Look Back 2024: Top 5 Video Games This Year, From Black Myth Wukong To Astro Bot
Best Video Games Of 2024: Be it the lovable 'Astro Bot' or be it the terrifyingly tough 'Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree', gamers had their hands full with some genuine gems this year.
Best Video Games Of 2024: This year has been a mixed bag for gamers. On one hand, you had stunning winners like Black Myth: Wukong. But, on the other hand, you didn’t see a lot of new memorable IPs either. Expansions and remakes such as Shadow of the Erdtree and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth largely dominated the charts. However, there were some games that truly made our year.
So, without further ado, here are the top 5 video games of 2024:
Astro Bot
- Release Date: September 6
- Developer/Publisher: Team Asobi/Sony
- Platform(s): PS5
The cutie patootie robot, Astro Bot, has been a welcoming guide to PlayStation users, introducing gamers to the many features and upgrades of each PlayStation generation, through free-to-download bundled games like Astro’s Playroom.
So, when Team Asobi decided to release a fully fledged game dedicated to the eponymous hero, we weren’t sure what to expect. However, we were pleasantly surprised when we got a game that didn’t only play better than most other RPGs out there, but took us on a nostalgic ride through some of the greatest moments and icons of PlayStation. I mean, you get to play with Kratos’ Leviathan Axe as well! Need I say more?
Fun and frivolous, Astro Bot is just what the doctor ordered for gamers who wanted a break from ultra-hard soulslike games or super-immersive sandboxes. No wonder it won the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards.
Black Myth: Wukong
- Release date: August 20
- Developer/Publisher: Game Science
- Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
While Astro Bot is all about having fun, Black Myth is anything but. Based on the Chinese epic Journey to the West, Black Myth follows the footsteps of The Destined One, an anthropomorphic monkey who has more magical powers than any wizard ever imagined.
Be it stealing powers from felled enemies à la Soulslike games, or be it menacing boss fights that are a genuine treat to crack, Black Myth: Wukong offers a fine balance between tough-as-nails gameplay and a genuinely touching saga of an ethereal being making his way through seemingly gargantuan odds.
With a sales of 20 million units in the first month, Black Myth: Wukong is one of the fastest-selling games in history, and for good reason.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
- Release Date: June 21
- Developer/Publisher: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco
- Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Elden Ring has won more awards than one can keep a count of. Set in a gorgeous fantastical world steeped in lore, the Shadow of the Erdtree advances the adventures of The Tarnished by adding new mysteries to uncover, new dungeons, new enemies, and new weapons.
Elden Ring was a nearly perfect game. Shadow of the Erdtree somehow managed to make it even better. Perhaps the last expansion that left this many satisfied gamers was The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine DLC.
If you haven’t yet played either Elden Ring or Shadow of the Erdtree, we highly suggest you do. Yes, it’s tough. However, this is gaming at its classic best.
Helldivers 2
- Release Date: February 8
- Developer/Publisher: Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony
- Platform(s): PC, PS5
Who doesn’t love a solid co-op shooter? Sadly, not many co-op action RPGs managed to leave a lasting impression over the years. The same cannot be said about Helldivers 2. While 2015’s Helldivers was a top-down shooter, Helldivers 2 is a third-person riot.
You get to complete tasks in procedurally generated ‘Operations’ in teams of up to 4 players, bracing yourself against insane hordes of enemies. You get a wide array of weapons and character classes to choose from. But, the ‘Stratagems’ are the primary highlights, which are souped-up equipment which can change the game when your back is against the wall.
Each ‘Operation’ of Helldivers 2 starts off slowly but soon turns into an all-out war where you’re required to fight tooth and nail against insurmountable odds.
This is one game when you’d wish your teammate isn’t a noob.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Release date: December 9
- Developer/Publisher: Machine Games/Bethesda Softworks
- Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 (first half of 2025)
From the studio that brought the excellent Wolfenstein reboot series, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle offers a fine tip of the hat to the greatest adventurer and “tomb raider” ever, Indiana Jones.
With one of the best brawling mechanics in recent years, The Great Circle takes Indy on a journey across the globe as he must thwart nefarious Nazis before they can harness a great power connected with the mythical ‘Great Circle’.
While we did miss Harrison Ford reprising his iconic role, industry veteran Troy Baker did an impressive job bringing the whip-powered adventurer to life in the game.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is genuinely funny, greatly addictive, and while the puzzles may not be supremely challenging, they do offer a certain satisfaction when you manage to solve them without taking any external help.
The game switches between first- and third-person view throughout, keeping the magic of the eponymous films alive. When you’re playing the game, we highly recommend taking enemies out silently with whatever item Indy can lay his hands on, just to listen to one hilarious quip after another.