A healthy heart beats at a steady rate, between 60 and 100 times a minute. Thats not the case for all of us, Im reminded, as I look inside a cardboard box containing around 20 plastic heartseach a replica of a real human one.The hearts, which previously sat on a shelf in a lab in West London, were generated from MRI and CT scans of people being treated for heart conditions at Hammersmith Hospital next door. Steven Niederer, a biomedical engineer at the Alan Turing Institute and Imperial College London, created them on a 3D printer in his office.One of the hearts, printed in red recycled plastic, looks as I imagine a heart to look. It just about fits in my hand, and the chambers have the same dimensions as the ones you might see in a textbook. Perhaps it helps that its red.The others look enormous to me. One in particular, printed in black plastic, seems more than twice the size of the red one. As I find out later, the person who had the heart it was modeled on suffered from heart failure.The plastic organs are just for educational purposes. Niederer is more interested in creating detailed replicas of peoples hearts using computers. These digital twins are the same size and shape as the real thing. They work in the same way. But they exist only virtually. Scientists can do virtual surgery on these virtual hearts, figuring out the best course of action for a patients condition.After decades of research, models like these are now entering clinical trials and starting to be used for patient care. Virtual replicas of many other organs are also being developed. Engineers are working on digital twins of peoples brains, guts, livers, nervous systems, and more. Theyre creating virtual replicas of peoples faces, which could be used to try out surgeries or analyze facial features, and testing drugs on digital cancers. The eventual goal is to create digital versions of our bodiescomputer copies that could help researchers and doctors figure out our risk of developing various diseases and determine which treatments might work best. Theyd be our own personal guinea pigs for testing out medicines before we subject our real bodies to them.To engineers like Niederer, its a tantalizing prospect very much within reach. Several pilot studies have been completed, and larger trials are underway. Those in the field expect digital twins based on organs to become a part of clinical care within the next five to 10 years, aiding diagnosis and surgical decision-making. Further down the line, well even be able to run clinical trials on synthetic patientsvirtual bodies created using real data.But the budding technology will need to be developed carefully. Some worry about who will own this highly personalized data and how it could be used. Others fear for patient autonomywith an uncomplicated virtual record to consult, will doctors eventually bypass the patients themselves? And some simply feel a visceral repulsion at the idea of attempts to re-create humans in silico. People will say I dont want you copying me, says Wahbi El-Bouri, who is working on digital-twin technologies. They feel its a part of them that youve taken.Getting digitalDigital twins are well established in other realms of engineering; for example, they have long been used to model machinery and infrastructure. The term may have become a marketing buzzword lately, but for those working on health applications, it means something very specific.We can think of a digital twin as having three separate components, says El-Bouri, a biomedical engineer at the University of Liverpool in the UK. The first is the thing being modeled. That might be a jet engine or a bridge, or it could be a persons heart. Essentially, its what we want to test or study.The second component is the digital replica of that object, which can be created by taking lots of measurements from the real thing and entering them into a computer. For a heart, that might mean blood pressure recordings as well as MRI and CT scans. The third is new data thats fed into the model. A true digital twin should be updated in real timefor example, with information collected from wearable sensors, if its a model of someones heart.Taking measurements of airplanes and bridges is one thing. Its much harder to get a continuous data feed from a person, especially when you need details about the inner functions of the heart or brain.And the information transfer should run both ways. Just as sensors can deliver data from a persons heart, the computer can model potential outcomes to make predictions and feed them back to a patient or health-care provider. A medical team might want to predict how a person will respond to a drug, for example, or test various surgical procedures on a digital model before operating in real life.By this definition, pretty much any smart device that tracks some aspect of your health could be considered a kind of rudimentary digital twin. You could say that an Apple Watch fulfills the definition of a digital twin in an unexciting way, says Niederer. It tells you if youre in atrial fibrillation or not.But the kind of digital twin that researchers like Niederer are working on is far more intricate and detailed. It could provide specific guidance on which disease risks a person faces, what medicines might be most effective, or how any surgeries should proceed.Were not quite there yet. Taking measurements of airplanes and bridges is one thing. Its much harder to get a continuous data feed from a person, especially when you need details about the inner functions of the heart or brain, says Niederer. As things stand, engineers are technically creating patient-specific models based on previously collected hospital and research data, which is not continually updated.The most advanced medical digital twins are those built to match human hearts. These were the first to be attempted, partly because the heart is essentially a pumpa device familiar to engineersand partly because heart disease is responsible for so much ill health and death, says El-Bouri. Now, advances in imaging technology and computer processing power are enabling researchers to mimic the organ with the level of fidelity that clinical applications require.Building a heartThe first step to building a digital heart is to collect images of the real thing. Each team will have its own slightly different approach, but generally, they all start with MRI and CT scans of a persons heart. These can be entered into computer software to create a 3D movie. Some scans will also highlight any areas of damaged tissue, which might disrupt the way the electrical pulses that control heart muscle contraction travel through the organ.The next step is to break this 3D model down into tiny chunks. Engineers use the term computational mesh to describe the result; it can look like an image of the heart made up of thousands of 3D pieces. Each segment represents a small collection of cells and can be assigned properties based on how well they are expected to propagate an electrical impulse. Its all equations, says Natalia Trayanova, a biomedical engineering professor based at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.This computer modelof the human heart show how electrical signals pass through heart tissue. The model was created by Marina Strocchi, who works with Steven Niederer at Imperial College London.COURTESY OF MARINA STROCCHIAs things stand, these properties involve some approximation. Engineers will guess how well each bit of heart works by extrapolating from previous studies of human hearts or past research on the disease the person has. The end result is a beating, pumping model of a real heart. When we have that model, you can poke it and prod it and see under what circumstances stuff will happen, says Trayanova.Her digital twins are already being trialed to help people with atrial fibrillation, a fairly common condition that can trigger an irregular heartbeattoo fast or all over the place. One treatment option is to burn off the bits of heart tissue responsible for the disrupted rhythm. Its usually left to a surgical team to figure out which bits to target.For Trayanova, the pokes and prods are designed to help surgeons with that decision. Scans might highlight a few regions of damaged or scarred tissue. Her team can then construct a digital twin to help locate the underlying source of the damage. In total, the tool will likely suggest two or three regions to destroythough in rare instances, it has shown many more, says Trayanova: They just have to trust us. So far, 59 people have been through the trial. More are planned.In cases like these, the models dont always need to be continually updated, Trayanova says. A heart surgeon might need to run simulations only to know where to implant a device, for example. Once that operation is over, no more data might be needed, she says.Quasi patientsAt his lab on the campus of Hammersmith Hospital in London, Niederer has also been building virtual hearts. He is exploring whether his models could be used to find the best place to implant pacemakers. His approach is similar to Trayanovas, but his models also incorporate ECG data from patients. These recordings give a sense of how electrical pulses pass through the heart tissue, he says.So far, Niederer and his colleagues have published a small trial in which models of 10 patients hearts were evaluated by doctors but not used to inform surgical decisions. Still, Niederer is already getting requests from device manufacturers to run virtual tests of their products. A couple have asked him to choose places where their battery-operated pacemaker devices can sit without bumping into heart tissue, he says. Not only can Niederer and his colleagues run this test virtually, but they can do it for hearts of various different sizes. The team can test the device in hundreds of potential locations, within hundreds of different virtual hearts. And we can do it in a week, he adds.This is an example of what scientists call in silico trialsclinical trials run on a computer. In some cases, its not just the trials that are digital. The volunteers are, too.El-Bouri and his colleagues are working on ways to create synthetic participants for their clinical trials. The team starts with data collected from real people and uses this to create all-new digital organs with a mishmash of characteristics from the real volunteers.These in silico trials could be especially useful for helping us figure out the best treatments for pregnant peoplea group that is notoriously excluded from many clinical trials.Specifically, one of El-Bouris interests is stroke, a medical emergency in which clots or bleeds prevent blood flow in parts of the brain. For their research, he and his colleagues model the brain, along with the blood vessels that feed it. You could create lots and lots of different shapes and sizes of these brains based on patient data, says El-Bouri. Once he and his team create a group of synthetic patient brains, they can test how these clots might change the flow of blood or oxygen, or how and where brain tissue is affected. They can test the impact of certain drugs, or see what might happen if a stent is used to remove the blockage.For another project, El-Bouri is creating synthetic retinas. From a starting point of 100 or so retinal scans from real people, his team can generate 200 or more synthetic eyes, just like that, he says. The trick is to figure out the math behind the distribution of blood vessels and re-create it through a set of algorithms. Now he is hoping to use those synthetic eyes in drug trialsamong other things, to find the best treatment doses for people with age-related macular degeneration, a common condition that can lead to blindness.These in silico trials could be especially useful for helping us figure out the best treatments for pregnant peoplea group that is notoriously excluded from many clinical trials. Thats for fear that an experimental treatment might harm a fetus, says Michelle Oyen, a professor of biomedical engineering at Wayne State University in Detroit.Oyen is creating digital twins of pregnancy. Its a challenge to get the information needed to feed the models; during pregnancy, people are generally advised to avoid scans or invasive investigations they dont need. Were much more limited in terms of the data that we can get, she says. Her team does make use of ultrasound images, including a form of ultrasound that allows the team to measure blood flow. From those images, they can see how blood flow in the uterus and the placenta, the organ that supports a fetus, might be linked to the fetuss growth and development, for example.For now, Oyen and her colleagues arent creating models of the fetuses themselvestheyre focusing on the fetal environment, which includes the placenta and uterus. A baby needs a healthy, functioning placenta in order to survive; if the organ starts to fail, stillbirth can be the tragic outcome.Oyen is working on ways to monitor the placenta in real time during pregnancy. These readings could be fed back to a digital twin. If she can find a way to tell when the placenta is failing, doctors might be able to intervene to save the baby, she says. I think this is a game changer for pregnancy research, she adds, because this basically gives us ways of doing research in pregnancy that [carries a minimal] risk of harm to the fetus or of harm to the mother.In another project, the team is looking at the impact of cesarean section scars on pregnancies. When a baby is delivered by C-section, surgeons cut through multiple layers of tissue in the abdomen, including the uterus. Scars that dont heal well become weak spots in the uterus, potentially causing problems for future pregnancies. By modeling these scars in digital twins, Oyen hopes to be able to simulate how future pregnancies might pan out, and determine if or when specialist care might be called for.Eventually, Oyen wants to create a full virtual replica of the pregnant uterus, fetus and all. But were not there yetwere decades behind the cardiovascular people, she says. Thats pregnancy research in a nutshell, she adds. Were always decades behind.TwinningIts all very well to generate virtual body parts, but the human body functions as a whole. Thats why the grand plan for digital twins involves replicas of entire people. Long term, the whole body would be fantastic, says El-Bouri.It may not be all that far off, either. Various research teams are already building models of the heart, brain, lungs, kidneys, liver, musculoskeletal system, blood vessels, immune system, eye, ear, and more. If we were to take every research group that works on digital twins across the world at the moment, I think you could put [a body] together, says El-Bouri. I think theres even someone working on the tongue, he adds.The challenge is bringing together all the various researchers, with the different approaches and different code involved in creating and using their models, says El-Bouri. Everything exists, he says. Its just putting it together thats going to be the issue.In theory, such whole-body twins could revolutionize health care. Trayanova envisions a future in which a digital twin is just another part of a persons medical recordone that a doctor can use to decide on a course of treatment.Technically, if someone tried really hard, they might be able to piece back who someone is through scans and twins of organs.Wahbi El-BouriBut El-Bouri says he receives mixed reactions to the idea. Some people think its really exciting and really cool, he says. But hes also met people who are strongly opposed to the idea of having a virtual copy of themselves exist on a computer somewhere: They dont want any part of that. Researchers need to make more of an effort to engage with the public to find out how people feel about the technology, he says.There are also concerns over patient autonomy. If a doctor has access to a patients digital twin and can use it to guide decisions about medical care, where does the patients own input come into the equation? Some of those working to create digital twins point out that the models could reveal whether patients have taken their daily meds or what theyve eaten that week. Will clinicians eventually come to see digital twins as a more reliable source of information than peoples self-reporting?Doctors should not be allowed to bypass patients and just ask the machine, says Matthias Braun, a social ethicist at the University of Bonn in Germany. There would be no informed consent, which would infringe on autonomy and maybe cause harm, he says. After all, we are not machines with broken parts. Two individuals with the same diagnosis can have very different experiences and lead very different lives.However, there are cases in which patients are not able to make decisions about their own treatmentfor example, if they are unconscious. In those cases, clinicians try to find a proxysomeone authorized to make decisions on the patients behalf. A digital psychological twin, trained on a persons medical data and digital footprint, could potentially act as a better surrogate than, for example, a relative who doesnt know the persons preferences, he says.If using digital twins in patient care is problematic, in silico trials can also raise issues. Jantina de Vries, an ethicist at the University of Cape Town, points out that the data used to create digital twins and synthetic quasi patients will come from people who can be scanned, measured, and monitored. This group is unlikely to include many of those living on the African continent, who wont have ready access to those technologies. The problem of data scarcity directly translates into technologies that are not geared to think about diverse bodies, she says.De Vries thinks the data should belong to the public in order to ensure that as many people benefit from digital-twin technologies as possible. Every record should be anonymized and kept within a public database that researchers around the world can access and make use of, she says.The people who participate in Trayanovas trials explicitly give me consent to know their data, and to know who they are [everything] about them, she says.The people taking part in Niederers research also provide consent for their data to be used by the medical and research teams. But while clinicians have access to all medical data, researchers access only anonymized or pseudonymized data, Niederer says.In some cases, researchers will also ask participants to consent to sharing their fully anonymized data in public repositories. This is the only data that companies are able to access, he adds: We do not share [our] data sets outside of the research or medical teams, and we do not share them with companies.El-Bouri thinks that patients should receive some form of compensation in exchange for sharing their health data. Perhaps they should get preferential access to medications and devices based on that data, he suggests. At any rate, [full] anonymization is tricky, particularly if youre taking patient scans to develop twins, he says. Technically, if someone tried really hard, they might be able to piece back who someone is through scans and twins of organs.When I looked at those anonymous plastic hearts, stored in a cardboard box tucked away on a shelf in the corner of an office, they felt completely divorced from the people whose real, beating hearts they were modeled on. But digital twins seem different somehow. Theyre animated replicas, digital copies that certainly appear to have some sort of life.People often think, Oh, this is just a simulation, says El-Bouri. But its a digital representation of an individual.

Apple's iOS 18 enhances FaceTime & calls with advanced audio modes and cinematic video effects for clearer communication. Here's how and when to use them.FaceTimeFaceTime and phone calls in iOS 18 include three new audio settings, starting with Standard, the standard microphone mode ideal for everyday use and balanced sound.The second one is Wide Spectrum. It actually includes more of the background noise into the call. Wide Spectrum can make the audio sound more natural, making it the one to useif you're at a birthday party and want to include all the excitement in the background. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Episode One is a small, budget projector that delivers the features you'd expect, but it has weaknesses in brightness and audio.Episode One Projector reviewA small projector simply saves space. They're great to have in dorms, apartments, and other smaller or shared living spaces.The Episode One is made by Formovie, who's been making projectors since 2016. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

The FaceTime camera on a MacBook Pro is famously not as good as one on an iPhone, but new research shows Apple is continuing to work on it and may have decided that the answer involves mounting larger cameras on a rotating display.The notch could be replaced by a protruding camera but one which could also be repositionedMaybe you don't give the camera notch on the MacBook Pro a second thought. But even if you loathe it, and believe it's taking up screen real estate, the one thing you can't say is that it is thick.It's quite wide, wide enough that you wonder why it doesn't include Face ID yet. But it doesn't add to the thickness of the MacBook Pro lid, and maybe it's this thickness that limits how good a camera system Apple can fit in there. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

The 2024AIA|LADesign Awards winners were announced recently during a special ceremony at the brand new AIA|LA and Architecture for Communities Los Angeles (ACLA) Center for Communities in historic West Adams.As in past iterations, the AIA|LA says these projects best represent their organizational values of equity, diversity, inclusivity, community, and sustainability while also exemplifying the industrys proactive fight against climate change."Were thrilled to introduce the Center to our members and the broader community," said Carlo Caccavale, Hon. AIA|LA, Executive Director of AIA|LA and ACLA. "This space elevates our capacity to serve both the profession and Los Angeles, setting a new standard in how we connect, collaborate, and create lasting impact."Gruen Associates partner Debra Gerod joined the field as the winner of this year's Gold Medal Award.2024 AIA|LA DESIGN AWARD WINNERSTypology: Adaptive Re-use/Renovation/Historical PreservationMerit Award:Sandi Simon Center for...

Five finalists have been named in the competition to create the first home for the Finnish Museum of Architecture andDesigninHelsinkis South Harbor area.The designers names will remain anonymous through this stage while entries are listed by their initial number and title. A total of 624 were submitted from across the world. The 13-member jury will grant each a 50,000 ($52,000) development fee and expects to come back with the final winner's announcement by September 2025.Beate Hlmebakk, jury panel member and partner at Manthey Kula in Oslo said: The five finalist projects represent different visions for an inviting and inspirational museum situated on one of Helsinkis most important sites. What these entries share is their potential to be buildings of extraordinary and lasting architectural quality. It is the jurys opinion that they all have distinct urban presence and exceptional spatial properties that allow the new museum of architecture and design to organize the ri...

A challenger to The Shards title as the tallest skyscraper in the UK is moving forward with plans to construct a new building designed by Eric Parry Architects that will equal its record height of 309.6 meters (or 1,015.75 feet). The height is limited by aviation safety rules for the City of London, where the planned 1 Undershaft will soon begin construction towards an anticipated early-2030s completion.As wasfirst reported by The Guardian, "On completion, 1 Undershaft, which is being built on the site occupied by insurer Avivas former headquarters, will provide almost 13% of the office space required in the City of London to 2040."Image: DBOX/Eric Parry ArchitectsImage: DBOX/Eric Parry Architects

Theres a good chance that many will be playingthe upcomingLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiiin its original Japanese, given thats how many prefer to play theYakuzagames, though the series does consistently boast excellent localization, and with a new trailer, Sega has shed some light onthe upcoming action-adventure spinoffs English dub.Specifically, the trailer reveals the cast of actors wholl be portraying some of the games main players in English. Matthew Mercer will return as Goro Majima, while wrestler Samoa Joe is also set to star in the game, as previously confirmed. The games English voice cast will also include the likes of Debra Wilson (and Queen Michele), Jeremy Brandt (as Jason Rich), and James Kirkland (as Taiga Saejima). You can view the trailer below for more details.Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiiis due out on February 21, 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is currently also busy with multiple non-Yakuzaprojects, witha newVirtua FighterandProject Centuryboth having been unveiled at The Game Awards last week.

Were ready to bid farewell to another year, and once again, as is tradition, before we look to the horizons and what 2025 will bring, first, were going to pause, look back, and reassess. After what was an all-timer year in 2023, 2024 was relatively less densely packed, but though it definitely did feel like the industry was taking a collective breath after the insanity that was the preceding year, the last twelve months nonetheless managed to deliver an incredible mix of games.Over the course of the year, weve been treated to a bevy of stellar games, each impressing in unique ways and to different degrees, yes, but making a solid mark nonetheless. In fact, so spoiled were we for choices in our efforts to narrow down our favourite games of the year to a collection of just 30, there were many that ended up missing that arguably may have deserved the spotlight as well. Even so, even with the usual yearly heartbreak of having to leave out excellent games deserving of recognition and shining the spotlight on what we feel are the best of the best, weve managed to shave our list down to thirty games once again, ranked from the bottom up, counting down to our Game of the Year for 2024.Without further ado, then, lets dive right in, because theres a lot to talk about.NOTE: All entries and rankings were decided by an internal vote held among the entire GamingBolt staff.#30. SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONSAvailable on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC| Developer: Sonic Team|Read Our ReviewAn expanded remaster of one ofSonicsmost beloved 3D outings of all time? An elevator pitch thats hard to turn down as is, but add to that an entirely new campaign focused on the notorious Shadow the Hedgehog, and you get a damn near unmissable package.Sonic X Shadow Generationsis an absolute blast, with Shadows new half of the game possibly being even better than the classicSonic Generations, which does admittedly feel somewhat aged, even with all the remastering. Nonetheless, its one of several notches on the belt for Sega in whats been an excellent year for the company.#29. SHOGUN SHOWDOWNAvailable on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC| Developer:RoboatinoNot a game that many may have heard of, but one thats captured the fancy of those who have played it- including many of us here at GamingBolt. Pulling in elements from roguelikes and deckbuilders and infusing them with challenging yet strategic turn-based combat and gorgeous pixel art graphics, Roboatinos underground hit delivers an incredibly rewarding and addictive experience. Its brutal, challenging, mechanically dense, and utterly compelling. For anyone with a taste for roguelikes, its unmissable.#28. SENUAS SAGA: HELLBLADE 2Available on: Xbox Series X/S, PC| Developer: Ninja Theory|Read Our ReviewSenuas Saga: Hellblade 2was a long time coming, and whether or not it lived up to the years of anticipation is up for debate, as is whether it touches the heights of its predecessor. On its own merits, however,Ninja Theorys sequel is an impressive accomplishment. Being too short and being more of the same, it certainly lacks the firstHellbladesimpact, but compelling storytelling, stunning visuals, exceptional performances, and industry-leading audio design make it a 6-hour jaunt through hell well worth undertaking nonetheless.#27. LORELEI AND THE LASER EYESAvailable on: PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC| Developer: Simogo|Read Our ReviewLorelei and the Laser Eyes is one of several great indie games this year that subverted the traditional storytelling form and techniques we usually see in video games, and it was one of the more successful ones by far. With its striking art style, non-linear structure, and arresting premise, its a game that hooks players on a narrative level right away, and backs it up with solid puzzle design, too. For developer Simogo of Sayonara Wild Hearts fame, its yet another memorable release.#26. THE PLUCKY SQUIREAvailable on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC| Developer: All Possible Futures|Read Our ReviewMany of us had had our eye on The Plucky Squirefor some time, and its fair to say that for the most part, All Possible Futures debut title turned out to be worth the wait. Though not without its issues, it combines a charmingZelda-like action-adventure experience with a unique premise that sees players hopping in and out of different storybook landscapes, and swapping between 2D and 3D gameplay. The imaginative variety and gorgeous visuals that leads to is alone to elevate The Plucky Squireup to a place on this list.#25. THE LEGEND OF HEROES: TRAILS THROUGH DAYBREAKAvailable on: PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC| Developer: Nihon Falcom|Read Our ReviewNihon FalcomsLegend of Heroessaga is almost frighteningly consistent in terms of its output and the quality it manages to hit with most of its games (even if it does have its dips as well), and this year, the long-awaited Western release ofTrails through Daybreakdelivered yet another excellent RPG adventure. Marking a new beginning for the long-running franchise,Trails through Daybreakis one of the series better outings in years, boasting addictive turn-based combat, a fun new cast of characters, typically strong storytelling, and an excellently realized setting.#24. ONCE HUMANAvailable on: PC, iOS| Developer: Starry Studio|Read Our ReviewGiven the stiff competition any new game faces in the survival genre, it takes a lot to stand out, and thoughOnce Humanlaunched with its fair share of issues, the post-apocalyptic open world survival title got its claws into us nonetheless. Were certainly not blind to the fact that the game has its issues, but from its gunplay and its setting to the base building mechanics and more, theres a lot to like about the bones of Once Human. If developer Starry Studio can keep building on the game the way it has done since its launch earlier in the year, it could easily become an even more engaging experience.#23. CORE KEEPERAvailable on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC| Developer: Pugstorm|Read Our ReviewHaving spent close to two and a half years in early access,Core Keeperwas obviously a known quantity to many, so its excellence didnt necessarily come as a huge surprise for those who had kept up with the game. But perhapsCore Keepershould have far more eyes on it, because it is legitimately excellent. It delivers a ridiculously addictive survival sandbox experience in theMinecraftandTerrariamould, but does so in its own way, carving out a strong and unique identity of its own across a sprawling experience. Its the sort of game you can lose days of sleep to.#22. ARCOAvailable on: PC, Nintendo Switch| Developer: Franek Nowotniak, Max Cahill, Jos Ramn Bibiki Garca, Antonio Fayer UribeDeveloped by a small and multinational team of four people,Arco flew under the radar for the majority of people when it launched in August, but the game has developed a dedicated following since then, and playing it, its easy to understand why. Just as impressive with how lean yet well thought out and compelling its mechanics are as it is with how effectively it tells its charged story in the most minimalistic fashion possible,Arcois an absolute gem that deserves your attention. Add to all of its strengths its utterly gorgeous pixel art style, and you get an absolute winner of a game.#21. FROSTPUNK 2Available on: PC| Developer: 11 bit studios|Read Our ReviewThe originalFrostpunkis nothing short of a modern classic, so yeah, excitement surrounding its sequel has been pretty high- and boy oh boy doesFrostpunk 2deliver. 11 bit studios sequel is yet another frigid, brutal city-building survival classic. From constantly throwing impossible decisions at players to the unrelenting and uncompromising fashion in which it brings its dour post-apocayptic setting to life,Frostpunk 2is brilliant game. Its definitely not for the faint of heart (or for those who lack patience), but its a mechanically rich and rewarding game that builds on the stellar foundations of its predecessors in all the right ways.#20. DRAGON BALL: SPARKING! ZEROAvailable on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC| Developer: Spike Chunsoft|Read Our ReviewThe wait for theBudokai Tenkaichiseries to return stretched on for an almost unforgivably long time, but owing Spike Chunsoft and Bandai Namco finally gave the people what they want earlier this year.Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZEROis exactly the sort of game it needed to be. Delivering that same explosive, crunching 3D arena fighting action, an ocean of content that touts a massive roster of playable characters as its crown jewel, and gorgeous visuals evoking the best of the IP,Sparking! ZEROis a dream come true forDragon Ballfans around the world.#19. DRAGONS DOGMA 2Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC| Developer: Capcom|Read Our ReviewDragons Dogma 2proving to be one of 2024s more divisive games wasnt a huge surprise, considering the legacy of its predecessors, though you can definitely count us in the camp that cannot get enough of Capcoms open world fantasy epic. An utterly unique and fascinatingly eccentric experience unlike anything else in the modern AAA space,Dragons Dogma 2deserves immense respect just for the audacity of its vision and the execution of its vision alone. Of course, on top of that, the action RPG also delivers stellar combat, a wonderfully realized systems-driven emergent open world sandbox thats a constant joy to explore, a deep and engaging class system, and more. It has its rough edges, butDragons Dogma 2is a terrific game nonetheless.#18. DESTINY 2: THE FINAL SHAPEAvailable on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC| Developer: Bungie|Read Our ReviewBungies track record withDestinyexpansions has been far from spotless, andDestiny 2in particular had seen its stock dwindling of late, though its fair to say thatThe Final Shapeblew any and all doubts out the water. Serving as a conclusion toDestinysmassive first arc,The Final Shapewas an epic and satisfying conclusion that delivered proper payoff in spade. On top of its excellent narrative strengths, meanwhile, it also delivered a bevy of engaging content that kept us hooked for hours on end. Whether the future ofDestinyis going to ever be quite so bright again remains to be seen, but if not, at leastThe Final Shapeis an excellent way to conclude the series decade-long arc.#17. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: HEART OF CHORNOBYLAvailable on: Xbox Series X/S, PC| Developer: GSC Game World|Read Our ReviewGiven the inherent mass appeal of open world design, its rare that we get even a single open world game in a year that dares to defy genre conventions in any meaningful way, but somehow, in 2024, we got two major ones, and we fell in love with both. First, there was Dragons Dogma 2, which we shone a light on earlier, while later in the year, we also gotS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, another long-awaited sequel to a cult classic. GSC Game Worlds open world survival horror shooter is absolutely brutal, from how punishing it is and how hostile it can be to players, to the fact that it has admittedly launched in a technically rough state, there are certainly issues here that need fixing, but even in its current state,S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2is a diamond in the rough- and we hope it only gets better from here.#16. THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: ECHOES OF WISDOMAvailable on: Nintendo Switch| Developer: Nintendo|Read Our ReviewThe only thing that looked less likely to happen in 2024 than a new mainline 2DZeldagame was a game where Princess Zelda would finally be the lead, something that fans have been desperate to see for years. You can imagine our utter delight at the plain and simple existence of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomthen, a new 2DZeldagame where the eponymous Princess finally takes centerstage as the protagonist. It helps, of course, that the game itself is excellent, crafting a brilliantly designed map that is a constant joy to explore and infusing it with sandbox gameplay that revolves around inventive new mechanics. Everything from combat and exploration to traversal and puzzles take on a completely different tone inEchoes of Wisdom,and we love the game that much more for how unique it feels while still managing to feel like a coreZeldaexperience.#15. WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC| Developer: Saber Interactive|Read Our ReviewArriving close to a decade and a half after its cult hit predecessor, Saber InteractivesWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2was definitely a game that many had been keeping their eye on, especially if you were a fan of theGears of Warfranchise, but even so, few could have predicted that it would turn out to bethisgood.Space Marine 2is easily one of the best action games weve played in years. It delivers tense, adrenaline-fueled, challenging third-person combat that channels the best ofGears of Warand brutal hack-and-slash experiences, and combines it with the staggering scale of the massive hordes of enemies you take on in combat. Across its meaty multiplayer, PvE, and campaign offerings,Space Marine 2constantly delivers jaw-dropping action in a way that makes it feel like a nostalgia-infused throwback experience from a bygone era in the best way possible.#14. ANIMAL WELLAvailable on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC| Developer: Billy BassoAs Metroidvania fanatics, were always glad about how many Metroidvania games we always seem to have floating around now. Of course, that means that standing out in the genre has become increasingly more difficult- thoughAnimal Wellmakes it look effortless. Developed by solo dev Billy Basso,Animal Wellis a stunning game. A large, dense world, engaging exploration, gorgeous visuals, and pitch perfect traversal mechanics combine in a compact yet dense Metroidvania masterpiece. For fans of the genre,Animal Wellis next to unmissable.#13. HELLDIVERS 2Available on: PS5, PC| Developer: Arrowhead Game Studios|Read Our ReviewHeading into 2024, not a soul believedHelldivers 2would be anything more than a footnote at the end of the year, and even Sony or Arrowhead Game Studios wouldnt have expected even a fraction of the success that the game has ended up seeing. With 2024 winding down, however, you cant help but concede thatHelldivers 2is one of the biggest and most surprising stories of the year- and one of its best games. Its explosive co-op action and live service storytelling captured the hearts of the masses, and for large portions of the year, there was no game bigger thanHelldivers 2. Admittedly, it hasnt been immune to post-launch controversies (the whole PSN account linking fiasco being chief among them), but by and large, the game has received spectacular support, which has, unsurprisingly, been reflected in its consistently healthy and active player base. We cant wait to see what the future brings for this co-op revelation.#12. TEKKEN 8Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC| Developer: Bandai Namco|Read Our ReviewThe first newTekkengame in close to a decade,Tekken 8arrived in the midst of a renaissance of AAA fighters, and it may very well be one of the best the genre has delivered in years. Crunching, weighty combat mechanics have been a series trademark for as long as anyone can remember, andTekken 8is in top form in this department, while boasting an even more aggressive suite of new mechanics that makes its fights feel that much more dynamic. On top of the bones of its stellar moment-to-moment gameplay, the game also boasts a bevy of content for players to dive into across both single player and multiplayer offerings, a vast and varied roster of characters, and gorgeous visuals. Like nearly all fighters that release these days,Tekken 8has had some post-launch monetization-related missteps, but the game itself is hard not to love.#11. NEVAAvailable on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC| Developer: Nomada Studio|Read Our ReviewBuilding on the foundations ofGris,Nomada Studios sophomore titleNevalaunched towards the tail end of 2024 and instantly earned itself a spot on many such lists. On top of one of the most emotionally charged stories of the year,Nevais also uplifted by an incredible soundtrack and breathtakingly gorgeous visuals, impressing in ways not dissimilar to whatGrisdid when it launched. On top of that, however,Nevais also a much stronger gameplay experience, touting meaningful improvements across the board, from the level design and traversal mechanics to even the combat. If an emotional rollercoaster is what youre on the lookout for, look no further thanNeva.#10. METAPHOR: REFANTAZIOAvailable on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC| Developer: Studio Zero, AtlusThere wasnt nearly as much hype surroundingMetaphor: ReFantazioleading up to its release as there should have been, considering the fact that it was coming from the creative leads of some of the best RPGs in existence, and it proved that notion beyond doubt instantly upon release. In the weeks since its launch, Studio Zero and Atlus RPG has been called a modern genre classic, and yes, it earns every bit of that praise. Stellar turn-based combat, wonderfully deep and flexible progression and party composition mechanics, a spectacular fantasy setting with a unique sense of place, gorgeous art design and music, and of course, a gripping, thematically rich story with a strong cast of characters- thats just scratching the surface withMetaphor: ReFantaziosbiggest strengths, a game that were going to be talking about for years to come.#9. PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE LOST CROWNAvailable on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC| Developer: Ubisoft|Read Our ReviewThe first newPrince of Persiagame in an eternity,The Lost Crownkicked 2024 off with a bang. Though the game faced plenty of skepticism in the lead-up to its release for everything from Ubisofts spotty track record to the companys chosen tone for the games marketing, the game itself proved to be an instant classic. Going back to the series sidescrolling action-platforming roots while also reimagining it as a sprawling Metroidvania experience,Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownis nothing short of genius. From slick combat and tight traversal to satisfying platforming and excellent level design, it has everything that one could want in a Metroidvania masterpiece, and then some. Sadly, all signs point to Ubisoft not greenlighting a sequel toThe Lost Crownthanks to its heartbreaking commercial failure, which is an absolute shame, because its not only one of the bestPrince of Persiagames of all time, its also one of the best Metroidvania games ever made.#8. SATISFACTORYAvailable on: PC| Developer: Coffee Stain Studios|Read Our ReviewAfter spending well over five years in early access, Coffee StainsSatisfactoryfinally saw its 1.0 launch in 2024- and yes, all of that time spent tinkering, tweaking, and perfecting things in early access clearly paid off, because Satisfactoryis easily one of the most dangerously addictive games of the year. With an immaculately perfected core gameplay loop, a large explorable world, eye-catching visuals and presentation, and a wonderful mix of sandbox fun and guided gameplay,Satisfactoryemerges as a vast and scarily captivating factory building gameplay experience. Trust us when we say, we are more than satisfied withSatisfactory.#7. ELDEN RING: SHADOW OF THE ERDTREEAvailable on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC| Developer: FromSoftware|Read Our ReviewA major new FromSoftware release being great should be the most predictable thing in the world, but we were perhaps not ready for just how good Shadow of the Erdtree turned out to be.Elden Ringwas obviously one of 2022s best games, and somehow, its expansion delivers an experience thats almost on par with that. The massive, sprawling expansion is large enough and brimming with enough content to be significantly larger than the majority of full-fledgedgamesout there, and in typical FromSoftware fashion, all of that content is backed up by equally impressive quality. Some of the best bosses in FromSoftware history, a spectacularly designed open world thats littered with gruelingly difficult challenges, and that same sense of wonder and awesome exploration that Elden Ringsbase game delivered in spades-Shadow of the Erdtreetouts all of this and more.#6. INDIANA JONES AND THE GREAT CIRCLEAvailable on: Xbox Series X/S, PC| Developer: MachineGames|Read Our ReviewWhy isnt it third-person? Why isnt it just doing theUnchartedthing? Why isnt itWolfenstein 3instead?Indiana Jones and the Great Circlehad more than a few doubts levied against it in the months and years prior to its release, but MachineGames first-person adventure-action title has thoroughly proven doubters wrong. Not only is it a stellarIndiana Jonesadaptation that captures the tone and vibe of the property perfectly to the extent that its better even than at least half of the movies it also stands tall as a brilliantly designed game. Combining stealth, social stealth, and immersive sim lite level design with organic exploration and wonderfully strange first-person combat that emphasizes humourous improvisation above all else,The Great Circledelivers a gameplay experience unlike any other. Were not exaggerating in the slightest when we say its MachineGames best game to date and one of Microsofts biggest first-party wins in years.#5. LIKE A DRAGON: INFINITE WEALTHAvailable on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC| Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio|Read Our ReviewTheLike a Dragonfranchises popularity has grown exponentially over recent years, and earlier this year, it hit a fever pitch withInfinite Wealth-and its easy to see why. Taking the turn-based RPG bones of its predecessor,Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealthdelivers an absolutely monstrous experience that offers a multitude of meaningful improvements. On top of key improvements to the turn-based combat, the job system, the social sim mechanics, and more,Infinite Wealthalso boasts an excellent cast of characters that is a joy to be around throughout the lengthy experience, as well as, in typicalYakuzafashion, a wealth of incredible side content.In fact, in this area in particular,Infinite Wealthabsolutely knocks the ball out of the park, boasting aCrazy Taximinigame, anAnimal Crossingminigame, aPokemon-inspired minigame, dozens upon dozens of substories, and so, so much more, all of it in a single game, and nearly all of it an absolute blast. Add to this an excellent new setting that is brought to life in typically strong fashion, as well as a riveting (yet admittedly divisive) story that brings together some ofYakuzasmost beloved characters in a single, epic journey, and what you get is an unabashed modern classic.#4. BLACK MYTH: WUKONGAvailable on: PS5, PC| Developer: Game Science|Read Our Review (PC | PS5)Black Myth: Wukongwas on many a radar for several years, courtesy of a lengthy gameplay reveal trailer back in 2020 that turned more than a few heads, and its fair to say that the game lives up to expectations. A retelling of the famedChinese novelJourney to the West,Black Myth: Wukongis an outstanding action game with some of the best moment-to-moment combat in the genre, as well as some of the most jaw-dropping and unforgettable large-scale boss battles and set pieces weve experienced all year.No,Black Myth: Wukongisnt a spotless experience few games are but its particularly deserving of praise for being the first AAA console game by a studio that has had no track record in this area- something you wouldnt be able to tell based on the games top notch production values and stellar graphics. Itll be ending the year as one of its best-selling titles by quite a margin, and its not difficult to understand why it turned into such a major hit.#3. ASTRO BOTAvailable on: PS5| Developer: Team Asobi|Read Our ReviewAfter having captured hearts and minds with Astro Bot Rescue Mission andAstros Playroom,Sonys youngest mascot platforming franchise finally got its big break this year withAstro Bot, its first full-fledged console game, and we couldnt be happier that it got its shot. Team Asobis 3D platformer is very much in the vein of modern masterpieces like Super Mario GalaxyandSuper Mario 3D World, and incredibly enough, good enough to actually be widely considered on that same level of quality, which is really saying something.As anyone whos playedit will tell you though,Astro Botdeserves all of that praise. The level of ingenious creativity and boundless inventiveness that the game exhibits across its large and varied collection of levels each of which is designed to absolute perfection is only matched by how inch perfect every single action feels, making its moment-to-moment gameplay feel like an absolute dream.Astro Botis a wondrous joyride, a cheerful celebration of 30 years of PlayStation thats brimming with easter eggs and secrets, and a platforming masterpiece that shows just how good this genre can get when its at its best, and what is truly important in a gaming experience when pure, unadulterated fun is what youre trying to deliver.#2. FINAL FANTASY 7 REBIRTHAvailable on: PS5| Developer: Square Enix|Read Our ReviewFinal Fantasy 7 Remakewas our Game of the Year back in 2020, so you can say we were pretty fully onboard with the ride that Square Enixs remake trilogy is taking us on right out the gate- but even we couldnt have dreamed thatFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthwould be as good as it is. For years and years, it has felt like that dream of a AAA open worldFinal Fantasyepic that captures the unbridled ambition of the series earlier years has been growing increasingly distant and impossible, but along cameRebirthearlier this year and ended up delivering precisely that.On top of improving uponRemakesingenious blend of real-time and command-based combat with more party members, Synergies, and a host of smaller improvements,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthalso blew the doors wide open with its massive open world setting, boasting a collection of maps set across varied locations, and each bringing their own set of side activities, traversal mechanics, design philosophies, biomes, and more. Exploring every nook and cranny ofRebirthsenormous world never quite loses its charm.Just as much of a rollercoaster ride is its story, which continues to straddle the line between retelling a familiar and beloved story, and charting its own course with shocking and unexpected developments. A lovable cast of characters, a litany of unforgettable experiences dotting the entire game, a gameplay experience that just keeps on giving, and much more come together in the masterpiece that is Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Its a wonderful celebration of everything that this series has ever been good at, and may even be one of its best outings to date- which is incredibly high praise that is definitely not lightly given.GAMINGBOLTS GAME OF THE YEAR 2024 SILENT HILL 2Available on: PS5, PC| Developer: Bloober Team|Read Our ReviewYou cant help but love a good comeback story. When Bloober Team and Konamis remake of Silent Hill 2faced the abundant skepticism that it did before release, it was easy to see why- hell, we were skeptics ourselves here at GamingBolt, and the situation certainly seemed to warrant it. But just as that skepticism was fair, so, too, is it equally fair to stand up and loudly sing the praises of the absolute masterpiece that is theSilent Hill 2remake. In our estimation, its the best game of 2024- yes, its that good. Never have we been more glad to be wrong about something.We obviously love a good survival horror game here at GamingBolt for instance,Alan Wake 2was our Game of the Year just last year and we can confidently say that theSilent Hill 2remake has shot right up to the tippy top of the genres all-time lists straight away, and even sits right up there alongside the likes ofResident Evil 2andDead Spaceas the greatest horror remakes of all time. The story of James Sunderland, his rocky marriage, and his tortured mind is one that has been haunting gaming audiences for decades, but with Bloober Teams remake, its more potent, more impactful, and better realized than ever before.The game also benefits from radical gameplay improvements. The over-the-shoulder perspective, the new and expanded locations, the new and redesigned bosses, and the many combat improvements elevate the experience significantly, as evidenced by the fact that, in spite of being nearly twice as long as the original, theSilent Hill 2remake somehow still feels just as perfectly paced. And yes, the game is, of course, also a graphical powerhouse, an area where Bloober Team definitely doeshave a strong track record.WhereSilent Hilland Bloober Team will go from here is anyones guess, but for now, we can, at the very least, rest assured in the knowledge that the remake to one of the most respected survival horror games ever made is just as astounding of an achievement.

Leaks claimed roughly a year and a half ago that a remaster/remake ofThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionwas in development at Virtuos, and now that project could be on the verge of being announced.Thats as per extas1s, a prominent Xbox leaker. With reports alleging with increasing confidence that Microsoft has another annual Xbox Developer Direct presentation scheduled for January, extas1s has thrown his weight behind those claims as well, and as per the leaker, the remake for The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivioncould be one of the titles set to be announced.In the original leaks that supposedly revealed the existent of the remake, it was claimed that the game was using both, the original titles codebase, as well as a new Unreal Engine 5 pipeline, and that it was targeting a late 2024/early 2025 release. Obviously, it seems like launch plans may have changed behind the scenes (assuming that that earlier leak was accurate), but if a release in 2025 is still planned, an announcement in January would make sense.The Elder Scrolls 6started full production only a little over a year ago, which means the long-awaited fantasy RPG is still years away from release. A return to a beloved older entry would certainly be a crowd-pleasing announcement, then.