In 2024, we noticed video games the place troopers dove headfirst into alien planets to defend Earth, Princess Zelda led her very personal legend, a bit robotic overcame inconceivable odds to rescue PlayStation’s best characters, and a recreation of poker performed out not like the rest.
There might be arguments for why any variety of our Greatest Sport of 2024 nominees might take dwelling the crown, a stark distinction from final 12 months the place Baldur’s Gate 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom have been locked-in favorites. The breadth of video games on show, from Black Fantasy: Wukong to Closing Fantasy 7: Rebirth, means selecting this 12 months’s winner was more durable than common, however finally there was one clear winner. Right here’s IGN’s Greatest Sport of 2024.
Honorable Mentions
Earlier than we get to the general winner, let’s look again at a number of the different video games from this 12 months that deserve your recognition, beginning with our Honorable Mentions. These nominees have been much-loved by IGN’s editorial group however didn’t get as many votes as our winner and runners-up.
The Rise of the Golden Idol
The thriller is afoot within the sequel to 2022’s pleasant point-and-click recreation The Case of the Golden Idol. Set 200 years after the occasions of the primary recreation, Rise of the Golden Idol returns with extra devilishly intelligent puzzles the place you resolve varied crimes that start to mix into one grand thriller.
Infinity Nikki
The Trend Nikki collection has at all times had its share of devotees. The dress-up simulator was a nice, cozy option to move the time, amassing completely different outfits and making your character as cute as they are often. However Infinity Nikki is a daring reinvention, combining all the weather followers cherished, together with the wonderful outfits they may create, and including a vibrant, Zelda-like open-world to discover.
Silent Hill 2
There have been doubts as as to if Bloober Group might faithfully remake one of the crucial beloved horror video games of all time. Even Bloober admitted as a lot, citing the combined reception a few of their earlier horror video games have obtained. However the dedication to do proper by the supply materials paid off as Silent Hill 2 delivers one of many scariest – and finest – gaming experiences of the 12 months. Devoted to every part that made the unique nice, whereas updating the rusty, ageing bits superbly, Silent Hill 2 embodies every part that’s nice in regards to the unique after which some.
Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown
The Prince of Persia, considered one of gaming’s forgotten greats, lastly obtained a brand new entry worthy of the Prince’s title. This 2.5D Metroidvania delivers one of the crucial exhilarating revivals of any franchise in latest reminiscence, and with its tight controls, wonderful motion, and swashbuckling storytelling, that is the perfect Prince of Persia recreation since Sands of Time.
Black Fantasy: Wukong
Black Fantasy: Wukong captivated audiences ever since its first trailer was revealed, however that was solely part of the story. Sure, the boss fights are epic, and the fight is classy, however this loving recreation of considered one of China’s oldest, most beloved tales means thousands and thousands of gamers can lastly recognize the legend of the Monkey Prince in an entire new approach.
Animal Nicely
One of many earliest surprises of the 12 months was Animal Nicely. On the floor, it’s one other well-made homage to previous 2D Metroidvania video games. However the deeper you go, the extra you notice Animal Nicely isn’t all that it seems. Whereas the core gameplay and platforming are wonderful, you rapidly uncover there’s a large puzzle on the coronary heart of all of it. So take out your pocket book and prepare to place your mind to work to uncover the reality behind Animal Nicely.
Runner-Up: Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle
Subsequent up are video games that have been oh-so-close to being topped Sport of the Yr, however narrowly missed out to the general winner. MachineGames is again with one other Nazi-punching blockbuster. And no, this isn’t a brand new Wolfenstein recreation. As a substitute, the Swedish studio has endeavored to carry considered one of cinema’s best heroes into the fashionable gaming age. Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle is basically a very nice Indiana Jones film dropped at life. And by really nice, we imply up there with the unique trilogy. Buoyed by Troy Baker’s frankly insane portrayal of Harrison Ford’s iconic archeologist, The Nice Circle appears like a dream come true for anybody who grew up enraptured by motion pictures like The Final Campaign and Raiders of the Misplaced Ark.
Indy was by no means a shoot ‘em up hero; as a substitute he used his brains in addition to his brawn to resolve historic riddles and punch out unhealthy guys, and that’s one thing MachineGames has splendidly tailored right here. Whether or not it’s exploring the traditional catacombs of The Vatican or sneaking up on fascists and bonking them over the pinnacle, The Nice Circle actually places you into the dirt-caked sneakers of Indiana Jones, and it seems it’s each bit as enjoyable and thrilling as we imagined.
Runner-Up: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Knowledge
“Why is it known as The Legend of Zelda if it stars Hyperlink?” is a query most have requested at one level of their life. Nicely, ask no extra as Echoes of Knowledge places Zelda answerable for her personal legend on this new top-down journey recreation. Visually just like the 2019 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Hyperlink’s Awakening, Echoes of Knowledge may be very a lot a real Zelda recreation, full with the basic puzzles and dungeons the collection is thought for.
Its creators have clearly realized from newer video games within the collection too, and although Echoes of Knowledge is extra of a “basic” Zelda expertise, the freeform creativity of Breath of the Wild is current because of the Echoes mechanic that lets Zelda conjure no matter merchandise and enemy she encounters, resulting in all types of madcap options. Caught on the opposite facet of a ledge? Simply stack a bunch of beds collectively to cross. Duh.
Runner-Up: Helldivers 2
Are you doing all your half within the battle to avoid wasting our galaxy? If not, bounce into Helldivers 2 and begin blasting away at alien and robotic scum. Arrowhead Sport Studios delivered one of many new live-service video games of the 12 months with the sequel to its isometric alien shooter. Reimagined as a squad-based third-person shooter, Helldivers 2 is each a satirical tackle the military-industrial advanced whereas additionally being an addictive blast because of its potent mixture of high-powered weaponry, devastating orbital drop missiles, and a spirit of Earthian patriotism.
Runner-Up: Closing Fantasy 7: Rebirth
After the prelude that was Closing Fantasy 7: Remake, we lastly get to the guts of the journey within the second in Sq. Enix’s deliberate trilogy. Closing Fantasy 7: Rebirth encompasses a number of the most vital moments from the unique, however greater than that stands by itself as a superb open world RPG.
What stands out virtually instantly is how a lot love Sq. Enix has for these characters. It’s clear Sq. Enix desires gamers to spend as a lot time as they’ll with Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Barrett, and Pink XIII, offering loads of facet quests and minigames, and increasing whole moments in order that we are able to all spend simply dangle with the gang some extra earlier than they resume their mission within the combat in opposition to Sephiroth. It makes these moments all of the extra useful too, given the ending to Rebirth and the approaching finale.
Runner-Up: Astro Bot
Astro Bot’s life started as a humble mascot for the Playroom tech demo. Anytime Sony had some new {hardware} to indicate off — whether or not it was the PS VR headset, or the PlayStation 5 — Astro Bot was there to information gamers via the ins-and-outs of no matter new system Sony wished to indicate off. However with Astro Bot, the lovely little mascot lastly takes heart stage.
This colourful, vibrant 3D platformer isn’t only a showcase for the PS5’s highly effective GPU and quick SSD, as a result of between the unbridled stage of creativity in every stage and the controller-stressing problem of a number of the more durable problem runs, Astro Bot is pure delight and wonderment. Each means Astro Bot performs round with — from inflating right into a balloon or punching enemies with bungee fists — by no means fails to amuse even essentially the most hardened gamer. I don’t say this flippantly, however PlayStation might need simply discovered its reply to Nintendo’s Mario.
Runner-Up: Dragon Age: The Veilguard
After a short interlude into the live-service style with video games like Anthem, and a maybe ill-advised try and rush out one other Mass Impact recreation with Mass Impact: Andromeda, BioWare has gone again to what it is aware of finest – a superb old style, dungeon-crawling RPG filled with pleasant characters, witty dialogue, and the possibility to create a personality who seems and talks precisely the best way you need them to. However whereas BioWare might have opted for a back-to-basics method to storytelling, there’s one space of main enchancment: the fight.
It’s not unfair to say that is the perfect a BioWare recreation has ever performed, from its sword-and-sorcery fight to even the best way you traverse the myriad of dungeons and mystical locales. Whereas we’re just one recreation into the BioWare renaissance, all eyes are again on the storied studio.
Runner-Up: Balatro
“It’s only a poker recreation with some roguelike mechanics,” I keep in mind saying to pals, incredulously, after they first informed me they spent all night time enjoying a bit recreation known as Balatro. “How good might or not it’s?” Seems after tens of hundreds of poker palms and a whole bunch of hours spent enjoying, Balatro nonetheless has me wrapped round its fingers.
Loads might be stated about Balatro’s addictive qualities and the way it has this magnetic means to get you to play only one extra spherical. The explanation for Balatro’s fast ascendency is the way it took considered one of America’s oldest video games and refashioned it for considered one of gaming’s hottest genres, the roguelike. The mixture of basic poker guidelines and randomized Joker and Tarot playing cards that increase your combos and bump up your excessive rating so you may get to the subsequent spherical is pure gaming bliss. Balatro is constructed on creating seemingly infinite moments of elation and devastation in equal measures. All you must do is play your playing cards proper… actually.
Winner: Metaphor: ReFantazio
For years, Atlus’ cult-RPG Persona went from being a cool underground RPG collection from Japan to one of many largest franchises in fashionable gaming. However with Metaphor: ReFantazio, it’s clear the builders behind Persona have been searching for to push themselves to new heights. Buying and selling within the modern-day Japanese highschool setting for a pure fantasy world filled with long-eared knights and bat-like ninjas, Atlus’ Studio Zero has created an unimaginable and well timed meditation on political strife and demagoguery.
After the dying of the King, the UK of Euchronia, divided by racial prejudice amongst its residents, begins the method of holding its very first standard election that kickstarts a grand, cross-continental journey. For anybody accustomed to the Persona collection, you’ll discover acquainted hallmarks right here. Gamers break up their time crawling via tough dungeons filled with horrifying monsters, whereas spending free moments build up relationships with varied social gathering members and inhabitants across the nation.
However whereas the Persona video games took these quiet moments to reaffirm the virtues of youthful friendships, Metaphor makes use of these instances to sort out headier questions. What defines a knight’s responsibility, or the duties of these born into wealth? Can one ever heal from the pains of racism, and is spiritual tolerance a foolhardy endeavor? These aren’t simple questions to deal with however are requested plainly all through Metaphor’s 70-hour playtime.
Whereas Studio Zero refrains from giving clear-cut solutions to those questions, it as a substitute acknowledges the virtues of empathy, kindness, and power within the face of overwhelming concern and hatred that may take root in an unsure world the place leaders promise salvation in trade for unwavering loyalty. Wrap these philosophical musings in a classy, turn-based RPG that appears and feels stupendous — full with stunning character designs from artist Shigenori Soejima and music from Shoji Meguro – and also you’ll rapidly perceive why Metaphor: ReFantazio is IGN’s decide for Greatest Sport of 2024.
So congratulations to Metaphor: ReFantazio and Studio Zero, and likewise to all of our different winners and runner-ups in 2024’s IGN Awards. You’ll want to try our full checklist of Award Winners for Greatest Film, TV Present, and extra, and we’ll see you once more in 2025 for much more gaming goodness.
