Table of Contents
I haven’t played that many games last year, so I’ve only selected 2 top games that I played over the last 12 months. One reason I haven’t played many is simple: the few games I did end up playing were all very lengthy.
Of course, due to a severe case of burn-out, I was unable to play games for more than ten minutes for the last couple of months. I tried, but I mostly failed. Fortunately, the situation has improved a little, though only over the last few weeks.
Previous Editions: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Played on PS5. Released in 2024.
The unknown journey continues…
The sequel to Final Fantasy VII Remake is perhaps the most insane video game I have ever played in terms of diversity of content. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth also has an insane original soundtrack, as well as incredibly directed cutscenes. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most high-quality games I’ve ever played. I loved this game. It made me nostalgic for an original that I never played.
In 2020, this game’s prequel was actually my number two pick. Because this game is a bit longer than the last one, it took me a long time to actually get through this. In fact, there were at least two times during the game that I thought: man, I must really be getting to the end of the game now. But no, I was wrong.
And so, I ended up loving this one. It was a very special game to play, with characters that I’ve come to adore. I look forward to revisiting it when the third part of this trilogy drops.
Like its predecessor, the worst part is that we now have to wait for the sequel.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Played on PC. Released in 2023.
Now down here come the claws!
I was stunned throughout my many hours of playing through Baldur’s Gate 3 this summer how incredibly vast the game is.
Even though I’d already had a sabbatical earlier in the year, at the end of July, I took an extended break from work because I needed one. During this time, I spent many hours working my way through last year’s magnum opus from Larian Studios.
I’m sure I could have stretched my playthrough in many more ways, but without a doubt this game is one of the greatest I have ever had the privilege to play.
My burnout became an issue after this game, which means chronologically, it is the last game I started this year. And in terms of gameplay, the very best.
This year’s games
These games released in 2024, so I guess I kept up a little with some of the releases. I probably would have played more games released during the year, if I’d been healthy enough.
Balatro
Played on PC. Released in 2024.
Send help, because I’ve been addicted to playing Balatro over the last couple of weeks. It is one of the few games I can actually play for an extended period of time at this point, so when I am not resting or reading, you may find me playing another run in Balatro.
Persona 3 RELOAD
Played on PS5. Released in 2024.
Perhaps too faithful a remake for the number one spot, but a banger of a game nonetheless. Good stuff. Not a surprise. I have yet to play The Answer, but I’ll get around to that when I feel a little bit better.
ELDEN RING: Shadow of the Erdtree
Played on PC. Released in 2024.
Wow, a sizeable expansion. However, more of the same, more or less. I loved this expansion, but it didn’t reach the heights of the (let’s face it, rather insane) main contenders for this year. Also, what the hell was that final fight?
I finally played
I had originally started these last year, or I’ve been saying I wanted to finish these for a while. Well, I finally got there. I beat these old releases.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Played on Nintendo Switch. Released in 2017.
Yup, I finally played a bit of this. Mostly played this over the first few weeks of my sabbatical, but I didn’t end up finishing it until later in the year. I did not love the combat, and the world was a bit emptier than I’d expected. Nonetheless, this game did many things well, although I suspect it will not age as well as other games that released around this time.
Fire Emblem Engage
Played on Nintendo Switch. Released in 2023.
Fantastic gameplay for a Fire Emblem game. Average cast for a Fire Emblem game. To be honest, I enjoyed Three Houses more, because I think the premise there was better. This very much felt like Gen-Z Fire Emblem instead, when it came to the characters. I must admit that I did really like some of the gameplay and UI improvements that made it into this one.
DARK SOULS Trilogy
Played on PC. Released in 2018.
During my sabbatical, I played through all three DARK SOULS entries. I had never played them before: I had only played Bloodborne and ELDEN RING. So, now that I had some time, it was time to dig in. I actually liked all three games! (I played one a month, one for each month I had during my sabbatical.)
What’s Next
Frankly, video games aren’t a high priority right now. Finding a good balance when it comes to work and health and managing stress appropriately is currently what I’m working on the most.
I’ve found video games to be a tad overwhelming from a sensory point of view these days, so I’ll be glad when I can fully enjoy games again. I really want to play Metaphor: ReFantazio, which I was literally unable to play. Very frustrating!