Favorite Computer Games of 2024

I continued to play through my games backlog in somewhat chronological order. Last year, most games I played were originally released between 2010 and 2012. Here are a list of my top favorites played in 2024.

1. World of Warships - I put a lot of time into this one over the last five months of the year. I hardly ever play online multiplayer games but this one really appealed to me. My long term goal was to obtain the Yamato, a Tier X Japanese battleship. I worked my way up to the Tier VIII Amagi, so I expect to keep playing into 2025. What really put it over the top for me was a special Star Trek event, which ran for weeks. It featured special ships based on Romulan, Klingon, and Federation starships.
2. Batman: Arkham City - This was a game with very high production values. It had the strengths of Batman: Arkham Asylum but was even bigger in scope. No longer confined to the asylum, Batman had the dark city of Gotham to explore. Both Arkham games were great but I think I liked this one even more.
3. To the Moon - Point and click adventure games are not usually my favorites. This one was a very pleasant surprise, however. The story involved two doctor's trying to grant the last wish of a dying man. In a way, it felt more like an interactive visual novel than a game. Funny and touching, it really grabbed me and I was eager to find out how it ended.
4. Out of the Park Baseball 25 - OOTP Baseball is so close to perfection as a baseball sim that it is difficult to improve on it much. Yearly upgrades are non-essential but still desirable due to incremental improvements. In my fictional league (NALB), my Brooklyn Knights made it to the World Championship Series and lost for the second straight season.
5. Trine 2 - I liked Trine and I liked Trine 2. The sequel was just as solid as the original. They are both great puzzle-platform games. I really enjoy the concept of controlling three distinct characters and switching between them at will.
6. Dungeon Defenders - DD was a great reminder of how much I love a good tower defense game. Its combination of interesting levels, characters, towers, and RPG elements kept me playing through the story mode.
7. Unity of Command - I loved Panzer General and Panzer Corps more but Unity of Command was still an enjoyable game. It was a very good operational level World War II strategy game focused on Stalingrad and the Eastern Front.
8. Rochard - Originally a PlayStation 3 game, it gave me an excuse to use my game controller. I liked this side-scrolling platform game with its colorful graphics and mix of puzzles and combat.
9. Unstoppable Gorg - Another tower defense game makes the list. This time, it's a game with an outer space setting and a 1950s sci-fi vibe. It may not be an all-time classic but I had fun with it.
10. Cave Story+ - Cave Story+ is an enhanced version of the original indie classic. Considered a Metroidvania style game, it offered old-school platform goodness. I would have ranked it higher had I finished it. I found the last level too difficult and I never made it to the ending.

Honorable mentions

1. Costume Quest - This Halloween-themed game featuring trick-or-treating children was endearing. It was amazing at first. Unfortunately, the combat became repetitive and predictable as the game progressed.
2. Alan Wake - I played roughly half of it in 2024 and finished it in early 2025. Therefore, I won't put it in my top ten of 2024. I expect it will make the 2025 list, however.