Sam Aberdeen
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a formidably big game with a densely packed open-world and great stealth gameplay that should please fans, even if it feels like Ubisoft's formula is starting to wear a bit thin.
Split Fiction is Hazelight Studios firing on all cylinders - a creatively rich, imaginative and emotionally rewarding co-op adventure that sets a new high bar for all co-op games to come.
Sid Meier's Civilization VII makes some bold changes to the formula that mostly pay off, streamlining mechanics without losing the soul of what makes the series so addictive and time-consuming.
Monster Hunter Wilds is the Hollywood blockbuster of the franchise – exciting, streamlined gameplay and awesome new Bloodborne-esque monsters impress, but it also feels like a step back from World in some ways.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a gargantuan RPG that's bigger and better than the first game with stronger doses of realism, immersion and intricate mechanics to create something decidedly unique and engaging - but not for everybody.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard absolutely shines in some areas while falling short in others, though it never really coalesces to form something great. It's a fun, engaging action-RPG but BioWare still has a few miles to go before it can recapture its best days.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 delivers the best campaign in the series since Black Ops 2 with a fun new movement system and exciting gameplay, though its always online requirement and mostly safe multiplayer might irk some players.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is easily one of the best games of 2024 - a deep, addictive and rewarding fantasy RPG that proves Atlus has a very firm grasp on its strengths as a studio.
The Silent Hill 2 remake is excellent and Bloober Team's best game - a worthy reimagining of Team Silent's landmark horror title that faithfully captures its great scares, layered characters and emotional impact.
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection Arcade Classics is a blast of nostalgia wrapped in a premium package with thoughtful quality-of-life improvements and consideration for preserving the legacy of some excellent fighters of a bygone era, though slightly dated mechanics might not cater to everyone.
Black Myth: Wukong is a stylish, visually spectacular action RPG clearly made with a lot of passion and reverence for Journey to the West, though it also falls a bit short in crucial areas.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree expands a masterpiece while ramping up the difficulty and spectacle - almost a full-fledged sequel worth of content cleverly disguised as DLC.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is the best-looking game we've ever played - a true visual powerhouse backed by an emotionally charged story and gripping dark fantasy setting, if you can look past some of its shortcomings.
Withering Rooms pays homage to survival horror classics like Clock Tower while injecting fresh roguelike RPG elements to create one of the most unique indie horror games we've ever played.
Stellar Blade absolutely delivers on its stylish, demanding action, impressive visuals and memorable music, even if the story execution and writing stumbles at times.
Rise of the Ronin's exhilarating combat, accessibility and open world will appeal to Team Ninja fans and newcomers to the Soulslike genre, even if it's more safe than innovative.
Dragon's Dogma 2 makes bold creative decisions that pay off big time - highly ambitious, demanding and rewarding in equal measure, it's the kind of masterful action-RPG that rewrites the rule books.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a behemoth of a sequel that mostly outshines Remake with its extremely strong character writing, massive scale and weighty amount of content, though some story elements are still divisive.
Skull and Bones has fun naval combat and great ship customisation but it's buried by tedious quests, grinding and a shallow endgame that feels unfinished in its current state.
Persona 3 Reload is a worthy remake that adds modern touches to the combat, UI, characters and storytelling, further enhancing an already unforgettable RPG experience.