This year has been an interesting year for me. For one, I’m a dad now, so my game time has been cut pretty drastically. However, being a dad is rad, and I love every single bit of it. Second, that also means I’ve had to really think about what I wanted to play when I did have time to game. What I’m saying is this is a list of all the games I’ve played in 2024. Well, maybe not all. I’ve put one or two hours in other games here and there. But these are the ones that have stuck with me throughout the year.
Animal Well
Animal Well was such an awesome surprise. This is one of the best designed games I have ever played. A puzzle game disguised as a metroidvania, Animal Well rewards your patience, experimentation, and exploration. Almost every part of the map has a surprise waiting for you. All of this is packed in a six to seven hour experience that has this brilliantly beautiful lo-fi look. This is a must play for anyone looking for something legitimately original.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
To be up front, I have not yet finished Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. I am roughly 10 to 15 hours into Ichiban Kasuga and Kiryu Kazuma’s latest adventure. However, from what I have played, it feels like it’s going to be something special. Almost staging itself as Kazuma’s farewell tour, everything I love about the Like a Dragon series is present here. From its goofy side missions to its melodramatic main story, it is exactly what I expected, which is a very good thing.
Alan Wake 2 DLC Night Springs
I love Alan Wake 2 and have been eagerly waiting for the Night Springs expansion since it was announced. So, when that release date dropped at Geoff Keighley’s video game extravaganza Summer Game Fest, I immediately downloaded it and played. From the run-and-gun murderthon of “Number One Fan” to Shawn Ashmore’s multiverse-hopping “Time Breaker”, it is an incredible bite-sized experience fans of Alan Wake 2 should play. Check out my review of the expansion here!
Persona 3 Reload
I knew I would like Person 3 Reload. Not because of my previous experience with Persona games. Honestly, previous iterations in the series just did not hit. Sure, the soundtracks are all bangers, but there is something about the characters, story, and settings of Persona 4 and Persona 5 that I just did not vibe with. Just from pictures alone, I knew Persona 3 was the one I would get into, and I was not wrong. Every facet of this remake is so good; from the soundtrack to the visuals, it is stunning. It may not be everyone’s favorite, but it is easily one of my gaming highlights this year.
Tekken 8
I love fighting games. There are few things more satisfying than the process of training, putting together some go-to combos and strategies, and bringing all that to a match for it all to work out in your favor. Even when it doesn’t work out, going back to experiment and learn from your mistakes is just as satisfying as winning. This perfectly encapsulates what my time was like in Tekken 8. The feelings I had playing online cannot be replicated. If you’re going to play a fighting game this year, this is the one.
Helldivers 2
When you actually get your hands on a controller to play Helldivers 2, it makes sense why it went so viral. It is just pure, unadulterated fun. No matter what mission you play, it starts off seeming like you’re in control, and then it quickly dissolves into chaos. The friendly fire feature has made for some hilarious moments when I played with some friends. It feels great, has some fun mechanics, and some really goofy writing, but the game really shines when you are playing with a group of friends. As far as I could tell, Helldivers 2 is far and away the best co-op game of the year.
With all this said, I think Persona 3 Reload is my game of the year so far. Animal Well and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth are a very close second and third respectively. I don’t know if Animal Well will surpass Persona, but whenever I end up finishing Like a Dragon, it could potentially take that top spot. We’ll just have to play and see.
What games are your favorite games of the year so far? What am I missing on this list? Let me know in the comments below.
Bantam Banter 