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The year 2024 has been a rollercoaster for the video game industry, showcasing a mix of highly successful titles and unexpected flops. As the gaming community reflects on the year’s releases, several standout games have captivated the hearts of fans and critics alike, while others have struggled to make an impact. 2024 Hits One of the year’s biggest success stories is Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the eagerly awaited continuation of the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy. Building on the success of its predecessor, Rebirth has garnered widespread acclaim for its breathtaking visuals, enhanced combat system, and emotionally charged narrative. The game has managed to strike a perfect balance between honouring the original and introducing fresh elements, making it a must-play for both veterans of the series and newcomers. Another standout success in 2024 is Hades 2, the sequel to the beloved rogue-like from Supergiant Games. Hades 2 has expanded on the formula that made the original such a hit, offering new characters, deeper gameplay mechanics, and an engaging story. Its addictive gameplay loop, combined with rich character development and stunning art direction, has cemented Hades 2 as one of the most talked-about games of the year. Released in March 2024, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, a major expansion for the critically acclaimed Elden Ring, was another huge hit in the first half of the year. This expansion brought new life to the game with a vast, mysterious new area, challenging bosses, and expanded lore that deepened the overall narrative. Fans and critics praised the expansion for maintaining the high standards set by the original game, with many considering it a must-play addition for anyone who enjoyed Elden Ring. This successful expansion has kept Elden Ring in the spotlight throughout 2024, ensuring its place as one of the year’s most celebrated titles. 2024 Flops Not all 2024 releases met expectations. Echoes of the Multiverse, a highly anticipated action-adventure game released in the first half of 2024, was one of the year’s biggest critical failures. Despite an intriguing premise that promised a complex narrative across multiple dimensions, the game was plagued by poor execution. Critics pointed to its disjointed storyline, repetitive gameplay, and numerous technical issues that severely hampered the experience. The game’s ambitious scope was ultimately its downfall, as it failed to deliver on its potential, leading to disappointing reviews and poor sales. Another game that struggled to make an impact is Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, released in early 2024 from Rocksteady Studios. Launched amid concerns with no reviews codes even distributed to press outlets, the game was met with harsh criticisms and immediate disdain from critics and gamers alike. The game is a generic by-the-numbers feeling game with unimaginative combat and lacklustre characters. The feel overall does not drive gamers to want to play the game and the narrative lacks any compelling reason to push forward. Warner Brothers even mentioned the game as the reason their financials were so lacklustre due to the impact the game had on the company due to lack of sales. Looking Ahead to 2025 As 2024 draws to a close, anticipation is building for the major releases scheduled for 2025. One of the most eagerly awaited games is GTA 6, expected to launch in the fall of 2025. The hype surrounding Rockstar’s next open-world epic is immense, with fans eagerly anticipating what is expected to be a groundbreaking entry in the series. Another highly anticipated release is Civilization 7, which is set to arrive in February 2025. The latest instalment in the legendary strategy series promises to introduce innovative mechanics and expansive world-building features, making it a potential game-changer for the genre. Avowed, an RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, is also generating significant buzz ahead of its February 2025 release. Known for their narrative-driven games, Obsidian’s latest project is expected to deliver a richly detailed world and complex character interactions, making it a must-play for RPG fans. With such a strong lineup of games on the horizon, 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for gamers, building on the successes and lessons learned from 2024. View full record

Upon my observations of gaming over the past several years, even a couple decades, I've noticed that recent games have commonly revolved around some story line. This is contrare to some of the retro games we know and love from older times, such as Super Mario Bros or Sonic. Okay, so older games might have some form of subtle story line, such as with Super Mario Bros you need to save the princess. But in modern games, when you play, you are frequently met with scenes where characters exchange dialogue. This dialogue exchanged reveals some key pointers to the progression in the game's storyline. Now, some of my friends enjoy these periodic dialogue scenes. They sometimes reveal some things about the game that would help you beat it. They sometimes add fun mysteries and quests for you to solve. And they give you a needed break from mashing a bunch of keys on your controller. However, other friends do not prefer story lines like this; they simply just want to play the game and win or lose. They get annoyed by these frequent stops in game play to exchange what they believe to be boring and meaningless dialogue. What are your thoughts on storylines and in-game dialogue exchanges? Do you think these add to the value or thrill of the game? Do you think they reveal some pointers as to how to defeat the game? Do you think they are a big waste of your time and are a gaming buzzkill?