It’s only fitting that Metaphor: ReFantazio be crowned as gameland.gg’s 2024 Game of the Year.
The 2024 Game of the Year contest has been a particularly divisive one. Some of that has been defined by reactionary takes regarding what does or doesn’t qualify as a video game. Expectedly, boorish social media vitriol has become an increasingly large part of the discourse surrounding the award and gaming as a whole.
It’s naive to think that any one piece of fiction, especially one played by a comparatively limited number of consumers in the grand scheme of the entire entertainment industry, is going to fix things. But a game that makes it explicit that things can be better, assuming people choose for it to be so, still hits hard at a time when it feels like the world needs to hear that message.
It’s not just the story or themes that make Metaphor: ReFantazio the best game of 2024, though. From top to bottom, it makes a strong case for being the best JRPG of all time.
The Studio Zero team took all the best components of Persona 5 a step further. The calendar-based progression system is a winning formula regardless, but the rewards for advancing them feel far greater in Metaphor than Persona. The graphics and soundtrack are truly unique, with no game looking or sounding similar.
All this combined to make it one of just a few releases to earn a 10/10 score on gameland.gg in 2024. It wasn’t alone in that regard, though.
gameland.gg’s best games of 2024
While Metaphor: ReFantazio is Game of the Year, three releases in total received a perfect review score. Beyond that, several other games received 9/10 scores. In the grand scheme of gaming, 2024 was a strong year with many worthy candidates for Game of the Year honors. But which other games received a perfect score?
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Much of the discussion regarding the 2024 Game of the Year discussion focused on Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s inclusion. It’s a silly discussion because it absolutely should be. There isn’t a valid argument against it.
Even when splitting hairs to an atom’s width, the reality is that the release method for video game content has never been consistent regardless of how transformative it is. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is ultimately more of a “new game” than 2023 Game of the Year contender The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was. The only real difference is that Tears of the Kingdom was more expensive.
Quite simply, it’s a question of how good the content is, and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is damn good. It remedies the major issues from Elden Ring’s base game by adding a load of new enemies, as well as an assortment of new weapons. Even though the map is only about one-third the size of the Lands Between, it’s layered in a way where it’s actually much larger.
And of course, Elden Ring is just an all-time great game. Getting more original content for it is just a treat.
Mouthwashing
While Metaphor: ReFantazio and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree were two of the biggest releases of 2024, there were a few indie games that were worthy of Game of the Year consideration. Balatro got some deserved spotlight surrounding The Game Awards but here at gameland.gg, the indie game that stands at the top is Mouthwashing.
It’s been a good year for horror games. There have been massive remakes and remasters, splashy sequels, and fresh takes on old favorites. But more than any other genre, indie games have pushed the envelope in horror. Lethal Company, Content Warning, The Mortuary Assistant, and many others have stood out for their unique offerings, and Mouthwashing joined that bunch.
The third 10/10 game of 2024 delivers an experience that is quirky, memorable, and downright terrifying. Though it’s flown under the radar, that’s going to change at one point. Players ought to pounce on it while they can, to make sure they can experience the gripping story without having anything spoiled.
