Polygon’s top 50 games of 2024

[Polygon]

Also: Indiana Jones hits Xbox and Infinity Nikki is dazzling

Our top pick of the week: The best games of 2024 We’ve been on game of the year watch since August, but this week marked our chance to plant a flag and call it, as we released our list of the best 50 games of the year.   We’ll spare you the full breakdown here, but the top 5 make a fascinating case for the state of the game industry, with two indie games that came out of nowhere, two midsized Sony games in place of any AAA first-party PS5 blockbusters, and a new IP that was in the works for almost eight years.   Compared to our list of the best games of 2023 — where the top 5 were all sequels from established traditional publishers — this year’s list reflects a year with fewer big-budget safe bets and no Zelda, Mario, or Baldur’s Gate to put its finger on the scale.   Check out the full list for all the details. The 50 best video games of 2024 The top 50 games of 2024, each in seven words or less Tactical Breach Wizards is a near-perfect blend of wits and witchery Helldivers 2 is more than just a great Starship Troopers game We don’t need Persona 6 yet. Metaphor: ReFantazio is right here Astro Bot finally gives PlayStation a Nintendo-tier platformer after 30 years Balatro cast a magic spell that made me like math Polygon's Shopkeeper is a weekly newsletter that collects the best deals on games, gaming accessories, Blu-rays, books, and other fine wares. Subscribe here. This week on YouTube | The top 50 games of 2024, each in seven words or less | 2024 was a pretty interesting year for video games, and Polygon’s top 50 was a hard-fought list. Here are the top 50 games from 2024, each in seven words or less. 7 stories to read Arcane producer goes deep unpacking Cait and Vi’s big scene and the process behind telling season 2 | “This was the culmination of all of those unsaid, subtextual things.”   Jeff Goldblum rescued Wicked’s worst song | It’s still no “Defying Gravity,” but at least now it’s something!   Critical Reflex’s focus on horror has led to some of the year’s best, weirdest games | Mouthwashing, Buckshot Roulette, and other indie horror gems took off in 2024.   Skeleton Crew required ‘an army’ to get this one Star Wars-y touch right | Letting kids ‘stay feeling like kids’ is tough when one’s an alien.   What I learned from the 106 games I played this year | And what I missed from the thousands of games I skipped.   Comic-Con alternative CCXP has harnessed a growing phenomenon | The Brazilian event continues to evolve, but so do its obstacles.   Nick Frost would be honored if you watched one and a half of his 2024 horror movies | His new horror-comedy Get Away draws from Hereditary, Midsommar, and other horror films that shook him badly. The Verge subscriptions now available Subscribe for an all-access pass to The Verge | Get unlimited access, subscriber-only newsletters, full-text RSS, and a pared-back ad experience across the entire site. 18+ things to watch Arcane on Netflix | Netflix’s League of Legends show was brilliant to the end.   Kneecap on Netflix | The best music biopic of the year has all the energy of a real concert film.   Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld on Netflix | Showrunner Echo Wu goes all out on weirdness and it works so, so well.   The End in theaters | The bleakest Hollywood musical ever made.   Flow in theaters | Flow’s animated animals are both its most and least realistic element.   The Legend of Hei on Crunchyroll | Two small animated black cats, each navigating a large, dangerous world.   Creature Commandos on Max | A final vestige of a pre-James Gunn DC Studios.   Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain on Netflix | Gorgeous, but not for new fans.   6 movies that made Michelle Yeoh one of the great action stars | Looking back at some iconic action roles from the star of Everything Everywhere All at Once.   Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Creature Commandos, and more new TV this week | Also: The Superman & Lois series finale, and The Sticky. 7 games to play Indiana Jones and the Great Circle | The Great Circle shines when it forgets about Indiana Jones. Available on Windows PC and Xbox Series X.   Infinity Nikki | Staying true to its fashion-forward, secretly dark roots. Available on Android, iOS, PC, and PlayStation 5.   Marvel Rivals | NetEase's new shooter gives off all kinds of Overwatch vibes. Available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. Echo Point Nova | Behold an FPS Breath of the Wild with a hoverboard. Available on PC. Warhammer 40K: Darktide | Now also on PlayStation 5. Available on PS5 as well as PC and Xbox Series X.   Fantasian Neo Dimension | Remarkable but flawed. Available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, and Xbox Series X.   Crossbows & Catapults | The ultimate Christmas morning board game. Available in tabletop game stores. Shop talk Want to play Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on the cheap? Woot has a great deal where you can get three months of Game Pass for $21 off.   A three-month subscription to Game Pass Ultimate is already discounted to $33.99 (normally $49.99) on Woot, but through Dec. 13, you can get an extra $5 off with the code GAMEPASS at checkout. A great deal if you want to try Indiana Jones or any other Game Pass games on PC or Xbox. Read more in Alice Jovanée’s post on Polygon. Free game of the week Ikeelya | A game jam prototype asks: What if an assassin loved designing breakfast nooks? Available on Windows PC. The best of the rest CHOP: Here is why Fortnite’s ‘Ready Up’ button disappeared. BOOM: A missing piece of NES history is finally coming to Switch. CREST: Critical Role cast releases full-length holiday album. DUDE: Clickolding and I Am Your Beast developer is making a TMNT strategy game, of all things. PERFECT: Love Actually director did not expect the Love Actually gag in his Netflix Christmas movie. This email was sent to col...@googlegroups.com. Manage your email preferences here: unsubscribe     If you buy something from a Polygon link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.   View our Privacy Notice and our Terms of Service. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.