It’s December! That means it’s time for my GAME OF THE YEAR 2024 list. What an insane year for games and game STUDIOS. Concord was canceled after two weeks, Alan Wake 2 hasn’t recouped its costs. A lot of great game developers lost their jobs, while a bunch of business people floated along without any consequences.
But because of all of this, a lot of great indie games got the attention they deserved – Manor Lords, Balatro, Mouthwashing. I played ’em all, babeeee, and here are the ones that I loved the most.
Here’s the full list, so don’t click if you don’t want spoilers.
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10. Pepper Grinder
9. Cryptmaster
8. Home Safety Hotline
7. Grunn
6. Sorry We’re Closed
5. Crow Country
4. Thank Goodness You’re Here!
3. Arctic Eggs
2. Mouthwashing
1. Indika
Honorable mention: Elden Ring DLC: Shadow of the Erdtree, What The Car?
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Mouthwashing was amazing. Its deconstruction of toxic masculine archetypes permeates the entire text in ways I still find myself discovering. There's been a recent interview with script writer Johanna Kasurinen where she essentially says that "I hope this hurts" is a targeted message to certain members of the audience — and fuck, it really does hurt.
Also, I cosplayed Swansea at a local event! It was my first ever cosplay and it was stupid fun! Like six people recognised the character!!
I love a list where i don't recognize any of the games until six or seven games deep. Helps me expand my wishlist.
A few of these games have been on my "Must play soon" game list! This just bumped them up for me!
Does anyone know what style of game this year was big for?
I'm sorry but Sorry We're Closed really rubs me the wrong way. As a trans woman, seeing a transfem character depicted (yet again) as a dangerous lust-fueled creature as if the media doesnt do it enough like please hire trans women if you want to depict us
If you like home safety hotline you might also love hypnospace outlaw! (If you haven’t played it already) The mystery and puzzling really hooked me
Nothing much to say except excellent video. Glad to see some of the demos I enjoyed on the list – and good to know I should definitely pick them up! 🙂
Thumbnail contains eggs; Contents does not contain UFO50. Disappoint.
Excellent!
2:09 is that a procare thumb splint?
Is this woman Eileen from Regular Show?
Immediately had to thumbs up the vid after the Gamer Thumb diagnosis because that's just so goddamn hilarious.
looooved the gamed listed as #2 and #1 on ths list! Both messed me up but also had me thinking for ages. Cant wait for the follow up video!
Thank you for contributing to my need to play list!! Didn’t know about some of these titles
I've kind of been deprived of the window into games I used to have this year, so this is really quite the treasure of a video for me. Thanks a ton.
Gods I hope SSS go back and play more of Sorry We're Closed
I’m commenting before watching
EGGS?!
2024 was a great year for retro horror games
I can't believe you missed out my favourite egg-type game, Yolk Hero! It's a retro tamagochi crossed with a JRPG crossed with an idle game, and the art is adorable
thank god someone with good taste made a game of the year list
What a grand list. I had heard of a couple of these games but I think I will have to put some more on my wishlist!
One thing I have no one even heard mention about mouthwashing is how some of the visuals seem to be inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion. Especially it's most iconic, the burned face of the captain, is just straight up EVA 01 without its armor :'D
The terrible blurb on Indika almost felt more effective. It was like you spent the entire rest of the list making it perfectly clear that you have impeccable taste, and then ended on “I don’t want to spoil it. It’s my GOTY, go play it.”
Finally a real list
OK, but was 2024 a good year for indie horror or not? I’m still not certain
I slept. I woke up. I'm here. This video is delightful. I first played Sokpop's "Bamboo EP", and I've slowly been working my way through their entire catalogue ever since.
My game of the year was UFO 50, although that feels like cheating. I can imagine Caves of Qud stealing that title once I've played some more.
Jenna, thanks always keeping me entertained and keeping me thinking!
Before I watch the whole video, just wanted to say how cool you set up the light in your headshots.
The only games I felt the absence of was UFO 50 and 1000xRESIST. But you mentioned that you sadly hadn't really gotten the time to play 100xRESIST, so I forgive you 😉
Reality ain't grim enough for ya?
as someone currently working in a call centre, i assure you, there's nothing retro about the presentation in "home safety hotline", the systems we use still look and work like windows 95
Looking forward to the Indika video! Also thanks for the recommendations on those puzzle titles!
I second 1000xRESIST. its def your jam