It's become clear that I'm going to be chasing the gaming high from 2022 for many years to come. That was an outstanding game year, but I shouldn't expect that I'm going to have such a wealth of favorites all the time. And I don't. 2024 was a perfectly cromulent year for games, but there were only a few that I'm super-excited about, and even of those, most weren't released this year. That's not to say there wasn't plenty of fun stuff to immerse myself in, but if I'm picking a favorite game played this year, rather than released this year, the choice becomes pretty obvious.
Ghost of Tsushima was originally released in 2020, and then on the PS5 in 2021, but I only just played it this year. Such a shame that I waited so long, because it is one of the most gorgeous games I've ever played. Some of the Assassin's Creed games were great, but none of their settings come close to the visual splendor of Japan during the first Mongol invasion. If it were only pretty, though, it wouldn't be top of the list. It's also really, really fun. This style of game can sometimes fall into the trap of having too much going on. The map becomes overwhelmingly littered with icons of people to talk to or pieces of parchment to find or whatever. Ghost of Tsushima keeps it to a perfect, manageable size, and goes a step further of doing the outstanding job of weaving directions and side content in organically. No need for a pop-up message telling you where to go next if a gentle gust of wind does it. You can bet that I won't be so slow to play Ghost of Yotei when it comes out next year.
If we're sticking to games released in 2024, just like last year, I won't be wandering off from the crowd. My choice, like so many others', is Astro Bot.
I used to really get into platformers such as Spyro the Dragon, but there hasn't been one that's grabbed my attention in a long time. It's almost confusing why something like Astro Bot hasn't come along, because its concept is simple: Go to various worlds, rescue your bot friends, and pick up some loot along the way. Of course, it helps that the visuals are terrific, and the music is the most joyous score I've heard in years (I actually often put it on my headphones to listen to while I'm working). This style of game also means they can add additional worlds, so I can see myself enjoying this one for a long time to come.
There were some other standouts as well this year, from the mystery solving hotel maid in This Bed We Made, to the cheeky British humor of Thank Goodness You're Here! to the soothing zen of PowerWash Simulator. There's even a late entry that I just started called Rolling Hills - Make Sushi, Make Friends, which is so right up my alley, I'm surprised the idea wasn't taken straight from my dreams.
And let's not forget tabletop gaming, either. We're still going strong with the Arkham Horror card game, but as far as new games, we had a lot of fun with Aeon's End and Dominion. But for video games, let's get to the loosely-ranked list!
PowerWash Simulator
This Bed We Made
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Riley & Rochelle
Miles Morales
Coral Island
Alone in the Dark
Scene Investigators
Frog Detective
Murderous Muses
1 comments:
Also really enjoyed Coffee Talk. Nice relaxing little story game. I'll ahve t ocheck out This Bed We Made on your recommendation. Thanks!
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