Gamezebo’s Favorite Video games of 2024 – Gamezebo

With 2025 approaching, let’s check out Gamezebo’s Favorite Video games of 2024. Every member of the group has picked their best choice, and as you’ll be able to inform, we like all kinds of genres!

Interested by our picks for final yr? Have a learn of our 2023 Video games of the 12 months function! It was powerful for Adele to not decide Baldur’s Gate 3 once more…

Gamezebo’s Favorite Video games of 2024

The Editorial group’s prime picks…

Stellar Blade – Adele

Sure, sure, I do know this recreation will get some flack, however for my part, it’s unjustified. For everybody who calls it a Nier Automata copy… you’re not flawed however you’re additionally not proper. Stellar Blade does its personal factor. Hell, even Nier’s creator, Yoko Taro, labored with Shift Up so as to add a Nier Automata DLC to the sport. Did I purchase it? In fact I did.

As a longtime fan of Nier, I had no concern with Stellar Blade replicating elements of it, however I guarantee you it isn’t a direct copy and paste. To me, they’re each totally completely different video games.

In Stellar Blade, you play as EVE, a Colony soldier who’s been despatched to Earth to save lots of humanity. Battle towards the Naytiba, from mobs you come throughout while exploring, to adrenaline-pumping boss fights that spike in problem.

Unravel the story, which I can admit isn’t the most effective, and study extra about your companions, Adam and Lily. It’s not all in regards to the motion although, as you’ll be able to unlock new outfits by accumulating blueprints and supplies. It takes combating stylishly to a complete new stage, and I like it. This may occasionally appear to be a faff to some folks, however for gamers like me, it’s one of many fundamental appeals.

As somebody who adores customisation in video video games, it’s a no brainer for me. I like switching between outfits and hairstyles relying on what tickles my fancy. And let’s not overlook that the sport is visually gorgeous. Every location, particularly the deserted metropolis areas, is a deal with to the eyes. Glistening with neon lights, rainfall, and decrepit buildings, every part fits the post-apocalyptic environment completely.

Love and Deepspace – Rachel

The primary Otome I ever performed was Mystic Messenger in 2017, and I used to be obsessive about it. So, when Adele advisable Love and Deepspace to me as a result of it reminded her of it, I knew I needed to test it out (thanks Adele). I had no concept what it was about, and I used to be anticipating a chatroom-style recreation the place I needed to set alarms at 3 am so I didn’t miss them (sure, I used to be a type of gamers).I used to be blown away by the graphics and artwork fashion.

However what shocked me extra was the in-depth storyline and battles. There’s a complete system to it! I by no means anticipated to should combat in an Otome. Regardless of there not being chatrooms, you’ll be able to ‘textual content’ the characters and take part in mini-games. Nonetheless, my private favorite is spending time with them and interacting with them. All of the characters are so distinctive, and I really like the steadiness between enjoying the principle storyline, and the extra healthful facet of merely being with them.

For anybody who’s questioning, I’m a Zayne woman (and I’m right here to inform you Adele is a Rafayel and Sylus woman). Love and Deepspace has utterly modified the sport for Otomes, and I do know I’ll be enjoying it for a very long time to come back.

Horizon Zero Daybreak Remastered – Rob

In case you had been to have requested me in January which recreation I anticipated can be my decide for 2024, I in all probability would have stated Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown. However I performed that recreation, and I didn’t prefer it.

So what else? Thank Goodness You’re Right here is the form of recreation I really feel I ought to put ahead as my favorite, as a result of it’s unique and artistic and really humorous. However there are two issues with that: 1) Simon the advert man already bagsied it, and a couple of) it wasn’t actually my favorite recreation. It wasn’t a lot of a recreation in any respect, if reality. It was a bit of interactive comedy whose gameplay and controls didn’t get in the best way of the jokes.

Balatro? Certain, a intelligent twist on poker that’s good for idling away the odd 20-minute patch of downtime, however not Recreation of the 12 months materials. That might be like Meal of the 12 months being gained by a bar snack.

So I’m going to should retreat to my consolation zone of massmarket, action-packed, gratifyingly stunning AAA video games and select Horizon Zero Daybreak Remastered. Is it a damning indictment of 2024 that the most effective recreation on this author’s opinion got here out in 2017? Possibly. However there’s no denying that Horizon Zero Down is a hovering traditional of the open-world action-RPG style, and the remaster appears to be like sensible.

Potion Allow – Sho

Earlier this yr, I had the lucky alternative to evaluation Potion Allow, hoping to encourage readers like your self to test it out. And effectively, for those who didn’t learn my evaluation, the truth that it was my chosen title for launch of the yr ought to converse volumes!

Potion Allow to me was every part Stardew Valley by no means was. I don’t wish to put down one other title to hype, however the video games have related aesthetics and core options. I attempted to like Stardew Valley and all the time felt severe FOMO every time associates detailed their thrilling playthroughs figuring out that it merely wasn’t for me.

Till Potion Allow. I’ll admit I used to be hesitant to provide a evaluation at first since honesty is essential and if I had a Stardew Valley-like expertise that will’ve mirrored in my piece. Nonetheless, what I as a substitute found was a recreation I couldn’t give up. I used to be hooked from the get-go and would eagerly watch the clock, counting right down to after I’d end work and bounce in once more.

There’s simply one thing so charming and kooky about Potion Allow: the detailed pixel artwork, the quaint little village, and the charismatic and various NPCs. The sport has tons to like and a very good quantity of freedom to decide on what you wish to do day-to-day all while working in the direction of a story.

However wait… it retains on giving! Minigames, interactions, exploration, upgrades, and naturally, medicinal potion brewing. I worry I’ve yapped an excessive amount of as my GOTY entry is getting bloated and I’ve hardly lined all of it. So, I’ll conclude with a ultimate message; you’ve a loyal canine companion.

Nonetheless Wakes The Deep – Meriel

Can’t get sufficient of a very good eldritch horror, and if you would like a contemporary title that seems like a traditional story of terror, then The Chinese language Room’s latest title, Nonetheless Wakes The Deep is a good journey. This very Lovecraftian story takes place on an remoted oil platform, already an inhospitable place for most individuals, because it’s overtaken by one thing that’s as horrific as it’s unexplained.

You step into the sturdy workboots of Caz, an electrician caught in a state of affairs far far above his paygrade because the rig decends into chaos. You will need to navigate the disintegrating construction, assist survivors, and evade the horrible beasties unleashed on the world. It’s extraordinarily atmospheric, and performs into a complete vary of fears. Heights, water, tight areas, horrible incongruous abominations. It’s not simply low-cost scares, although. Nonetheless Wakes The Deep manages to supply stunning emotional… er, depth. I cried earlier than the sport was over.

It’s a reasonably brief recreation, however there are, I’m positive loads of folks out of there who don’t have time to plough dozens or tons of of hours right into a recreation to get to the payoff, In case you’re a type of folks, you may get a really satisfying expertise in beneath ten hours, and I don’t remorse a minute of it.

It’s additionally a Christmas recreation. In the identical manner that Die Laborious is a Christmas film. What’s it with Christmas and crawling by air flow ducts?

Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengeance of the Slayer – Simon

You realize when one thing feels prefer it’s been made only for you? Nicely Slayers X (no I’m not typing out that entire title every time) is that for me. And I say this with the deepest respect, as I doubt many might hack various minutes of enjoying this.

It’s mainly a tribute to barely shonky outdated DOS video games like Duke Nukem 3D, being an FPS with an immature sense of humour – however contemplating so many titles haven’t any sense of humour in any respect these days, it’s a large breath of recent retro air. If that isn’t an excessive amount of of a contradiction anyway.

This Change port is just a little dodgy with the framerate generally taking a success, however I loved all of it the identical. And sure, that typo within the title is deliberate.An honourable point out to Thank Goodness You’re Right here (sorry Rob), which can also be deeply amusing – in a really completely different however very welcome manner. Mainly I wanted video games that made me snigger in 2024, and I bought two sensible examples of simply that.

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