Exactly one year ago, it felt like we knew what most of 2024's best games would be. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Tekken 8, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth all had the markings of reliable, big-budget sequels that would rack up awards come December. A lot of big-budget IP games were on the horizon too, like Star Wars Outlaws and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which one could assume would dominate the back half of the year. It felt like you could already guess most of what would be nominated for Game of the Year without even knowing what most of 2024's release calendar looked like.
Yet, as I look at my own personal list of my favorite 2024 games, it's anything but predictable. Half of it is filled with independent games that I didn't even know existed heading into 2024. The big-budget half of my list is even more surprising, as its loaded with the kind of left-field swings from major publishers that I could never have seen coming. All of that made 2024 one of my favorite years for gaming in recent memory -- but one that looked dire at a surface view.
You'll never see it coming
If you're the kind of gamer who only plays AAA games from established franchises or tentpole console exclusives, I can understand how 2024 could be viewed as an off year. The past 12 months were full of disappointments that made it seem like the industry was flailing. That began when Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League launched in February, which was the first of many big-budget flops this year.
