Games Happy

In a number of methods, maintaining with RPG releases for RPG Website this 12 months truly pressured me out a good bit. Beginning out with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth in January and by no means actually slowing down, 2024 was full of a number of lengthy RPGs from many collection that I’m a fan of together with a number of new surprises. From beating brutal-level challenges in Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth to summoning salutors in 1905 Warsaw in The Thaumaturge, this 12 months had a ton of memorable moments and characters — ordering the checklist from one to 10 proved to be fairly a problem.

2024 was a difficult 12 months for me on a private stage, so I’m nonetheless very glad I can contribute to RPG Website in small methods as a technique to floor myself to a passion that I hope to have for the remainder of my life. With out getting too sentimental and with out additional ado, listed here are my high ten video games of 2024:

Honorable Mentions

• Dragon Age: The Veilguard – If The Veilguard had been launched 6 or 7 years in the past, it could have probably been my most anticipated sport on the time. I virtually really feel like a stranger saying this in 2025, however when you requested a youthful me who my favourite sport developer was, the reply was probably Bioware. Whereas Veilguard didn’t fairly hit the mark for me, it nonetheless shocked me in some ways in which retains me eager for the franchise.
   
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails by way of Dawn – I had liked sure entries from the Sky and Crossbell video games, however had misplaced a number of curiosity within the Trails collection over the past a number of years — however needed to remain caught up nonetheless. I had heard a number of excellent news about Kuro no Kiseki that includes a brand new protagonist in a brand new area of the world, and it seems that optimistic phrase of mouth was largely right. By shrinking the main focus of the battle with Almata and having a breath of contemporary air with Van as protagonist, Dawn has me excited for the following entry within the collection for the primary time shortly.
   
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Knowledge – It hasn’t been that lengthy, however I had been eager for a return for a brand new 2D-style Zelda since A Hyperlink Between Worlds. On high of that, a brand new title with Zelda herself in a lead function appeared like simply the type of shakeup that I hoped to see in final 12 months’s Tears of the Kingdom. Whereas among the particular methods such because the Echo and Bond mechanics had been misses for me, I nonetheless loved a few of that nostalgic exploration and dungeon-crawling that hasn’t been a spotlight of the opposite current Zelda video games. I hope the title was profitable sufficient that we will hope to proceed to see Zelda sometimes within the protagonist’s seat in future entries.

10) Mario & Luigi: Brothership

This primary entry on the checklist is likely one of the most shocking. I’ve by no means been an enormous fan of the Mario & Luigi collection of RPGs, solely actually liking the primary two Paper Mario titles. Mario and Luigi: Brothership was a title I initially meant to skip, however determined to select it up primarily as a handy sport to poke away at throughout vacation journey. By the point it got here to place this high ten checklist collectively, I spotted that I felt strongly sufficient concerning the sport that I didn’t wish to go away it out of my high ten, so…sorry Dragon Age.

Brothership appears like a pure evolution of what I’ve beforehand skilled with the collection in Famous person Saga and Bowser’s Inside Story. New collection developer Purchase was capable of faithfully adapt the appear and feel of the collection to its new 3d ‘console-style’ wrapping. Even the entire new places and inhabitants of Concordia really feel like pure additions to the long-running collection. Whereas the story went on a bit lengthy and I want the sport happened within the Mushroom Kingdom, Brothership continues to be a powerful suggestion for Mario RPG followers, which I didn’t in any respect anticipate when it was introduced in mid-2024.

9) SaGa Emerald Past

SaGa Scarlet Grace was certainly one of my most shocking video video games of all time. It didn’t present up on any of my high ten lists as a result of I performed it ‘late’ nevertheless it was from a collection I used to be unfamiliar with and I solely gave it a strive due to some actually robust phrase of mouth. Whereas SaGa Emerald Past appeared just like the pure follow-up and nonetheless possesses among the best renditions of a round-based battle system ever, it didn’t fairly dwell as much as the identical heights, however nonetheless stays put in on my PC as a result of it stays extremely enjoyable to play — even when the brand new framework didn’t fairly land for me.

Emerald Past is a good instance of a sport the place a single robust basis — on this case, the battle system, is ready to carry the remainder of the expertise. This {couples} effectively with the a number of character routes to maintain issues contemporary and fascinating even when the opposite ancillary methods are pared again a good bit. What I anticipated least of all was that there could be not one, however two SaGa video games on this checklist.

8) Ys X: Nordics

I’ve a bizarre love-hate relationship with Ys as a collection. I used to be launched to the collection with Ys Origin and Ys: The Oath in Felghana within the mid-2010s which I believed had been glorious, however nothing since has fairly lived as much as that bar — although Ys VIII did come shut. Ys X: Nordics promised a change-up that I feel was largely profitable.

Whereas not solely an Adol-focused journey, the removing of the party-mechanic from the earlier three video games to focus as an alternative on Adol and Karja, in addition to a revamp of the Flash Step / Flash Guard methods meant that Ys X was the freshest-playing entry within the collection in lengthy whereas. With some fascinating and difficult fight encounters and a few respectable exploration and platforming, Ys X felt like a return to type in some ways. It’s one main remaining weak spot for me is that the supporting forged and total story nonetheless really feel like afterthoughts. They don’t detract from the expertise, however this suggestion is totally on the energy of the gameplay, not story or characters.

It’s unlucky that issues lined up so {that a} newer model of Ys X was introduced so quickly after the official english launch, as a result of in any other case I’d advocate Ys X: Nordics to even lapsed Ys followers. At this level, we’ll must see how substantial the additions to Ys X: Proud Nordics turn into.

7) The Thaumaturge

Of the entire video games on this checklist, The Thaumaturge is the one entry that I feel I’d be baffled by if I confirmed it to my previous self. I’ve no prior historical past with Idiot’s Idea, and I in any other case wasn’t that within the sport’s vibe or setting when it was introduced. 

Whereas I usually hold a gameplay-over-story focus more often than not, The Thaumaturge gained me over with its robust setting, voice appearing and characters, and basic role-playing potential. The one place it actually falters is the restricted selection within the Clue system, which frequently boiled all the way down to discovering interactable objects on display greater than truly deducing significant data or recounting a collection of occasions. Regardless of that, a enjoyable (surprisingly Paper Mario-like) fight system, a cool double-edged sword with the Satisfaction system, and a narrative that meshes darkish fantasy in an underutilized historic setting, The Thaumaturge is the one under-the-radar sport from this 12 months that I’d level individuals to play if they’re curious about making an attempt one thing new.

6) Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

When Yakuza: Like a Dragon upended the collection brawler conference a number of years again in change for a turn-based RPG, we after all applauded the hassle at RPG Website. With an exuberant new protagonist and a enjoyable tackle a well-worn gameplay model, Ichiban’s first journey ended up endearing itself to followers outdated and new. Nonetheless, a number of the gameplay steadiness confirmed a number of first-time clunk: battles had been too frequent and never rewarding, strikes and jobs had been very unbalanced, and enemies wandering out of the best way of your get together’s assaults by no means ceased to be annoying.

Nonetheless, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth managed to deal with virtually all of those. As well as, the sport managed to steadiness a big forged of characters throughout two protagonists between Kiryu and Ichiban, and the setting shift to Hawaii in some way felt pure and becoming for the collection. As somebody who has spent the final a number of years getting caught up on all mainline Yakuza / Like A Dragon collection video games previous to Infinite Wealth, the celebration of the entire earlier characters and moments in Infinite Wealth was a vastly impactful payoff of dozens if not lots of of hours with these characters.

I solely want that Infinite Wealth higher nailed the touchdown for Ichiban’s half of the story. Whereas the sport didn’t sideline Ichiban and his pals as a lot as I feared when it was first introduced that each he and Kiryu could be protagonists, I nonetheless felt like I’m trying ahead for Ichiban’s true accepting of the reins of the collection.

5) Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Dealer

I’m very glad that I waited a number of months to play Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Dealer. I’m going by RPG Website conventions right here and looping in Rogue Dealer with 2024 releases because it first launched in December 2023. Along with that, partially as a result of complications that I skilled enjoying Owlcat Video games’ Pathfinder titles at launch, I felt it greatest to attend for a number of rounds of polish earlier than leaping in. This contributed to Rogue Dealer turning into my favourite title but from Owlcat.

I had no first-hand expertise with the Warhammer 40,000 universe or IP in any respect, and I used to be hesitant to leap into an RPG as blind as I used to be. Nonetheless, Owlcat actually crafted a enjoyable and immersive sport that naturally built-in the entire key tenants and attributes of Warhammer into each its story and gameplay methods. It was the primary time in a very long time that I felt I needed to take in an entire new body of worldbuilding and setting on that scale, and Rogue Dealer felt like a very nice match for even somebody with not acquainted with the setting stepping into.

With an extremely distinctive forged of characters, a morality system not like any in any sport I’ve performed, robust turn-based fight within the vein of Wasteland 3, and a meaty multi-act narrative, Rogue Dealer actually is an ideal followup for individuals who are open-minded to making an attempt out different settings for turn-based CRPGS after Baldur’s Gate 3.

4) Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth

When the remake of Closing Fantasy VII was first introduced again in 2015, I feel that the sport many individuals had been instantly picturing of their imaginations was truly Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth. Faithfully recreating scenes like Barret going through down Dyne close to Corel, Crimson XIII studying about his historical past at Cosmo Canyon, and the entire Gold Saucer, Rebirth dropped at life many of the key moments that I affiliate with my unique playthrough from Closing Fantasy VII as a toddler. Sure, Midgar is cool, however the selection in places and environments in Rebirth are gorgeous from starting to finish.

Once I reviewed Closing Fantasy VII Remake for the location, I felt after the truth that I spent far an excessive amount of time focusing in on the fight system of the sport, nevertheless it’s what I like most about each video games within the Remake trilogy thus far. Rebirth solely prolonged that additional with a bigger forged of playable characters and the introductions of Synergy talents. Mixed with top-tier manufacturing values just like the Squaresoft of outdated, Rebirth spends most of its runtime dazzling the senses and preserving my rose-tinted glasses secured firmly to my face. I didn’t even thoughts the extremely difficult post-game simulator battles because it took me practically 200 hours to fortunately full all the pieces Rebirth needed to provide. I even liked the mini-games.

The one downside for Rebirth was a reasonably clunky dealing with of the much-anticipated ending sequences on the Temple of the Ancients. Whereas followers and critics have been speculating for practically a 12 months at this level about what precisely all the pieces means on the finish of Rebirth, I felt that the ending sequences had been needlessly convoluted and did not fulfill each unique sport purists and Remake Trilogy evangelists alike. Evidently, we will’t actually have an entire grasp till we await the ultimate a part of the trilogy within the coming years.

3) Dragon’s Dogma II

The attraction of Dragon’s Dogma II is the hardest to clarify in a brief blurb. I performed practically 100 hours of Dragon’s Dogma again in 2016, and regardless of being a reasonably usually ‘western-style excessive fantasy’ setting that might have been plucked out of any Tolkien guide, one thing concerning the setting actually caught with me since then. From being one of many first motion RPGs I performed that made spell-casting truly really feel like carrying out feats of magic, to spending hours stomping by way of Bitterblack Isle, it was a sport that I all the time felt might be adopted up on and polished as much as turn out to be actually one thing particular.

With that stated, Dragon’s Dogma II’s best energy and criticism is precisely that. It’s extra a refinement of the concepts and themes of the unique sport somewhat than one thing that extends out previous the unique sport’s basis. Whereas they had been lauded and considerably revolutionary on the time, the Pawn system returns largely because it was a decade with just a few modifications to usability. A lot of the enemy varieties akin to cyclops and griffins return as effectively. There are some extremely neat mechanics with how facet targets can unlock new vocations, how the beastren kingdom interacts with the principle human settlements, all the pieces involving the Sphinx, and the way NPCs are built-in into the assorted quests together with the principle story. Dragon’s Dogma II is absolutely an amalgamation of a number of neat concepts which might be packaged collectively in a manner that may admittedly be a little bit of an acquired style.

I feel Dragon’s Dogma II is completely fitted to those who liked and performed the unique Dragon’s Dogma, had been nostalgic for it, and needed to have a really comparable expertise with a brand new coat of paint and a few new gimmicks. Those that hadn’t performed Dragon’s Dogma won’t have the affinity for a similar quirky elements of the sport and may get extra annoyed on the restricted enemy selection. Those that performed Dragon’s Dogma just lately may see the sequel as barely too spinoff from the primary sport. I occurred to fall into the house although the place it landed on the proper place and on the proper time. I liked it.

2) Metaphor: ReFantazio

I’m not the most important Atlus fan. I liked Persona 4 Golden and performed by way of it a number of instances on my Vita. I’ve solely performed Shin Megami Tensei V, haven’t performed any Etrian Odyssey title, and Persona 5 Royal perpetually sits in my backlog. I by no means actually adopted Undertaking Re Fantasy, and when it was unveiled as Metaphor: ReFantazio in 2023, I believed it was neat, however I didn’t actually latch onto it.

Nonetheless, the extra I discovered concerning the setting and the variations between Metaphor and the Persona collection, the extra intrigued I used to be to check out Atlus’s latest IP. At a floor stage, the excessive fantasy setting me greater than the varsity settings of the Persona collection, and I liked the concept of a number of races of individuals having to work together in a brand new and overseas society.

Greater than that, Metaphor: ReFantazio felt prefer it had a number of precise substance between the characters and the battle that engulfs them within the trial for the throne. From a nobleman struggling to determine essentially the most moral technique to impart a type of noblesse oblige in his day-to-day life, to a former spy making an attempt to put aside his discovered prejudices, to the much less lucky allying themselves with a tyrant with a view to be seen or heard in any respect, it felt like a number of thought and care went into presenting relatable conflicts with no simple solutions.

Whereas Metaphor’s ending is not one of the best touchdown for lots of the themes and challenges introduced up throughout the sport, it appears like Metaphor: ReFantazio is 2024’s ‘full package deal’ RPG. Anybody who likes JRPGs of any taste owes it to themselves to strive it out.

1) Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven

When my friends at RPG Website had been explaining to me what precisely Romancing SaGa 2 was about when Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven was introduced in the course of the 12 months, it was laborious to see on the time why they had been so excited concerning the considerably shocking announcement. I had only in the near past completed SaGa Emerald Past and had additionally made my manner by way of SaGa Frontier Remastered and SaGa Scarlet Grace so I believed I had a good thought about what constitutes a ‘SaGa sport’, however Romancing SaGa 2 was described fairly a bit in a different way.

On paper, Romancing SaGa 2 sounds prefer it may have been irritating. Going down over a number of generations, Romancing SaGa 2 bucks conventions of getting a set get together of key narrative individuals and swaps that out as an alternative for a retinue comprised of people which might be actually extra chess items than fully-fleshed-out characters. With none warning, lots of of years can cross and the participant is knowledgeable {that a} new emperor is in cost and must have an entire new retinue of characters changed and re-recruited.

On this manner, as an alternative of specializing in a celebration of like-minded people, SaGa 2 usually as an alternative focuses on telling the tales of locations, or the tales of civilizations. It’s not an ideal comparability, however the arrange is sort of rogue-lite-ish in a manner, the place every era of emperor serves as a possibility to study a bit bit extra concerning the world, progress in energy, and finally remedy an over-arching battle.

I feel one key cause that Revenge of the Seven particularly succeeds even for a collection with acquired style akin to SaGa is that it is likely one of the bigger makes an attempt to interrupt down among the collection quirks by way of good use of UI components and clearly speaking quest and gameplay development, somewhat than obfuscating particulars within the sake of emergent narrative or gameplay. It’s admittedly a little bit of a compromise and makes issues a bit ‘game-y’, nevertheless it’s a compromise that I feel pays off extremely effectively.

It additionally helps that Xeen’s work with this remaster is extremely pleasing with robust character and environmental artwork. Moreover, there’s an extremely satisfying development as every emperor will get the chance to journey farther from the capital, study a brand new area of the world, work to unravel an area battle, after which finally add every area to their kingdom. It makes the overarching objective very clear from the beginning. Whereas the battle system isn’t as tight-knit as those present in Scarlet Grace and Emerald Past, there are nonetheless sufficient wrinkles to maintain the gameplay contemporary from begin to end.

I feel that Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is the one sport on this checklist that I’d advocate to anybody no matter their standing as a SaGa fan and even JRPG fan. It doesn’t actually evaluate to anything, even inside its personal collection. Wholly thought of as a sum of good however economical storytelling, an addictive gameplay loop, and simply the correct quantity of problem, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven simply edged out the remainder of the checklist as my favourite sport of 2024.