Words and picks by
Alex Choros, Brodie Fogg, Fergus Halliday, Georgia Dixon, Hannah Geremia and Nathan Lawrence
Words and picks by
Alex Choros, Brodie Fogg, Fergus Halliday, Georgia Dixon, Hannah Geremia and Nathan Lawrence
There are dozens of games released each month. And while “best” is subjective, we’re creating a growing list of great games that are absolutely worth your time this year. Thankfully, the good stuff kicked off early in 2024.
The Prince of Persia series seemed to have forgotten about its 2D roots after phasing into a long run of third-person action titles. Then along comes Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. The 2D perspective returns but it’s so much more than just a throwback to its original perspective. There’s a heavy emphasis on combat and exploration. Plus, the combat flow feels great from the game’s opening as you unlock more powers. Those powers, too, are critical for exploration, tempting you off the main path for treasures and precious in-game currency for compelling unlocks. The Lost Crown’s plot is more engrossing than its storytelling execution, but the utterly addictive gameplay ensures that players will be counting down until the next time-bending entry in this spin-off series.
Nathan Lawrence
The Last of Us Part II was divisive when it launched in 2020. And that’s not likely to change, even after a few years have passed. For me, the only difference was I knew what was coming instead of experiencing the first-half heartbreak and second-half lack of connection to the new playable character. Even though I’m in the camp that lost a lot of love for the series after the structural missteps of Part II, the Remastered version is still worth playing. For starters, there’s the full campaign, and at least half of that should have you fully engaged. Then there’s the great No Return mode, which is an addictive roguelite addition that brings the game’s still-excellent core gameplay front and centre. Whatever you think of Naughty Dog’s sequel, the Remaster is absolutely the best way to play it (until the inevitable PC port).
Nathan Lawrence
Helldivers 2 has come a long way since its rocky launch. But spreading so-called “managed democracy” around the galaxy has never been easier now that the dark days of server issues have been mostly ironed out. If you want to battle against overwhelming sci-fi odds, Helldivers 2 as a solo player is like a proper horror experience. Even when you jump into co-op matches—the best way to play the game—there’s still plenty of horrific tension, but it’s mostly curbed by meme-stacked comms, hilarious accidental friendly fire instances and a whole lot of fun. Come for the straightforward co-op shooter but stay for the high-lethality power fantasy of an ever-expanding arsenal of awe-inspiring guns and powerful Stratagems.
Nathan Lawrence
If you, like me, find yourself drawn back into the love-hate embrace of Dead Cells at least once a year, Oblivion Override may help to break the trend. Fans of that beloved roguelite metroidvania classic will be right at home with Oblivion Override. That’s why I got it to scratch that itch. And scratch it does, albeit replace Dead Cell’s fantasy setting with a sci-fi dystopia. Melee brawling is very much the name of the game in Oblivion Override, and the tight controls will have you trying increasingly riskier combos to end fights faster. When you’re not brawling, you’re exploring or managing a range of practical unlocks to boost your chances of surviving just that little bit longer. The art style is clean and gorgeous in a way that makes this very gaming handheld friendly, too.
Nathan Lawrence
One of my earliest scary gaming memories is playing Wolfenstein 3D with the sound up and the lights low. My next is the terror of Alone in the Dark. Sure, part of that terror was fixed camera angles and wonky controls. But fast-forward 30+ years and Alone in the Dark has finally received the rebirth treatment it deserves. The game name may be the same but the 2024 rendition of Alone in the Dark benefits from the better instances of survival-horror that have helped shape the genre in more recent times. Unlike the action-packed Resident Evil 4 remake, Alone in the Dark plays out at a slower pace, heavier on puzzles, exploration and intrigue than combat. But it does all three of those elements in a compelling way, and when the horror lands front and centre, it hits hard enough to forgive its initial absence.
Nathan Lawrence
Early access. Previews. Betas. Demos. These are the key ways to get a taste of a game before it hits 1.0 release. Here’s a look at some of the games we’ve previewed that we think are worth keeping an eye on.
Apparently I’m such a sucker for the original Starship Troopers movie that I’ll play any game linked to its ultra-satirical, ultra-gory tone. There were Starship Troopers games of old but, more recently, I mostly enjoyed my time with RTS Starship Troopers: Terran Command. And now there’s Starship Troopers: Extermination. In its early access launch state, there’s not a lot outside of a proof of concept for Extermination. You and up to 16 other players choose from one of three roles and battle your way through waves of Arachnid bugs. There was seemingly only one map and mode when I played, not to mention no Australian servers. Still, if Offworld Industries can build on the promise of incentivising randoms to work together while endlessly quoting the 1997 flick, this may end up being worth the price of admission.
Nathan Lawrence
Jumplight Odyssey is a stylish riff on the space opera subgenre that combines run-based strategy games like FTL with the likes of Evil Genius and Rimworld. You control a sole spaceship on the run from an evil galaxy-spanning empire, but your biggest concerns have less to do with that trope-laden premise and more to do with the day-to-day of manning your ship. How do you use the limited floor space at your disposal? How do you maintain morale amongst your crew? These more-grounded questions are usually overlooked by strategy games playing in the same lane, but there's plenty to like about the intricate yet intuitive answers that League of Geek's latest offers up.
Fergus Halliday
After my 60+ hours with Starfield, I thought my single-game addiction had been sated for the back half of the year. And then along came Witchfire. While still in early access state with limited content, that wasn’t enough to stop me from sinking around 30 hours into what’s available. That’s great dollar-to-gameplay value for a mid-tier asking price. And that gameplay is so, so well honed. While the meta game needs some work (and is actively being developed), the main gameplay is a mix of Bungie’s honed gunplay with From Software-like brutal difficulty. About half of my time with Witchfire was spent feeling powerless. And then all of the knowledge of my successive runs with some timely upgrades and a sprinkling of blessing from RNGesus took me to the other end of the scale. While I was powerful towards the end, you can never fully disrespect Witchfire as it always has a way of punishing mistakes, albeit never in a way that didn’t want me to come back for another round of fun-ishment.
Nathan Lawrence
Vampire Survivors may not’ve been the first, but it is the game that put auto-shooters on the radar for millions of gamers. Since then, it feels like a battle royale-like rush as imitators pop up all the time, most of which don’t warrant attention. And then there’s Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor. Fans of Deep Rock Galactic will understand the setting, humour and basics of bug-squashing and resource mining. But genre-shifting to Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is a genius move. I’ve already sunk 40+ hours into the early access version, and still find myself constantly drawn back in for more. The shooting may be automated, but it’s the mining component and by-design restricted maps that are the greatest contributions to auto-shooters. With tonnes of unlocks already and weapon synergies to play with, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is an easy go-to for a quick 20-minute dive or hours of entertainment.
Nathan Lawrence
Just because a game didn’t release this year, doesn’t mean it’s not worth playing in 2024. In this section we’re specifically interested in highlighting games that’ve had recent upgrades, content drops or DLC to justify their hard drive space and, more importantly, your gaming attention.
While people were debating the value of The Last of Us Part II Remastered—spoilers: it’s great, you should buy it—Sony stealth dropped one of the best bits of expanded content I’ve ever played. For free! In loose terms, Valhalla is a free DLC download for God of War Ragnarök that adds a roguelite mode. Unlike The Last of Us Part II Remastered’s No Return mode, Valhalla has a story with returning fan-favourite characters and a genuinely compelling mystery at the heart of a mode that’s carried by the bone-crunching combat. This is a no-brainer for any fan of Ragnarök, and I love how it feels essential to those looking to take any extra morsel of Kratos’ Nordic adventures.
Nathan Lawrence
2023 was a huge year for games. It was so big we missed including some of the best games because we were distracted playing more of the other best games. Let’s rectify those omissions.
Sure, it’s been on PS5 since 2021 but Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart hit PC in 2023 and it’s a stunning way to revisit or play for the first time. Unlike The Last of Us Part I, Rift Apart didn’t have a rocky launch on PC, so there aren’t any patch disclaimers required to get lost in a great game world. In terms of the game, you don’t need to have played any earlier Ratchet & Clank entries to get the most out of this interdimensional romp. For those with high-end rigs, the eye candy potential adds another layer of enjoyment to epic set pieces, satisfying platforming and plenty of combat encounters to (space) boot.
Nathan Lawrence
Games that launch in December aren’t typically meant to have big-budget bells and whistles. Then along came Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. While it veers a little too hard into Far Cry space, there’s a lot of fun to be found in Frontiers of Pandora. It also helps that the game is one of the best-looking titles you can play today. Massive Entertainment has worked wonders with Snowdrop in a way that continues to show the versatility of the engine. Get through the opening hours to when the game properly opens up, then make your own fun in terms of a range of mission types designed to suit different players: explorers, platformers and warriors alike.
Nathan Lawrence
On paper, a first-person RoboCop game shouldn’t work: a shambling tank with one iconic weapon doesn’t scream “this needs a shooter!” But developer Teyon has dug deep to make it work in the same way it did with Terminator: Resistance. The scope for RoboCop: Rogue City feels both bigger and smaller than Resistance, though. Bigger, in terms of all-important gameplay features, and smaller because it’s less ‘end of the world’ and more ‘end of futuristic Detroit’-type stakes. Having Peter Weller reprise the titular role is more than just fan service and the story is surprisingly compelling for a sequel to the first two flicks. More importantly, the action is meaty and the satirical one-liners are more on than off.
Nathan Lawrence
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria is a game that didn’t drop with a whole lot of ceremony but it’s absolutely worth considering if you like survival games. But first, disclaimers. While you can play alone, it’s really not the best way to play. Like the big-name survival games—The Forest, Rust and Valheim (to name a few)—Return to Moria is best enjoyed with others. In fairness, that’s more a genre-wide disclaimer for those who aren’t thrilled with resource gathering and want to share the load. The Lord of the Rings backdrop is a nice touch for fans but not essential to enjoyment. Dig into Return to Moria with mates and you’ll soon be caught up in the charming dwarven groove of exploration, brawling and crafting.
Nathan Lawrence
There’s no denying that Assassin’s Creed needed to change tack. And change it did with Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla. Now Mirage marks a return to an old-school approach to the Assassin’s Creed formula with some of its better modern trappings. Forget about the intimidating 60+ hours required to beat Valhalla. Mirage’s main story can be bested in a quarter of that time. Admittedly, the prologue is a slog but when the beautifully recreated ninth-century Baghdad opens up, there are plenty of shiny distractions to tempt you off the main path. The focus is firmly on stealth, which is a welcome amplification, but combat is challenging enough when you’re surrounded by guards.
Nathan Lawrence
Mirror’s Edge was a solid sci-fi first-person platformer with clunky combat. Ghostrunner 2, on the other hand, picks up where its predecessor left off: fast-paced sci-fi platforming and brutal combat. It may look like a Cyberpunk 2077-inspired game, but that look is about where it ends once you get into the gameplay. Platforming is fast and fluid with multiple approaches to movement puzzles as things start to open up. Take one hit from an enemy, though, and you’re back to the nearest checkpoint which are, mercifully, generously offered. This high lethality means even the regular peons aren’t always a cakewalk. Jump in for a quick sprint. Or stick around for an endurance run. Either way, you’ll be entertained.
Nathan Lawrence
2024 has already had a few big gaming addictions for me. Helldivers 2. Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor. But before that, there was Blood West. I was so addicted to this game at the start of the year that I forgot to add it to this list (whoops). Blood West is an eldritch horror game with an iconic art style and an addictive gameplay loop. At first, you start out incredibly underpowered. The tension is palpable as you sneak everywhere, avoiding most fights. Then you get some upgrades. Then you get bolder. And then you overcommit and are punished for not respecting the high-lethality game. Death is punishing initially but there are ways to mitigate that. After 20+ hours with Blood West, I’m still not done and it continues to impress and freak me out in equal measures.
Nathan Lawrence
While we rigorously test consumer technology products, like smartphones, wireless earbuds and headphones, there’s no right answer when it comes to picking the best games available. Our list is simply made up of the games that have brought our writers joy over 2024: the games that have challenged us, wowed us, and commanded far too much of our free time. Games we think more people should know about. Games we think you’ll enjoy, too.