Having joined TheGamer in mid-2024, this is my first time writing a Game of the Year list. As a lifelong gamer, I’ve spent years reading and listening to other people’s lists, but it is surreal to be delivering my own verdict. It’s a massive honor, and I am grateful to the entire staff of TheGamer for welcoming me on board and letting me live out my dreams.
Speaking of staff, my fellow writers and editors have also compiled individual Game of the Year lists. They’re a great bunch of people with some great taste in games, so it would behoove you to also check out their list. That being said, let’s dive into what made me love 2024 the most.
For well over a decade, I’ve held onto my beat-up copy of NCAA Football 14, hoping that there would be a day when I wouldn’t have to dust off my PS3 every fall when I wanted to play some college football. Wish granted. EA Sports College Football 25 is everything I wanted out of a modern college game, and was well worth the wait. It provides a solid foundation for future entries to iterate upon, and the addition of NIL helps make the game that much better.
The Marvel vs. Capcom series, and its precursor X-Men vs. Street Fighter is fighting games at their best. Yet for years, the only way to play titles like MvC 2 was to either have bought it on PS3, own a physical copy, or have an actual arcade cabinet. That is until Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics came along this year. Bringing all the beloved titles, plus The Punisher side-scroller, Arcade Classics is a fighting game compilation done right. The fighting is as crisp as ever, and rollback netcode means you can take your fledgling skills into the online world.
8
Tekken 8
Where Tekken 7 felt like an experiment, Tekken 8 is the finished product — a full glow-up for the beloved fighting game series not too dissimilar to the jump from Mortal Kombat (2011) to Mortal Kombat X (2015). The fighting is as brutal as it is beautiful, but what really shines is the game’s story mode — an Avengers: Endgame-like production, complete with high-octane action, cheesy drama and best-in-class fighting. Normally, I’m indifferent when it comes to DLC in fighting games, but I have to hand it to Bandai Namco for managing to add Eddy Gordo and resurrect Heihachi. That’s not even considering what’s to come in the next year, either.
7
Gundam Breaker 4
When New Gundam Breaker released in 2018, it was a disappointment. That’s because, as it turns out, Japan got the actual Gundam Breaker sequel (Gundam Breaker 3), while everywhere else was stuck with mediocrity. Bandai Namco made things right in 2024, by releasing Gundam Breaker 4 globally, and it is mighty satisfying. As a real-life Gunpla nut, few things are as satisfying as being able to bash kits digitally in glorious HD. Taking those same kits and putting them to the test in order to gain new parts is a fun loop, and I am hopeful that with this release, plus 2022’s SD Gundam Battle Alliance, a new wave of Gundam games can come to consoles.
6
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered
If DLC can be counted as part of the Game of the Year discussion, then, by all means, so can a remaster. As divisive as The Last of Us Part 2 was and still is thematically, it’s still a damn fine game, and the remaster drives that point home tenfold. The updated graphics and textures are just the cherry on top of what is an amazing package for TLOU fans. No Return is an excellent addition, helping showcase the game’s intuitive combat, while the Lost Levels add a level of behind-the-scenes rarely seen in games, but often attributed to DVD and Blu-ray packages. Put simply, it’s a remaster done right.
5
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
As one of TheGamer’s preeminent Call of Duty fans, the return to the world of Black Ops had me very excited. At the same time, I was a bit nervous, particularly coming off the medicority that was Modern Warfare 3. It’s safe to say that my fears were assuaged, as Black Ops 6 is the best Call of Duty since 2019’s Modern Warfare reboot, and one of the best CODs of all-time. The campaign is quite possibly the best in series history, while the omnimovement system has added a breath of fresh air that jetpacks or exosuits could never accomplish. Zombies is as gory as ever, and the addition of the Directed Mode ensures everyone can be part of the fun. In 2010, Treyarch set the bar with the original Black Ops, and now in 2024, it raised it once again with Black Ops 6.
4
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
The Lost Crown is the return to Prince of Persia that longtime fans have been waiting for. It’s a fresh take on the franchise in the best way possible, and its puzzles, as frustrating as they can be, are equally satisfying. Being one of the first games to release in 2024, The Lost Crown expertly set the stage for what the year would include, and I am better off having played it.
3
Astro Bot
Come for the celebration of PlayStation’s past, present and future, stay for the best Nintendo-like platforming since, well, ever. Astro Bot is a wicked fun game, with some tight platform sections that will make you grin as you grind your teeth. It’s a reminder of why we play video games. It never overstays its welcome, and it can be argued that the game could’ve been even longer without missing a beat. It’s pure fun all the way through.
2
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Masterful. That’s the best way I can describe Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. It’s everything that a Final Fantasy game should be, and then some. From the mass amount of minigames, to the world building, the dialogue, the graphics and the combat, Rebirth excels at everything. It’s a world that I never grew tired of, and the wait until Part 3 is as agonizing as ever, particularly as I begin replaying Rebirth on the PS5 Pro.
1
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero
Few things in life bring me as much joy as Akira Toriyama’s seminal Dragon Ball series. I’ve read the manga more times than I can count, and I have watched and collected the anime on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray. Heck, my dog’s name is Akira in honor of the late mangaka. If you can’t already tell, I love Dragon Ball.
Sparking Zero is everything I love about the series and then some. It never gets old replaying the entirety of DBZ, and the addition of Dragon Ball Super, a series first, helps freshen things up. The combat is crispy and the character models are so well done. A lot of great games were released in 2024, however, none were as special as Sparking Zero. It’s a game that I will be coming back to for years to come.