The Top 5 Games of 2024, According To An Idiot – WGB

It’s that point of the 12 months but once more, a time to mirror and write largely pointless lists as a result of they’re enjoyable. Yup, it’s my high 5 video games of 2024, ranked based mostly on completely no scientific standards.

I admit, although, that I didn’t play as a lot as I wished to this 12 months and missed out on fairly just a few large hitters. So after I was searching again by the video games I’ve reviewed and performed this 12 months, it felt missing. I did play various older titles, however I’m holding this listing strictly to video games launched this 12 months.

So with out additional ado, right here’s the highest 5 video games of 2024 that I loved probably the most in no particuilar order.

Warhammer 40k: Area Marine 2

Choosing up a Warhammer branded videogame could be like flipping a coin, besides one facet is shiny and golden and the opposite facet is roofed in monkey pop and HIV. However by the Emperor, Area Marine 2 is likely one of the finest licensed Warhammer video games, proper up there with the likes of Daybreak of Warfare, and I’m indignant at myself for not reviewing it.

Principally, you’re a human-shaped tank, a mountain of a genetically modified super-human clad in large armour that allows you to run straight by lesser beings in a bathe of gore. Even strolling feels satisfying due to the sense of weight and energy that the builders have imbued Titus with. Each step seems like a seismic occasion.

That sense of powers carries by to the meaty fight the place hundreds of indignant little Tyranid burst out of each nook of the extent and swarm over you just like the world’s ugliest tsunami. However you’ll be able to wade by the mass of flesh, swinging a series sword just like the wrath of God made manifest in battle armour and pure spite. It simply feels so proper. The thump, thump, thump of your boltgun is the icing on the blood-flavoured cake.

Actually, the sport’s largest energy can be most likely the explanation some individuals gained’t prefer it – Area Marine 2 feels loads like an Xbox 360 recreation that’s been transported by time. It’s an easy motion recreation with minimal bells and whistles, and typically that may go away it feeling a bit archaic or missing in polish. Linear ranges with little room to maneuver round, some tough transitions and so forth could make it seem to be the sport is caught in a time warp.

But it surely’s these issues that make it so pleasing to me. It’s a balls-to-the-wall shooter, unafraid to be precisely what’s: easy, enjoyable, uncomplicated double-A motion that revels within the comedic seriousness of the Warhammer 40k universe.

Astro Bot

Read my review of Atro Bot

After I was a child I beloved healthful tales the place proper and unsuitable have been clearly divided, the place good would finally triumph, love would conquer all and every part was vibrant and enjoyable. As I grew into a teen after which into an grownup, I craved what I deemed “mature” tales the place proper and unsuitable weren’t so clear, the place morality was muddied, characters have been complicated and imperfect, and good didn’t at all times win the day. Now, although, on the ripe previous age of 32, I discover myself going again to these happier, easier experiences. We stay in a world we speak on a regular basis however by no means talk, the place proper and unsuitable aren’t very clear, the place everybody must have an opinion on every part and whole friendships and households should be destroyed based mostly on them. It’s good to return to one thing healthful, glad and pure.

Pure. That’s a great phrase for Astro Bot. It doesn’t care about your politics, your faith, your creed, your race, your gender id or your opinion on no matter movie star bullshit is at the moment blowing up social media. It simply desires you to have enjoyable, and it does that by wealthy, vibrant graphics, loads of platforming shenanigans and an infinite provide of attraction so sturdy that it might should be made unlawful lest its energy be used for evil.

Does it rival the Mario franchise? Powerful to say, and even more durable to guage. Mario has years of nostalgia behind it, and it’s onerous to separate the standard of the video games themselves from that feeling of heat and love that my mind robotically generates as quickly because it glimpses the enduring crimson hat and moustache. And I ain’t speaking about Santa, child.

It doesn’t matter, although, as a result of there’s loads of room for Mario and Astro to co-exist. PlayStation does loads of wonderful video games however they’ve some large gaps by way of style and Astro neat fills certainly one of them. And who is aware of, contemplating now we have a PlayStation revealed recreation on the Nintendo Swap, possibly an Astro bot and Mario crossover isn’t not possible?

Indiana Jones & The Nice Circle

Read my review of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Xbox as we all know it’s within the midst of some large modifications. {Hardware} gross sales are in decline, video games are being ported to different platforms and the entire model appears to be shifting towards changing into the globe’s largest third celebration writer. However whereas out that chaos is swirling round it’s simple to overlook that Xbox has loads of gifted studios working away within the background making a doubtlessly very sturdy line-up for the long run.

In a world filled with large IPs resurrecting Indiana Jones, which hasn’t precisely been going from energy to energy, may not sound like a great transfer on paper and but that’s precisely what Microsoft and MachineGames did.

I stated it within the evaluation, and it’s completely a horrid cliché, however Indiana Jones and The Nice Circle genuinely does make you are feeling like the nice physician himself, venturing by underground tombs and punching Nazis within the face. The primary-person view appears like an odd selection at first however MachineGames shortly proves that it was the proper resolution as you retains you immersed on the earth and gameplay.

I used to be additionally stunned by how a lot of a deal with stealth there was. More often than not pulling a gun or making an attempt to sq. as much as the Nazis was a foul concept and would get Indy shortly swamped.

Going into it I believed Indiana Jones was most likely going to be a strong however forgettable licensed recreation, doomed to fade away unto the annals of historical past the place it may very well be inevitably be dug up by an archaeologist with a whip strapped to his belt and a hat on his head. However boy was I unsuitable. Indiana Jones is an thrilling journey filled with enjoyable puzzles, stealth, brawls, wonderful cutscenes and terrific appearing.

Actually, although, the most effective a part of the sport is how properly it captures the appear and feel of the fashions. Troy Baker’s good efficiency as Indy definitely helps, however it’s excess of that – the digital camera angles, the music and the humour all mirror the trllogy.

Helldivers 2

Read my review of Helldivers 2

For just a few months there it appeared like your complete world had been drawn into Helldivers 2. Everyone was taking part in it, everyone was preventing within the nice galactic warfare in opposition to the infinite bug tide and robo-bastards. However probably the most wonderful factor is all of us joined in with the roleplaying, gleefully speaking to one another prefer it was all actual, absorbed into the loopy comedy of fascist Tremendous Earth and its propaganda. To their credit score, developer X caught with the concept, extending the video games lore to the actual world, placing out recreation updates like they have been in-universe information broadcasts, consistently teasing upcoming content material and additions, randomly dropping stuff into the sport and letting phrase unfold amongst gamers who have been busy debating whether or not it was actual or what it may imply. Intelligent stuff.

The humorous factor is, Helldivers 2 is a quite simple recreation. Like, you get dropped onto a map with just a few different individuals and instructed to finish a handful of primary goals whereas preventing by hordes of enemy bugs or robots. It’s not difficult stuff. That’s the enjoyable of it although: the matches ramp up in depth, the enemies get larger and more durable and earlier than lengthy it feels such as you’re in an epic warfare film making a determined final stand in opposition to a infinite tide of monsters and terminators. It’s wonderful with associates, however even if you play with strangers who don’t have a microphone, an unstated bond is fashioned within the midst of chaos and carnage, a brotherhood cast in hearth and gore. It’s superb. After which any person calls in an airstrike slightly too shut and blows you the fuck up such as you’re an Acme firework manufacturing unit employee who forgot that smoking on the job was a foul concept.

Admittedly, I haven’t gone again to the sport shortly. I needed to transfer on and play different issues. However I do know during the last month the sport has seen one other enormous surge in gamers, and the consensus appears to be that it’s in a terrific place, which has me eager to strap my armour again on and defend Tremendous Earth as soon as once more.

Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown

Read my review of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Low gross sales and a normal lack of curiosity have seemingly all however assured that we gained’t be getting a sequel to The Misplaced Crown and that’s a fucking travesty as a result of this was a incredible metroidvania.

In all honesty it most likely didn’t get a lot from having the Prince of Persia moniker plastered throughout it. The title doesn’t imply a terrific deal as of late, and the sport didn’t have a lot to do with the universe anyway. I imply, you don’t even play because the titular prince. Actually, the one connections are that you just mess about with time management, swing a sword and run up partitions. Then once more, with out the title The Misplaced Crown might need had an excellent more durable time discovering an viewers, particularly given Ubisoft’s at the moment crumbling place throughout the trade.

The gameplay is the place The Misplaced Crown shines. It feels good to play due to the snappy controls. The big map steadily opens up satisfyingly as you unlock new upgrades, the fight is great and the platforming/puzzle fixing is nice, too. A considerably forgettable story holds the sport again a wee bit, however it’s not likely an issue. I’d put The Misplaced Crown up there with among the finest video games within the style and extremely suggest checking it out.