2024 brought us quite the number of experiences. While maybe not as packed as 2023, there have been some incredible standouts. We’ve gotten together and made several selections on what we think is the absolute best of the bunch. Are there any you believe we’ve missed? Hit us up on X/Twitter or BlueSky to tell us your choices!
Game Of The Year
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Metaphor: Refantazio
- Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Astro Bot
- Dragon’s Dogma 2
- 1000xResist
It was a very, very close race this year. With so many good games coming out constantly, it was hard enough picking nominees let alone a winner. While all of these titles are deserving of the title of Game of the Year, there’s one that stood out among the rest: Metaphor: ReFantazio. It’s a title that is constantly firing on all cylinders, from the toughest of battles to small moments with your companions. The story is phenomenal, the visuals are gorgeous, and the game is packed with meaning and artistic intent. Metaphor is a wonderful experience all the way through, and will keep you thinking about it for long after you put the controller down.
Best Narrative
![Final Fantasy VII Rebirth video review - Victory Fanfare [PS5]](https://gamingtrend.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FySwm_BmGI6M%2F0.jpg)
- Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
- Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- 1000xResist
- Metaphor: Refantazio
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
- Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2
I know some might feel like the main narrative of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth plays everything too safe and not a lot is accomplished. While it does take a long time to complete this journey, the friends you make along the way are what makes this game shine. The heartfelt character interactions create an incredibly human tale, and one I loved throughout the entirety of Rebirth.
Best Multiplayer
- Helldivers 2
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Marvel Rivals
- Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2
- Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
- Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
Grab your capes and prepare to dive. While most of the games on the list certainly could have taken home this award, it’s hard to ignore Helldivers 2. The absolute chaos that ensues every time you drop onto a planet is incredible. That, alongside magnificent combat and fantastic co-op makes for an experience no other multiplayer game provides.
Best Art Direction
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Metaphor: Refantazio
- Astro Bot
- The Plucky Squire
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
- Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
This is another category that could have easily gone to each and every one of the nominees. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is our winner because it brings to life the way we envision the original in our nostalgia-fueled brain. Whether it’s the massive serpent boss Midgardsormr, or the bombastic, familiar foe Roche, the art team absolutely nailed the look and feel of the game, pairing it up with some awesome music and combat.
Best Audio Design
![Silent Hill 2 Remake - Pyramid Head Boss Fight [GamingTrend]](https://gamingtrend.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FMwa9w7_brcY%2F0.jpg)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Astro Bot
- Silent Hill 2 Remake
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Horror games always have some fantastic audio design, as that’s the thing that really makes all the scares work. Silent Hill 2’s remake has some top notch audio design, with simply standing in some locations feeling incredibly tense, with the player second guessing every noise or wondering if they’re just imagining them. It’s all very eerie in the best way.
Best Soundtrack
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Astro Bot
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Infinity Nikki
- Persona 3 Reload
- Helldivers 2
From the opening credits and every major beat throughout, the Star Wars Outlaws soundtrack is a bumping good time. It sounds like it’s been plucked from an offshoot rogue redemption story from the big screen, and that couldn’t be more fitting. As I write this, I can hear the thumping opening giving my subwoofer a workout. The audio team clearly understood the homework.
Best Performance
- Cody Christian as Cloud Strife in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Stewart Clarke as Leon Strohl in Metaphor: ReFantazio
- Nhi Do as Watcher in 1000xResist
- Dawn M. Bennett as Aigis in Persona 3 Reload
- Troy Baker as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and The Great Circle
- Humberly Gonzalez as Kay Vess in Star Wars Outlaws
We had a hard time picking a winner this year – we were spoiled for choice. Truthfully, anyone on this list could have easily taken the win, but wow were we impressed with Troy Baker’s performance as a young Indiana Jones. While he can lose the thread a little every great once in a while, the vast majority of his performances sound like the man himself. It’s scary work impersonating one of the most easily-recognized voices in Hollywood, but Troy Baker delivered in a big way to bring the whip-cracking adventurer to life once again.
Best Indie
- Neva
- Balatro
- Another Crab’s Treasure
- The Plucky Squire
- 1000xResist
- Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
“Oh, so this is like poker” I said. “I’ll play a few rounds to see what all the fuss is about” came next. After that was over 100 hours of ever-increasing blinds and carefully-coordinated cheats to achieve them. It’s one thing to play a hand of five cards worth 600 credits, it’s another to play a single hand that has to be measured in exponential outputs like 9.294e49. This game is simple as can be on the surface, but what lies beneath is a wildly addictive and fun puzzle game that evolves as it teaches you how to push that score just a little bit further. “I’ll just play another quick round” will get you in all sorts of trouble here.
Best Remake/Remaster
- Silent Hill 2 Remake
- Persona 3 Reload
- Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
- Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door
- Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2
Silent Hill 2 was a tough act to follow, let alone remake for a modern audience. However, despite all the fears and worries about developer Bloober Team, they absolutely knocked it out of the park. It’s a remake that perfectly walks the line between being faithful and changing or adding things. It doesn’t replace the original, rather this remake reimagines the game and sits alongside it as an equal.
Best VR
- Batman: Arkham Shadow
- Not For Broadcast
- Alien: Rogue Incursion
- Skydance’s Behemoth
- Metro Awakening
- Green Hell VR
Being the Batman has been done very well on the flat screen. Virtual reality is another step, but somehow, Camouflaj nails it. This is a near perfect translation of everything I love about the Arkham games, with the added immersion of VR. Whether sneaking through an air vent, throwing a Batarang to hit a button to open a door, or pummeling a Blackgate guard, Batman: Arkham Shadow exemplifies the best that the series has to offer.
Best Live Service
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
- Fortnite
- Marvel Rivals
- Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
While I’m not sure all would agree with me, last year’s Modern Warfare III cycle was incredible. Not only did the team at Sledgehammer listen closely to feedback, they implemented a lot of it quickly. Beyond that, there was always something new to do, with events galore and weekly challenges with cool Aftermarket Parts to earn. Alongside a phenomenal seasonal cadence, this made Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III a king in the live service model.
Most Accessible
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
- Tekken 8
- Another Crab’s Treasure
- Balatro
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
The ability to play a game is an important one. Opening that ability up to even more players is something many games are doing right, but few are excelling in. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 brought the features to the gunfight, with assist functions for sprinting, crouching, and mantling, alongside visibility features such as contrast modes. Black Ops 6 is one of the biggest games to launch in 2025, and seeing new and possibly previously unable players being able to access it delights us to no end.
Best Action
- Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2
- Helldivers 2
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Stellar Blade
- Indiana Jones and The Great Circle
- Starship Troopers: Extermination
I never thought we’d see a sequel to the fantastic Xbox 360-era Warhammer 40k: Space Marine. Beyond all expectations, the team at Saber Interactive not only gave us more Space Marine, they delivered a lore-perfect wildly-entertaining single player campaign alongside both a competitive multiplayer mode and an excellent cooperative mode to play the campaign with friends. The final level may be the best Warhammer level of any game in that universe, and it ranks high for just games in general. Whether you’re a casual fan or a lore purist, there’s a whole lot here for you. By the Emperor, this is one you don’t want to miss.
Best Action/Adventure
- Black Myth Wukong
- Rise of the Ronin
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Astro Bot
- Silent Hill 2 Remake
Astro Bot is just an incredibly joyful game. You can feel the love for platformers and PlayStation every step of the way. The excitement is infectious, but it’s not just nostalgia that makes Astro an amazing game. It’s the inventive level design, variety of power ups, catchy music, and tons of secrets that make you want to explore every inch of the game.
Best RPG
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Metaphor: Refantazio
- Dragon’s Dogma 2
- Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Metaphor: ReFantazio already won Game of the Year, so also winning Best RPG is a no brainer. It features some of the best character building and turn-based combat not just of this year, but in the genre as a whole. While you’re constantly getting more and more powerful, the game still leaves a lot of room for enemies to kick your teeth in if you’re not prepared for them. It’s a thrilling tug of war that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat until the final turn.
Best Fighting/Sports/Racing
- Tekken 8
- EA Sports College Football 25
- MLB The Show 24
- Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
- Granblue Fantasy Vs. Rising
- F1 24
My faith in football video games is renewed. I never thought I’d see another college football video game, even after EA announced one years ago. EA Orlando took their time and built the best college football experience possible, nailing the atmosphere and bringing modern features never before seen in the franchise. Getting back on campus has been a real treat, and it’s all thanks to EA Sports College Football 25.
Best Family
- Astro Bot
- LEGO Horizon Adventures
- Sonic X Shadow Generations
- Super Mario Party Jamboree
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
While there were a plethora of amazing games this year, not a lot of those were titles you could play with the whole family. It may be single player, but Astro Bot is THE game to play with gamers of all ages. It’s also the perfect game to introduce people to the medium, with simple to grasp controls, a smooth if a little too easy difficulty curve, and the sheer joy of playing it.
Best Strategy/Simulation
- Unicorn Overlord
- Balatro
- Age of Mythology: Retold
- Planet Coaster 2
- Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters
- Frostpunk 2
Vanillaware is one of the most important game developers in the world, and every single one of their games is a treat. Unicorn Overlord feels like a title they’ve wanted to make for years, and it feels lavish in both the team’s usual visual style and in the wealth of strategy available to the player. The game gives you a ton of freedom not just to customize your vast army with different classes and recruits, but in how and in what order you tackle each chapter of the story. It lets you macro- and micro-manage without feeling underwhelming, with every choice you make mattering.
Best PlayStation Game
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Helldivers 2
- Astro Bot
- LEGO Horizon Adventures
PlayStation had a bit of a slow year, but Astro Bot alone makes up for that. It feels like a celebration of the brand as a whole not just through the cameos but the different gameplay styles as well. It takes several iconic PlayStation series and recontextualizes them into a 3D platforming level, from Ape Escape to Horizon. It looks back, while also pushing boldly forward.
Best Xbox Game
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
- Indiana Jones and The Great Circle
- Age of Mythology: Retold
- Dungeons of Hinterberg
Mississippi Schmidt and the Enchanted Clown Shoe was a very welcome December surprise. It’s practically another story ripped directly from the silver screen. Not content to rest of a repetition of the movies (beyond one iconic introduction), the team delivers a completely new adventure, chock full of over-the-top performances, including the final performance of the incredible Tony Todd, may he rest in peace. It’s easily the best game team Xbox put forward this year, and one that any adventure fan will love.
Best Nintendo Game
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD
- Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
- Super Mario Party Jamboree
Nintendo had a bit of a slow year as they gear up towards the Switch’s successor. Even so, they had a few great titles on offer including The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, the first game in the series that lets players take on the role of the titular character. Echoes of Wisdom may not have been to everyone’s tastes, but it returned to 2D Zelda while keeping the freedom of problem solving from the Open era of titles. It’s a fun and inventive title with a ton of different ways to solve its intricate dungeons.
Best Gear
- SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds
- Corsair K65 Plus wireless keyboard
- Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot
- RotoVR Explorer
- PrismXR Carina D1 Quest 3 / 3D Charge Docks
- Gunnar Glasses
- Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race Wheel
- Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightdeck HOTAS
We reviewed a LOT of gear this year, and you’d expect that a high-end device like the awesome race wheel or HOTAS from Turtle Beach would top the charts, but it’s Gunnar all the way down. We use these glasses every single day, (I’m wearing them right now!) and they continue to be the best eyewear out there. The Gunnar crew push the envelope technologically as well, with new materials for the frames and the glasses themselves coming in the new year. I suspect we’ll be seeing our Best Gear winner Gunnar on this list again next year!
Best Furniture
- Uplift V2 Sit/Stand desk
- Flexispot E7 Pro and Plus Sit/Stand desks
- FlexiSpot C7-foam-FT chair
- X-Table Mobile Height-Adjustable desk
- Cooler Master Caliber R3C chair
- Mavix M9 chair
We tested our fair share of standing desks this year, and the Uplift V2 Commercial stands out for all the right reasons: it’s sturdy enough to handle all your gear, and it transitions from sitting to standing effortlessly. Over the months, it proved its worth by handling my multi-monitor setup, a tower PC, and plenty of desk accessories without a hint of wobble. I’ve come to appreciate just how quiet and unassuming it is–it does its job without drawing attention, which means I can focus on mine. Between the clean design and the rock-solid frame, it’s an easy pick for our Best Furniture for this year.
Best Hardware
- Meta Quest 3S
- GeForce RTX 4080 Super
- Obsbot Meet 2
- Obsbot Talent
- RayBan Meta
It’s hard to argue the utility of the RayBan Meta. It’s turned into a mobile camera that allows me to get inside a case I’m reviewing, it’s how I capture the cute things my dogs do that happens so fast I could never get out my phone in time, and the AI is a powerful assistant at the ready as I work, providing me hands-free information instantly. As a bonus, the audio is absolutely phenomenal, and they deliver all of that in a stylish package. It’s odd to recommend smart glasses as our Best Hardware for 2024, but wow are these little glasses impressive. Here’s to hoping that 2025 pushes the envelope with the rumored in-lens display!
Congratulations to all the games both nominated for and winning our Trendsetter designation!
David Burdette is a gamer/writer/content creator from TN and Lead Editor for Gaming Trend. He loves Playstation, Star Wars, Marvel, and many other fandoms. He also plays way too much Call Of Duty. You can chat with him on Twitter @SplitEnd89.
Ron Burke is the Editor in Chief for Gaming Trend. Currently living in Fort Worth, Texas, Ron is an old-school gamer who enjoys CRPGs, action/adventure, platformers, music games, and has recently gotten into tabletop gaming.
Ron is also a fourth degree black belt, with a Master's rank in Matsumura Seito Shōrin-ryū, Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do, Universal Tang Soo Do Alliance, and International Tang Soo Do Federation. He also holds ranks in several other styles in his search to be a well-rounded fighter.
Ron has been married to Gaming Trend Editor, Laura Burke, for 28 years. They have three dogs - Pazuzu (Irish Terrier), Atë, and Calliope (both Australian Kelpie/Pit Bull mixes), and an Axolotl named Dagon!
David is the kind of person to wear his heart on his sleeve. He can find positives in anything, like this is a person who loved Star Fox Zero to death. You’ll see him playing all kinds of games: AAAs, Indies, game jam games, games of all genres, and writing about them! Here. On this website. When not writing or playing games, you can find David making music, games, or enjoying a good book.
David’s favorite games include NieR: Automata, Mother 3, and Gravity Rush.
Mike’s gaming journey began with the Nintendo Entertainment System, sparking a lifelong love for video games that eventually expanded into the world of tabletop gaming. With a background in software engineering and a hobby in 3D printing, Mike enjoys exploring the intersection of technology and gaming. Always on the lookout for new innovations, he continues to dive into the evolving world of games, from classic consoles to the latest tabletop experiences.
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