My favourite games of 2024
Pocket Necromancer
2024 has been a strange year for me with games. I’ve found myself quickly abandoning good-quality stuff because it’s not compelling me to keep playing. Star Wars Hunters, Squad Busters, and Zenless Zone Zero are all well-made and excellent fun, as our reviews attest. However, they quickly fell by the wayside after a few weeks. Strange, right? I blame it on my forever-waning attention span, particularly if what I’m playing doesn’t have a finite end.
Conversely, I’ve continued with Pokemon TCG Pocket despite not truly playing it whatsoever. Battling other people became tiring because I only saw the same two or three decks every match. Even I have succumbed to the meta. So, instead, I simply enjoy opening packs and seeing what I get. There are some truly spectacularly art rares to pull in TCG Pocket, and that little rush of opening a booster keeps me coming back. It hardly puts DeNa’s latest effort in for GOTY contention, for me. Although I’m sure it’ll pop up in a few of the team’s end-of-year lists.
Still, my dreadful attention span aside, some excellent stuff released on mobile this year. More than I’ve had time to play, frankly. But that’s precisely why multiple members of team PG are creating a list. We all have different tastes and interests, meaning we can highlight stellar games across a variety of genres. So, with that said, let’s get into my 2024 round-up. Or, check out the PGA 2024 winners first by watching the video below.
Yolk Heroes: A Long Tamago
Nostalgia is a powerful thing for me, particularly with gaming. All I need to do is hear a few notes from Pokemon Yellow, and I’m instantly transported back to my childhood, where life seemed more straightforward. Although I will admit, it wasn’t all good. Chandelure – the objective best Pokemon – didn’t exist back then, so growing up wasn’t so bad, I suppose.
Anyway, because of my love for those warm fuzzy feelings retro styling brings, it’s probably no surprise that Yolk Heroes: A Long Tamago (which I reviewed) has ended up as one of my top picks of the year. It’s both a homage to Tamagotchis and the Game Boy in one beautifully presented package that demands as much of your time as you’re willing to give.
Bella Wants Blood
If someone told me that I’d close out 2024 by saying that a tower defence was one of the best things I’d played, I wouldn’t have laughed them out of the room, but I’d probably shoot them a sceptical look. Unlike Mr Quick, it’s not a genre I particularly care – or even think – about. However, Bella Wants Blood does just enough of its own thing to have me hooked.
A large part of that is vanity, I’m not ashamed to admit. I love the way Bella Wants Blood looks. It sports this simplistic horror art style that’s not scary but is certainly unsettling and creepy. Each of your ‘towers’ is things like a brain that split in half or jagged fingernails that rake across enemies. They all either float, pulse or shake ominously, giving that glitchy vibe somewhat reminiscent of Japanese horror. The red, black, and white colouring is also striking, helping it stand out in a crowded genre.
Guncho
A seemingly simple rule set can expand into something surprisingly complex and satisfying when handled correctly. Guncho is an example of this approach. To begin with, each turn, you can either shoot in one of six directions or move one tile. The goal is equally straightforward: eliminate every enemy who’s desperate to kill you. Why? I assume they either like your poncho or, more understandably, your noble steed that you ride between levels.
The complexity mostly comes from the aforementioned six-directional shooting shtick. You see, this is the Wild West, so you wade into gunfights with a revolver. In Guncho, that means every time you fire, there’s one less bullet in the chamber and, crucially, one less direction you can shoot. Unless you reload, of course, but that costs a turn.
A Little to the Left
Despite my desk acting as a literal contradiction – it’s organised chaos, honest – I detest clutter or things being where they shouldn’t. Everything has a place it belongs and should, therefore, be there whenever it’s not in use. It bothers me even if I can’t see it.
For instance, if someone’s moved the kitchen scissors and is not in the process of snipping through paper, I will hunt them down and return them to their home. The scissors, that is, not the person. It’s as cathartic for me as it is a little annoying. Why can’t my brain just let it go? I’m not sure, but it sure loves it when everything’s back in order.
The old reliables
Pokemon Go
Pokemon Go has been a faithful companion anytime I walk somewhere, alleviating some of the boredom from seeing the same old streets, trees and houses constantly. I’ve snagged a good number of Shinys and Perfects (Hundos for the well-versed) throughout the year, and that rush of seeing either pop up hasn’t waned over the years.
I do harbour some fears for its future, though. With the addition of the Gigantamax Raids, Pokemon Go is starting to adopt some of the more annoying mobile gaming practices, specifically asking me to stump up extra cash to get more rewards. Niantic has also recently added Max Mushroom, which increases your damage in said Raids. Of course, it’s not ads popping up constantly and doesn’t affect other areas of Go. It just has me slightly concerned that it might eventually spill over.
Vampire Survivors
For my money, there aren’t many better mobile games than Vampire Survivors. It’s perfect for playing in short bursts and pairs nicely with a podcast, music or TV show that doesn’t demand 100% of your attention. On the rare occasion I go anywhere requiring lengthy travel, it’s always my go-to choice for that reason. It tickles your brain enough to keep you occupied without being overly taxing.
What will I add to my collection in 2025?
Dredge!
I was a little late to the party with Dredge, playing it an entire year after it was initially released. Still, I found myself enamoured with it almost immediately, even going as far as bothering to get the Platinum trophy, which I rarely ever do. It’s an unusual mix of unsettling and relaxing that oddly makes losing my mind somewhat appealing, as long as I get to do so while floating around fishing up eldritch nightmares in a little boat, that is.
Last Spartan: Glory of Madness
I first heard about Last Spartan: Glory Over Madness at Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2023 and have eagerly anticipated its release since, especially after dabbling with the demo. Billed as Darkest Dungeon meets Slay the Spire, it sees you battling through eldritch nightmares as the last remaining Spartan. Evidently, I’m a mark for Lovecraftian stuff.
