Best Of 2024: Games
The panelists of the Great Pop Culture Debate have nominated their favorite video games of 2024. Check out their recommendations below. (Unlike previous years, we did not do an actual episode devoted to Best Of 2024; we’re just doing listicles on the website.) Games discussed include Astro Bot, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Metaphor: ReFantazio, UFO 50, and more.
Want to drop your own favorite games? Feel free to share them in the comments.
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Astro Bot (PS5)
Team Asobi’s Astro Bot took home top honors at this year’s Game Awards, and for good reason. A charming 3D platformer in the vein of Super Mario, Sony’s latest PlayStation 5 exclusive is arguably its best to date. With inventive levels that pay homage to Uncharted, Horizon, and other Sony franchises; a bevy of collectible “bots” and discoverable easter eggs; and a gorgeous aesthetic that takes full advantage of the PS5 hardware, Astro Bot is fun for all ages. (David Silbert)
Balatro (Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox S|X, PC)
If there was a game anyone could appreciate in 2024, it’s Balatro. Created by solo developer LocalThunk, Balatro takes a game anyone and their grandparents know—poker—and turns it into an addicting roguelike. As with poker, you want to play high-value hands like a full house or four-of-a-kind; unlike poker, however, you can purchase various jokers that grant access to wacky play styles. (The “Fibonacci” joker adds a multiplier when you play a hand that includes an ace, 2, 3, 5, or 8, for example.) It’s a recipe for utter chaos, and it’s glorious. If you don’t own a game console, don’t fret—Balatro is also available on iOS/Android, so you can play on the go. (David Silbert)
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake (PS5, Nintendo Switch, XBox S|X, PC)
I played Dragon Warrior III – as the series was then known in the United States – on the NES when it was released in the 1990s. I loved the first two games in the fantasy RPG series, and beat both of them. But I never beat III, because my cart had what I assume is a faulty battery. My save files kept getting erased, meaning I was constantly starting over. I never touched another Dragon Warrior/Dragon Quest game again. So I was delighted when Square Enix announced it was doing remaster of the first three games in the series (released in narrative chronological order, as III is actually set before I and II), using the whimsical HD 2D style deployed for the Octopath Traveler games. I’m only a third of the way through the game as of writing this, but I’m loving the experience. The simple but effective gameplay is enhanced with quality-of-life improvements. The music is absolutely sumptuous. While the trappings are more appealing to modern audiences, the remake remains faithful to the original, including the difficulty that ratchets up lightning fast. I love this, and I’m excited to replay I & II when they’re released as a collection in 2025. (Eric Rezsnyak)
In the lead-up to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, developer Square Enix was tasked with doing the impossible: create a faithful homage to the original Final Fantasy VII while continuing the “unknown journey” the team began with 2020’s VII Remake. This was a dilemma of their own making, of course. Had Remake been a true 1:1 remake, Rebirth wouldn’t have had to be... well, a rebirth. But that was the point, and the studio stuck firmly to its vision. Not only does Rebirth improve on many aspects of its predecessor (the combat and music particularly shine), but it offers an ending that fans—love it or hate it—will be talking about for years to come. (David Silbert)
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Nintendo Switch)
Zelda fans were stunned when Nintendo announced a new entry in the fantasy series this year, especially when it was revealed that, for the first time in a canon title, the princess Zelda herself would be the protagonist. The move been oft-requested, and oft-rumored, but this time we got it – and the complaining immediately began. “Why can’t Zelda fight like Link?” “Why does Zelda have to rely on other creatures to fight her battle for her?” “Why does Zelda’s game have such a childlike aesthetic?” Etc. Echoes of Wisdom is not a perfect game. There were moments where the echo AIs drove me absolutely nuts, and it’s a fairly short adventure for a full-priced Nintendo game. But appreciating the game for what it is, it’s a unique entry in the Zelda series that still feels very much part of the whole (specifically in the Link’s Awakening/Link to the Past period, as the game was built on the Awakening HD remaster’s engine). I personally appreciate that Zelda plays differently than Link, with more of an emphasis on puzzle solving than combat (that’s the part of Zelda games I prefer, the sword fighting is pedestrian). It is more accessible than Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom, but I would argue that it needed to be. The series cannot keep going down the Soulslike path without alienating casual players. Overall this was a delightful surprise this year, and I ended up loving sending out hordes of Moblins or a Lynel to decimate my enemies. Where do I get one of those Tri Rods in real life? (Eric Rezsnyak)
Metaphor: ReFantazio (PS4, PS5, Xbox S|X, PC)
2024 wasn’t exactly our year. Maybe something fun happened: You got married, had a beautiful child, or won the lottery. But unless you managed to high-tail it to Europe, you’re still stuck in the post-electrum doldrums like the rest of us. If there’s any solace, it’s that Atlus’s latest RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio, gives us a blueprint to get out of this funk. A spin-off of the Persona franchise, Metaphor takes the former’s calendar system and tells a gripping narrative about a band of rebels who rally against racism and autocracy while uniting a kingdom around the good of democracy. Evil abounds in Metaphor, but so do acts of kindness and civility — a far cry from our real world. (David Silbert)
Plate Up! (Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox S|X, PC)
Technically this game came out in 2022, but strictly on PC. In 2024 it made the jump to consoles, and enjoyed significantly more mainstream attention. A great party game, Plate Up! allows up to four players to work cooperatively as they build and run a restaurant. You can choose the type of business you run – pizza place, steakhouse, coffeehouse, etc. – and then divvy up responsibilities. Who will prepare the food? Who will work front of house, welcoming guests and cleaning up these (incredibly slovenly) customers? Who will SERVE the food? Who will wash dishes? How will you invest your earnings? It sounds cozy, but in reality it becomes incredibly stressful, as one unhappy customer means game over for you and your burgeoning restaurant. The screaming in my living room that this game elicited – far too much. Between this game and FX’s The Bear, my appreciation of food-service workers has skyrocketed, as has my dependency on anti-anxiety medications. (Eric Rezsnyak)
The Simpsons: Tapped Out (Android, iOS)
The Simpsons: Tapped Out, originally launched in 2012, has officially ended its run in 2024, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of mobile gaming. Over the years, the game has gained a dedicated fan base due to its humor, engaging gameplay, and faithfulness to the beloved TV show. In July, I thought I would check it out, to play something like Sim City. I had tried it years ago and it didn't stick at the time. Well, this time I found it fun and I became addicted. Then, in September, a “final” storyline was pushed out with the message, “To our beloved fans, We have made the difficult decision to sunset Tapped Out. In-app purchases have been disabled, and the game will be removed from the app stores October 31, 2024. You may continue playing until January 24th, 2025, at which point servers will be turned off and TSTO will not be accessible.” Developers proceeded to re-release all the special items and characters released over the years, which many fans paid sizeable sums of money for, and a mechanism to generate unlimited free funds to purchase them. It was interesting to acquire unique items and have a “cheat code” to build whatever you want, while also sad for many fans to have the world they had built for more than 10 years soon disappear. The final season storyline ended with an image of the Simpsons family looking at a sunset over the Tapped Out Springfield, a fitting goodbye to this institution in gaming. (Jim Czadzeck)
UFO 50 (Steam)
UFO 50 went under the radar for many this year, and that’s a damn shame. If you’ve gamed since the early days (on the Atari, the NES, or heck, at the local arcade), you’ll immediately see the appeal of the latest indie release from Mossmouth (of Spelunky fame). UFO 50 offers a collection of 50 all-new games under the guise of a fictional ‘80s company. So, while the controls and color palettes adhere to the limits of old-school gaming, the design is very much modern. The result is a collection of games that, for just $25, never fails to surprise and delight. (David Silbert)
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