The Games I Beat in 2024: Q4

October

Game 37: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Played on: PS5
Release: 2023

Playtime: 31 hours 30 minutes
Rating: 7.5
Thoughts: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is an amazing game plagued by numerous technical issues. 

Source: Rock Paper Shotgun

Game 38: Tekken 7

Developer: Bandai Namco
Played on: Series X
Release: 2017

Playtime: 5 hours 45 minutes
Rating: 7
Thoughts: Although Tekken 7 excels in its multiplayer and customization, the single-player content leaves much to be desired.

Source: Bandai Namco Europe

Game 39: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Developer: Nintendo and Grezzo
Played on: Switch
Release: 2024

Playtime: 23 hours 7 minutes
Rating: 9
Thoughts: Despite some minor performance hiccups, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a refreshing evolution of the top-down Zelda formula.

Source: Nintendo

DLC 3: Tekken 8 — Unforgotten Echoes

Developer: Bandai Namco and Akira
Played on: PS5
Release: 2024

Playtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
Rating: 8
Thoughts: Unforgotten Echoes is a fun little expansion of Tekken 8's excellent story, which doubles as free promotion for the DLC fighters.

Source: PlayStation Blog

Game 40: Balatro

Developer: LocalThunk
Played on: iPad via Apple Arcade
Release: 2024

Rating: 9.5
Thoughts: Balatro offers a masterful twist on poker that's incredibly hard to put down. 

Source: PlayStation Store

November

Game 41: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
Played on: Switch
Release: 2024

Playtime: 22 hours 18 minutes
Rating: 9
Thoughts: Despite a downgrade in graphics and performance compared to other platforms, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown plays wonderfully on Switch. 

Source: Nintendo

Game 42: Tekken 6

Developer: Bandai Namco
Played on: Series X
Release: 2009

Rating: 6.5
Thoughts: While ambitious, plentiful, and oddly charming in places, Tekken 6's single-player content is incredibly uneven. 

Source: PlayStation Store

Game 43: Ys X: Nordics

Developer: Nihon Falcom
Played on: PS5
Release: 2024

Playtime: 46 hours 51 minutes
Rating: 9
Thoughts: Be it sailing the open seas of Obelia Gulf or flowing between combat encounters on land, Ys X: Nordics is a joy to play. 

Source: Wccf tech

December

Game 44: God of War Ragnarök

Developer: Santa Monica Studios
Played on: PS5
Release: 2022

Playtime: 37 hours 13 minutes
Rating: 8
Thoughts: God of War Ragnarök is at its best when it pulls players along its linear action and emotional set-pieces. Outside of that, it meanders too much. 

Source: Finger Guns

Game 45: Sonic x Shadow Generations

Developer: Sonic Team
Played on: PS5
Release: 2024

Playtime: 17 hours 46 minutes
Rating: 8.5
Thoughts: While the remastering of Sonic Generations has some technical issues, Shadow Generations is the finest 3D Sonic game in over a decade. 

Source: Sega

DLC 4: Final Fantasy VII Remake — Episode INTERmission

Developer: Square Enix
Played on: PC
Release: 2021

Playtime: 5 hours 51 minutes
Rating: 7
Thoughts: A short and sweet last little romp through Midgar. 

Source: Geeks Under Grace

The Games I Beat in 2024: Q3

July

Game 26: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Developer: Intelligent Systems
Played on: Switch
Release: 2024

Playtime: 34 hours 51 minutes
Rating: 9
Thoughts: No matter the era, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door is still a seminal console RPG. However, the backtracking is still an annoyance.

Source: Nintendo

Game 27: Tekken 8

Developer: Bandai Namco and Akira
Played on: PS5
Release: 2024

Playtime: 15 hours 40 minutes
Rating: 9
Thoughts: Regardless of your skill level, Tekken 8 is a great introduction to 3D fighting games.

Source: Bandai Namco Studios

Game 28: Cat Quest

Developer: The Gentlebros
Played on: Steam Deck
Release: 2017

Playtime: 7 hours 43 minutes
Rating: 7
Thoughts: Cat Quest is a fun and highly approachable — yet pretty shallow — action RPG.

Source: Nintendo

Game 29: Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition

Developer: Capcom
Played on: Series X
Release: 2020

Playtime: 18 hours 18 minutes
Rating: 9
Thoughts: Although Devil May Cry 5 was already a great action game, Special Edition makes it even better.

Source: PlayStation Store

August

Game 30: Air Twister

Developer: Ys Net
Played on: iPad via Apple Arcade
Release: 2022

Rating: 3.5
Thoughts: Air Twister is plagued by obtuse onboarding, unnecessary mechanics, and unfair difficulty.

Source: Nintendo

Game 31: Ridiculous Fishing EX

Developer: KO_OP
Played on: iPad via Apple Arcade
Release: 2023

Rating: 8.5
Thoughts: Ridiculous Fishing EX is an excellent update of Vlambeer's mobile classic.

Source: Eurogamer

September

Game 32: Jetpack Joyride 2

Developer: Halfbrick Studios
Played on: iPad via Apple Arcade 
Release: 2022

Rating: 7.5
Thoughts: In adding more complexity to Jetpack Joyride, this sequel gets a little too tedious and grindy. However, the excellent gameplay makes it easy to stomach.

Source: mxdwn.com

Game 33: Cut the Rope Remastered

Developer: Paladin Studios
Played on: iPad via Apple Arcade  
Release: 2021

Rating: 7
Thoughts: While Cut the Rope Remastered has the amazing bones of Cut the Rope, it's hidden under off-putting 3D graphics and obfuscated mechanics.

Source: YouTube

Game 34: Astro Bot

Developer: Team Asobi
Played on: PS5
Release: 2024

Playtime: 14 hours 17 minutes
Rating: 10
Thoughts: Astro Bot is an endlessly joyful platformer that gives PlayStation's legacy the celebration it deserves.

Source: PlayStation Store

Game 35: DmC Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition

Developer: Ninja Theory and QLOC
Played on: Series X
Release: 2015

Playtime: 10 hours 48 minutes
Rating: 7
Thoughts: If you can get past its contentious aspects, DmC Devil May Cry is a solid action game with highly creative levels.

Source: DualShockers

Game 36: The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak

Developer: Nihon Falcom
Played on: PS5
Release: 2024

Playtime: 102 hours 57 minutes
Rating: 8.5
Thoughts: The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak is a great introduction to a new arc that peaks 20 hours too early. 

Source: Nintendo