Branching Path: Josh Tolentino's Top 10 Games of 2024

As a long-time gamer with memories of playing Final Fantasy VII back when I was just starting out in this crazy world of pixels and polygons, I must say that 2023 has been quite the year for me! With Final Fantasy VII Rebirth topping my list, it’s like stepping into a time machine and revisiting my younger self. It’s fascinating to see how this game has evolved while still maintaining its essence.

Now, if you had told me back in 1998 that I would be playing FFVII again, but as a remake with metatextual elements, I probably wouldn’t have understood a word of it! But here we are, and I’m genuinely glad they didn’t just slap a fresh coat of paint on the original. Square Enix still has some work to do to land that bird for the third and final installment, but I’ll be there, ready to see it through – for better or for worse!

Oh, and let me tell you, my younger self would have laughed nervously at the idea of a “metatextual reckoning,” too. But hey, who knew we’d all become such experts in postmodernism, right? 😉

2023 saw an unusual turn in the game industry, and 2024 took this oddity to a whole new level. The year was notably unforgiving towards game creators, yet it brimmed with exceptional games, which some critics labeled “slow,” possibly due to their narrow viewpoint rather than the abundance of fresh gaming experiences that were up for grabs.

2024 saw me indulging in casual gaming and snacking on titles most days, followed by immersing myself in marathon sessions with highly anticipated top-tier releases that made headlines. It was a year where I exclaimed “X is back,” as numerous favorites served as signs of a resurgence or comeback for various aspects. The abundance of quality games this year even surpassed my previous “Top 7” list, and I discovered several other exceptional titles worthy of honorable mention.

Honorable Mentions, in No Particular Order

This section highlights the games that I enjoyed deeply yet couldn’t spend as much time with as I wished, or those that didn’t quite make it to my top picks for the year, but still deserve appreciation.

Revisiting an old classic like Persona 3 Reload is always a delight, even as we strive to appreciate its historical significance and original context. Yet, the allure of a fresh, polished revamp on a game that holds such personal importance for me is undeniable. However, my commitment to other duties and the time-consuming nature of current Persona titles prevented me from exploring it as thoroughly as I wished. Regardless, revisiting it brought back cherished memories…and now “Mass Destruction” seems to be playing on an endless loop in my dreams.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl – Carrying on the tradition of bringing back cherished classics, Stalker 2, which I won’t tire myself by typing its full title again, retains a large part of the enchanting allure that the original Shadow of Chernobyl held for countless gamers, captivating them with the grim beauty of The Zone. Remarkably, the developers at GSC Game World managed to complete this game despite the turmoil of the war in Ukraine, making it nothing short of miraculous. However, upon release, the game faced numerous technical issues and was apparently lacking some key features until a substantial update was rolled out a few weeks later. Consequently, I find myself considering a restart, and have decided to postpone playing the game until I can reacquaint myself with it.
Regarding my gaming past, Suikoden series has held a significant place. Yet, despite this history, I found myself unable to fully complete Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes in 2024 due to a busy schedule. Nevertheless, from the gameplay I’ve experienced so far, Hundred Heroes appears to be a spiritual successor to Suikoden, embodying many of the qualities that won me over in the original series. Given the team behind it, this shouldn’t come as a shock; several key creators, including Yoshitaka Murayama, worked on both projects. Unfortunately, Mr. Murayama didn’t live to witness the release of Hundred Heroes.
Experience with Pacific Drive – The build-up to the release of Pacific Drive was quite a rollercoaster ride for me. The initial excitement from a chilling tour through The Zone, presented in the American Pacific Northwest, was followed by a slight letdown as I learned it would be a driving-focused roguelike game. This wasn’t the usual mix of genres I eagerly anticipate playing. However, I’m glad I took the plunge, as Pacific Drive excels at making first-person, in-car driving experiences thrilling. Often, driving a car in games feels like you’re just a mechanical entity. Pacific Drive, on the other hand, makes you feel like a human driver, a fragile being confined within a steel and glass cage on wheels. The car serves as your protective armor, your mobile sanctuary, and your barrier against the terrors lurking outside. It also boasts an exceptional in-game user interface, a feature I seldom encounter in gaming.
In simpler terms, I find “ReFantazio” particularly captivating among Atlus’ RPGs since it resembles “Persona 4,” but without the familiar pressures associated with creating another “Persona” game. This fresh approach has given rise to a game that emphasizes its depth over other minor flaws, which have become somewhat burdensome in previous works by these creators.
1000xRESIST – An exceptionally engaging narrative game that I highly value alongside my cherished favorites, such as 13 Sentinels, Outer Wilds, and Ghost Trick. Give it a try, but let me clarify that it’s not exactly the same genre as these beloved games. If you seek a more detailed analysis, I recommend checking out Josh Torres’ review here.
Heaven Burns Red – I had been eagerly anticipating the English release of this title due to the overwhelmingly positive buzz it received in Japan since its debut in 2022. Now that it’s finally arrived, I can confirm that the hype was well-deserved. A friend on social media succinctly captured the essence of Heaven Burns Red as “Jun Maeda at full throttle with a glitchy gacha RPG element.” If you’re not familiar with Jun Maeda’s work, it might not sound like much, but fans will be moved to tears by the emotional intensity of the story and left with sore necks from the rapid shifts in tone. Every moment is captivating.
Shining Sword – In my assessment, Shining Sword didn’t quite surpass the game that served as its inspiration. However, I am still pleased that developer Shift Up developed an attractive, finely-honed action-RPG with a focus on world creation and a substantial DLC strategy, a concept distinct from Shift Up’s other game, NIKKE (it should be noted that the NIKKE team could offer some insight to the Stellar Blade team regarding crafting a captivating central narrative and well-written characters).
Granblue Fantasy: Relink – This anime serves as an engaging visual companion to the popular web-based game, Granblue Fantasy. It offers a fulfilling portrayal of the game’s universe, which is exactly what fans of Granblue Fantasy might hope for.
As a devoted fan, let me share some heartfelt thoughts: Rediscovering Fate/stay night Remastered feels like stepping into a familiar, yet breathed-new-life world. It’s like revisiting an old friend who’s had a stunning makeover! Although I usually refrain from ranking remasters in my top list due to personal principles, this exceptional update has truly earned a special place.
In an alternate universe where Fate/stay night Remastered never existed, our world would have missed out on the birth of the epic phenomenon that is Fate/Grand Order – a thought that slightly torments me! But alas, I’m grateful for both these masterpieces in my life.

10) Ace Attorney Investigations Collection

Hi there! I see you’ve included “Fate/stay night remastered” in your main ranking despite excluding it due to being a remaster. But wait, here’s “Ace Attorney Investigations: Dual Destinies” double-pack, and I’m not sure how this fits in since the first Ace Attorney Investigations game was difficult to play outside of an emulated 3DS romhack until Capcom released this edition. However, this new version boasts an attractive art upgrade and the convenience of playing both games sequentially provides a fresh experience, enhancing their status as exceptional additions to the “Ace Attorney” series.

9) Astro Bot

I must admit my reservations about labeling a showcase for the PlayStation back catalog as Game of the Year in its entirety. However, Astro Bot is undeniably one of the most impressive promotional efforts ever, and an exceptional 3D mascot platformer. The team at Asobi truly hit it out of the park, crafting a tribute to PlayStation’s history that deserves recognition, regardless of whether or not Sony has fully earned such acclaim.

8) Helldivers 2

Discussing instances where management could have been better, Arrowhead Productions created the exceptional, top-tier cooperative shooter game, “Helldivers 2”, which also happens to be the finest adaptation of the “Starship Troopers” series anyone might desire (a significant compliment considering numerous officially licensed contemporary games based on “Starship Troopers” have been developed and launched during this period). Remarkably, they accomplished all of this despite some truly questionable decisions, such as attempting to enforce a compulsory PlayStation Network login, only to withdraw the game from sale in various nations (including mine) after facing criticism. Excluding Sony, “Helldivers” has now taken over as my preferred relaxation shooting game; it’s what you launch when you’ve got a spare hour or so and decide to spend it on some virtual violence.

7) Zenless Zone Zero

Despite my usual policy of excluding games with gacha mechanics from the main ranking, I find myself compelled to make an exception for Zenless Zone Zero. This game has captured me so thoroughly that it outshines even the renowned creations by miHoYo, such as Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. The key factor is its consistent and unified art style, which sets the tone and enhances the overall look and feel of the game on multiple levels. Zenless Zone Zero’s emphasis on distinctive designs, a unique urban ambiance (perfectly timed to anticipate the influx of other urban-themed Chinese gacha games), and its animated influence on movement and physicality make it one of the most visually appealing games of 2024, in my opinion, and also the most enjoyable among the numerous gacha games I’ve played this year.

6) Hardcoded

On numerous occasions, writers for RPG sites have discussed games with mature themes reminiscent of an 18+ rating. For instance, consider the game “Demons Roots” from last year. However, unlike some visual novels that initially contained adult content before transitioning to all-ages – such as “Fate/stay night” and others – “Hardcoded” is deeply intertwined with its explicit elements, making it challenging to endorse in more conventional circles. Yet, despite my not being part of the intended audience, I find myself compelled to recommend it. The game’s freeform, raw, and retro-inspired narrative about a transgender robot girl living in a dystopian future is crafted with such enthusiasm and energy that it’s hard to resist recommending it to those who are open to experiencing an adults-only game. From well-developed characters to a genuinely touching portrayal of marginalized individuals finding their place and creating their families beyond societal norms, “Hardcoded” is worth exploring.

5) Rise of the Ronin

When people often compare “Rise of the Ronin” to both “Ghost of Tsushima ” and “Assassin’s Creed“, I find that Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja have blended the essence of their “Nioh“-style sword-fighting game with the spirit of “Way of the Samurai“. Similar to Acquire’s seemingly inactive open-world series, “Rise of the Ronin” effectively captures a unique image of Japan during the Shogunate era, giving players an opportunity to immerse themselves in the narrative. Unlike “Ghost of Tsushima ” and “Assassin’s Creed“, however, “Rise of the Ronin” carries a playful tone, acknowledging its role as a form of historically-themed entertainment rather than a replacement for a serious documentary or history book. This allows for interactions with characters like Commodore Matthew Perry and Ryoma Sakamoto, who can join you on missions. In many ways, and due in part to a level of production surpassing Acquire’s current capabilities, “Rise of the Ronin” establishes itself as the top bakumatsu game available.

4) Unicorn Overlord

For me, Vanillaware will always hold a special place in any annual game rankings, and while Unicorn Overlord may not have the same seismic impact as my cherished 13 Sentinels (at least not in terms of narrative), it’s undeniably one of my favorite games from this renowned studio to immerse myself in. A tactical RPG brimming with intricate gameplay, Unicorn Overlord offers a wealth of stunning characters to strategize and customize, satisfying that craving for commanding an army to vanquish hordes of enemies while feeling like a sovereign observer.

3) Dragon Age: The Veilguard

In the review, I pointed out that Dragon Age: The Veilguard didn’t receive a fair shake and has undergone several transformations since Dragon Age: Inquisition. Despite the departure of many original creators from the Dragon Age team, the new group did as well as could be expected, making The Veilguard a sort of fresh start for the series. It wasn’t a reboot or a direct sequel, but it successfully captured the essential elements and character focus that initially drew me to Dragon Age. While certainly not flawless, The Veilguard accomplished its main goal – reigniting my (and maybe some others who share my sentiment) faith in BioWare and their ability to keep the Dragon Age franchise burning a little longer. I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing what they can do next.

2) Tsukihime – A piece of blue glass moon –

Was there any question left unanswered? For quite some time, it seemed like the Tsukihime Remake might follow in the footsteps of many titles from the Fate series, becoming a legendary visual novel that would remain confined to fan translations, secondary adaptations, and the gaming community fluent in Japanese. However, it has finally arrived, and it has proven to be as impactful as I had envisioned. Now, we can all find salvation in the moon princess.

1) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

If you had predicted to me back in 1998 that by now I’d be playing a new version of Final Fantasy VII called “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth”, with enhanced graphics and a deeper exploration of the narrative, my younger self wouldn’t have understood the concept. However, revisiting a game that holds so much nostalgic value and delving into its deeper meanings is an exciting journey. Initially, some fans might not have expected this direction when the remake was announced, but I’m glad they didn’t just update the graphics. Instead, Square Enix has taken the opportunity to create something new and thought-provoking with the remake project. Although they still need to deliver a satisfying conclusion in the third installment, I’m eager to see how it all unfolds.

2025-01-04 23:28

Branching Path: Josh Tolentino’s Top 10 Games of 2024