Game Of The Year Editor’s Pick, 2024

2023 was dominated by massive, showpiece experiences such as Baldur’s Gate 3, Tears of the Kingdom, Alan Wake 2, and Resident Evil 4. This year has felt significantly different. Sure, a handful of triple-A tentpoles still made headlines, but it’s also been a stellar – if not an all-timer – year for indie upstarts.

As such, it’s been a challenge compiling this list, especially nailing down the order. Reading the rankings of my rather excellent colleagues, it’s clear that my biggest gaming regret in 2024 is not having played more.

You can find all of TheGamer’s Game of the Year lists over at this handy hub.

10

Thank Goodness You’re Here

As a true northerner, I suspect that the humour of Thank Goodness You’re Here landed differently than for others. It was incredibly relatable, and I found myself jumping up with glee whenever I encountered a character that reminded me of someone I actually know.

We need more games based in the true north, with real northern people. A sequel set in Newcastle, please!

9

Mimic Logic

I’m a huge fan of RPG Maker. I’ve dabbled for years now, and while I’d love to eventually release a game of my own making, I’m far more interested in discovering others’ creations. So, when I come across a gem, I take notice.

Mimic Logic is one of the best RPGM games I’ve played. It’s an outstanding roguelike spin on the Liar and Truth-Teller logic puzzle, where you read the statements of four treasure chests with the aim of uncovering the mimics and accumulating as much treasure as possible before game over.

8

Caravan SandWitch

The defining trait of the second half of my gaming year was my search for cosier, non-violent games. Caravan SandWitch met the brief and then some, an excellent open-world game full of exploration, mystery, and above all, heart.

The absence of combat didn’t make for a lack of urgency, and an engaging plot centred around an impending catastrophe, a missing sister, and rediscovering old friendships meant that the futuristic world of Cigalo still felt human at its core.

7

Little Kitty, Big City

A cosy puzzle-platformer in which you play a mischievous cat just trying to get home, Little Kitty, Big City was an unexpected delight.

It was also an important game for me this year, being the first I played after a major health scare. It helped get me through the aftermath, and just when I needed it most, reminded me of why video games are a lifelong passion.

6

Neva

Neva was a gut punch of a game. It’s stunningly beautiful, but don’t let that fool you. Underneath is an intense, emotional experience, one that really makes you look at what it means to fight for what you love in the midst of dealing with loss. I was a blubbering mess at the end, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

5

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

To me, 2024 felt like a year where JRPGs finally nailed the sense of urgency that comes with needing to save the world. Often, you’re not really that bothered, just battling random enemies and scrolling through dialogue to get to the endgame.

While Remake’s Midgar was self-contained, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth opened up the world and made it feel truly alive. I actually wanted to save these people and these places, for more than just an achievement or bragging rights in a final boss fight. I can’t wait for part three.

4

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

This urgency was felt even more in Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, a spiritual successor to the legendary Suikoden. It would be easy for a game in which you quite literally recruit a hundred heroes for a war to end all wars to feel bogged down with bloat, but Rabbit & Bear Studios nails the balance between sweeping JRPG plot and more intimate character stories.

The best design decision was in making the biggest flashpoints play out through RTS-style skirmishes, rather than the usual turn-based tank-and-spanks that only utilise a handful of characters. Everyone is in this war together, and Eiyuden Chronicle never lets you forget that.

3

Astro Bot

Astro Bot was easily the most fun I’ve had in a game this year. Sure, it looks like a giant advert for PlayStation on the surface, but beneath the veneer is a tight precision platformer with a huge amount of heart.

Team Asobi took on the brief of turning IP gruel into something delicious, and boy, did they deliver. Please sir, can I have some more?

2

Balatro

It’s testament to how truly excellent Balatro is that I feel guilty for only placing it number two. It’s like those Christmas songs we’re hearing constantly this month – once it’s in your head, it’s not leaving any time soon. I own it on three different platforms, but I also feel guilty for not playing it enough.

I’m absolutely rubbish at it, but that doesn’t matter one bit. It’s the best pick-up-and-play game since Tetris on the original Game Boy, by some distance.

Honourable Mentions

1000xResist would comfortably have been in my top three, but I didn’t want to rush it just for this list. And if I were being loose with regard to expansions, then No Man’s Sky would be GOTY.

I’m very late to the Atlus hype, never having really been interested in anime-style RPGs. Then I played Persona 5 at the turn of the year, and what struck me is just how excellent it is at both character and world-building. You want to care, and Metaphor: ReFantazio dials that sentiment up to eleven.

In a time where our world seems more divided than ever, its themes of overcoming oppression and discrimination make you confront your own values. Metaphor makes you want to rid the United Kingdom of Euchronia of its tyranny. It does this through the lens of one of the best casts I’ve seen, each of whom is grieving loss of some kind. It makes for a raw, all-consuming experience I wish could replay over and over. I probably will.