If pressed, I would describe my gaming habits in 2024 as eclectic, but that would actually be a lie. All of my favorite games this year are actually very similar: they’re all the best. Unfortunately, the reality of sharing web space with a few less-than-right people means they don’t all make it into this year’s advent calendar.

“We should do choice boxes, too,” Graham demanded, holding a meat pie in one hand and a cattle prod in the other, occasionally prodding the pie’s crust, which he said gave it its unparalleled crunch. texture. I was initially hesitant about another holiday tradition until I realized it gave me another opportunity to get it right and Mild to moderate entertainment.

Alan Wake 2: Lake House

I’m glad I waited so long to play Alan Wake 2, because Remedy’s surreal multimedia masterpiece integrates these two expansion packs into the base game so perfectly that they feel like essential parts of it. The first DLC, “Night Springs,” comes in the form of three episodes that you access via the TV, which you’ll encounter at certain points in the story – and they’re nicely broken up by uneven, interesting vignettes. gloomy.

But it was Lake House that really stood out to me – a chance to explore Control’s majestic, satirical bureaucratic architecture versus Alan Wake 2’s more careful – and I think more successful – survival Horror rhythm. Playing as Agent Kiran Estevez, you’ll follow a warning signal to an FBC facility near Cauldron Lake, only to discover it’s filled with… remedies. But like the best, most creative remedy. “The Lake House” is funny, strange, and exciting in all the ways you might expect it to be, but it also floutes very strongly the targets it chooses to satirize. I’m being cautious here to avoid spoilers, but I’ve written more here.

This is one of my picks this year, and probably has more to do with how much I love Alan Wake 2 overall, but what’s a “Nick Reuben” article if not an article where “Nick Reuben” can do whatever he wants Where is this article? What does he want? Please play Alan Wake 2. If it doesn’t ultimately pay for itself, that’s because Remedy makes something too interesting to sum up in any length of marketing material.

Total War: Warhammer III The Rotten Throne

Throne of Decay is a fantastic expansion in its own right, but it’s special to me because it marked the moment when Total War: Warhammer 3 started to really come to life – and the conversation surrounding the game finally took on an optimistic tone. . The Chaos Dwarfs expansion was a great expansion, but this one here feels very much worth celebrating. Leading up to the release, morale was high at Creative Assembly and the community, and to top it all off, the actual extension was terrible.

The headline competition for the DLC may be Tamurkhan, the Nurgle warlord, and Elspeth Von Draken, the dragon-riding death mage, but for me, Malakai, the mad dwarf engineer, steals the show. Inspired by the Gotrek and Felix novels, you team up with the pair to complete missions on the map and be rewarded with a number of very beautiful bombs. This is probably the most overtly story-driven campaign in the trilogy so far, but it’s balanced with plenty of potential for sandbox chaos so that neither element feels undercooked.

Elsewhere, Tamur Khan offers overwhelming power and a unique hero, while Elspeth brings the chance to return to the Empire – while 76% of people are buying new expansion Kal Ver After Lowndes, there was also a short break from the first lord. Oh, and Franz also gives himself some powerful new abilities, making Festus/Kazrak/Vlad/Drecha’s Super Bowl much more manageable.

Obviously I’m so invested in the game now that this will be a rare year where its expansion has passed no One of my favorites. But even so, Throne of Decay is still an excellent game and marks the true pinnacle of gaming.

Final Fantasy VII Reborn

Something magical happened during this year’s Game Awards, and throughout all of his sketches, Jeff tried to mask valid criticism of his stars, saccharine, layoffs, and disregard for advertising through the Muppet medium. There’s actually been some good news released, but the confirmation that Final Fantasy VII Reborn is finally coming to PC is especially timely because it means I can write about it here. That’s good! Because it is extraordinary.

Aside from the excellent new combat system, Final Fantasy VII Remake feels more like a celebratory work to me than a work of any meaningful anticipation. But if this is a party, it’s a reserved party. At the end-of-year office social, no one really knows each other and everyone awkwardly stands on the edge nodding to Coldplay. But Rebirth is a complete rage. Claude is scanning a picture of his butt on the photocopier. Barrett arm-wrestled with Kate Sith and Syd at the same time. Yuffie was sending out thick lines from the ground material on her chocobo’s beak. It’s so vast and joy-filled that it’s in danger of collapsing under the weight of its own extremism, but it’s built on such a solid foundation of combat, exploration, and side quests that it always stays upright.

In many ways, I’m an icon of Final Fantasy 7. I can’t even hear the opening notes of half the songs on the soundtrack without crying. But Rebirth reminds me that developers probably feel the same way I do. Again: celebrate. Like the recent Silent Hill 2 remake, everyone working on Rebirth never took the seriousness of their mission for granted, and that feeling is palpable and strong. Unlike Silent Hill 2, the team here isn’t afraid to mess with classics, which really makes Rebirth come into its own. As a complete, self-contained story, I’m not sure it necessarily works: it’s very much a middle chapter. But as a complete game, it’s one of the most luxurious and charming RPGs I’ve ever played. I haven’t laughed so hard in years.