From the beginning, 2024 had its work cut out for it. The previous year, 2023, was one of the best in a long time, thanks to a plethora of unusually great games that included Tears of the Kingdom, Baldur’s Gate III, and Resident Evil 4. In the end, 2024 failed to surpass its predecessor, but it turned out plenty of extraordinary experiences in the process.
Among those experiences are Astro Bot, a 3D platforming tour-de-force that proves PlayStation studios offer far more than just cinematic third-person action games; Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, an action-RPG that builds upon the successful framework of Final Fantasy VII Remake, a GotY contender itself; Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which did what Hollywood could not and made Indy compelling again; The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, a different and joyfully experimental take on the evergreen series; and Metaphor: ReFantazio, yet another in a long line of deep and engaging role-playing games from Atlus.
The Shortlist:
Astro Bot
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Metaphor: ReFantazio
The Runner-Up:
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is certainly more polarizing than its predecessor Final Fantasy VII Remake, but that didn’t stop it from placing second in this year’s GotY honors. And it’s easy to see why. The sequel masterfully continues and deepens the story of Remake, while simultaneously enhancing combat and shifting toward a more expansive open-world format stuffed with things to do and see. Its size, scope, graphics, and fighting mechanics have endeared it to a new generation of gamers and its fresh take on legendary characters and moments has successfully tapped into the nostalgic vein of an older group that grew up on the first PlayStation system. No matter your age or allegiance, it will be a tough wait for part three.
The Winner:
Astro Bot
The Astro Bot IP has been building toward something monumental for a while now. The first game, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, made a big splash in the world of virtual reality six year ago, but remains fairly niche due to being tied to a technology that’s not for everyone. And the second game, Astro’s Playroom, demonstrated astonishing ingenuity but ultimately felt akin to a proof of concept for something bigger and better. Well, that bigger, better something has arrived. It’s 2024’s Astro Bot, one of the finest 3D platformers ever made and one of the very best reasons to invest in a PS5.
Astro Bot is remarkable for many reasons. Its graphics are polished to perfection; its art direction is whimsical and expressive; its music is catchy and evocative; its controls are impossibly nimble; and its PlayStation fan service is unrivaled. But what makes it so exceptional, and what allows it to compete with the best the genre has to offer, is its sense of playfulness. The game is constantly inventing, surprising, and amusing. It refuses to stay in one place for too long, always eager to show the player a new idea, gadget, mechanic, or location. It’s simply bursting at the seams with creative energy.
Because of this, and for all the other technical and artistic areas in which it excels, Astro Bot is this site’s pick for the Overall Best Game of 2024.
Previous Winners
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Elden Ring
Metroid Dread
The Last of Us Part II
Resident Evil 2
God of War
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Rocket League
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Super Mario 3D World
Journey
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Mass Effect 2
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
LittleBigPlanet
BioShock
Full Article – https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463650/overall-game-of-the-year-2024/