It is that time of year when we reflect on the year, our experiences and of course the mountains of games we played and added to our backlog. Despite a year of studio closures, massive layoffs and turmoil 2024 had a banner year for gaming.

Not only were there massive blockbusters the Indie gaming scene continued to astound with innovative and exciting titles breaking out. There were many, many outstanding games, but a choice few cemented themselves into my psyche and left an indelible impact that set them apart from the rest.

This is not a list looking at the highest scoring games, or the best selling games, instead it is focused on games that made an impact, made me escape into their worlds. They are games that made me obsessed, made me smile, laugh or just count the minutes until I could dive back in again.

10 – 1000xRESIST

I experienced 1000xRESIST well after it launched in May based on some recommendations from peers and people forming their own GOTY thoughts. It is a completely weird and wonderful game that surprised me, frustrated me and then compelled me to keep exploring until the end.

Born from an eclectic set of inspirations, including the games of Yoko Taro (NieR:Automata), the anime of Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue) and Naoko Yamada (A Silent Voice) 1000xRESIST is a mix of action, narrative choices and exploration. Taking the role of a Watcher we get to experience the story of the AllMother, a young woman who was immune to a world ending disease over a thousand years ago and repopulated the globe with her clones.

The story is bonkers, the look and feel of the game is unique and memorable and the story unfolds in a surprising and heartfelt way I was not expecting. The world is fully realized and holds many secrets that get discovered over the course of the game. It is a tale and experience well worth checking out and is available for PC via Steam and GoG as well as on Nintendo Switch.

9 – Dragon Age: The Veilguard

The latest Dragon Age game has been divisive, but frankly for all the wrong reasons. The stupidest corners of the Internet hate on it of perceived DEI inclusions ‘messing up the game’ despite the fact that Dragon Age has ALWAYS been inclusive, LGBTQ+ aware and deeply political.

I found Dragon Age: The Veilguard to be extraordinary but flawed because the game felt like Dragon Age Lite despite a terrific story, visuals and gameplay with some truly fun new hooks. What was missing was the really impactful choices, deep romance options and flawed conflicted companions.

The game is amazing to play, compelling to continue exploring and the look and feel (while not everyone’s favorite in the series) really clicked with me. It is a truly great game that played it safe, despite some really compelling peeks into political issues, sexual/gender orientations and character designs.

With all that being said it is in this top 10 list because it grabbed me and didn’t let go till the end. I just wanted more compelling hooks and conflicts like we had in previous entries. I also chatted a LOT about this entry to friends which makes it a successful experience when you want to discuss it with other folks who played the game.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is available on PC via Steam, Epic and GoG as well as on Xbox Series S|X and PlayStation 5.

8 – Stellar Blade

Stellar Blade is so uncompromisingly unique in it’s delivery, style and gameplay in a way that was refreshing to experience and see develop as the year went on. An action game focused on a surviving agent from an all female android battalion that has many costumes for the lead character could have gone very wrong but instead was an epic experience.

The story revolves around 7^th Airborne Squad member EVE as she arrives on the desolate remains of the planet with a clear-cut mission: to save humankind by reclaiming Earth from the Naytiba – the malevolent force that had devastated it.

But as EVE tackles the Naytiba one-by-one, piecing together the mysteries of the past in the ruins of human civilization, she realizes that her mission is far from straightforward. In fact, almost nothing is as it seems. The setup is pure campy sci-fi but the delivery is what sets it apart and the amazing fast paced action glues the whole thing into a must play experience.

What was refreshing about Stellar Blade was how they handled the lead character and her many costumes and the post release support. The outfits vary from cool to weird and sexy to functional. All rolled out in a way that adds a beauty and feeling of discovery to the game without going full out sexualized if that makes any sense.

The developers also really committed to giving more and more Stellar Blade with additional outfits and crossovers with Nier: Automata to keep the game fresh. The NG+ and photo modes added post launch just keep the game getting better and better with more challenges, progression and cosmetics to unlock. Oh and while there were some DLC based cosmetics, the vast majority are unlocked through gameplay which is a rare and appreciated gift.

Stellar Blade was released as a PlayStation exclusive but will be getting a PC release sometime in 2025.

7 – The Plucky Squire

The concept of The Plucky Squire is so charming. A courageous, humble and skilled warrior continually fights off nemesis DHumgrump while creating logs of his adventures that become The Plucky Squire books.

Very few people in the stories know that they are in fact characters in a book, but DHumgrump returns and figures that out and how to manipulate events so he wins. This would set off a terrible chain of events in the real world so the Plucky Squire and his friends harness new powers to fight back.

This game was a genuine pleasure to play, melding classic Zelda elements with action platforming with random Punch Out and archery sequences among others to continually deliver a refreshing experience. The narrative is fresh and fun with some zingers and twists and turns keeping the adventure going.

What I loved best about The Plucky Squire was the sheer joy in the game that remains consistent even when things seem to get grim. The side characters, narrator and the Plucky Squire themselves all bring a positive spin to the game that made it joyful to experience.

The fact that the game looks and sounds fantastic and is very fun to play just cements this as one of the best games of the year. The Plucky Squire is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam

6 – Astro Bot

This one seems like a no-brainer based on the accolades it has gotten but Astro Bot is that special game that not only lives up to the promise shown in Astro’s Playroom but handily surpasses it in every way. It is charming, fun, gorgeous and is a true showcase of everything the PlayStation 5 is capable of.

The story is fairly simple – ASTRO and his cohort of BOTS are blasting through space in the PlayStation 5 Mothership when a nasty green alien cracks the console open and steals the CPU. Unable to hold itself together, the PS5 Mothership breaks apart, scattering the Bots and its four component parts throughout the galaxy. Astro has to rescue all his friends (and plenty of new ones) and restore the mothership.

Astro Bot is just a joy to play, with a whimsical and cute approach that can be maniacally challenging to play to perfection. The developer has added dozens of amazing cameos and characters from the PlayStation universe and wrapped the game around themes from the entire PlayStation Ecosystem.

I was actually genuinely worried that a full game would be fumbled after the brilliance of the free (yes free) Astro’s Playroom that was part of the PS5 but Team ASOBI proved me wrong. This is a brilliant game, a world class mascot and an all time great on the PlayStation 5 system.

5 – Hades II

Next up in the fifth position is Hades II, which was on day one of early access a nearly perfect game to me, unbelievably it has just gotten better. This sequel to the chart topping Hades brings a new protagonist in the form of Melinoë, a Princess of the Underworld, daughter of Hades and Persephone and younger sister of Zagreus, the former protagonist of Hades.

This shift to Melinoë adds an exploration of spellcraft amongst many other skills to the Hades formula. This time around the enemy is the Titan of Time and Melinoë needs to gather all resources, weapons and spell infused abilities to beat back him and his minions.

Supergiant games has consistently proven that they are masters of many genres and styles so it was surprising to see them immediately follow up Hades with a sequel (their first yet as a company). The feedback from the first game was so overwhelming and the universe so rich that they felt there was much more to explore and I could not agree more.

Everything is refined, expanded and enhanced. There are more paths to discover, secrets to uncover and new characters to meet around every corner. This game is a delight to play and it being a rogue-like means the game can continually be explored as the developer continues to grow and expand the experience.

The only reason Hades II is not higher on the list is that it is quite similar to the first game despite all the changes and enhancements and that loses some of the wow factor. But it is a masterpiece of gameplay, visuals and sound design and should be in everyone’s game catalog. Hades II is still in early access and can be found on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.

4 – Star Wars Outlaws

Likely the most controversial pick to some, but after playing through this brilliant Star Wars experience it was a no-brainer for my top 10 list. Star Wars Outlaws suffered greatly from review bombing and online trolls due to some truly idiotic DEI notions and that is a shame because it likely scared away many people from experiencing this amazing tale in the Star Wars Universe.

Centered around the awkwardly cool character of Kay Vess, a scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix. The game has you fight, steal, and outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted.

At it’s heart Star Wars Outlaws is a long build up heist game, with Kay recruiting, coercing or bribing other outlaws to join her crew to take on the ultimate score. Of course like in all heist stories there are double crosses, mysteries and misfortunes that pop up as the story rolls on.

What I loved best above all other things in Star Wars Outlaws is how it truly nails the Star Wars vibes I felt when I saw the trilogy way back when. The fascination with the strange planets, creatures and factions as well as the galactic rivalries that are all too familiar in our real world.

Despite what you may have heard the lead character, Kay Vess, is also one of the coolest new characters in the Star Wars universe. A little bit Han Solo, a lot Lando Calrissian and some noble Princess leia thrown in (but she will never admit it). She has been abandoned, back stabbed, lied to, beat up, caged and tortured, but still manages to be likeable and somehow look for the best in people and droids (well eventually she does).

The story does veer into the predictable pretty quickly, but the scenarios, characters, mini heists, mysteries, secrets, upgrades and badass speeder races more that make up for that. Add to it that the game looks fantastic and has a visceral audio punch that brings the universe to life.

Star wars Outlaws is a VERY underrated game that deserves to be played by as many people as possible. It is available on PC via Steam, Epic, and Ubisoft direct as well as on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S|X.

3 – Balatro

Very few games have grabbed me like Balatro did and still does. I have logged over a hundred hours playing this devilishly addicting game and I pick it up still weekly on my Steam Deck. I am not alone in this, the game has been a smash hit and has won Indie Game of the Year recently at a pretty fancy awards show.

Balatro centers around the game of poker and earning enough points with various hands to progress to the next blind and round. But they add so many tweaks, modifiers, special cards, jokers, multipliers and conditions that the game becomes an endless delight hand after hand.

With the ability to find or buy cards that increase the value of certain hands the game becomes strategic in different ways each and every round. Thanks to multipliers around pairs and certain cards I was able to play through a whole cycle on mainly two pairs as my winning hand.

The loop of new cards, jokers, crazy conditions and new deck types that add modifiers or restraints Balatro remains fresh each and every time I boot it up, which is often. The game has also become a cultural phenomenon with crossover decks added for many games such as Binding of Isaac, Slay the Spire, Stardew Valley as well as The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077. They even added a small mission in Cyberpunk 2077 to get Balatro cosmetics.

The hype is real for this game, Balatro is addicting, fun, quick to pick up and hard to put down. It continues to evolve with new decks, modifiers and Jokers and is available right now on PC via Steam, on Mobile via Apple and Google stores as well as on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series S|X and PlayStation 5

2 – Metaphor: ReFantazio

From the creators of the Persona series comes this years most surprising hit game – Metaphor: ReFantazio. Most people, myself included, assumed they would release another full Persona game, instead they made a fantastical take on the genre with Metaphor, and as a result removed many of the troublesome elements from the Persona series.

I am a diehard fan of Persona, but find that some of the relationships and tropes are a tad worrisome (In Persona 5 you can romance a teacher and your doctor as the high school main character). With Metaphor for good or ill they removed the romance side of the formula and focused on the story, exploration and narrative cycles between the small group of heroes in the game.

This is not a high school sim, instead focuses on the death of the High King in a mystical land. The protagonist, together with his partner, the fairy Gallica, must find a way to break the curse that has been placed on the prince that the kingdom believes to be dead. To do so, they depart on a journey across the vast land.

They will discover that in order to achieve their goal, they must participate in the tournament for the throne, and this great task shall require them to ally with many friends and followers of the various tribes inhabiting the world.

The story is larger than life and echoes more a Final Fantasy plot line than a Persona one but the gameplay, progression and powers used is as deep and fun as any Persona series. Each character can channel an Archetype that gives them powers to aid in combat and exploration.

Much like previous games the Archetypes can evolve and be swapped out, in Metaphor there is a very interesting requirements system that allows more powerful Archetypes if conditions are met. Everything about this game is polished, fun and continually evolves as the story progresses.

The Day/Night cycle common in Persona is back and allows the party to do side missions, train, learn skills and strengthen bonds. It is all done in a quick and efficient way that never seems a chore and is always interesting.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is a fantastic game to play but also looks and sounds amazing with a fully voiced cast and astounding music throughout the game. This is a title that will hook you from the moment it starts and keeps the pace till the credits roll. Metaphor: ReFantazio is available right now on PC via Steam as well as on Xbox Series S|X and PlayStation 5.

1 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

When Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was announced way back in 2021 I was hesitantly optimistic. The game was in the capable hands of Machine Games (Wolfenstein: The New Order, The New Colossus) but it was to be a first person Indiana Jones game and that takes something special to do right.

Years passed with barely any information, then trailers and gameplay reveals starting flowing out and I became genuinely excited. Troy Baker plays Indiana Jones and channels a very convincing Harrison Ford, but until I got my hands on the game I still had some doubts.

Well once I finally got a chance I was immedietely hooked and wowed by what Machine Games has managed to pull off. This is not just an Uncharted or Tomb Raider clone branded as an Indiana Jones game…this is undeniably Indiana Jones through and through.

The wisecracks, the complete tunnel vision he gets when he discovers a new clue or secret, the hatred of Nazis, the flirting with women, the overmatched fights with bigger guys, it is ALL here. Literally every scene makes me truly feel like I am Indiana Jones, he is not Nathan Drake climbing with fingertips, he gets winded, he falls, he loses fights, but he always gets up, dusts off his hat and keeps going with that textbook grin.

You start the adventure with a gun, and even find bullets, but I found myself very rarely firing them or guns found on enemies. It just did not feel like something Indy would do unless a last option, plus they are loud and attract attention I just never wanted.

I raise the guns issue as it is pretty much the template for everything in this game, as it always seems to ask, what would Indiana Jones do? This simple immersiveness into the iconic character makes the already excellent story have a much stronger impact and I found myself getting as excited as Indiana each and every time I dusted off a new relic or discovered another secret door.

Once I played through Indiana Jones and the Great Circle it was hands down the Game of the Year for me. It is a masterclass on how to take an established and beloved franchise and make a game experience around it. The joy I got from playing this game and the chats with friends and family as I talked about scenes just further demonstrates how well the developer understood their assignment.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is available right now for Xbox Series S|X as well as PC via Windows App and Steam. They have also announced it will be coming to PlayStation 5 in spring 2025.

Honorable mentions – Cyberpunk 2077, Silent Hill 2, Dragons Dogma 2

Yes, Cyberpunk 2077 came out years ago, but it will likely be my game of the year for many more years to come. I continually go back and replay the game loaded with mods and experience Night City in a different way every time. I asked a question recently in a discussion, what game world would you visit indefinitely if content kept getting added? Cyberpunk 2077 is the easy answer.

Silent Hill 2 is a brilliant remake of the classic horror game that maintains the tone and setting but pulls in all the modern functionality and graphics of todays games. Better voice acting, improved map system, changed (for the better) camera angles and smoother combat make this a world class remake of an amazing game.

While at the surface Dragon’s Dogma 2 looks like a Skyrim clone the combat, exploration and pawn system set it apart from that game. The story is huge and epic in scale, the pawns are frankly a cool little army and when you defeat enemies they high five you. I found myself just enjoying exploring and trying to find all the secrets while developing my skills and my Pawns abilities.