2024 was undeniably an incredible year for games. I don’t often tend to play new releases, so it is to my complete surprise that four games from the current year have made it to my top 10 list this year. Four! As primarily a backlog and PS Plus gamer, I often don’t even experience that many current games in a year, let alone enjoy them enough that they dominate the top 5 of my list.
While I haven’t managed to play as many games this year as I did in the previous years, it is safe to say I had some all timer experiences and it was a particular struggle ordering the lower end of the list, having to decide who to cut despite also giving me some fantastic memories.
Without further ado, here is the best of my 2024 gaming experiences.
I do my game tracking on GG App, you can see all 34 of the games I experienced in 2024 here.
10. Alan Wake 2
Number 10 on the list is a game that I didn’t play myself, but was one hell of an experience regardless. Watching a friend play the game and theory crafting along the way of this absolute trip of a journey was an especially fun time. Tying it into the first game – which I didn’t enjoy very much – and Control – which was only just bumped down from this very list – allowed us to go full corkboard and strings while taking in the atmosphere of this dingy, eerily beautiful world.
Ask me right now to summarise the story and I am not sure that I could off the top of my head, but it was a lot of fun along the way and now I think in spirals.
9. Mass Effect 3/Legendary Edition
Finishing up the Mass Effect trilogy was a monumental moment. Legitimately the end of an era. Despite the fact that we only played Mass Effect 3 this year, I am including the others in here too as they are all within the Legendary Edition.
It took us years and now I finally understand why the ending is disliked on such a universal level. Thankfully, it did not dampen the memories of my years long playthrough of this epic series, with moments of the finale having me in actual tears on stream, something that I generally prefer to avoid.
8. The Talos Principle
This list has a couple of games that I didn’t have the most fun playing but shone so bright in other areas that I loved them anyway. The Talos Principle is the first of those. I made my way through the puzzles because I had to. What I was really there for was the story, delivered in the form of a computer archive. Every new area I made it to gave me the rush of finding new information. While I found the puzzles fun at first, they eventually became a block between me and my next lore fix.
I will admit, by the end I was following a guide for most of the puzzles – especially the stars – but the story was so interesting that despite this, I think this is my favourite first person puzzle game that I have played yet (unless Portal 2 co-op counts as its own game).
7. Frostpunk
Frostpunk is the only game that made it onto this list from my 12 Days of Epic Games series, but it sure did earn its place. It was only the second game of the 12 and I immediatly broke my own rule that I was only trying out these games. I ended up finishing the campaign within the week.
I couldn’t get enough of the stress. I am not sure that I have played a game that balanced that line of helplessness but just scraping by so well in my entire life. I was sure I was going to fail, tens of times. Yet every time, through some miracle, we managed to pull through. It was not elegent, there was suffering, but I fully embodied my position of leader and did everything in my power to save my people.
What I am saying is, this is the most immersive, thrilling, coldest city builder that I have ever played. It was memorable, and it was pretty incredible.
6. Undertale
Above I mentioned some games making it onto the list despite not having the most fun during the act of playing. Undertale is the second. I very nearly quit, but I am so pleased I persevered.
I had heard bits about Undertale but didn’t really know what to expect until I tried it out during 12 Days of Game Pass. Even then, I knew that I liked it, but I didn’t realise quite how much I was going to enjoy it until I finally jumped back in, 2 years later. Despite having some things spoiled, I really appreciate what this game is. It is humorous, clever, heartfelt, more difficult than I had hoped but I am not sure that is a problem for everyone.
Whether you find it iconic or cheesy, the Stay Determined messaging stayed with me for a while, making a real life effort to notice things that I too could stay determined about.
5. Mouthwashing
Mouthwashing is the second and final game on the list that I watched rather than played. Once I watched it, I immediatly watched it again. And again. And I wasn’t sick of it even after watching 3 different playthroughs. I was glad that I didn’t play it myself because of certain gameplay sections, although part of me wishes they weren’t even there. Not just because I wouldn’t have enjoyed playing them, but because I think the game would have been better for it.
Overall though, I couldn’t get enough of the bleak, disturbing tones of this game. The claustrophobic setting and the off putting characters drew me in in the exact opposite way that I would have fled from them in real life. The game is an examination of a few themes that almost feel spoilery to mention, but hits that morbid mood itch in its own unique, worthwhile way.
4. Animal Well
Just like Undertale, I very nearly quit this game. But despite that, the impeccable uncanny atmosphere, the stunning colours and the freedom of puzzle solving kept me coming back for more. It took my eyes a short while to adjust, but once they did, this could well be the most stylish pixel art game I have ever played. The audio design also deserves a massive shout out for being both confidently understated yet enticingly effective.
Animal Well would never have worked as a stream game for me, but I desperately wish I could capture the absolutely chaotic energy during my journey of discovery. I perhaps got even more joy from stumbling into solutions than I did using my brain. Over and over again I would somehow make exactly the right mistake at exactly the right time to learn something that I would never have even thought of. It is masterful in design and the lack of handholding is somehow empowering.
This game can get spooky. My blood ran cold at least 3 times and I almost quit at least as many. Guides were my friend in these scenarios and I am glad that I pushed through to experience this gem that I would have passed on if it wasn’t available on PS Plus.
3. Life is Strange 2
Life is Strange 2 was the final Life is Strange game that I had left to play. It may be an unpopular opinion, but I definitely saved the best till last.
This game was better than I could have hoped. It didn’t take me long to get invested in the brothers, but it was the ‘on the road’ element that really made this game tailored to me. It was full of emotions, highs and lows, wondering what might be next, and I connected with it more than I have any other LiS game to date.
I think it is a shame that so many people pass this one by. I understand that my experience isn’t the most common one, but if you enjoy the LiS format but skipped 2 because of low expectations, I would ask you to reconsider and give it a shot. It was definitely worth my time and may well be worth yours too.
2. 1000xRESIST
Oh. My. God. 1000xRESIST came out of nowhere and just decided to become part of my life. I have written extensively about both my first impressions (which took me a while to warm up) and my full experience with the game, so I won’t go into much detail here. What I will say is that this game is worth your time.
There is a reason that this game recieved so many nominations and awards. It tells a story that so many others could only hope to tell, so confidently that you don’t have any choice but to listen, admire, and continue to ponder long after playing. It is bold in its choices in a way that most AAA could not be, and if you can buy into the world they created – which you should – then you are guaranteed to go on a thoughtful and emotional journey, on both a personal and grand scale.
1. Astro Bot
The level of detail is just phenomenal. Every new level, just take a second and admire the physics of every single thing that you touch. I have never been in such kinetic and satisfying environments and this could only possibly have come to fruition from a team putting their heart and soul into their project. It is genuinely awe-inspiring, as well as wholesome and nostalgic as you make your way through the carefully crafted planets.
For the record, I have been championing Astro since Playroom and if you haven’t played it yet, I still think it is very worth it. It has a different set up to Astro Bot and it will make everytime you power on your PS5 feel like magic. Plus, it has one of my favourite video game songs ever (I am looking at you, GPU). I have yet to play the VR game but overall, this is the most joyful series that I have ever touched and Team Asobi have my trust for anything that they create in the future.
Considering I have had so many high quality experiences with game in the past, it feels insane that there are still so many waiting for me. I have already selected a bunch of games I hope to play in 2025 as part of a backlog challenge and I look forward to seeing which games make it onto next years list.
top 10 games experienced in Other years
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