here are our 5 best games of the year and our GOTY too

5- NEVA (PC, PS5, Xbox Series)

Six years ago, Nomada Studio made a name for itself with Gris, an atypical platformer, which thought outside the box and whose sincere intentions made it possible to see that even among indies, we are still capable of distinguishing ourselves. Neva takes up this same ideology by pushing the desire even further. By completely embracing this osmosis with nature, by drawing inspiration without hiding from the works of Hayao Miyazaki and the productions of Studio Ghibli, the Spanish developers of Nomada transport us into an absolutely captivating universe where each moment, each screen gives the feeling of contemplate the painting of an accomplished artist, that of Conrad Roset. With the COVID crisis, the birth of her child, her relationship has changed and this evolution in her personality is also felt in Neva, a game where the need to help each other, to take care of each other is felt. feel in this dying world. Nothing is lost despite appearances, an optimistic message that will guide the player in an experience like no other has offered us. The platform is still relevant, the puzzles are still as pleasant, but we have gained in ferocity and adversity, thanks to this katana placed in the hand of Alba, our heroine, capable of many things and movements. Its hand-made animations are sublime, as is its combat, while Neva, this wolf cub who is growing visibly, is a character that we too want to cuddle. Sublime.

4- TopSpin 2K25 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series)

Top Spin made its return in 2024. An almost surreal sentence when we know that the license had been missing for 13 years. And yet, through persistence and belief, the best tennis game of all time is back, and it did not disappoint. It must be said that 2K Games and Hangar 13 took as few risks as possible, by resuming the basics of Top Spin 4 gameplay. Readjustments and some modifications were however made to give more consistency and depth, and erase the few aspects that could still be improved, such as serving, volleying and a clear increase in fouls or balls going out of bounds. It was the best compromise to make in any case, as the gameplay was already divine at the time and has reached unparalleled heights today. More than ever, timing and placement must be managed to the millimeter to be sure to hit the right spot and in the right place, which guarantees an even crazier margin for progress, even when you were already an expert at Top Spin 4. With Top Spin 2K25, never has a tennis game been so varied in its exchanges, and the fluidity of its rhythm.

Where 2K Games messed up is in the follow-up of its game, unfortunately not up to par and which pushed a lot of players not to invest more. Not enough new players, the big ones who are absent while the gameplay is refined with each update, it’s a real shame.

3- The Ants (PC, PS5, Xbox Series)

With Les Fourmis, Microids has its first big game, capable of holding its own against major productions at the end of 2024. The sentence may seem surreal to some, given the inglorious history of Rosa’s company Parks (even if she has very correct and very pleasant titles in her catalog, let’s not forget), but the effort is very real. By banking on the developers of Tower Five, the French publisher hit the nail on the head, because not only has the La Rochelle studio proven that it has mastered the use of Unreal Engine 5 to perfection, making their title one of the games the most beautiful of this year, but what’s more, they found the perfect formula to adapt the RTS to consoles, with joystick controls. The mouse is in fact replaced by our ant which will manage all the actions to be undertaken on the battlefield, all with great efficiency and always at the heart of the action. In fact, the player is never passive and must constantly juggle between the different nests that must prosper. But those allergic to RTS can rest assured, Les Fourmis is also a game of adventure, exploration and contemplation, with magnificent levels to discover, all through the eyes of a little ant in a world which suddenly seems gigantic. We’ve already said it, but we’ll say it again, the title of Microids is a visual slap in the face and walking around in this microcosm is a refreshing experience, far from what video games offer us in general. We certainly step out of our comfort zone, and we discover a new world, well thought out and well packaged, with rich and challenging content. It is said that in a straight line, the campaign ends in 20 hours, we are closer to 40 hours of play, while the multi mode will allow the pleasure to be prolonged. And the icing on the cake, the game is sold for €39.99. At that price, it’s almost a gift.

2- Astro Bot (PS5)

Astro Bot, the official GOTY 2024, which I personally place in the Top 2 of my awards. What a pleasure, what an incredible experience with my children, what a sense of sharing, what a treat really! He fully deserves his status as Game of the Year, he clearly didn’t steal it. Not only did it offer us a real aesthetic, with a captivating, shimmering and warm universe, but it also surprised everyone with the precision of its gameplay. The fluidity with which the actions are linked, the surgical playability, this incredible tempo which gives the feeling that everything is possible makes the game absolutely phenomenal in its game systems. Add to this a new idea at each new level, gadgets which constantly varying the pleasures, environments all different from each other, massive bosses which are a real pleasure to face and we obtain without doubt one of the best 3D platformers of the last ten years. Nintendo had the monopoly on the genre with the quality of these productions until now, but from now on, we will have to count on Nicolas Doucet and Team Asobi. Now, as we detailed in our paper, Sony must realize that platformers must come back in force in its ecosystem, like in the good old days of PS2/PS3 with licenses, which nevertheless had an impact on people’s minds (Ape Escape , Jak & Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, LocoRocco, Sly Raccoon). Because know-how like this must not be allowed to wither away…

1- Black Myuth Wukong: our GOTY 2024 (PC, PS5)

Black Myth Wukong is undoubtedly for us the game of the year for this year 2024. Since its announcement in 2020, we were promised something grandiose and we got it! No lies, no downgrades, no tricks. Some publishers should take note. Whether in terms of its production or in its gameplay, the title of Game Science commands and commands respect. Visually to begin with, the game is a huge visual slap in the face, to the point where it will become a reference for future games of this caliber. The Chinese studio proves that not only does it master Unreal Engine 5, but it also knows how to deliver an immersive and superbly told universe. Nothing is left to chance in its lore, with cultural references placed throughout the adventure. Rarely has the story of Sun Wukong been revisited so well, with the added bonus of a sublime artistic approach.

But it’s not just the setting that is unstoppable, the gameplay too. Fluid, nervous and particularly enjoyable, the combat system of Black Myth Wukong allows you to take advantage of the Monkey King’s abilities, from his legendary agility to his multiple transformations, without forgetting the mastery of his magic staff. Game Science has also opted for an evolving game system, also customizable for the player, through three postures which provide different techniques. It’s all the more rewarding as the game allows you to undo the allocated skill points to experiment with other paths thanks to a redistribution of points. Each confrontation then becomes a moment of ultimate pleasure, and even though certain bosses risk making life difficult for you, the game is much less insurmountable than a punitive and unbalanced Souls-like like Shadow of the Erdtree.

Of course, we could rail against the absence of a map to help us find our way in the environments which continue to open up as we progress in the game (we are squarely in an ‘open world’ zone in Chapter 6 , with aerial movement on a magic cloud and on the back of a grasshopper too), that the invisible walls could have been better hidden and that certain secrets are really too cryptic to find, but that is nothing compared to the generosity shown by the title . Because let’s not forget that the Black Myth Wukong project is not only the very first game from a young independent studio, but that it was also put together by a very small team (there were 13 developers initially when they started the project). development in 2018), and that alone commands respect.

Favorite – Helldivers 2

So you have my Top 5 best games of the year, but I would nevertheless like to include a game that also holds an important place in my heart this year, it is Helldivers 2. Because 2024 will have been the year when players will have rejected multiplayer-oriented game-services en masse, undermining the predictions of the biggest publishers. Suicide Squad which causes Warner Bros Games to lose 200 million dollars, Concord which makes a 400 million hole in Sony’s coffers and XDefiant which continues to cause Ubisoft to fall into the abyss of negativity, there is ultimately only a multi game, apart from Call of Duty of course, which will have succeeded in making its mark. This game is Helldivers 2. And if the latter surprises and detonates so much, it is because it has succeeded in two important bets. The first is to finally prove to the whole world that it is possible to make a good game based on the Starship Troopers universe. From its creatures to its corrosive and second-rate humor, including the very principle of sacrifice for a common cause, we couldn’t dream of a better way to immerse ourselves in Paul Verhoeven’s masterpiece. Second point: also prove that making a very good live-service game without creating bad buzz or rejection from gamers is also possible. It must be said that unlike Suicide Squad, this Helldivers was designed and designed to be multiplayer, cooperative, with the dose of fun that goes with it, the complete opposite of the Warner Games title.