Game of the Year Editor's Choice, 2024

From a gaming perspective, 2024 has been a year of sequels, surprises and celebrations for me. This has been a year where many long-term projects from incredibly talented developers have come to fruition, either emerging from early access or released worldwide for players to enjoy.

Every developer who worked on each of these games should be proud whether they were created as a personal labor of love or under the supervision of a monolithic publisher. I would replay any of them without a second thought.

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10

Empires of the undergrowth

I love ants, as long as I don't share an apartment with them. I've been fascinated by the world's hardest workers ever since I was a kid, and Empires Of The Undergrowth is a wonderful tribute to the teeming billions.

Presented as a nature documentary, the game's survival RTS gameplay offers plenty of challenges to keep me coming back, and there's a grim satisfaction in overwhelming a predator with sheer numbers and then bringing it back to the nest to use as food.

9

Core Keeper

I've never been the biggest fan of games like Minecraft or Terraria, so I was shocked at how much Core Keeper forced me to burn the midnight oil. Its underground world full of secrets is a joy to explore, and the boss battles require enough planning and strategy to get me going.

8

TerraScape

My relaxing puzzle game since it launched, TerraScape is the game I wanted Dorfromantik to be. It allows you to build a kingdom, tile by tile, card by card, create combos and synergies to maximize your score or just build for fun.

Best of all, TerraScape is still actively supported, with new puzzle maps and features being added continuously. Which reminds me I need to finish the last set and get my tape All Achievements back.

7

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge Of The Seven

I never played the original version of Romancing SaGa 2, so experiencing the remake was a treat. Its succession mechanics and intricate, freeform progression system make the dullest part of most JRPGs fun and engaging, and there's a whole semi-open world to explore at the same time.

Honestly, I wanted to do even more empire management; when it came time to head off to the final battle, I was disappointed that there weren't more worlds left to conquer. I guess I can always start a new campaign.

6

Helldivers 2

The first month or so of Helldivers 2 was a magical time. The entire internet burned with patriotic fervor and recruits lined up to fight the terminids and automatons. But as the galactic war raged, that enthusiasm faded.

Then, just a few days ago, a new threat emerged. The return of the Illuminate, the third enemy faction, revived interest in this great multiplayer shooter. Don't get me wrong, the game ruled even when we were just fighting bugs and bots, but Omens of Tyranny proves that Helldivers 2 is here to stay.

Honorable Mention: Songs Of Conquest, Steamworld Heist 2, Millennia

I couldn't bear to leave these three off the list – they may not have made the top ten, but I enjoyed them.

Songs Of Conquest does great things with the old Heroes Of Might And Magic formula, and with a fifth faction on the way, it's one to watch as it heads into 2025.

Steamworld Heist 2 keeps the series' record of finely crafted games in their world of robots alive and unblemished with fun, challenging tactical combat.

Millennia adds flavor to the classic Civ formula with its dynamic Ages system, and even has a secret metanarrative to uncover if you're diligent enough.

5

Star Wars Outlaws

I'm usually very critical of Star Wars as a franchise. I think its storytelling went off the rails the moment production started on The Empire Strikes Back, and it's a case study of all the bad things that happen when art and money collide. Despite all that, Star Wars Outlaws got me invested in the galaxy far, far away, like I haven't been since I was twelve.

If you sent it here, you missed it. It's the most fun I've had in an open world game in a long time.

4

Songs of silence

Songs Of Silence is a very beautiful game with tones of Heroes Of Might And Magic and a fun card based autobattler system. The whole thing is extremely well presented, both in the story campaign and in occasional skirmishes. If you're looking for 2024's rock-solid strategy title, this is it.

Not only is Songs Of Silence fun and fast-paced compared to other 4X games, it has a wonderful soundtrack composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto of Final Fantasy Tactics fame.

3

Flint cap: The Siege Of Dawn

Soulslikes and I don't generally get along, so Flintlock really did the impossible here. Its world building, characters and story kept me engaged even when I had to keep restarting boss fights for the fifty-first time.

While I think Flintlock was perfectly paced throughout its ten hour long story, I would love for it to get a DLC with one more area to explore, if for no other reason than to see what additional trouble Nor and Enki can get up to.

2

Frostpunk 2

Frostpunk 2 is everything I want in a sequel; it expands on the world presented in the first game but puts its own stamp on it rather than just being more of the same. It's fascinating to see the city grow and expand beyond the confines of mere survival that the first game focused on, and face the new and unexpected challenges that come with adapting to the frozen world three decades later.

In fact, I was ready to call Frostpunk 2 my Game of the Year for most of the summer and fall, unless there was a last-minute launch that really wowed…

1

Caves of Qud

A goat people near a dromed caravan in key art for Caves Of Qud.

After a development period to rival Dwarf Fortress – one of the few games I can think of to fairly compare it to – Caves Of Qud finally launched to 1.0 earlier this month. I hadn't touched the early access version at all, but as soon as I started after launch I was in love.

Evoking a mix of Dune and Numenera, Qud's incredibly deep and immersive science-fantasy setting means you truly never know what's going to happen next, even on your 10th, 20th, or 100th playthrough. There were some exceptional games in 2024, but Caves Of Qud is enchanting, surprising and beautifully strange in a way that sets it apart from the pack. It's not for everyone, but for those players who take the plunge, it has the potential to be an all-timer.

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