Reid Main

2023 was such a banger year that it was nearly impossible for 2024 to match let alone surpass it. While there were a lot of solidly produced games nothing was truly ground breaking. I enjoyed a good number of them but I don't think anything has a hope of making my "Games of the Decade: 2020s" list.

1. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster

Yes, my game of the year for 2024 is a remake of a game from 2006. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster was an absolute blast and captured everything I loved about the original. I really hope it sold well because a remake of Dead Rising 2 would be even more fun due to the crafting system.

This is going to be one of my goto examples (along with Resident Evil 2) of how you should remake a game. All of the improvements were relatively minor but they helped sand off all of the rough edges to ensure that the core gameplay loop was what you focused on. Being able to move while shooting, level up faster, auto-save when changing zones (but still requiring bathrooms for manual saves), fast forward time, improved survivor AI, these aren't things you would typically brag about on the back of the box. But when tallied up all of these changes make the game so much more enjoyable.

I understand that Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster still won't appeal to everyone because you need to complete missions before a set amount of real world time passes. But that is such an underused game mechanic and it was so perfectly implemented that I ate it up and am hungry for more.

2. Balatro

While it may not have been the game I played the most, Balatro was undoubtedly the game that I was most addicted to. It was so easy to pick up and play that I would subconsciously open it on my iPad or iPhone to get a few turns in during any downtime I had. Every single person on this planet should try Balatro, especially if you have Apple Arcade.

But there are two reasons why Balatro is not my game of the year:

First, after many dozens of hours the game finally started to show its rough edges when I was trying to beat the highest difficulties. At that level the randomness was no longer charming, but actively hindering my ability to beat the game. I would end up resetting 90% of runs within the first few rounds because I was given cards that simply could not generate the large scores necessary. Game developers need to look at titles such as Hades and Vampire Survivors to see how randomness can be used to steer players towards trying different powers while also having the game react to ensure those powers are improving.

Second, the game was built by a single developer and bugs are an inevitability. Unfortunately I experienced an iCloud syncing error which deleted my save file and lost all of my progress. I had unlocked so many cards and beat so many difficulties that I'm not actually sure I'll ever play Balatro again.

3. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the game I spent the most time with this year. I played it for over 100 hours and explored every nook and cranny of Honolulu with Ichiban. From a gameplay perspective it easily surpasses its predecessor, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, but falters when it comes to the main story.

I have written about several Ryu Ga Gotoku games at this point and every time I do I always extol their characters and side quests. I have lost myself in completely random, nonsensical minigames that aren't just thoroughly enjoyable but also bring me closer to the characters. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth dialled this to 11 and I've actually forgotten large portions of the main story but remember so many side story beats because they helped me connected with the characters.

The technology and combat mechanics that underpin these games has basically been perfected at this point so I cannot wait to see what Ryu Ga Gotoku uses it for next. I can only hope they bring the same skill and love to the main story that they do to the side quests.

4. Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 is one of the most enjoyable co-op games I have played in the last decade. It is that perfect mix of chill gameplay where you can shoot the shit with your buddies and balls to the wall combat that devolves into utter chaos. You can coordinate with friends to the best of your ability but eventually someone is gonna think they can be the hero and suddenly ya'll are fighting for your lives.

If someone messaged me right now and asked to play Helldivers I would most likely drop whatever I am doing and raise Super Earth's banner once more.

5. Astro Bot

Astro Bot is an incredibly fun platformer that I am certain the vast majority of PlayStation 5 owners will enjoy. It deserves all of the positive press that it has been receiving but, in my opinion, it is still not at the same level as Mario. I would definitely choose a game like Super Mario Galaxy over Astro Bot.

Please don't get me wrong, Astro Bot is a fantastic sophomore effort from Team Asobi and I found the first several hours thoroughly entertaining. But the linear nature of Astro Bot's level design started to wane as the game dragged on and the controls were just not as precise as I'd like from a platformer. When the game started to bring out its "difficult" levels I found myself becoming frustrated rather than feeling challenged.