Image: Square Enix
Here are five of the best and most celebrated RPGs of the year.
It’s been a great year for solo gamers, with a stellar lineup of RPGs that brought us unforgettable experiences. From epic remakes and compelling sequels to bold new worlds and challenging gameplay, 2024 had something to offer every RPG fan.
Tons of games in the genre burst onto the scene, quickly winning over the hearts of fans. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth and Black Myth Wukong are among some of the top contenders for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024, while many other RPGs like Metaphor ReFantazio and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth got nominated for Best Narrative
With the year nearly over, here are five of our favourite RPGs in 2024:
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth felt like a love song to the original game and its fans, bringing iconic characters like Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa to life in a vividly reimagined world.
The game’s world is massive, with six detailed and sometimes breathtaking regions within Midgar to explore. And although I’m usually a stickler for having remakes and adaptations skew closer to the original, Rebirth did a great job of making a modern interpretation of a story so treasured by adding complexity to its characters.
It deepened the narrative by expanding not only on the main plot, but also side stories that added emotional resonance to both primary and supporting characters, ensuring that some of these side characters weren't as one dimnensional as they were in the original. FFVII: Rebirth paid homage to almost every memorable moment there was in the original and turned them all up a notch. While nothing beats the original, the game has earned recognition as one of Square Enix’s finest RPGs as of late.
Black Myth Wukong
Drawing from the rich lore of the Chinese classic Journey to the West, Black Myth:Wukong combines stunning visuals with challenging gameplay. The game seamlessly integrates its grittier, and more realistic world with other artistic elements inspired by Taoist and Buddhist traditions, as well as art styles from the Ming Dynasty.
Each chapter offers a unique narrative arc, introducing new characters and stories that unfold as players progress. Although the dialogue and voice acting isn’t quite up to par, fans who enjoy a challenge, especially those who enjoy Soulslikes, will thoroughly enjoy it. Mini bosses are fairly easy to take down, although huge bosses can be quite a pain. Main boss fights, especially those showing up towards the game’s climax will test the player’s skill and patience, but a few are designed really well, especially the final boss.
Despite its difficulty, Black Myth: Wukong is a great game to immerse yourself in, especially if you enjoy games that are culturally rich in context, and feature thrilling encounters against mythical creatures and gods.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Anyone who has played it is likely to agree that Metaphor: ReFantazio is a love story to the JRPG genre, and there’s plenty to praise here: art style, music, and the story. There’s a lot to love with the game’s art style in particular, sometimes blending soft, watercolour textures against more structured, European architectural details—then combining this with classic JRPG elements.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is something of a departure for Atlus, transporting players to a fantastical realm where political intrigue and long-lost secrets converge. Players assume the role of a hero tasked with reshaping a fractured world, utilising the game’s Archetype system to build relationships and face formidable adversaries.
While turn-based gameplay may not appeal to all, the engaging story and memorable characters are worth it for those who love a compelling story.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth shines for its seamless blend of absurd humour, more or less polished and engaging turn-based gameplay, and deep, emotional storytelling. Ichiban Kasuga and series icon Kazuma Kiryu, carry a dual-protagonist role that will satisfy both fans of the franchise and newer players.
Its gameplay builds on its predecessor with better pacing, some strategic depth and vibrant animation. Of course, it’s not a Yakuza game without quirky side activities, like saving a hermit crab, riding a segway, and even dating (yes, it's back). Overall, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a standout in the Yakuza series, successfully bridging the past and present, and the absurd and serious, making it a memorable experience for players.
Stellar Blade
Stellar Blade emerged as a divisive title but found its niche among players who appreciate action-packed gameplay. Often compared to Nier:Automata, the game's inspirations are obvious and not something it shies away from, even extending to a DLC recently released.
When it first came out, Stellar Blade got heavily criticised for dressing its characters in skimpy, skin-tight outfits that seemed to hypersexualise them. It didn’t bother me much though, especially since the gameplay is pretty fun, although not as fluid as other games like it. Those who like a good challenge will still enjoy it, with opportunities to perfect combat timing in practice mode available to all players, allowing them to get the parries and dodges just right before going back into action—which Stellar Blade has in spades.
Although Stellar Blade’s narrative is not quite as compelling as others on this list, the game will still hold appeal for those who like action-packed RPGs.
