Another December means another end-of-year roundup and retrospective on the past 12 months or so of games for us here on TechRadar Gaming. And with that comes the very important matter of deciding our games of the year from everything we’ve enjoyed.
From wintry strategy games in the post-apocalypse to bombastic multiplayer phenomena, from indie card-playing hits to incredible open worlds, and from nostalgia-soaked galactic adventures to bleak and dark tales, there’s been so much to sink your teeth into this year, no matter your personal preferences, and no matter what you play on.
However, despite providing us with all these adventures, 2024 has proved another tough year for those making the games. We’ve seen thousands upon thousands more layoffs with multiple studios contracting or closing, and the impact has been tangible. The brutal human cost that Jake, my predecessor, mentioned in our game of the year list last year has continued in 2024, and it’s hard to have unbridled excitement for the games without acknowledging that. From mass redundancies to baffling studio closures, we’ve seen some of the worst of the past two years in the last 12 months.
The games we’ve played this year though have been excellent, and testament to the human effort of those making the games for our enjoyment. The list below is the team’s distilled take of our own personal favorites from the year and is the result of some negotiating and well-argued-over personal takes, but it is largely just an appreciation for the varied amounts of awesome fun we had this year. Here’s what we enjoyed the most from 2024.
Rob Dwiar, Managing Editor, TechRadar Gaming
10. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is one of my favorite games of 2024 for a few reasons. It’s a narrative-driven action game that’s so bleak, harrowing, dark, and heavy, that it’ll live long in my memory.
Game info
Developer: Ninja Theory
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Play it on: Xbox Series X|S, PC
The key to this is that it’s one of the best-designed games in terms of art, audio, and visual design (from characters and mo-cap to environments) that I’ve played this year and probably in a good while.
The photorealistic graphics, incredible performances, and mocap execution as well as the brutal combat are teamed with a strong sense of place and rich atmosphere created by the Icelandic landscape, and a gripping narrative. Woven into that there’s also an undercurrent of mental health and a representation of psychosis which feels important and well-delivered, bringing it to the fore in a number of gripping ways as Senua battles foes, the elements, and herself.
As a follow-up to the deeply interesting and harrowing Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, the game continues bleak and dark themes, but does so with great confidence and skill, delivering them in an impactful manner; Senua’s adventure and trials feel tangible and like your own. It might not have the deepest combat or traversal, but Hellblade 2 still executes what it sets out to do brilliantly, and I am certainly looking forward to going back to it one day to experience it all over again.
Rob Dwiar, Managing Editor
9. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
At a time when many big-budget developers are chasing the latest live service trends, Capcom should be commended for not being afraid to push the envelope with something truly new. There’s nothing else quite like Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess and that fact alone makes it one of the biggest highlights of the year in my book.
Game info
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Play it on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
Blending real-time tower-defense strategy with a deep hack-and-slash combat system, keeping shrine maiden Yoshiro safe from the evil Seethe in a mystical ancient Japan is an engaging challenge that has you mixing a wide range of possible units with traps and your own attacks to survive. Each stage brings a new mechanic, enemy, or environmental hazard to the table, keeping things fresh throughout the roughly 15 hours it takes to complete. It also helps that the story is wonderfully paced, with just the right number of intense boss fights to keep the stakes high.
The entire narrative is told through largely wordless cutscenes punctuated by interpretive dance, itself elevated by beautiful motion capture work and memorable music. Even outside of these moments, the game is absolutely stunning to look at thanks to a highly stylized, miniaturized art direction that shines on modern consoles.
Dashiell Wood, Hardware Writer
8. Frostpunk 2
Easily the best PC game I’ve played this year, post-apocalyptic city builder Frostpunk 2 expands brilliantly on its predecessor and adds a host of systems that make the experience deeper, richer, and even more brutal.
Game info
Developer: 11 Bit Studios
Publisher: 11 Bit Studios
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Weaving a narrative over the course of a sectioned story mode, your trials and tribulations of keeping New London going are gripping, but always incredibly hard. Tough decisions and sacrifices will be made, and even the most minor of targets missed can result in harsher challenges down the road.
You have to tackle not only the harsh conditions, but an elevated importance of community and people in this sequel with political factions vying for the best interest of their group. It pulls you in multiple directions to broker deals as you try and pass laws, all while you continue to manage a host of research avenues, food management, and resource gathering to keep the city afloat and minimize the inevitable deaths that the cold weather will claim.
The graphics are wonderfully elevated and enhanced too, adding beauty to the game with its snowy landscapes, and contrasting colorful buildings interspersed with the bright lights of your city’s activity. Throw in an ominous and haunting soundtrack and your audio-visual experience is an immersive one, mirroring the game’s deep and engaging systems.
If, like me, you enjoy a bit of bleakness in your gaming life to mix it up a bit, or are a fan of challenging city builders, then Frostpunk 2 is for you and should not be missed.
Rob Dwiar, Managing Editor
7. Tekken 8
I do have my issues with Tekken 8, chief among them being its utterly shoddy microtransactions and largely forgettable avatar system. But how much do these problems matter in the grand scheme of things when this is the most fun I’ve had with a game in this series since the Tekken 5 days?
Game info
Developer: Bandai Namco
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Of course, I’d like to see improvements on the business model front, but in terms of the gameplay itself, Tekken 8 presents some of the most fun and rewarding experiences in a modern fighting game. The new Heat system is quite honestly a game changer, opening up entirely new ways to outsmart and overwhelm your opponents with your favorite characters.
Presentation is, naturally, a huge plus too. Tekken 8 is one of the prettiest Unreal Engine 5 games to date, and it also features an absurdly exciting story mode and continues the series tradition of having an absolute belter of a soundtrack. And with the recent announcement of Final Fantasy 16’s Clive rounding out the year one character pass (and my recent ascension to Garyu rank) I’ll be sticking around with Tekken 8 for years to come.
Rhys Wood, Hardware Editor
An 18-rated visual novel might be the last thing you expect from Nintendo, but murder mystery Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is an absolute delight from start to finish. The premise is immediately engaging, as a high school boy winds up dead with a paper bag placed on his head. It’s been decorated with a creepy smiling face, immediately connecting the case to the old urban legend of The Smiling Man – a serial killer from almost a decade prior.
Game info
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Play it on: Nintendo Switch
As an assistant private sleuth, it’s your job to get to the bottom of things by investigating crime scenes, chatting with witnesses, and collecting clues in your journal. There’s a wide cast of characters, all with their own secrets and motivations that keep you second-guessing events until the credits roll. The writing is pitch perfect, with just the right amount of comedy to stop things from ever seeming oppressively bleak but still just enough weight to make the most emotional moments truly land.
Although the main story wraps up in a very satisfying manner, a separate epilogue appears after the credits roll that gives you another, more rounded perspective on events. It even includes a feature-length anime episode, with beautiful animation and top-notch voice work. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is completely standalone, but it also works as a satisfying follow-up for those of us who have been keeping up with the Famicom Detective Club, which was revived with two decent Nintendo Switch remakes back in 2021. Top marks.
Dashiell Wood, Hardware Writer
5. Dragon’s Dogma 2
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is perhaps the greatest showcase yet for just how mind-bogglingly impressive Capcom’s RE Engine truly is. What’s here is a sprawling and dynamic fantasy open world that – much like its 2012 predecessor – constantly surprises with cleverly hidden areas, secret treasures, and no shortage of ambushes by colossal enemies ranging from griffins and cyclopes to chimera and flame-spitting drakes.
Game info
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
What’s so refreshing about Dragon’s Dogma 2 in 2024 largely comes down to its open-world design, bucking the rather tired trend of the abundant map marker checklist approach found in many open world games in recent times. Dragon’s Dogma 2 dials it back on player guidance, leaving it largely up to your wits and curiosity to explore the massive world and complete its quests. Add in tons of vocations (read: classes) to play as and build around as well as a much-improved NPC ‘Pawn’ system and you have a fantasy action RPG experience that should not be missed.
Rhys Wood, Hardware Editor
4. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Granted, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is not the most immediately accessible game on this list. Itself a direct sequel to 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon, folks who have plowed through most of the long-running series are the ones who’ll get the most out of this latest mainline entry. And for those that have, the experience put forward here is oh-so worth it.
Game info
Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Publisher: Sega
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Infinite Wealth further refines that shift to turn-based combat that began with Yakuza: Like a Dragon. You now have access to 3D movement during your turn, making it easier to get into position for optimal skill usage. The new cast includes some of the series’ best characters yet, with Chitose and Eric being clear standouts here.
I’m also in love with the new setting of Honolulu, Hawaii. And as ever, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has done a phenomenal job basing many of its themes around the material conditions of its setting; as you might expect, the developer has plenty to say about the lived experience of the average US citizen. Overall, Infinite Wealth is a confident, bombastic entry in a franchise that never fails to have you laughing your guts up one minute, and bawling your eyes out crying the next.
Rhys Wood, Hardware Editor
3. Astro Bot
Perhaps the most joyous game of the year, Astro Bot is absolutely sensational and is as cheerful and downright fun as games can get. A love letter to the history of PlayStation, and featuring a host of guest characters (as fellow bots) and hardware from across all the generations of Sony’s home console lineup ensure that Astro Bot is steeped in nostalgia that older gamers will delight in getting glimpses of once again.
Game info
Developer: Team Asobi
Publisher: PlayStation Studios
Play it on: PS5
The success of this platforming game from Team Asobi proves that the genre has more than a place in the modern gaming landscape, and has shown that Sony may well have a Mario-type figure on their hands – especially when the level design and puzzles are this good.
Each of Astro Bot‘s planets and zones is filled with extraordinary and engrossing levels that are a pleasure to explore, race through, and master – not to mention find all the collectibles and easter eggs along the way. The unique abilities available to Astro throughout are equally excellent and a sheer delight to use, be they big boxing gloves for smashing doors and surfaces, a backpack dog to burst through obstacles and enemies, or the hilariously fun sponge ability to soak up water and project back at enemies in your way.
What’s more, Team Asobi has woven these abilities and the masterful level design into the PS5’s own hardware, with innovative and brilliant use of the PS5’s DualSense controller. The haptics are being deployed expertly once again; every surface feels different in your hands, every impact feels weighty, and every moment feels tangible because of the pad.
The speedrun trials coming after Astro Bot’s initial release have kept its momentum going and it may have more to give in 2025 too – which would just be even more joy.
Rob Dwiar, Managing Editor
I’ve been a fan of Atlus’s output ever since getting a PS2 copy of Persona 4 when I was a wee lad of 16. And while Persona 5 or Persona 3 Reload didn’t quite grab me in the same way, Metaphor: ReFantazio absolutely did. At a glance, it may be easy to view Metaphor as the testing ground for a new IP from the studio. In reality, it’s the most refined (and probably the hardest outside of the Shin Megami Tensei series) rendition of Atlus’s brand of turn-based combat to date.
Game info
Developer: Atlus / Studio Zero
Publisher: Sega
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Better still, it’s wrapped in a phenomenal dark fantasy setting that is shockingly analogous to our own world. In Metaphor, a corrupt church and state work hand in hand to divide the populace and look to breed resentment against one another. It’s our crew of motley protagonists that seek to right the world by way of a tournament of succession at the behest of the assassinated king.
Whereas the Persona series leans heavily on mystery in a ‘whodunnit’ sense, Metaphor presents its terrifyingly fascist villain, Count Louis, right up front. Instead, Metaphor’s mysteries come in the form of the nature of its vast world. Every new location you visit is brimming with detail and tidbits of lore, making for an incredibly moreish adventure and one I won’t soon forget long after the credits rolled for the first time.
Rhys Wood, Hardware Editor
1. Balatro – TechRadar Gaming’s Game of the Year
I’ve written extensively about my love for Balatro this year. Be that through my original review, or in its dedicated TechRadar Choice Award article. It turns out that the wider TechRadar Gaming team is in agreement, though; Balatro is our collective game of the year.
Game info
Developer: Localthunk
Publisher: Playstack
Play it on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, Android
At the surface level, Balatro doesn’t look like it’s doing much different to your average roguelite deckbuilder. However, the game’s genius lies in how it leverages the rules of Poker to create something truly unique. Every single Balatro run is different as you form a line-up of Joker cards to positively affect your score. You’ll also be making use of planet cards, tarot cards, and more to further influence the direction of your deck, be that in scoring more with certain types of hands or giving your cards unique properties.
Thanks to the shop that refreshes after every encounter, you never quite know which direction any given Balatro run is going to end up in. Its lightning-quick gameplay and relatively short length of each run also make it exceptionally replayable – ideal for anything from a quick lunch break to a full-on hours-long gaming session.
Rhys Wood, Hardware Editor
Special mentions
Trying to distill a whole year’s worth of games into a top 10 is never easy, and some absolute bangers are not even on our list. While ‘honorable mentions’ sections can be a bit of a cop out, we just wanted to give a nod to just a few other games.
- The multiplayer phenomenon that is Helldivers 2 has kept us coming back all year.
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is obviously worth a mention, with its phenomenal combat system and cast of incredibly likeable characters.
- Atmospheric horror game, Still Wakes the Deep, was a very memorable and incredibly well-put-together experience.
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle proved a wonderful, whip-cracking adventure taken straight from the movies.
- The vision of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl and its fantastic survival themes made a lasting impact.
- Zenless Zone Zero offered an incredible urban RPG with great graphics, memorable characters, and lightning-face combat.
- Space Marine 2 was a glorious power fantasy that brought the tabletop game fully to life and is now probably the best Warhammer 40,000 game going.
- Granblue Fantasy Relink is a moreish team-based action RPG with incredible character building and dazzling boss fights.
- Rise of the Ronin took us back in time to 1800s Japan for a bloody journey of redemption.
- Star Wars Outlaws really did turn out to be the open-world Star Wars game we had all been waiting for.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 brought the blockbuster FPS series back with a bang thanks to a brilliant campaign and strong multiplayer.
- Dragon Age: the Veilguard took us back to Thedas and gave us a typically deep and multi-faceted role-playing experience the series is famous for.
- Slitterhead is a little rough around the edges, but this ambitious action horror tells a brilliant story and presents some pretty innovative combat.
- Stellar Blade wowed with its flashy combat, open-ended exploration, and stunning soundtrack. Here’s hoping the sequel improves on the story and characters.
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rob.dwiar@futurenet.com (Rob Dwiar)
