2024 is done – and you have made your choices. The branching narrative of this year has been decided, your dialogue options have been locked in, and your ending is ready.
Thank you to everyone who voted this year in what – in the end – was a clear victory for your top choice. Your second place was also hugely popular, mind you – and combined, those two games’ scores equalled the rest of your top 10.
Eurogamer’s own list of our staff 2024 favourites will follow tomorrow, but today it’s all about your picks. Thank you again for taking the time to share yours with us, and remember – if you disagree, you only have yourselves to blame. Enjoy!
50. Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D RemakeDeveloper: Square EnixPlatforms: PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X/SDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake review
“The video game equivalent of a warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate in front of a roaring fire,” Retr0gamer wrote. “Grinding has never been so relaxing.”
49. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year DoorDeveloper: Nintendo, Intelligent SystemsPlatforms: SwitchWhy is Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door so brilliant? Because it embraces Mario for the blank slate he is
“This is one of the series’ highlights,” Hippolytus wrote of Nintendo’s 2024 Switch remaster. “Great new characters, funny, and a presentation that looks just like you remembered it. Good stuff.”
48. Frostpunk 2Developer: 11 bit StudiosPlatforms: PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S coming 2025Frostpunk 2 review – a sequel of consequence
“It’s a masterpiece that stays with you long after you have played it,” a reader who decided to remain anonymous wrote. “A perfect game.”
47. Little Big Adventure: Twinsen’s QuestDeveloper: 2.21Platforms: PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X/S90s classic Little Big Adventure has a lovely looking remake
“The bugs are being ironed out,” itsgood2slide wrote, “but even when present they could not overshadow the brilliance of the original game, now with more intuitive controls, a few quality-of-life improvements and of course those beautiful new 3D visuals.”
46. Path of Exile 2Developer: Grinding Gear GamesPlatforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/SPath of Exile 2 early access review – the Souls of isometric ARPGs
“It is so much fun to play that it scares me a little bit,” a reader who chose to remain anonymous wrote. “Hats off to Grinding Gear Games.” Said Reivilo: “I’m still discovering it, but so far it is the perfect successor to Diablo 2.”
45. Dungeons of HinterbergDeveloper: Microbird GamesPlatforms: PC, Xbox Series X/SDungeons of Hinterberg review – adventure with a generous spirit and a thoughtful soul
“The combat may not be to everyone’s taste, but on vibes alone, this deserves some recognition,” TC wrote. “A beautiful Zelda-lite.” Added Carl Sheen: “Fantastic setup and excuse for a traditional fantasy RPG being set in the modern day. World building and variety was on point.”
44. Botany Manor
“Probably the cosiest game this year,” wrote Malek86. “The puzzles manage to be just the right in-between of easy enough as not to frustrate, and hard enough as to keep players engaged. And each vista is better than the previous.”
43. NevaDeveloper: Nomada Studio Neva review – artful puzzle-platforming action with the fullest of hearts
“I adored Gris and this follow-up has that same incredible art style whilst mixing it up a bit with the addition of combat,” Al Pacalypse wrote. “Beautiful and haunting,” TheBigBiscuit77 added. “And short.”
42. MouthwashingDeveloper: Wrong Organ Platforms: PCMouthwashing review – brilliantly refreshing and unflinching horror
“Alien if the Xenomorph was Capitalism, Sort Of”, wrote one reader who remained anonymous. “Fantastic pacing and a terrific script, packing both intense, dark twists and enough sensitivity to manage them.” Added ozyous: “A tightly plotted sci-fi horror in the mould of Harlan Ellison which kept me guessing most of the way through and has stayed in my thoughts since. Short but indelible.”
41. Crow CountryDeveloper: SFB GamesPlatforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/SCrow Country review – retro horror thrills that offer much more than mere nostalgia
“A wonderful example of that very rare breed of indie retro title that doesn’t just aim to replicate its inspirations, but actually takes time to think about what we loved in those titles that are now objectively terrible by today’s standards,” wrote Julian Hazeldine. “The writing is just the icing on the cake, with a wit to the prose which puts mainstream blockbusters to shame, and a genuinely unnerving climax.”
40. Tomb Raider 1-3 RemasteredDeveloper: Aspyr/Crystal Dynamics/Core DesignPlatforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/STomb Raider 1-3 Remastered review – you were never going to smooth these games out
“I teared up at the initial screens and I cried when I went into Lara’s mansion,” wrote Joshua M B. “Tomb Raider and Lara Croft have been a massive part of my life since I was six years old. 4-6 Remastered will no doubt make me sob with joy too.” Added CitizenSiege: “The love for these games was evident and it was nice to see people remembered the games fondly, for all their flaws.” “A remaster done right,” wrote UrineTrouble.
39. Life is Strange: Double Exposure
“Despite some obvious issues in the final chapter, there’s nothing else quite like Life is Strange,” Astonish wrote. “Deck Nine gets that it’s the quiet moments between characters, or when you can just sit back that really make the series what it is. And the character rendering is just astoundingly good. One particular scene between two characters in front of a fireplace is the best video game animation I’ve ever seen.”
38. Hades 2 early accessDeveloper: Supergiant Games Platforms: PC, other platforms to followHades 2 early access review – polish and terrifying power from some of the best out there
“How does Super Giant do it?” wrote jackgaydon. “I went in day one expecting something comparable in scope to the early days of original Hades’ early access, yet there was already a game there bigger than its fully-fledged predecessor! And what a game. In the way of great sequels, everything felt intensely familiar while being varied in surprising, delightful, sometimes mind-blowing ways.”
37. SatisfactoryDeveloper: Coffee Stain StudiosPlatforms: PCSatisfactory launches full version five years after early access began
“Conveyor belts go whrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Makes me feel good,” wrote MrTomFTW.
36. Nine SolsDeveloper: Red Candle Games Platforms: PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X/SAcclaimed Sekiro-inspired action-platformer Nine Sols hits consoles in November
“What if Hollow Knight but Sekiro,” wrote eze2g. Added jwt: “Beautiful, and cats.”
35. The Plucky Squire Developer: All Possible FuturesPlatforms: PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X/SThe Plucky Squire review – the power of imagination
“No other game has pulled me in visually as much as this one has,” wrote engelzman. “The art direction of this game is a standout for 2024. A truly delightful game for the eyes, and one I look forward to returning to with my kids one day.”
34. Outcast: A New BeginningDeveloper: Appeal StudiosPlatforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/SOutcast: A New Beginning releases in March 2024
“A stunningly beautiful world with remarkable verticality, expertly paired with incredibly fun traversal mixing gliding with quintuple jumps(!),” wrote itsgood2slide. “Original while remaining faithful to its pioneering predecessor.”
33. Pacific DriveDeveloper: Ironwood StudiosPlatforms: PC, PS5Pacific Drive review – an exhausting, oddly lovable nightmare
“An atmospheric oddity where your temperamental car is your best friend, your worst enemy, and has more personality quirks than the entire cast of a Bioware RPG,” wrote dajgohji.
32. Sonic x Shadow GenerationsDeveloper: Sonic TeamPlatforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X/SSonic x Shadow Generations review – brilliant new campaign leaves the blue blur overshadowed
“The Shadow portion of this game does for 3D Sonic what Mania did for 2D Sonic,” wrote 2much. “It feels like perfection of the formula. The level design is amongst the best Sonic Team has ever made, and the game’s reality-bending visuals make it possibly the coolest-looking game on the PS5. The only thing that stops it from being higher in my list is how short it is.”
31. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
“Completely new, original title with interesting gameplay and style and great attention to detail,” wrote StephanCTR. “I mean, they took hi-fi speakers to mountain forest, played the soundtrack music there and re-recorded it to get the right atmosphere in!”
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
As previously stated, only are eligible for of the Year voting. Of course, this did not stop some of you writing ineligble suggestions anyway.
“I understand this vote contravenes the ‘rules’, but Shadow of the Erdtree is absolutely one of the best things I played that released this year,” wrote larry4000, keen to lodge a protest. “Hopefully like in UK general elections there will be a spoiled ballot count at least.”
30. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6Developer: Treyarch, Raven SoftwarePlatforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/SCall of Duty: Black Ops 6 review – wobbling franchise retreats to safe ground
“Great story for once in a COD game,” wrote TF73, “and fast and fluid gameplay.” Added Evariest: “The best single player FPS campaign since Titanfall 2.”
29. 1000xResistDeveloper: Sunset VisitorPlatforms: PC1000xResist review – a deeply personal exploration of diaspora politics and psychology
“Best narrative of the year, hands down,” wrote play.nice.kids.
28. Rise of the Golden Idol
Wrote tubeoftoothpaste: “Most people talk about the word elimination part of it but this is the first video game that has given me Usborne Puzzle Adventure vibes. – finding visual clues in the environments being one of the most satisfying part of the series. Which cable has been cut? Who has the spotty blankets? who has clearly been crying? Wildly inventive in its story and characters – and yes – the process of word elimination is also addictive. Desperate for this to really take off as a genre.”
27. Black Myth WukongDeveloper: Game SciencePlatforms: PC, PS5Black Myth: Wukong review – a disjointed and uneven action spectacle
“Hard as nails, but not insurmountable,” wrote StevoPirate, “one of only few games to get the true feel of those early Dark Souls games right. Stumbling upon an upgrade just when you’re starting to feel too squishy, taking a break from a boss only to find a side path that contains an upgrade that finally helps you go back and take your revenge and the unique setting/plot derived from Journey to the West? Deserved every success it had.”
26. Tekken 8Developer: Bandai NamcoPlatforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/STekken 8 review – a complex series transformed into a welcoming one
“Having been a casual Tekken enjoyer since a wee lad, I said I’d attempt to actually get good at a Tekken after all these years,” wrote AcidWisdom. “Ended up terribly, horribly addicted. Still not that good at it, though.”
25. Star Wars: Outlaws
“I was sick and lost a good job, so this game was the pure escapism I needed,” McMurphy wrote. “I bought it day one and loved every moment of it – the Star Wars game I’d always wanted to play.” Added Rokkai: “For once, a Star Wars game actually took me to a galaxy far, far away. The detailed and stunning environmental design, combined with the fantastic audio, transport you to another world.”
24. Persona 3 ReloadDeveloper: AtlusPlatforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/SPersona 3 Reload review – a classic 2006 RPG updated in hit-and-miss style>
“The original release was superb but this remake brings it into perfection levels,” Hayaiame wrote. “Stylish looks and fantastic voice acting supports a story that is still as thrilling now as it was back in the day. The battle system shows the persona series at its finest, a must play for any SMT fans!”
23. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2Developer: Ninja TheoryPlatforms: PC, Xbox Series X/SSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 review – a triumphant return to a challenging story
“Gorgeous looking game that constantly had me stopping to take in the view,” wrote Grubby_Gryffin. “Really just a phenomenal audio-visual experience, putting you in Senua’s head,” added britesparc. “Also IMO the best ‘photo-real’ graphics we’ve ever seen.”
22. Still Wakes the Deep
“As someone who has been out to a rig in the North Sea, the sound of the wind and waves alone when everything’s ‘fine’ made me anxious,” wrote HerrProduk. “By the time you’re into some of the best voice acting and natural dialogue writing I’ve seen in games, and the claustrophobic, no-escape pressure cooker of increasingly otherworldly horror, very few games have had such an intense effect on me.” Added swedishfishes: “I think the main character called someone a ‘fuckin roaster’ which you don’t hear enough in games these days.”
21. Unicorn OverlordDeveloper: VanillawarePlatforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/SUnicorn Overlord review – endless options propel this strategy RPG to epic heights
“Crunchy and compulsive strategy gameplay, and it’s a miracle of UI design that its many menus and systems are coherent on the Nintendo Switch,” wrote larry4000. “Excellent layered strategy that just gets deeper as you play,” added The_Weird. “While it has ideas taken from other titles, the whole feels fresh and original. Beautiful art style too.”
20. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2Developer: Saber InteractivePlatforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/SWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 review – a thunderous triple-A spectacle that’s truly electric in co-op
“It was just fun,” wrote Citizensiege. “A slick campaign, a generous operations mode and three player co-op, which is just the sweet spot for me and my Xbox friends. All two of them.” Added Mallow_the_destroyer: “It’s the Gears of War sequel I didn’t know I wanted!”
19. Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl
“An exceptional game that holds nothing back,” wrote StormbringerN. “Hard to the core and with the design and gameplay to back it. Stalker places complete trust on the player to find their way. We need more of these!” Added Moxyz1: “My most played, favourite series of all time.”
18. Tactical Breach WizardsDeveloper: Suspicious DevelopmentsPlatforms: PCTactical Breach Wizards review – whip-smart design with a generous spirit
“This was such an absolute pleasure, and honestly came close to taking my GOTY nod,” wrote OmagnusPrime. “A fantastic tactical game with a wonderful cast of brilliantly written and charming characters. If you like tactical games this is a must. If you like fun games, this is also a must.” Added blackpaladin105: “I don’t expect this to make many people’s lists but I loved the concept, writing, and gameplay loop. Turn-based strategy like X-COM has appealed to me for a long time and this brings it to you in bite-sized chunks with a lot of fun mechanics that let you approach combat in ways that aren’t just ‘shoot everyone in the room’.”
17. Lorelei and the Laser EyesDeveloper: SimogoPlatforms: PC, PS4, PS5, SwitchLorelei and the Laser Eyes review – art, ghosts, and perfect puzzles intertwine
“A game for a very particular type of puzzle and narrative game sicko. I am that sicko,” wrote maccydee. “A fantastic entry in one of the most compelling new puzzle genres (Obra Dinn-likes) which also potentially forms its own new genre that requires pen and paper for some side note doodling,” another reader added. “If someone had seen my notepad post rolling credits they might have assumed I was the Zodiac killer!”
16. Dragon’s Dogma 2
“It’s a goofy-arse fantasy sandbox with entertaining combat shenanigans,” wrote apocra. “It’s an action RPG, sure, but more than that it feels like a Lord of the Rings-like,” added 2much. “I know it’s not for everyone, but the act of walking most places makes even the most minor quests feel like adventures full of peril. I don’t know if I’ve ever played a game that’s felt like that before.”
15. UFO 50Developer: MossmouthPlatforms: PCUFO 50 review – a rangy, confounding and audacious proposition
“Probably the most creative ‘thing’ in a very long while, UFO 50 shows not only incredible range by its developers, but also how to construct a metanarrative through the most concise and sparse details,” a reader wrote. “Many of the games are absolutely great on their own, and some would have been classics if they came out in the 80s (or even the 90s).”