Best New Video Game IPs in 2024

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I must say that 2024 has been nothing short of a golden year for gaming enthusiasts like myself. The variety and quality of games released this year have truly impressed me, and I’ve had the pleasure of diving into several of these masterpieces.

2024 has been remarkably strong for video games, with numerous blockbusters from established and cherished series grabbing attention. Notable releases such as Astro Bot, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Tekken 8 have significantly advanced in their lineages, pushing their intellectual properties to unprecedented heights.

This year, gaming stood out particularly due to an abundance of fresh, original video game ideas introduced on our consoles. While sequels and extensions can be wonderful, there’s an undeniable thrill in witnessing developers introduce something entirely new, especially when it turns out to be exceptional.

As a gaming enthusiast, I can’t wait to share with you ten outstanding new game franchises that graced our screens this year. Many of these titles have already proven themselves as contenders for the top spots among the best video games in 2024.

Animal Well

Best Metroidvania of the Year

In recent times, Metroidvania games have seen a resurgence in popularity, but among the contemporary ones, few have been as unexpectedly successful as Animal Well. This game was developed single-handedly by Billy Basso, and it’s clear that an immense amount of time, affection, and commitment were poured into its development.

In classic Metroidvania style, you’ll find top-notch platforming, a wealth of hidden treasures on the map, and skills that open up previously inaccessible regions.

Animal Well truly excels in the intriguing multi-layered puzzles it offers. These puzzles challenge your intellect and provide a sense of accomplishment at every stage of progress, making the experience enjoyable and fulfilling.

It’s charming, creepy, smart, and oh-so satisfying.

Another Crab’s Treasure

Souls Under The Sea

As the tide of Souls-like games continues to rise following each triumphant FromSoftware release, Another Crab’s Treasure managed to feel like a welcome gust of sea breeze. Or perhaps, a refreshing splash of seawater. I found myself embodying Kril, a forlorn hermit crab whose prized shell was callously repossessed by a ruthless plastic loan shark, setting the stage for my quest.

The game boasts a hilarious tone, as Kril dives the ocean depths to gather trash, which he then transforms into enhanced defense shells or potent melee weapons. Encounters with bosses are against greedy lobsters, crabs, and shrimps, each distinctively memorable due to their unique quirks.

For enthusiasts of Soulsborne games, Another Crab’s Treasure is definitely worth trying out. And if that doesn’t capture your interest, there’s an option in the menu to equip Kril with an oversized, comically large pistol. If this doesn’t seal the deal for you, then perhaps nothing will.

Balatro

Poker For Introverts

It came as quite a surprise that Balatro made it onto the list of 2024 Game of the Year nominees, but once you try it, you’ll understand why people are so excited about it in no time at all.

Balatro is a challenging yet intuitive game, offering a solo, rogue-like take on poker. In this engaging experience, you’ll collect top-tier cards and jokers to augment your deck, aiming to combine and save up the maximum multipliers for every dealt hand.

In each level, there’s a specific goal, either a set score or a powerful enemy (referred to as the “boss”), which can be defeated for extra bonuses. Completing a round awards you with in-game currency that you can use to buy additional cards and improvements.

Remarkably captivating, Balatro embodies the essence of games that keep you asking for just one more round. It’s deceptively engaging, and it won’t take long before you might become hooked on it. There’s no actual gambling involved, but don’t be taken aback if it reels you in swiftly.

Black Myth: Wukong

A Truly Epic Journey

The game, Black Myth: Wukong, generated lots of excitement with each stunning trailer release. Fortunately, it met all expectations, even earning a potential nomination for 2024’s Game of the Year award. This game offered both unique style and an increased level of difficulty to fans who enjoy a challenge.

Following the narrative of the famous Chinese tale, “Journey To The West,” the story centers around “The Chosen One,” a powerful monkey wielding an impressive staff, who journeys through forests, mountains, and deserts on a mission to gather artifacts that belong to his ancestor, the Monkey King, Sun Wukong.

Engaging in battle requires frequent use of both close-quarters attacks and spells, while strategically managing cool-down periods for optimal effect. As your character advances, a rewarding skill progression and leveling system will empower you further.

Although it doesn’t strictly fall under the category of a Souls-like game and is more appropriately categorized as an action game, Black Myth: Wukong is undeniably impressive, challenging, and satisfying to play.

Indiana Jones And The Great Circle

The Best Licensed Game Of The Year

Developed by the talented team at MachineGames, known for crafting the outstanding contemporary Wolfenstein series, it might not come as a shock that Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is equally impressive. However, surprisingly enough, it seems to be even more so!

Games based on popular movie series like The Avengers and The Suicide Squad can sometimes be challenging, but Indiana Jones effectively encapsulates the enchantment of the films, with Troy Baker delivering a remarkable performance reminiscent of Harrison Ford’s portrayal of our iconic whip-wielding protagonist.

The action is fun and flashy, like a blockbuster movie, and the option for stealth in many sections is refreshing and works well. Indiana Jones And The Great Circle truly feels like it fits alongside the film franchise. MachineGames, you’ve done it again.

Metaphor: ReFantazio

An Atlus JRPG With Its Own Persona

Once again, a fresh IP from 2024, Metaphor: ReFantazio, has been nominated as Game of the Year. This title skillfully reworked the Persona/Shin Megami Tensei blueprint and delivered another outstanding masterpiece. To be precise, our team at TopMob selected it as our top choice for the best game of 2024.

Instead of the teenage drama-centric backdrop of Persona, Metaphor: ReFantazio adopts a fantastical/occasionally steam-punk atmosphere brimming with intricate storylines and rich lore reminiscent of Game of Thrones at its best.

As a gamer, I’ve found that this game offers a unique blend of combat styles, unlike anything I’ve experienced in other Atlus games. It seamlessly combines real-time and turn-based combat in a way that’s never been attempted in Persona series before, while maintaining its signature style and elegance.

Nine Sols

Stylish Side-Scrolling Sekiro

2024 will see a fresh IP named Nine Sols, which pays homage to a FromSoftware game. Unlike other Souls-like games, it leans more towards the side-scrolling style of Sekiro. The artwork, with its hand-drawn aesthetic, adds a stunning, polished layer to a captivating setting that blends Cyberpunk and Ancient China elements.

As I delve into this captivating game akin to Sekiro, swiftly grasping the art of parrying becomes essential for me and my character, Yi. To unravel the intricate worlds and colossal battles Nine Sols presents, mastering this skill is key to our survival and exploration.

Incorporating aspects of political despotism and suppression into this game gives it a deeper, more meaningful dimension, elevating an exceptional game that stands out as one of the top Souls-like games of the year.

Satisfactory

The Ultimate Factory Simulator

In simpler terms, Satisfactory blends elements of No Man’s Sky’s space exploration and planet resource gathering, Factorio’s frenzy of manufactured goods production, and first-person Sim City’s complexity in structure construction and land management. Consequently, it stands as one of the top factory simulation games on PC.

Moving past its early access phase and launching as a complete 1.0 game in 2024, Satisfactory offers a fresh take on a well-known formula, featuring battles against alien creatures found on your planet, as well as humorously creating a vacuum tube for rapid transportation of your character from one end of the map to another.

If you’re someone who appreciates exercising your inventive side when it comes to building structures and finds pleasure in the rhythmic process of resource gathering and factory operation, then there’s arguably no game that does it quite like Satisfactory.

UFO 50

A Retro-Inspired Collection Of Goodness

As I grow older, I’m finding myself drawn back to classic, old-school video games with an arcade feel – ones that I adored during my childhood years or never got a chance to experience but now yearn to explore.

If you’re in the same kind of mood, UFO 50 is just the thing! It’s reminiscent of a carefully selected assortment of classic games from your past that you never got around to playing, and they’re eagerly waiting for you to discover them now.

What makes this unique, however, is that despite having an ’80s vibe, UFO 50 is actually a compilation of fifty fresh and engaging retro games, crafted by the minds behind Spelunky.

Indeed, it’s evident that some surpass others within this group of fifty, yet collectively, UFO 50 truly excels and manages to breathe fresh life into the familiar. Dive in, as there’s a wealth of experiences waiting for you here.

Unicorn Overlord

Tactical-RPG Perfection

For enthusiasts of strategic Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs), Unicorn Overload offers a compact yet delightful blend of captivating and fashionable turn-based battles, character and alliance development, intriguing narrative, culinary activities, party customization, and rewarding exploration.

Genuinely, it hits all the marks for any fan of the genre and hits them all very well.

It’s clear that the visual style of Unicorn Overlord, developed by Vanillaware, bears a strong resemblance to their highly acclaimed game, Odin Sphere.

In a delightful touch, the stunning masterpiece serves as an elegant finale as we guide Prince Alain and his companions along their path towards liberation.

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2024-12-18 18:39