The best games of the year so far

So many games, so little time. We’ve barely recovered from the incredible year that was 2023, and developer studios are already overwhelming us with countless top-class titles in the first quarter of 2024.

Our editorial team decided to look back at the games we’ve enjoyed the most so far this year, as well as those we wouldn’t recommend.

Must-play: the games you need to play

The first category of this review covers games that have inspired us and left a lasting impression on the gaming community. Even if you don’t play any others, you should have at least tried these monumental Game of the Year candidates. As in all the following categories, the titles are sorted alphabetically. We took playing times from howlongtobeat.com.

Be sure to play: Dragon’s Dogma 2

The sequel to the 2013 cult classic Dragon's Dogma does everything better than the often bumpy first part. Its fantastically staged battles against giant monsters are a highlight, often culminating in unpredictable situations. The talkative pawns you can «hire» from other online players also make the game unique. The often shaky performance and unnecessary micro-transactions are criticisms we can easily overlook given the excellent overall picture.

• Played by: Domi and Phil
• Available for: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
• Genre: action RPG
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 40 hours

Be sure to play: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a dream come true for all fans of the original game. The second part of the remake trilogy is bigger, more aesthetically pleasing and more emotional than its predecessor. The game now offers several huge open worlds with lots to discover. These include countless mini-games, such as the excellent card game Queen's Blood. Not much has been changed in the action-packed combat system, and that’s a good thing.

• Played by: Domi and Kevin
• Available for: PS5
• Genre: action RPG
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 82 hours

Be sure to play: Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 is a wonderfully chaotic PlayStation shooter. After Palworld, it’s the second-most viral gaming hit of the year. Almost overnight, the number of players exploded, bringing the game’s servers to a standstill. In this game, you free the world from ugly alien creatures. Every mission escalates into uncontrollable chaos, partly because there’s friendly fire involved.

• Played by: Phil
• Available for: PS5, PC
• Genre: third-person shooter
• Multiplayer: online Co-op
• Playing time: up to the player

Be sure to play: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

The new Like a Dragon game is the best in the long-running Japanese franchise to date. For the first time, a location outside Japan – Honolulu – has been chosen as its setting. The game offers the finest JRPG fare, garnished with countless mini-games and side activities, including a Pokémon parody and an Animal Crossing mini-game. Newcomers will be overwhelmed by the complex story, but Like a Dragon newbie Phil thinks the game is still fun for players with no prior experience.

• Played by: Domi and Phil
• Available for: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC
• Genre: RPG
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 82 hours

Be sure to play: Pacific Drive

In Pacific Drive, your car is the star of the game. You explore a mysterious area – the Olympic Exclusion Zone – and try to work out what’s going on with all the supernatural phenomena. You find yourself on the road in an old banger that you gradually upgrade in order to survive in the merciless exclusion zone. A nerve-wracking, beautiful and unique game.

• Played by: Phil
• Available for: PS5, PC
• Genre: survival
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 29 hours

Be sure to play: Tekken 8

The legendary fighting game series is back. Ex-Tekken aficionado Flo has taken the eighth instalment as an opportunity to dive back into the beat ’em up world. The game has as much on offer for newcomers as it does returnees – first and foremost being its excellently staged story mode. And the fight scenes themselves are as fun as ever.

• Played by: Flo
• Available for: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
• Genre: beat ’em up
• Multiplayer: online and local
• Playing time: 10 hours (for the story)

Nice to have: we also liked these games

There’s also room for smaller or less spectacular games in this category: ones that we liked but won’t necessarily be in the Game of the Year race.

Recommendation: Balatro

Warning: can be addictive. Simon tested this combo of poker, Yahtzee, tarot and roguelike and can’t keep his hands off it. Just one more go. Then another. Maybe just one more. And suddenly another three hours have gone by. Quite rightly, the game has become an unexpected viral hit for small developer studio LocalThunk.

• Played by: Simon
• Available for: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC, Mac
• Genre: card game, roguelike
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 32 hours

Recommendation: Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor

The name quickly makes it clear which game the Deep Rock Galactic spin-off is based on: Vampire Survivors. This 5-franc indie game has single-handedly created a new genre. In Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, you also have to take down hordes of monsters. But as you’re a space dwarf, you’re busy mining ores at the same time. Just as addictive as the original, but it looks much prettier.

• Played by: Phil
• Available for: PC
• Genre: shoot ’em up
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 28 hours

Recommendation: Enshrouded

Enshrouded is still in the early-access stage but already looks very finished. This survival building game offers a hand-designed world, a flexible building system and exciting skills. It already stands out from the mass of generic survival games on Steam and plays better than many official and finished releases.

• Played by: Phil
• Available for: PC
• Genre: survival
• Multiplayer: yes, up to 16 people on one server
• Playing time: 54 hours

Recommendation: Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game

In this game, you get behind the wheel of various trucks and off-roaders, puttering through the wilderness of Arizona. As such, the journey is more important than the destination. The game conveys an authentic driving experience, and it’s fun to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles with powerful off-road vehicles. A jovial vehicle simulation that’s also suitable for casual players.

• Played by: Phil
• Available for: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC
• Genre: driving simulator
• Multiplayer: online Co-op
• Playing time: 100 hours

Recommendation: Momodora: Moonlit Farewell

Kevin loves Metroidvanias, which is why he also loves Momodora: Moonlit Farewell. The fifth game in the Momodora series is particularly captivating with its beautiful 2D art style and compact size. A perfect game for a rainy weekend.

• Played by: Kevin
• Available for: PC
• Genre: Metroidvania
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 9 hours

Recommendation: Pepper Grinder

With only four hours of playtime, this is one of the shortest games on the list. Despite the game’s small scope, Pepper Grinder is still one I recommend to all fans of hardcore platformers. Using an oversized drill, you dig your way through the beautiful levels and destroy all kinds of enemy creatures. A game full of crazy ideas that’ll surprise you at every turn.

• Played by: Domi
• Available for: Switch, PC
• Genre: platformer
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 4 hours

Recommendation: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

What a comeback for the Persian prince. After years of absence, the iconic game series returns with an excellent Metroidvania. Rather than reinventing the genre wheel with this game, Ubisoft introduces innovative features and perfects tricky platformer gameplay with ultra-precise controls.

• Played by: Simon
• Available for: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC
• Genre: Metroidvania
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 23 hours

Recommendation: Princess Peach: Showtime!

Nintendo’s princess finally gets her own game again. Princess Peach: Showtime! is a colourful goodie bag aimed primarily at a younger audience. In the course of this adventure, Peach slips into various roles in order to free a theatre from an evil witch. Very simple, lovingly staged and a real feel-good game.

• Played by: Domi and Michelle
• Available for: Switch
• Genre: action adventure
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 8 hours

Recommendation: Splatoon 3: Side Order

Side Order is actually «only» a DLC for Nintendo’s online shooter Splatoon 3. But it has a lot to offer and could’ve been released as a stand-alone game. In the best roguelike style, you fight your way through a tower equipped with colourful weapons and countless fish enemies awaiting you. A great expansion for an already excellent game.

• Played by: Domi and Phil
• Available for: Switch
• Genre: third-person shooter, roguelike
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 11 hours

Recommendation: Terror at Oakheart

Do you like 80s and 90s slasher films? Then Terror at Oakheart is for you. In this pixel art adventure, you take on the role of bloodthirsty killers and innocent victims. In any case, Splatter aficionado Phil is thrilled with this little retro adventure.

• Played by: Phil
• Available for: PC
• Genre: action adventure
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 3 hours

Recommendation: Unicorn Overlord

Unicorn Overlord is a highly complex real-time strategy game in a medieval fantasy setting where you command your troops on a battlefield. The special thing about it is that as soon as a fight starts, it plays automatically. Proper preparation is the key to success. You assemble your squad, choose weapons and attacks, and prescribe rules for how your soldiers are to behave in battle. It’s a flexible strategy system you can really get lost in.

• Played by: Domi
• Available for: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
• Genre: real-time strategy, RPG
• Multiplayer: online
• Playing time: 51 hours

We only recommend these games with certain caveats

We’ve now gone past the games that unequivocally blew us away. The following titles aren’t bad, but they do come with a catch, which is why we don’t recommend them all-out.

Caveated recommendation: Alone in the Dark

The remake of this horror classic is a success on the face of it, but has to contend with some legacy issues. Its unspectacular combat system, overloaded story and old-fashioned technical implementation all hold the game back. However, fans of the original will no doubt enjoy the new edition.

• Played by: Cassie
• Available for: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
• Genre: horror
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 10 hours

Caveated recommendation: Another Code: Recollection

Another Code: Recollection is a remake pack of two Nintendo classics from the DS and Wii era. The new edition is a success, but the graphics look dull in places. What’s more, a great deal of magic was lost in the reinterpretation. Where possible, you’d be better off playing the original games on their initial hardware.

• Played by: Domi
• Available for: Switch
• Genre: adventure, puzzle
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 16 hours for the whole package

Caveated recommendation: Mario vs. Donkey Kong

And another remake – this time of a GBA puzzle game. Mario vs. Donkey Kong is essentially a success. The puzzles are fun and addictive. But compared to the original, there’s not much in the way of additional game content. Visually speaking, it’s also unspectacular. And the imprecise controls are particularly annoying in the later levels, which is very unusual for a Mario game.

• Played by: Domi
• Available for: Switch
• Genre: puzzle, platformer
• Multiplayer: local for two players
• Playing time: 8 hours

Caveated recommendation: Outcast 2: A New Beginning

The sequel to the 90s classic Outcast is disappointing with its generic open world and an even more generic main character. Even so, the expansive game world looks breathtaking, and the shooting action is spot on.

• Played by: Phil
• Available for: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
• Genre: action adventure
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 20 hours

Caveated recommendation: Palworld

Palworld is Pokémon with guns and a sadistic survival gameplay loop. It was THE viral hit of the year. Since then, the hype and controversy surrounding this unusual online game has died down. If you have no qualms about putting cute Pokémon clones in labour camps, if you like survival building systems and if you can cope with an empty game environment, you’ll enjoy Palworld. Everyone else is on the hunt for more sophisticated survival alternatives or prefers to play Pokémon.

• Played by: Domi and Phil
• Available for: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC
• Genre: survival
• Multiplayer: online with up to 32 players
• Playing time: 68 hours

Caveated recommendation: Persona 3 Reload

There’s one key thing you need for Persona 3 Reload, and that’s oodles of patience. It takes as much as 20 hours for the game to really get going. But after that, you’ll be rewarded with an excellent JRPG.

• Played by: Simon
• Available for: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC
• Genre: RPG
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 82 hours

Caveated recommendation: Rise of the Ronin

Despite its quirks and flaws, I fell in love with the PS5-exclusive Rise of the Ronin. Mainly because of the excellent combat system, which is reminiscent of soulslike titles from developer studio Team Ninja. I’d recommend the game to samurai and Japanese game fans who can overlook the old-fashioned graphics and monotonous mission design. Phil and Simon also gave it a go but couldn’t get into it.

• Played by: Domi, Phil and Simon
• Available for: PS5
• Genre: action adventure, soulslike
• Multiplayer: online, for certain missions
• Playing time: 50 hours

Caveated recommendation: South Park Snow Day

South Park: Snow Day can’t build on the excellent role-playing games The Stick of Truth and The Fractured but Whole. It’s an online multiplayer game for up to four players. You can also tackle the roguelike missions with bots, but that’s no fun. If you can convince three more South Park fans to buy it, you’ll get the most out of this unusual game.

• Played by: Domi and Michelle
• Available for: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC
• Genre: action adventure, roguelike
• Multiplayer: online Co-op
• Playing time: 4 hours

Caveated recommendation: The Last of Us Part II Remastered

The Last of Us Part II Remastered is a new edition of the original PS4 game from 2020, but the graphical improvements are marginal. The only features you could really class as new are exciting behind-the-scenes glimpses of the development process and a successful albeit absurd roguelike mode. If you’re not fussed about this additional content, you’re better off opting for the cheaper original PS4 version.

• Played by: Domi
• Available for: PS5
• Genre: action adventure, roguelike
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 27 hours

Caveated recommendation: Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered

As an old Tomb Raider fan, Kevin concludes in his game review that «Not everything was better in the past». The new edition is certainly a success. However, you can clearly tell that the original is now almost 30 years old – both in terms of gameplay and storytelling. This is definitely only something for real fans.

• Played by: Kevin
• Available for: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, PC
• Genre: action adventure
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 50 hours for the whole package

Caveated recommendation: Ultros

Ultros wows with unique graphics, but its repetitive combat system and unfinished gameplay mechanics are disappointing. That being said, Metroidvania fans will still enjoy this playable feverish dream.

• Played by: Kevin
• Available for: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC, Mac
• Genre: Metroidvania
• Multiplayer: no
• Playing time: 18 hours

Steer clear

This last category is for games we don’t recommend in their current state. In other words, stay away from these games.

Avoid: Foamstars

Foamstars is Square Enix’s answer to Splatoon. Instead of ink, you shoot foam, which you can also use to move around the shooter arenas. The controls are a hit and the graphics harmonious. Unfortunately, the game only offers absolutely irrelevant single-player missions and an off-putting live service monetisation model. You’re better off with the original on Switch.

• Played by: Domi
• Available for: PS5
• Genre: third-person shooter
• Multiplayer: online
• Playing time: up to the player

Avoid: Skull and Bones

Skull and Bones isn’t the complete flop it initially seemed. However, it’s still not the big hit that Ubisoft had hoped for. The game world is beautiful, the mission design monotonous and the upgrade system typical of live service. If you’re looking for a good online pirate game, you’re better off with Sea of Thieves.

• Played by: Phil
• Available for: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
• Genre: action adventure
• Multiplayer: online
• Playing time: 51 hours

Avoid: Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is an incredibly boring game, regardless of whether you’re playing with real people or bots. While this game actually boasts solid shooter gameplay, it quickly degenerates into monotonous drudgery with repetitive mission structure. It feels like a soulless live service game that’s miles away from the earlier Batman games made by developer studio Rocksteady. Shame.

• Played by: Domi
• Available for: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
• Genre: looter shooter
• Multiplayer: online Co-op
• Playing time: 18 hours

You can also find an overview of our game reviews on Opencritic.