The top four groundbreaking video games of 2024

Genre defining titles, formula perfecting games, mascot making experiences, and controversy were all plentiful this year. Whether it was debating the definition of a game with the release of Shadow of the Erdtree, experiencing the pseudo-remake/pseudo-squeal that is Rebirth, or witnessing PlayStation finally find the thing that they have searched so long for, 2024 was filled with groundbreaking games.

Now, its time to take a look back on a few of them.

4. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree redefines expansion

Including this title on any top games list is controversial. Just ask The Game Awards and the backlash they received for nominating it for game of the year. The quarrel regarding this game stems from a simple fact. It isn’t one.

To be more specific, it isn’t a standalone game. It is an expansion. And so, many believed that it shouldn’t be considered alongside brand new titles like the ones below. However, the fact that it was included on many year end lists, including the biggest game award show of the year, showcases that to some degree, its greatness is undeniable. 

Shadow of the Erdtree redefined what an expansion is.

This was not simply another 10 hour story-line. This expansion introduced players to a huge new area, abundant with secrets to discover and brand new enemies to slay. The boss battles helped players rediscover the absolutely stunning art-style of FromSoftware, and the brutal difficulty of the encounters they continue to make. 

As players died again and again to the expansions over 40 bosses, they remembered why they hated Souls-likes.

Then, when they finally triumphed, they remembered why nothing else in the industry can compare to the feeling of reward that can be achieved in a FromSoftware game.

3. Metaphor: ReFantazio perfects the Atlus formula

Japanese developer Atlus have carved a niche for themselves with their two popular series Shin Megami Tensei and Persona. While the former is more focused on dungeon crawling, the latter spin off series is what really gave Atlus their identity. Their games specialise in creating worlds where you lead a double life, demon hunter and high schooler. During battles players get to experience some of the most stylish turn based combat on the market. Then, during your off time, players go through their normal school lives, attending class, investing free-time in different activities, and creating social links with classmates, many of whom end up joining the main character during the more perilous instances they find themselves in.

This blend of life sim and dungeon crawling turn based adventure made for a formula that fans couldn’t get enough of. However, it wasn’t perfect. That was until Atlus created Metaphor: ReFantazio and took their games to the next level. 

Metaphor keeps the foundation of life sim plus dungeon crawler, but adds on some major improvements. The combat system in ReFantazio is the best Atlus has ever made, as the developers fused action combat with turn based strategy. When players are in the over-world, they are able to engage and kill enemies with simple action combat. For enemies that are on the stronger side, players first stun them, before launching into the tried and true turn based system which combines features from both of their previous series. 

However, the aspect in which Metaphor shines brightest is its story. Instead of the high school setting that each Persona game utilised, ReFantazio drops players in a fantasy world at a time of great turbulence.

The King is dead, and his murderer vies for the throne. Meanwhile, the player character finds himself on a mission to stop the regicide, all while finding a cure for the cursed prince that lacks the health to take the role that is rightly his. 

What ensues is a globe trotting adventure in which players form a team of valiant heroes, all hoping to create a better tomorrow.

2. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a love letter to the OG

Fans of arguably the most popular Role Playing Game in history, Final Fantasy 7, couldn’t believe their eyes when they finally got to play the long awaited remake in 2020. Twenty three years after they first visited Midgard, players were finally able to return. As they roamed the slums of the cyberpunk-esque city, falling in love with the game all over again, they realised this wasn’t just a stroll down memory lane. The game covered the same key events the original did, but as it drew closer to its ending, players realised this was the beginning of something much greater than they first thought. It was definitely a remake. But it might also be a sequel. 

Four years later, the second installment of the remake trilogy was released.

It was finally time for fans to quench their curiosity. What twists and turns would the game take? On their way to finding out, players experienced the world of FF7 like never before. Rebirth was a love letter.

Single frames from the original game were turned into expansive areas, full of monsters to fight, side quests to complete, and mini games to get lost in. Each new expansive zone that was revealed as the game progressed introduced lush scenery, taking the original vision of the developers to new heights. Each zone also had their unique form of traversal, whether it be on the back of flying chocobos, or on a souped up dune buggy. 

The combat system was another highlight. Building upon what Remake did, Rebirth’s combat focused on the synergy between characters. Team up attacks were stunning and deadly. Even individual combat was improved, with each character’s skill-set becoming more versatile. 

However, like Metaphor, Rebirth excelled most in its story. Despite still hitting the same major notes of the original 1997 game, the story had been fleshed out to a ridiculous degree. After the first game reintroduced FF7’s beloved cast, Rebirth gave them depth never before seen.

The game broke down characters to their core, while simultaneously building up the relationships between the cast.

This allowed for players to connect emotionally with the characters to a degree that simply wasn’t possible before. However, while some questions were answered, that mind bending ending left players with even more.

1. Sony finally found their mascot in Astro Bot

Sony has long searched for a mascot that could rival Nintendo’s Mario. Crash bandicoot emerged as an early contender, but while popular, it came from a third party studio, Naughty Dog. Years and years later, Little Big Planet introduced Sackboy. While the game itself was successful, the cute little knitted creature never really caught on. 

People thought of more human-like, mature characters when they thought of PlayStation, such as Cloud Strife from FF7, Kratos from God of War, and Nathan Drake from Uncharted. Besides also coming from third party games, these characters couldnt capitalise on the younger market that was attracted to Mario and Sonic. However, PlayStation never gave up. They even tried making Knack, a game about a humanoid figure composed of rock-like objects, their next big IP (intellectual property). 

Unsurprisingly, it didn’t catch on.

All hope seemed to be lost, until Sony released a free game for all PlayStation users that served as a tech demo for their new DualSense controller.

It was titled Astro’s Playroom, a Team Asobi developed successor to a PlayStation 4 virtual reality title. 

The game served as an introduction to the new features possible in this current console generation. But, players discovered it was something more than that. It was actually fun.

Four years later, a full fledged platformer was released, titled AstroBot. It was met with immediate praise for its innovative design that featured a variety of distinct locations and abilities. The tight controls made for the best platforming experience of the year, and that sentiment was reified when it won game of the year at The Game Awards. 

But most importantly, the game featured all of Sony’s previous star characters in the supporting cast, as Astro travelled from location to location saving them.

It was a ceremonial passing of the torch, and PlayStation finally had their mascot.