Year-on-year, I seem to be getting busier and busier with my non-gaming pursuits. In 2024 I started a new job, alongside rehearsing for my 4th theatre show in a 12-month period, so you’d think I’d pick shorter games to play. Perhaps this is where I learn something about myself. Perhaps I am a masochist who forces myself to play 80+ hour epic romps just to remember that I have 500+ unplayed Steam games which shall sit and fester until the end of time, until nature reclaims us all and the ruins of humanity sprout moss. Dramatic, mayhap, yet also one of the truths I have come to accept in the past couple of years. And so, without further ado, I present my first award:
Longest Awaited Sequel for a Game I Actually Wanted a Sequel To: Dragon’s Dogma 2
Despite being set in a different locale, Dragon’s Dogma 2 will feel very familiar to anyone who played its predecessor. Perhaps divisively so, as I’ve seen it criticised for not changing things up enough. However, I think there can be an argument against reinventing the wheel to the point a series loses its identity, and I applaud Dragon’s Dogma 2 for sticking to its guns. I had an unmatched experience travelling through the lands of Vermund and Battahl, developing an unexpected bond with my self-created Pawn and enjoying the huge amount of detail crammed into environments. The “world” part of open-world games can often feel generic and repetitive, but it’s one of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s strengths. The nuanced designs of even unassuming locations are still memorable, whether it’s a small abandoned village with bandits lying in wait, or a foreman’s camp stationed between mine entrances and overrun by goblins. Although the narrative can be a bit hit-or-miss in its execution, it took some grand directions that were both surprisingly risky and rewardingly fun to resolve.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 was a long wait, but the excellent worldbuilding and compelling gameplay create an immersive and truly memorable adventure. I don’t predict any DLC on the cards, which I mourn because Bitterblack Isle and the Dark Arisen version of Dragon’s Dogma made the game so much better that it’s hard not to want the same treatment for Dragon’s Dogma 2. Alas, the series itself may be finished now director Hideaki Itsuno has left Capcom, but who knows. Regardless of its uncertain future, I’m grateful to receive the Longest Awaited Sequel for a Game I Actually Wanted a Sequel To, and would like to congratulate the developers on winning this prestigious award.
General Favourite Game of the Year: Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
I reviewed this game at a very strange time for me and my family, with my stepdad passing away during the process. However, the game’s tones and themes genuinely helped me make sense of things. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance brought me a certain sense of serenity that no other game can really compare to, except maybe Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne. The two games are presented very differently though, and the series has come a long way since 2004.
Vengeance is an experience led by its gameplay, with its progression coming directly from exploration. The realms of Da’at are fraught with Abscesses that can grant powerful abilities to the Nahobino, and the new-to-Vengeance Magatsuhi rails make zipping from place to place quicker than ever. There’s also fast travel now, which really speeds things up. The luxury of convenience isn’t lost on me — in comparison, Dragon’s Dogma 2 has only the most rudimentary travel options — as the journey is less about the destination and more about giving you choices. From the basics such as demon fusion, to alignment and story beats, Vengeance encourages player agency through both gameplay and narrative means. I felt somewhat ascended myself by the time I reached the game’s conclusion, and Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance’s ephemeral pilgrimage means it wins my award for General Favourite Game of the Year. Congratulations Atlus!
Game I Finally Checked Off My Backlog: Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition
I was quite horrified doing my research for this write-up to discover that Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition was, in fact, released nearly five whole years ago. Disgusting. I was sure it had been a year or two max, as I’ve been slowly playing it since it was released. I guess “slowly” is mildly hyperbolic at this point. Regardless of my inability to commit, my dedication to the cause ramped up considerably, and I’ve played a good majority of the game in the last couple of months. Luckily for me, it’s also my third time playing Xenoblade Chronicles, as I also played the Wii and 3DS versions, but Definitive Edition is true to its name in every sense. It includes quality-of-life improvements such as notifying the player of being correctly positioned for abilities that benefit from side or back attacks, more efficient quest tracking and map navigation, and an improved user interface. In addition, the graphics have had plenty of TLC (specifically the character faces), and the updated soundtrack is excellent.
The Xenoblade series has gone from strength to strength in recent years, and with Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition releasing next month, the Nintendo Switch is a powerhouse of the Xenoblade series. I have played through the Wii U version of Xenoblade Chronicles X almost twice, and I’m happy that Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition ended up being this year’s Game I Finally Checked Off My Backlog. Monolith Soft are true paragons of the RPG genre and have become experts at developing for the Switch. I can’t wait to see what their next new title will be.
If there’s anything I’ve learnt from these Game of the Year awards, it’s that I love really long games with big, beautiful maps. Apparently, I also love a bit of tragedy in my narratives, perhaps to heal my inner child. Despite coming to terms with the fact that I will never get around to completing my back-catalogue, many worthwhile games are released every year. I may indeed try to play a few more shorter games in 2025, but thank you to Dragon’s Dogma 2, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, and Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition for being my personal standouts of 2024. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to dedicate so much time to these amazing experiences, and I look forward to seeing which games end up being my favourites in 2025.
