I try to keep up, I really do. But at the same time I know for certain that more games that I will love come out in a year than I will have time to play. In that knowledge, I played a bunch of games I dug in 2024 that came out well before. Here are some of the ones I enjoyed the most.
Baldur’s Gate 3
I started playing this the year prior, but only hit credits at the start of 2024. What an incredible achievement it is. It’s utterly massive in scope, yet somehow still feels focused in the story it’s telling and grounded in the characters whose stories you become involved in. Every main character’s progression from pretty much detestable to ‘I would die for them’ is interesting to follow, and the sheer freedom of choice to approach combat and world challenges in creative ways blew me away. A standout game of this decade, I feel.
Ys 1, 2 Chronicles and Ys 3: Wanderers from Ys
I was lucky enough to try Ys VIII as a review game years ago. It captivated me in such a way that I have been wanting to play more of the series in case it could cast the same spell.
I played the PSP releases of Ys 1 and 2, and while they are dated as hell and I really needed to follow a guide to avoid wandering aimlessly sometimes wondering what to do next - I had an absolute blast. I’m learning that the ripper music in VIII wasn’t a fluke. Every Ys game I play has a soundtrack of power-metal adjacent bangers that I dig. The bump combat is interesting. It makes for easy grinding and demands a certain technique but is enjoyable once you get the hang of it.
Ys 3 I played the PC Engine CD version and couldn’t get enough. It’s a bit creaky these days but the mix of early CD game audio, extremely of-it’s-time voice actingand some awesome cut scene animation of the era lands this fairly straightforward hack and slash a place in my heart.
Sonic The Hedgehog (Master System)
This game is hugely nostalgic for me. I played it originally at a friend’s house. It’s a game without saves or passwords so it had to be finished in one sitting. Having the stars align to have enough time allowed to do that, and actually manage to play the game well enough to complete it was rare and so that it happened sticks in my memory.
Playing it again as an adult I was struck by the cool way levels progressed from natural world to man-made factories as a minimal method of telling the story of what Robotnik wanted to do with the world. I think I like this more than Sonic 1 on Mega Drive.
Diablo IV (after the Loot Reborn update)
I was so excited for Diablo IV in the lead up to release, only to have the game land with me like a wet fart. I tried so hard to enjoy it, but what I found was a bland grind that mostly resulted in boring gear that never felt noticably better than before.
The Loot Reborn brings back the core mechanic I enjoy about Diablo and that kept me coming back over and over in the past. You actually get decent gear on a regular basis now! I still think the world is a bit dull and the story mostly forgettable, but getting new exciting toys to play with on a regular basis was enough for me to pick up the campaign again and see it through. I don’t think it will ever eclipse III for me, but I’m glad to have finally got a Diablo IV that works for me.
It was an unusually ‘current year’ filled year for me, games wise. Still, it’s always fun to delve into the past - whether it’s recent or long past. There are so many gems to discover.