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We can all agree that 2023 was one of the best years in the video game industry, but that doesn’t mean 2024 is falling behind. We’ve seen many great games ranging from a new bug-squashing multiplayer adventure to the long-awaited DLC of Miyazaki’s latest masterpiece. Our expert team at The Nerd Stash banded together to discuss and create a list of the games we believe are GOTY material for 2024. So, without further ado, let’s see which ones are at the top so far.
10. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Patrick Armstrong, Staff Writer: Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu’s adventures continued in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, a gut-busting feast of a game. Whether you want a Japanese soap opera, creature-collection, JRPG combat, or Anime Crossing-style island development, Infinite Wealth delivers. There’s an overwhelming amount of content here, and the blend of goofy side quests with dead-serious drama suits its sprawling world perfectly. Honolulu drew us in with its grab-back of minigames and visual treats, making it as iconic as Yokohama by the end. Infinite Wealth is arguably the best game in the series, delivering a story packed with callbacks without alienating gamers new to Yakuza.
9. Balatro
Dylan Chaundy, Editor: I’m gonna lay my cards on the table: So far, Balatro has been my favorite game of the year by a country mile. Why? Well, like the best things in life, Balatro is a masterclass in pure, pick-up-and-play simplicity. On the surface, it’s a deck-building roguelike built around the fundamentals of Poker. But dig a little deeper, and there’s so much more to sweeten the pot.
Obtaining Jokers offers permanent buffs, specific hands can be upgraded to make them even more powerful, and you can even upgrade all the cards in your hand! Truly, no run is ever the same, which is a testament to how deceptively deep this hypnotic rabbit hole goes. Much akin to other iconic industry staples like, say, Tetris or Slay the Spire, it’s the sort of fiendishly addictive experience you can just play forever and ever till the cows come home. And even when the cows have come home, you’ll still be playing. In all seriousness, I think I may have a problem…
8. Pacific Drive
Julio La Pine, Staff Writer: Pacific Drive made its way to the number one spot of some of the best survival games we’ve had in years and a worthy GOTY 2024 contender. Its original take on the genre is nothing short of amazing. Instead of having the usual base you can build at any place on the map, your station wagon is your haven. You must use it to brave the Exclusion Zone to gather materials, return to your garage, upgrade your car, and eventually leave this anomaly-riddled place. However, what makes Pacific Drive so memorable is how it captures the feeling of a road trip, albeit a bizarre one. A top-notch soundtrack, engaging driving mechanics, and more immersive features accompany this unforgettable experience.
7. FF7: Rebirth
Julio La Pine, Staff Writer: FF7 Remake left the bar extremely high, but somehow, FF7 Rebirth surpassed it in every possible way. This next installment of the planned trilogy is a fan service-fueled dream for any veteran fan of the legendary game. It introduces or, rather, re-introduces one of gaming’s most beloved casts in an open-world adventure like no other. Full of memorable places to visit, endearing moments, and a story that’ll stick with you for months after finishing, I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets GOTY 2024. It doesn’t matter if this is your first time meeting Cloud and the gang; this is a must-play for any JRPG fan out there.
6. Helldivers 2
Patrick Armstrong, Staff Writer: The Sony controversy drew justified anger, tarnishing the reputation (and Steam score) of Helldivers 2. Neither that nor the game’s rough launch could stop Arrowhead’s iron-clad baby from delivering some of the best co-op PvE action we’ve ever experienced. Master-class bug and bot killing? Check. A reasonable Battle Pass system that lets you grind for Credits instead of buying them? Check. Awful, pterodactyl-insect things that scream at you from the sky and try to rip you from your EXO-45 Patriot Exosuit? Check, for some reason. Super Earth never dies, and neither does our enthusiasm for Helldivers 2.
5. Hades 2
Patrick Armstrong, Staff Writer: Supergiant Games delivered us action roguelike perfection with Hades, and the sequel is chasing after that same peak despite its early access status. Zagreus is out, and his sister Melinoe is in, taking the fight to the titan Chronos. Shifting combat’s focus from weapons to curses altered the game’s strategic focus but didn’t destroy the joy of blasting through enemies. It has some growing to do, but it’s already a worthy successor to the crown. We’re keeping a close eye on this story of Greek heroics and RNG pain as it develops. Fingers crossed that it can one day equal the original. Honestly, we’ll take any excuse to see more of Supergiant’s killer characters.
4. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Julio La Pine, Staff Writer: Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, can be summed up as short but perfect. This eight-hour adventure takes photorealistic graphics to a new level and delivers the most visually stunning game we’ve seen in decades. While the narrative takes us to very dark places, literally and figuratively, and has some gut-wrenching moments, it is an adventure you have to experience at least once in your life. While I’m sad this sequel didn’t last as long as I would’ve wanted, it is one that will live rent-free in my mind for years to come. Judged by visuals alone, Hellblade 2 could be GOTY 2024 in that area without a second thought.
3. Destiny 2: The Final Shape
Jordan Moyer, Assistant Editor: Destiny 2: The Final Shape was a big game changer for Destiny 2 this year. In the past we’ve seen expansions that were, well, less than extravagant. The Final Shape, however, took Destiny 2 to new heights and introduced mechanics and playstyles that were much more enjoyable than I thought Bungie was capable of. Between the addition of the Prismatic Guardian subclass, which allows us to create a whole new subclass consisting of all the others in combination, the beautiful and tear-jerking story coming to an end, and even the new and unique enemy types, I had an amazing time diving into the Pale Heart.
2. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
Julio La Pine, Staff Writer: While many of us thought Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance would be a re-release with nothing added on top, it was much more than that. Vengeance is a completely new Megaten experience that brings a new story, new characters, enhanced combat mechanics, and a plethora of quality-of-life features. With a group of femme fatales in town, it’s up to you to stop them while trying to figure out what the heck is going on in this post-apocalyptic version of Tokyo. Also, it fixes some of the pacing issues the original version has, and it’s undoubtedly become the ultimate way to experience this new Shin Megami Tensei adventure. While we still need to see how Metaphor: ReFantazio fares, Vengeance is a GOTY 2024 contender and one of Atlus’ best games to date.
1. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Dylan Chaundy, Editor: Hidetaka Miyazaki loves to troll FromSoftware fans, and the latest Shadow of the Erdtree DLC was no exception. Months before release, the writer-director claimed that the upcoming expansion was “roughly the size of Limgrave”, which is a fairly small region southwest of the Lands Between. With those preconceived expectations in tow, fans were shocked to discover that the new content was almost as vast and epic as the fully-fledged base game. We’ll let that sink in for a second. Yes, Shadow of the Erdtree is bigger than most full-price games. Nuts, right?
Amazingly, in spite of this beefy expanse in size and scope, the core risk-and-reward gameplay at the heart of this action RPG remains utterly glorious. With its moreish sense of discovery, a bunch of devilishly challenging bosses that never fail to take your breath away, and an array of brand new monsters to defeat, locales to explore, and weapons to obtain, Shadow of the Erdtree is everything fans wanted, and a whole lot more. Essential stuff!
While there are many more games on the horizon, we feel these are our clear GOTY 2024 contenders so far. Still, it remains to be seen who will take the coveted crown when the year comes to a close. If you enjoyed this list, remember to keep an eye out on The Nerd Stash because you bet we’ll be covering the rest of the games coming in the latter months of 2024.
