It has been a strange year for the video game. While layoffs, studio closures and instability have conditioned work, the strength and variety of the releases have defined a 2024 in which the indies.
‘Balatro’ by LocalThunk
The great phenomenon of 2024 has been this card video game designed alone by a Canadian developer. With its addictive gameplay based on a deck-building system, Balatro has become a global sensation. Inspired by poker and the Cantonese game Big Two – although it is not necessary to know the rules of either to enjoy it – and with randomness as an ally, beneath its simple appearance lies a captivating complexity that makes each game different. The objective is to unlock new cards, try different combinations of them and complete various challenges that can even lead you to break the rules of the game.
Available for PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One and Series X|S, iOS, and Android.
‘Astro Bot’ by Team Asobi
Even though AstroBot It is still a gigantic advertisement to sell the benefits of PlayStation 5, it has enough qualities to make it onto this list. At the end of the day, it is not only the video game of the year according to The Game Awards, but also a charming 3D platformer, which is not just a tribute to the genre or the brand, since beyond its extremely pampered gamefeelhas a multitude of successes of its own. Thus, it begins a journey throughout the galaxy to help the friendly robot protagonist recover the lost pieces of his ship to take the player to different levels in which to face challenges and final bosses of his own, in an endearing, funny and packed adventure. of surprises.
Available for PlayStation 5.
‘Neva’ by Nomada Studio
Yes with Grey They triumphed all over the world, with Snow Barcelona’s Nomada Studio have shown that there was much more than luck in the enormous success achieved with their debut. Its careful aesthetic approach, its imaginative universe and its engaging gameplay make this video game focused on the relationship between a warrior and a wolf one of the most interesting titles of the year. Able to convince both those looking for a solvent platform and those who prefer a moving story, the studio’s good work can be seen in each of the details of this captivating work.
Available for PC and Xbox Series X|S.
‘Metaphor: ReFantazio’ by Studio Zero
In a year in which the Japanese industry has offered great video games like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth either Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealthit is difficult to stay with just one of these proposals of an unfathomable world and almost infinite hours. But for its excellent combination of medieval fantasy, anime aesthetics, social simulation and role-playing game, Metaphor: ReFantazio It has more than enough merit to be among the best of 2024. With criticism of current society as a backdrop, the action is set in a kingdom in which, after the mysterious death of the king, a successor is sought, so The purpose is to help the idealistic protagonist gain the favor of the people to be the new monarch.
Available for PC, Playstation 4 and 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
‘Lorelei and the Laser Eyes’ by Simogo
This puzzle video game developed by the same studio of acclaimed works such as Sayonara Wild Hearts manages to start from a common place such as the exploration of a mansion to generate a captivating atmosphere of mystery that combines surrealism with the delicious challenge of its non-linear puzzles. Full of personality in all its sections, it offers a limited experience that requires careful thinking to find the solutions to its ingenious and varied puzzles. It’s true that it can be a little frustrating at times, but the beauty of its black and white aesthetic encourages you to keep going. Furthermore, with a notebook at hand, it is possible to solve all the puzzles.
Available for PC, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 and 5.
‘Mouthwashing’ by Wrong Organ
Released in September 2024, it was with the arrival of autumn and under the protection of Halloween that this little indie has stood out among critics and users. It is normal, since the first-person horror title places the action on a ship whose crew has been trapped in space, and manages to address delicate issues in a suffocating atmosphere through a non-linear narrative. Through exploration, solving puzzles and dialogue with the rest of the passengers, a story is developed that has explicit images and uses the gore as a common resource, so it is not suitable for everyone.
Available for PC.
‘The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’ from Nintendo
On the other side of the scale, the first adventure in the iconic Nintendo saga with Zelda as the absolute protagonist is ideal for all ages. With a colorful universe, a simple adventure and ingenious mechanics that are its main attraction, it manages to adapt the typical elements of the Hyrule universe to a new game mode, which presents the opportunity to try different alternatives to solve the same problem. There will be those who consider that it lacks the epicness of its predecessors, but it does not require it to offer friendly entertainment full of insight, which puts fun above all else.
Available for Nintendo Switch.
‘Arctic Eggs’ by The Water Museum
With the mechanics of frying food as its central core, this particular work has the appearance of a cooking simulator in which cigarettes or cockroaches are passed through the frying pan next to the fish. Starring a down-and-out chicken dealer, the action is limited to cooking for various hungry people with the few ingredients available. Said like this, it may not sound like much, but its aesthetics low poly added to an indefinite setting but very anchored in the cyberpunk, Together with the surrealism that emanates from the proposal, they manage to hook you even before their keen sense of humor and their reflections on the meaning of our actions turn this quirky title into one of the most interesting experiences of 2024.
Available for PC and Mac.
‘Animal Well’ by Billy Basso
The pixelated aesthetic allows you to create complex spaces such as movie scenarios. Animal Wella video game consisting of exploring a mysterious well full of life. After seven years in development, its author Billy Basso manages to capture a unique atmosphere full of emotion by making his main character advance through a dark and strange world, whose objective is initially not very clear. The interaction with the environment evolves as you progress and the puzzles that arise along the way are solved, so that the relationship established with the rest of the creatures also takes on new nuances, offering a solid and surprising journey.
Available for PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One and Series X|S
‘Mossmouth UFO 50′
close with UFO 50 It’s almost like cheating, since it’s actually 50 video games in one. With different durations, difficulties, genres and mechanics, each of the works that make up this compilation has its own charm. Although they are presented in the order in which they were supposedly developed by the fictitious UFO Soft studio, in reality they can be played in the desired order, since they are also all independent. In this way, it is possible to spend hours in cooperative on a platform, play a video game like Arcadian or try your aim for as long as you want in a shooting video game. Without a doubt, an excellent alternative to enjoy the wide variety that the environment offers.
Available for PC.
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