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This year is arguably one of the best for video game releases despite not being so great for some of the developers that made them. It feels as though something genuinely incredible was released every few weeks, adding more and more tantalizing experiences to the realm of possibilities than previously thought tangible. After brief deliberations (what can I say? We know and love our games), The Nerd Stash team came up with a list of what we consider 2024’s Game of the Year for various reasons, including gameplay, story, art direction, and more. Let’s dive in!
10th Place – Neva
If our own Patrick Armstrong’s review of Neva didn’t convince you that it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, then the fact that it’s added here should. The 2D action platformer melds extraordinary narrative elements with color and atmosphere to create one of this year’s most beautiful experiences. Not only does it provide players with a gorgeous story, but you can also expect incredibly approachable gameplay while also adding the perfect amount of challenge. I may be biased because of how much I enjoyed the game, but I genuinely believe that it’s one that everyone should carefully and intimately play at least once.
9th Place – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Yes, I know that The Great Circle only just came out. But have you played it yourself? MachineGames developed an age-old concept using the IP that inspired the games that made the genre so popular and then managed to outdo them. Indiana Jones and The Great Circle doesn’t rely on the popular franchise of films; instead, it gives players a genuine and ideal action-adventure experience based on the core aspects that make the genre fun: puzzle solving, taking down bad guys, and finding treasure.
I think I went in expecting something like Shadow of the Tomb Raider or Uncharted 4 and walked away feeling as though developers Eidos and Naughty Dog could learn a thing or two from MachineGames.
8th Place – Silent Hill 2
Bloober Team’s take on Silent Hill 2 is a masterclass in game development. Every time I dive back in or read something about this game, I see and learn something new. The game follows the same story beats as the original, with a few extra scenes, additional items to find, and differing puzzles. However, it keeps the original’s integrity, atmosphere, and intensity, almost bettering them in many ways. From beginning to end, Bloober Team delivered a captivating and thought-provoking horror experience that defies and reimagines what gamers can expect from the future of the genre.
7th Place – Helldivers 2
I think very few people expected Helldivers 2 to be as popular as it was when it was first released. Not because it wasn’t good, but because few game developers tend to take the same kind of risks that Helldivers 2 did. It’s a genuinely funny live-service experience that’s absolutely chaotic, backed by Sony for that larger-than-life gameplay, and is immensely atmospheric to boot. The fact that you can play co-op with your friends in the same vein as games like Left 4 Dead really sealed the deal when it came to adding it to this list. It seems that being able to play campaigns cooperatively has been a lost art as of late, but Helldivers 2 remains the exception to the rule.
6th Place – Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
The second installment to the several-games-long saga of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake helped lead this year of incredible games. Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth takes off immediately after Retrograde and starts you off with many of the additional characters you can get on Cloud’s journey.
This game isn’t just a nostalgic reimagining—it’s a bold evolution that modernizes the original while borrowing smartly from contemporary design trends to carve out its own identity. Whether or not it hits the right notes will depend on each player, but for me, it was a thrilling dance with a fresh and exciting remix.
5th Place – Black Myth: Wukong
Black: Myth Wukong is among the most ambitious games I’ve played this year. Developer Game Science excellently delivered their take on the Souslike subgenre of games while honoring the legend behind the story itself. In my review, I considered Wukong to be “the game that future games in the genre will look to for inspiration,” and I still stand by that. In fact, I listed it just half a point below a perfect score. While this game is arguably the most challenging on this list, I recommend playing it at least once. It truly is a magical, superstitious, gorgeous, and exhilarating experience that builds on itself the further your journey through it.
4th Place – Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Until RGG Studios flops with any of their Like a Dragon main games, I’ll always add that year’s installment to a Game of the Year list. Infinite Wealth does an incredible job at bringing back the popular Like a Dragon franchise to the forefront of gaming conversations, much like every previous installment after the release of Yakuza 0 has.
This time, players have the opportunity to play as both Kazuma Kiryu and Ichiban Kasuga in Hawaii, and really, that alone puts this game at the second top spot of this list. It adopts a similar gameplay style to Yakuza 0 and brings back all the same wacky-to-serious dialogue and story beats you can expect from the franchise bundled in one massive adventure.
3rd Place – Balatro
I get the feeling that Balatro took everyone by surprise. You’re quite literally playing roguelike poker, combining the different types of heart-pumping gameplay that come with both the genre and the game into one exciting experience. It’ll have you sucked in before you even realize it. There have been a few runs where I end them with dry eyes because the combination of insane synth music, the colorful interface, and quick-draw gameplay subconsciously forced me to focus. However, don’t think that that means that it’s easy. You’ll be obsessively studying your hand and finding your flow before you know it.
2nd Place – Metaphor ReFantazio
Fans of Katsura Hashino were more than excited that he would be creating a game with his new studio using similar user interfaces, art styles, and general gameplay as the ever-popular Persona franchise. Metaphor: ReFantazio takes things in a different direction, implementing fantastical elements as regular, everyday realities while our world, the real world, is considered fictional. The game’s massive map allows for so many unique dialogue choices and side quests that motivate you to deeply discover all of its secrets in opposition to the relatively closed world of Persona games. It was definitely one of the most abstract and visually gorgeous games on this list.
Top Spot – Astro Bot
Astro Bot defined the meaning of hardware nostalgia for a lot of players, including myself. Not only did Astro Bot provide an incredibly accessible platformer filled with memories of old PlayStation mascots, but it was also a genuinely fun experience. In many ways, Astro Bot revived what having fun playing video games is all about, which I think is comparable to the success of the LittleBigPlanet series at its peak. It’s also really nice to see that PlayStation never let go of the idea of having a real mascot, essentially recognizing Astro as being in that role with this game.
