Games We Are Thankful For in 2024 (2025)

Thanksgiving is here once more, and so is that special time of year when we take a look at our lives and give thanks for all the good things in them. It's a time for gathering with family and friends and reminding everyone (and perhaps even ourselves) how grateful we are to have them.

Of course, as game enjoyers, we can't help but think of all the great games we're thankful for too, and we here at Hardcore Gamer are taking this opportunity to talk about all the games we're most thankful for this year! Anything that came out between last Thanksgiving and this one is fair game, meaning there's plenty to pick from. What sorts of games hit home for us the most? Read on, find out and then share the games you're most thankful for below!

Matthew Mendisana is Thankful for Persona 3: Reload (February 2, 2024)

Sometimes, all you need are good friends, a faithful dog and a cool robot.

I'm thankful for Persona 3 Reload The Persona franchise continues in the remake that plays like a completely new game, bridging the classic story with modern graphics. The animations for the characters and enemies all look amazing, and given the art style of the cutscenes, it sometimes feels less like you’re playing a game and more like you’re experiencing an anime.

You’ll be spending hours of playtime fighting your way up the Tower of Tartarus, managing your Personas as you fuse new and stronger ones for each battle, while leveling and equipping your team of colorful companions, each with their own background and story to share. And the game’s worth the price for the kicking soundtrack alone. Even if you’re a veteran fan who knows what’s coming, the ending will still have you in tears once you reach it. And though the game deals with serious themes of suicide and depression, it has plenty of humorous and lighthearted moments to lighten the tension. Plus, it’s a game where you fight shadows with a dog and a robot, so what more do you need?

Amanda Hurych is Thankful for Helldivers 2 (February 8, 2024)

I'm doing my part!

Nothing fills my heart with gratitude more than the privilege of fighting for liberty alongside my fellow Helldivers. Whether it's oily Automaton innards or bug juices gracing our turkey dinner, it's been a good year for managed democracy. Seriously though, I'm grateful that I got to experience the launch of Helldivers 2 this year. Recency bias may have pushed it out of the conversation for Game of the Year lists since it released back in February, but its heyday was something to behold.

The cooperative rush of everyone diving to salvage planets under attack, unlocking new stratagems of dubious utility,and just hanging out with like-minded players is incomparable. It's rare that a game can so capture a population and keep them invested in joint goals outside of MMORPGs. But Helldivers 2 accomplished this with all the pomp and circumstance and irony needed of a Starship Troopers-inspired shooter. Arrowhead made something truly special and I'm thankful I got to be a part of it.

Chris Hinton is Thankful for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (February 29, 2024)

Reliving the past in the best way!

Taking Cloud and the gang on their journey beyond Midgar was a next-gen trek that was hotly anticipated by fans both new and old. When FFVII: Remakecrashed into 2020's pandemic-stricken gaming sphere like a speeding meteor, many of us latched onto the revamped narrative behind the Avalanche team of freedom fighters questing to save the planet from a destructive force. As a modernized remake, the bold redesign of the industrial complex that was the urban sprawl of Midgar and the character-rich denizens within brought many of us back to 1997. The accompaniment of a wondrous and truly iconic soundtrack absolutely helped.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth by all accounts only furthered the mission that began with Remake with a densely-packed adventure that never once felt dull or unevenly paced. As a longtime fan of Final Fantasy VII, it's easy for me to say that the team behind Rebirth honored the original and then some, adding deeper lore behind the characters many of us already knew and loved. The hybrid action and strategic combat still feels epic and grand in scope during the game's most heated battles.

Queen's Blood and Rebirth's litany of other assorted mini-game experiences only add to the fun. While 2024 has been an extraordinary year for games (yet again), it's reclaiming the magic of a thrilling adventure I once felt in my youth that I'm truly thankful for.

Jacob Bukacek is Thankful for Animal Well (May 9, 2024)

It's not just mysterious, it's terribly mysterious!

While it's not my favorite game of 2024 (that title goes to Black Myth: Wukong), the game I'm most thankful for is Animal Well. It's increasingly rare these days to come across something that not just feels new, but also manages to regularly defy expectations. Yet, this is exactly what the solo-developed Animal Well accomplishes. It's metroidvania without combat or linear progression! It's adventure without narrative! It's entirely enigmatic from beginning to end, yet is still strangely compelling.

Animal Wellmight be a too mysterious for some, but I cannot help but love it. Nothing is explained; all knowledge is gained solely through experimentation and inference. Only a little is needed to "finish" the game, but diving deeper into its secrets requires dedicated attention to detail and resolutely trying anything and everything one can think of. In fact, some of the deeper puzzles could only be solved through community cooperation, something I want to see more of in other games.

The most amazing thing: even after delving as far as one can go, everything about Animal Well is still open to interpretation. It's just so...awesome. I'm so glad a game like Animal Well exists, as it shows that we've still only scratched the surface of gaming's potential.

Skeith Ruch is Thankful for Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon (June 27, 2024)

A story experience like no other!

For over two decades, Type-Moon's classic visual novels that helped define the genre were almost completely unavailable to western gamers, but earlier this year a phenomenal step was made as the first half of the Tsukihime remake was released in the west. This title is one of the greatest visual novel experiences of all time and one that any gamer should pick up.

Not only am I thankful for a chance to finally play one of Type-Moon's games on release, but it has made me extremely hopeful for the company's future and the future of the visual novel genre as a whole. If this game can come to the west, anything can, and that's something to look forward to.

James Cunningham is Thankful for Phantom Spark (August 15, 2024)

A little dab of arcade goodness goes a long way.

While racing has never been one of my most-played genres, it's still a huge amount of fun when the proper touch of arcade is applied. Sometimes, this ends up with the hyper-aggressive action of a Burnout, but there's always room for something more chill like Trackmania or, this year, the fantastic Phantom Spark Playing a bit like a cross between Wipeout and Trackmania, Phantom Spark is a time-trial racer where the object looks like it's beating the best runs of the track champions but is about bettering yourself. Other than the final track in each of Phantom Spark's three areas, each course can be completed in under a minute, and if you graze a wall and know the run doesn't live up to expectations, has a zero-loading instant restart that lets you try again instantly.

This leads to a game that encourages intense concentration but little frustration, which is a huge advantage that encourages not just getting good, but actual mastery. This is enhanced by the open courses with what appear to be few bottlenecks until you get so good at maintaining top speed that the generous space near a corner becomes a needle you have to perfectly thread by a combination of a perfect turning arc and losing as little momentum as possible. Phantom Spark is a beautiful, chill time-trial racer that doesn't demand perfection but rather encourages it, making it easy to try one more time to do just a little better than the last hundred restarts.

Melissa Sarnowski is Thankful for World of Warcraft: The War Within (August 26, 2024)

An old favorite makes a comeback!

I’ve played World of Warcraft since it was released twenty years ago and this year I find myself more thankful for World of Warcraft: The War Withinthan I’ve felt for most expansions that have been released since Wrath of the Lich King. For the first time in years, The War Within made me excited to log in and it brought several of my friends back to the game as well.

As somebody who also plays FFXIV, I can see that Blizzard took some lessons from what players enjoy about FFXIV and applied them to WoW. Not just in terms of improved gameplay, but the story for the main campaign was more interesting in The War Within than it has been since perhaps Legion. This expansion is a step in the right direction to keep WoW thriving, leaving me cautiously optimistic about the next expansion, Midnight (and the player housing system that’s finally coming with it).

Kyle LeClair is Thankful for UFO 50 (September 18, 2024)

When you get more than you bargained for in the best way.

All you need to know about UFO 50 is that I could never complete a review of it because every time I would begin to start, I'd just think "Cripes, where would I even begin?" When it was first announced, I made the mistake, like many others, of assuming that it was a mere collection of fifty games. But it is so much more than that. Even a few of these games alone would be GOTY contenders, or at the very least, massive productivity killers (I have so far spent over thirty-five hours on Party House alone, and that's long after earning the Cherry Disk in it).

But what makes UFO 50 truly special is how it chronicles an entire chunk of gaming history through the fictional developer behind all of its games, UFO Soft. Be it massive details like shifts to certain genres over the years or little details like the evolving company logo, UFO 50 brings to mind the likes of Rare Replayand Atari 50, being not just a mere "Greatest Hits" compilation, but a whole retrospective in various ways.

And without spoiling anything, that's not even getting into the hidden narrative, which...well, I think it emotionally wrecked me; that's all you need to know. With its boundless creativity and imagination across its many games and its presentation, Mossmouth has truly crafted a massive gem that surprised me on several levels and defies description, and as such, I am truly grateful for it.

Zach McKay-Lather is Thankful for Keylocker (September 18, 2024)

Cyberpunk with a bit of retro flair!

This year has been full of amazing games, but for me, this choice was an easy one to make. I’m a big fan of turn-based games and Keylocker was a surprise when I got my hands on it. Taking inspiration from some of my favorite games in the genre and giving players something new with familiar mechanics is always a pleasure to see. It was truly special seeing my favorite mechanics from Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG combine into something new entirely.

Keylocker ended up having all the trademark parts of turn-based games I look for. An interesting story with delightful dialogue, engaging combat, amazing music and eye-catching artwork. Random battles get the job done in many games, but here they weren’t random and took on the same style as Chrono Trigger but with the same combat seen in Super Mario RPG. A marriage of mechanics I never knew that I wanted and was over the moon to have received this year. I'm thankful that Moonana made such a huge labor of love for the genre and players who enjoy it.

Matthew Murphy is Thankful for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (September 26, 2024)

Freedom of a different sort is still just as sweet!

2024 brought forth incredible games like FFVII: Rebirth, Black Myth: Wu-Kong, Metaphor Re:Fantasio and Astro Bot. While all of those were fun to play, one game stuck out to me the most. Given its release, the game I'm most thankful for this year didn’t get as much recognition as it should. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomhas proven that the stories told within the Zelda franchise are alive and well.

A truly-unique experience is found within this title, bringing the graphical style of Link’s Awakeningand the fun mechanics of Tears of the Kingdom. The echoes system provides for an individualistic feel, as you can take on any enemy with whichever echo you want. It gave me the same feeling as Tears of the Kingdom did when it was revealed that the sky is also available to explore. The game provided me with a chance to take things at my own pace and trust my intuition in strategy. The Legend of Zelda series has always been there for me and this entry only reaffirmed my admiration for it.

Atlus took grandeur to a whole new scale with this one!

This year was one that, while not as huge as last year, was one full of genuinely-good titles, like Astro Botand Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. I’ve had the pleasure to play a wide variety of games, even ones outside my usual comfort zone. Despite all that, however, I’m not ashamed to admit that the game I’m most thankful for this year is one I’ve covered a tonhere at Hardcore Gamer: Metaphor: ReFantazio.

I’ve spent countless hours traveling around the United Kingdom of Euchronia, slaying monsters via fluid turn-based combat and making allies with a cast of colorful and fantastically-written characters. Even still, I never grew tired of it. Almost every detail in the game is just grand and apt for the setting and themes. The fact it managed to create a whole new fantasy world on its own terms and make it easily digestible and interesting is mind-blowing. I mean, it’s another RPG from the same people that brought us the incomparable Persona 4 & 5 AND an entirely new IP. New ideas are the lifeblood of the industry and Metaphor: ReFantazio is proof that that is indeed the case.

Steve Hannley is Thankful for Metal Slug Tactics (November 5, 2024)

The Neo Geo Classic Returns!

As a Neo Geo fan, Metal Slug is a franchise that’s always been near and dear to my heart. Unfortunately, though, it’s been over fifteen years since the last entry into the main series and mobile games not withstanding, not much less time since a major entry was released into the franchise. Until 2021, it seemed like the IP might be relegated to mobile titles and re-releases, which is why Metal Slug Tacticsis such a breath of fresh air.

Developed by Leikir Studio and published by DotEmu, who has seen success publishing classic revivals, Metal Slug Tactics is a full-fledged major game in the franchise. While that alone would be cause for any fan to celebrate, the fact that the game has so many elements and references that we’ve grown to cherish over the years makes it into something of a love letter to those who have stuck by the series for nearly thirty years. The best part is that even without Metal Slug, it’s a well-designed tactics game that’s a blast to play. Here’s hoping we get Metal Slug 8 one of these days, but it’s hard to be anything but thankful with the franchise at the moment.

Chris Shive is Thankful for Dragon Quest III HD HD-2D Remake (November 14, 2024)

It's always a joy to see the return of a childhood classic.

There are a handful of games I could write about being thankful for this year, but the one that stands above the rest is Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Dragon Quest III has been one of my favorite games ever since the original 8-bit version was released under the name Dragon Warrior III. Having one of your favorite childhood games being completely remade can be a prospect that can be both exciting and apprehensive, but fortunately the remake of Dragon Quest III ended up being an example of how a classic game should be remade.

The world and monsters have been completely redone in a manner that fills in the gaps that one's imagination had to in the earlier versions. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake revitalizes the classic for both new and returning players. Playing through it was a joyful trip down memory lane that was enhanced by the new challenges such as recruiting friendly monsters. I'm thankful to get to experience a new take on an old favorite and hope many others get similar results when they play it.

Jonathan Klotz is Thankful for Dragon Quest III HD HD-2D Remake (November 14, 2024)

True classics never die, especially when they get revived in glorious HD!

The very first time I came across a JRPG was when I watched my uncle face down the Orochi in Dragon Warrior 3 on the NES. I was a huge fantasy fan, even at the age of 10, and had already read The Hobbit, so this was one of my books come to life. I became fascinated with roleplaying games, and they have been my favorite genre for decades.

This is why, over thirty years later, I'm thankful for Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. From the music to the gorgeous sprites that match what the original looked like in my imagination, it's pure nostalgia in the best form possible. When I faced the Orochi in beautiful HD, I thought of my uncle, of all the games I've enjoyed thanks to that moment and how it's all come full circle.

We've definitely gotten quite the list here, but this is still only a small slice out of the many great titles that came out this year. Why not share some of yours below? And, of course, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!