The best video games of 2024 (so far)

We’re not even sure how we scrounged together so many games, as our team has been neck deep in those new 100+ hour RPGs, but we still managed to write together and come up with some titles that we think are absolutely worth playing. In alphabetical order, we recommend playing these titles this summer with the best games of 2024 (at least so far).

Animal Well

This game made a name for itself by way of its famous shitposting publisher VideoGameDunkey and his company BigMode, but all his involvement shows is that he is a man of taste. He financed a one man showcase in Billy Basso’s vision, and the result is a game that some are calling the best Metroidvania ever. Certainly there have been many, a lot of classics just in the genre’s namesake, but Animal Well harkens back to something primal in the genesis of that search-action gameplay. It takes the lonesome exploration of Super Metroid, and slows you down to a crawl. It simultaneously simplifies things and adds depth and complexity. Despite a cute visual style, it exudes moments of excitement and horror, and absolutely should be played by any fan of these classics as it pivots the mechanics and puzzle design in a whole new way. – Evan Griffin

Balatro

Balatro is the kind of game where you’ll sit down to play it for 10 minutes, and then wind up playing for three hours to get “just one more run” in. The roguelike deck builder has a spartan layout and gameplay that is easy to get into even if you don’t know the basic poker hands. Balatro however is more complex than its simple setup would lead you to believe. Its roguelike elements, like the jokers whose different effects are a central part of the game, make it engaging to play. The game also has a satisfying scaling difficulty, via different decks and stakes that add new challenges and play styles to your run. Balatro is one of the best takes on the roguelike to come around in years, and is worth a play by anyone that is interested in the genre and beyond. – Ryan Gibbs

Dragon’s Dogma 2

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a strange game. Immersive to an intense degree in some regards while cartoonishly ‘gamey’ in others, this sequel to a beloved cult classic takes everything that made the original unique and slaps a fresh coat of paint on it. As a semi-open world action rpg fantasy game with a giant and overwhelming monster population that will kick your ass repeatedly, the quality and quantity of the myriad of contenders in its release window necessitates some clever and original features.

The main things that make Dragon’s Dogma 2 such a special experience are the fact that it knows the difference between making a game feel dangerous rather than difficult, and the pawn system in which you round out your team with personable and player-created npcs to form your ideal playstyle. Featuring some weighty and addictive gameplay that feels balanced enough to make playing each of the classes enjoyable, this is a can’t miss game that makes each play session feel uniquely yours. – Quinton Parulis

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth

Just like Remake, Rebirth‘s ending will be up for scrutiny and debate for years to come. However, there is a whole lot more than the ending. Rebirth covers so much more of the original Final Fantasy VII than Remake, all while adding all kinds of new experiences. Hours are easy to lose just playing Queen’s Blood or side questing. Those additions more often than not add more depth to an already well beloved world and cast. Everything Remake introduced, Rebirth iterates on. Combat is more refined and robust, the weapon system is more straightforward, and traversal is now a joy. Not everything is perfect – how could it ever be – but Rebirth is constantly engaging. Remaking of Final Fantasy VII remains a daunting proposition, but Rebirth shows that Square Enix takes this seriously. – Travis Hymas

Hades II [Early Access]

The sequel to one of the most popular games of the modern era, Hades II, while still only in early access, is loaded with more content than the original had at launch and showcases a studio working at the top of it’s game. The gameplay loop is mostly identical but some small new mechanics and biomes give players more creative choices in how they shape their runs.

Featuring remarkably talented voice acting that bring to life the many new and returning characters gods, the plot is once again able to convey some serious depth through the strength of its writing. While it will continue to receive updates throughout most of this year at the least, Hades II already accomplishes the goal the most sequels should strive for; taking a beloved gameplay style and changing it in a way that is both familiar and fully stands on its own. – Quinton Parulis

Helldivers II

Helldivers II has become the Co-Op sensation of the year, and hasn’t left the “game night with the guys” rotation since its debut in February. A full 3D sequel to the PS Vita overhead twin stick shooter, Helldivers II puts players in a squad of 4 against a never ending horde of robots or bugs (and soon-to-be-proper 3rd faction of little gray men with energy weapons) and gives a ticking clock to do as many objectives as possible before extraction. While the gunplay is fantastic, and the energy of the combat is addictive, the real thing that keeps drawing players back is the live galaxy of tug of war skirmishes between the AI bugs and bots and the humans fighting for every scrap of territory they can cling to.

With a recent patch adding the supply lines mechanic, it is now more vital than ever to keep strategic planets free and clear of the xenos menace so that the Helldiver frontline remains well stocked and supplied for the war effort. Helldivers II has been an absolute rockstar since its launch, and the roadmap shows that it still has some exciting tricks up its sleeve for the future. For Super Earth! – Miles Stanton

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth

At first glance, Like A Dragon/Yakuza franchise bringing back its original protagonist in the immediate next game could be a retreat. But this is not that kind of a retreat. Kiryu’s presence in Infinite Wealth naturally blends with best boy Ichiban Kasuga dealing with the last game’s consequences. True to the brand, Infinite Wealth doubles down on everything that came before. Instead of a Pokémon referencing cataloging quest, there’s a full Pokémon knock off. Why just have a business mini-game when you could go full Animal Crossing? Yet, all of this doesn’t take away from the thoughtful storytelling that is the core of Like A Dragon. Compelling and heartfelt stories are bursting out of every corner of this world, and they’re all worth exploring. – Travis Hymas

Mullet Madjack

I need to put this upfront and center: If you are epileptic or suffer from any photosensitivity issues, DO NOT play Mullet Madjack. Watch a gameplay video at 50% speed to see for yourself the kind of visual cacophony you will be subjected to in this fantastic run and gun rogue lite. The first shipped game from team HAMMERS95, Mullet Madjack is a gorgeous neon, 90’s anime aesthetic shooter where the goal of each level is to make it to the end of the hall in under 10 seconds, causing as much robotic carnage and mayhem as you can muster on your way to the finish line.

Every “Robobillionaire” you merk on the way adds a precious second or two to your constantly dwindling timer, making each run into a frantic all-you-can-slay buffet just to be able to make it to the end. Mullet Madjack has rapidly become my go-to “Flow” game, one I can just put on and turn my brain off, a perfect game when you just want to hold W and click on heads for a bit. – Miles Stanton

Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door [Remake]

One of the most iconic Nintendo GameCube’s era was missed by a lot of people, and the demand for this remake was for a good reason: it is one of the best RPGs that Nintendo has ever released. With a unique art style, memorable soundtrack and one of the most unique and funny cast of characters that Mario has ever traveled with. 20 years on, even though Paper Mario has consistently received new entries, none have reached the same mania that surrounds the legend that is The Thousand Year Door, and this 2024 remaster refines what few flaws it has with fully remade visuals and a remastered soundtrack. – Evan Griffin

Persona 3 Reload [Remake]

Now that the general public has been more thoroughly acclimated to the tropes and style of Persona 5, SEGA has taken the opportunity to clean up the game that originally saved the franchise and made its mark on the PlayStation 2 and the PSP: Persona 3. The themes are more macabre as the story depicts murders and cults and characters murdering themselves to summon their personas, but the series staples of music that absolutely whips, deep introspective characters and unique battle design all ring true. Persona 3 Reload presents all of this with a fresh coat of paint and some of Persona 5’s flair with UX / UI, streamlined gameplay and a revamped soundtrack to give the classic a more robust experience for players in 2024. – Evan Griffin

Selaco [Early Access]

I cannot stress this enough: go buy Selaco ASAP. In 2005, Monolith productions released what may be the greatest shooter of all time, F.E.A.R., a game that has never been topped since but has spawned a multitude of spiritual successors. Selaco is one of said successors, and easily the best of the lot. Selaco is an absolute beast of a game, running on a modified version of the original Doom engine, and packing all of the frantic run and gun action of the first F.E.A.R. game but in a slick 2.5D package. The game is still in early access, and only 1 of 3 chapters are currently out, with the other 2 coming down the pike later as free DLC, it’s the best possible time to get in on what might be the best indie shooters in ages. – Miles Stanton

Unicorn Overlord

Vanillaware continues to be the little studio that could, and Unicorn Overlord is the newest notch in their very impressive belt. Each Vanillaware game changes up their genre, and this time around we ended up with real time strategy, a kind of gridless Fire Emblem with more emphasis on squad assembly and less on time traveling eugenics. After the tutorial concludes, UO opens up into a gorgeously hand drawn open world, where you must fight to free 5 countries from an evil, mind-controlling overlord.

Compared to its bonkers masterpiece 13 Sentinels, Vanillaware gives Overlord a much more straightforward story line, but absolutely juices the gameplay side of things, with more than 60 unique characters to arrange into fighting squads, each with their own strengths and weaknesses that need to be accounted for. A perfect game for people who were kinda underwhelmed by the latest Fire Emblem release, and is a perfect portable experience for the Switch. – Miles Stanton