Bonus Action’s Best Games of 2024

As we approach the end of the year, it’s time to look back over 2024 and remember some of the biggest and best games we saw released throughout the year. Whether an indie surprise or a major AAA hit, there have been some great additions to players’ libraries this year.

Naturally, it can be hard to pick a highlight, but somehow, we at BA have managed to pick out our best games of 2024 and tell you why we think they showcase some of the year’s best releases.

Magical Delicacy – Amanda’s Pick

This has been a great year for cozy games and witchy games, my personal loves, so choosing a game of the year is hard. But when I think about the hours spent gaming for work and for myself, Magical Delicacy stands out as a highlight in both areas. 

This game combines pixel art, platforming, cooking, and ingredient gathering for a gameplay loop that feels unique and engaging. While some- including me in particularly difficult moments – might say the platforming makes the game less than cozy, I think the story, characters, and art style still make this game a relaxing experience even when you keep falling down. I love that Magical Delicacy offers challenges and puzzles while still propelling you forward with clear momentum, and that, unlike some cozy games, there’s a clear storyline and end point where you get to say “I did it!” 

Though I don’t think this game has much replayability for me personally despite some great quality of life updates since launch, there are many characters from this story I won’t soon forget – especially the cute little baby dragon and Flora’s mysterious roommate, Hina.

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 – Matt’s Pick

If you have read my review, you’ll know I adored Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2. It is the ultimate power fantasy and representation of Warhammer 40K, and easily the best game made using the IP.

Combat and gameplay are top-notch, every gun, blade, and bulky punch into heretic and xenos faces is pure joy, and I have poured hours into the game’s online modes with my friend, spent tons of time upgrading my gear and customizing my marines, and roleplaying. Yes, roleplaying, you can’t be a Space Marine without undying love for the Emperor and your battle brothers.

It is the game I’ve enjoyed the most (aside from WoW) in 2024, and I can’t wait to see more and more content come to the game, and it’s going to be epic.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes – Cande’s Pick

I think it’s adorable when people bust out their notebooks to jot down appointments or grocery lists, but I’ll happily stick to my Notes app and Google Calendar, thank you very much. I’ve always been aggressively anti-pen-and-paper. This is why a game that demands I physically write down clues in my own handwriting was not on my bingo card.

What’s even wilder is that this very same game is my game of the year.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And I mean that literally—I can’t play it again. Unless someone invents a memory-wiping device, the mystery behind this magenta fever dream of a puzzle game is forever burned into my brain. Also, let’s be real: I wouldn’t touch its clunky, rage-inducing UI with a ten-foot pole.

But while the game is now permanently shelved for me, I still revisit my little memento from the journey – my notes. Oh, how I love flipping through the sheer evolution of my handwriting, from the early, naive scrawls like “tampon in purse – can’t open front gate with it” to the unhinged, 3 a.m. scribbles of symbols and deranged conclusions the game wrung out of me. The mental gymnastics this game forces you into are so intricate and absurd that sometimes I can’t believe my own brain pulled it off. Turns out, it just needed the right motivation: a game so killer, it pushed every boundary I thought I had.

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth – Laura’s Pick

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth was so much more than a new RPG for me. After being deeply disappointed by Remake years ago, I was anxious about what Rebirth would offer. I am and will always be a FFVII fan. It is the JRPG that shaped my taste as a gamer. Because of that, I’ve always been a bit precious with the story, and haven’t handled change to the original story well.

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth taught me that I can love something nostalgic and special, and still enjoy a reimagining of that same world. All my favorite characters are brought to life, from Zack’s expanded story to the (far too short) appearance of Vincent Valentine. The world that was nothing but pixels and flat textures in my childhood has been brought to life via open-world maps I happily lose myself in. 

While I am not at all a fan of the romance subplots, everything else about the game delighted me, and I think about it constantly. It’s one I will replay just as dedicatedly as the original, and never grow tired of.

Pacific Drive – John’s Pick

Pacific Drive took me by surprise and blew me away when it launched less than a month after another incredible game, Helldivers 2. The thing that Ironwood Studios’ survival crafting game has going for it over all the other games I’ve played is substance.

You and a busted-up station wagon drive into an anomalous zone filled with crazy entities that want to rip you both apart in search of answers, following a touching story it’s hard not to get invested in. For me, it’s the driving that I still can’t get over. Everything has a distinctly analog feel to it, from the clutch and gears to the way you’ve got to plonk bits and pieces back on as they fall off or wear out.

Every run into the zone ends with a mad dash toward a bright light in the distance to ensure you don’t get swallowed by anomalous radiation. It’s a thrill ride, and you can tweak it to suit your tastes, pushing the risk for better rewards. Nothing has stood out to me more than Pacific Drive this year, and I love returning to it to take that station wagon out for just one more spin.

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Matthew Fuller

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