Time for GOTY 2024! It’s been a great year of video games for me, and my ability to be able to do XboxEra full-time this year resulted in me playing more games than ever, even getting a chance to design and work on my own. As always, a big shout-out to our amazing Patreon community for making it all possible. The people demand lists, and lists they shall have! These are my personal top 10…no….12…okay – top 15 Games I’ve enjoyed in 2024.
15. MechWarrior 5: Clans
Kicking things off at number fifteen is the surprisingly good MechWarrior 5: Clans. It’s undoubtedly Piranha Games’ best ever release in the franchise, providing some very enjoyable Mech combat, with a surprisingly great narrative pinning it all together. It’s an indulgent blend of games from my youth, mixing both MechWarrior sim and the more arcade like MechAssault and I really enjoyed playing through it with friends. Oh, and it’s on Game Pass.
14. Neva
Neva is a new and utterly gorgeous side-scrolling platformer from Nomada Studio, the team behind the sublime and award-winning Gris, featuring a brilliant soundtrack from Berlinist. Despite feeling somewhat like well-trod narrative ground, Neva is a beautiful game, skilfully made with a lot of heart. Fans of the genre are unlikely to find a better game of this type from 2024 than this.
13. Star Wars: Outlaws
I was lucky enough to play through Star Wars: Outlaws way after it’s somewhat tumultuous launch, so I recognise that the version of the game I played versus those that had to review it was fundamentally different. No forced stealth sections, no mission restarts. What I played was a wonderfully realised, dynamic Star Wars world to explore, digging into the seedy underbelly of the crime syndicates and embodying my very own scoundrel with a heart of gold. Loved it.
12. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
While the multiplayer is as addictive as ever, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 campaign really sunk it’s teeth into me. It’s one of the best stories the series has had in ages, and the globe trotting campaign was thoroughly enjoyable throughout – even the horror-lite bits. Good stuff.
11. Dungeons of Hinterberg
Welcome to Dungeons of Hinterberg, where relaxation, sightseeing, dungeon crawling, and monster slaying go hand-in-hand. An incredible, nigh-on herculean effort from a very small team, developers Microbird Games have made something very special in Dungeons of Hinterberg. In my 20 or so hours exploring this Game Pass release, I found a successful medley of genres with enjoyable combat and a variety of gameplay mechanics resulting in something uniquely memorable. I thoroughly enjoyed my ‘slay’.
10. Flock
Flock is a bit of a masterclass in showing great imagination and tight game design and is frankly, a joy to play. Bright, bold and absolutely bursting with vibrant colour and the kind of charming quirkiness that constantly teases a smile. It doesn’t do a lot ‘new’, but what it does do, it does brilliantly. I was addicted to finding all the creatures in Flock for several days, and my kids adore the game. Oh, and this one is also on Game Pass, so dig in.
9. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Like most of the XboxEra team, I’m in agreement that Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is one of the best games of the year. Tight controls, great gameplay and a sprawling, secret filled map full of challenges make this metroidvania one of the year’s best.
8. Thank Goodness You’re Here!
A short whirlwind two hour experience, Thank Goodness You’re Here! is probably the craziest and funniest thing I’ve played in 2024, and I streamed my entire experience in an episode of XboxEra Hangouts. If you’re a brit, you’re probably going to love it. Only downside, it’s not on Xbox….yet.
7. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
BROTHER! Blood! Gore! Stomping around! Stomping on things! It’s Space Marine 2, a shooter that looks incredible but fell right out of the mid-noughties for us to enjoy. Featuring 3 player co-op, a great campaign and multiplayer modes, this one should absolutely be played by you all as soon as possible.
6. Tiny Glade
Another one that isn’t on Xbox, but oh boy, it’s a delight. Tiny Glade is a diorama creator where you’re tasked with building beautiful places using an impressive cocktail of procedural generation and your own imagination with simple controls. It’s super cool, and is one of my favourite things to chill out and relax with.
5. Helldivers 2
Joining the fight for freedom and democracy to expand and protect Super Earth was one of the multiplayer highlights of 2024. One of the most ‘Xbox-like’ games I’ve ever seen from PlayStation, this one was a delight to play with friends, with many evenings filled with panic and laughter.
4. Inscryption
Yeah I know, it’s not from this year – hell, it’s 3 years old now, but this is my list, and I don’t care about the rules. It arrived on Game Pass for Xbox in 2024 and you should absolutely play it. Go in blind too. Phew!
3. Balatro
When Balatro released, it took over screens throughout my house, and the mobile release later on in the year didn’t help either! It’s pure video game bliss and an incredible achievement from a single developer. Brilliant.
2. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
I loved Hellblade II. I think Ninja Theory delivered an experience at the very pinnacle of the genre, and an absolute masterclass in audio and visual design. This is a game designed to be played on the best screen you have, with the best set of headphones and it will give you goosebumps.
1. Indiana Jones and The Great Circle
I think Indiana Jones and the Great Circle surprised everyone when it arrived this year. A polished, faithful and magical experience for fans of the franchise, but more than that, an incredible game in its own right.
MachineGames nailed the look and feel of the series, but even more surprising, delivered a story that’s decidedly better than the last two movies, and feels right at home with the original trilogy. An absolute delight from start to finish. What a ride.
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