There was a time when you could conceivably play every great game that was released within any year. That time is in the distant past though, and we're now in a time where hundreds of games can be released in a day.
Among the unending deluge of interactive entertainment, though, are games that will pay you back for your time in spades with fun gameplay, unique art, and elements that just wouldn't work in a big studio game release.
There are far too many in that deluge, but we've fished out seven under-the-radar gems that we think you might enjoy from 2024. Given that January is sort of a quiet month for new games, packing mostly ports and remasters, this might be the perfect time to dig into last year’s overlooked treasures.
Editor's note: All of the games on this list are traditional "Web2" games without crypto or blockchain integrations. But you might enjoy 'em anyway!
Thank Goodness You're Here!
Platforms: Switch, PlayStation 5/4, PC, Mac
In many games, your role is—aside from being the chosen one who can save the world—to be a helper for everyone you encounter. Thank Goodness You're Here is kind of like that, but it's a 2D game with weird, awesome art; and instead of being a cool hero, you're a weird guy in a northern English town who is just there to see the mayor.
He's busy, though, so you might as well take in the sights. The town is packed with people who have all manner of problems, and your one way to help them is to offer up a good smack. This takes you through some truly absurd situations and some truly silly British comedy that lovingly pokes fun at a region of England that we don't often see highlighted in modern media.
Mullet Madjack
Platform: PC
Mullet Madjack is an anime-style rush shooter that has you taking down enemies as quickly as possible in tight hallways, all to keep your heart beating and your score rising. It has stunning visuals that call to mind ‘80s and ‘90s cyberpunk anime and that rash of old FMV animated games like Road Blaster and Time Gal—but it's louder, faster, and more violent.
Pacific Drive
Platforms: PS5, PC
What if, instead of being set in Chernobyl and taking place largely on foot, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series was set in the Pacific Northwest and had you driving a car around to search out resources and survive? That's Pacific Drive.
You're trapped in the Olympic Exclusion Zone, a place full of dangerous and wondrous anomalies, and your car is your best chance at surviving. Upgrade and augment it to compensate for the many hazards in the environment as you unravel the mystery of the Exclusion Zone.
Mini Mini Golf Golf
Platform: PC
Don't mistake Mini Mini Golf Golf for being a good golfing game—you'll want to look towards Golf With Your Friends or What the Golf for a compelling rendition of the sport. Instead, Mini Mini Golf Golf wants to tell you a human story about climate collapse and memory through the medium of a very weird mini golf game. That’s all we’ll say, because you should really experience it for yourself.
Minishoot' Adventures
Platforms: PC, Mac
The apostrophe in the title is, according to the developer, intended to convey that Minishoot' is a contraction of "Minimalist Shooter Adventure." Minishoot is an overhead, Zelda-inspired, spaceship-shooter adventure. One look at the trailer is enough to make that make sense.
Despite looking like a bullet-hell shooter, this game is a full-on role-playing game or RPG, complete with an overworld and dungeons that have the game wearing its Zelda inspiration on its sleeve. There are secrets everywhere, upgrades to find for your ship, and dangerous bosses to fight—and it's all conveyed through gorgeous 2D art.
Judero
Platform: PC
The art in Judero is just as stunning as that of Minishoot', but in very different ways. Judero is a Scottish-set action adventure game where all of the characters are built from action figures and clay, complete with stop-motion animated cutscenes. The game switches up art styles, dropping you into bright watercolors, a Sonic-style bonus stage, and more.
All those big games have stunning graphics, but that can lead to a kind of same-y feeling. Judero will break you right out of that.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
Platforms: PS5/PS4, Xbox Series X/S + One, PC
And finally, a hidden gem from a AAA publisher. Capcom is best known for Resident Evil and Monster Hunter World, and seems to be releasing one banger after another. Among all of those, though, was this weird little game, Kunitsu-Gami.
It's a sort of action-strategy tower-defense game. Set sometime in Japan's distant past, a mountain is defiled by evil. The priestess Yoshiro can purify it, but she needs protection from you, Soh. Using sword dancing moves, you'll free villagers from corruption and enlist them to help you in a variety of roles like Woodsman, Sumo, Ascetic, and Healer.
Every corner of this game is informed and inspired by Japanese historical art, including Bunraku theater, Kagura dance, and woodblock printing. The team built the sets out of physical materials and scanned them in three dimensions, and also made the costumes from real fabric and captured them on actors. Even the confections you pick up to give to Yoshiro were made by a professional and scanned in in the highest resolution to make sure they're authentic and stunning.
Unlike basically everything else Capcom makes, Kunitsu-Gami flew way under the radar and is worth your attention.
Edited by Andrew Hayward