Top 13 Games That Defined 2024: A Year in Review

While 2024 wasn’t as strong a year for gaming as 2023 was, there has still been a large amount of fantastic games to keep hardcore gamers entertained throughout the course of the year. JRPG, Souls-like, and open-world games in particular had great outputs this year. Companies like Sega and Cygames also had great outputs, becoming some of the highest-rated developers of the current console generation. To celebrate this great year of games, Raider King has put together the following list of 13 of the best games released in 2024! That number may sound unlucky, but rest assured that playing these games will only bring good vibes to your year.

Astro Bot

The idea of Sony releasing a new first-party title that wasn’t a gigantic story-centric game for adults seemed impossible in the year 2024, but Team Asobi’s Astro Bot surprised gamers around the world by being one of the most fun platformers of the year!

While Astro Bot was mainly advertised with the fun cameos the game has, referencing nearly a hundred different titles that have been released on the PlayStation over the last thirty years, those are merely the icing on top of what is already an amazing game.

Platforming in Astro Bot is as smooth as butter, progressing through the game’s linear stages and set pieces at a lightning-fast pace, stopping only to grab collectibles in your way feels incredible. For a game like this, smooth controls can make or break the game and luckily Astro excels in this category.

The stages themselves are also expertly designed, the game has a select few power-ups for Astro to obtain, and every time a stage is centered around these mechanics you can always expect some ingenious level design that will keep you on your toes.

While Astro isn’t the most groundbreaking platformer in the world, it clearly has a child audience in mind, it’s still one of the best games of 2024 and the exact type of title Sony should continue developing in the future.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero

Anime Arena Fighters aren’t exactly considered a high-art genre in the gaming scene. Even the game in this list entry, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero has a lot of flaws and issues that plague the game. However, this is a case where obvious flaws can be overlooked to appreciate childlike wonder.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is an extremely novel game as it features one of the largest rosters in fighting game history, reaching nearly 200 characters (counting multiple Gokus of course) with the promise that it will keep growing in the future.

Any Dragon Ball fan will find at least a few of their favorite characters to play as in Sparking Zero’s roster. This game is filled to the brim with little details like unique character interactions, bizarre character-specific gimmicks, and easter eggs which only hardcore fans will understand.

While the actual combat and gameplay of Sparking Zero is extremely basic, not to mention filled with plenty of glitches, it’s the perfect game for sitting around and chatting with your friends as you fiercely mash buttons at each other.

If you are even a casual fan of the Dragon Ball franchise, you can’t go wrong with adding Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero to your list of 2024 games to play.

Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes

One of the best parts of playing any JRPG is setting up a party with your favorite characters in the game and seeing how their skills mix and match with each other to defeat enemies as fast as possible. Now imagine that level of experimentation with over 100 different characters!

Eiyuden Chronicles: 100 Heroes has one of the most expansive parties in JRPG history yet somehow each character serves their own niche in combat and none of them feel like they would be a waste of space if inserted into an endgame party.

No matter what kind of RPG player you are, Eiyuden Chronicles will cater to your preferred method of gameplay. Each battle in the game feels like a test of your party and how good you are at balancing all of these characters.

Outside of fantastic battles and character collection, the game also sports a healthy amount of minigames that are a blast to play through. Fans of JRPGs like Infinite Wealth earlier in the year will appreciate this level of detail put into Eiyuden Chronicles.

If you want a game that feels like an old-school JRPG made in the modern day with a ton of player freedom and choice, Eiyuden Chronicles is waiting and ready for you to play it.

Fate/Stay Night Remastered

2004’s Fate/Stay Night sparked an entire multimedia franchise of video games, anime, and manga that is still going strong to this day. Despite that, the original game that started it all wasn’t released in English until the 20th anniversary in 2024!

With its first-ever release in English, a whole new generation of fans have been able to see why the story of a young boy being dragged into a magical ritual of death touched so many hearts all those years ago.

While Fate/Stay Night Remastered has some dated aspects and isn’t as visually impressive as the Tsukinime Remake, it’s still a very impressive game with plenty of unique CGs, an ageless soundtrack that is constantly remixed to this day, and amazing writing that will keep the player on the edge of their seats.

Anyone who wants to see why the Fate franchise became so popular or is simply looking for a good place to start the franchise, should do themselves a favor and pick up Fate/Stay Night Remastered as soon as possible.

If you’re a returning fan who is curious about how much of Fate/Stay Night Remastered is different from the original game, we have put together a handy list of changes made to Fate/Stay Night Remastered!

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth

After four years of waiting, Final Fantasy VII fans were finally given the second half of the long-anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake series. This title promised not only fantastic open-world gameplay but also an answer to the question on everyone’s mind: Will Aerith die?

The gameplay loop of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is absolutely addicting, going around the world and doing quests for Chadley in-between every story event is extremely satisfying for any player who’s willing to give it a chance.

Combat in Rebirth is mostly the same as in 2020’s Remake, but several quality-of-life changes have been made to the system that allows battles to go faster than they did before and overall provides a better experience than the previous title.

The addition of Red XIII and Yuffie to the cast helps fully round out the party, side quests and minigames involving these characters also provide a great source of entertainment from the grim and traumatizing plot that Cloud must endure.

With great combat, a fantastic gameplay loop, and one of the best casts in gaming there was no question that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth would be one of the best games of 2024.

If you want a more detailed opinion on Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, please consider reading our review of the game from earlier this year.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink

Many Western gamers underestimated the power of Granblue Fantasy fans in the lead-up to Relink’s release. Being sandwiched between the release dates of major games like Infinite Wealth and Persona 3 Reload made the game seem doomed for failure, but Granblue fans proved all of us wrong as the game sold millions in the blink of an eye.

The game itself certainly deserved those sales as well, as playing through it is as addictive as one would expect from a gacha game adaptation. The Monster Hunter-esque gameplay loop of defeating large creatures to obtain material to make yourself stronger is a tried and true format that is shockingly not replicated often.

Perhaps the greatest asset in Relink’s corner is its roster of characters, with two dozen characters from the original Granblue Fantasy being playable and all playing differently from each other, players can encounter some very unique party combinations as they play online with other people to take down bosses.

While Granblue Fantasy: Relink doesn’t offer too much outside of its great gameplay loop and sadly doesn’t have nearly as great a soundtrack as its mobile game counterpart, it’s still a fantastic time that any fan of this franchise should check out.

Infinity Nikki

Closing off the year is one of the surprise titles of December 2024: Infinity Nikki! This game promises to combine the open-world gameplay loop of Genshin Impact and the relaxing gameplay of cozy games and it somehow succeeds!

Just walking around and existing in the world of Miraland is an absolute joy. The various activities that the player can do to collect materials in order to craft new outfits all warm the heart in some manner.

While Infinity Nikki doesn’t have as clearly defined of a gameplay loop as other games on this list, it still ends up being addicting as the player wants to explore the world and collect every outfit in existence.

While its gacha elements naturally drag Infinity Nikki down slightly, it thankfully isn’t as egregious here as in several other games. All outfits that can be obtained from the gacha are solely cosmetic and aren’t a necessity to beat the game. Still, keep those gambling elements in mind if you plan on downloading this title.

Infinity Nikki is a wonderful game to close out 2024 on and one can only hope that 2025 continues to provide gamers with a myriad of wonderful titles.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

The start of 2024 gave us Like a Dragon; Infinite Wealth, the newest game in Sega’s Like a Dragon/Yakuza franchise, and the second full turn-based RPG in the series.

Picking up right where the previous game left off, Infinite Wealth further innovated on Like a Dragon’s current JRPG format with a myriad of QoL changes such as the ability to move your characters in combat, more unique jobs, and an expanded party.

Ichiban and the gang are as lovable as ever, each character’s personality shines through in both the story and through the gameplay. The entire party of Yakuza: Like a Dragon returns to remind gamers why we fell in love with them in the first place.

Perhaps the biggest selling point of this game is the warm atmosphere of its open-world Hawaii and how detailed every aspect of this game is. Whether you’re just walking around fighting enemies or playing the game’s various minigames, this game brings about a vacation vibe that any gamer will enjoy during this winter season.

If you’re interested in more in-depth thoughts on Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, please consider reading our full review of it from earlier this year.

Metaphor ReFantazio

Next up is what may be modern Atlus’ magnum opus: Metaphor ReFantazio. This grand JRPG takes the best elements of Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and even other Atlus JRPGs like Etrian Odyssey and combines them into a grand fantasy adventure.

Metaphor’s greatest strength is its combat and job system. The game offers a fair challenge (opting to make random encounters an actual challenge unlike modern Persona) to keep the players on their toes and constantly change what class they’re playing as is in the job menu.

Similar to Shin Megami Tensei 4, death has next to no penalty in Metaphor ReFantazio, meaning that even when the player dies they don’t feel discouraged and just want to get back in and try to fight again with a different party combination.

Aside from addiction turn-based battle gameplay, Metaphor also has a fantastic implementation of the Social Link system from the Persona franchise. Bonding with characters in daily life feels more important than ever before as the player learns new jobs the closer they bond with each character.

With that much importance put on them, it’s great that the Social Link in Metaphor ReFantazio are some of the best Atlus has ever written. Having a completely different setting from the Persona franchise allowed the writers to truly flex their skills with great characters like Alonzo.

Whether it be daily life or dungeon-crawling gameplay, Metaphor ReFantazio offers a fantastic experience that any fan of Atlus’ games should try when they get the chance.

Persona 3 Reload

Persona 3 Reload may be the only remake of 2024 to have more pressure put on it than Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. The original Persona 3 is considered one of the best JRPGs for the PlayStation 2 and created the foundations for modern Persona, Reload would need to be near perfect to live up to this.

While Reload isn’t the near-perfect game it needed to be and doesn’t live up to the original Persona 3’s legacy, it is still an absolutely fantastic game that knocks most other RPGs out of the water with its detail and quality.

Scaling up Tartarus with your party while also juggling your daily life Social Links remains the addictive gameplay loop it always was. Planning out your route through Tartarus while remembering you have track practice the next day is why the Persona franchise became so popular in the first place.

While Reload has several flaws that drag it down and various aesthetic changes that feel at odds with what Persona 3 is supposed to be, it is still a fantastic game that any fan of the genre should do themselves a favor and play.

If you’d like to see more detailed thoughts on Persona 3 Reload and how it holds up as a remake, please consider reading our full review of the game from earlier this year.

Rise of the Ronin

Koei Tecmo has always been an underestimated game publisher. While their titles never seem to break into the mainstream, they are always 10/10 titles which any game should pick up. 2024’s Rise of the Ronin is no exception to this.

Bakamatsu era Japan is a shockingly underutilized time period when it comes to video games. So having an open-world game set in this period was extremely appealing to me. Getting to fight alongside the Shinsengumi in a game like this is a dream come true.

While Rise of the Ronin has a very slow start and its Souls-like combat can take a while to get used to, it does pick up its stride and become better and better as the game goes on. Running around this world, slaying enemies, and completing quests is very satisfying in short bursts.

While not many songs in the Rise of the Ronin soundtrack stand out too much, there are some great hits here such as their Shinsengumi theme which is guaranteed to get the blood pumping.

If you want a unique open-world experience set in one of the most interesting eras of Japan’s history, then pick up Rise of the Ronin when you have the chance.

Stellar Blade

Stellar Blade won’t be making many people’s best games of 2024 lists, as the bizarre marketing of this game and the various online controversies around it have made the game an absolute minefield to talk about online.

Despite that baggage, Stellar Blade is an expertly designed game that is very reminiscent of Rise of the Ronin earlier in the list, combining Souls-like elements with other genres of gameplay that will keep the player on their toes.

Stellar Blade’s biggest strength is its level design variety. Some areas in the game are narrow corridors where enemies will rush you, others are massive hubs filled with sidequests to distract you for hours, and others are shooter segments where you are unable to use your sword.

Completing side tasks in this game also feels very rewarding, being one of few modern games to feature dozens upon dozens of alternate costumes for the player to wear and run around the game’s stages in.

While I would say that Rise of the Ronin is the better PS5 exclusive Souls-like of 2024, Stellar Blade is still a fantastic game that you won’t regret trying if you have even a little interest in it.

Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon

In the December of 2000, Type-Moon would change the Visual Novel genre forever with the release of Tsukihime. In the summer of 2024, English players finally got the chance to play through a remake of the first two routes of the game titled Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon.

Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon is one of the most impressive Visual Novels ever made, both from a storytelling and visual standpoint. Every frame of the game is angled to look almost like a CG, each and every sprite looks stunning, and at no point will the player feel like they’re looking at the same images again and again.

The story of Tohno Shiki and his mystic encounter with vampires will throw the player for an emotional loop. The prose of Tsukihime is capable of juggling romance, horror, and even action at their highest quality. The excellent music score always highlights the best aspects of these scenes as well.

There is little that could be said about the plot of Tsukihime without spoiling the experience, so do yourself a favor and play one of the best Visual Novels of this millennium for yourself.

If you are considering picking up and playing Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon, perhaps you would like to use our interactive flowchart to keep track of bad endings and extra flags.