Whew, what a year, huh? It's been hard to pick just two games each for the TrueAchievement news team's Games of the Year, but we've done it. Whether they were major releases or fantastic new entries on our list of the best Xbox games or just fun standalone releases, we've come up with six games we would like to highlight as the best of the year.
TrueAchievements team picks for Games of the Year 2024
Whether it's slaying giants, discovering forgotten mysteries, or making countless heart-wrenching choices, we've played some exceptional games this year.
For this round-up, News Editor Sean, Features Editor Heidi, and Staff Writer Tom have each chosen one big-budget title alongside a smaller game we'd like you to know about. These are the games we've personally been enjoying that launched in 2024, and since they're personal picks, they won't necessarily all be featured on our "best of" lists (although many of them still are).
So, without further ado, here are the TrueAchievements news team's Games of the Year for 2024:
Tom —
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
What a monumental achievement from a studio that has been through hell in recent years. Sure, it arrived with more bugs than a stalker's bedroll, but Skif's slog through The Zone is still one of the finest adventures I've had the pleasure of experiencing this year.
For the most part, Stalker 2 is gorgeous, and the world is rich with detail, loot, and secrets to uncover. It's one of the best things about the game, as you never know what treasures you might find in a location, whether that be a dingy cave system or an industrial complex. Of course, what you might otherwise find is a nasty mutant looking for its next meal, replacing the feeling of wonder with terror as you rapidly attempt to prepare for the fight ahead.
For me, that's the point of Stalker 2; to explore the unexplored, prepared to risk it all for the chance to find a piece of equipment that could greatly increase your ability to survive the next deadly encounter. There is far too much to delve into here, so I suggest checking out my Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl review, but suffice it to say that I highly recommend diving into this game if you have a love for adventure... and are prepared for dying many, many times.
Tom —
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
Set during a time when witch trials were still prevalent, Duarte and Wraith head to New Eden to investigate a grizzly haunting — one which they soon find they were unprepared for. After being defeated by the spirit, we travel through the neighboring areas to strengthen the Banishers, finding new gear for Red and increasing Antea's control of her spectral powers.
While the third-person combat is good fun and the world is nothing short of beautiful, Banishers' secret weapon is definitely its plethora of stories to work through. The world features plenty of side quests to embark on, which task you with investigating hauntings before choosing whether to banish the ghost or the living human being, depending on who you decide is in the wrong. Not every haunting gives you a clear victim, however, sometimes leaving you to make a tough call either way.
It's brilliantly done and feeds into the main storyline, which makes you choose whether or not to bring Antea back from the dead — will you become the real villain and sacrifice others for the woman you love, or let her go knowing you could have saved her? Oh, what a cruel decision to have placed on your shoulders!
Sean —
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Aside from the outstanding performance from Melina Juergens as Senua, the absolutely incredible visuals (Hellblade II is easily one of the most visually impressive games of the generation, and I won't hear otherwise), and the satisfying tale Ninja Theory spun, what I really loved the most was the atmosphere.
Character and tone ooze out of every single frame in this game. Whether you're overlooking an intensely bleak Icelandic vista with the wind howling around Senua or infiltrating a draugur ritual with enemies spitting fire and lighting up the surrounding rocky mountains, the atmosphere really pulls you in and creates a sense of immersion like no other.
I hope that Microsoft continues to let Ninja Theory build out Senua’s story and that we get a third game in the series. However, I would like some more involved combat next time, please, and maybe a bit of a longer runtime.
Sean —
Still Wakes the Deep
It’s a classic walking simulator, something you don’t see often these days, that features no combat, some simple puzzles, and stealth sections that require you to sneak past supernatural monsters. It doesn’t sound all that impressive listed out, but it’s all wrapped up and tied together with a compelling story, excellent writing, and wonderful voice acting.
However, what I adore about Still Wakes the Deep is how unapologetically Scottish it is. You’ll hear plenty of swearing and plenty of excellent Scottish slang that won’t make a lick of sense to anyone outside of the British Isles. Kudos to The Chinese Room for not compromising on the Scottishness of it all.
Heidi —
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
I’ve seen the movies but I’m not the most up-to-date Indy fan, and yet this game does a great job of welcoming Indy experts and Indy beginners alike.
Right from the start, it looks incredible. Everything from the lighting to the detailed environments is gorgeous, and you appreciate those environments even more since Indiana Jones and the Great Circle really encourages you to explore — whether it’s for field notes, relics, easter eggs, or new shortcuts, exploration does feel rewarding.
Troy Baker is amazing in the role, and the adventure itself is just irresistible — there really is everything you'd want in an Indy game. I’m only partway through and can’t wait to play more. The only thing distracting me from my Indy GOTY right now is my indie GOTY…
Heidi —
The Plucky Squire
The Plucky Squire sees storybook hero Jot pushed rudely out of that storybook by its villain, Humgrump. This leads Jot to the incredible (if slightly earth-shattering) discovery of the world outside the book, and takes us on a brilliant dimension-hopping adventure.
Sometimes we’re running across the 2D pages of the book to solve puzzles, sometimes we’re set loose in the 3D world beyond, but the imagination behind the adventure is just incredible. It’s not just dimension-hopping, either. We can change aspects of the storybook to help us progress by swapping words to influence the environment.
The game’s colorful art style, storybook background, and wacky characters all give it a light-hearted feeling even though we’re on a mission to defeat Humgrump and save the book, and it’s a wonderful experience that, like Indy, arrived just in time to be a GOTY.
That's it for what we think are the
best Xbox games of 2024, but how about you? What were your favorite games this year? Drop a comment below and let us know!