Rose's Top Games of 2024

Too many games every week forever, really scary stuff. This year I’m only recommending games from last year to keep the list easy.

10: Metaphor: ReFantazio

It’s probably the best game the Persona team has made in over 10 years which is kind of a realm shared with only 1 other game given the Persona 4 and 5 spin-offs and re-releases, but still an admirable accomplishment all the same. Even though I think it’s incredibly weak with its anti-racism angle, it’s still doing much better than Persona 5 did (even if it still doesn’t escape several liberal trappings). The job system was great and a fun way to mix the Persona/SMT system up. I wish the pacing was better near the end but some of the last reveals are still pretty close to peak, and you can feel a lot of heart within.

9: UFO 50

I don’t like retro games that much, but I adore the presentation and layout of this collection. I think the blend of QoL features without losing the original sensation of booting up a Wii-ass Virtual Console game and being blindsided by how obtuse things were is really fantastic. I need to get back to the collection someday but, I mean, it’s 50 whole games.

8: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

A fantastic Metroidvania with really great combat and traversal ideas. When you realize you can just ping pong yourself back and forward through time mid-combo, it feels like a dream. I also respect how much the developers love Vergil Devil May Cry because hell, me too.

7: Kill Knight

Exactly what I want out of a character-action style game. You’ve got weapons that change movesets, you’ve got modifiers, you’ve got incentive to maintain combos and do super sick stuff all the time that’s actively encouraged by a choreographed enemy cadence. I love Kill Knight so much and I can’t believe it actually manages to exist in a world that seems to love the most boring action games you could ever imagine.

6: Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

Obviously disjointed through some poor pacing, but fundamentally I really don’t care since the world-building and smaller-scale moments continued to have the juice I enjoyed from the earlier FFXIV establishment without absurdist jumps. I appreciate that they hired cultural advisors this time as well, and utilized the mythos of a city of gold without falling prey to the typical colonial mindset, instead leveraging what the concept of a city of gold actually represented in our history.

5: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

It might not be the best Ichiban game, but this is the best that RGG studios have ever done Kazuma Kiryu. I was floored. I couldn’t believe it. When they start playing Receive You…the goosebumps. Thank you for actually finishing out his story with proper depth and characterization instead of whatever the hell happened in Yakuza 6.

4: Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth

MY FRIENDS: should we go to the gold saucer?
ME: uhhhhh sephiroth tulpa help me pic.twitter.com/31cijdiBl9
— Rosarie Maria🦐 (@horngal) March 14, 2024

Even if some ending reveals fall flat, the ride that those crazy bastards take you on across The Planet is truly unbelievable. You’re left wondering the entire time, what the hell is going on with Zack! Who are any of these new people! What horrible mini-game awaits me around the corner! How did they do Cait Sith so good in 2024!!!!! Thank you to the writers of this game for understanding exactly why Yuffie and Barret would form an unshakeable bond as father and daughter.

3: Nine Sols

once again, swag, game feels good pic.twitter.com/8V8tQa6TEN
— Rosarie Maria🦐 (@horngal) June 10, 2024

They turned Sekiro into a metroidvania!

I don’t know how Red Candle Games made two pretty straightforwardly designed horror games and then an insanely good action-platformer that’s better than 90% of what’s put out on their first go. This game is crazy. It has a story! An honest to god, super interesting, not just told through lore pages story! I love everything about it. When you have all three kinds of parries set up, they really truly expect you to know how to use them. It’s beautiful.

2: The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak

Introducing a guy as "the thousand oath breaker" and having him immediately do this is peak. It's peak pic.twitter.com/hJKq0cHYV3
— Rosarie Maria🦐 (@horngal) August 24, 2024

They have orbal vape pens now. They’re making the JRPG protagonists ask what your pronouns are. The main antagonist has a horrible little twink on his leg at all times. This is the future of gaming.