GameSpot may earn revenue from affiliate and advertising partners who share this content and from purchases made through our links.
The 2024 gaming year is drawing to a close, and if there’s one thing all of this year’s biggest games have in common, it’s that several of them were unexpectedly popular. 2023 brings modern masterpieces such as Baldur’s Gate 3, Street Fighter 6 and Alan Wake 2, while 2024 brings Elden Ring: Shadow of the Tree, Dragon’s Dogma 2 ” and “Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth” and other popular works.
While these games were almost destined to launch to high reviews, they have been overshadowed by the unexpected releases of this year. We’ve had some great hits that seemed to come out of nowhere, like the high-octane action of Helldiver 2, the quirky British humor of Thank God You’re Here, and more. two The Prince of Persia game takes the series in a bold new direction.
Combined with must-play indie games, stellar performances from some of the biggest brands, and some hidden gems, 2024 is the year the best and weirdest game releases will top the list.
Just like last year, we’ll be tracking the best. For this list, a game must receive a GameSpot rating of at least 8 (that’s awesome!) or higher to make the cut. That’s not to say that games with lower scores (or that we weren’t able to review) should be ignored, because even if these games don’t hit that threshold, there’s still a lot of fun to be had. This list is expected to fill up with great games over time, and for a closer look at potential contenders, you can check out our feature on the most anticipated games of 2024.
