While I played fewer games in 2024 than I had done for a few years – and played some dispiriting disappointments – there were some gems. In keeping with my usual approach, here is a small selection of my favourite plays of last year, beginning with new games reviewed here at Entertainium, and concluding with some older ones from years past.
New games
Anger Foot
Back in 2015, Broforce was hyper-targeted to my love of ‘80s action movies. In the following years, South African developer Free Lives had fallen off my radar, although Felicity did review their environmentally-themed puzzle game Terra Nil in 2023. With the anarchic brutality of Anger Foot, the studio kicked down the doors of my attention with tremendous force. Gleefully unsophisticated, this frenetic first-person kick ‘em up puts players in the (many) shoes of a supremely angry green man-creature on a relentless mission of vengeance.
Capes
That love of ‘80s action movies is almost matched by my distaste for superheroes, but for a few reasons Capes overcame my prejudice. A part of the very welcome golden age of turn-based tactics games, this debut by Australian team Spitfire Interactive is pleasingly streamlined. Despite the superhero theme and bright, glossy graphics, Capes is no cakewalk. Many missions will provide a stern, enthralling challenge even for tactics veterans. The game comfortably overcomes some presentational issues to make a most likeable contribution to a genre that is in great shape.
Sumerian Six
Set in an alternate, somewhat Lovecraft-inspired version of World War II, Sumerian Six picked up the slack following the demise of Mimimi Games. While not very original outside of its vaguely novel setting, this real-time stealth tactics game is eminently solid. The missions are relatively few in number but generous in size, with some magic-enhanced Nazi schemes that are challenging to unpick. Fortunately, the heroic team includes a woman who can become invisible, a creepy psychiatrist, and a grumpy werebear.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
The French studio Don’t Nod has a tendency to alternate between larger, more commercial games and their smaller, more arty projects. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden falls firmly into the former camp – unfortunately, it performed “well below expectations” in commercial terms. That is a shame, because this sprawling action-adventure set in a reimagined colonial North America has a lot going for it. This includes its rich, well-written story and excellent environmental and character design. It is let down somewhat by its excessive length and somewhat humdrum combat, but deserved to do better.
Older games
Mudrunner (2019)
Crawling a twenty ton truck slowly down muddy tracks in Siberia was not on my bingo card for 2024, but Mudrunner became a minor revelation. The offroad trucking simulation is painstakingly detailed and takes real patience, but it is quite easy to pick up and surprisingly compelling. In most driving games (and games in general), environments are largely frictionless and the way to progress is often obvious. In Mudrunner, the environment is a real, harsh, unforgiving fact. A patch of deep mud, a fallen tree, or a stray rock can undo minutes of progress – but conversely, diligent preparation can make the seemingly impossible become satisfyingly achievable.
Train Valley 2 (2019)
Train Valley 2 represents an impressive glow-up. The original is ugly and rather bland, but the sequel is puzzle nirvana. To be sure, a puzzle is what Train Valley 2 is – it is a far cry from the stuffy rail simulation it looks like at first glance. In total, the main game and its DLCs (to date), offer a staggering 328 levels. Each of them provides a uniquely thorny challenge, deceptively cloaked in bright colours and a pleasant soundtrack. Bouncing around the world as well as into a variety of fantasy and surreal landscapes, these challenges are all about creating the optimum rail system, a bustling world in miniature that would make crooner and model train nerd Rod Stewart blush.
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 (2000)
Year after year, the classic RTS revival is hoped for, but does not arrive. Perhaps 2025 will be the year, with Tempest Rising and D.O.R.F. apparently close at hand. In the meantime, there is always Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2. Largely left to die by EA for 15 years now, the series arguably peaked with this gloriously silly entry. The campaigns stand up wonderfully well, not just because of the meme-ready cutscenes but also due to the solid, blockbuster gameplay. There is something uniquely fun about the traditional base-building RTS, something that has been frustratingly neglected in recent times. When it comes with psychic squid, chrono-legionnaires, and spider-like robot terror drones, it is all the sweeter.
