The 20 Best Games Of 2024 – Forbes
Balatro is one of the best games of the year, but where does it rank?Another year is in the books, so it’s time for me to round up the best games of 2024. As ever, this is my personal list of my favorite games that I played in 2024 that came out in 2024.I’m annoyed I didn’t carve out enough time for UFO 50, Animal Well, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Mouthwashing, Still Wakes The Deep, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 or 1000xResist. Also that I didn’t pick Star Wars Outlaws up again after the recent major update that seemingly improved the game a lot.I also wanted to get to Horizon Lego Adventures, Crow Country, Sheepy: A Short Adventure, Pacific Drive, Monument Valley 3, The Holy Gosh Darn, Grapple Dogs – Cosmic Canines, Black Myth: Wukong and A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead. Most of those are on my Steam Deck but time and the demands of modern life make for cruel enemies.I try to play as broad a range of games as I can, generally a mix of things I’m really excited about and ones that are in the zeitgeist. I at least try to check out every game that PR teams are gracious enough to send me review codes for, but there are only so many I can get to. There are a few genres I rarely touch, but sometimes specific titles (for instance, a certain roguelike deckbuilder) break through with me.Simogo’s Sayonara Wild Hearts is one of my two favorite games of all time, so I really wanted to love the studio’s latest, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. The aesthetic is impeccable but my brain did not gel at all with its tough puzzles. Meanwhile, I liked the story of Copycat but its in-the-moment action didn’t land for me.I adore the concept of Times and Galaxy though the core conceit doesn’t quite hang together (a discussion for another day). I liked what I played of Sumerian Six and The Casting of Frank Stone, but I bounced off of those after a couple of hours and never went back.Okay, enough waffling. Here are the 20 best games of 2024:Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/SDeveloper/publisher: Double Dagger StudioA hyper-charming exploration adventure that’s exactly as advertised. One to enjoy with younger gamers in your life.Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Apple WatchDeveloper: Seele GamesSuika Game made my list last year and now a mobile clone has landed a spot on the 2024 edition. But what really sold Galaxy Mix for me is that I can play it on my Apple Watch.The idea is that when a pair of cute, matching celestial objects makes contact it merges into a larger object (a bit like in Threes). Repeat until you have a black hole or overfill the container, Tetris-style.I actually prefer the precision of using the watch dial to a controller or touch screen when it comes to positioning items before I drop them. Other than Overwatch 2 and a certain card game, I think I spent more time with Galaxy Mix than any other game this year. To wit, I started (but didn’t finish) a piece about it back in March and I’m still playing it.Platforms: Windows (Nintendo Switch TBA)Developer/publisher: Outerminds Inc.I adore Turbo Kid, an incredibly fun cult 2015 movie that’s a super gory ode to Saturday morning cartoons. It took nine years for this follow-up to arrive. The game does a solid job of expanding the universe while being a tasty traditional Metroidvania in its own right. And, as with the movie, the soundtrack is an absolute banger.Platform: Windows, macOS, LinuxDeveloper: TensoriPublisher: Tensori, UNIKAT LabelA disquieting art project in the form of a walking simulator. Pools is an absorbing take on the constricting liminal space horror of the Backrooms trend, though one that’s more unnerving than truly terrifying.Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/SDevelopers: Ewoud van der Werf, Nils SlijkermanPublishers: Extra Nice, PlayismI’ll take a lovely puzzle platformer with great, distinctive visuals and a well-told story over most other types of games most of the time.Read my review of Schim.Platforms: Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5Developer: Coal SupperPublisher: Panic Inc.A bawdily funny adventure with humor that’s almost ripped straight out of Viz. You play as a silly little guy that takes care of odd jobs for the residents of a small town by slapping things. I fell in love with Thank Goodness You’re Here! the second I saw that the name of the supermarket is Price Shaggers.Platform: WindowsDeveloper/publisher: Strange ScaffoldBy far the most disturbing game on this list. I played this oddity about endurance and aggressive deviancy one lunchtime, which perhaps wasn’t the best choice as my mind tried to process it for the remainder of my work day.Impossible to forget (or, in good conscious, recommend). I’m glad I experienced Clickolding, but I won’t be clicking this one open again.Platform: WindowsDeveloper: Midnight MunchiesPublishers: Midnight Munchies, OuterslothOne Btn Bosses is like comedy in that it’s all about timing. You control an auto firing ship on a fixed track. To begin with, your only input is a single button that reverses the craft’s direction but resets your damage output, which ramps up over time. You unlock different abilities and weapons as you progress, but avoiding damage is all that matters unless you care about rising up the leaderboards. It’s a good time.Read my review of One Btn BossesPlatforms: Windows, PS5, Xbox Series X/SDeveloper: Don’t NodPublisher: Focus EntertainmentOne of the few lengthier games that kept me hooked this year, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a morality fable wrapped in an action RPG blanket. The rich, heartbreaking love story outshines the combat here, but it’s a journey worth taking. Perhaps even multiple times to take in the various endings.Read my review of Banishers: Ghosts of New EdenPlatforms: Meta Quest, PS VR2, SteamVRDevelopers: Flat2VR Studios, Holy Wow StudiosPublisher: Flat2VR StudiosMy first real VR experience was an absolute delight. There are games that resonated with me more deeply this year, but nothing made me laugh nearly as much as the ridiculousness of Trombone Champ: Unflattened.Read my impressions of Trombone Champ: UnflattenedPlatforms: Windows, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper: All Possible FuturesPublisher: Devolver DigitalIt’s a real shame that The Plucky Squire didn’t quite stick the landing and it perhaps dragged on a bit too long, because I loved this otherwise. It’s bursting with ideas and clever features. The Plucky Squire has a slam dunk of a premise and it’s a splendid ode to the importance of creativity and storytelling.Platform: WindowsDeveloper: SoulGame StudioPublisher: SoulGame Studio, IndieArkThis is a twin-stick shooter that casts you as a Galaga-esque ship in an adventure that apes top-down Zelda games. Depending on which day you ask me, A Link to the Past is my favorite game of all time, so Minishoot Adventures was like catnip to me.It’s exquisitely crafted and brimming with personality. I still can’t quite wrap my head around how terrific a job the two-person studio behind this game did of anthropomorphizing the ship. This is a real gem.Platforms: Windows, PS5Developer: Arrowhead Game StudiosPublisher: PlayStation PublishingI’ve never had this much fun spreading f̶a̶s̶c̶i̶s̶m̶ democracy 🫡Platforms: Windows, Xbox Series X/SDeveloper: MachineGamesPublisher: Bethesda SoftworksI’ve never had this much fun punching fascism in the face.Platform: WindowsDeveloper/publisher: ImpossibleI love living in Montreal and this game is such a beautiful encapsulation of the city and its many quirks. It turns the metropolis into an enormous canvas for you to paint and drink in. Été is my favorite cozy game of the year.Read my review of ÉtéPlatforms: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/SDeveloper: LocalThunkPublisher: PlaystackPretty much a perfect game. Balatro probably caused a significant decrease in worldwide productivity this past year. It’s that compelling and that good. It’s on my PC, my laptop, my Steam Deck and my phone. I’m never getting away from this one.Platforms: Windows, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper/publisher: Aggro CrabA Soulslike for people like me, who struggle to get into Soulslikes (lifetime Elden Ring playtime: three hours). I think I get it now though.This is a colorful, brilliantly witty and satirical spin on the genre that’s actually significantly darker than many of its ilk given its real-world setting and pollution-driven story. That said, it’s really fun to play!It took me a couple of hours to really understand the language of Another Crab’s Treasure’s exploration and combat. When it clicked though, everything came together just right. And when I didn’t feel like battling a boss or certain enemies, I could always switch Kril’s shell out for a giant pistol that one-shots any opponent.Platforms: Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/SDeveloper: Nomada StudioPublisher: Devolver DigitalStunning in every sense of the word, Nomada Studio’s follow up to Gris is a deeply affecting puzzle platformer about love, loss and entropy. An essential.Platform: PS5Developer: Team AsobiPublisher: Sony Interactive EntertainmentSure, it might be the obvious pick. And I’m also surprising myself by picking a platformer as my GOTY for the third year running. But I have to listen to my heart, and the video game that has filled it with more joy than any other this past year is Astro Bot.It blends tight platforming, oodles of personality, clever level design and just enough secrets into a delightful celebration of PlayStation’s long history. This is one for all the family to get together and enjoy, even if it is a single-player game. Some of the challenge levels are devilishly tough (and often frustrating!) but how could I ever really be mad at this game? Astro Bot is truly special.For the tape, here’s my favorite game of each year since 2019:See you next year with a list that may or may not include GTA VI!If you’re so inclined, please do follow my blog for more word game guides and video game news, insights and analysis. It helps me out a lot! Also, follow me on Bluesky! It’s fun there. One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 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