2024 In Review

1. Super Mario RPG
2. Super Mario 64
3. Klonoa 1
4. Penny's Big Breakaway
5. Mega Man Zero
6. Mega Man Zero 3
7. Pokemon SoulSilver
8. NEW Super Mario Land
9. WarioWare: Touched!
10. NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona
11. LoZ: Oracle of Seasons
12. TES: Skyrim
13. Bioshock Infinite
14. Spider-Man 2
15. MGSV
16. Astro Bot
17. NFS: Most Wanted (2012)
18. Contra: Operation Galuga
19. Paper Mario: TTYD
20. Spyro the Dragon 1
21. Dragon's Dogma 2
22. Mario Party Jamboree
23. Balatro
    
24. GTA: SA
25. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
26. Alan Wake 2

25 games last year, 26 this year. Probably a LOT less next year. 

Favorite game overall (not just from 2024) would still probably be Astro Bot but I really loved Spider-Man 2, too, also, as well.

Completed: Alan Wake 2

• Gorgeous game, cool setting, interesting story. Actual gameplay a little tedious at times
• The Alan Wake sequences could become frustrating and aimless at least for me since me not so smart or think good
• The plot board was a cool mechanic that got pretty old over time, especially in the above mentioned Alan Wake parts
• I gobble all that FBC/Control crossover shit like a hungry hippo. I really enjoy Remedy's world building and writing 
• Stupid jump scares
  

 

Completed: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

• Having played Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi this year I can now say the M&L games are my favorite flavor of Mario RPGs
• Not crazy about switching between Bowser and the brothers. I would rather just be the Bros but I do appreciate them trying something different
• All the special attacks are so fun
• Funny dialogue. Laughed quite a bit more at this than TTYD
• Toads with the Blorbs and fat goombas with the lollipops are my favorite things from this game
• Cute ending

 

The viagra4free 2024 GOTY Award

 

 

Astro Bot begs the question: Why can't every game be like Astro Bot? Everything about this game is a complete joy. I've gobbled up all the additional speed run levels as well as the special holiday level they added post-launch and I cannot get enough. Amazing controls and the use of the Dualshock's haptic feedback bullshit cannot be understated. No game has ever felt this good to play.

 

Honorable Mention: Penny's Big Breakaway. This was the game I had the second most fun with this year. It's not as polished as Astro Bot is of course (not many games are) especially being from an independent team but it's still a great game in its own right. Amazing OST as well - incredibly fitting music for a Sega-inspired platformer. Forever excited to see what Christian Whitehead and his team do next.

Completed: GTA: San Andreas

• Only GTA (since GTA3) that I haven't beaten. Trilogy remaster was on sale and its visuals were fixed so I finally righted that wrong
• Still a good game but it's hard for anything to seem that great post-GTA4
  
• A few too many minigame-like missions

 

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Completed: Balatro

• I "completed" a roguelike which means I fully completed a run so it counts
• It's poker with power ups. As they said in every single 90's gaming publication: 'Nuff said
• After playing like an idiot for awhile I finally realized to just go after one or two types of hands, eventually only going for flushes
• I thought this was called "Baltaro" for a month. #gamer
  
• Bed time, Balatro, reading, sleep, in that order

 

Completed: Mario Party Jamboree

• Counting this since I "platinumed" the game and got to max rank which unlocks the credits. Fuck the haters if they have a problem with that
• Really fun Mario Party. I'm no connoisseur but definitely one of my favorites I've played
• The Pro mode and the amount of customization is nice. But that also makes it more frustrating you can't just customize every option
• Needs more variety for the god damn 1v3/3v1 games god damnit
  
• Rhythm Kitchen side game is great albeit a little simple

 

Completed: Dragon's Dogma 2

• Really enjoyed this game despite some head scratching over design choices like a really dumb, punishing saving system and no combat lock-on being the two more confusing decisions that come to mind. Not game breaking by any means but just...odd
• Pawn system is awesome. Had so much fun just running to places with my bros
• Favorite part of the game is picking up enemies, or innocent people/pawns, and hurling them over a cliff. Every game needs this ability.
• Second favorite part is the pawns in my party who see me do said cliff hurling and exclaim they've never seen their own master (real person) do that and will inform them of such a strategy. How are these people not throwing everyone off a cliff?

 

Completed: Spyro the Dragon (PS1)

• Always impressed with Insomniac's games, especially technically. No exception here
  
• Very polished for a first game in the series. Excited to see what's really good in 2
  
• Some levels can be a bit linear
  
• Will never get over the fact that Officer Garcia from Reno 911 voices Spyro in this one

Completed: Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (remake)

• Good game. Love the visual style. Really fun battle system.
• Plenty of funny moments and dialogue. Too much of said dialogue though - very long winded
• Most backtracking I've done in a game (I'm constantly backtracking in real life - often confused as to why I entered a room) in recent memory. This sort of thing ain't my bag, baby