2024 in Games: A Review

At the end of the year, I always like to look back and see how the gaming industry performed. I think anyone who pays attention to gaming trends can usually tell when a year is less interesting or enticing than others. 2024 might have seemed at first like it could have been a lean year, but as we close out the year, I’m inclined to believe that it was actually a really solid one.

RPG Lovers had a lot to sink their teeth into this year with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Metaphor ReFantazio, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and Dragon Age: The Veilguard as AAA high points. The Indie side of things wasn’t slacking either, offering things like Flowstone Saga, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, and plenty more.

The Horror genre saw a continued boom, with the Silent Hill 2 Remake, Alan Wake 2’s DLC expansions, Blumhouse Games bringing new horror indies, and more. We also can’t forget the return of older releases like Clock Tower: Rewind and the Castlevania Dominus Collection. While this doesn’t count really as horror, I also think Vampire Therapist is worth mentioning on a narrative level. Helping the immortal vampires with their mental health is a daunting task, and mental health struggles can be scary.

Silent Hill wasn’t the only franchise to return this year. Prince of Persia had two wonderful releases, specifically Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and The Rogue Prince of Persia. Persona 3 Reload also revitalized a beloved classic, continuing the theme of “old becoming new again” that peppered 2024. We also can’t forget the remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.

As far as lighter, more family-friendly options, two games stood out to me. The Plucky Squire and Astro Bot. These are by no means a comprehensive list though, considering Princess Peach Showtime!, Super Mario Party Jamboree, and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom no doubt offered some family-friendly fun.

I could list the higher points of this year’s gaming experiences for days and make this article 9000 words long, because we had a solid year. Instead, I’ll mention some honorable mentions that you might want to try. If you haven’t already, consider playing:

Supermarket Simulator
Animal Well
Halls of Torment (now fully released)
Stellar Blade
Gestalt: Steam and Cinder
Fairy Tail: Dungeons

Another Crab’s Treasure
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Tomba: Special Edition
What the Car?
Pepper Grinder
Wilmot Works it Out

There are a lot more I could suggest, but don’t forget things in Early Access either like Hades II or Death Must Die. The gaming landscape is full of great experiences right now, and 2025 is likely to be just as solid as 2024 was. If anyone tells you that 2024 was a slow year for games, they clearly weren’t paying attention.