There were some great games in 2024, but theres no question that the gaming industry had a very hard time in this latest dance around the sun, with mass layoffs hitting almost every major publisher and game studio. This year, we had several sequels in major franchises, remakes, and new titles from established developers. And yet, many of our favorites were from indie developers and designers who tried new things with classic genres. Here are Gizmodos picks for the years best games, in no particular order. Metaphor: Refantazio Studio/publisher: Studio Zero, Atlus The overt nature of fantasy lends itself to metaphor, which Team Zero made the main theme of its follow-up to its massively popular Persona series. Its a game about society, its issues, and the people who use fantasy not as an escape but as a method of imagining a better, fairer society. That message is incredibly timely, and Metaphor houses its themes in the best rendition of Persona gameplay yet. Its battles require more forethought than a game like Persona 5, but it balances it so you understand exactly why you lost. Available on: PS5, Xbox, PC Read more Best Buy Amazon Astro Bot Studio/publisher: Team Asobi, Sony Team Asobi took the PlayStation 5 mascot of mascots and made one of the best platformers of the 2020s. Its a Super Mario-inspired adventure through some truly imaginative levels where the mechanics dont stick around long enough to become boring. Plus, if youre a longtime Sony fan, the number of characters Astro Bot crams in will routinely set off recognition lights in your brain. Theres so much theming around Sony properties that you may assume Astro Bot is just an advertising blitz by Sony. Thats not to say it isnt, but its also an excellent platformer. Available on: PS5 Read more Best Buy Amazon Animal Well Studio/publisher: Billy Basso, Big Mode By his own account, indie developer Billy Basso spent seven years putting Animal Well together. It would have already been enough if all that time had been spent fine-tuning the excellent controls, the items, and the stage design. And yet, the near-inconceivable depth of Animal Well makes it so addicting, especially for a game that uses less than 1 GB of hard drive space. The first time you think youve seen everything, the game pulls out another 10 hours of content from out of nowhere. Available on: Switch, PS5, Xbox, PC Amazon Batman Arkham Shadow Studio/publisher: Camouflaj, Oculus Studios The Arkham series has laid dormant for years, but its return in VR is a surprisingly graceful way of translating the combat, stealth, and traversal of the Rocksteady classics into a more hands-on form. Batman Arkham Shadow can feel like a retread of those earlier titles, but its been long enough that punching thugs with your bare knuckles feels gratifying. The extra benefit is it is free for those who pick up a new Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S, but its already a solid game in its own right. Available on: Meta Quest 3, Quest 3S Read more Amazon Best Buy Persona 3 Reload Studio/publisher: Atlus Persona 3 has had two iterations: its original PlayStation 2 launch plus the Persona 3 Portable edition on PSP. For those who missed their chance for both those games, Atlus brought back the fan-favorite JRPG with graphics and UI to match the more recent Persona 5. The game is still a deep dive into the nature of how humanity deals with, rejects, or comes to accept death. There are a host of small improvements made to the original 2006 title, so if you want to understand why theres still so much fondness for this specific entry in the Persona series, this is the most modern way to do so. Available on: PC, Xbox, PlayStation 5 Amazon Best Buy Tactical Breach Wizards Studio/publisher: Suspicious Developments If you were expecting Tactical Breach Wizards to be a combination of Rainbow Six and XCOM, think of it instead as Into the Breach meets Shadowrun, with a hefty dose of offbeat humor. The game delivers a quick-witted, intelligently designed, and often hilarious puzzler featuring a cast of misfit mages and reimagined fantasy stereotypes embroiled in an espionage thriller. Each level offers multiple ways to succeed, avoiding the common puzzle-game pitfall of being restricted to a single solution. Available on: PC Steam HellDivers 2 Studio/publisher: Arrowhead Game Studios, Sony The surprise multiplayer hit of 2024 captured players hearts with its blend of tight shooter gameplay, a fair live-service model, and a satirical sense of humor inspired by Paul Verhoevens 1997 film Starship Troopers. The game has maintained its player base largely engaged throughout the year. Even when balancing changes or minor missteps spark controversy, it remains the most entertaining multiplayer title of 2024. Available on: PS5, PC Read more Amazon Best Buy Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Studio/publisher: Saber Interactive, Focus Entertainment Space Marine 2 is a repetitive, hack-and-slash game with an inane story and wooden characters that make up for it with its excellent minute-to-minute gameplay in an era of oppressive live service cash grabs. What helps the game stand out is its precise combat, which, on higher difficulties, emphasizes crowd management to make sure you dont get swarmed. Plus, theres a three-player co-op for the main campaign and the additional side missions. Available on: PS5, Xbox, PC Read more Amazon Best Buy Frostpunk 2 Studio/publisher: 11 Bit Studios The first Frostpunk challenged you to save a city, no matter the cost. Frostpunk 2 poses an even harder question: Is survival worth the price? Set in a bleak world, it explores the fragility of democracy when people are pushed to the brink of survival. The game is challenging, and its tutorial provides little guidance on how to succeed. Instead, it emphasizes a harsh truth: you can never make everyone happy. As the Steward, you must build districts, harvest food, and expand your city without plunging your society into chaos. Its an emotionally gripping city builder that pulls no punches. Available on: Mac, PC, Xbox, PS5 Steam Tetris Forever Studio/publisher: Digital Eclipse, Atari Tetris is timeless. If youve played one version, youve essentially played them all. But if you want to experience a substantial piece of Tetris history in one package, Tetris Forever is an excellent choice. It lets you play 15 different versions of Tetris and teaches you about the games fascinating history. Digital Eclipses latest playable documentary includes a brand-new Tetris Time Warp mode. For longtime fans and newcomers alike, Tetris Forever offers plenty of surprisesespecially if youre unfamiliar with the games storied inception. If youre interested in something more nostalgic, Nintendo recently released the classic NES and Game Boy versions of Tetris through Switch Online, albeit at an additional cost. Available on: Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox, Xbox One, PC Read more Nintendo GOG Dragon Age: The Veilguard Studio/publisher: Bioware, Electronic Arts BioWares return to the world of Thedas didnt come without its share of tension. Though its combat can get repetitive and its story doesnt make much impact, Veilguard offers great characters and many beautiful locales to discover throughout its lengthy runtime. Its more streamlined and action-orientedmore like Dragon Age II than Dragon Age: Inquisitionbut it doesnt lose BioWares bread and butter: interesting and charming companions. Available on: PS5, Xbox, PC Read more Amazon Best Buy STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl Studio/publisher: GSC Game World STALKER 2 had a rough launch. My editor couldnt even get it to run on his PC without a sudden crash to the desktop. A few months later, the game still has its issues, but despite that, it offers an incredibly deep experience steeped in an oppressive, unforgiving atmosphere. The gameplay remains consistently intense, even if the gun sound effects feel underwhelming. This sequel truly shines in its polished sense of uneaseevery mission is drenched in tension. You quickly learn that no character can be trusted, and the best course of action is often to gain the upper hand in every encounterusually by shooting first and asking questions never. Available on: Xbox, PC Amazon Best Buy Hades II (Early Access) Studio/publisher: Supergiant Games Earlier this year, the lack of exciting titles made the arrival of Hades II a welcome relief, even in its Early Access state. As the sequel to Supergiants massively popular Hades, the game retains its core gameplay while introducing radical new weapons, abilities, and boons to mix and match. Its frenetic and often incredibly challenging, but the developers exceptional character design, writing, and voice acting turn returning after a failed run into a joy rather than a frustration. Available on: PC Steam Epic Games Store Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Studio/publisher: FromSoftware, Bandai Namco The Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, is so expansive that it feels like an entirely new game layered on top of FromSoftwares original masterpiece. With at least 30 hours of content to explore in a densely packed new area, it offers plenty to keep players engaged. While Elden Ring is already known for its difficulty, Shadow of the Erdtree takes endgame challenges to the extreme. Beyond its punishing nature, the DLC delivers more of what fans love about Elden Ring and some of the most unforgettable encounters FromSoftware has ever crafted. Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox, PC Read more Amazon Best Buy Dragons Dogma II Studio/publisher: Capcom Theres something uniquely charming about an RPG as unapologetically janky as Dragons Dogma II. Its a game where you roam a sprawling open world, climb massive creatures, and pummel them into submission. Somehow, it blends MMO-style action RPG mechanics with the innovative pawns system and a single-player focus without collapsing under its own ambition. While the story isnt particularly compelling, the sheer scope of the game is undeniably impressiveso much so that its hard not to marvel that the developers at Capcom even managed to pull it off. Available on: PS5. Xbox, PC Amazon Best Buy Balatro Studio/publisher: LocalThunk, PlayStack Ill admit, I didnt understand why Balatro became such a massive breakout hit practically overnight. But after playing a few hands, I quickly realized just how simple, effective, and addictive the game can be. Its all about creating poker hands to achieve the highest score. The better the hand, the higher the scorebut the twist lies in the ability to modify your deck with extra cards or apply multipliers through Jokers, which might work better with two-of-a-kind or flushes of a certain suit. Its a straightforward game you can play anywhere, but it earns a spot on this list simply because the staff admits to playing it more than probably any other game here. Available on: Switch, PC, Xbox, PS5. Android, iOS, Mac Read more Amazon Best Buy Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Studio/publisher: Square Enix The installment of the Final Fantasy VII Remake, Rebirth, is more than an expansion of the first games systems or a nostalgic journey for fans of the 1997 original. While the refined action RPG mechanics in Rebirth are impressive, the exceptional world-building and character development truly make the remake resonate. Available on: PS5 Read more Amazon Best Buy Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete Studio/publisher: Nintendo Cube, Nintendo The ultra-light mobile version of Animal Crossing is infinitely better without the predatory monetization of its original form. Although the game originally launched in 2017, it feels like a brand-new experience with seasonal events extending into the new year. Currently priced at $10 during this introductory period, the cost will increase to $20 after January. Available on: Android, iOS Google Play Store App Store