No game this year captured the imagination of the Engadget crew quite like Balatro did, and when it came time for each staff member to pitch their favorite games of 2024, everyone and I mean everyone wanted to write about Balatro. In the end, rather than forcing everyone to fight for the chance to write about their love of the game, we instead decided to ask the team to write their own individual take on Balatro.My Steam Deck is a Balatro machine and I love itMy Steam Deck is a Balatro machine at this point, and no, Im not complaining about this. Ive broken out my Steam Deck for plenty of games before Balatro and I plan on playing lots more on it in the future, but for now and potentially until I take my final breath, its primary function is joker generation.First of all, Balatro just feels nice on a handheld device. Its the kind of game that you can play passively while watching TV or listening to a podcast, or with intense focus as you try to collect jokers, stakes, achievements and stickers on the way to Completionist++. The Steam Deck is the ideal platform for this type of game, because, especially in combination with a comfy PC setup, it allows players to flow between these two states without losing progression. The mobile version of Balatro is rad and the Switch version is peachy, but I started playing on PC and, more than 500 hours later, Im reluctant to start over on any other platform.I absolutely love curling up on the couch with Balatro, playing it on the PC at my desk, using it as a distraction on long commutes, and getting a few hands in before bed. The Balatro Machine uh, I mean, Steam Deck enables my obsession in a seamless way. Jessica Conditt, Senior ReporterBalatro is a card game you can feelBalatro is a game you mostly play in your head. Theres a giant array of modifier cards, each with their own effects and consequences, and you work through their permutations like youre tinkering with a chemistry kit. Its a game of decisions, all of which are contingent on the decisions youve made prior. Some work, most blow up in your face.This is what makes Balatro work, but its not my favorite thing about it. What I like most is how tangible it is. How it makes a digital playing card game have any felt impact at all. Its the little shake each card does when scored. The donk when a joker adds to your multiplier, the way the donks speed up and rise in pitch as buffs and retriggers pile up. The thrrrp of the deck reshuffling. The little delay upon opening a booster pack to raise anticipation, how the pack disintegrates to emphasize the finality of your decision. The sound of coins colliding when you collect interest or buy something. The fire that burns and rises around your score when youve passed the goal in one hand, a dopamine hit within a dopamine hit. The way the air gets sucked out of the trancy music when you inevitably fail.You are not a character in Balatro. Youre just you, staring at cards set against swirling colors. Yet all of these flourishes go a long way toward sucking you into that vortex, locking you in it, somehow giving a game that most resembles video poker a sense of physical place. Balatro is, among many things, an A-1 example of economical sound design. The easiest way to dilute it is to play it on mute. Jeff Dunn, Senior EditorThe real Balatro was the joker stickers we earned along the wayI am not an achievement hunter Im the sort of person who skips sidequests that arent interesting and rarely replays games after finishing them. The one Platinumed game in my PlayStation collection is the PS4 version of Resogun, and I have 100-percented precisely zero games on Xbox. Why, then, was 2024 the year that I became obsessed with achieving Completionist++ on Balatro?I received the Completionist Steam achievement, which you get by discovering every card in the game, after a month with the game. It took me another five months to get Completionist+, awarded to those who beat Ante 8 with every deck on gold difficulty. The one thing left for me to do was the games toughest challenge: Competitionist++, which involves getting gold stickers on every joker by beating Ante 8 on gold difficulty with each of them active.As of writing, Completionist++ is still a distant dream. Its easy to feel like youve mastered the game after beating Completionist+; There are simple joker combinations that can take you past Ante 8 with every deck. Completionist++ strips those safety nets from you, forcing you to beat the games hardest level without relying on surefire strategies. While I do occasionally miss my high-score chasing early days with Balatro, this challenge has given the game a completely new dynamic for me, as I figure out how to craft a win out of jokers I considered useless before.If youve made your way through all the stakes and are wondering what to do next, Completionist++ is a challenge worth setting yourself. Just a word of warning: Ive played for 460 hours across my PC and Steam Deck, and Ive only unlocked 961 of the games 1,200 stickers. Aaron Souppouris, Executive EditorBalatro is a deep, complex game for filthy casuals like meSome of my friends and co-workers are taking Balatro to some wild extremes. Aaron told me he's unlocked and completed about 95 percent of the game; I meanwhile sit at a paltry 19 percent. Another friend routinely shares quick videos from his runs where he racks up hundreds of millions of points in a single hand with Jokers I can't fathom, while my best single hand sits at a little over 3 million.The good thing, though? This isnt discouraging; its a feature, not a bug. Balatro has somehow managed to be the kind of game you can sink hundreds of hours into in an all-out quest for completion and mastery. Or you can do as I do and pick it up, play for 30 minutes or an hour a few times a week, and come back to it again with plenty to do when you get the itch.Dont get me wrong, Id love to get to the point where Im grabbing a billion points on a single hand, but my gaming time is limited and I usually choose to spend it on the PS5. But one of the great joys of Balatro is that you can go on a bender and play it for hours, and then not come back to it for days or weeks, and then just pick it up and keep making progress. Youre not going to lose any skills or forget your objectives. Its a casual, pick-up-and-play game that also hides some incredible depth, and games like that dont come around too often. Nathan Ingraham, Deputy EditorBalatro is an almost perfect mobile port2024 is unquestionably the year of Balatro. It came out of nowhere to fill our heads with dreams of flush fives and legendary Jimbos. But I think what put it really over the top was when it launched on iOS and Android earlier this fall. Not only did the mobile version cost $5 less than the desktop edition on Steam (or console ports), but there are no intrusive ads or extra purchases anywhere in the game. That's including all the crossover cardbacks (like the ones featuring characters from The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077 and more) and the big forthcoming update due out at the beginning of next year.On top of that, theres essentially no difference in features between the mobile and desktop/console versions. Granted, thats due in large part to the game being a relatively simple title (at least in terms of graphics). But even so, youd be surprised how easy that is to mess up. The game boots up nearly instantly and even when youre smashing antes while pushing your score deep into scientific notation, the system doesnt get bogged down. Throw in a satisfying interface, support for cloud saves, multiple languages and profiles plus a high contrast option that's great for accessibility, and you've got an app that plays well on practically any device.In fact, Id argue that foldables like the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 are the perfect joker-hunting devices. Their large screens feel like a perfect match for Balatro without ever feeling cramped, which happens sometimes on older gadgets with less roomy displays. Text is generally easy to read (though sometimes less so on tiny devices) and theres plenty of open space to push things around without getting in your own way. I have a few minor complaints you can read about in my longer piece on Balatro's beauty on mobile devices, but as a whole I'm confident Im going to get more than my moneys worth for years to come. Sam Rutherford, Senior ReporterThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/engadgets-balatro-of-the-year-140021244.html?src=rss

This year may not have been as jam packed as 2023 was for gaming, but there were still plenty of amazing new releases. Whether you love a good indie or a big-budget production, this year had you covered. All you needed to do was look a bit deeper than you might have in 2023.Animal WellThe core of Animal Well isnt that structurally complicated: Its a lock-and-key Metroidvania. You go to places to unlock other places and abilities. There are puzzle bits. Platforming bits. Bosses. A sense of progression. Beating the core story opens up a couple layers of admirably elaborate and increasingly meta secrets, but lets be real, most people interested in those are just going to look up the answers online.And yet, you play it, and you cant help but think there isnt much like it nowadays. Why? Its not just the lo-fi aesthetic. Its the fact that you never learn what your little blob guy is. Its giving you a map to mark up yourself instead of providing any instructions. Its accidentally realizing the disc youve held onto for the last three hours isnt just for throwing. Its the big monkey that flings rocks at you, just because. Its the way each screen is a static shot, the way the camera centers the world instead of the player. Its the eternal wonder and pleasure of uncovering what lies in wait in the dark, behind us, under our feet, outside of our little wells. And then having no clue what it actually means. Thats real stuff.Animal Well is that rare thing: a modern video game that trusts you to figure it out and has enough grace to let you stumble in the shadows. I bet the ending will leave you slack-jawed. Jeff Dunn, Senior ReporterAstro BotAstro Bot is a paean to the three-decade history of PlayStation. It shines a spotlight on every crevice of the brand's timeline, turning both mascots and long-forgotten characters from Sony's archives into adorable bots that you collect along your journey.More importantly, though, Astro Bot stands squarely in the pantheon of great PlayStation games in its own right. It's an exquisitely designed platformer that's bursting with personality, wit and gorgeous visuals. Team Asobi packed its ultra-charming game with clever ideas and mechanics to keep you on your toes. It even feels great thanks to smart use of the DualSense controller's haptic feedback.Video games arent always supposed to be fun. But Astro Bot wrings pure joy out of every single moment at least when its not kicking your ass in the tough bonus levels. Kris Holt, Contributing ReporterBatman: Arkham ShadowI never get sick of playing the Batman Arkham games. It doesnt matter how many times Ive solved all the Riddlers puzzles or foiled The Jokers plans. Batman: Arkham Shadow does a superb job of replicating all the things that make the original Batman games fun, like using gadgets to rack up combos in hand-to-hand combat and swooping out of the darkness to pick off armed henchmen. The games most impressive feature, however, isnt the fighting, Batarang-ing or the satisfying feeling you get when you make a Tyger guards leg bend in the other direction. Its the story.Batman: Arkham Shadow goes deep into the legend of Batman and its Rogues Gallery of thematic villains. It unpacks Bruce Waynes story of perpetual pain and need for emotional redemption just as well as any of the other games and even some of the big-screen adaptations. Batman: Arkham Shadow shows that VR games have a lot of potential to be more than just mindless shooting galleries and boxing simulators. Danny Gallagher, Contributing ReporterBalatroOf all the games you see on this list, not one was as universally loved as Balatro. Nearly every member of the Engadget team wanted to write about the game. So instead of limiting ourselves to just one blurb, we wrote an entire ode to Balatro.Crow CountryWhen I first heard about Crow Country, a 2024 release that was heavily influenced by PS1 survival horror games, I was really intrigued but also a bit worried that itd be little more than a nostalgia grab. But once I got to playing it, I totally fell in love, and found it to be a unique experience even with all the loving nods to its inspirations.Crow Country follows Mara Forest, a somewhat shady protagonist, as she explores an abandoned amusement park in search of its missing owner, Edward Crow. There are constant hints to a terrible event that led to the parks shutdown, and strange skinless monsters are all over the place. In typical survival horror form, you have to manage your resources like ammo and health kits, and youll encounter a bunch of puzzles that youll need to solve in order to progress. I played Crow Country before the introduction of Hard mode, and found it to be spooky and engaging but, to my surprise, also kind of cozy, which I really liked. But theres a game mode for everyone. If you want a more riveting experience, go for Hard mode. If you dont want to face any enemies, theres Exploration mode. Survival, the normal mode, falls in between those two.Crow Country is a great game with some light horror and a story that was fun to piece together along the way. Its perfect if you want to play a horror game that has a creepy atmosphere but wont have your heart in your throat the entire time. Cheyenne MacDonald, Weekend EditorDragon Age: The VeilguardDragon Age: The Veilguard wastes no time showing off the full glory of its graphical prowess and epic storytelling. Once youve spent some time in its (excellent) character creator, its only a few minutes until youre fighting to stop the end of the world. Solas, the previous games surprise villain, is trying to tear apart the boundary between the spirit and human world. And in the process, his magical ceremony fills the screen with a glorious array of neon lights, color and shadows. If youve got a modern GPU, youre in for a ray tracing workout.Im a gamer of simple pleasures, and Ill admit, that bombastic opening sequence alone was enough to make me fall for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. What kept me playing, though, was BioWares classic formula of intriguing characters and sharp storytelling. Ill forgive the many missteps of Mass Effect Andromeda, Veilguards crew of ragtag heroes make it clear BioWare still has its narrative.Whats truly surprising, though, is that Dragon Age: The Veilguard is also a decent action RPG, with fast-paced and challenging combat that feels more reminiscent of the recent God of War games than anything from Dragon Age proper. Theres a rich skill tree to follow, and you can always re-spec without penalty.For a game that could take a hundred hours to truly finish, Veilguard still manages to feel fresh and exciting every time I sit down to play. So really, I dont mind if it doesnt hit as hard as previous entries, or if it doesnt give you as many consequential choices as Baldurs Gate 3. Sometimes it just feels good to hang out with your fantasy buds and crack a few demon skulls. Devinda Hardawar, Senior EditorFinal Fantasy VII RebirthThe second part of the anticipated remake of 1997s Final Fantasy VII uses the power of the PlayStation 5 to create a more significant (if not entirely open) world. (Its also one of the best games to showcase what the PS5 Pro is capable of, offering smoother framerates and crisper textures and detail.) Its a bigger, better, game than Remake.Final Fantasy VII Rebirth expands Remake's often constricted alleys and buildings into expansive plains, mountain hikes, and Mythril caverns. Whats interesting about this middle chapter is that the ending of Remake seemingly cut ties with the story we all knew from the original. Despite that, Cloud, Aerith and the rest of the motley crew tour most of the same towns and destinations of the original game. That feeling of nostalgia is paired with a modern, further refined action RPG battle system, with new synergy attacks, materia and summon spells. Its all a little convoluted, but also meant I got to lean into my favorite characters and their play styles. (No one likes Cait Sith.)Its a rolling adventure that folds in extra character and story detail. While exploration in this middle chapter isnt as expansive as I might have liked, the themed areas are all different from each other, packed with their own battle and exploration themes. I just love the soundtrack of Rebirth I love it so much that it made it into my most-played albums of 2024. Mat Smith, UK Bureau ChiefIndiana Jones and the Great CircleWhen I first learned an Indiana Jones game was in the works, it seemed instantly superfluous. Whats the point when the Tomb Raider and Uncharted games have spent decades translating Indys pulpy action into the world of video games? I should have known better than to doubt MachineGames, the developers behind the recent (and excellent) Wolfenstein games. If anything, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has more in common with Dishonored and Hitman than the bombastic set pieces that have plagued Uncharteds Nathan Drake. Its a first-person game, for one, and it focuses more on stealth and problem-solving than mowing down dozens of baddies.The game begins with a stunning recreation of the opening scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark, a sequence that had me continually dropping my jaw. Many shots are directly mirrored from the original film, the Indy model looks surprisingly life-like, and perhaps the biggest shock of all, voice actor Troy Baker delivers a solid interpretation of a young Harrison Ford. Honestly, his Indiana Jones sounds more like the character I remember than Ford does in the recent (and genuinely great) Dial of Destiny.While youre equipped with a gun early on, most of your time is spent investigating large areas like the Vatican, sneaking around restricted areas and punching fascists in the face. Youll also encounter a few puzzles that pose just enough of a challenge to be satisfying, without being overly annoying.Five hours into the game, I realized I hadnt yet fired my gun. And it would take several more hours before that was actually necessary. I cant think of many other action franchises that practiced such restraint.MachineGames didnt just make a good Indiana Jones game it crafted one of the best Indiana Jones experiences ever made. Ill take The Great Circle over Temple of Doom any day. Its so good, it belongs in a museum. D.H.Infinity NikkiFrom the hours we spend transmogging items or building gear sets for max stats, fashion has always been low-key essential in video games. So it's about damn time that someone decided to take the plunge, accept that style is everything and put it at the heart of an extremely charming game. Infinity Nikki is the most time I have ever spent in a game's photo mode. How could I not? My in-game wardrobe has been filling up with pieces all over the style spectrum from the ultimate cozy loungewear to absurdly frivolous pastel confections and I love them all. Dressing up in fabulous outfits is a big part of Infinity Nikki's immaculate vibes, but there's a whole lot of game here that has wisely taken its design cues from other very good titles.The influence of Genshin Impact is clear in the approach to gacha systems. The open-world exploration and side questing feel reminiscent of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. The Whimstar mechanics are right out of any 3D Mario. But every idea has been toned down so there's no stress and very little challenge. That sounds like it should be boring. It's not. Being in Miraland is a complete joy. Anna Washenko, Contributing ReporterINDIKAI havent stopped thinking about INDIKA since I played it in May. Its not a constant train of thought or anything, but memories of the game float through my consciousness fairly often and I welcome them each time funny, heartwrenching and all the emotions in between. And yet, INDIKA is not a game I freely recommend to every person. Its a satirical and surreal tale about the devil living inside a nuns head, and while it has laugh-out-loud dialogue and cute buddy-cop moments, its also laced with scenes of sexual violence. No matter how delicately and powerfully these scenes are handled, theyre still heavy.But, if youre up for it, INDIKA is an utterly unique third-person adventure that deftly balances levity and agony. It offers a flurry of whimsical absurdity, religious criticism and raw human suffering, always with a wink and a nod. INDIKA thrives in the messy area between pleasure and discomfort, and its worth a play for anyone seeking something mature and original. Jessica Conditt, Senior ReporterLorelei and the Laser EyesLorelei and the Laser Eyes is composed of contradictions. Its a distillation of everything that makes a puzzle game tick, and its also a complete subversion of the genre. Its heartwarming but eerie, mysterious yet satisfying, chaotic and utterly logical. Its modern, vintage and futuristic all at once.In Lorelei, players are stranded at the gates of an otherworldly hotel, and the only thing to do is investigate the creativity and tragedy thats touched its grounds over the decades. The hotel is vast and dotted with secrets, and each of its rooms houses at least one mystery. There are more than 150 puzzles in the game memorization tests, logic riddles, perspective tricks, math problems, art projects, lunar phases, astrological clocks and mazes and the solution in one room often unlocks secrets in other areas. Its a nonlinear experience, though it feels like everything in the hotel is deeply connected. Even you.Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is for fans of puzzles, narrative twists and David Lynch but really, its for anyone who likes rad new video games. This is a game like no other, and its proof that innovation is alive and well in the industry, especially among indie developers. J.C.Metaphor: ReFantazioMetaphor: ReFantazio improves on the Atlus JRPG formula that Ive loved across various Shin Megami Tensei and Persona games in every way. Perhaps the games greatest triumph is making that classic JRPG grindfest feel unique and purposeful. Rather than crawling through bleak, procedurally generated dungeons to level up between key objectives, youll be claiming bounties on monsters, helping locals rescue loved ones or searching for mysterious relics. Add to that an engaging and surprisingly grounded storyline, vibrant characters and a fine-tuned battle system, and you have a clear winner.The one drawback is that I wish its technical underpinnings were stronger; all the beautiful artwork and stylish menus in the world cant hide that the game is clearly built on the same engine as Persona 5, stretched to its absolute limits. Coming from the slick Persona 3 remake, which utilized Unreal Engine to good effect, its a little jarring to see low-res textures, fizzling lines and weird loads between areas. None of this is enough to stop Metaphor from being a game I recommend to anyone who will listen, though.Heres hoping that the next Persona game which has to be around the corner, right? takes the gameplay improvements of Metaphor and pairs them with an engine that wasnt built to accommodate the PlayStation 3. Aaron Souppouris, Executive EditorNevaNevapacks a hell of a punch. This action platformer tells a devastatingly affecting story about disease, entropy and the relationship between human and animal over time. It's mesmerizing on multiple levels: visually, aurally and emotionally.The story plays out almost wordlessly, with Nomada Studio largely using its environments, enemy encounters and your progression to tell the tale. You play as a warrior named Alba who tries to cleanse the world of a corruptive force that plagues the environment and possesses animals. Her companion is a titular wolf. Neva grows from a pup to an adult throughout the seasons depicted in the game. Alba can call the wolf to her when they're apart, but the timbre of her cries changes depending on how fraught the situation is.Neva is a relatively short game, but it's one that will stick with you. Just as the blight does to the landscapes and fauna of this sumptuous world. K.H.Nine Sols2024 may not be over yet, but I can safely say we probably wont see Team Cherry release Silksong. In other words, it was another painful year for Hollow Knight fans. But if you love Metroidvanias as much as I do, 2024 was easily one of the genres best years since 2017. Even if you only count two of this years more popular releases, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Animal Well, there was no shortage of incredible Metroidvanias to play over the last 12 months. But if you ask me, most people slept on 2024s best release: Nine Sols.Nine Sols is one of those rare experiences where the elevator pitch actually does the game justice. Its a 2D Metroidvania with a Sekiro-inspired combat system. Ill be honest, that alone would have been enough to get me hooked, but the reason Im still thinking about the game months after it came out in May is because of its story. The only thing Ill say here is that Nine Sols is the product of Red Candle Games. If that name sounds familiar, its because the studios previous game, Devotion, was at the center of a major censorship scandal involving the Chinese government. By all accounts, Devotion featured an incredible story, and I wish I could play it after experiencing Nine Sols. The team at Red Candle Games are master storytellers, and if the way Hollow Knight hid its best narrative elements behind item descriptions and environmental details left you wanting more, I think you owe it to yourself to give Nine Sols a try. Igor Bonifacic, Senior ReporterPepper GrinderPepper Grinder is a brisk, no-bullshit 2D platformer. Its hook is the titular device: a giant frigging drill that lets you chew and leap through each stage like a chainsaw-wielding dolphin. Youre never fully in control while the machine roars along, so navigating the quick stages comes to feel like a cross between bull riding and figure skating, as wild and destructive as it is elegant. Put another way, simply moving in this game is a kinetic thrill. The levels themselves refuse to repeat or linger on ideas for too long some tedious run-and-gun segments toward the end aside the boss fights are honest challenges and the whole thing is over in about four hours. Thats fine. Pepper Grinder knows what it is, does what it does and does it well. If only more games could be so focused. J.D.Thank Goodness You're Here!Dumb, funny, easy to play, I cant tell if Thank Goodness Youre Here is a tribute to British comedy history or a pastiche about what Americans think British comedic sensibilities are. Either way, its a whole lot of fun. You control an unnamed, tiny man who goes around the fictional town of Barnsworth, helping people the only way he can: pummeling objects and people with his little fists. You can hit things, you can jump, and thats it. Thats all you need to rustle together a flock of seagulls, deliver soup to a sickly man with spaghetti arms and even fix the local fish and chip shops fryer.It looks like a fizzy cartoon that would look at home on Cartoon Network, squeezed through an aggressively Northern English lens. Its just a shame it doesnt last longer. M.S.Phoenix SpringsIve never encountered a game quite like Phoenix Springs. Ive played point-and-click adventures, sci-fi mysteries and narrative games, but Ive never seen one that sounds this luscious, looks this dramatic or plays this hypnotically. Phoenix Springs is a noir detective novel come to life but its also a cyberpunk vision of the future, and its all presented in muted, hand-drawn hues blanketed in light blue shadows. Truly, every scene of this game is gorgeous.Phoenix Springs stars Iris Dormer, a technology reporter whos searching for her estranged brother, Leo. Her hunt takes her from the abandoned buildings of a rundown city, to a rich suburb, and finally to Phoenix Springs, a desert oasis bathed in golden light and occupied by a handful of odd, disconnected people.Theres nothing rushed about Phoenix Springs. Iris walks leisurely through expansive wide shots, her silhouette cutting across high grasses and cold concrete at the same unhurried pace. When she speaks, she sounds like a jaded detective lost in time, her sentences stark and powerful. Haunting choir chords and droning bass lines share screen time with pristine silence and birdsong. Phoenix Springs excels as both a piece of art and a detective game, and its the perfect escape for anyone who wants to slow down and get lost in the grit of a neo-noir world. J.C.Still Wakes the DeepStill Wakes the Deep is quietly one of the best horror games of 2024 and in a year that gave us Mouthwashing, Slitterhead and the Silent Hill 2 remake, thats saying something. Still Wakes the Deep comes from the horror masters at The Chinese Room, and its a stunning first-person experience that introduces violent paranormal monsters to the Beira D oil rig in the middle of the icy North Sea.In Still Wakes the Deep, horror comes in multiple forms. The invading creatures move with thin, too-long limbs that burst from their bodies like snapping bungee cords. Large pustules and bloody ribbons grow along the corridors, emitting a sickly cosmic glow. The ocean is an unrelenting threat, wailing beneath every step. And then theres the oil rig itself, a mazelike platform supported by slender tension legs in the middle of a raging sea, groaning and tilting as its ripped apart from the inside. Each of these elements is deadly; each one manifests a unique brand of anxiety.Amid the life-threatening terror, Still Wakes the Deep manages to tell a moving story about family and regret, thanks in large part to the games fabulous voice acting and compelling script. This one was easy to miss amid the glut of good horror games this year, but it belongs at the very top of that list. J.C.Silent Hill 2There isnt much to say about Silent Hill 2 and its story that hasnt already been said a million times; it is incredibly bleak, a masterclass in psychological horror. In the 2024 remake, the story is much the same, but theres a new intensity to the enemies and environmental elements that takes the horror to another level. Silent Hill 2 (2024) really got under my skin at times, and at others, made me jump out of said skin.In the game, you play as the confused and grieving James Sunderland, who traveled to the town of Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his dead wife telling him shes waiting for him. They once vacationed there as a couple, but needless to say, Silent Hill is not as he remembers it. The game presents you with both a fight for survival and mystery that needs solving, as James fights off horrifying monsters and little by little uncovers clues that point to dark events. Its extremely compelling and genuinely scary, not to mention emotionally effective as the story eventually reveals itself. Bloober Team did a great job with the remake and, as with the original, its the kind of game youll be thinking about well after youve finished playing. C.M.Space Marine 2At first glance, Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is a simple, by-the-numbers action game in the mold of Gears of War. Its loud, bloody, and over the top. But the more I played Space Marine 2, the more I came to appreciate how much depth and intelligence it hides just below its shiny Ceramite surface. For one, it absolutely nails the Warhammer 40K setting, both visually and in tone. Its a game that knows its transhuman protagonists are just cogs in a brutal and repressive regime.Then theres the close combat system, which, once again, seems simple but rewards players who take the time to master its rhythm. Just because youre a super soldier doesnt mean you can simply charge into combat; instead, you need to block, parry and counter the most deadly opponents on the field. Plenty of other games have employed this rhythm, but Space Marine 2 makes its own and feel extremely satisfying. Add to that a compelling co-op mode that offers a great progression system, and you have a game that Ive played more than any other this year. I.B.The Last of Us Part 2 RemastedIm going to exploit a loophole to write about one of my favorite games that technically came out back in 2020, The Last of Us Part II. However, Naughty Dog released a remastered version for the PS5 in January. Yes, the core game is the same, and the graphics upgrade isnt nearly as massive as the remake of the first Last of Us that came out in 2022. But as I said in my review of Part II Remastered, the new roguelike No Return mode was easily worth the $10 upgrade fee on its own.I wasnt going to write this up for our favorite games of the year, thinking it would be silly to go back to this particular obsession of mine yet again. However, my PlayStation 2024 wrap-up indicated that I spent a positively ridiculous 318 hours playing Part II. Yes, I went through the main campaign once this year and also finally got the platinum trophy that had eluded me on the PS4 version but my rough guess is that I spent somewhere between 250 and 275 hours on No Return alone. Yes, thats borderline obsessive behavior, but I think it also speaks to how good the combat system in Part II is. And getting to play these encounters with 10 different characters, each with their own traits and quirks, means theres a ton of replay value here (if I havent proved that already). Add in the randomized mods that pop up (invisible enemies, healing when you land a melee hit, tripwire traps populating the arena) and youll never have the same run twice. Nathan Ingraham, Deputy EditorVendetta ForeverFitness is one of the best selling points for VR headsets. Its not just a static gaming experience. You can get up, jump around, squat, duck and dive your way in all sorts of different games. Meatspace Interactive may not have had fitness in mind when they designed the rapid action simulator Vendetta Forever, but its one of the most fun ways to work up a sweat on a VR headset. Vendetta Forever puts you in the shoes of the target of a series of minimalist assassins. Just like Superhot VR, the action ramps up the more you move, but Vendetta Forever has a unique LO-KILL-MOTION gimmick that makes it so addictive.You zip between your faceless enemies as you snatch weapons out of the air like firearms, ninja stars and even pencils while contorting your body to avoid incoming fire. Its easy to get caught up in the repeating action as you make your way through action movie staple scenes and learn from your deadly mistakes in gun run after gun run. Vendetta Forever is my favorite way to meet my daily cardio requirements. D.G.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/engadgets-games-of-the-year-2024-133005519.html?src=rss

If you're traveling for the holidays today, I hope you're not flying on American Airlines. As of this morning, the airline said on X that all of its flights were currently grounded, with no current time table for when flights will resume. As The Verge notes, a notice posted by the Federal Aviation Administration confirms that there is a "nationwide groundstop" for all AA flights; it also says that this stoppage is at "company request."We're currently experiencing a technical issue with all American Airlines flights. Your safety is our utmost priority, once this is rectified, we'll have you safely on your way to your destination. americanair (@AmericanAir) December 24, 2024 Naturally, loads of people are freaking out about this on X and Threads, but aside from the FAA notice and American Airlines' post on X, there's no word on what is wrong or when things might change. And while Christmas Eve isn't the busiest travel day of the year, that's cold comfort for everyone stuck at an airport this morning. We're reaching out to American Airlines for more info and will update this story if anything changes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/all-american-airlines-flights-in-the-us-are-currently-grounded-131522223.html?src=rss

The streaming giant says VMware is in violation of five patents, and demands to be paid.

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Back in 1979, Sony cofounder Masaru Ibuka was looking for a way to listen to classical music on long-haul flights. In response, his companys engineers dreamed up the Walkman, ordering 30,000 units for an initial production run. Forty-five years later, Sony has sold over 400 million Walkmans and incited a revolution in music technology.While there are still Walkmans for sale, most use iPhones and Androids to tune in nowadays. Sony Walkman sound engineer Sato Hiroaki, who joined the company in 1986 while the device was at its peak, sees remnants of the Walkman in our present listening patterns. To this day, I still see the simplicity and user centric design of the Walkman in portable music products, Hiroaki writes to Fast Company in an email. Every time I see someone listening to music on their headphones, I think of the initial introduction of the Walkman, and how that got us to where we are.The Walkmans early daysForty-five years ago, Sonys then-president Norio Ohga took up Ibukas call for a transportable listening device. He asked an engineer to turn the companys Pressman tape recorder into a playback-only stereo device. The resulting model was clunky: Headphones then were heavy enough to keep the listener stationary, and custom batteries limited marketability. But slowly, Sony slimmed the product enough for mass production.[It] freed listeners from the confines of their living rooms, Hiroaki writes. In order to do this, original engineers made the decision to remove the recording functionality and forgo an embedded speaker, and added stereo playback circuitry in the available space to make the player more portablea decision that ended up creating a whole new product category.The original model, the TPS-L2, was a mere 5 x 3 inches, small enough to hold in the palm of your hand. It also only had one use: To feed the audio from a cassette tape into the attached headphones. But that alone was technologically innovative, especially in a time when stereos blasted muffled radio static into the open air.It was impressive at the time, because youre hearing it piped directly into your brain, as opposed to ambient sound, says Mark Katz, a music professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.Sony produced an initial 30,000-unit run of the TPS-L2. Only 3,000 sold in the first month but, through word of mouth, it spread. By the second month, that run had sold out, and batch sizes were upped to meet rising demand. Sony entered a golden era, where sales skyrocketed and brand cach grew. In just a year postlaunch, Sonys U.S. sales grew 41.3%. Within five years, they were making $6.7 billion worldwide.While the launchs success may look fated in hindsight, Sony took a major risk taking such a nascent product to market. In his book The Wide Lens, Dartmouth Colleges Ron Adner details how being first isnt always the smartest. Consider the adjacent MP3 boom: While dozens of companies (including Sony) pushed out devices, it was Apples iPod that captured the market three years later. Sometimes holding back is betterbut not for the Walkman.The market really does appreciate great execution, and getting the right idea right can give you a tremendous first mover advantage, Adner says. The risk of being a first mover is [that] youre going to get it wrong. Somebody else is going to learn from your mistakes. . . . The lesson for entrepreneurs from the Walkman is: Theres what it looks like when you have the right insight delivered in the right way.A revolution of personalized listeningSolo listening wasnt always the norm. Before the Walkman boosted cassettes to top status, vinyl records were all the rage, though they were expensive and cumbersome. Their players, of course, were even bigger. Stereos simplified the listening process, but they, too, were large and loud. This all meant music was heard with friends and family, and rarely by oneself.In the 70s, when I was in college, guys would have these big, expensive stereo systems, and every other room in a dormitory would be blasting out a different kind of music, says Mark Coleman, author of Playback. Music became a much more personal thing.This communal listening model proved difficult to shake. For the first few years, Walkman listeners were scoffed at for their colorful headphones and propensity to walk into traffic. The TPS-L2 even had two headphone jacks, just in case listeners wanted to plug in with a friend.Listening to music by yourself was seen as antisocial, says Katz, the UNC professor. Back then, it seemed actively transgressive that someone would decide to close themselves off from the world, especially in public places.By now, the culture has flipped. Private listening is the norm, with public listening reserved for concerts and ambient soundtracking. Walk the streets of any major city; youll see glaring white AirPods, only a touch more reserved than those original Walkman headsets. Only now, were not making fun of those who walk around with AirPods in.Neal Manowitz, president and COO of Sony Electronics, remembers his Walkman fondly. Whenever he hears Asias Heat of the Moment, he thinks back to the 80s, when hed blast the song on his WM-4 device. While hes proud of Sonys push towards private, personalized listening, he emphasizes that the Walkman still had more neighborly functions.With the creation of mixtapes, people could now curate their own set of songs to hear in whatever order they wanted (rather than listening to the radio) and take it on the go, Manowitz writes in an email to Fast Company. [It brought] people together through the sharing of music, without having to be in the same room. Behavior we take for granted today, like creating a playlist online, was revolutionized during the peak of the Walkman.The Walkman still looms largeAfter 45 years, Sony is still defined by the Walkman. Their mid-80s bump awed the entire market, inspiring later visionaries like Steve Jobs, who fashioned Apple after the company. Even now, as Sonys stock climbs to record highs, everything is still compared to that infamous era. CNNs headline: Sony hasnt been this hot since it made the Walkman.The Sony brand has always been synonymous with entertainment fueled by technological innovation. With Walkman, the brand immediately gained cultural cache as well, Manowitz writes. The brand was no longer just good tech, it became a symbol for personalization, creation, and self-expression as well.The Walkman didnt just help Sony; it also spun off dozens of companies and industries in the music tech area. The headphones market is now crowded and moneyed: Apple, Bose, and indeed Sony fight it out for market share. But, before the Walkman, these devices were mostly frowned upon.In the 70s, if you were sitting around listening to music on headphones, you were identifying yourself as a nerd or a stoner, says Playback author Coleman. Headphones became much more common then.The Walkman isnt dead. Since 1979, Sony has rolled out over 1,000 models of the device. Hiroaki details this progression, moving from cassettes to CDs to dropping physical media altogether. Theyve also added a touch screen, wireless capability, and some new AI functions. But some things have stayed the same: I believe that the idea of listening to ones favorite music in ones favorite place with good sound has remained unchanged since the first-generation Walkman TPS-L2, he writes.Holding the new-age Walkman can be a bit jarring. Its design is entirely different, turned into a pseudo-iPhone that can even browse Google Chrome. But, plugging in a nice big pair of headphones, theres something refreshing about the device. As streaming blurs music, podcasts, and videos, and as the music market is continually warped by TikTok, its nice to hold a device solely devoted to pure-form listening. Now, the Walkman is nostalgic; 45 years ago, it was revolutionary.

Given their visual allure, its an obvious jump for objects of design to make their way to the big screen. But seeing a piece of architecture or industrial design on film can be more than just a different view. These five films about design and designers dig into the stories of the making of places and products, but also the peopleand controversiesbehind them.Modernism, Inc.: The Eliot Noyes Design StoryThis documentary details the widespread impact of architect Eliot Noyes on 20th-century corporate America. A modernist architect and industrial designer, Noyes is best known for his long tenure as a consultant design director for IBM. In addition to designing the companys famously smooth Selectric typewriter, Noyes essentially designed IBMs corporate identity, integrating design throughout its products, management, and marketing. The film explores his unique perspective, and also the ways his thinking has become infused in the form and function of modern corporations around the world.Stardust: The Story of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott BrownStardust profiles the partnership and marriage of two pioneers of postmodern architecture. Lauded as much for their influential designs as their academic imprint, Venturi and Scott Brown carved unique careers in architecture, and the nature of their partnership was seen through a skewed lens for decades. The film is a professional biography of their designs, but also focuses on the rife sexism in the architecture industry and the often imbalanced credit the pairs work would receivesuch as when Venturi was named alone as the 1991 Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate. Directed by Venturi and Scott Browns son, Stardust exposes the fallacy of seeing Scott Brown as just the wife and not the equal partner.E.1027: Eileen Gray and the House by the SeaA dramatized retelling of the conflict surrounding one of the worlds most renowned early Modernist homes, and the controversy that has shrouded its reputation. Designed in 1929 by the Irish furniture designer Eileen Gray, E.1027 was a seaside villa on the French Riviera that she intended to be a place of respite for herself and her lover, architect Jean Badovici. The film centers around the homes controversial interior murals, which were later added by the famed architect Le Corbusier after Gray and Badovici separated. The murals brought the house to the attention of the world but enraged Gray, who saw the famous architect usurping her authorship of the home. Referred to as a docufiction by directors Beatrice Minger and Christoph Schaub, the film is a mix of archival footage and scenes recreated with actors. Fittingly, most of the film was shot inside the home itselfwhich has fortunately been preserved.The BrutalistA historical drama set in post-war Philadelphia, this film follows the story of an architect and Holocaust survivor eking out a living as an immigrant laborer. Hes been forced by circumstance to abandon his innovative and successful career in architecture, until a wealthy industrialist hires him to design an ambitious community center. Personalities and cultures clash. Drug addictions ensue. Kindness is countered with betrayal. Design nerds will surely swoon over scenes of the community centers design and construction, as well as vivid moments inside a marble quarry in Carrara, Italy. Newly released in the U.S., the film has already garnered several awards nominations and is expected to be an Oscar contender for best film of the year.MegalopolisThis science fiction epic from writer/director Francis Ford Coppola takes an extravagant stab at the trope of the visionary architect pursuing Utopia. Set in an alternate and class-riven 21st-century New York known as New Rome, the story follows a starchitect who proposes a utopian plan for a new city, only to be opposed by the citys corrupt mayor. (The architect also has the secret ability to stop time, but thats another matter.) The film, which Coppola had been trying to make since the early 1980s and eventually self-financed for more than $120 million, has been critically panned and bombed at the box office. But sometimes even bad films are good. Its a flamboyant, absurd, star-studded spectacle that fully embraces the clearly fictional concept of an architect whos actually able to reinvent the world. As the films protagonist says in the trailer, My plan is a city that people can dream about. Dream on!

The workplace is at an inflection point. Rapid advancements in AI, intensifying polarization, eroding employee perks and protections, and shifting employee expectations are transforming the role of HR in unprecedented ways. These trends demand bold, strategic responses from HR leaders who must balance technological adoption with human-centered leadership, global instability, and increasing demands to do more with less.After taking last year off, Im back to weigh in on the evolving landscape of HR and people operations in the new year. You can check out past year predictions for 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020. (Looking back, I had more hits than misses, although Im still haunted by that Metaverse pick. Alas, Zuckerberg.)So, what will the HR landscape look like in 2025? From redefining job roles in the age of AI to reimagining the workplace, HR leaders are navigating uncharted territory. The future demands agility, and HR is again at the helm of this change.Here are seven key trends reshaping the future of work.1. AI Automation Will Reimagine Your JobWill AI take your jobor make it better? In 2025, the rise of agentic AI and automation is poised to reshape job roles, deconstructing traditional responsibilities and redistributing tasks between humans and machines. This shift is already underway: A McKinsey report notes that AI could automate up to 70% of routine tasks in sectors like finance, retail, and customer service.The coming result is a hybrid workforce model, where AI agents handle routine tasks while humans focus on complex problem-solving. For HR leaders, this evolution means redesigning roles to reflect these synergies, updating performance metrics, and realigning recruitment strategies to prioritize creativity, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and the ability to learn.This transformation offers opportunities and challenges. Companies leveraging AI effectively see improved productivity, yet employees often express understandable concerns about job security. By addressing these anxieties with transparent communication and robust reskilling programs, HR can ensure automation enhancesnot replaceshuman contributions.2. Well need to get serious about AI and hiringWhat happens when your next interview isnt with a person? Companies including EY are already using AI avatars to allow candidates to practice interviews. Chipotle partners with Paradox to create a virtual team member called Ava Cado, and expects conversational AI tools to reduce time to hire for restaurant positions by 75%. This is just the beginning.In 2025, AI-driven avatars will be used by more companies to conduct interviews at scale. A recent study by Resume Builder found 70% of companies will use AI for hiring in 2025, with 24% saying they currently use AI for the entire interview processa statistic surely to be appreciated by law firms, as Ill explain in the next prediction.Expect job seekers to match this embrace of AI.Job applicants are already using tools like BulkApply.ai, Sonara, and LazyApply to mass apply to numerous jobs. Companies are seeing as much as 3X increase in job applicants according to a report by recruiting software company Ashby, overwhelming recruiting teams and clogging applicant funnels.As organizations grapple with these challenges, onsite interviews will make a comeback as a safeguard against AI-driven deception and to evaluate interpersonal skills that technology cant measure.Ethical implications loom large. Misuse of AI could lead to discriminatory practices or undermine trust in the hiring process. HR leaders must create protocols to verify candidate authenticity while maintaining fairness and equity.Were already in uncharted territory, and the clone wars are just beginning.3. AI in Hiring Will Go Under A Legal MicroscopeHiring decisions made by machines will come under fire this year. The rapid advancements of AI are outpacing its regulation, but the policies are catching up.Last year the European Union approved the EU AI Act, including heavy fines for employers using AI as an emotional recognition system. In the United States, things are even more complicated, as current AI regulations have been driven more on a state-by-state basis, with California striking down an AI safety bill that would have mandated a kill switch for rogue AI technologies.This lack of overarching rules and regulations will make it increasingly difficult for HR teams to ensure compliance while under immense pressure to adopt AI tools and realize their benefits.The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has declared that employersnot software vendorsbear responsibility for discriminatory AI outcomes, placing HR leaders in the spotlight.A study by the Brookings Institution highlights the risks: Poorly designed algorithms can perpetuate biases in hiring, excluding qualified candidates based on gender, race, or socioeconomic factors. This year, organizations face heightened pressure to audit their AI tools for compliance with anti-discrimination laws, or risk financial penalties and reputational damage.Proactive measures are non-negotiable. HR teams must collaborate with legal experts to evaluate hiring technologies and ensure transparency. Equally important is educating leadership about the potential risks and ethical considerations of AI-driven recruitment.4. DEI Strategies Will Evolve Amid BacklashAs political headwinds intensify, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are becoming both a target of controversy and a litmus test for organizational values.While some companies including Walmart scale back their efforts under societal pressure, others are strategically reframing their approach to avoid backlash. Despite the political discourse, the financial argument for DEI remains robust. World Economic Forum research shows companies with above-average diversity scores drive 45% average revenue from innovation, while companies with below-average diversity scores drive only 26%.HR leaders face a choice: Adapt and evolve these initiatives or risk losing credibility with employees and stakeholders. Strategies must be measurable, impactful, and shielded from performative tendencies. True impact requires measurable goals, transparent progress reporting, and initiatives that resonate with employees at every level.HR leaders must navigate this complexity with both pragmatism and purpose, ensuring their strategies reflect substance over symbolism.5. Leaders will prioritize efficiencyDo more with less. This mantra has become the defining ethos of corporate America heading into 2025. Inspired by Elon Musks high-profile DOGE cost-cutting strategies, organizations are embracing efficiency as the ultimate goal. AI and automation tools are leading this charge, promising faster workflows and reduced redundancies.But at what cost? The relentless drive for productivity risks alienating employees, undermining morale, and increasing burnout. The pendulum has swung firmly away from the employee-first ideals of The Great Resignation, leaving HR in a precarious position.Success will depend on creating strategies that prioritize technological integration while safeguarding the employee experience. The question is no longer whether organizations can do more with less, but whether they can do better with lesswithout losing their most valuable resource: their people.6. Learning & Development Will Take Center StageIs your organization prepared for the generative AI revolution? In 2025, Learning & Development (L&D) is no longer a supplemental function but a critical driver of organizational success. As automation transforms industries, the World Economic Forum estimates that 50% of all employees will require reskilling by 2025 to remain competitive in the labor market.Leading companies are already adapting. Walmart, for example, has pioneered skills-based training programs aligned with individual career trajectories, setting a benchmark for others to follow. This approach resonates with employees: LinkedIns Workplace Learning Report found that 94% of workers would remain longer at organizations that prioritize their development.Microlearning platforms are emerging as key enablers, offering short, targeted modules designed for maximum engagement and efficiency. Yet, HR leaders face the challenge of ensuring these programs align with broader organizational objectives. By embedding training into corporate strategy, companies can build a workforce that thrives amid rapid change.7. Certain Entry-Level Roles Will Face ExtinctionWhat happens when machines take over entry-level jobs? Automation is rapidly reshaping the labor market. These shifts are eliminating tasks traditionally performed by early-career professionals, such as data entry, research, administrative work, and basic analysis.This erosion of foundational roles creates a critical challenge for organizations and job seekers alike. Without entry-level opportunities, young professionals risk missing out on the experiences that build essential skills. For HR leaders, the solution lies in innovation: rotational programs that expose employees to multiple departments, hybrid roles blending human oversight with AI, and structured mentorship initiatives.One way to solve for this is to redesign career pathways to include mentorship programs, internships, and AI-human collaboration opportunities, ensuring that young professionals continue to build essential skills.2025 and Beyond: HRs Role in Building the AI-Enabled Future WorkforceThe next chapter of work in 2025 is neither purely technological nor purely humanits the seamless integration of both. HR leaders who rise to the occasion will shape workplaces where innovation thrives, employees feel valued, and organizations achieve unprecedented success.The stakes couldnt be higher in this first year of broad AI adoption: The choices made today will define the talent landscape for a generation.