If you are an RPG fan, 2024 has been one of the best years for the genre in quite some time. Trying to keep on top of the deluge of RPG goodness has been exhausting, and that’s not even taking into consideration the great games in all the other genres that released this year, too. All those late nights have been building toward this moment. The time for playing is over, and the time for ranking is here. These ten games are the best of the best that 2024 had to offer.
10
Xenotilt: Hostile Pinball Action
My favorite kind of pinball video game is when they move beyond what is possible on a real table and embrace its nature as a video game. Xenotilt, like its predecessor Demon’s Tilt, does that as well as any other game of this type. More importantly, it does it while amping up the absurdity even further with a massive, ever-shifting, multi-level board packed with ramps, bumpers, and bullets flying everywhere. Wiznwar’s pinball video games are in a class of their own, and Xenotilt is their finest game yet.
9
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
From its living diorama-esque visuals to its varied gameplay, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess was a surprise hit for me. It manages to seamlessly blend RTS elements with character action-style combat and a pinch of tower defense to craft a wholly unique style of game. And it looks good doing it! I hope Capcom keeps those creative juices flowing and continues to release unique games like Kunitsu-Gami. The game industry is better when it has a Capcom that releases more than just sequels and remakes.
8
Nine Sols
What do you get if you take Hollow Knight and Sekiro and smash them together? The best Metroidvania of 2024.
7
Unicorn Overlord
If you are coming to Unicorn Overlord from 13 Sentinels expecting another narrative-heavy experience, you are likely to be disappointed. Vanillaware’s latest spends little time on its mostly perfunctory story. In its place, however, just may be the best combat system to ever grace the SRPG genre. Mixing Final Fantasy XII’s Gambit System with Ogre Battle’s tactics makes for a truly sublime experience. It doesn’t hurt that it is a stunningly beautiful game either.
6
UFO 50
UFO 50 is a herculean achievement. Nearly every one of the 50 original games included in this package provides some level of entertainment. I didn’t think there was a dud in the bunch. Some of them are so well-fleshed-out and enjoyable that they could make a GOTY list on their own (I love you, Porgy). There is quite simply no better value in gaming than UFO 50.
5
1000xResist
Video games with great stories are not uncommon at this point, but if there is one thing many of them struggle with it is communicating those stories in a way that takes advantage of the medium. 1000xResist does a better job of that than maybe any other game I’ve encountered, and the story is willing to ask more of the player than most dare. It may be a little rough around the edges, but it is a singular experience and one I can’t recommend enough.
4
Astro Bot
Few platformers have managed to achieve that Nintendo-level of polish. Astro Bot has done that while also packing in more creativity than any other game in the genre. It’s also one of the most joyous games I’ve played. Every platformer fan owes it to themselves to blast off with Astro Bot.
3
Lorelei And The Laser Eyes
Don’t mind Simogo, they’ve just made another all-time great game. Add it to the pile. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes’ mind-bending puzzles go toe-to-toe with the best games in the puzzle games in the genre. It also features an impossibly sharp visual style and an enticing, non-linear narrative wrapped in symbolism and mystique. Superbly crafted and timeless, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a flawless experience.
2
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
While I was confident that Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth would be good, I went into it with a hefty amount of skepticism. I couldn’t help but shake the feeling that bringing Kiryu back was an act of cynical fanservice. Thankfully, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Infinite Wealth is still every bit the Ichiban sequel I so desperately wanted to be, but it’s also the most emotionally impactful sendoff to a beloved character I’ve encountered. Beyond the hard-hitting narrative stuff, the tweaks to the gameplay took a solid turn-based combat system and made it a truly great one. And to top it off, I think it has some of the best side content in the series. Infinite Wealth is the new standard for the Like A Dragon series. It is hard to picture RGG being able to top it.
Honorable Mentions
1
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes does what so very few projects of this type have managed to do: successfully capture the essence of the golden era of JRPGs while improving upon it. The script is punchy, joyful, and tightly written, the massive cast of characters is brimming with personality, and despite there being well over a hundred of them, they all feel distinct.
And then there is the sprite work, which is not only gorgeous, but is densely packed into every location in the game. The number of unique cats alone makes my head spin. Eiyuden Chronicle is one of the rare spiritual successors that manages to live up to its legacy. It is also quite possibly the best JRPG to release in the last twenty-something years. Choosing which games would make my list this year was agonizing, but deciding what would be on top was not.
Eiyuden Chronicle is an RPG created by a team of developers with years of invaluable experience in the genre. Pulling from years of prior experience and promising an experience unlike any before it at the same time, its Hundred Heroes name comes from the 100 playable characters you will meet in the game.
- Released
-
April 23, 2024
- Developer(s)
-
Rabbit and Bear Studios