My Favourite Games Played in 2024
2024 has been an incredible year for gaming! I’ve explored a variety of games I never expected to enjoy, from intense Dungeons & Dragons turn-based battles to my first Dark Souls-like experience. This journey has expanded my gaming horizons, introducing me to new genres and play styles. Best of all, it’s inspired me to launch this gaming blog. Here are my top favorite games of 2024.
10. SpiritTea
Developer Image: Cheesemaster Games
The first game I played when I got Gamepass this year was SpiritTea. Initially I was drawn in by the Studio Ghibli styled design but I stayed for the fun story, finding a new Spirit was genuinely charming and finding out their little story and trying to solve their puzzle so they can become a regular in the bathhouse. The management simulation of the bathhouse was really addictive too, it’s a fun way to make more money to upgrade.
9. Minami Lane
Developer Image: House House
Considering this game is only 4 hours in length, I find myself thinking about it all the time. The game was impressively made by just 2 developers, and has such an endearing design I was instantly impressed with the visuals. I love a management game anyway, but adding in new shops to the street was really fun and spotting cats around the place to pet was a sweet addition. Read my full review here!
8. Oxenfree
Developer Image: Night School Studio
I first played Oxenfree around Halloween time this year after a recommendation. I don’t like horror games/scary games at all, but I have to admit I got really sucked into this game. I gave myself the full experience, played in the dark under a blanket, headphones on and let myself get sucked into the atmosphere. And wow did that work, some of the jump scares we’re particuarly effective, while not overly scary, they did help to propell the story and provide a great spooky feel that still felt cozy.
7. Dave the Diver
Developer Image: MINTROCKET
Dave the Diver has a great mix of management simulation and RPG, where you can explore the sea, collecting fish to use in recipes in your sushi restaurant in the evening. The mechanic for catching fish is quite original, and can be a challenge dependant on the fish you are trying to catch. I also liked that you can unlock different weapons and upgrade your equipment to delve deeper into the ocean. The management of the restaurant has it’s own challenges too. I really enjoyed the little details, from the phone apps to the colourful characters, and found the game to have an addictive loop.
6. GRIS
Developer Image: Nomada Studios
I found GRIS to be a wholly unique experience in it’s entirety, with the story, visuals, music and gameplay all working in a gorgeous union with each other to create a powerful and emotional experience. The puzzles are unique and feel neccesary to the development of her story, as well as some visually beautiful boss like sequences. It fits well within the platforming genre, but to me that’s not all this game is. It felt important, and a full experience that most players would be able to really connect with. Read my full review here!
5. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Developer Image: Nintendo
Considered the black sheep of the Zelda franchise, and typically the most disliked, is the second in the series, The Adventure of Link. I found this game a highly memorable experience, and the thrill of beating a frustratingly challenging game was a real sense of achievement. I don’t think this game deserves the level of dislike that it sometimes gets, although, if I was playing it on first release on the SNES without any rewind function, I might feel very differently! Read my full review here!
4. Slay the Spire
Developer Image: Mega Crit
Another new type of game I’ve never played before was this card etc. Slay the Spire is deviously addictive, and even though I put many hours into this game i’m still not convinced I’ve actually completed the game? I really enjoyed the different character types you could unlock and play as, and I thought there was a great variety of different card types. The game has a good level of challenge too, dependent on your luck with a run could have you all the way to the final boss.
3. Death’s Door
Developer Image: Acid Nerve
Death’s Door is a delightfully bleak yet charming game with a thoughtful story, deeply satisfying gameplay and gorgeously sharp visuals. The game is challenging, and takes a few goes sometimes to lern the pattern of the beasts and defeat them, but this is by no means a critisism. Every battle feels achievable making it highly addictive, if not enjoyably frustrating at times. Read my full review here!
2. Divinity: Original Sin
Developer Image: Larian Studios
Due to my Baldur’s Gate 3 obsession, I was desperate for another fix as close to Baldur’s Gate as I could get, and I was delighted to fing that Divnity Original Sin, also developed by Larian Studios, scratched that itch deliciously. While it may not be quite as sophisticated as BG3, this is by no means an insult to a game that is already absolutely brimming with story, dialogue paths and outcomes, and still had a strong story and reasonably likeable characters. But, as it has been the year of D&D engine based RPGs for me, Divinity Original Sin (1 and 2 really) have to come in second place for me this year, if for no other reason than the sheer surprise that I enjoyed these games so much and found myself a new genre to adore.
1. Baldur’s Gate 3
Developer Image: Larian Studios
The first game I played in 2024 by far became not only my favourite of the year, but one of my favourite games of all time. The quanitity of possible outcomes/dialogue threads/endings available in this game is nothing short of astounding, and this is just the beginning of the incredible merits of this game. The character development is so strong you feel like you actually know the characters (queue my insanely large crush on Gale!) and the turn based battling is incredibly satisfying. Having never played dungeons and dragons myself, the accessibility of the format was quite surprising to a complete novice, all was explained so well and gradual throughout the gameplay that I always knew what was going on. The game completely took me by surirse, blew me away and opened up an entirely new game style and hobby for me.
