Despite being a quieter year for major game releases – thanks to economic circumstances, waves of layoffs impacting the talented teams that make games, and some very poor financial decisions from major game development companies – there’s still been a wonderful array of video games released in 2024. With only a handful of blockbuster franchise sequels, there’s also been time for creative indies to shine – including adventures with criminal turnips, duck detectives, and tiny little Tamagotchi friends
There’s so many titles that have stayed with us in the first half of 2024, making a mark on the GamesHub team. We’ve picked out our favourite games of the year so far – and if nothing else, the list goes to show just how fun, different, and diverse the games of early 2024 have been.
Here’s GamesHub‘s favourite video games of the year (so far).
Our favourite video games of the year so far
Turnip Boy Robs A Bank
“Turnip Boy Robs A Bank carries on the legacy of humour, charm and wackiness we first saw in Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, and builds on it with higher stakes, loftier goals and one heck of a heist. It’s sharp, challenging in new ways, and altogether makes you feel like robbing a bank is the most reasonable thing in the world for a turnip to do.”
Read: Turnip Boy Robs A Bank review – Full of beans (and assorted vegetables)
“Whether you’re lured by a host of familiar food-based faces, or you’re a complete newcomer to the world that Snoozy Kazoo have created, it’s safe to say that this game will give you a taste for veggie rebellion – though perhaps not for a veggie dinner.” – Steph Panecasio
Stellar Blade
“In Stellar Blade, the stillness and persistence of the slowly rebuilding world contrasts keenly with viciously gruesome enemies – and while there’s certainly a lot to discuss, the game offers a take on the post-apocalypse that feels just different enough to work.”
Read: Stellar Blade Review – Flesh, flash and fierce foes
“World ends, world rebuilds, the cycle continues. But while formulas can certainly provide a guide, it’s the individual stories, characters and complications that provide flavour into each sphere of recovering destruction.” – Steph Panecasio
Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom
“There is always something beyond the horizon, with a mounting list of tasks proving occasionally overwhelming – but at a good pace, incredibly rewarding. Tackle one thing at a time – crafting light bulbs, repairing a ferris wheel – and you’ll find yourself enthralled by the infectious vibes of this adventure, travelling ever-onward in a hearty quest to save your entire planet.”
Read: Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom review – Life is sweet
“Your journey along the way is one of beautiful, pastel sights, lovely little fetch quests, and a horde of genial creatures all wanting to be your friend. Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom may not break the mould in its approach to this loop, but on the pure, nostalgic charm of its design, and its delightful characters, it maintains a warm sense of adventure and challenge.” – Leah J. Williams
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
“With grand set pieces and rich narrative turning points, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth consistently gives you reasons to care, to sit at the edge of your seat, wide-eyed, wondering what the future holds. Even with the groundwork laid by the original game, there is a sense that anything can happen, that the future remains unwritten.”
Read: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth – Review
“There is a pervasive sense of hope with every step. It’s that hope that illuminates the wild journey of Rebirth – through its oddness, and its devastation. It’s an altogether different beast than Remake, but with a perfectly-balanced levity to its tale of light versus darkness, it manages to navigate Cloud and his crew through rocky, unknown roads well.” – Leah J. Williams
Still Wakes The Deep
“Still Wakes The Deep is cinematic and atmospheric in a way that lingers long after, like a waft of petrochemical fumes in your hair. The short playtime of roughly 5-6 hours makes it an easy sell – though I would caution scaredy-cats from playing this in the late hours of the night. The linear nature means you could easily knock another hour or so off the game time if you were motivated, but it’s definitely worth exploring each of the areas when you have a minute to breathe – and aren’t sprinting full pelt.”
Read: Still Wakes The Deep review – What truly lurks beneath?
“A lot of previews for Still Wakes The Deep compared the energy to that of John Carpenter’s The Thing, and now on the other side, I think it remains the most apt comparison. If you love a sickening feeling of being watched, an energy of desperation and a grotesque splash of body horror, you’ll get a lot out of Still Wakes The Deep.” – Steph Panecasio
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
“Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth does well to balance its tones, matching poignancy with enough strange flavour for the experience to feel deeply compelling, emotive, and memorable. Kasuga is the perfect character to lead Infinite Wealth, with deft writing elevating his inherent charm and imagination, and allowing the game’s narrative to breathe well.”
Read: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth review – An abundance of riches
“You will need an ocean of patience to unfold the many wrinkles of Infinite Wealth – to master its Sujimon battles, hamburger mini-games, arcade games, Dondoko Island management, and dating quests – but devote time to its intricacies, and you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful, frequently surprising game that brims with goodness and features a heartfelt, wholesome exploration of the true meaning of living.” – Leah J. Williams
Harold Halibut
“Developer Slow. Bros has packed such detail into the world of Harold Halibut that it can be easily understood as a moving work of art. Each item in the game has been scanned in from the real world, and it lends a sense of tangibility to each character and set piece. You can see the impact of fingers on character models, and feel the adhesive gluing everything together. This is so clearly a human story, crafted by human hands.”
Read: Harold Halibut review – Life in clay and technicolour
“Despite its path being surprisingly linear, with many of the game’s main questlines being simple, and playing out in long, dialogue-heavy segments, Harold Halibut maintains a deep sense of intrigue, and a richness of character growth. It’s an excellent, layered exploration of purpose, and where we fit into the fabric of the universe – one that is much bigger than we may ever comprehend.” – Leah J. Williams
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
“Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden surprised me with how deeply its hooks sunk into me. Much like the scourges and spectres that Red and Antea seek to banish from the plains, the game and its choices have haunted me long after I finished playing.”
Read: Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden – Review
“Not only does it have the exact blend of haunted landscapes and grisly consequences that I personally gravitate towards in media, but it also manages to make dual combat feel excitingly different and complex. If nothing else, I am overwhelmingly pleased to see an action-RPG deal with letting loved ones go and processing grief in such a clear, non-judgmental way.” – Steph Panecasio
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami
“There were a few puzzles that stumped me at first, but nothing that couldn’t be worked out with some determination and grit – and nothing that wasn’t rewarding along the way. It’s a difficult balance to get right, but Duck Detective manages well. It’s not a particularly difficult game, but it has just the right amount of challenge to spice up its main plot, and keep you guessing at its central mystery.”
Read: Duck Detective: The Secret Salami – Review
“It’s intentionally cinematic in nature, and tells a very punchy tale over its runtime. But even with its short length, developer Happy Broccoli Games has delivered a worthy experience – a layered detective tale with neat mechanics, wonderful characters, and a buoyant sense of charm.” – Leah J. Williams
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
“If you’re discovering it for the first time with this remake, you’re in for a bizarre treat. It’s one of the stranger chapters in Mario history, and it hauls you alone a complex, layered, overtly strange journey through a world brimming with personality. The game’s scope is vast and impressive, and while it requires commitment to see it to the end, the adventure is consistently rewarding, and jam-packed with memorable secrets and bizarre characters.”
Read: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – Review
“Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for Nintendo Switch does an excellent job of letting the quirks of the original game shine, in a refreshed release that feels perfect for newcomers and Paper Mario veterans alike.” – Leah J. Williams
