Summary
- Sony is changing its approach by launching games on consoles and PC simultaneously, targeting larger demographics.
- PlayStation released well-received titles in 2024, including Astro Bot and Rise of the Rōnin.
- While some remakes like ‘Horizon Zero Dawn’ look impressive, they may not add much value for returning players.
It’s hard to believe the PlayStation 5 has already been around for four years, but it’s been an interesting era for Sony and its approach to video games. After spending nearly a decade working on expensive triple-A exclusives, the company seems to be changing its approach by simultaneously launching its games on consoles and PC, and by launching smaller titles for larger demographics.
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It’s an interesting pivot that’s paid off significantly for the company, especially in 2024 when PlayStation had some of the most well-received games of the year. Though many third-party games are available on the PlayStation 5, we want to look back at the best titles developed or published by PlayStation in 2024.
10
Lego Horizon Adventures
Recently, it feels like PlayStation is widening its scope by offering more family-friendly games to help younger audiences break into its ecosystem. Lego Horizon Adventures takes the familiar story of the first game and washes it down into something everyone can enjoy, for better or worse.
The idea of taking an established IP and remaking it for younger audiences is really smart, but it would’ve been more compelling if Sony chose another brand like The Last of Us or God of War for this project. The new take on Aloy’s adventure isn’t as interesting as it could be, and the gameplay is incredibly dull. It might be good for kids, but it fails to give older players any reason to return to it.
9
Until Dawn (2024)
Nearly a decade after Until Dawn scared PlayStation 4 owners out of their chairs, the game was remade for the PlayStation 5 and PC with a fresh coat of paint and expanded narrative. Despite containing the same story and mechanics, the 2024 remake failed to recapture the magic of the original and killed some of its momentum going into the live-action film adaptation.
If you’ve already played Until Dawn before, the remake doesn’t give you any solid reasons why you should buy it again. It might technically look better than before, but the new lighting and graphics actually make the setting feel less scary and not as immersive. There is some appeal for new players, but a used copy of the PlayStation 4 game might be a better decision.
8
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
Remember Horizon Zero Dawn? PlayStation sure made it hard to forget about it when they released both a Lego-fied and remastered version of the game a couple of weeks apart from each other. While this package might be exciting for some people, the game was already stunning on PlayStation 4 and 5, and there are plenty of other games from Sony’s catalog that would benefit from a proper remake or remaster.
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It’s impressive that a studio can make a game like Horizon Zero Dawn look a little prettier, but there isn’t much more to the package that would appeal to anyone who has already played through it. It’s a great starting place for new players, but it almost feels like a waste of resources just to make an already great game slightly better.
7
Rise Of The Rōnin
Rise of the Rōnin is a PlayStation 5 exclusive developed by Team Ninja, the developers behind Nioh and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. This latest adventure takes place during Bakumatsu, the end of the Edo period during the 19th century, and follows a young warrior on their journey toward revenge after the murder of their family.
While it didn’t make as big of a splash as other PlayStation games, Rise of the Rōnin is an excellent open-world game with innovative gameplay and a rich narrative. The amount of detail and accuracy given to the world draws you in almost immediately, and the satisfying combat system rewards both patience and strategy.
6
MLB The Show 24
Another year means another entry in PlayStation’s MLB The Show, which continues to be the biggest baseball game on the market. Instead of changing the formula, The Show 24 continues to refine the features and mechanics that have made the series so successful.
While it’s still jarring to see a PlayStation game on the Xbox and Nintendo Switch, MLB The Show 24 has everything you could want from a baseball game and more. The Storylines mode does an excellent job highlighting important events in the sports history, and the stellar gameplay combined with a large roster of athletes makes this entry another home run for the series.
5
The Last Of Us Part 2 Remastered
The Last of Us Part 2 was easily one of the best-looking games on the PlayStation 4, but the remastered version for the PlayStation 5 is somehow even more impressive. One could argue that this upgrade was unnecessary, but Naughty Dog included more than just a visual upgrade to make the package much more compelling.
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One of the biggest highlights is the new roguelike mode, No Return. You can play as one of many iconic characters (each with their own perks and benefits) to see how long you can survive against waves of randomized encounters. There is also a bunch of cut content included with this remaster that allows you to play through scenes that were ultimately removed from the game’s final cut.
4
Stellar Blade
Stellar Blade was one of the biggest surprises of the year, especially coming from a developer mostly known for creating free-to-play mobile games. Published by Sony, this epic action-adventure follows a squad of heroes as they try to reclaim Earth from a group of creatures known as Naytibas.
Overflowing with style and satisfying combat, Stellar Blade will hook you almost immediately with its narrative and won’t let go until you’ve defeated the final boss. It might seem unfair to compare anything to Nier: Automata or Bayonetta, but Stellar Blade is easily one of the best action games we’ve seen in quite some time.
3
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 took the world by storm when it launched on PlayStation 5 and PC at the beginning of February. Instead of fighting each other in games like Call of Duty and Overwatch, it forced us all to work together to save humanity from Bugs and Cyborgs.
The first few months of Helldivers 2 felt like riding a rollercoaster as the developers continued to expand the narrative based on player performance. Though there was a minor dip in popularity toward the end of 2024, Helldivers 2 is worth hopping into for its breathtaking visuals, humor, and ever-expanding story.
2
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
While Final Fantasy 7 Remake took the opening section of the original game and spread it out into a 30-hour adventure, Rebirth was tasked with bringing the open-world aspect of the classic title to life for modern audiences. The second game in this trilogy successfully breathes life into a vibrant world full of interesting locations, memorable characters, and an abundance of side quests and activities that will keep you busy for hours at a time.
The amount of content in Rebirth can be staggering at times, but almost everything is so polished, well-written, or absurd that you’ll feel compelled to check out every nook and cranny in each area you visit. The story does a phenomenal job of making you care for the main party of characters, and while the ending may be the weakest part, Rebirth has done a phenomenal job setting up the final act of this ambitious project.
1
Astro Bot
PlayStation’s tiny mascot has been around for a bit, with both Astro Bot Rescue Mission and Astro’s Playroom receiving almost universal acclaim for their creativity and reverence for Sony’s history as a console maker. Astro Bot is the first full-length game in the series and takes everything that made its predecessors special and expands on them to create a fun and colorful platformer that excels at everything it does.
There isn’t a dull moment in Astro Bot as it consistently continues to innovate on its own ideas and surprise you with new mechanics and secrets. Even without all the PlayStation references and mascots, it could easily stand on its own and receive the same amount of praise as one of the best platformers we’ve ever experienced. Post-launch content like Time Trials and a Christmas level has only helped cement Astro Bot’s status as the best PlayStation game of 2024.
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