horror titles.
- •Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus: A 3D action platformer with a beautiful art style and a focus on fluid movement and exploration.
- •Ultros: A psychedelic Metroidvania with a focus on exploration, combat, and a unique visual style.
- •Balatro: Roguelike deck-building game with unique mechanics
RPG:
- •Metaphor: ReFantazio: A fantasy RPG with turn-based combat and a focus on strategic decision-making and character customization.
- •Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes: A spiritual successor to the Suikoden series, featuring a large cast of characters and strategic battles.
- •Unicorn Overlord: A tactical RPG with beautiful visuals, a unique art style, and strategic gameplay.
- •The Thaumaturge: An RPG with a focus on narrative and investigation, set in early 20th century Warsaw with supernatural elements.
- •Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake: A remake of the classic RPG with a unique "HD-2D" visual style, blending 2D sprites with 3D environments.
- •Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred (Expansion): A major expansion for Diablo IV, adding new content, classes, and storylines to the action RPG.
- •THRONE AND LIBERTY: Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) with strategic elements
- •Path of Exile 2 (Early Access): Action RPG
Simulation:
- •Frostpunk 2: A city-building and survival game set in a frozen post-apocalyptic world, where players must make difficult moral choices to ensure their society's survival.
- •Planet Coaster 2: The sequel to the popular theme park simulation game, allowing players to design and manage their own amusement parks.
- •Pacific Drive (Driving Survival): A unique driving survival game set in the Olympic Exclusion Zone, where players must navigate dangerous terrain and repair their vehicle.
- •Endless Ocean Luminous (Exploration): An underwater exploration game where players can discover and catalog marine life in a relaxing and immersive experience.
- •Satisfactory 1.0: Open-world factory building game – this was technically a full release after Early Access
Strategy:
- •Tactical Breach Wizards: A turn-based tactics game with a unique magic system and a focus on strategic planning.
- •SteamWorld Heist II: A turn-based strategy game with a focus on skill-based shooting and a unique art style.
Horror:
- •The Casting of Frank Stone: A horror game set in the Dead by Daylight universe, focusing on narrative and suspense.
Sports:
- •WWE 2K24: The latest installment in the professional wrestling video game series, featuring updated rosters, gameplay, and modes.
Niche and Interesting Titles/Adventure:
- •Lorelei and the Laser Eyes: A stylish and atmospheric adventure game with a focus on puzzles, exploration, and a unique visual style.
- •Thank Goodness You're Here!: A quirky comedy adventure game with a hand-drawn art style and a focus on humor and exploration.
- •Another Code: Recollection: A remake of two classic adventure games for the Nintendo Switch, with updated visuals and gameplay.
- •Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy: A collection of three Ace Attorney games with updated visuals and improved features.
- •Life Is Strange: Double Exposure: The next installment in the narrative adventure series, focusing on player choice and emotional storytelling.
- •Palworld: (Open-world survival crafting game with monster collecting elements – a bit of a genre-bender, but fits here best due to its unique mix)
VR:
- •Astro Bot: A 3D platformer developed for PlayStation VR2, showcasing the capabilities of the VR platform.
- •Batman: Arkham Shadow: A VR game set in the Arkham universe, allowing players to experience being Batman in virtual reality.
- •Metro Awakening: A VR game set in the post-apocalyptic Metro universe, offering a first-person perspective on the series' dark and atmospheric world.
- •Skydance's Behemoth: A VR action game with large-scale boss battles and immersive combat.
- •Thrasher (VR): A rhythm action game designed for VR, combining fast-paced gameplay with a unique visual style.
Mobile/Other Platforms:
- •Star Wars: Hunters: A free-to-play arena combat game set in the Star Wars universe, available on mobile and Nintendo Switch.
- •The Smurfs - Village Party: A party game based on the popular Smurfs franchise, designed for family-friendly fun.
Updates and Expansions:
- •Destiny 2: The Final Shape: A major expansion for the popular online shooter Destiny 2, concluding the Light and Darkness saga.
- •Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail: The latest expansion for the long-running MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV, adding new areas, storylines, and content.
Phew. Take a breath. That was a lot. The sheer volume of digital entertainment? Mind-boggling. From triple-A behemoths to indie darlings whispering sweet nothings in our ears, 2024 proved one thing: Gaming isn't slowing down. Not by a long shot. Some titles redefined genres. Others offered fresh takes on familiar formulas. Missed a few? No worries; the backlog is now your new endgame. What a year to be a gamer. GG.
