2024 is over, and I think the fact that we are mere days away from 2025 has yet to set in for me personally. It’s been a long and challenging year, but 2024 has been rewarding and filled with plenty of exciting and incredible games. When I’m not directing or creating content for Final Weapon, chances are I’m attempting to catch up on the year’s best games.
Before we dive into my picks, I want to give a few shouts to some honorable mentions. First, I’m currently playing through Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, and it’s as every bit charming and gorgeous as I’d hoped. I’m overjoyed to experience one of the pinnacle games of the RPG genre in such a way, and I look forward to completing the quest (and Platinum Trophy!) soon.
Next, Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide was a breath of fresh air in both scenery and gameplay following the base game’s release last year. I really loved XVI on its own, but I do believe both Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide round it out to be a more complete experience despite suffering from the same shortcomings in the base game. The fight with Leviathan the Lost is still one of my favorite battles of 2024, and I’m so glad Masayoshi Soken managed to complete his composition, ‘Cascade,’ from the FFXVI reveal trailer.
Finally, I haven’t had the chance to really sink my teeth into Indiana Jones and the Great Circle yet, but I’d be willing to guess that the game would likely have ended up here. I’m a die-hard fan of Indiana, with both Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade in the mix of my favorite films ever, and I’m excited to continue my journey across the Great Circle.
Without further ado, here are my favorite ten games of the year.
10. Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Thank Goodness You’re Here! was the funniest game I played this year. Developer Coal Supper packed countless jokes and gags into this fun experience where you end up in the town of Barnsworth. The residents have all kinds of problems, and thank goodness you’re here to solve them! Each resident was expressively animated, and I found each of the puzzles a delight to solve. There’s even some replayability with some missable interactions, so I’m looking forward to revisiting Barnsworth soon to finish off the Platinum trophy.
9. Fate/stay night Remastered
I couldn’t call myself a fan of Type-Moon if I did not include Fate/stay night Remastered on my list this year. I am still overjoyed that there is finally an official way to play one of the most important visual novels ever in English, even if it came 20 years late. Of course, launch day was certainly one to remember, with what was essentially a Fate/stay night randomizer with different sprites.
One of the biggest features this remaster brings is 16:9 support, which doesn’t crop the original 4:3 source material and simply extends it. Beyond that, one of my favorite stories ever is here, finally accessible for all. If you’ve yet to begin your foray into the world of Fate or Type-Moon, Fate/stay night Remastered is the perfect place to do so.
8. Granblue Fantasy: Relink
I have problems with Granblue Fantasy: Relink, but I cannot ignore the incredible effort that was put into this release. It was the first game that I reviewed this year, and I was very impressed by Cygames’ first go-around in the console space. While the story offerings were a little underwhelming, the gameplay was thrilling, with over 20 different characters to try out and test. Cygames did a phenomenal job translating the characters and art style of the mobile game into a 3D, living world. If anything, Relink gives me confidence that the next console Granblue Fantasy game will be something you won’t want to miss.
7. Fantasian Neo Dimension
The more time I spend in Fantasian Neo Dimension, the more I love it. Hironobu Sakaguchi is one of the most important game developers of all time, and his latest title is yet another example of why his works have had such an impact. Combine that with one of the greatest composers of all time in Nobuo Uematsu, and you have what I’d consider to be a must-play experience.
I held out for years, hoping for a PC or console release of Fantasian, and the waiting paid off with Neo Dimension. The adventures of Leo and the party have been an absolute treat, especially with the current RPG landscape. I’m spending ample time with this one before releasing my final review, but I’m excited to gather my full thoughts together in due time.
6. Tekken 8
Tekken 8 is everything I wanted it to be and more. I spent hundreds of hours playing Tekken 7, and for years, I’ve been eagerly waiting to see what Harada and the team would do for Tekken 8. The return of Jun and others was enough to sell me, but the refinements to the mechanics, gameplay systems, and content offerings took things to the next level. Plus, this is seriously one of the prettiest-looking games on the market. It’s hard not to notice how detailed everything is.
Admittedly, I took a sizeable break from the game after this Summer, but the recent addition of Clive has me ready to dive in and spend more time inside my favorite fighting game of 2024. It might not have been the Final Fantasy rep I was hoping for, but Clive looks incredible; I’m very excited to mess with his move set. Looking forward, Year 2 is on the way, and the Tekken series really is going stronger than ever.
5. Astro Bot
Astro Bot was far and away the nostalgia-fest I needed this year. Astro Bot Director and Team Asobi head Nicolas Doucet made fun at the forefront of his vision, and it’s clear from the moment you first boot up the game. There are over 50 different levels to experience, each offering a new environment to discover and explore. Collecting different bots who were cosplaying characters I hadn’t seen in a decade was a very fun driver to this experience, as I never really knew who was coming next. I adore 3D platformers, and Astro Bot is probably the closest anyone has gotten to the 3D Mario formula in a long, long time.
In recent years, I think Sony has really struggled to find a balance in its offerings, opting to release more of the same. However, Astro Bot at last corrects course, offering an experience that is focused on gameplay and fun. There are no microtransactions, ifs, buts, or whats. It’s just a fun game. Hopefully, this will be a mandate and wake-up call for PlayStation Studios.
4. Silent Hill 2
I’m a huge fan of survival horror. Resident Evil 4 is one of my favorite games of all time, and I’m always thrilled to dive into the latest experiences on the market. In 2023, that was Alan Wake 2; this year, that game was none other than Silent Hill 2. Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 remake blew me away. I managed to spend over 20 hours in my initial playthrough exploring the dangers of Silent Hill, and I already want to go back for more to achieve the rest of the endings. I was very impressed with the immersion Bloober created with the game, with each building, street, and location offering an intense and detailed atmosphere. The gameplay updates were also fantastic, though the dodge mechanic, at times, can be a little much. All in all, I’m so happy to see the return of Silent Hill, with, at last, a way for more players to experience what many consider the series at its best.
3. Emio: The Smiling Man – Famicom Detective Club
Hands down, Emio: The Smiling Man – Famicom Detective Club was the biggest surprise of the year. Coming into 2024, I never would have expected a new FDC game, especially after the 2021 remakes did not receive physical copies. But here we are, and Emio was easily the best Famicom Detective Club game yet. While most gameplay elements remained in line with the previous two titles, the story was the star of the show, as expected, with visual novels and detective games.
The story was incredible, and the uneasiness of the entire case made the buildup to the unreal finale worth every minute. I absolutely loved my time with it, and I’m sitting here hoping that Nintendo and Producer Sakamoto have another Famicom Detective Club game in the works for the Nintendo Switch successor.
2. Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon-
I waited for years to play Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon-. At release in 2021, there was no official localization, with fan translations years away. Thus, I was left to mute and block any potential spoilers, only listening to the openings made by ReoNa. When Aniplex revealed a localization at Anime Expo 2023, the release instantly became one of my most anticipated titles of 2024. And wow, did it deliver.
Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- both remakes and reimagines the Near Side routes, following Arcueid Brunestud and Ciel. This remake was everything I wanted and more, offering a beautiful and complex story that is told across ~40 hours. The art is otherworldly, living up to the legacy of Type-Moon’s prior works. Tsukihime -The other side of red garden- is one of my most anticipated games at the moment, and I’m thrilled to see how the Far Side routes, including Satsuki, are handled.
1. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Where do I even begin? Following the conclusion of Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth became my most anticipated title ever. My expectations were probably unrealistic, but every single one was met and often surpassed. Rebirth delivered a perfected combat system, a sprawling open world, and a narrative I just wish I could experience blindly again.
It is everything I ever wanted and more, perfectly capturing and living up to the legacy of Final Fantasy VII. Naoki Hamaguchi and the team at Creative Studio 1 understand what die-hard fans like myself want; they just get it. As of writing this, I have over 343 hours in the game, and I’m already planning to spend at least another 100 in the upcoming PC release.
I could talk endlessly about why Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is so great, but I’ll direct you to my review of the game or our Game of the Year address for more. In a year with so many incredible games, Rebirth delivered an experience that I’ll carry with me forever.
