Over the next eight days, Hardcore Gamer will be revealing its Best of 2024 Awards leading up to our Game of the Year. Today we present you with the Best PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and Handheld Game.
If Valve were in any doubt over their Steam Next Fest tradition providing a helpful boon for the indie scene in any calendar year, you could very well argue that Balatro’s immediate word-of-mouth excitement firmly put to bed any and all concerns. And in a matter of months – for a game whose own creator, LocalThunk, felt it may only draw a crowd of a handful – Balatro has quickly become one of PC gaming’s biggest, brightest and indeed fastest recipients of acclaim from critics and consumers alike. An overwhelmingly-positive rating whose multi million-selling presence shows no signs of wavering. A success only added to via the benefit of the game feeling right at home on Valve’s own handheld device, the Steam Deck. Balatro may well be (if it hasn’t attained it already) on course for world domination across a multitude of platforms, but it’s Balatro’s immediate rise from novel deck-builder to one of 2024’s most ingenious creations that reaffirms the PC market as the go-to space for any and all aspiring developers.
Runner-Ups
Satisfactory
Buckshot Roulette
It goes without saying that there has been no title like Astro Bot that put its love of PlayStation more on its sleeve for all to see. On the surface, Astro Bot looks to have a few references to big PlayStation titles here and there. As you dig deeper, a whole treasure trove of nostalgia bursts through, unlocking memories of overlooked gems or childhood heroes, many who have never even seen the light of day in decades. All of it brought to life in beautiful graphics on PlayStation 5, which has never looked better. Furthermore, the usage of the DualShock controller’s capabilities like the triggers and speakers brings the experience to a whole other level that no other title outside of Astro’s Playroom could do. Astro Bot is the quintessential PlayStation title and one hugely befitting of the company’s 30th anniversary. Fortunately, the game is going to be the gift that keeps on giving for a while.
Stellar Blade
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak
Helldivers 2
Indiana Jones and The Great Circle
It’s hard enough to create a new installment in a beloved and decades-old franchise as it is, but changing the entire medium in the process is a nearly-impossible feat. This is what makes Indiana Jones and the Great Circle so impressive; in a world where making a good Indiana Jones movie is apparently impossible, MachineGames have created an actually-worthwhile new installment in the Indiana Jones series on their first attempt, in the form of an Xbox game no less. Indy’s likeness and attitude are perfectly captured, with the same levels of scrappy heroism and light-hearted wit that fans have come to love in the forty years since Raiders of the Lost Ark hit theaters. With intricately designed levels, clever and intuitive puzzles, mysteries around every corner and enough cracked whips and cracked jokes to fill an entire second trilogy, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle finally brings the world’s favorite archeologist back to his former glory. With a solid single-player adventure under their belts, this may very well be the turning point for the Xbox in the Series X era, as the potential of Xbox Games Pass is finally realized.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Dungeons of Hinterberg
Creatures of Ava
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Although there weren’t a lot of Nintendo titles released this year, there’s no shortage of great games to come out of the woodworks. One of those exceptional games was The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. Developed by Grezzo, the same team behind 2019’s The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, this installment reimagines the traditional story of the previous installments with a twist. With Zelda now in charge of saving Hyrule, the princess, alongside her trusty companion Tri, set forth on a journey to restore the Kingdom to its original glory. Taking the sandbox style gameplay highlighted within The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the title hones into that aspect and brings in echoes, which can be used to solve puzzles or defeat enemies. This innovative tactic provides players with a whole new way to traverse the regions of Hyrule. With 127 echoes to collect, Echoes of Wisdom gives you the freedom to go about a puzzle or a boss battle in whichever way you want. While the title isn’t a part of the mainline Zelda games, this installment stands out as a heavy hitter.
Super Mario Party Jamboree
1000xRESIST
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Zenless Zone Zero
While still not really comparable to the PC and console scenes, the mobile market has made strides over the past few years. The games are becoming prettier, more complex, and most importantly, more engaging than they were even just a short time ago. Zenless Zone Zero is perhaps the best example of this, as it manages to actually provide players with quite a bit more than just gacha mechanics and pretty characters. While the opening few hours are reportedly still a bit rough, Zenless Zone Zero starts to shine once it gets going thanks to its flashy and well-animated combat that actually requires thought, skill and even good reflexes from its players. Combine that with a well-integrated story and a world that actually seems to respond to players’ progress and the result is a game that very well could (and does) rival experiences found on traditional platforms.
Mars After Midnight
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket
Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit
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